Corporate funders can be intimidating to nonprofits, but they don’t have to be!
They often approach charitable giving like a business decision. As long as you can show them how their investment in your nonprofit will yield a high return in impact, you shouldn’t have any problem standing out.
In this article, our goal is to demystify the corporate grant landscape by:
Explaining what corporate grants are and why they are important
Providing actionable tips you can use when applying
Sharing insights on how Instrumentl can boost your funding success
Let’s jump right in!
What Are Corporate Grants?
Corporate grants are a form of corporate philanthropy in which companies provide financial support to charitable organizations. Companies award corporate grants to nonprofits to help advance the public good.
Corporate grants are often an extension of a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, which are operational processes and initiatives focused on positively impacting their local communities and the world at large.
Many corporations establish foundations to centralize their giving efforts. The foundation has its own mission and vision that are independent but supportive of the company’s overall mission.
The Citi Foundation is Citigroup's charitable arm, helping them give back to the communities in which they operate.
For example, Citigroup’s company mission is “to serve as a trusted partner to our clients by responsibly providing financial services that enable growth and economic progress.”
The Citi Foundation’s mission is to “invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities.”
Both of these are focused on financial services and growth, but they approach the outcomes from different angles.
Corporate grants can be a strategic investment for many companies because they:
Allow companies to invest in the success of the communities in which they operate.
Strengthen their reputation in the community.
Inspire trust and loyalty in guests, employees, and investors.
Enhance brand value and awareness.
While other forms of charitable giving have slowed down in the United States in recent years, corporate giving has increased by 3.4%, reaching almost $30 billion. This funding has transformed the grant landscape, allowing nonprofits to establish more diversified and balanced funding portfolios.
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To win corporate grant funding, you need to stand out in your application. Here’s how:
1. Highlight Connection Between Business Goals and Charitable Giving
Corporate grants often exist between two worlds. They help advance a company’s business goals while also making a difference in the communities they serve.
In your grant proposal, it’s your job to show how your organization can help them advance in these areas.
Shannon McDonnell, Associate Director of Development at Safer Together, gives nonprofits simple advice on crafting winning applications: “Do your homework.”
When reviewing a corporate grant opportunity, you need to make sure that:
You have a clear understanding of their goals and what they are trying to achieve.
You can clearly articulate how you’re uniquely positioned to help them meet these goals.
You can show how your partnership will make a meaningful impact.
Much like any grant, you need to tailor your application to the funder’s mission, vision, and values. One way to do this is by mirroring their language in your proposal.
Here are some tips:
Review their website and highlight keywords and phrases you’d like to integrate into your application.
Note their mission, vision, and value statements so you can weave these phrases throughout.
If applicable, examine any nuances between the company’s goals and the corporate foundation’s goals.
Linda Rucker, Grant Writer at Cy-Hope, shares more about this approach:
“I find using some of the same language private funders use when talking about their mission and giving priorities really helps demonstrate alignment of priorities. I also think keeping grants simple, organized, and easy to read helps.”
Taking the time to weave their language into your application will make all the difference. It shows funders that you are clear on what they are looking for and how you can partner to make it happen.
3. Emphasize Partnership and Collaboration
Corporate grants can be mutually beneficial, so don’t be afraid to highlight the ways your partnership can benefit the company and their community:
Share how your partnership can enhance their brand reputation.
Offer opportunities to drive employee engagement, including how their team can get involved through volunteering, skill-sharing initiatives, and joint marketing campaigns.
Outline how you plan to sustain your partnership over time to maximize your impact.
Corporate funders want to partner with nonprofits with a strong reputation in their communities, and one way to prove you walk the talk is by demonstrating community impact.
Larisa Gelman, Executive Director at Midori & Friends, shares her advice on crafting winning proposals:
“Ensure your application communicates the tangible impact your organization’s work has had on the community by incorporating stories and case studies.”
Companies want to see the real-world impact of your nonprofit, so make sure to demonstrate the ways you’re a leader in the space. Create a powerful narrative in your grant application that inspires companies to want to join together with you.
4. Look for Personal Connections
The corporate world is often small, so make sure to leverage personal connections to help get your foot in the door:
Look at their board and company leadership to see if you know anyone. You can also reach out to your board to see if they have connections. If so, ask if they can make an introduction.
Jacob Chase, CEO of Chase Consulting Solutions, encourages nonprofits to get creative in how they network and build connections:
“Cultivate relationships with program officers. Attend networking events, webinars, or conferences to connect with representatives and learn more about their funding priorities. Demonstrate to the grantmaker your flexibility to respond to changing needs and opportunities.”
You should continue to network with corporate foundations even if there are no current funding opportunities. You never know what the future brings!
Matt Hugg, CEO at NonprofitCourses, stresses that it's never too late to create connections:
“Maybe you've heard the saying, ‘The best time to plant a tree is 30 years ago. The next best time is today!’ The same goes for relationships with funders. The best time to start a relationship with a funder is a while ago—before you even needed it. The second best time? You guessed it. Today!”
Fostering ongoing connections allows you to cultivate relationships with corporate funders. Consider:
Offering volunteer opportunities to garner support.
Sending a quick email to share your appreciation for a recent community initiative.
Reaching out to congratulate them on a promotion, acquisition, or strong results.
Acknowledging a recent article or press release and sharing why it was so impactful.
Strong relationships are a cornerstone of corporate funding, so take care to foster connections throughout the year.
6. Stick to the Brief
It may seem simple, but make sure to stick to the grant guidelines and follow the application instructions.
One of the biggest traps nonprofits fall into is throwing everything at corporate funders and then missing out on what they’re actually looking for.
As Teresa Huff, host of the Grant Writing Simplified Podcast, explains:
“It's not rocket science, but too many people skim past the details and reduce their chances of winning!”
The Cliff Family Foundation provides clear guidance on what qualifies for their open-call grants.
For example, the Cliff Family Foundation gives a great overview of their guidelines, including priority areas and areas they’re not looking to fund. Even if you meet their values, if you’re looking for funding for one of their prohibited areas, you’ll be immediately disqualified.
These are just a few things you can do with the platform:
Set up custom searches: You can filter your search specifically for corporate grant opportunities. The opportunities returned will share an overview of the grant, upcoming deadlines, and other key details. Save opportunities you want to return to at a later date and add key deadlines to your grants calendar.
Review Form 990s: You can review a corporate funder’s past giving history, average grant amount, and focus areas. You can also see key leadership roles to help identify any connections.
Add funder notes: Track outreach and any notes about potential funders directly within Instrumentl. Add contact details to streamline communications. This provides a centralized location for you and your team to collaborate on corporate grants.
Instrumentl makes it easy to find corporate grants without countless hours of searching. It helps streamline your efforts so you can focus on winning more funding.
Corporate grants are an important and often untapped funding source for nonprofits. You can help yourself stand out from the pack by:
Focusing on best-fit matches and tailoring your application.
Sticking to the brief and demonstrating impact.
Leveraging connections and fostering ongoing relationships.
Instrumentl can help you locate your next corporate grant. Sign up today for a free, 14-day trial to experience first-hand how we’ve helped thousands of nonprofits win more funding.
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