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Workplace Giving

Update

Business Week - Make Giving Part of your Business Strategy (download or web link)

The Telluride Foundation seeks to help local Telluride businesses consider their charitable giving programs and provide tools and advice on your business and employees becoming more effective community contributors. For more information or questions on Workplace Giving, please call any one of the staff at the Telluride Foundation at (970) 728-8717.

The goals of this program are:

  1. Improve local business profitability (where applicable) through focused giving and improved PR associated alongside the giving.
  2. Improved community relations by way of improved employee loyalty and employee giving participation.
  3. Assist local businesses in aligning their business goals with their charitable giving efforts to make a difference in a few areas of need or affiliations related to your business.
By focusing your business giving, you can improve community relations or business relations that will have a direct impact on your business's bottom line.

Focus your giving
  • What do you want your contributions to accomplish?
  • Where do your company's interests intersect with the Telluride community?
  • What are the interests of your employees?

These areas of mutual interest are a natural starting point for developing your goals. If desired, by designing a program to meet specific goals and objectives, you will have a program that is proactive rather than simply reactive in responding to requests.

Here are some questions to consider in determining your program's focus:

  • What are your current business interests?
  • What are your future business needs?
  • What role does your company want to play in the community?
  • What are your employees' interests and what causes are they committed to?
  • What area of your community or who in the community is most affected by your business?
  • What community issues are likely to affect your business and/or employees?
  • Where do your employees live? Where do your customers/clients live?
  • What do you want your company to be known for? Whom are you trying to reach?
Examples

Here are a few examples of how small and mid-sized businesses have matched their business activities and needs with their business giving programs:
  • A construction firm with a strong interest in conserving timber resources funds community projects dedicated to protecting the environment and environmental education.
  • A grocery store provides funding to day care centers in the area after a brief survey of customers found day care to be one of their key community concerns.
  • An outdoor adventure company sponsors the local high-school adventure program
  • A children's retailing company supports (through its business foundation) local programs involving children.
  • A local bar and restaurant forms an alliance with the local chapter of an anti-drunk-driving organization, helping it conduct a poster contest in high schools to publicize the organization's message.
  • A hotel consortium offers free emergency transportation assistance, helping stranded tourists and needy families with sick relatives who live elsewhere, and also pays temporary lodging expenses for people in need.
  • Freelance Internet consultants and graphic designers create a Web page to post volunteer opportunities in its local community.
Engage your employees through the program
  • Employees can participate in your business-giving program by volunteering company time or by making personal donations with a Company match program.
Improve community awareness by appropriately marketing your contributions.
  • How do you use your charitable giving to promote your business?
  • Think about how your gift and business will be represented at an event. Do you dictate the size of the logo? The placement of your recognition? Do you know the audience?
Properly account for charitable gifts to take advantage of business tax credits.
  • Speak to your accountant to maximize tax credits for your donations' cash, goods and services and employee time. Please inquire about the Colorado State Child Care credit to see if your donations are eligible for the 50% tax credit allowed under this law.