Building up a small business is a challenge, but, as you attain a certain degree of success, you may want to give something back to your community. There are actually a variety of different ways you can do this, and you can use several different methods if you choose. Here are a few recommendations for contributing something meaningful to the people within your community.
Donate Paid Days Off
This is a concept that many businesses are trying with their employees, and it seems to be paying off. The idea is to offer an additional day of paid time off to each employee, but this day must be spent donating their time to a local charity. Your employees can choose to collect nonperishable food for the needy, participate in a literacy program, or deliver hot meals to the disabled.
The choice of the charity is up to them, but they must be able to provide proof that they spent the day doing good for others. You can organize this type of program with local charities or create a form that the charitable organization must sign to verify your employee worked with them on a given day.
Change Who Supplies Your Business
Giving back to your community doesn’t always have to involve giving something up or making a donation. You can support your community simply by changing the way you supply your own business. Rather than getting your supplies from a national chain of wholesalers, take the time to investigate local options. When it’s feasible for you to buy locally, doing so will help you re invest more money in the local economy. This can make a big difference by keeping money circulating in your community. You’ll also be helping to save jobs by keeping more local businesses profiting.
Get Involved With Charity Drives
Networking with other small businesses in your community will help your business grow. Additionally, maintaining those contacts will help you learn about upcoming charitable drives and events. The advanced notice will present an opportunity for you to get your small business involved with such events as food drives for the hungry or shelter rehabilitation programs
. You may even be able to get other business leaders to get involved with you. For example, when you get several business leaders to get involved with reputable car donation charities, you’ll help your community give that much more to a worthy cause.
Offer Scholarships to Local Community Colleges
Your small business can also partner with local colleges to offer scholarships to youths in your community. This is a great way to help children from low-income families to go to college to pursue the careers of their choice. In sponsoring a scholarship, you’ll attract more attention to your business, building a positive brand image within your local community.
More importantly, you’ll be increasing the number of individuals in your community who will have access to college education. When those students graduate, they may choose to stay within the community to pursue their careers, and that will bring more professional services into your community. You may even choose to hire a graduate who benefited from your scholarship program, which is another way your small business can give back to its community.
Get Involved With Community Events
While growing your business may not be the main motive for getting involved with philanthropic endeavors, it will be a benefit that you will enjoy. For example, sponsoring local events or committing to help in the organization of events can help bring greater recognition to your business. It will also show your community that you care about its growth and welfare. Look for a variety of different events in your area and in nearby communities.
You can get involved in food and clothing drives, environmental initiatives, fundraisers for cancer research, or marches to raise awareness about specific medical conditions. Any of these events can help you benefit your community and society in general. The important thing is to try to focus on causes that are important to you or those causes which the majority of your employees feel passionate about.
Conclusion
If you have an idea of your own for contributing to your community, don’t be afraid to try it. If it doesn’t gain momentum,. you can always stop and try something different. As long as you’re continuing to try to make a difference, your small business will have a positive and meaningful impact on your community.
