Sally Ehrenfried is joined by Kate Stobbe, Chief Executive for Corporate Purpose (CECP), to discuss how corporate responsibility and corporate giving are evolving, what pressures CSR leaders are navigating, and how companies and nonprofits can build stronger partnerships that create measurable impact for communities and the business.
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Key talking points
Corporate giving is shifting in response to new pressures: Companies are reevaluating where dollars go, how to stretch limited resources, and how to respond to nonprofit partners facing increased community need.
CSR leaders need to tell the story internally: Kate shares that many practitioners are focused on socializing strategy, building buy-in, and communicating the value of corporate responsibility to key stakeholders who influence budgets.
Strategic giving is rooted in alignment and partnership: Companies with clear theories of change, shared internal commitment, and strong nonprofit relationships are better positioned to move from transactional giving to deeper, more sustained impact.
Matching gifts and disaster response still have a role: While these programs can be more reactive, they can also engage employees, respond to urgent needs, and support a broader social impact strategy.
Nonprofits should research the right fit: Kate encourages nonprofit leaders to understand a company’s focus areas and make clear connections between community needs, corporate strengths, and opportunities for employee engagement or skills-based support.
Impact measurement should focus on the vital few: Companies and nonprofits can co-create a small set of meaningful metrics that reflect both community outcomes and the business case for sustained investment.
In-person connection remains powerful: As remote work and Zoom fatigue continue, Kate notes that face-to-face opportunities can help corporate and nonprofit partners build trust, deepen relationships, and move the work forward.
