Board members play an important role in nonprofits. They have many responsibilities, ranging from governing their organizations to establishing new revenue streams to engaging the community.

Like any other governing body, it’s important for your board to occasionally take the time to reflect on its actions, assessing where individual board members and the board as a whole can improve. That’s where self-assessment comes in.

This guide will go over everything you need to know about nonprofit board self-assessment, covering the following topics:

• What is a nonprofit board self-assessment?
• Why perform a nonprofit board self-assessment?
• How to Conduct a Successful Nonprofit Board Self-Assessment
• Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Evaluation
• Improving Board Member Engagement with Corporate Philanthropy

Even the best nonprofits need check-ups to ensure that they can continue to thrive. Nonprofit board self-assessment allows you to implement practices and strategies for a healthy and engaged board, creating a more efficient and effective team dedicated to your organization’s success. So let’s jump in with the first topic: What is a nonprofit board self-assessment?

What is a nonprofit board self-assessment?

Nonprofit board self-assessments are fairly self-explanatory: You ask each board member to reflect on their tenure as a board member. During the assessment, they may consider if they’re following your nonprofit’s bylaws, meeting expectations as an individual and as a group, and making progress toward goals. Plus, they’ll have the opportunity to give feedback on the board’s health and practices.

Formal nonprofit board self-assessments usually take place annually or every few years. However, you can conduct self-assessments more frequently and informally to ease the pressure on board members. For example, you might ask your board to give quick feedback on what’s working and what could be improved in their processes at the end of each board meeting.

Why perform a nonprofit board self-assessment?

With 56% of nonprofits struggling with board governance, you must implement systems to check in on your board’s health. Self-assessments are a great way to do so—ultimately, they allow board members to improve as individuals and as a team.

By conducting a nonprofit board self-assessment, you can:

• Clarify board expectations and objectives. While board members should learn about your organization, the board’s expectations, and their objectives during orientation, self-assessments are a great way to demonstrate their understanding of these aspects of their role. Should you find any misconceptions or misunderstandings, you can correct them in the next board meeting.
• Identify strengths and improvement areas. Much like with any other self-assessment, board members can take the time to identify the skills they think they’re strongest at and what they may be struggling with. If your board members fulfill specific roles, you may be able to assign them responsibilities that align more with their skills.
• Reflect on individual and shared responsibilities. Successful group work requires a delicate balance to ensure that every individual has similar levels of responsibility. There may be points during the year when some board members are swamped with work and others have fewer tasks to complete. Nonprofit board self-assessment can help you identify these times and reallocate responsibilities as necessary.
• Increase levels of board teamwork. If there are any misalignments on objectives, responsibilities, and mission, you can address them and bring your board back into alignment. By doing so, you’ll ensure that they remain engaged with their work and continue to support your nonprofit’s mission.
• Ensure the board represents beneficiaries. Your organization’s mission is to aid your beneficiaries, whether they are people, animals, the environment, or something else. Through nonprofit board self-assessment, you’ll be able to ensure that board members have your beneficiaries’ best interests at heart and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that they receive the care and help they need.
• Demonstrate accountability and credibility. Nonprofits are under much scrutiny from all sides due to their not-for-profit nature. Government agencies require compliance with regulations, grantmakers want to see impact, and your supporters want to know that you’re responsible with your donations. Conducting nonprofit board self-assessments helps reassure these groups that you’re taking accountability for your operations.

The self-assessment isn’t only about how the board members are serving your nonprofit. It’s also about how enjoyable their experience is. Through your assessment, verify that board members feel included, valued, and engaged with their work. Board members who are happy with their experience and responsibilities will be more likely to work harder to support your nonprofit through fundraising, advocacy, or other activities.

How to Conduct a Successful Nonprofit Board Self-Assessment

Now that you know what a nonprofit board self-assessment is and why you should conduct one, let’s go over the steps to a successful self-assessment.

1. Decide who will conduct the self-assessment.

Although board members will complete the assessments, you’ll need to designate an individual to proctor or facilitate the assessments. This individual could be your nonprofit’s:

• Executive Director
• Board Chair
• Chief Operating Officer
• Staff Member

This individual will organize the assessment. After it is complete, they’ll moderate a board meeting where board members will discuss the results of the assessment. The proctor may not have access to the responses, but they’ll encourage board members to speak their minds and facilitate their growth during the conversation.

2. Prepare self-assessment questions.

No one knows the work of your board members better than themselves, so have them come up with their self-assessment questions. They’ll need to determine what topics they need to assess, including their current work and the potential challenges in the coming years.

A good place to start is the general areas of board operations. These include:

• Governance. This area includes board member expectations, objectives, participation, effectiveness, and education. It may also include how board members feel about other important individuals at your nonprofit, such as your president.
• Strategic planning. This area includes reviewing the nonprofit’s overall strategic plan and ensuring that board members agree with its roadmap and the projects it prioritizes.
• Financial oversight. This area includes reviewing financial reports, monitoring organizational budgets, and any other financial responsibilities your board members may have.
• Fundraising. This area includes donations made by board members, participation in fundraising events, recruiting major donors to the organization, and developing a high-level fundraising strategy.
• Programs. This area includes understanding the nonprofit’s mission, ensuring that programs are aligned with the mission, and reviewing program reports to ensure that your nonprofit is making a positive impact.

Additionally, include questions about the experience of serving on the board. You may have questions about how their experience has been so far, what they would change, and if there are any responsibilities or tasks they’d like to take on.

If you need more guidance on where to start, there are plenty of board self-assessment questionnaire templates that you can find. For example, BoardSource offers a free example of a self-assessment that you can reference.

3. Decide on self-assessment tools to use.

Having board members fill out and complete self-assessments with pen and paper is a great starting point, especially if your board meets in person. However, if your board meets virtually or if you’re looking for a more elegant solution that makes evaluating the assessments easier, you might look into self-assessment tools.

Common tools you might consider include:

• Survey software. If your board meets online rather than in person, then survey software is a great way to ensure that board members can easily fill out their self-assessments. These solutions allow you to customize survey questions and enable your assessment facilitator to view responses.
• Online assessment platforms. Nonprofit board self-assessments are best conducted regularly (more on that later!), and if you plan to make it an annual occurrence, an online assessment platform might be the right tool for your organization. On top of customizable survey templates and questions, these solutions may also offer secure data storage, automated data analysis, and other useful features.

Don’t rush into purchasing technology. First, ensure the tool addresses an obstacle or a need for your nonprofit’s self-assessments. Then, carefully research the available tools and determine which one best fits your needs before making your decision.

4. Schedule the self-assessments.

After you’ve done all the preparation to ensure a smooth process, it’s time to schedule and complete the board self-assessments. Ideally, you’ll set time aside during your next meeting to avoid requiring more time from your busy board members. Depending on the length and depth of your assessment questionnaire, board members may need the entire meeting duration to complete their assessments.

If you’re not able to dedicate board meeting time to your self-assessment, then you’ll need to ask members to complete it on their own time. If this is the route you take, be sure to give board members ample time and set a reasonable deadline. For example, if you want the assessment to be done by the end of March, send out all the relevant materials and information by the end of February.

5. Review the assessments and share the results.

After the self-assessments are complete, it’s time to review the assessments and share the results. Here are a few ways you can conduct this process:

• Facilitator reviews. The facilitator reviews the assessments, determines relevant insights, and brings them back to the board for them to discuss.
• Software data compilation. If you used survey software or an online assessment platform, the tool may be able to compile all the responses for you. It’ll identify commonalities in responses and analyze them for interesting findings.
• Board discussion. In this method, you’ll ask your board members to bring their self-assessments to the next meeting, where they’ll discuss their answers with one another and collaboratively decide on areas of improvement.

Keep in mind that since these are nonprofit board self-assessments, there’s some expectation of confidentiality. Regardless of which option you choose, uphold that principle. For example, if the facilitator of the assessment reviews each response, they should not mention what a specific board member wrote down. Instead, when discussing an insight with the board, they should simply say that one or more board members provided the response.

Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Evaluations

Now that you know how to conduct your board’s self-assessment, let’s go over the best practices to ensure that your nonprofit board remains engaged and dedicated to your organization’s success.

Conduct assessments regularly.

Regular nonprofit board self-assessments allow you to stay updated on the state of your board, including their engagement levels and satisfaction with their roles. Depending on your board terms, you can conduct assessments:

• Yearly
• Every two or three years
• Every five years

With regular check-ins, you’ll stay abreast of any important improvements to make, whether they’re for your nonprofit’s general governance or the satisfaction of an individual member. For example, if your board treasurer has been struggling to balance their nonprofit duties with their other responsibilities, you’ll be able to identify that early and help them either move into a less involved role or brainstorm another solution.

Assess individuals and the board as a whole.

Since self-assessments are individual by nature, it’s easy for facilitators and nonprofit boards to get bogged down about individual responses and overlook examining the board as a whole. However, you must not miss the forest for the trees. It’s as important to evaluate your nonprofit board’s general competency as well as the competency of individual board members.

For example, let’s say that after examining the results of your last nonprofit board self-assessment, the assessment facilitator determines that a few board members have a poor understanding of their responsibilities. This may indicate that these board members got confused along the way and may simply need a refresher on what board governance entails.

However, the facilitator may ask, “Why have none of these board members sought help from other members? Why have none of the other members addressed these misunderstandings?” Depending on the answer to these questions, perhaps you only need to realign the initial group of board members with your nonprofit’s expectations. Or perhaps you need to put in place better strategies for creating a more welcoming, inclusive, and helpful board to encourage greater collaboration between members.

Discuss the past and the future.

Maya Angelou once said, “I have great respect for the past. If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going.” The same principle applies to your nonprofit—without reflecting on the past, you won’t know how to improve and grow in the future.

Your self-assessment should contain questions about your nonprofit’s past and future. You might include the following:

• What do you think has contributed to our nonprofit’s success in the past?
• What should we do to grow and improve our nonprofit for the future?
• What good/bad financial decisions have we made? How can we improve in the future?
• What have we historically done well in terms of strategic planning?
• What can we improve on in terms of strategic planning?

With questions such as these, you directly encourage board members to reflect on the past and apply those principles to your nonprofit’s future. This allows you to improve your nonprofit’s operations for the future, ensuring that you create the positive impact on your beneficiaries that you desire.

Improving Board Member Engagement with Corporate Philanthropy

A common struggle for nonprofit board members is being involved in fundraising—beyond making donations themselves, board members may lack initiative when it comes to helping increase funding for their nonprofit.

That’s where corporate philanthropy comes in, specifically matching gifts. If you’re unable to engage board members with fundraising, you can at least maximize the donations they make to your organization.

This is how matching gifts with board members works:

1. A board member donates to your nonprofit.
2. You verify that the board member’s employer has a matching gifts program.
3. If they do, then you request your board member fill out a match request form with their employer.
4. Your board member fills out and submits this form.
5. Your board member’s employer reviews this form and verifies the donation.
6. Your board member’s employer makes a matched donation to your nonprofit.

As companies usually match donations at a 1:1 ratio, this allows you to essentially double the donation you receive from your board member. And some organizations are particularly generous to nonprofit board members.

Plus, once you educate board members about this unique corporate giving initiative, they may be happy to spread the word about it on your behalf. With over $4 billion in matching gifts going unclaimed every year, the extra awareness could be invaluable for increasing revenue for your organization.

Additional Resources

All governing bodies, regardless of whether they belong to for-profit or nonprofit organizations, require strategies for accountability, improvement, and growth. Nonprofit board self-assessments are one such strategy. With thorough research and preparation, you’ll be able to facilitate assessments and discussions afterward that move your board and nonprofit as a whole forward.

If you’re looking for more information about nonprofit boards and fundraising, check out these resources:

• The Ultimate Nonprofit Board Report Template and Tips. To ensure board meetings are well-organized and successful, you need to provide board members with a report containing key organizational insights. With this template, you’ll ensure your report is thorough and well-designed.
• How to Express Board Member Appreciation: An Expert Guide. Your board members work hard to help your nonprofit succeed—it’s only fair that you show appreciation for their efforts. Learn the best strategies in this guide.
• Conduct a Fundraising Feasibility Study: 7 Steps to Success. Board members play a big role in your nonprofit’s fundraising feasibility studies. Check out the steps you can take to ensure your feasibility study is a success.

CSR reporting is an increasingly popular way for businesses to display their sustainability performance and build credibility. A compelling CSR report can strengthen corporate relationships between employees, stakeholders, and consumers. In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of CSR reporting by covering the following topics:

• What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
• What is CSR Reporting?
• Why is CSR Reporting Important?
• Who Reads CSR Reports?
• What Should a CSR Report Include?
• Strategies to Strengthen Your CSR Report
• CSR Report Examples to Emulate

Keep in mind there is no “perfect” CSR report to rely on. Instead, your CSR report should encapsulate your company’s values and show tangible evidence of its commitment to responsibly steward its resources and influence.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

Corporate social responsibility also known as CSR or corporate citizenship describes a company’s efforts to improve society in some way. 

These efforts fall into several categories such as volunteering, donating cash or in-kind goods or services, or changing operational systems to benefit environmental or social justice-related causes. Although it is not a mandated practice in the U.S., CSR positively impacts companies, employees, and society as a whole and can function as a meaningful differentiator for companies that participate.

What is CSR Reporting?

A CSR report, also known as an extra-financial report or an ESG (environmental social governance) report, is a document published by a company (usually annually) to provide evidence of its CSR efforts and results.  

Although there is not a common set of reporting standards in the U.S., typically a CSR report captures at least one of the four categories: environmental, ethical, philanthropic, or economic impact.

Is CSR Reporting Mandatory?

Sustainability reporting falls under ESG reporting which stands for environmental, social, and governance reporting which acts as a quantifiable measurement of a company’s social impact outcome.

Currently, U.S.-based companies are not legally required to provide an ESG report. However, all companies are encouraged to produce ESG reports to provide company insights that pave the way for a more sustainable future.

The United States Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) only requires companies to report on information that may be material to investors, including ESG-related risks. This policy could change soon as the SEC proposed in May 2022 certain “amendments to rules and reporting forms to promote consistent, comparable, and reliable information for investors concerning funds’ and advisers’ incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.”

That said, delivering a CSR report should be about more than just maintaining potential legal compliance. Instead, it’s about demonstrating your commitment to making the world a better place through responsible stewardship of resources.

Why is CSR Reporting Important?

Aside from the positive societal and environmental impact it accounts for, CSR reporting is important because it communicates and provides evidence for your company’s values. To break it down further, comprehensive CSR reporting accomplishes the following objectives:

• Maintains transparency and accountability. A CSR report discloses a company’s societal and environmental impacts, initiatives, and performance to stakeholders. Often, it’s a means of establishing or strengthening trust as it indicates a commitment to ethical decision-making.
• Enhances brand reputation. Companies that document their CSR initiatives stand out among others as leaders in the social good space. A strong CSR program and transparent reporting can also bring more socially conscious consumers, stakeholders, and employees.
• Manages risks. CSR reporting enables companies to proactively identify and mitigate social and environmental risks. For example, a company may opt for a greener supply chain management process or roll out a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy to welcome a more diverse workforce.
• Engages employees. CSR reporting can increase employee morale and engagement by showing a company cares about its local and global community more than just making a profit. For example, 83% of employees would consider leaving their jobs if the company displayed irresponsible CSR practices.
• Encourages innovation. To reach CSR goals, companies sometimes invest in research and development of sustainable products and processes that can lead to cost savings and open up new revenue streams.

For all these reasons, CSR reporting should be a staple at every socially responsible organization as doing so will ensure a company’s internal aims align with its actions. And, if the United States decides to follow the European Union’s lead and enforce distinct reporting standards, companies well-versed in CSR reporting will already have a leg up.

Who Reads CSR Reports?

When writing any report, knowing your audience and why they’d be interested in reading it is helpful. In the case of a CSR report, the document will target both internal and external parties. Let’s take a look at each below.

Investors

Investors are interested in CSR reports because they want to assess your company’s long-term sustainability and ethical practices. Specifically, they evaluate ESG risks and the strategies your company has in place to mitigate them.

Investors are also concerned with your company’s financial performance, so a data-backed CSR report that details associated cost savings and market share increase can be a valuable asset for attracting this group.

Customers

Customers read CSR reports to make informed purchasing decisions that align with their values. For example, 50% of survey respondents even reported conducting online research to see how a business reacts to social issues before making a buying decision.

Remember a customer’s perspective when finalizing your report. For example, a local company may opt to highlight its local community involvement through programs or partnerships. This also translates to choosing engaging imagery and using customer-friendly language.

Current and potential employees

Employees read CSR reports to better understand their employer’s values, ethics, and contributions to society to see if their values align. More recently, employees have noted that CSR is a paramount decision-making factor for new employees as 93% believe companies must lead with purpose.

Therefore, your CSR report can also act as a retention and recruitment tool by plan by highlighting your company’s sustainability and social good plans and accomplishments

What Should a CSR Report Include?

Because CSR reports can vary in length, subject matter, and style, it can be difficult to know where to start. To help you out, we’ve provided CSR reporting do’s and don’ts for you to compare below:

CSR Reporting Do’s

• Consult GRI and SASB standards. The GRI is a nonprofit organization that provides the most widely used CSR reporting standards that range from universal to sector and topic standards. The SASB is an independent organization that develops industry-specific standards for ESG disclosure designed to be compatible with existing financial reporting frameworks. Consult each of these reporting standards throughout your report creation.
• Communicate defined goals and targets. Clearly define your objectives to ensure they line up with the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) framework. For example, a company may aim to decrease carbon emissions by a certain percentage in 2030.
• Align goals with company values. Choose achievable goals that directly relate to your company’s values and business strategy. For example, Disney’s emphasis on ethical storytelling carries on in its commitment to DEI initiatives.
• Include measurable metrics and data points. Include KPIs such as hiring data, emissions targets, volunteer hours, and charitable donations to offer tangible evidence of your CSR progress.
• Regularly report your outcomes. Continue publishing your CSR reports annually or semi-annually to update your documentation. If you have a breakthrough or priority shift for one of your programs, publish an updated version of your report.

CSR Reporting Don’ts

• • • Greenwash. Greenwashing involves misleading or making false claims about your organization’s environmental or societal impact in an attempt to appear more socially or environmentally responsible. Avoid exaggerating achievements or using deceptive language to mislead readers. Instead, remain honest and transparent about your CSR initiatives.
    • Omit negative information. If your organization did not meet its goal or ran into internal roadblocks, don’t omit this information. Transparency involves sharing successes and challenges as leaving out negative aspects can erode stakeholder trust.
    • Report unverified or unvalidated data. Consider engaging external auditors or verification experts to review your data and maintain transparency.  Additionally, make sure all data sources are documented within your final report. For example, if you’re reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, cite that the data matches emissions reports from monitoring equipment and third-party audits.
    • Ignore stakeholder feedback. Gather feedback from internal and external stakeholders throughout your reporting process. Engaging with them will help you identify and amend data discrepancies and elaborate on vague or inconsistent points.
    • Ignore local needs. Your CSR report should be sensitive to the needs and expectations of the community in which you operate. Ignoring local needs can lead to a disconnect between your CSR initiatives and the community. For instance, a company located in a hurricane-prone area might consider aiding in disaster relief as one of its core CSR projects.

Strategies to Strengthen Your CSR Reporting

Now that you know the basics of CSR reporting, you might be wondering, How can I take my report to the next level? To start, you’ll want to review your current CSR programs and data collection methods. Other strategies that can take your CSR strategy above and beyond are listed below:

Invest in CSR software

Comprehensive CSR reporting requires that your company keep track of several programs at once spanning from environmental causes to social and economic initiatives. With a CSR platform, your team can manage these historic and incoming data points with ease.

These software solutions make it simple to ingrain your social, environmental, and philanthropic values into your day-to-day operations. This way, you can prioritize your societal impact without sacrificing focus on your company’s growth and long-term success. Aside from streamlining your workflow, CSR platforms can help you reap several benefits, including:

• Enhanced reporting and analytics. Employee engagement software and sustainability management software all have built-in reporting capabilities that will keep you on track. For instance, you can easily measure matching gift participation or revenue generation at a glance.
• Increased transparency and maintain compliance. Some industries have stricter CSR reporting standards than others. CSR platforms streamline the data collection process and generate real-time reports to ensure companies are meeting all the relevant requirements.
• Improved employee engagement. A survey conducted by Paul Polman found that 70% of U.K. employees and 78% of U.S. employees want their company to have a reputation for doing good in society. CSR software encourages businesses to take the reins and cultivate a higher sense of pride through organized CSR programs.

When shopping for the right CSR software, look for a platform that compliments your existing technology. For example, CSR software with an auto-submission integration can skyrocket your employee matching gift participation by making it easier than ever to submit a matching gift request.

This way, when an employee donates to a nonprofit, they only need to submit their corporate email address, and the software automates the rest of the request submission process.

Check out this brief video to understand how the auto-submission feature fits into your CSR strategy:

As seen in the video, CSR software integration can significantly help boost employee participation and elevate your matching gift programs.

Contextualize your data

Your data and performance indicators must be contextualized to be useful for the reader. This means you’ll need to explain the importance of each of your initiatives and provide an honest picture of your progress. Here are a few strategies you can use to offer a complete summary:

• Historical data. Compare your recent data to historical data to show trends and changes over time. For example, you may compare how your company has decreased its carbon emissions over the past decade.
• Industry benchmarks. Compare your data to industry benchmarks and standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines to provide a frame of reference for stakeholders.
• Geographic or demographic information. If applicable, provide geographic or demographic context about the regions or demographics your initiatives impact. For example, if your company rolls out a clean water initiative, you should provide context concerning the region and people this program will impact.
• External factors. Acknowledge any relevant external factors that may have affected your data including economic shifts, regulatory changes, or natural disasters that have influenced your progress.
• Visual representations. Break down your findings by using a variety of visual representations such as graphs, infographics, and charts to make your data more accessible and help stakeholders quickly grasp your main points.

By adding these strategies to your CSR report, you’ll provide additional clarity to your readers and effectively communicate your sustainability journey. This way, you’ll foster trust and confidence by exploring the full picture of your company’s challenges and successes.

CSR Report Examples to Emulate

Sometimes it’s helpful to have a few examples to refer to when drafting your CSR report. To help guide your research I’ve handpicked three companies with stellar CSR reports and listed what makes each report worth emulating below:

Meta 2023: Forward-Thinking Strategy

The Social Metaverse Company, or Meta, “builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses.” They specialize in creating immersive technologies that facilitate new social experiences.

Meta’s 2023 CSR report’s forward-thinking strategy makes it worth considering. The company’s concrete and transparent approach to net zero emissions gives the reader a better understanding of its strategy. Take a look at its carbon emissions breakdown below:

This graph shows Meta’s 2022 carbon footprint and the description of how it has achieved net zero emissions in its global operations.

Additionally, the report goes on to say that reaching net zero emissions is not enough and lays out a plan to decarbonize it’s footprint beyond its offices and data centers. Specifically, to align with the Paris Agreement, Meta has set a goal to reach net zero emissions across its value chain in 2030.

This forward-thinking approach uses historical data to set both achievable and measurable goals as Meta sets out to design with less, incorporate sustainable supply chain principles, and embrace low-carbon technology.

Campbell Soup: Consistent Branding

The Campell Soup company is committed to “bringing people together through food they love.” The company’s soups, simple meals, snacks, and beverages are in alignment with its health and well-being goals.

Campell Soup’s homestyle messaging rings through in its 2022 CSR report. The report’s clear branding and engaging visuals remind readers of the company’s purpose. Additionally, the programs Campell Soup supports such as its school nutrition partnerships align with its values:

By providing nutrition education in a variety of school settings to support awareness of and pique interest in nutritious food choices, Campbell Soup affirms its dedication to improving food access and education.

This is just one example of a CSR program that is aligned with Campbell’s Soups values. For more details, check out the full report below.

Intel: Effective Collaboration

Intel specializes in providing technology that seeks to improve the life of every person. The company has driven business and society forward with innovation, expertise, and forward-thinking products.

A main thread of the company’s beliefs is interconnectivity which is alive and well within Intel’s CSR report. Multiple letters from company leadership including the CEO and CPO clearly outline the report’s goals.

Additionally, Intel’s emphasis on employee engagement and stakeholder transparency sets it apart. According to the Executive Vice President “Maintaining a strong culture and positive employee relations is paramount as we grow and transform Intel”.

And, Intel’s integrated investor outreach program speaks to its commitment to corporate accountability. By getting the perspective of multiple stakeholders, Intel’s CSR report is an example of effective collaboration. View the report below for more details.

CSR Reporting: Conclusion + Additional Resources

CSR reports are necessary tools to communicate your company’s sustainability and environmental goals. When drafting your report be sure to include accurate and complete data that builds credibility. Consider researching the reports of companies within your sector to get a better understanding of how to structure your report.

We hope you enjoyed this guide to CSR reporting. Check out these resources to continue learning:

• What’s the impact of CSR? FAQ & Key Benefits for Businesses. New to CSR? Read this guide to learn what it is and why it matters for your business.
• Creating a CSR Strategy: How to Forge a Lasting Impact. With so many worthy causes, you might not know where to direct your company’s efforts. Read this guide to learn how to create a successful CSR plan.
• A Smart Guide to Unlocking The Power of CSR Software. The right software makes CSR reporting much easier. Read this guide to understand how CSR software can support your corporate goals.

Like so many modern businesses, our team at Double the Donation has had to navigate the same obstacles of adapting to rapid industry changes, growing a business in times of economic uncertainty, and building a positive work culture while adapting to a hybrid work environment.

Fortunately, we’re proud to announce we’ve more than exceeded on all of these fronts, and we want to pull back the curtain a bit to share our secret to forging a reliable, loyal, and engaged team: peer-to-peer recognition.

How Double the Donation Uses Peer-to-Peer Recognition

In 2020, our business went remote and then eventually transitioned to a hybrid environment. During this time, we also made leaps and bounds in expanding our team and exploring new ways we could improve our products and customer experience.

But there was a question: how could we make new employees feel like a part of the Double the Donation team when they only see their co-workers for a few minutes a day online? And what about maintaining relationships with employees hired previously?

The answer? Peer-to-peer recognition.

With a peer-to-peer recognition strategy, all team members have the power to reach out to and appreciate each other for a job well done. Plus, with our use of eCards and public appreciation, we made sure everyone gets the recognition they deserve immediately while also sharing their accomplishments with the whole team.

Here’s how we did it:

Use eCards that highlight specific company values.

eCards are the perfect format for reinforcing the values we want to instill in our team. After partnering with the eCard platform eCardWidget, we created a series of eCards that highlight the behaviors we want to encourage in our team:

When employees send an eCard, they can choose between eight designs, each representing one of our values. This helps guide them in sending meaningful eCards to one another, creating a cohesive peer-to-peer recognition system.

Through eCards, we regularly reinforce our values at Double the Donation and celebrate employees following them, encouraging more employees to follow suit. With this strategy, we have cultivated a team that treats clients respectfully, acts with urgency, is open to new ideas, and constantly strives to improve.

Employees add their custom messages.

After choosing what value to recognize a fellow employee for, our team members just click on the eCard they want to use and fill it out.

Along with recognizing a specific value, employees add a personal message. Though this is optional, we highly encourage employees to share the specific actions the team member they’re recognizing took. This way, the employee being recognized knows exactly what they did that was appreciated and will be motivated to continue doing it into the future.

Also, notice the checkboxes right above the button to send the eCard. We make sure all eCards have a copy sent to our leadership and team administrators. This ensures leadership is aware of the positive actions employees take every day and allows us to take our next step in appreciating our team.

eCards are presented at all-hands meetings.

Once a month, we host an all-hands meeting. This meeting goes over various business updates from each team and ends by sharing our “Bravo Board,” which is a series of virtual slides showing some of the best eCards sent that month.

This strategy ensures that everyone at the Double the Donation is aware of the good work the entire team is doing. For team members who work in different departments or entirely from home, this gives them a glimpse into what other team members are doing and how important their work is.

Plus, publicly recognizing team members creates the best kind of feedback loop. Employees who want to be recognized will work harder to go above and beyond to get recognized, and employees who see how happy their peers are about being appreciated will continue to recognize even more team members. Everyone works harder, and everyone gets appreciated!

How Peer-to-Peer Recognition Has Impacted Double the Donation

It’s easy to get disconnected when you only see your co-workers in person a few times a day. But we’ve found that peer-to-peer recognition fills in the gaps. Team members are always on the lookout for ways they can help others and take extra notice of the ways others help them.

Since implementing our new peer-to-peer recognition strategy, Double the Donation has seen:

• A 25% increase in overall employee engagement, with a significant rise in inter-team interactions.
• Employees send out an average of 50 eCards per month, demonstrating how eCards have energized a vibrant culture of peer-to-peer recognition.
• 95% of employees have recognized another team member or been recognized themselves via the eCard program.

But numbers are only one way to measure the impact peer-to-peer recognition has had. Double the Donation’s president Adam Weinger had this to say about the improvements the company’s seen since adopting our new strategy:

We strongly believe in our company values and always want to celebrate employees who follow them, especially when it means going the extra mile. Our peer-to-peer recognition strategy has given us one more avenue to share our values with the entire team and discuss how much of a difference following them makes for our business.

Adam Weinger, Founder and President

It’s not just leadership who appreciates this approach to peer-to-peer recognition, either.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but the eCards and Bravo Board system really give a bird’s eye perspective of the whole team. I get to see what the sales team is doing, what’s happening in customer success, the amazing stuff the product development team has made. Even on my own team, it’s great making sure everyone gets recognized, and it really brings us together.

Julia Beltran, Partnerships Manager

Everyone being able to shout out the great work they see others doing really emphasizes that we are a team. It can be easy to get competitive when it comes to sales, and seeing all the ways everyone has contributed shows how we rely on each other and are all working toward the same goal. At Double the Donation, we have a value of supporting high performers and creating a culture where they feel empowered to do their best work, and our peer-to-peer recognition program helps us do just that.

Sydney Faye Williams, Manager of Sales

Takeaways from Double the Donation

At Double the Donation, we know our team is one of our most important assets. We appreciate them, and we’ve given them the tools to appreciate each other.

We’re proud of the work we’ve done to build a supportive, high-performing team and plan to continue finding new ways to strengthen our work environment now and into the future.

Corporate partnerships play a pivotal role in advancing nonprofits’ missions. Companies partaking in philanthropy supply charitable organizations with substantial amounts of funding⁠⁠—to the tune of $20 to $26 billion each year. And strategic partnerships are built to ensure that each party⁠, the company and the organization, receives significant benefits from the relationship.

But many nonprofit fundraisers don’t know where to start.

Lucky for you, we aim to empower teams like yours as you learn to navigate corporate partnerships effectively. In this guide, we’ll walk through each of the following steps integral to establishing a constructive strategy.

These include…

• Understanding the Corporate Partnership Landscape
• Laying the Partnerships Groundwork
• Uncovering Prospective Corporate Partners
• Crafting a Persuasive Partnership Proposal
• Initiating Corporate Partnership Outreach
• Establishing a Strategy for Inbound Partnership Prospects
• Building and Maintaining Long-Term Corporate Relationships
• Bonus! Unlocking Partnerships With Matching Gift Software

Ready to unlock new possibilities? Following this complete how-to can transform your approach to collaboration and elevate your fundraising game overall. In the end, you’ll unleash a powerful treasure trove of support for your cause.

Dive in to explore the intricacies of corporate partnerships, reveal tried-and-true strategies, and uncover innovative, tech-driven methods for success.

Understanding the Corporate Partnership Landscape

In order to best leverage the corporate partnership opportunity, it’s crucial that your team has a solid understanding of such collaborative efforts at large. Here are a few things you should know.

What Are Corporate Partnerships?

A corporate partnership is defined as a collaborative relationship between a nonprofit organization and a corporate entity.

These initiatives are generally characterized by shared objectives, mutual benefits, and strategic cooperation. In other words, a nonprofit and a company work together to achieve common goals and widely advantageous outcomes by leveraging their combined strengths, resources, and expertise.

These collaborations may go beyond traditional philanthropy, encompassing various forms of engagement that create positive social impact, promote community development, and enhance the brand image of both parties involved.

While the nature of these collaborations can vary widely, such partnerships typically result in long-term relationships rather than standalone giving initiatives.

Types of Corporate Partnerships to Consider

Corporate partnerships can come in all shapes and sizes, varying greatly based on the organization and the company involved. Despite their differences, each form of partnership holds unique benefits that significantly impact the success of the initiatives’ success.

These include:

As a nonprofit professional, acquiring funds to power your mission is one of your biggest responsibilities. With over $300 billion in fundraising revenue donated in 2023 alone, finding  reliable revenue sources might seem simple. However, individual fundraising can be a very volatile source of revenue, fluctuating due to economic trends, your donors’ financial statuses, and more.

That’s why your nonprofit should pursue several other revenue streams besides individual contributions from donors. Choosing and implementing new revenue streams can be challenging, but having the right tools and tips in mind helps your nonprofit achieve financial flexibility and freedom. We’ll help you start strong with these tips:

• 8 Top Nonprofit Revenue Streams
• Nonprofit Revenue Stream Diversification FAQ
• Nonprofit Revenue Stream Diversification: Dos and Don’ts

Diversifying your sources of support will ultimately lead to a more reliable future, empowering you to fulfill your mission. Now, let’s explore the different nonprofit revenue streams your organization can leverage.

8 Top Nonprofit Revenue Streams

Before we discuss how to diversify your nonprofit’s revenue streams, let’s review the top options for you to consider and the top strategy for each.

1. Individual Donations

Individual donations is an umbrella term for many types of fundraising that involve individuals donating to your organization. Some examples of fundraising in this revenue stream include:

• Recurring Giving 
• Planned Giving
• Major Giving
• Capital Campaign Giving
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

How to Secure Individual Donation Revenue: Prioritize Relationship-Building

“Individual donations” is an umbrella term for many types of fundraising that involve individuals donating to your organization. Some examples of fundraising in this revenue stream include:

• Recurring Giving
• Planned Giving
• Major Giving
• Capital Campaign Giving
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

2. Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are a form of corporate giving that allows donors to get their charitable contributions matched by their employers. This valuable opportunity allows your supporters to double or even triple their financial impact on your cause. What’s more, your supporters will likely participate eagerly. According to our matching gift research, 84% of survey participants say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered.

Top Matching Gifts Strategy: Use a Matching Gift Tool

Most donors don’t leverage their employer’s matching gift policy simply because they’re unaware of their program or how to submit a request. However, your nonprofit can empower them with matching gift software. This tool simplifies the process for donors by telling them if their employer has a matching gift program based on their company email address. Then, it provides steps for submitting a matching gift request based on each employer’s requirements.

When looking for a matching gift tool, prioritize solutions that have auto-submission capabilities. This allows your donors to submit a matching gift request straight from the donation form—no extra steps required. You can learn more about auto-submission with this educational video from our team:

3. Volunteer Grants

Volunteer grants are another form of corporate philanthropy that allows volunteers to turn their donated time into funds for your mission. Companies that provide volunteer grants donate to a nonprofit once their employees have spent a certain number of hours volunteering there. For instance, an employer’s policy might be to give $500 for 50 hours of volunteering time.

Top Volunteer Grants Strategy: Leverage a Volunteer Grants Database

Keeping track of all of your volunteers’ employers and their policies can be challenging. Using a volunteer grants database can help your nonprofit quickly determine which volunteers are eligible for grants through their employer. This allows you to provide volunteers with the information and resources they need to submit a volunteer grant request.

The best volunteer grants database will be volunteer-facing so your supporters can easily research their employer’s program. For example, Double the Donation’s nonprofit customers can make its volunteer grants database available to supporters so they can look up their companies whenever they wish. 

Want to learn more about real companies that award matching gifts and volunteer grants? Access Double the Donation’s industry-leading database:

4. Corporate Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships are when socially responsible companies support a nonprofit partner in exchange for tax benefits or being associated with a charitable cause. The most common types of corporate sponsorships include:

• Cause marketing, in which the corporation uses its platform to spread awareness of the nonprofit’s cause
• Monetary donations
• In-kind resource donations

Our guide to corporate sponsorships shares several companies that are exemplary sponsors. Here are the top corporate sponsors it lists, ordered by the percentage of nonprofits in ZipSprout’s database they sponsor:

• Wells Fargo(2.89%)
• State Farm (1.07%)
• PepsiCo (0.98%)
• U.S. Bank (0.97%)
• Bank of America (0.92%)
• Anheuser-Busch (0.76%)
• Clif Bar (0.74%)
• The Coca-Cola Company (0.72%)
• Walmart (0.68%)
• McDonald’s (0.67%)

Top Corporate Sponsorship Strategy: Create a Personalized Pitch

Like any donation appeal, your nonprofit needs to convince potential sponsors why your organization is worth their support. However, unlike other donation appeals, you need to convince sponsors how they can benefit from your partnership as well. You might use insights such as:

Potential return on investment (ROI) based on the campaign. ROI can vary from campaign to campaign, so you should highlight why your campaign is valuable to their interests. For instance, let’s say you’re hosting a charity golf tournament. GolfStatus recommends highlighting that golfers have a much higher net worth than average, which makes them valuable sales prospects for sponsors.
Past results for other sponsors. If you’ve had corporate sponsorships before, present your key performance metrics to prove your program’s value. Better yet, if you’re trying to recruit past sponsors for a new campaign, pull metrics from their past engagement and estimate how the new campaign will increase revenue.

No matter which approach you use to pitch your nonprofit to potential sponsors, ensure you use hard facts to support your appeal. For example, you could mention overarching economic trends and the company’s goals to illustrate why sponsoring your nonprofit could be beneficial.

5. Member Dues

For nonprofits with a membership structure, dues are the money members pay regularly to remain part of the program. Nonprofits such as museums offer memberships to secure a reliable source of income.

Top Membership Dues Strategy: Add Unique Membership Perks

Unlike recurring gifts, membership to a nonprofit often comes with special benefits. Add unique perks to your membership package to differentiate your program from similar alternatives. For example, you could add:

• Discounted or free entry. Museums that charge for admission can discount or waive these fees entirely, making membership a worthwhile investment for those who frequent the institution.
• Special events. Some members might join your program to meet new people with similar interests. Host member-exclusive events, such as a monthly dinner party or mixer, to make your membership program feel like a community and incentivize attendance.
• Greater input into nonprofit activities. Your members show significant dedication to your nonprofit by pledging to give regularly, so you could show them your gratitude by involving them in decision-making processes. For instance, the Toledo Museum of Art hosts the
  Georgia Welles Apollo Society, an affinity group of members who pool their dues and vote on new art to add to the museum’s collection each year.

Each membership community is unique, so you should base your benefits on their preferences. To formulate ideas for perks, you could survey your most loyal donors to understand what they’d like to experience as part of a membership community. From there, you can compile a list of contending ideas and select a few that align with your budget and goals.

6. In-Kind Contributions

In-kind donations are gifts of non-financial resources to your nonprofit. You can use in-kind contributions to:

• Improve your programs. For instance, an in-kind gift of 20 kennels to an animal shelter would increase capacity and empower you to help many more animals in need.
• Power your auctions. In-kind gifts are popular for charity auctions. Once a donor has given your organization a desirable item, you can auction it off and keep the proceeds as fundraising revenue.
• Support special projects. Your nonprofit might have ongoing projects that require specific resources. For instance, an animal shelter might need construction materials to weatherproof their shelters.

Top In-Kind Contributions Strategy: Create a Wishlist

Chances are, your existing donors have in-kind resources they could donate to your nonprofit. They just might not know that you need anything. Create a comprehensive, detailed wishlist that describes all the in-kind resources your nonprofit needs at a given time. Include information such as:

• Urgency for the item
• Intended use
• Preferred brands or conditions
• Quantity needed
• Impact of the item on your mission
• Delivery and drop-off instructions
• Basic steps for claiming the in-kind gift on tax forms

Once you’ve drafted your list, create a landing page on your website where supporters can easily sign up to donate in-kind items. If possible, integrate your CMS with your sign-up software so the public-facing list remains up-to-date and you don’t get duplicate donations. Also, unless there’s an urgent, unforeseen need for an in-kind resource, only send your updated wishlists once a month, so you don’t overwhelm your donors.

7. Grants

Grants are sums of money awarded to nonprofit applicants who fit certain criteria. They are usually provided by government agencies or foundations with an endowment.

Top Grants Strategy: Use Management Software

Your nonprofit likely juggles numerous grants at a time, some with overlapping requirements and due dates. Staying organized and vigilant about your grant applications is crucial to finding the right opportunities and securing funding. Grant management software can help you:

• Find grants that fit your nonprofit’s needs and niche
• Track application status, from submission to review to the final decision
• Stay on top of deadlines with automated reminders
• Compile required documentation

When picking a grants management software solution, ensure that you consider your volume of grant applications. For instance, if your nonprofit relies on grants for 20% of your funding, investing in a comprehensive solution can help you keep track of more applications, whereas a nonprofit that only applies for a few grants a year can make do with a cheaper solution with fear features.

 8. Product Sales

Consider selling products to donors and taking the profit as fundraising revenue. Your nonprofit has a unique brand identity, making it easy for your donors to support you in style. Plus, branded products can spread the word about your mission.

Top Product Sales Strategy: Sell Limited-Edition Merchandise

While selling items with your nonprofit’s logo and slogan is a good start, you can level up your product sales by creating exclusive merchandise for certain events and campaigns. For example, let’s say you’re hosting an auction. You could sell a t-shirt with unique branding for your event to attendees and discontinue it afterward. This creates a sense of urgency for your donors to get your items before they’re gone.

Nonprofit Revenue Stream Diversification FAQ

Now that you know of different nonprofit revenue streams, let’s answer some questions you might have about adding them to your financial approach.

What are the benefits of diversifying your nonprofit’s revenue streams?

There are numerous advantages to intentionally diversifying your organization’s revenue streams, such as:

• Financial stability. Even if you think you have an ironclad revenue stream, anything can happen. Economic factors can impact even the most reliable sources of revenue, so having multiple prepares you for anything.
• Adaptability. As technology advances and the economy shifts, it’s helpful to have multiple funding sources available so you can adapt your approach proactively.
• Expanded impact. More funding sources means more revenue that your nonprofit can leverage for your cause.

There’s no set amount of revenue streams your nonprofit should have, but you should have multiple to support you through any situation.

What are some common challenges in managing multiple revenue streams?

Despite the benefits of having diverse revenue streams, numerous obstacles can dissuade nonprofits from seeking out new ones, such as:

• Resource allocation. Developing a new revenue-acquisition strategy for each stream takes time and money away from your beneficiaries. You might even need to expand your team or outsource labor to specialists who can manage your new revenue streams.
• Compliance with regulations. Your nonprofit needs an in-depth understanding of the legal regulations surrounding each new revenue stream. For example, special in-kind donation tax considerations can impact how you fill out your Form 990.
• Donor expectations. Your seasoned donors are likely used to how your nonprofit currently collects donations, so any change requires maintenance on your part to make additions and transitions as smooth as possible.

Changes can always pose challenges to nonprofits, but as long as you have the right tools and strategy in mind, you can tackle these hurdles. We’ll cover the impact the right software can have in a later section.

What are some key performance indicators (KPIs) for evaluating revenue streams?

Not all revenue streams are feasible for every nonprofit. As you test out new revenue streams for your nonprofit, use these KPIs to decide which are worth developing:

• Total revenue generated from each stream
• Return on investment (ROI)
• Growth rate of revenue streams
• Cost-to-revenue ratios
• Member or donor retention rates
  
• Grant success rates
• Donor acquisition rates per stream

The best way to collect and leverage this data is by using a CRM with complex reporting capabilities, automated workflows, and field customization. These features allow you to track multiple KPIs simultaneously and form more accurate data-driven insights.

Nonprofit Revenue Stream Diversification: Dos and Don’ts

Do:

• Practice data hygiene: Practicing data hygiene fundamentals helps ensure accurate reports and decision-making. NPOInfo’s guide to data hygiene suggests creating processes for standardizing data formatting, scheduling regular data back-ups, and appending missing data.
• Research thoroughly: Picking new revenue streams involves big decisions, so you should be convinced they’re worth pursuing before investing the resources. Consider consulting with a professional to get an external, unbiased opinion.
• Strategically plan your diversification approach: Build time into your staff’s calendars during the strategic planning process so you have the time to chart an informed, detailed path forward. Each nonprofit has a unique timeline, but you should expect to spend a few months cementing your strategic plan.
• Evolve your tech stack: You can probably manage any new revenue streams with tailored software solutions. Research options on the market and pick one that aligns with your budget, tech experience, and existing solutions.
• Focus on core competencies: Prioritize expanding into revenue streams that leverage your team’s strengths. For example, if you have multiple local corporate connections, leveraging corporate social responsibility programs would be a natural addition to your strategy.

 Don’t:

• Overextend resources: Understand and work within your organization’s resource constraints from the outset as you decide which new revenue streams to add. For instance, if you can only afford to add three revenue streams, don’t push the limit by attempting four or five, as you might burn out your team.
• Ignore feedback: Remember to collect feedback from numerous stakeholders at all phases of implementation. This might include team members, donors, and beneficiaries. They can provide well-rounded suggestions from perspectives you might not have considered.
• Expect results quickly: As with any major fundraising shift, it takes a while for all the facts to come together. Be patient until you have all relevant information before proceeding or cutting out revenue streams.
• Assume risk unnecessarily: While it can be tempting to jump on a hot fundraising strategy or economic trend, consider all angles before adding it to your strategic plan so you know it’s truly a good choice.
• Fail to adapt: While your strategic plan should be the main guide for your revenue stream adoption, it shouldn’t be set in stone. Build flexibility into your approach so you can pivot if necessary, either to implement a new strategy or to rethink one that isn’t working.

Wrapping Up + Additional Resources

Pursuing new nonprofit revenue streams isn’t only a financially sound strategy, but it also helps your team innovate and stay relevant over time. As long as you assess each option in detail, record results, and keep your core competencies in mind, you can shake up your organization’s current fundraising approach without significant risk. Plus, your donors will love having new ways to give back to your nonprofit!

• Developing a Matching Gift Program: A How-To Guide. Looking to start a matching gift program or help a corporate partner start their own? This guide will help you start strong.
• Nonprofit Basics: An Overview of Feasibility Studies. Adopting a new revenue stream is a lot of work, and feasibility studies can help streamline the process. Learn more with this guide.
• Matching Gift Eligibility: Which Nonprofits Qualify? This guide will help your nonprofit understand if it’s eligible for matching gifts (and, if not, how to become eligible).