The Bottom Line Philanthropic Assessment | Karen Eber Davis Consulting

Mark the answer that best describes your nonprofit. If you are unsure of any answer, just give your best guess. When you are done, press total to receive your score.

Part 1: About Your Organization

Name*

First Last

Organization Name*

Email*

1. We donate:*

(a) Occasionally or never.
(b) Employee time or in-kind products.
(c) Cash, including matching gifts or a percent of our profits.
(d) The above and more.

2. A friend calls. He or she asks you to buy a table for a charitable event. You:*

(a) Wish you had let the call go to voice mail.
(b) Agree. It’s payback time.
(c) Get curious. Why is your friend involved?
(d) Ask questions to learn if the event will be beneficial to your firm, your friendship, and the nonprofit.

3. Our business sees business philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) as:*

(a) Benefits
(b) Opportunities
(c) Another item on our to-do list.
(d) A cost of doing business.

4. An observer would say our firm’s business philanthropy efforts were:*

(a) A mystery.
(b) Responsive.
(c) Strategic.
(d) Innovative.

5. We believe business philanthropy helps us improve:*

(a) Nothing.
(b) Our brand and profits.
(c) Our performance, i.e. employees.
(d) All of the above, plus it improves the community and our lives.

6. Our business:*

(a) Engages with many causes or few causes in-depth each year.
(b) Seeks one or two leaderships roles to expand our knowledge, reach, and to help.
(c) Avoids getting on nonprofit-ask-lists
(d) None of the above.

7. We include business philanthropy and CSR efforts in marketing:*

(a) Never or less than once a year.
(b) Occasionally.
(c) Always.
(d) When the activities strengthen and align with our business strategy.

8. When unexpected requests for support arrive:*

(a) We request meetings with the principal staff ASAP if interested.
(b) We decline all, since we only give to preselected causes.
(c) We review using pre-established criteria.
(d) We ignore them.

9. We select our philanthropic activities because of:*

(a) Our founder’s passions.
(b) Their emotional appeal and low-risk.
(c) Their activities, such as board membership and volunteer potential.
(d) The specific requests and their value.

10. Our customers comment on our giving or CSR:*

(a) Never or less than once a year.
(b) Occasionally.
(c) Regularly (i.e., once per month).
(d) Enthusiastically.

11. Over time, we’ve noticed our return on philanthropy is:*

(a) Greater than 10 percent.
(b) Positive, but small.
(c) Breakeven.
(d) Nonexistent.

12. When we hire:*

(a) We share CSR information if the candidate expresses interests.
(b) We ask about the candidate’s philanthropic experiences.
(c) We actively recruit candidates with similar passions.
(d) NA or B and C above.

13. When we evaluate our philanthropic activities, we examine:*

(a) We rarely evaluate our giving.
(b) If the overall experience was positive.
(c) Branding or employee engagement success.
(d) B and C above, plus community impact.

Comments

Definitions

Business Philanthropy: The process of taking business resources and investing them in philanthropy. The reason for making the investment can vary from pure self-interest to altruism.

Cause: A nonprofit organization, charity, or organized effort to help others. For example, in a Practical Business Philanthropy video, the highlighted cause was the children reading library books. Causes aren’t limited to the work of nonprofit organizations.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Research shows the consumers expect businesses to make money and help the community. The second responsibility, corporate social responsibility, or CSR, includes obligations to act outward, not just inward, as they operate. Key areas include meeting economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic expectations. Fulfilling these obligations brings rewards, including increased profits. Failing to meet them triggers negative consequences.

Philanthropy: The process of taking personal resources and using them for the good of others. You are philanthropic when you hold the door of the elevator for someone. Likewise, you are philanthropic when you donate money to a cause that improves people’s lives.