SDG Corporate Link
Corporate Link is a brief published by San Diego Grantmakers dedicated to supporting the corporate giving and corporate foundation members of SDG.
May 2010
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Materials from SDG Corporate Programs
More Corporate Resources
Corporate Giving Headlines
Other Corporate Events
Upcoming Events 
 
 
2009 Report CardSan Diego County 2009 Report Card on Children and Families: A Powerful Tool for Funders
May 27, 2010, 2:00-4:00pm
SDG, 5060 Shoreham Place, Suite 350, San Diego 92122
 
 

Speakers
Sandra L. McBrayer, The Children's Initiative
Doug Sawyer, United Way of San Diego
Mark Cafferty, San Diego Workforce Partnership 

RSVP to programs@sdgrantmakers.org (include your full name and organizational affiliation, please) or call 858/875-3333.
 
USD SOLES InstituteThe Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research:
A Spotlight on San Diego's Third Sector
May 20, 2010, 9-11:30am

Cost:  $10
Please join SDG partner USD's Caster Family Center for a presentation and interactive discussion (Nancy Jamison will be one of the discussants).
 

Click here for a complete list of SDG programs and working group meetings.  Reminder:  Except where noted, SDG programs are open only to member grantmakers and nonmember grantmakers as invited. 
Materials from Recent SDG Corporate Programs 
 
Special Note:  Keep an eye out for an email survey coming soon to SDG Corporate members, seeking input on corporate programming priorities.  
 
On April 22, SDG hosted a program for corporate grantmakers featuring national experts in corporate employee engagement from Changing Our World, and staff from Volunteer San Diego. In "Taking Employee Engagement to New Heights," participants learned about how companies can reimagine employee programs to increase impact and strengthen corporate community involvement.  If you missed it, check out these resources from the program: 
 
On March 24, SDG member Renata Hron Gomez made it possible for members to learn from the Hitachi Foundation CEO Barbara Dyer. They shared thefoundation's strategy as well as information from a recently published study on the State of Corporate Citizenship.
Their strategic tie to workforce development was particularly interesting due to their focus on integrating company values and business actions with enduring economic opportunities for low-wealth people, as described in their  strategic plan: Business and Society: Discovering the New Social Compact for the 21st Century.
More Corporate Resources
  

Measuring the Value of Corporate Philanthropy: Social impact, business benefits, and investor returns
This CECP research report presents the corporate philanthropy community with an analysis of current measurement studies, models and evidence drawn from complimentary business disciplines as well as from the social sector.

 

Social Responsibility:  The Power of the Corporate Philanthropy Platform
This white paper (pdf) from the the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation makes the case that a well-organized corporate philanthropy platform is a critical component of any effective CSR program. You can also read this Philanthropy Journal article about the paper.
 
Book:  Just Good Business
Kellie McElhaney spoke recently at a Southern California Grantmakers meeting.  In her new book, Just Good Business, she shows leaders and managers how to connect their CSR efforts to their company's overall corporate strategy, business objectives, and core competencies. She provides a process for assessing whether CSR practices are reinforcing the brand, explains how to develop a unified CSR strategy, and lays out a framework of seven principles for leveraging the power of CSR branding.

Corporate Giving Headlines
 
"Nestle SA Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe said he opposes corporate philanthropy because it misuses shareholders' money and said government, business and civic groups should team up to tackle society's problems."

PND:  "Corporate America Values Skilled Volunteerism as a Means to Social Change, Survey Finds"
"Increasingly, corporations regard workplace volunteerism as a means to effect long-term social change and are offering their employees skilled volunteer opportunities, an annual survey from New York City-based Deloitte finds." 

Chronicle:  "Corporate Volunteer Efforts Have Big Intentions, but Few Companies Track Results"
"More than eight out of 10 companies believe that offering skilled volunteers can help nonprofit groups operate more effectively, serve more clients, and reach their long-term goals, the report said. But less than half of the businesses communicate with the organizations they serve about how best to meet those needs. And fewer than four out of 10 companies work with the groups to measure the volunteers' impact."

Chronicle: "Corporate Donors Step Up Efforts to Help Charities Gain Technology Skills"
"Corporations are increasingly donating high-technology training and expertise rather than cash to help solve global problems, the Star Tribune reports."

Chronicle:  "Economic Worries Ease for Corporate Donors, Report Finds"
"Cuts to corporate giving budgets are slowing this year, as companies focus on business strategy rather than the economy when making philanthropy decisions, according to a new report by the Conference Board, in New York." 
Other Corporate Events of Interest  
 
CECP Corporate Philanthropy Summit
June 2-3, 2010
New York, NY
 
Maximizing Corporate Community Investment
June 9-10, 2010
Atlanta, GA
Special intro rate ($350) for SDG members.  Note: SDG is part of a collaboration developing and testing this corporate giving curriculum--we plan to bring it to San Diego in the future.

Northern California Grantmakers Corporate Philanthropy Institute
June 23, 2010
San Francisco, CA  
This Corporate Link e-newsletter is published by San Diego Grantmakers to help SDG members meet the challenges of philanthropy today. Our mission is to connect, educate, develop, and inspire a diverse group of foundations and corporations to stimulate effective philanthropy in the San Diego region. Copies of past editions are archived here.
 
Contact Nancy Jamison, 858/875.3333 or nancy@sdgrantmakers.org to suggest article ideas or submit news items.