The holidays are that giving time of year, so we've been reflecting on some of the projects, ideas, and initiatives we've supported in 2010. While we've always been a mission driven business, Communicopia didn't start with a specific giving strategy. But looking back some clear patterns have emerged with the over half a million dollars we've given through in-kind and cash support to the movements we hold dear.
Our giving has tended to fall into three categories:
- supporting the environmental and social justice movements
- community building in our own industry of digital campaigns
- helping create new models for change within business and philanthropy
In 2010 we supported Groundwire and Project Survival Media (environmental), Pivot Legal and Portland Hotel (social justice), Web of Change and VanChangeCamp (our industry), and Social Venture Partners (philanthropy).
Our primary giving vehicles are Web of Change—where we not only donate management time, but also aggressively fundraise to support dozens of other non-profit leaders to attend—and BC Social Venture Partners, who we've supported with over $40,000 in cash since 2004 for re-granting to innovative local charities.
Giving away our expertise to causes we want to succeed may seem odd for a small business. Traditionally most social change support is either done by people working in charities, or wealthy people and now billionaires. But doing so has delivered considerable benefits to our business.
Not only has it helped expand our networks, enabling us to connect with change-makers at the leading edge of societal change locally and globally, it's helped grow our brand – and build incredible authenticity and trust into it, attracted great staff and partners, given us a lot of media exposure, and thus led to many new business opportunities in the social change and business space. Ultimately it's made us better strategists by learning more about the communities we serve, what they struggle with, and how we can help them succeed.
By giving small or giving big, we’re eager to continue exploring creative and innovative ways to support those who’ve supported us. We look forward to finding new ways to support movement building and transformation over next year and beyond.
Do you have an innovative campaign that you need support with? We're always open to building relationships with big thinkers who can also deliver big for partnerships. Please get in touch if you want to talk more.
