
Today is International Corporate Philanthropy Day.
What are you doing as a business professional to give back?
We’re putting a challenge out to professionals to get involved in nonprofit board service, but it’s not to the folks you’d expect. In a field of service long dominated by financial types, who provide crucial expertise in managing dollars, why not think bigger? Savvy leaders will tell you that the people and reputations of an organization can be just as valuable as its finances, and there’s no one better than the human resources and marketing professionals to support those assets.
Now more than ever, it is critical that nonprofits develop human resources and marketing literacy that will help them strategically advance and grow their missions in a way that benefits everyone. Not convinced? From our conversations with your HR and marketing peers, here are the top three reasons to serve on a nonprofit board:
1. NETWORKING
“Workplaces are the social network to learn about opportunities, not church or community groups any longer.”
“I normally do most of my work nationally. It is very satisfying to be able to be involved locally and give back in that way.”
2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“It’s incredibly valuable for alternate skills development. It brings a new challenge, instead of a myopic view of your own company’s brand.”
“I do a lot of recruiting for development professionals in nonprofits, and now I know more about the importance of their abilities to work effectively with the board, what board involvement entails, and all of the different aspects of fundraising and managing a nonprofit.”
3. MISSION FULFILLMENT
“I was driven by my own personal desire to be involved. I realized that there was a need, and I got recommendations from others where I could be of use.”
“I have the satisfaction that comes from helping others, providing some expertise, and helping the organization meet its goals.”
This month, in conjunction with BoardSource, Taproot is hosting a series of webinars for professionals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations that will show you how to harness valuable human resources and marketing skills to really make a difference. Register now our first free webinar hosted tomorrow, March 1 at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), on how your company can engage HR and marketing employees in nonprofit board service. If you can’t make it, check out our Board Service Hub to find dates for future online sessions and other valuable tools to get you started down the road to truly sustainable and impactful service.