As the world watches what’s unfolding in Ukraine, you may be looking for ways that you can help.
Charitable partnerships can be tricky, which is why our network explored the topic of charitable partnerships a few months ago during one of our networking events. Some of the most visible leaders in the industry weighed in with their insights and lessons learned.
Here are a few takeaways from the conversation:
- Charitable partnerships are NOT a sales opportunity, and your audience will be able to see through any veiled attempts for you to capitalize on the mission in order to make a sale.
- When partnering with a charity, make sure that it closely aligns with your brand values and even more importantly, the things that are important to your brand and your audience.
- Vetting the charity is key, make sure that you check with sites like Guidestar or Charity Navigator before you align your brand with any charity. If you don’t find them listed there, consider making a more offline donation, reserving the highly-visible charity events and partnerships for later when they are more fully launched.
- Be careful with how donations are handled. It’s usually best to use your influence to raise awareness of the charity and then allow donations to flow directly to them.
Do you enjoy conversations like this about relevant topics to your business? Join our network! We have low-key high-value networking events every month and a ton of other member resources.
Find more great guidelines for charitable giving from BBB below:
Read the full article at MLive:
The Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan is urging the public to be “deliberate” when donating to organizations that say they’re helping the people of Ukraine, whose country has been invaded by Russia.
“Unfortunately, bad actors often try to take advantage of people’s good will,” says Lisa Frohnapfel, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Michigan, said in a statement. “You want to make sure your donation is used as intended, so it is important to take some time and make sure the charity you are working with can deliver on their promises and support.”
The Better Business Bureau said in a news release that it encourages “generosity to help the people in Ukraine but caution donors to avoid questionable appeals by keeping the following tips in mind:”
- Can the charity get to the impacted area? “Not all relief organizations will be positioned to provide relief quickly. See if the charity already has a presence in Ukraine.”
- Should you send clothing and food? “Local drives to collect clothing and food to send overseas may not be practical as the logistics and timing to deliver and disperse such items will be challenging. Relief organizations are better equipped to obtain what is needed, distribute it effectively and avoid duplication of effort.”
- Does the relief charity meet BBB Charity Standards? “You can verify a charity’s trustworthiness by viewing an evaluative report completed by BBB Wise Giving Alliance. See the list provided below of charities that that are soliciting for relief assistance for Ukraine and that also meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.”
- Is the charity experienced in providing emergency relief? “Experienced disaster relief charities are the best bet to help deliver aid as soon as possible. New entrants may have difficulty in following through even if they have the best of intentions.”
- Are you considering crowdfunding appeals? “If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust, and review the platform’s policies regarding fees and distribution of collected funds. If the crowdfunding request is from a charity, check out the group by visiting Give.org. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals or organizations that decide to post for relief assistance. Sites that take security measures will usually provide descriptions of these procedures.”
- Does the appeal make exaggerated financial claims such as “100% will be spent on relief.” “Charities have fundraising and administrative expenses. Any charity claiming otherwise is potentially misleading the donating public. Even a credit card donation will have a processing fee.”
Troy Baker, director of the Educational Foundation for the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Michigan, said he has not received reports of questionable charities seeking funds from area residents. Rather, he said, his organization is offering the tips as “a preemptive warning based on past experience.”
He noted the threat of “bad actors” is particularly acute on social media. He urged residents to do their research before donating to a relief organization they see online.
Read more: https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/03/do-your-homework-before-making-donations-for-ukraine-better-business-bureau-advises.html
