3 Ways Businesses Can Give Back to the Community

Businesses that give back to their community know and understand that it’s the community that has helped them grow into a successful business. Giving back is a great way to show the community that your business cares and that your business appreciates the support of the local community.

And there are a lot of ways that businesses are giving back:

1. Offer to Sponsor a Local Charity Event

Local charities are only able to thrive when there are donations coming in. Right now, one local charity in my area has opened up a free kitchen to help federal workers that aren’t being paid during the government shutdown.

Businesses can help sponsor these events, and this involves:

  • Giving money to the charity
  • Helping market the event
  • Offer business support if possible

When businesses get involved with the event, offering their services for free, they’ll be able to build up their portfolio and help a community in the process. You can help these local charities start to succeed on their own, without your help, by sponsoring their events during the early stages of their starting.

2. Offer Scholarships

Scholarships come in all sizes, and this can be $100, $50, $1,000 – any figure you choose. The goal is to help someone in your local community fund their education. A lot of companies are starting to offer their own scholarships, and this is done online through:

  • A page dedicated to the scholarship on the company’s website.
  • A detailed explanation of the scholarship and the rules surrounding it.
  • Essays, along with research papers from previous winners.
  • Judging of the essays.

Once all of the rules for entering and winning the scholarship have been properly understood and written down, it’s time for your company to start promoting the scholarship.

Your website should have this information along with local scholarship databases.

Contact local universities and colleges to have them add your scholarship to their list of scholarships that help students fund their education.

You can generate a lot of buzz and publicity for your business by offering a scholarship.

3. Offer Your Services to Those in Need

People in your community are in need, and giving back may mean giving someone something for free. Major storms hit the area recently, and flooding caused a lot of people to lose everything.

A contractor may offer to help even just one family remove the mold from their home for free.

Others may offer free blankets or clothes to a family in need. It’s all about doing your part in the community, and businesses always have something that they can give back, whether it be their time or a product.

Being involved in the community will only help strengthen your business, and over time, you’ll be able to build a household name that is both trustworthy and a staple in your community.

Giving back can be in any form that your business can afford to give back. You might not have the budget to offer anything for free, so you can offer your time as an educator for free with a free class on your industry or how to start a business. There are always ways to give back that can make a lasting impact on your community.

Adam Richards

About Adam Richards

Adam Richards is a semi-retired business professional originally from Bangor, Maine. He spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing where he rose to the marketing lead of a Fortune 1000 company. He then moved on to helping people as a career counselor that specifically helped bring families to self-sufficiency through finding them rewarding careers. He has now returned to Bangor for his retirement and spends his free time writing. This blog will be about everything he learned throughout his career. He'll write on career, workplace, education and technology issues as well as on trends, changes, and advice for the Maine job market and its employers.