Once you have this list, you’ll need to start searching the internet for each corporation’s philanthropic initiatives. Sometimes it’s a little tricky finding where the corporate philanthropy information is located on a company’s website. Try looking for terms such as “corporate foundation,” “social responsibility,” “corporate citizenship,” “corporate responsibility,” or “in the community.”
Read the guidelines carefully. Some corporations might focus on specific areas such as “secondary education” or “arts,” while others have very general guidelines in order to meet a wide variety of needs in the communities where they are located. Look to see if you can submit a request to the foundation and/or the corporate giving program and how those requests might differ.
One important piece of advice to keep in mind when looking for corporate support: You might find that the more recognition a company receives, the more successful you’ll be in securing corporate support. Look for ways to include this recognition via your website, newsletters, and social media as you share examples of employees doing good work in your community.
eSchool News columnist Deborah Ward is a grant writer, consultant, and Certified Fund Raising Expert.
For more grant-seeking advice from Deb Ward, see also:
Tips for effective grant evaluation
Six questions to ask before applying for a grant
- What ‘sequestration’ could mean for school grant seeking in 2013 - September 7, 2012
- What ‘sequestration’ could mean for school grant seeking in 2013 - September 1, 2012
- Dispelling five common grant-seeking myths - August 1, 2012