Battle Buddy Foundation is a small US charity founded in 2014. The organization works to provide service dogs and support to American veterans. One donation can mean all the world to veterans and their families as they acclimatize to civilian life.
When Battle Buddy came to the attention of a large FrontStream client, a wonderful partnership was born. Through a well-managed corporate engagement campaign, Battle Buddy received donations from 100 employees who pledged well over $20,000 in support of the cause.
Battle meeting his new veteran, Jay, outside The Battle Buddy Foundation's office in West Chester, OH.
That’s the power of workplace giving!
Last year, FrontStream facilitated over $400 million in pledges through our FrontStream Workplace Philanthropy products. According to research from America’s Charities and others, this equals 10% or more of the entirety of workplace giving dollars flowing to US charities in 2014.
We helped corporations run over 1,000 vital workplace campaigns, working with over 20% of the global Fortune 500. Our clients chose to support organizations as diverse as World Vision, Reading To Kids, The Sierra Club, and local SPCAs.
With all of this data, we can see important trends across the sector. One of the most common questions we’re often asked is: “What kinds of causes do corporate employees choose to support?”
FrontStream uses the United Nations International Classification of Nonprofit Organization (ICNPO) codes to classify nonprofit organizations. This classification helps CSR professionals better communicate the impact of employee giving to increasingly international audiences.
Where did employees show their support in 2014?
| Charity Type | Percentage |
| Culture & Recreation | 0.58% |
| Education & Research | 7.54% |
| Environment | 1.75% |
| Health | 7.02% |
| Social Services | 22.80% |
| Development & Housing | 0.70% |
| Law, Advocacy, & Politics | 0.35% |
| Philanthropy & Voluntarism Promotion | 58.41% |
| International | 0.30% |
| Religion | 0.53% |
| Business & Professional Association, Unions | 0.03% |
The largest category chosen by corporations was Philanthropy & Voluntarism Promotion. United Ways and similar organizations are classified under this category. As these organizations are pioneers of workplace giving, it’s no surprise that they remain its principal beneficiaries.
One interesting trend we’re following is the rise of environmental causes in workplace giving campaigns. This growth is likely related to the increased focus on “green” CSR activities in the corporate sector.
We’ve also noticed that charitable organizations working in the realm of Education, Health, and Social Services have gained traction this year.
What causes are important to your company and employees?
Businesses are continually looking for creative new ways to engage their employees and contribute to their sense of satisfaction at work. The most successful CSR programs speak to the values of corporations, the passions of employees, and the interests of communities.
If your company is planning an employee giving campaign this year, we’ve have the resources to help you succeed.
Through an integration with FrontStream’s FirstGiving fundraising platform, corporate employees on the FrontStream Workplace Philanthropy program now have the ability to quickly create personal fundraising pages for any of the nearly 2 million nonprofit and charitable organizations across North America.
Learn how you can take your campaign to the next level by encouraging employees to choose a cause that truly matters to them!
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