entrepreneurs foundation of ann arbor

Engaging Our Companies in the Community

STRONGER COMPANIES. STRONGER COMMUNITIES.

Our MissionTo engage high growth companies in corporate

citizenship andphilanthropic efforts so that new and leveraged

resources aregenerated for community benefit.

Our WorkEntrepreneurs Foundation (EF) works with emergingcompanies to create, manage and implement corporatefoundations and community benefit programs.

Our Vision Ann Arbor will be considered a leading community,

notjust for our innovations but also for our corporatecommitment to the broader community.

About Entrepreneurs Foundation


Entrepreneurs Foundation serves as a catalyst for:

Corporate Citizenship:The strategy that underpins a company's mission and the choices made each day by the executives and employees as they engage with society.

Community Involvement:Building awareness and active engagement at all levels of the organization in social issues that impact quality of life.

Philanthropy:Cash donations of any kind by corporations or employees.


A Catalyst for Companies & Communities


Working with EF


Engaging Companies in Corporate Giving

Corporate Giving:• Donate stock/stock options• Give direct cash donations• Provide matching gifts• Create a corporate advised fund• Donate office space• Donate/discount product or servicesEF

Participating Company

CorporateGiving

Examples: • Combined, EF Bay Area companies have given over $8.2 M to community benefit organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank, Resource Area for Teaching, Family Giving Tree and Partners in School Innovation.

• 8 EF Bay Area companies have created Corporate Advised Funds (Company Foundation).


Engaging Companies in Employee Volunteerism

Employee Volunteerism:• Sponsor team-based company days in the community

• Support individual involvement in community activities

• Encourage employees to take Board and other leadership roles with community benefit organizations

• Encourage employees to provide skills-based volunteering

• Enable civic engagement & participation

EF Participating

Company

Examples: • In 2008, EF Bay Area Company employees contributed over 7,600 hours to the community.

• Companies align CI activities with cross functional team building, spirit programs, and leadership development initiatives.

Employee Volunteerism


Engaging Companies in Employee Giving

EF Participating

Company

Employee Giving:• Host drives for employees to contribute (e.g. food, backpacks, toys)

• Conduct fundraisers (e.g. silent auctions and bake sales)

• Enable employees to donate PTO• Enable employees to make financial contributions through payroll deductions

• Support 10K and 5K walk/runsExamples: • In 2008, EF Bay Area companies donated approximately 95,000 lbs of food, 1,400 toys and 1,500 backpacks through company hosted drives.

• Companies sponsor auctions to raise funds for local organizations. Auction items have included lunch with the CEO!

Employee Giving


Engaging Companies in Employee Giving

EF Participating

Company

CorporateInfrastructure

Corporate Infrastructure:• Create a community involvement (CI) mission statement that incorporates the company’s mission, vision, and values

• Set goals for the program and community outcomes

• Survey employee interests• Form an employee CI Planning Team• Plan an annual community calendar• Recognize and reward employees for their participation

Examples: • Companies sponsor group volunteer activities or drives (such as food, toy, and backpack drives)

• Leadership incorporates community involvement initiatives into the company’s business strategy and human resources objectives.


Engaging Companies in Business Practices

Business Practices:• Institute policies such as volunteer time off (VTO), matching gifts, or dollars for doers

• Enable employees to donate PTO• Institute a payroll deduction program• Become an environmentally green company: waste and air pollution reduction, and energy saving measures (e.g. recycling, fluorescent light bulb, and alternative transportation programs)

• Order supplies where nonprofits benefit

• Use nonprofit staffing services that transition people back into the workforce

EF Participating

Company

BusinessPractices

Examples from EF Bay Area: • Approximately 25% of EF Bay Area companies have VTO policies ranging from 8 to 40 hours per year.

• Companies purchase their supplies from Give Something Back.• Temporary employees for projects are hired from Hope Rehabilitation Services.

• Companies enable employees to purchase train and bus passes through pre-tax deductions from their payroll.


Engaging Companies in Marketing/Communications

EF Participating

Company

Marketing/Communications:• Educate employees on community needs • Represent CI program on internal and external websites

• Promote program through press release(s)

• Include program in employee orientations and handbook

• Develop cause-related marketing campaigns

• Summarize community involvement & impact in annual reports to share with company stakeholders

• Sponsor nonprofit events• Publish an annual calendar• Celebrate results!

Examples: • Companies partner with clients on their CI initiatives. • Community organizations present at all-hands meetings.• Companies include their CI program in their internal and external websites, bulletin boards, and newsletters including links to the organizations they support, employee activities, photos and recognition awards.

Marketing/Communications


Sample Timeline

ProgramMaintained

ImplementProgram

EF DevelopsStrategic Plan &Convenes CI Team

Company All Hands &

Survey Launch

CEO/EF Meeting

Framework for Program

Resolution&

Agreement

Company Roles & Responsibilities

CEO • Executes stock agreement• Attends annual meeting with EF to review program• Acts as an EF advocate

Executive Liaison• Provides communication to and from company leadership• Encourages leadership involvement in activities• Participates as member of community involvement team

CI Liaison• Administers program with community involvement team• Provides EF with data on CI program annually• Keeps EF informed about CI activities

Marketing Liaison• Provides EF with company logo• Includes community involvement on website & intranet • Promotes CI program as appropriate (e.g. annual report, press

releases)

Community Involvement Team• Plans and coordinates CI activities• Champions and promotes CI activities• Provides communication to and from employees


EF Participating

Company


EF Roles & Responsibilities

EntrepreneursFoundation

Facilitator• Makes it easy for your company to put aside philanthropy

funds• Helps your company develop your CI program• Connects your company with community organizations that match

your areas of interest• Engages your community involvement team

Consultant• Helps your company develop community involvement strategies

that compliment your company’s business strategies• Develops appropriate policies and procedures• Conducts employee survey• Works with you to evaluate and plan for your program on a

yearly basis

Advisor• Provides guidance on all things related to your community

involvement program• Helps research and vet appropriate community organizations

with which to work• Is a sounding board for ideas and challenges• Provides a learning community to share best practices &

lessons learned

Extra Pair of Hands• Assists in coordinating community involvement activities as

needed and appropriate• Drafts communications to employees and key stakeholders• Drafts policies and procedures

Member Services


EF Network

EF Bay Area Website: http://www.efbayarea.org The Resources and Tools section offers a clearinghouse of tools, resources, and examples focusing on specific components of implementing community involvement programs.

EFCommunity Online Social Network: http://efcommunity.ning.comA place for anyone, anywhere to connect anytime and share ideas, ask questions, find resources, and more around corporate community involvement, philanthropy, and social responsibility.

EF InitiativesNetwork-wide community involvement activities that address social concerns such as health, hunger, education and environment. Initiatives demonstrate how together EF members generate greater community impact.

RoundtablesAn opportunity for community involvement managers to network with each other and focus on the implementation of specific components of CCI programs.

EF NewsletterA quarterly email with news about our companies in action, upcoming events and activities, tips, pointers, and much more.

EF Events• Powered by EF Gala• Corporate Citizenship Conference

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