Small Business Giving Back to the Community

As a business owner myself, I think it’s important that entrepreneurs and small business owners not only work, live and play in their communities, but they also give back to their communities, too. Besides showing that your business is operated in a socially responsible manner, giving back can help you distinguish your company from your competitors.

Some examples of giving back to your community include volunteering your time with a local non-profit organization or making a donation to a food pantry.

If choosing the right charitable organization for your small business seems confusing, the following process may help.

FIND A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS

While there are a multitude of non-profit organizations that you can get involved with, you shouldn’t randomly pick an organization. Contact some local agencies to find out if there’s a list of local non-profit or charitable organizations. Once you have this list, take your time to review it and pick a few organizations that may be of interest to you and your employees. Involving employees in the selection and involvement with the organization can change the workplace environment in a very positive way. Some prospective employees seek jobs with a charitable component to the work atmosphere.

TALK TO THE CONTACT PERSON

Reach out to the contact person for each organization and ask questions to learn more about the organization. Some questions may include:

• What is your organization’s mission statement?
• What are the goals of your organization?
• What future projects do you have planned?
• Who sits on your Board of Directors?

You also can ask to get a copy of their most recent financial statement, so you can see where they’re spending their money.

GO FOR A VISIT

If possible, you should visit their facility and see how the operation works. Ask questions during your tour, such as:

• How many volunteers do you have?
• Are there volunteer commitment requirements, such as a required number of volunteer hours, mandatory training, participation in certain events, etc.?
• Is there an opportunity to attend any meetings before making a commitment?

HAVE A PASSION

While it’s certainly not required, having a passion for the organization you’re planning to become involved with is preferable. Because when you’re passionate about your involvement, you (and your employees) will feel like your volunteer time is really valuable to the organization instead of possibility dreading your hours of involvement. Also, educate yourself on the organization as much as possible, so you can make yourself a more valuable volunteer.

Remember, with volunteer organizations, no one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. Therefore, don’t make the mistake of watching other people and evaluating their level of commitment. Make sure you’re contributing valuable hours and energy to an organization with the purpose of giving back to your community. Because you may just find out that the more you help your community, the more rewards you and your small business may reap. If you decide to establish a workplace charitable-giving campaign through automatic payroll deductions, The Payroll Department in Brownsburg, Indiana, can help you. With years of experience, payroll services are provided to meet all your company’s payroll processing needs. Contact us to discover how outsourcing your payroll to a payroll provider can save you time and money.

– Teresa Ray, owner, The Payroll Department