Some of the ways in which companies can and do support voluntary organisations include:

In-kind giving

In-kind support can be a straightforward and low/no cost way for companies to support voluntary organisations.  Unused meeting and events space can be made available, catering provided or printing and design services offered.   Companies may also be willing to pass equipment on to voluntary organisations, for example ICT hardware that is no longer ‘state of the art’ but is still in good working order. 

Companies may be increasingly willing to consider higher value in-kind contributions to voluntary organisations, for example vehicles, in landfill tax increases.  This is projected to rise from its 2004 level of £15 per tonne for disposal of waste in landfill sites by £3 per year up to £35 per tonne.

Sponsorship

In 2004 1% of voluntary sector income in Scotland was from commercial sponsorships.  ‘Charity of the Year’ type schemes can be attractive for companies.

Grant programmes

Some companies, such as Barclays, invest directly in community organisations while others direct a proportion of their profits to a grant making trust, for example, Lloyds TSB Foundations.

Payroll giving and match schemes

Where a voluntary organisation becomes a beneficiary of a company payroll giving scheme this creates a fairly predictable long-term income stream.  A growing number of companies are willing to match staff donations.

Affinity cards

Charities including Cancer Research and Barnardo’s have now come to rely on donations generated through their own-branded credit cards.  Bank of Scotland, MBNA, HFC Bank and Frizzell Bank all offer give-as-you-spend cards.  Affinity cards usually display the charity’s logo and often a sum of about £10 is donated to the chosen charity by the card issuer when you open an account. After this a donation of between 0.5 per cent and 0.35 per cent is made on every purchase. Affinity cards, which are philanthropic, should not be confused with co-branded cards issued by commercial organisations, such as Tesco or Next.

Secondments and volunteering 

Companies are increasingly willing to support teams of employees in undertaking one-off volunteering challenges on behalf of community organisations.  This can help raise the company’s profile in the community and is a cost effective tool for staff motivation and personal development.  Some companies also run secondment programmes whereby staff skills and experience can be transferred to voluntary organisations.  They might also advertise any volunteering opportunities you offer to their staff.

Tips for approaching a company

• Research the company before making your approach
• Identify which staff have a corporate social responsibility brief
• Find out if they have a policy on company giving and whether you fit with it
• Consider whether you have personal contact, for example member of the companies staff who is already involved with your organisation.  If yes, ask if they would be willing to make the approach for you.
• If possible make a link between the company and your organisation or project, for example, your issue connects with the personal experiences of company staff. 
• Remember, commercial companies are driven by the profit motive and supporting your cause should - directly or indirectly - support this goal.