Can Corporations be "High-Engagement Funders?" Let FLiP know what you think…
A great article by FLiP, an online publication of on|Philanthropy, offers an excellent interpretation of high-engagement philanthropy and where private corporations fit into the mix.
FLiP’s article (by Irene Park & Shikha Dalal) mentions that according to a 2004 report developed by Venture Philanthropy Partners and Community Wealth Ventures, "the characteristics of ‘high-engagement philanthropy’ are defined as specific ways in which funders (investors) are directly or personally involved with their grantees (investment partners) beyond just providing financial support."
The article also notes that a student group at NYU’s Stern School of Business recently hosted a panel discussion called, "Full Contact Funding: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of High-Engagement Funding Relationships." But, the most interesting part of this panel is that, although both non-profits and foundations were represented, there was no private company or for-profit panelists.
With the ever-increasing importance of corporate and community partnership- the FliP article has some highly on-point commentary:
"As community involvement becomes an important measure of good corporate citizenship and can have a great impact on brand image, companies understand there is a level of expectation from the public they must fulfill. This becomes a dual benefit as companies are responsible to their stakeholders and to their bottom line."
Read the whole article- it’s worth it. And, don’t forget to leave a comment and answer their question, "can corporations be high-engagement funders, too?"
Let us know if you do leave a comment- we want to read your responses!
Jacqui Higgins
NOZA
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