Main Takeaways

• Pain: CSR admins struggle with reporting impact, answering stakeholder questions quickly, and identifying engagement trends.
• Innovation: Conversational analytics help teams turn data into insights with speed and precision.
• Solution Delivery: Blackbaud AI is available now to transform reporting, insights, and content creation in Impact Edge.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) teams are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate impact, yet reporting remains one of the most time-consuming and frustrating tasks. From answering stakeholder questions and compiling engagement metrics, to making sense of disjointed data with limited tools for storytelling, the friction can feel endless.

These challenges drain resources and hinder the ability to showcase the true value of your CSR programs.

Conversational analytics is the next evolution in CSR reporting, bringing the power of AI into reporting workflows. Instead of navigating complex dashboards or manually pulling data, CSR professionals can simply ask questions in natural language and receive instant, actionable answers. With this innovation, reporting becomes a dynamic, interactive experience and makes data accessible and insights immediate.

This is particularly important as AI continues to reshape how organizations measure and communicate impact. Manual reporting processes not only absorb time that could be spent on strategy, but they also limit the organization’s ability to spot emerging trends, anticipate risks, and respond with confidence. This leaves CSR teams at risk slipping behind, especially when peers are leveraging AI to automate analysis, boost accuracy and efficiency, strengthen governance, and surface predictive insights in seconds.

Blackbaud AI: Bringing Conversational Analytics to YourCause Customers

Blackbaud AI, a built-in generative AI assistant within our Impact Edge solution, leverages advanced natural language processing to interpret questions and deliver precise responses.

Whether you need to know which volunteer programs are overperforming or identify areas for improvement, conversational analytics provides clarity in seconds.

Beyond answering questions, this unique tool generates presentation-ready charts and graphs, which saves hours of manual work. Additionally, it streamlines communication across stakeholders by offering copywriting support for volunteer event descriptions, press releases, and impact summaries. This capability is available now from YourCause, empowering CSR teams to work smarter, not harder.

Choosing the right corporate volunteering software is essential for organizations that want to streamline event management, boost employee participation, and measure their social impact. The best platforms remove administrative friction, simplify volunteer engagement, and provide data-driven insights so CSR teams can focus on strategy rather than logistics.

This guide compares the top volunteering software providers across the industry. These descriptions reflect research from third‑party reviews, vendor information, and direct client feedback to provide a detailed and objective perspective.

1. YourCause from Blackbaud

YourCause from Blackbaud offers a comprehensive volunteering solution as part of a unified platform that also manages employee giving, matching, campaigns, and impact reporting. CSRconnect is built for scale, supporting employees and administrators with mobile-responsive volunteer event creation, approvals, check‑in, and rich reporting tools.

Employees can easily find opportunities by location, skills, cause area, or event type—while admins manage everything from shifts to waivers to automated reminders. With access to over 7 million vetted nonprofits globally and support for 26 languages, YourCause helps organizations run meaningful volunteering programs that resonate across geographies.

Pros:

• Robust volunteer event admin, including shifts, custom questions, waivers, dietary needs, and partner submissions.
• Flexible volunteering formats: team events, personal volunteering, recurring volunteering, and campaign‑driven participation.
• Ability to create employee skills profiles and match with relevant volunteering opportunities for skill-based projects.
• Built-in impact dashboards and data feeds provide clear insight into volunteer hours, participation trends, and campaign success.
• A fully mobile-responsive platform, as well as mobile check‑in via QR code, which simplifies attendance tracking and reduces admin overhead.
• Global coverage with multilingual support and deep nonprofit verification.
• Integrated rewards such as volunteer time off (VTO), Dollars for Doers, volunteer recognition, and impact incentives.
• A nonprofit-friendly platform that makes it easy for charities of all sizes to add events individually or through API connections.

Cons:

• No dedicated mobile app currently; however, an app is in development and will be live in 2026.
• Does not develop custom one‑off features for individual clients, prioritizing scalable best‑practice functionality.

YourCause is ideal for organizations seeking a unified, global, scalable volunteer management system with sophisticated reporting and cross‑program integration.

2. Benevity

Benevity is well known for its employee engagement footprint and offers volunteering alongside giving, micro‑actions, and community investment tools. Its volunteering catalog is large and includes global opportunities.

Pros:

• Strong global volunteering network with personalized dashboards and interest‑based recommendations.
• Automated workflows for sign‑ups, reminders, time tracking, and volunteer rewards.
• Curated catalog of volunteer opportunities aligned to company pillars.

Cons:

• Admin experience can be complex, often requiring support intervention to make routine updates.
• Reporting depth varies and some insights require paid add‑ons.
• Pricing skews toward large enterprises and may exceed the needs/budget of smaller CSR teams.
• Users report slower donation and program processing times and inconsistency across modules.
• Difficult for nonprofits to engage in adding and managing volunteering events.

Best for multinational corporations needing extensive engagement features, though may pose challenges for teams requiring agility and streamlined admin control.

3. Bonterra (CyberGrants)

Bonterra—previously CyberGrants—supports volunteering as part of a broader grants management and community investment suite.

Pros:

• Supports complex multi‑step approval workflows suitable for regulated industries and intricate programming.
• Integrates volunteering with grantmaking and giving for organizations with heavy compliance requirements.

Cons:

• User interface and reporting feel dated, which can create a steep learning curve for admins and employees.
• Global capabilities and volunteer search functionality are limited compared to newer platforms.
• Pricing and implementation are typically geared toward very large enterprise programs.
• Difficult for nonprofits to engage in adding and managing volunteering events.

Best suited for organizations with legacy CSR program complexity who can absorb higher overhead and more rigid workflows.

4. Deed

Deed emphasizes ease of use and a modern interface to encourage participation in both giving and volunteering. Their volunteering functionality focuses on simplicity and employee engagement.

Pros:

• Intuitive UI that employees describe as modern, fun, and engaging.
• Easy event creation and participation for straightforward volunteer programs.
• Transparent view into volunteer hours and impact for both admins and employees.

Cons:

• Reporting and analytics lack depth, making it harder to measure impact across a global workforce.
• Scalability challenges for more complex volunteering needs.
• Limited support for more complex formats such as multi‑shift management or skills‑based matching.

Deed fits smaller programs prioritizing user experience over breadth of functionality.

5. Submittable

Submittable, traditionally a grants platform, has expanded into employee giving and volunteering through acquisitions.

Pros:

• Strong workflow tools and customizable forms for tracking volunteer participation.
• Offers access to curated volunteer experiences through acquired partners.
• Simple UI and responsive support team for setup questions.

Cons:

• Product fragmentation due to acquired systems results in inconsistent user experiences and reporting gaps.
• Slower innovation cycles caused by tech‑debt limits new volunteering capabilities.
• Pricing may escalate for teams requiring multiple modules or additional reviewers.

6. Groundswell

Groundswell is a newer entrant that emphasizes employee-led philanthropy and streamlined giving, with volunteering available but not as mature as other platforms.

Pros:

• Intuitive, consumer‑grade interface encourages participation.
• Responsive support and quick onboarding.
• Simplified management of time tracking and volunteering contributions.

Cons:

• Volunteering features lack depth relative to established platforms; better suited to simple programs.
• Reporting and automation capabilities are limited.
• Higher cost noted by some users, especially given the lean feature set.

Groundswell is best for organizations prioritizing a modern UI over advanced reporting or flexible volunteer administration.

7. Percent Pledge & Goodstack

Percent Pledge and Goodstack are emerging vendors offering lightweight volunteering and giving functionality for teams wanting simplicity.

Pros:

• Affordable and easy to implement with minimal training.
• User-friendly interfaces with curated volunteer options and basic tracking.
• Goodstack provides strong nonprofit verification support; Percent Pledge offers event planning services.

Cons:

• Limited international coverage and fewer nonprofit options.
• Reporting and analytics are basic and may not meet enterprise needs.
• Feature sets are narrow and not designed for complex volunteering programs.

Ideal for very small organizations or those looking to launch basic volunteer offerings for the first time.

8. Millie

Millie focuses on simplicity and affordability with a simple volunteering component in addition to their more built-out giving functionality.

Pros:

• Employees easily find and join volunteer opportunities with a clean interface.
• Strong support for team volunteering, events, drives, and community campaigns.
• Great for building a culture of participation due to ease of use and quick setup.

Cons:

• Reporting depth lags behind enterprise-focused platforms.
• Navigation for fundraising and some program elements can feel complicated.
• Functionality gaps may emerge for global or scale-heavy volunteer programs.

Best for companies seeking an approachable tool for volunteer engagement without heavy administrative needs.

Main Takeaways:

• Identify clear grantmaking priorities by conducting a needs assessment and aligning with organizational goals.
• Define giving restrictions early (what’s eligible, who can apply, and how funds can be used) to keep the process fair and compliant.
• Build a structured grantmaking timeline that outlines application, review, award, and reporting stages.
• Allow flexibility within guidelines to encourage innovation while maintaining accountability.

Creating a grant program from the ground up can feel overwhelming. But with a clear structure and strong strategy, you can build a program that maximizes impact, supports the right partners, and aligns with your organization’s mission.

This guide breaks down how to create a grant program in five essential steps, helping you design a thoughtful, efficient, and measurable grantmaking process.

1. Determine Your Grantmaking Priorities

One of the most important steps in creating a successful grant program is defining your grantmaking priorities. With so many worthy causes, it can be tough to narrow down and decide who gets your grant funding. These priorities help you focus on your funding, attract aligned applicants, and drive measurable social impact.

To define these areas, you can:

• Conduct a needs assessment using community data, stakeholder interviews, and survey insights.
• Align with organizational goals to ensure your grant program reinforces your broader CSR or philanthropic strategy.
• Evaluate potential impact by looking at scaling issues, feasibility, and measurable outcomes.
• Choose 3–4 core impact areas with related sub-focuses (e.g., Education: STEM access, workforce development).

Clear priorities not only strengthen your program’s purpose, but they also improve the quality and alignment of applications.

2. Define Grant Restrictions and Eligibility Requirements

Setting clear grant restrictions is a crucial part of learning how to create a grant program that is transparent and easy to navigate. Clearly outlining what the grant will cover is essential to maximizing impact.

Key restrictions to consider:

• Eligible project expenses: program delivery, research, equipment, salaries
• Eligible applicant types: nonprofits, schools, individuals, or specific organization types (e.g., 501(c)(3)s)
• Geographic focus areas: local communities, specific regions, or national reach
• Budget parameters: what you will and won’t fund
• Reporting requirements: frequency and format of progress updates

Well defined restrictions clarify expectations early, reduce misaligned applications, and make your review process more efficient.

3. Build a Grantmaking Timeline That Works

A predictable, clearly communicated timeline is essential for any well‑run grant program.

A typical grant cycle includes:

1. Application period: 4–8 weeks
2. Review and scoring: 8–12 weeks
3. Award notifications: communicated well before project start dates
4. Implementation period: flexible, depending on project scope
5. Reporting and evaluation: scheduled check‑ins and final impact reporting

Tips for optimizing your timeline:

• Align your cycle with your fiscal year.
• Avoid major holidays or industry events.
• Communicate deadlines prominently on your website and application portal.
• Review and refine annually to improve efficiency.

A consistent cycle helps applicants prepare strong proposals and ensures your internal team stays on track.

4. Craft an Effective, Streamlined Grant Application

An application should gather only the information needed to make decisions and measure impact—nothing more. When determining how to create a grant program application, begin by asking:

1. What information do we need to determine eligibility and alignment?
2. What information supports impact tracking and reporting?

High‑value application components may include:

• Project goals: alignment with your mission and priorities
• Target population: who benefits and why
• Success metrics: KPIs, outputs, and outcomes
• Risks and challenges: transparency around potential obstacles
• Sustainability plan: how work continues post‑grant
• Budget summary: how funding will be allocated

This approach keeps your application accessible and equitable while still giving you the insights you need to fund confidently. By putting the emphasis on these key areas, you can gather the most relevant details to make informed decisions and track the impact of your grants.

5. Decide on Grant Size and Funding Cadence

Choosing between small, one‑time grants or larger, multi‑year investments depends on your goals, capacity, and available resources.

Small grants are best for:

• Immediate community needs
• High applicant volume
• Pilot projects and innovation

Large or multi‑year grants are ideal for:

• Long-term, high‑impact initiatives
• Organizational stability and capacity building
• Strategic partnerships

By weighing these factors, your organization can make smart decisions about the size and duration of the grants you offer, ensuring they align with your mission and maximize impact.

Main Takeaways

• Recognition boosts engagement: Employees who are recognized and rewarded for their efforts are 4x more likely to stay engaged.
• Diverse incentives increase participation: Companies using motivators (volunteer time off, grants, and matching funds) report up to 50% more volunteer hours per employee
• Nomination grant programs build ownership: Giving employees a voice in corporate philanthropy validates contributions and aligns personal purpose with company values.
• Structured, flexible programs outperform ad‑hoc efforts: Companies who offer a variety of meaningful initiatives see significantly higher participation and satisfaction rates.

As companies navigate economic uncertainty and potential declines in charitable donations, employee volunteering has become a powerful way to maintain a culture of giving back. But today, it is not enough to simply offer volunteering opportunities.
To ensure employees continue to be inspired by and engage with social impact programs, many top businesses opt to leverage additional incentives to encourage continued employee engagement and boost team morale.

Why Offer Volunteering Incentives?

The short answer? Volunteer programs succeed when employees feel recognized and rewarded for their contributions.

Studies show that employees who are well-recognized are up to 4x more likely to be engaged compared to those who are not recognized. This same principle applies to volunteering in that when employees see their efforts acknowledged, they feel that their time matters. That sense of value then motivates them to keep participating in acts of service and stay engaged with your company’s broader social impact initiatives. The result? Companies leveraging incentives for volunteering report up to 50% higher volunteer hours per employee.

Of course, the real question is: how do you, as a CSR leader, offer additional incentives with limited time, budget, and/or resources?

The thing to remember is, incentives don’t have to be expensive. They just need to align with your company’s culture and values. So, let’s take a look at some proven strategies you can use to motivate your employees to give their time and talents

Types of Employee Volunteer Incentives

Nomination Grant Programs

Nomination grant programs empower employees to direct corporate giving toward causes they care about. Employees submit an application explaining why their chosen nonprofit deserves support, often after volunteering with that organization.

Impact in Action

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits used the CSRconnect platform to manage its Voluncheer of the Year Grant Award, where monthly winners receive recognition, and an annual winner earns a $5,000 grant for their chosen charity.

Individual Volunteer Matching Grants (Dollars for Doers)

Known as “Dollars for Doers”, this incentive is when companies reward monetary donations or grants to nonprofits based on the volunteer hours of their employees. For example, a company might donate $15 per hour, up to $750 annually, after an employee volunteers 50 hours.

Impact in Action

Northern Trust, as part of their robust CSR engagement strategy that achieved 69.1% year-on-year growth in total volunteer hours, offers a Donations for Doers program where their employees are able to earn quarterly grants through their volunteerism.

Team Volunteer Grants

Team-based volunteering fosters collaboration and boosts participation. Companies typically offer a monetary donation when groups volunteer together.

Impact in Action

Cencora, as a response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, organized team volunteering events where employees create hygiene kits for affected communities. Alongside these efforts, the company donated $300,000 for relief efforts.

Special Matching Gift Programs

Special matching campaigns are a great way to create excitement and urgency with your programs. Companies can offer a total match amount for a campaign (e.g., $10,000 when participation goals are met) or reward milestones with digital donation gift cards employees can allocate to charities.

Impact in Action

Portland General Electric created creating $132,498 worth of impact with a very unique 10:1 matching opportunity to support wildfire protection and youth employment in Oregon.

Designated Day of Service

Designated service days allow employees to volunteer during work hours without sacrificing personal time. This model can be office-wide, company-wide, or rolling for flexibility.

Impact in Action

Nutrabolt’s Service Day initiative was very successful in encouraging employees to step away from their usual work to volunteer. With 80% of employees participating, Nutrabolt recorded a total of 1,500 volunteer hours in just one day.

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Studies show that employees who volunteer report 79% higher job satisfaction compared to those who don’t. Yet, despite its benefits, one of the biggest barriers CSR leaders face to participation is lack of time. VTO helps to mitigate this challenge by providing paid time off for volunteering during work hours.

Impact in Action

Berkshire Bank offers 16 hours of paid volunteer time off to every employee, which is a key factor for their consistently high participation rate of 80-100% each year, which is nearly three times the national average.

The Bottom Line

While volunteering is a proven method for boosting employee engagement, incentives like grants, special gifts matching programs, and designated service days show employees their contributions matter – which encourages them to continue to participate long-term.

Main Takeaways

• CSR strengthens brand reputation, loyalty, and long‑term profitability, with consumers and executives overwhelmingly expecting companies to address social and environmental issues.
• Programs like employee volunteering, giving, and matching gifts are great ways to drive engagement and impact.
• Inclusive initiatives such as ERGs, mentorship, and leadership training help employees feel connected and supported.
• Transparent impact reporting builds trust and improves performance by tracking progress and benchmarking against global standards.

Corporate Social Responsibility Overview

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) isn’t just another box to check. It’s about creating a lasting impact for your stakeholders and community. Organizations that embed CSR into their core strategy see stronger engagement, brand loyalty, and measurable social outcomes. Here’s how your company can take action today.

Companies that prioritize CSR see measurable benefits across reputation, talent retention, and financial performance. 88% of consumers expect businesses to help address social and environmental issues, and 77% are more likely to support brands aligned with their values. 81% of executives believe CSR contributes to long-term profitability, and companies with strong CSR programs experience up to a 20% higher brand valuation.

Actionable CSR Examples

CSR is about creating programs that align with your company’s values and deliver measurable impacts. Below are practical CSR examples your organization can adopt today to make a real difference.

Launch an Employee Volunteer Program

• Offer paid volunteer days or flexible scheduling for community service. This allows employees more time to invest in support of passions close to their individual values.
• Leverage a volunteer portal with CSR software to match employees with local nonprofits. CSR software often pools together multiple volunteer sources, giving your employees the maximum number of volunteer events to review and sign up for.
• Track volunteer hours and share impact stories internally and externally. Sharing the impact of their actions builds an emotive tie to the work they did and the beneficiary.
• Integrate skills-based volunteering. Encourage employees to share professional expertise with nonprofits. Examples: Marketing teams help nonprofits with campaigns; IT teams assist with tech upgrades.

Build an Employee Giving and Matching Gift Program

• Provide employees a quick, easy way to donate and support their passion causes. This shows the employee that the company cares about every individual and the community surrounding them.
• Amplify the giving program with matching gifts for qualified employee donations. Matching programs can be open to all giving or targeted to focus on organizations that match the company’s mission and values.
• Automate the process through CSR software to increase participation and ease the burden of CSR administrators.
• Promote the overall giving program year-round, around special giving campaigns, during disasters, as well as in company meetings.
• Incorporate disaster relief into your giving program. Show your employees you care by providing rapid-response funding and support to the areas affected, as well as the employees impacted.

Create Inclusive Initiatives

• Offer mentorship programs and leadership training for your employees.
• Create employee resource groups so those with like interests can find their community within your company.

Support Local Communities Through Grants

• Establish a corporate grants program.
• Focus on causes aligned with your mission (education, health, environment).
• Involve employees in selecting grant recipients to boost engagement.

Over Communicate Transparent Impact Reporting

• Publish annual CSR or ESG reports aligned with global standards (SDG, GRI, SASB).
• Share progress toward company impact goals with stakeholders – internally and externally.
• Benchmark your program performance to similar companies by size, industry, and region. This allows you to grade your programs’ performance and identify areas of improvement.

Last year, we framed our CSR and philanthropy trends through PEACE—Perseverance, Evolution, Adaptation, Captivation, Empathy—as both a compass and a commitment to the people and communities we serve. That lens proved powerful in a year of change, helping teams stay grounded while moving forward with purpose. If you missed it, you can revisit CSR Trends in 2025: Grounded in PEACE here.

In 2026, the work continues and intensifies. Expectations on CSR teams keep rising, reporting and measurement are expanding, and AI is evolving from novelty to necessary infrastructure. At the same time, language around inclusion, belonging, and sustainability are continuing to shift, while the work inside companies persists. These dynamics are documented across recent industry reviews and surveys, including the ACCP and YourCause 2025 CSR Insights analysis and the YourCause 2025 CSR Industry Review.

To meet the moment, this year I am introducing UNITY—a practical framework that builds on PEACE and centers five disciplines you can apply right now:

• Unification connects teams and partners through shared goals and data.
• Navigation provides resilient planning under uncertainty.
• Intelligence fuses human judgment, trusted data, and responsible AI.
• Trust centers inclusion, empathy, and transparency.
• Your Impact clarifies how to measure and communicate the outputs, outcomes, and long-term change you aim to influence.

For more details on the UNITY framework and how CSR professionals can take action to empower greater employee engagement and charitable impact, watch the on-demand webinar here.

Why UNITY now?

Rising expectations and shifting language. CSR teams report broader responsibilities and greater internal visibility. At the same time, many organizations quietly continue equity-oriented work while adjusting their public terminology. That tension underscores the need for shared goals, careful navigation, and trust-centered engagement.

Connection pays dividends. Companies offering integrated volunteering and giving programs achieve higher engagement than those offering just one channel, proving that connection multiplies impact when programs, platforms, and teams are unified.

AI is here (and needs guardrails). Adoption of AI has surged for the purposes of storytelling, productivity, and analysis. The opportunity is significant, but only with trustworthy principles of fairness, inclusion, reliability, and transparency, and in the clear use cases that augment people rather than replace them.

The UNITY Framework for 2026

U — Unification: Align people, partners, and platforms

Unification is not about centralizing for control; it’s about connecting for clarity. Build a shared set of goals and outcomes measurements across cross functional teams (CSR, HR, Inclusion, Sustainability, Communications, etc.) as well as your nonprofit partners. In addition, look for opportunities to connect systems and reporting so that engagement data, grant outcomes, and community insights flow and tell one holistic and cohesive story.

Three opportunities to get started:

1. Shared outcomes & vocabulary. Facilitate an internal alignment workshop to define the goals, outcomes, and terminology that matter most (e.g., skills-based volunteering hours tied to workforce talent and retention goals or grant outcomes tied to community well-being indicators).
2. Connected experiences. Simplify journeys – by making it easy for employees to discover giving and volunteering that reflect their passions, while ensuring nonprofits receive funds faster with fewer administrative burdens. NOTE: YourCause product innovation around expedited giving illustrates how connection reduces lift for nonprofits and increases engagement.
3. Partner cocreation. Replace one-size-fits-all campaigns with co-designed programs that emphasize nonprofit capacity, local relevance, and measurable outcomes. Lean into the combination of inspiration, intelligence, interconnection, and impact.

N — Navigation: Plan for uncertainty with resilient routes

We cannot predict every disruption; however, we can prepare flexible paths. Use scenario planning to stress-test budgets, participation targets, and grant portfolios. Establish trigger points (e.g., when to pivot toward disaster response or employee hardship funds), and pre-authorize playbooks for communications, matching, and volunteer mobilization.

Your navigation checklist:

• Three scenarios (base case, headwinds, tailwinds) with pre-set actions for each element of your programs such as real-time adjustments to matching gift ratios, volunteer time off, cause or focus area emphasis, and nonprofit support models.
• Capacity buffers for partner nonprofits, including microgrants for rapid response needs or shifts toward general operating support.
• Transparent communications that share the “why” behind changes and invite employee voices into decision-making where appropriate. Reminder: change management often takes time and frequent communication.

I — Intelligence: Fuse human judgment, trusted data, and responsible AI

Intelligence is more than analytics; it is judgment illuminated by data. Use AI and automation to reduce administrative work, surface insights, and personalize engagement—while keeping humans in the loop and ethics at the core. In CSR, the most transformative value of AI is not just automating more work but also revealing the signals we routinely miss and turning them into human decisions we can trust.

Four principles for AI in social impact:

• Transparency: Document data sources, model purpose, and human review steps.
• Privacy & security: Protect employee and partner data with stringent controls.
• Bias mitigation: Evaluate prompts, models, and outputs for fairness.
• Human oversight: Ensure AI supports, not supplants, program managers and nonprofit partners.

(See Blackbaud’s Intelligence for Good® commitments to responsible, sector-specific AI.)

Practical starting points:

• Use AI to summarize grant reports, identify participation “microsegments,” and generate draft impact spotlights; let humans validate and add local nuance.
• Combine platform data with employee feedback to tailor cause discovery and volunteer opportunities.
• Look for opportunities to accelerate time to impact without losing the human touch, keeping that human connection as your north star.

T — Trust: Center inclusion, empathy, and transparency

Trust is the foundation of participation and impact. In an era of changing terminology, double down on inclusive design, empathetic storytelling, and clear reporting. Invite employees and ERGs to co–shape programs; equip leaders with language that focuses on belonging, opportunity, and evidence of outcomes. 

Actions that build trust:

• Inclusive design audits for volunteering and giving pathways (accessibility, time flexibility, addressing social pressures, and cultural relevance).
• Partner-first storytelling that honors nonprofit voice and lived experience.
• Plain-language reporting that right-sizes data collection and explains what the numbers mean and what they don’t.

Y — Your Impact: Measure what matters and tell the fuller story

Impact is both quantitative and qualitative: outputs (participation, dollars, hours), outcomes (skills gained, services delivered), and longer-term change (community indicators). Resist the urge to over-collect; instead, right-size measurements to reduce nonprofit burden and improve the signal to noise ratio.

A simple, outcomes-first model: 

• Define a small set of outcomes aligned to your shared and defined goals.
• Map evidence sources (platform data, partner reports, employee surveys, third-party indicators).
• Tell layered stories that infuse data around community impact, partner spotlights, employee voices, along with longer term community impact indicators.

Remember the business case. CSR continues to drive ROI, from market value to employee retention and productivity. Use credible statistics to frame investments and sustain executive sponsorship.

Five quick wins for Q1

1. Run a UNITY alignment sprint. In four weeks, convene cross functional leaders and two nonprofit partners to codify shared outcomes, roles, and data flows.
2. Stand up an AI “guardrails + use cases” doc. Publish your transparency, privacy, bias, and human oversight commitments, then pilot two AI workflows (grant summarization; participation insights).
3. Launch an impact story cadence. This could look like a monthly partner spotlight, a quarterly impact in numbers report, and an annual community outcomes narrative.
4. Improve nonprofit experience. Prioritize faster funds delivery and simpler reconciliation; examine new giving workflows that reduce friction for partners and elevate employee participation.
5. Invite employees to navigate with you. Host an open forum on priorities, language, and outcomes; publish “what we heard” notes and how feedback shaped your plans.

From PEACE to UNITY: What Endures

PEACE remains a mindset—persevering in long-term systems change, evolving our programs, adapting to new constraints, captivating employees with meaningful ways to serve, and practicing empathy in every decision. UNITY translates that mindset into operating disciplines that unify stakeholders, navigate uncertainty, apply intelligence responsibly, earn trust, and communicate your impact with clarity. Together, they help us empower people, strengthen partnerships, and share outcomes employees and communities can rally around.

Main Takeaways

• Corporate volunteering is a powerful way to engage employees and foster a purpose-driven culture.
• 82% of businesses report employees want corporate-sponsored volunteer events, and 60% offer paid volunteer time off (VTO) to meet and support this need.
• Successful programs align opportunities with employee interests, provide flexibility, and recognize participation.
• Corporate volunteering delivers benefits beyond community impact. It also boosts employee morale, strengths team relationships, and supports CSR and ESG goals.
• Platforms like YourCause CSRconnect® simplify program management, tracking, and impact reporting.

CSR Leader’s Guide to Corporate Volunteering

As CSR leaders, we know the value of effective volunteering programs. They can boost employee morale and engagement, foster purpose-driven culture, and enhance company reputation and brand trust. But what actually makes a program effective?

This guide is designed to help CSR leaders move beyond the “why” and focus on the “how.” Below, you’ll find practical steps for building a successful volunteering program that both delivers measurable business value and makes a tangible difference in the community.

What is Corporate Volunteering?

Corporate volunteering refers to employer-supported opportunities that enable employees to donate their time, skills, and/or expertise to the causes they care about.

Historically, these programs were viewed as optional gestures of goodwill. But, today, they’ve become an expectation, especially among Gen Z and Millennial employees. In fact, in 2025, 82% of businesses reported that employees wanted to participate in corporate-sponsored volunteer events. In response? 60% of companies rose to the occasion by offering paid incentives like volunteer time off (VTO) to encourage participation.

This relationship between purpose, businesses, and employees highlight a clear message for the broader social impact market: Employees want purpose-driven workplaces, and companies are answering that call with structured, impactful volunteer programs.

How to Build a Successful Corporate Volunteering Program

A strong volunteering program starts with intentional design. To drive participation and long-term success, consider the following best practices:

• Survey employee interests to align volunteer opportunities with passions.

• Offer paid VTO to encourage participation without financial strain.

• Partner with nonprofits that match your company’s and employee values.

• Track impact with software tools to measure hours and outcomes.

• Celebrate participation with recognition, rewards, or internal shoutouts.

• With the right foundation, CSR leaders can reduce barriers to entry and create volunteer experiences that feel meaningful and accessible, all while driving real value for your organization and the community it serves.

Types Of Volunteering

Corporate volunteering can take many forms; but the most effective programs are the ones that mix a variety of flexible opportunities that meet employees where they are. Common types of workplace volunteering include:

Individual Volunteering: Employees choose opportunities independently, often supported by VTO or company recognition.

Team-Based Volunteering: Groups volunteer together during company organized events or service days.

Skills-Based Volunteering: Employees contribute professional expertise to non-profit partners.

Virtual volunteering: Remote-friendly opportunities that allow participation from anywhere.

Offering multiple formats ensures employees with different schedules, interests, and abilities can participate meaningfully.

6 Easy Volunteering Opportunities You Can Implement at Your Workplace

Now that you’ve discovered “how” to implement a volunteering program, here are some examples of opportunities you can offer your team:

Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives

1. Beach or Park Cleanups: Organize team outings to clean up local parks, beaches, or trails.

2. Tree Planting: Partner with environmental nonprofits to plant trees or restore habitats.

3. Recycling Drives: Host a company-wide recycling day for electronics, plastics, or paper.

Food Security and Hunger Relief

1. Food Bank Sorting and Packaging: Volunteer at food banks to sort donations and pack meals.

2. Meal Preparation and Delivery: Partner with charities, like Meals on Wheels, to cook or deliver meals to those in need.

3. Community Garden Volunteering: Help grow produce for food-insecure families through urban farms.

Skilled Volunteering Programs

1. Pro Bono Consulting for Nonprofits: Offer marketing, finance, or tech expertise to nonprofits.

2. Legal Aid and Advice Clinics: Legal professionals can volunteer at free clinics for underserved communities.

3. Coding and IT Support for Nonprofits: Tech teams can build websites or provide IT support.

Health and Wellness Initiatives

1. Blood Drives: Work with local organizations to host or participate in blood donation events.

2. Walks and Runs for Charity: Participate in charity races for causes like cancer or mental health.

3. Donation Drives for Hygiene Kits: Assemble hygiene kits for shelters or hospitals.

Disaster Relief and Preparedness

1. Emergency Kit Assembly: Create kits with essentials for disaster-prone areas.

2. Volunteering with Disaster Response Organizations: Check the needs of local charities to support disaster relief or emergency assistance efforts.

3. Fundraising Campaigns for Disaster Relief: Match employee donations for affected communities.

Seasonal Giving and Donation Drives

1. Holiday Gift Drives: Donate toys and essentials to families in need.
2. Adopt-a-Family Programs: Provide gifts and meals to a selected family.
3. Blanket and Coat Drives: Collect winter gear for shelters during colder months.

Corporate volunteering can be a powerful driver of positive employee engagement, culture, and social impact. Of course, for CSR leaders, success depends on designing programs that are intentional, inclusive, and aligned with both employee interests and business priorities.

We hope this guide provides a practical starting point for building or reimagining your corporate volunteering program. By leveraging these tips, you can deliver opportunities that your team is proud to participate in and support.

Main Takeaways

• CSR reports help companies communicate their social impact efforts, especially around employee engagement and community investment.

• They are increasingly expected by stakeholders, even if not legally required.

• Strong CSR reports include metrics on giving, volunteering, and grantmaking.

• These reports support talent retention, brand reputation, and strategic alignment.

• Platforms like YourCause from Blackbaud simplify CSR reporting and help organizations measure what matters.

Today, it is no longer enough to simply offer a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. Stakeholders – from investors to consumers – now expect clarity and transparency around a company’s social and environmental impact. As a result, in-depth and robust reporting is now becoming a critical component of many social good strategies.

Corporate Guide to CSR Reporting

What Is a CSR Report and Why Does It Matter?

A CSR Report is a formal document that outlines a company’s social impact efforts – especially those related to employee engagement, charitable giving, volunteering, community investments, and grantmaking. These reports have become essential tools for communicating values, building trust, and demonstrating accountability to stakeholders.

According to the Governance & Accountability Institute, 98% of S&P 500 companies now publish CSR or sustainability reports, reflecting the growing demand for transparency. Additionally, 83% of employees say they would consider leaving their jobs if their employer failed to uphold CSR values.

Why Do Companies Create CSR Reports?

CSR reports serve as a bridge between a company’s values and its actions. They allow organizations to showcase how they engage employees in meaningful work, support communities through volunteering and donations, and invest in causes that align with their mission.

Historically, CSR reporting began as a voluntary practice; but it has now become a strategic tool used to attract talent, build brand loyalty, and meet investor expectations. For CSR leaders, these reports are also a way to benchmark progress and identify opportunities for deeper impact.

Is CSR Reporting Required?

In the United States, CSR reporting is not federally mandated. However, many companies voluntarily follow recognized frameworks such as:

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)

• Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

While these frameworks often include environmental metrics, they also support robust social impact reporting. In the European Union, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires large companies to disclose detailed ESG data, including social impact metrics, ultimately setting a precedent for global standards.

Benefits of CSR Reporting

• Builds trust with employees, customers, and investors.

• Enhances brand reputation and public perception.

• Improves employee morale and retention.

• Attracts values-aligned talent and partners.

• Demonstrates strategic alignment with business goals.

• Encourages internal accountability and cross-functional collaboration.

• Supports grantmaking transparency and nonprofit partnerships.

• Enables benchmarking and continuous improvement.

• Justifies CSR program investment with measurable outcomes.

What Data Is Typically Included in CSR Reporting?

CSR reports should provide a clear picture of how a company engages with its employees and communities. Key data categories include:

1. Employee Engagement

Track participation in CSR programs, such as volunteering and giving. High engagement often correlates with stronger retention and job satisfaction.

2. Volunteer Participation

Measure total hours volunteered, participation rates, and team-based activities. Include breakdowns by department or region to identify trends.

3. First-Time and Team-Based Volunteerism

Monitor how many employees are volunteering for the first time and how many participate in group efforts. These metrics help assess onboarding and social cohesion.

4. Employee Giving and Match Rates

Report on donation participation, average gift size, and match program utilization. These figures reflect generosity and program accessibility.

5. Community Investment

Include data on donations, nonprofit partnerships, and local engagement initiatives. Highlight how these efforts align with company values.

6. Grantmaking Reach and Impact

Track the number of grants awarded, total funds distributed, and alignment with strategic focus areas. Include feedback from nonprofit partners to assess depth of impact.

7. Top Charity Causes Supported

Analyze which causes, such as human services, health, or environmental action, receive the most support. This helps reveal what matters most to your workforce.

8. Education & Training

Include CSR-related training programs that help employees understand and engage with social impact initiatives.

9. Stakeholder Feedback

Incorporate survey results or testimonials from employees and nonprofit partners to add qualitative depth to your metrics.

Who Should Read CSR Reports?

CSR reports are valuable to a wide range of audiences:

• Employees & Job Seekers – to evaluate company culture and values.

• Investors & Analysts – to assess social impact and ESG alignment.

• Customers – to support brands that reflect their values.

• Nonprofit Partners – to understand collaboration opportunities.

• Media & Influencers – to amplify CSR narratives and success stories.

What to Look for When Reading a Company’s CSR Report

• Clear goals and progress tracking.

• Use of recognized frameworks (GRI, SASB).

• Transparency about challenges and setbacks.

• Evidence of employee and community engagement.

• Quantitative and qualitative data.

• Year-over-year comparisons.

• Testimonials or stakeholder quotes.

Tips for Creating a Strong CSR Report

Use a recognized framework: Align with GRI or SASB to ensure credibility.

• Tell compelling stories: Highlight real-world impact through employee or community narratives.
• Include visuals: Charts and infographics improve readability and engagement.
• Be transparent: Share both successes and areas for improvement.
• Engage stakeholders: Include quotes or survey results from employees and partners.
• Make it accessible: Ensure the report is mobile-friendly and downloadable.
• Update annually: Demonstrate progress and maintain accountability.

Ultimately, CSR reporting offers you a clear way to demonstrate the tangible action behind your social good efforts. It helps employees, investors, and communities understand where progress is happening and where more work is needed.

So, as you look for ways to be more transparent and authentic while meeting growing expectations through your social impact strategy, we hope this guide provides you with the clarity and confidence you need to turn your impact into measurable outcomes.

Main takeaways:

• CSR drives ROI: It boosts market value, profitability, sales, employee retention, and productivity.
• Consumers value purpose: Nearly half of consumers consider social responsibility, with younger generations willing to pay more for purpose-driven brands.
• Investors prioritize ESG: 88% favor sustainable investing and most see social impact aligned with financial gains.
• Purpose attracts talent: Gen Z weighs societal impact when evaluating employers. Many reject jobs misaligned with their values.

Building the business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR) at your organization? Here’s are the latest CSR and ESG Statistics around return on investment as well as consumer, investor, employee, and executive beliefs to help companies of all sizes see the benefits of investing in CSR and ESG.

5 Statistics About the Return on Investment (ROI) of CSR

According to the 2025 Project ROI CSR Report, research shows that sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs have the potential to:

• Increase market value by up to 6%
• Raise company profitability by as much as 21%
• Boost B2B and B2C sales by up to 20%
• Decrease staff turnover by as much as 57%
• Improve employee productivity by up to 21%

These statistics show that, beyond driving positive change within their local and global communities, companies can see a return on investment from their CSR programs in a variety of areas spanning increased revenue to improved employee engagement and productivity.

This is great data to show an executive or C-Suite that wants to understand the effect that CSR can have on the bottom line.

4 Statistics About Consumer Beliefs Around CSR and ESG

• 46% of all consumers and 51% of millennial consumers say they pay close attention to a company’s efforts to be socially responsible when deciding to buy something – Markenstein Survey
• 45% of consumers identify as Purpose-Driven Consumers, meaning they seek products and services that align to their values – IBM Report
• Nearly six in ten respondents study believe that, even when two products are virtually identical, certain brands are worth paying for because of the positive impact they create in the world – 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer
• Over half of younger consumers (aged 18–34 across 17 markets) say they are more inclined to buy from brands that promote donating a portion of their proceeds to charitable causes – YouGov

As you plan how you can make your business case for CSR, consider calculating the new customer lifetime value (CLV) from an increase in retention rate or decrease in churn rate if your customers remain loyal because they align with your company’s values. This is a simple formula for measuring CLV and a good place to start.

10 CSR and ESG Statistics about Consumer, Employee, and Investor Beliefs

We have armed you with a variety of stats that show how CSR can contribute to the bottom line. But the real question is: Do my investors or shareholders care about CSR or ESG?

Well, the answer is Yes. ESG and CSR intersect through the governance structure and a company’s efforts under the “Social Pillar”. The following statistics focus on the growing importance of sustainable business practices. Whether you’re a high growth startup seeking investment funding or a publicly traded company, this data will shed light on the critical importance of corporate purpose.

• 88% of investors globally are interested in sustainable investing – Morgan Stanley 2025 Sustainable Signals Report
• More than 80% investors believe companies should address environmental issues, and over two-thirds say social issues should also be tackled – Morgan Stanley 2025 Sustainable Signals Report
• 76% of investors expect companies to have defined their corporate purpose and 93% think it is needed to set a long-term business strategy that creates value – CECP Corporate Purpose Driving Business Value 2025
• 80% of global investors agree it’s possible to achieve financial gains while focusing on positive environmental or social outcomes – Morgan Stanley 2025 Sustainable Signals Report
• Sustainable funds on average continue to strongly outperform conventional funds – Morgan Stanley 2025
• As of 2025, 99% of the S&P 500 publish a yearly sustainability report – G&A Institute: 2025 Sustainability Reporting in Focus
• Nearly a third of reporting companies have community engagement policies – CECP Investing in Society 7th Edition

• Companies with a corporate purpose see revenue 58% higher than those without a corporate purpose – Deloitte 2025 Corporate Purpose: Driving Business Value

• Two-Thirds of Gen Zs and Millennials say they are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products or services – Deloitte 2025

• One quarter of Gen Z (23%) and Millennials(22%) say they’ve researched a company’s environmental impact or policies before accepting a job by them – Deloitte 2025

5 CSR statistics about Employee Beliefs and Employee Engagement

• 75% of Gen Zs consider an organization’s societal impact when evaluating potential employers, with 2 in 10 already changing jobs or industries to align with their values – Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
• 44% of Gen Zs and 40% of millennials have turned down employers that don’t align with their values – Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
• 89% of Gen Zs and 92% of millennials consider a sense of purpose to be important to their job satisfaction and well-being – Deloitte 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
• Among employees who report positive mental well-being, 67% of Gen Zs and 72% of millennials feel their job allows them to make a meaningful contribution to society – Deloitte 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
• Only 21% of global employees are actively engaged. This low engagement costs the global economy $438 billion in productivity in one year. – Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2025

These statistics showcase how employees, especially from the younger generations, feel about working for a purpose-driven company and showcase the benefits of highly engaged employees.

If employee attraction and retention are a top priority for your organization, consider partnering with your HR or recruiting team to help build the business case for a CSR program. For more insights on why employee engagement is so important for your business, check out this blog.

6 CSR Statistics about Executive Beliefs

While the management of a CSR program may be in the hands of the social impact team, HR or Communications team, in order to fully leverage an organization’s resources to do good, the discussion and execution should extend to the executive leadership team. Here are some helpful statistics you can share with them in the initial stages.

• 90% of CEOs advise their successors to continue investment in sustainability initiatives – United Nations Global Compact Accenture 2025 CEO Study
• 46% of executives say making sustainability a source of competitive advantage is their top priority – Mercer 2025 Executive Outlook
• Executives believe that purpose-driven leadership is critical to retaining an engaged workforce, building competitive advantage, and making progress toward long-term goals – CECP Corporate Purpose Driving Business Value 2025
• 76% of CEOs agree that the importance of purpose has increased over the last five years and 75% believe it will increase over the next five years – CECP Investing in Society 7th Edition
• Nearly 70% of CEO’s agree that companies should make expenditures to address sustainability/ESG issues relevant to the business – PwC 2024 Annual Global CEO Survey
• 99% of CEOs report they are focused on expanding or maintaining their sustainability-related commitments – United Nations Global Compact Accenture 2025 CEO Study

As you consider how social responsibility will show up in your organization’s corporate governance structure, remember you can always learn from your peers! Look up the corporate governance codes of brands that communicate strong corporate social responsibility to see what policies show up.

For many companies committed to corporate responsibility, disaster relief is a cornerstone of social impact programs. These initiatives raise awareness, mobilize funding, and deliver critical global aid after large-scale catastrophic events.

But what happens when crisis strikes a little closer to home?

What happens when the person in need isn’t a stranger across the world, but rather, a teammate in the office or colleague on the other end of a conference call?

Providing Employee Relief

When it comes to employees, disasters come in many forms. They can be external events, like a house fire, a flood, or natural disaster; or they can come as a sudden, unexpected physical, mental, emotional, or financial hardship. With 57% of organizations citing non-work factors including health issues, relationships/family, and financial concerns among the top three causes of stress-related absences, these hardships can negatively impact productivity, job performance, and mental health.

So, what can companies do to support their employees through times of crisis?

Businesses have the unique opportunity to provide essential aid to their workforce through an Employee Assistance Fund (EAF)—also known as an Employee Relief Fund, Employee Crisis Fund, or Emergency Employee Care Fund.

These funds are employer-sponsored, tax-free initiatives that provide employees with financial support during difficult times. Team members can regularly make donations directly to the fund; then those in need can apply for assistance and relief when they need it most. These efforts allow colleagues to support each other through difficult times while demonstrating the company’s commitment to employee well-being.

Setting up an Employee Assistance Fund

There are many components that go into setting up and providing an Employee Assistance Fund, but your approach can be guided by two overarching considerations.

• Program Structure: How will you make sure your employees a) know the fund exists and b) know how to apply to it if they ever needed assistance?
• Legal Structure: How will you keep your program in compliance with all legal guidelines? (The way that assistance is awarded could result in tax implications upon the recipients.)

To help ensure your program’s success, we are going to walk you through some of the tough decisions that come along with starting employee assistance funds.

Building Your Program Structure

1. Your first step is to think about where this program will live at your company. For some companies, the Human Resources team owns the Employee Assistance Fund. For others, it’s the Corporate Social Responsibility team. Either way, communicating your program to your employees (and ensuring they utilize it) requires cross-departmental collaboration.

2. Next, you’ll have to decide how the program will be funded. This can be through:

• Individual donations from fellow employees

• Company funds

• A combination of both

The various options your company has for initiating and managing such an effort will help guide your decision.

3. Finally, determine who qualifies for the program (all employees, only full-time employees, etc.) and what will qualify for assistance (minimum service period, specific hardship situations, etc.). Creating clear guidelines will be an integral part of setting up your program structure and communicating it to employees.

Once you’ve outlined the framework for your Employee Assistance Program, we recommend having your legal team review it before it’s published.

The Legal Structure

In addition to outlining your EAF framework, you’ll also have to think about how your fund will be legally and financially structured. There are a variety of models to choose from; however, each model has its own tax implications, compliance requirements, and levels of administrative effort. Let’s look at some of the most popular options, as well as key considerations for each:

Private Foundation

The first route a corporation could take for making charitable contributions could be setting up a private foundation—a charitable organization funded and controlled by the company. With this option, the business would be solely responsible for establishing, opening, maintaining, and managing the foundation’s various funds.

Key considerations

• A private foundation can only make relief grants to employees for certain “qualified” disasters (i.e., disasters declared by the U.S. president or by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). It cannot legally make grants to employees for cases of individual financial hardship.
• Employees cannot donate to a private foundation in support of the employee assistance program.
• Private foundations require ongoing administration, financial investment, and legal compliance, which can create a long and expensive process for corporations.
• There are limitations to which grants or donations qualify as tax deductible.

Best For: Large corporations with existing corporate foundations and the legal capacity to manage compliance

Public Foundation

Unlike their private counterparts, public foundations (or public charities) can both accept donations from multiple sources, including employees, and issue tax-free grants to colleagues in need. This is a popular option for employee assistance funds because it allows for both corporate and individual giving while still maintaining tax-exempt status. Companies typically opt to operate their own public charity (i.e., corporate foundation) or work with an established non-profit that manages the fund for them.

Key considerations

• Employees can make donations to the foundation in support of the employee relief program.
• Grants and donations are tax-free under all circumstances.
• A public foundation provides companies with more flexibility and tax advantages
• Companies have authority over grant decisions and disbursements to recipients, which can, in turn, reduce liability and risk.

Best For: Mid-to-large corporations that already have corporate foundations in place.

Direct Corporate Funding

In this model, the company provides grants directly to employees from its own operational budget—without a separate charitable entity. While simple to administer, this option does not qualify as charitable giving for IRS purposes. That means the company cannot deduct these as charitable donations and the employee recipient must treat the funds as taxable income.

Key Considerations

• Faster to implement (no legal set up required).
• Works well for emergency situations and/or small-scale, one-time relief efforts.
• A company cannot claim charitable deductions with the IRS.
• Employees receiving support will have to pay taxes on the award.

Best For: Companies looking to create a fast, internal process that can provide immediate response without added administrative overhead.

Third-Party Disaster Relief Fund

Employee disaster relief specialists are nonprofit organizations that establish employee relief funds on behalf of corporations. These specialists take on the heavy lifting that is involved in setting up a fund and make sure that the program is in legal compliance. Once the fund is in place, both the corporation and its employees are able to make tax-free contributions to the employee assistance fund.

Key Considerations

• Tax deductible donations for both the employee and the company.
• Simplified global scalability and compliance.
• May require seed funding or additional fees.

Best For: Organizations looking for a simplified, hands-off option that does not require in-house legal or administrative bandwidth. If you are considering going the Third-Party Relief Fund route and are stuck on which organization to choose, our team can recommend some great options for you! Just get in touch with one of our experts—we’d be happy to connect.

The Donation and Application Process

Choosing the right structure and funding model for your fund is integral to your fund’s success as determines the costs, workload, and tax-status of your employee’s donations. But beyond that, it also dictates how your employees experience and participate in the program.

That’s why so many of today’s leading businesses leverage corporate social responsibility software to manage donations, applications, and reporting.

These purpose-built platforms reduce barriers to entry by allowing employees to:

• Make donations directly to the employee assistance fund via variety of payment methods (i.e., payroll, credit card, etc) and currencies.

• Access all program features and information, from donation to application, in one central location.

• Ensure confidentiality and sensitivity for both donors and recipients, as well as providing any necessary guidelines for application reviewers.

This, in turn, reduces undue stress on program managers; ultimately, enabling faster response times for those in need, as well as more accurate and transparent reporting for all stakeholders involved.