Hands-on Business

Corporate giving focuses on community partnerships, innovation.
03.14.2005 -
By David Lamere and Joanne Jaxtimer

The complexion of corporate philanthropy has changed. Today's charitable giving is more creative, hands-on and strategic.

Fewer companies simply write checks and move on. These days, many focus on building multi-faceted partnerships with community nonprofits to help position them for the long term, not merely to hit this year's fundraising goal.

Mellon Financial adopted such an approach 10 years ago. The impetus was a desire to position Mellon, long known for its Pittsburgh roots, as a good corporate citizen in Boston.

How? By maximizing all of our resources – senior executives, employee volunteers, as well as corporate and charitable trust dollars – to make a measurable difference with Boston's smaller nonprofits.

It's a contemporary model for partnering that emphasizes innovation, entrepreneurship and mutual accountability between funder and nonprofit. Call it a "venture capital" approach to giving.

Mellon proactively targets new and emerging community groups, those without a history of corporate or foundation support. (more...)