Corporate giving — the charitable and community investment activities of businesses — is a significant source of funding for nonprofits, community organisations, and social initiatives. Understanding how corporate giving programmes work, what motivates companies to give, and how to approach corporate funders effectively can open funding relationships that complement foundation and government grants. This guide covers the landscape of corporate giving and how organisations can access it.
Corporate giving is not pure altruism. Companies give for a range of reasons:
- Reputation and brand: Association with community causes builds positive brand sentiment
- Employee engagement: Charitable programmes attract and retain staff who want to work for purpose-driven companies
- Stakeholder relations: Shareholders, customers, and communities increasingly expect corporate social responsibility
- Tax incentives: Charitable donations may be deductible
- Strategic alignment: Supporting causes connected to the business's purpose or customer base
- Regulatory environment: Some sectors face expectations of community investment (mining, utilities)
Understanding these motivations helps nonprofits frame partnership proposals in terms of mutual benefit.
Cash grants
Direct monetary grants to nonprofits or community organisations. May be:
- Unrestricted (for general operating purposes)
- Programme grants (for specific projects)
- Matched giving (company matches employee donations)
In-kind support
Non-monetary contributions:
- Products (food, equipment, technology)
- Professional services (legal, accounting, consulting, marketing)
- Workspace and facilities
- Media and advertising space
Employee volunteering
Companies allow employees to volunteer during work hours for community organisations. May be:
- Individual volunteering (employee selects where to volunteer)
- Company-organised team volunteering (skill-based or physical labour)
- Pro bono professional services (employees use their professional skills)
Cause-related marketing
Company donates a portion of sales or revenue to a cause:
- "Buy one, give one" models
- Percentage of sales donated
- Product tie-ins with charity campaigns
Sponsorship
Corporate sponsorship of events, programmes, or organisations — typically in exchange for brand visibility and acknowledgement.
Payroll giving
Employees donate from their salary, often with company matching. Platforms facilitate payroll giving across many charities.
Corporate foundations
Some companies establish independent corporate foundations to manage their charitable giving at arm's length from commercial operations. Corporate foundations typically have more formal grant processes.
Australia:
- The National Australia Day Council, the Australian Business Arts Foundation, and sector-specific bodies support corporate-charity partnerships
- Many large Australian companies have structured community investment programmes (ANZ, BHP, Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers)
- Workplace giving is well-developed through platforms like Good2Give
- Some sectors have mandatory community investment requirements (resource companies, banks)
New Zealand:
- Smaller corporate sector but active community investment from major companies (Fletcher Building, Spark, Air New Zealand, ASB, ANZ NZ)
- New Zealand-specific platforms for payroll and workplace giving
- Many regional businesses active in community sponsorship and local giving
Identify alignment
The most important factor is strategic alignment between your work and the company's priorities, brand, or values. A health company is more likely to fund health programmes; a technology company may prioritise digital inclusion.
Research the company's programme
Many companies publish their community investment priorities and application processes. Before approaching a company:
- Find out if they have a formal grants programme (eligibility, deadlines)
- Understand their focus areas and any exclusions
- Look at who they've funded previously (often published)
Start locally
Local branches of large corporations often have discretionary giving budgets. Smaller, local asks are easier to approve than national requests to head office.
Frame as partnership
Corporate funders respond better to partnership proposals than to donation requests. What can your organisation offer the company — brand association, employee engagement, customer goodwill, story-telling opportunities?
Build relationships before the ask
Relationship development takes time in corporate giving. Invite corporate contacts to events, engage them in cause-related activities, build familiarity before making a funding request.
Larger companies often have structured grants programmes with:
- Published focus areas and eligibility criteria
- Annual application cycles
- Assessment by a community investment committee
- Formal grant agreements and reporting requirements
These are more similar to foundation grantmaking and can be approached through formal applications. Smaller corporate giving tends to be relationship-driven and discretionary.
Corporate partnerships require different management than foundation relationships:
- Corporate contacts move frequently — relationship continuity is harder
- Corporate priorities shift with business strategy changes
- Decision-making can be decentralised or very centralised
- Recognition and reporting requirements may be different from foundation requirements
Document corporate relationships carefully and build relationships with multiple contacts within a company.
Review corporate funding relationships against your mission and values before accepting significant support.
Tahua's grants management platform helps organisations manage diverse funding portfolios — including corporate relationships, sponsorships, and grants — alongside their foundation and government funding in one integrated system.