Leveraging Good Will: New Data Reinforces That Nonprofit-Corporate Partnerships Are Win-Win

Mar 13, 2010 6:00 PM ET

Alice Korngold's Blog

The latest Cone Trend Tracker reports that 59% of American consumers "are more likely to buy a product associated with the [nonprofit-corporate] partnership," and that 50% of consumers are "more likely to donate to the nonprofit" when nonprofits partner with companies. By leveraging their good will, companies advance their own interests, while also helping nonprofits to promote their causes in making the world better.

For business people interested in participating on nonprofit boards, these survey results are helpful. Based on the responses, you can see that nonprofits need your skills, experience, and expertise to help shape their brands and build awareness, which can ultimately yield additional funding for their causes. In working with nonprofit CEOs and boards, I can attest that the issues of brand and identity are among the top agenda items, and integral to the organization's mission, vision, core strategy, and revenues.

Most relevant to this point, survey results show that "nonprofit marketing elements that help capture consumer attention include having an association with a special event or time period (81%); a memorable color, logo, or icon that symbolizes the cause or issue (79%) and the involvement of a celebrity or other notable spokesperson (61%)."

Businesses can help themselves while helping nonprofits. Here are four particularly powerful ways that I recommend to businesses to advance nonprofits, while enhancing their own brands;

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