Cause Marketing on Facebook: Truths, Tips and Trends from Pioneers

Businesses seeking to do well by doing good via integrated corporate responsibility and cause marketing programs have turned in increasing numbers to Facebook, the 800-pound-gorilla of social media.

Like their counterparts in other disciplines, cause marketers are still figuring out how to reap the greatest impact from Facebook. To learn what is working — and what to avoid — the team at Cause Marketing Forum recently conducted dozens of interviews and published a white paper on the topic. Join Megan Strand (the primary researcher and author of this white paper) as she shares best practices, tips and truths for cause marketing on Facebook.

You will learn:

• Why cause works on Facebook
• How to navigate the changing expectations of nonprofit organizations
• The importance of showing impact
• Hot buttons for online voting contests
• Pro tips for creating deeper engagement

Follow the conversation on Twitter: @VM_Solutions, #BPNFacebook

Megan Strand is the director of communications for the Cause Marketing Forum and the white paper's primary author and researcher. At CMF, she sources and produces quality content for cause marketers via the company's website, blog and social media outposts. Prior to CMF, highlights of Megan's career included stints as director of operations and marketing for a continuing education company, internal communications specialist for a local government; marketing manager for a mid-sized non-profit and Peace Corps volunteer.

Tuesday, 12/13
10:00AM - 11:00AM PT / 1:00PM - 2:00PM ET
Click here to register.

The CR Opportunity: Companies as Social Partners

Welcome to the world of responsible business. The unequivocal takeaway from the 2011 Cone/Echo CR Opportunity Study, which surveyed 10,000 people in 10 countries, is that consumers globally believe companies have an explicit responsibility to help change the world.

In this session, Cone will profile the expectations and actions of consumers across the world and examine how companies and NGOs can tap this passion for business and social opportunity. Join Insights Supervisor, Sarah Kerkian, as she discusses key insights from the study including how companies can become social partners by engaging consumers through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Sarah Kerkian is the Insights Supervisor of Research and Insights at Cone Communications. Sarah's work bridges the Cause Branding, Corporate Responsibility and Research and Insights disciplines, and her expertise includes research strategy and execution, trend monitoring and analysis, writing and presentation development. Sarah has executed more than 10 industry-leading research studies in her time at Cone, including the first-ever consumer cause behavioral research and the brand-new global CR study.

Recorded 11/16/11
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Jet-Set Service: International Corporate Volunteering

Seven times as many companies are sending employees abroad to collaborate with local governments and NGOs on short-term pro bono assignments today, as compared to just five years ago. Companies such as IBM, Pfizer and FedEx have all reaped the benefits of embedding International Corporate Volunteer programs (ICV) into their business strategies. Why are these and other major companies investing in ICV so heavily?

Returning ICVs describe their experience as a cross between the Apprentice and the Peace Corps, challenging them to use their professional skills and expertise. Through intense, specialized assignments, participants immerse themselves in a foreign culture, working with local social enterprises and nonprofits to expand or improve services and support economic growth. It is no surprise that corporations have discovered these programs offer a powerful experiential learning opportunity that help participants develop leadership skills, hone collaboration capabilities, increase cultural intelligence and build a better understanding of business practices in emerging markets.

Join Amanda MacArthur from CDC Development Solutions for an introduction to ICV that will dive deep into case studies, trends and best practices. As lead of the organization's Global Citizenship and Volunteerism practice areas, Amanda is an ICV expert and will share several corporate programs that showcase a variety of ROI measures. The presentation will leave you with an understanding of key success factors for program design that are sure to inspire you to look at volunteerism and employee engagement in a new way.

Recorded 10/6/11
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Cause Marketing: An Introduction

Cause marketing has become the buzzword on the lips of every company interested in social good, but what does it really mean? And what does it look like in practice? Join Joe Waters, expert blogger and author of Cause Marketing for Dummies for a back-to-basics lesson on cause marketing, and advice for how companies can harness its power. In this session, Joe will explain the many forms of cause marketing and offer tips for how to build, execute and measure a program's success.

Joe Waters teaches small nonprofits and businesses how to use cause marketing and social media to establish, grow and deepen relationships with stakeholders. He's worked with many local and national companies, including Pepsi, Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Staples, Zipcar, Fuddruckers, Virgin America and The Boston Bruins.

Joe blogs at the web's #1 cause marketing blog, Selfishgiving.com. He's the co-author of Cause Marketing for Dummies.

Recorded 10/6/11
RECORDING
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How Companies Can Pay Tribute and Create Impact on 9/11

On the first anniversary of the September 11th attacks, David Paine and Jay Winuk established MyGoodDeed.org to support widespread observance and tribute to victims, survivors and public servants affected by the tragedy. Their mission is to inspire millions to pledge to perform good deeds, support charitable causes, volunteer and engage in other acts of compassion. In observance of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, MyGoodDeed is leading a collective effort to organize the single largest day of good deeds and charitable service.

Join MyGoodDeed founder David Paine in the August 2011 edition of our Best Practice Network Webinar Series where he will discuss the history and evolution of this important national day of remembrance and offer advice for how companies can engage their audiences to pay tribute. David, a former resident of New York City, is senior advisor to PainePR, a national communications firm that specializes in corporate social responsibility and cause related issues, and a 2008 recipient of the nation's highest civilian volunteer service recognition, The President's Call to Service Award.

For more information about the 10th anniversary of 9/11 visit facebook.com/911day or 911day.org.

Recorded 8/23/11 — RECORDING

Giving In Numbers: Emerging Trends in Corporate Philanthropy

Join VolunteerMatch for this Best Practice Network Webinar installment on emerging trends in corporate philanthropy with the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. Through its proprietary Corporate Giving Standard database, now containing over $85 billion in giving data from more than 180 companies, CECP has delivered the industry's first comprehensive look at emerging trends in corporate philanthropy. We will be joined by Alison Rose, CECP's Manager of Standards and Measurement, who will share the trends in cash and non-cash giving, matching gifts, international giving, Fortune 100 contributions, employee volunteerism, giving motivations, and more.

Through live polling, audience members will join the conversation and contribute their perspectives on the findings. This presentation provides a sneak preview of the 2011 Edition of CECP's flagship data publication, Giving in Numbers, to be released in October.

Alison Rose manages the strategic direction of CECP's proprietary corporate philanthropy benchmarking initiative, the Corporate Giving Standard. She works one-on-one with Committee members and subscribers to collect data using a standardized measurement framework and helps corporate giving officers create compelling presentations for senior management that inform their budget decisions. Previously Rose worked at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education and Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Her academic background includes a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California's School of Policy, Planning and Development, and a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Middlebury College as a double major in mathematics and religion.

Recorded 7/13/11 — RECORDING

BPN: CECP Giving In Numbers / 447 KB

Want to Build an In-House Pro Bono Program? Ask these 5 Key Questions Before You Begin.

Join us for this Best Practice Network Webinar installment on pro bono programs with Taproot Foundation. Taproot Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new tool designed for anyone interested in building (or scaling!) a pro bono program at their company: BUILD: A Blueprint for Pro Bono Program Development leads you through the key questions you should be asking when you develop a new program and provides tools and resources to help you find the answers you need.

The webinar will be presented by Lindsay Firestone and Diana Fischer of Taproot Foundation. Lindsay Firestone has built her career with a focus on cross-sector nonprofit capacity building. As the Senior Consultant in the Taproot Foundation's Advisory Services Practice, Lindsay works with companies to help them develop and scale their own in-house pro bono programs connecting the professional skills of their employees with the needs of nonprofits and other community partners. Since founding Taproot's consulting practice in 2008, Lindsay has worked with over a dozen Fortune 500 companies across industries to develop customized, impact-oriented pro bono programs that are strategically aligned with their business and philanthropy goals.

Diana Fischer is a consultant with the Taproot Foundation's Advisory Service practice and has been with Taproot since 2009. Through direct consulting and the development of sector-wide resources and tools she engages a growing number of key companies and institutions in the pro bono service movement. Diana specializes in program design and evaluation, and has been the lead architect behind several of Taproot's recent thought leadership tools and trainings.

Tuesday, 6/28, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: BUILDProBono / 1.04 MB

Leveraging Social Media and Tapping Volunteers to Raise Big Bucks

Did you know that people who volunteer also donate far more money than non-volunteers? They're also more likely to spread the word, share your mission, and ask their friends and co-workers to donate. While awareness of the strong connection between volunteering and donating is growing, many nonprofits have been slow to integrate fundraising with volunteer engagement, and fewer still have strategies to tap into the connections and wealth of their volunteers' own personal networks. That's too bad, because today this new take on the old model of peer-to-peer fundraising is easier than ever, thanks to social media making fundraising, email solicitation, and "friend raising" accessible and affordable.

In this special Best Practice Webinar for nonprofits, nonprofit experts Darian Rodriguez Heyman and Sean Sullivan will discuss the practical tools and strategies of online peer-to-peer fundraising that appear in Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals, a new book for nonprofit organizations edited by Heyman with a chapter on online peer-to-peer fundraising by Sullivan. Among the topics covered in the Best Practice Network webinar, the two will discuss how to attract and organize supporters using online social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube; how to leverage social networks of supporters; best practices in online solicitation; and how to build and activate a volunteer corps of solicitors. The subject matter will be appropriate for all nonprofits, with a special focus on the needs of both grassroots organizations and regional or national nonprofits with multiple chapters. It will also be of interest to employee volunteer program administrators and corporate marketers who are interested in learning how to make cause engagement campaigns more viral and sharable.

After five years of service, Darian Heyman Rodriguez (Twitter: @dheyman) recently stepped down as Executive Director of Craigslist Foundation. While there, he helped launch Nonprofit Boot Camp and educated, empowered, and connected over 10,000 graduates. His new book, Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals, includes practical tips and tools from VolunteerMatch President Greg Baldwin and 49 other recognized experts across 35 topics. Heyman recently launched a nationwide Social Media for Nonprofits conference series and his Advancing Social Impact blog on Skoll Foundation's Social Edge. Heyman previously served as a Commissioner for the Environment for the City and County of San Francisco and currently is a public speaker that provides strategy, messaging, and fundraising consulting for nonprofits and green economy organizations.

Sean Sullivan (Twitter: @SeanforOakland) has been a student of the non-profit field for 15 years. In that time, Sullivan has held leadership positions at Covenant House, Equality California and the Center for Environmental Health. A graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Sullivan is certified in Non-Profit Management from Stanford University, and studied environmental science at Oxford University. He currently serves on a number of community-serving boards, chairing the Khadafy Washington Foundation for Non-Violence, and is the immediate past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter. Sullivan is a contributing author to Nonprofit Management 101 and presents on utilizing social media to support fundraising and major gifts for small shops.

Thursday, 6/16, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Nonprofit 101 | 1.44mb

Measuring the Value of Volunteerism: Practical Techniques and ROI Benchmarking Results

What can your company learn from the most comprehensive evaluation of the impact of employee volunteering ever? In the latest Best Practice Network webinar from VolunteerMatch, Farron Levy, president of True Impact, will discuss the findings of the Volunteerism ROI Tracker initiative - a program sponsored by the Points of Light Institute and delivered by True Impact, a leading provider of web-based tools and support services for measuring corporate citizenship programs.

Now more than ever, managers of volunteer programs feel pressure to prove the value of their programs, invest more strategically (i.e., do more with less), and promote accountability and continuous improvement among the causes they support. Yet, most lack a key tool for success: effective and practical measures.

The initial results of the Volunteerism ROI Tracker are based on impact data collected from employee volunteer programs at 21 leading companies, including Boeing, Coca Cola, Deloitte, GE, Pfizer, and UPS. The Tracker collects impact data directly from each participating organization's volunteers, and reports findings against benchmarks in impact areas include social value, participant satisfaction, skill development, sales, recruitment, and stakeholder relations. (For more information on the study, or becoming a participant, click here.)

Farron Levy is president of True Impact, which provides web-based tools and consulting services to help organizations quantify the social, financial, and environmental return on investment (ROI) of their corporate citizenship activities. True Impact's "triple bottom line" evaluations have been adopted by Allstate, Deloitte, GE, Home Depot, PNC Bank, and Verizon among others.

Farron was previously a partner and director of cost-benefit-analysis services at SmithOBrien, a social auditing firm; an analyst with Industrial Economics, Inc., an environmental and economic consulting firm; and an advisor to City Year, New Profit, and CitySoft. He has also managed urban economic development projects for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Social Venture Network, and CitySkills (where he was executive director), and is currently an associate staff member of Boston College's Center for Corporate Citizenship, where he teaches coursework on ROI evaluation. Farron earned an MPP from Harvard University, and a BS with university honors from Carnegie Mellon University.

Thursday, 5/19, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: True Impact | 1.35mb

Creating and Sustaining Successful Business-Community Partnerships

Please join us for the first webinar in a series on corporate engagement tool kits from leaders in the field. Through the remainder of 2011, the VolunteerMatch Best Practice Network Webinar Series will occasionally bring expert speakers and organizations to discuss various tool kits for improving engagement.

Corporate Voices for Working Families (Corporate Voices) is the leading national business membership organization shaping conversations and collaborations on public and corporate policy issues involving working families. A unique voice, Corporate Voices provides leading and best-practice employers a forum to improve the lives of working families, while strengthening our nation's economy and enhancing the vitality of our communities.

On this webinar, John-Anthony Meza, Vice President of Workforce Readiness, Corporate Voices, will highlight two series of tools that the organization has created, as well as provide best practice examples and tips on how to achieve the successful business-community partnerships your organization is looking for. Participants will have the opportunity to share their successes and challenges in creating partnerships and will walk away with the next steps they need to create and sustain their partnerships.

Thursday, 4/28, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

The End of Fundraising: Market Your Results, Sell Your Impact

Join us for this insightful webinar on the changing nonprofit/corporate fundraising landscape!

Is your organization really making a difference? Can you measure your impact and clearly communicate your value to donors? Today, just doing good isn't good enough. Next generation donors, foundations and government agencies are making decisions based on results, not just efforts. In short, it's not just about who you know; it's about the outcomes you can deliver. This workshop empowers you to move beyond psychic benefits and create real leverage in your fundraising efforts. This session will include case examples of organizations that have used their results to raise more money and will give you the practical tools necessary to measure, market and sell your impact to funders and other key stakeholders.

Jason Saul is one of the nation's leading experts on measuring social impact. He is the founder and CEO of Mission Measurement LLC, a strategy consulting firm that helps corporations, nonprofits and public sector clients to measure and improve their social impact. He has advised some of the world's largest corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, including: Walmart, Starbucks, McDonald's, Kraft Foods, Levi Strauss & Co., Easter Seals, American Red Cross, the Smithsonian and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Prior to founding Mission Measurement, Jason practiced as a public finance attorney at Mayer, Brown in Chicago.

Thursday, 4/7, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

Leveraging the Power of Branding and Communications for Employee Volunteer Programs

As the recovery from Great Recession limps along, companies are asked to do more with less. The trend is especially clear when it comes in Corporate Social Responsibility, where philanthropy programs often feel the impact of these cuts first. And yet as companies cut back, the pressure to give back only increases, especially in sectors that have taken reputation hits in recent years.

Employee volunteer programs (EVPs) can go a long way toward restoring a tarnished reputation and building employee morale. Yet this can only happen if the program is communicated in a way that maximizes its impact - on the company's reputation, on employee morale and (most critically) on community partner organizations.

This webinar will help administrators of EVPs learn about the benefits of effective brand building for reaching key audiences. Howard Breindel and Seth Margolis of DeSantis Breindel will examine seven principles for leveraging communications to enhance the long-term success and impact of your EVP. DeSantis Breindel is a corporate branding and marketing communications firm that works with for-profits and non-profits to transform brand identity, craft key messaging, and develop innovative marketing strategies.

Tuesday, 3/15, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

Download the White Paper: Branding Employee Volunteerism: Building Culture and Community (pdf)

What's the Deal with Micro?: How Companies Can Use Microvolunteering to Deepen Employee Engagement

Join us for this webinar with Co-Founder of Sparked.com (formerly The Extraordinaries), Jacob Colker, and Joseph Pigato, VP of Business Development, who will discuss the microvolunteering landscape and what CSR-minded companies need to know.

Colker co-founded, with Ben Rigby, Sparked in 2008, a for-profit social enterprise, and launched the world's first microvolunteering network, Sparked.com in 2009. Sparked.com brought crowd sourcing technologies to the fingertips of nonprofits - connecting them with individuals and companies interested in giving their time and talents. Today, Sparked.com has helped over 150,000 people microvolunteer their time for nonprofits all over the world.

With their combined passion and expertise in microvolunteering, Colker and Pigato will discuss what corporations need to know about micro, how micro can help companies expand their volunteer programs, and how Sparked.com works. This webinar will prepare CSR professionals and employee volunteer managers to confidently engage in the microvolunteering trend and provide resources to their volunteering communities.

Tuesday, 2/15, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Sparked Webinar | 3.8mb

Social Innovation, Inc.: 5 Ways to Profit from Social Change

Join us for this insightful webinar on social impact to kickoff the new year! Business consultant and leader on measuring social impact, Jason Saul, Founder and CEO of Mission Measurement LLC, will explore the concept of social responsibility and empower companies to take back control of the social agenda.

This session, based on Jason Saul's book Social Innovation, Inc., explores the concept of social responsibility and empowers companies to take back control of the social agenda. Issues like the environment, education, health care and international development are now huge areas of economic influence...and business opportunity. To seize this opportunity, companies must develop a new generation of social strategies. Instead of using business to drive social change, companies are using social change to drive business.

Jason Saul is one of the nation's leading experts on measuring social impact. He is the founder and CEO of Mission Measurement LLC, a strategy consulting firm that helps corporations, nonprofits and public sector clients to measure and improve their social impact. He has advised some of the world's largest corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, including: Walmart, Starbucks, McDonald's, Kraft Foods, Levi Strauss & Co., Easter Seals, American Red Cross, the Smithsonian and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Prior to founding Mission Measurement, Jason practiced as a public finance attorney at Mayer, Brown in Chicago.

Follow the webinar conversation on Twitter with #BPN_Saul and @VM_Solutions.

Thursday, 1/25, 2011 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

Future Trends in Corporate Giving

This December, the VolunteerMatch Best Practice Webinar Series is excited to introduce Courtney King, Manager of Communications for The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, who will share insights from the new report, "Shaping the Future: Solving Social Problems through Business Strategy" (Read). The report, based on research by McKinsey & Company, draws on over a dozen interviews with leading global CEOs to develop a pathway to sustainable value creation from a company's corporate social responsibility program in 2020.

This webinar will delve into trends that will affect business in the next decade and explore possible scenarios for the future based on how companies address social challenges important to their business. This interactive webinar will provide insights into how a company can choose the right issue to address and how they can embark upon successful collaborations with partner organizations in order to amplify the impact of their engagement. The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy is the only international forum of business CEOs and chairpersons focused exclusively on corporate philanthropy. Its mission is to lead the business community in raising the level and quality of corporate philanthropy.

Courtney King develops and executes the Committee's strategy for news media coverage, member communications, and online activities and runs CECP's executive events, including the Board of Boards CEO Conferences and the annual presentation of the Excellence Awards in Corporate Philanthropy. Courtney spearheads the media platform of International Corporate Philanthropy Day and works closely with the CECP community to promote this outreach initiative. She is also the editor of The Corporate Philanthropist, and is instrumental in increasing the visibility of corporate philanthropy in print, online, and broadcast media.

Thursday, 12/2, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Future Trends | 1.4mb

Corporate Volunteering: Top 7 Requests and The Bad, Better, and Best Responses

Senior Consultant Chris Jarvis, Realized Worth, will discuss the seven most common requests for improving nonprofit and corporate volunteer relations. How can you avoid wasting valuable time during volunteer activities? Join this webinar and learn how to guide nonprofits to the 'best' response.

Over the past 20 years, Chris has worked with organizations across North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia utilizing a model that elevates volunteerism from a task-oriented activity to a transformative experience. Chris and his business partner, Angela Parker, act as expert writers on several websites including, 3BLMedia.com, APEsphere.com, and SocialFinance.ca. Chris is currently collaborating on a book which will be a comprehensive guide to Corporate Social Responsibility for HR managers.

Thursday, 1/21, 2010 —9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PACIFIC / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

Realized Worth: Corporate Volunteering: An Introduction | 630kb

BPN: Corporate Volunteering: Top 7 Requests | 4.1mb

From Jitterbug to Twitter: Harnessing the Power of Multiple Generations in Employee Volunteer Programs

Which age-group volunteers the most? Which volunteers the least? Why? Most important: How can you engage across this generational divide at your company to increase participation? In this webinar, Sherri Petro will demonstrate how to leverage knowledge of generational thinking to decrease misunderstanding and increase communication.

President of VPI Strategies and founding partner in Workplace Evolution, Sherri has been consulting for 9 years in the for-profit, nonprofit, and government sectors after a 16-year corporate career. She is acutely aware of generational misunderstandings that result from different belief structures and the lack of coherent communication. Learn the solutions and proven tips to increase volunteer participation by creating understanding and making connections on both theortical and practical levels.

Tuesday, 2/16, 2010 —9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PACIFIC / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: From Jitterbug to Twitter: Communications | 1.2mb

Workplace Evolution: Generational Communications | 123kb

Introduction to Measurement and Evaluation - Creating a Roadmap for Measuring Your Multiple Programs

A company’s portfolio of programs spans a number of issues, reaches a variety of stakeholders, and gets implemented in many locations. How can a Corporate Community Involvement (CCI) professional collect the appropriate level of data that will help guide development? Which programs need to be evaluated? What do your internal and external stakeholders need? Join Thomas Knowlton and Chantell Johnson from consulting firm TCC Group for this Webinar. They will provide an overview of the different tools and processes available, as well as a framework for mapping out your various program measurement needs.

Thomas Knowlton, TCC Group's Vice President and Director of the Corporate Practice, has worked in the field of Corporate Citizenship since 1995, and has over twenty-five years of experience in management and strategic planning. Chantell Johnson, the firm's Director of Evaluation, brings experience in program evaluation, management and administration as well as organizational assessment.

Thursday, 2/25, 2010 —9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PACIFIC / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Introduction to Measurement and Evaluation | 1.1mb

Motivating Volunteers in Tough Times

A recent study from LBG Associates and LBG Research Institute found that employee volunteer managers wildly overestimate how much their volunteers value being recognized for their involvement. Where is the disconnect between managers and employees? What then motivates employees to volunteer if it is not recognition?

Join us for a complimentary webinar with Linda Gornitsky, PhD, from LBG Associates. Linda will present on her recent research, sharing a number of surprising findings, followed by open discussion. LBG Associates is a woman-owned consulting firm focused on designing, implementing, and managing corporate citizenship and community outreach programs and initiatives. Founded in 1993, LBG Associates drives social change through expert advice; cutting-edge research; and implementation of strategies, programs, policies, and procedures.

Thursday, 3/25, 2010 —9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PACIFIC / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Motivating Volunteers in Tough Times | 735.5kb

Incentivize Your Program: A Discussion on Dollars for Doers

Are you interested in launching a Dollars for Doers program? Are you having trouble making the case to your internal team? Join this webinar for some insightful comments and solutions for launching and sustaining a successful program. Bea Boccalandro will kick-off the session with an overview of the Dollars for Doers landscape, followed by presentations from VolunteerMatch guest client speakers.

Bea helps businesses design and evaluate their community involvement programs. She is the author of Mapping Success in Employee Volunteering: The Drivers of Effectiveness for Employee Volunteering and Giving Programs and Fortune 500 Performance. She serves as a faculty member at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, where she teaches in the areas of corporate-nonprofit partnerships and employee volunteering.

Wednesday, 4/21, 2010 — 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Incentivize Your Program | 746kb

Defining Your Triple Value Proposition: Harnessing the Power of Practical, Social and Tribal Benefits

Are you tapping the passion of the new consumer? Enlightened consumers are 10% of the population but three times more likely to be influencers who shape the conversations and behavior of the other 90 percent. And they want brands to deliver on a combination of practical, social and tribal benefits. Join BBMG for an engaging session where you can gain research insights from their proprietary online community of conscious consumers, review real-world case studies for defining your Triple Value Proposition(TM) and discover how to leverage the passion, purpose and participation of values-driven consumers to drive innovation, growth and positive social impact.

Raphael Bemporad and Mitch Baranowski, Co-Founders of BBMG, bring a wealth of experience and knowledge from the fields of brand strategy, political communications, strategic consulting, and research. Raphael and Mitch gave the 2009 VolunteerMatch Client Summit Keynote Speech on 'Redefining Value in the New Economy'. We are excited to have them back to share on their latest research.

Tuesday, 5/18, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Defining Your Triple Value Proposition | 3.84mb

Storytelling as Best Practice

Since we first began talking to each other, telling stories has been an effective way to capture attention, engage an audience, and motivate them to act. Modern technology has given us shiny new tools to help us communicate - Twitter, Facebook, etc. - but in our fervor to remain current (and appear professional) we often ignore our natural inclination to tell a good story. In this webinar, Andy Goodman, Cofounder and Director of The Goodman Center, a marketing and communications consulting firm, will explain why he believes storytelling is the single most powerful communication tool we possess, and he will offer specific ways a company can use stories to advance its mission.

Andy Goodman is a nationally recognized author, speaker and consultant in the field of public interest communications. Along with the book, Storytelling as Best Practice, he is author of Why Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes and Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes. He also publishes a monthly journal, free-range thinking, to share best practices in the field.

Tuesday, 6/15, 2010 —9:00 AM - 10:00 AM PACIFIC / 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Storytelling as Best Practice | 7.28mb

Disaster Relief & Preparedness, Part 1: Corporate Collaboration for Haiti

Early in 2010, we witnessed a groundswell of altruism as people across the nation sought ways to bring relief to victims of disasters around the world. From the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, to the flooding in Tennessee, to the current crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, the desire to help those in need has been overwhelming. In these times of immediacy, the most successful ways to contribute and be of service are to engage in an open dialogue, plan in advance, and be creative with your resources.

To help companies respond to employees' desire to be of service during times of crisis, VolunteerMatch is pleased to host a new, free, two-part Webinar series on Disaster Relief and Preparedness.

Join us on Tuesday, August 3rd for the first part of the series where we'll talk with Minneapolis-based UnitedHealth Group, Medtronic, Toro, and Kids Against Hunger and learn about their joint effort to respond to the Haiti Earthquake. The discussion will focus on best practices in defining a clear corporate/nonprofit relationship, managing employee expectations during disaster response, and developing a strong plan in advance.

In part two of the series, Thursday, September 23, we'll take a look at the long-term partnership to provide aid in times of crisis between Ryder System, Inc. and the American Red Cross . We will discuss the necessary aspects to developing and maintaining such a partnership. Ryder System, a commercial vehicle and distribution company, has a long history of partnering with American Red Cross, by providing transportation and logistical support, employee volunteers and grant donations for the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program.

Tuesday, 8/3, 2010 —11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PACIFIC / 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Disaster Relief Part 1 | 1.97m

Finding The Sweet Spot: How to Turn Strategic Aspirations into Reality for Your Community Involvement Program

Have you developed a love-hate relationship with the term "being more strategic"? Many corporate community involvement professionals are increasingly tasked with creating strategic charitable initiatives that align with business priorities and deliver benefits to communities and employees. But how many of you have encountered hurdles along the journey? Join us for this valuable session where we'll share practical tips and examples that will help you navigate your way through a strategic planning process. The goal is to find the sweet spot for your giving as well as explore ways to align your employee engagement to those key 'strategic' initiatives.

Cori Cunningham of Changing Our World and Brandon Tidwell of FedEx will provide insights on how to establish strategic philanthropy programs and tactical ways to activate employees around them. We'll focus our discussion on trends in the field as well as tell the story through the lens of EarthSmart Outreach, a cross-enterprise effort at FedEx to invest in charitable programs that align with the company's environmental strategy.

Cori is a Senior Managing Director at Changing Our World, a consulting firm dedicated to philanthropy. She leads the firm's Corporate Social Engagement practice, helping corporations and brands develop and implement community engagement strategies that support both their business, and the communities they serve. Brandon Tidwell is a Program Advisor within Global Citizenship at FedEx Services, and current manager of EarthSmart Outreach.

Thursday, 8/26, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Finding The Sweet Spot | 717 kb

Enter the Relationship Era: Why a New Era of Marketing Will Benefit All Stakeholders

Advertising is now a $444 billion global business built to persuade and manipulate. But people today are too sophisticated and informed to fall prey to such manipulation. Marketing is entering a new era, one imc² calls the Relationship Era , where the role of marketing is to foster sustainable relationships between brands and people. This new model, and its fundamental shift in thinking and practice, has the potential to benefit multiple stakeholders simultaneously: employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and society.

Mark McKinney, SVP of Engagement Marketing, and Jonathan Feinstein, Positive Impact coordinator, will lay out the shifting terrain of marketing today and explore what it will take for for-profits and not-for-profits alike to thrive in the Relationship Era. Will success demand a different kind of relationship between these entities? Between marketers, CSR officers, and community-based organizations? Can we already see this shift in new approaches to corporate volunteerism and philanthropy?

Mark McKinney came to the marketing world later in life (his first career was as a professor of medicine, using his Ph.D. in Psychology). After working in management consulting and coaching, he eventually succumbed to the allure of the Internet, where he has been plying his trade for the past 15 years. He has led digital marketing firms for the past eight of those years. Some of Mark's clients at imc² include The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, Pizza Hut, Samsung Mobile, and Booz Allen Hamilton, among others.

Jonathan Feinstein has authored imc²'s three GRI-compliant CSR reports and manages the agency's pro bono engagements, volunteer initiatives, philanthropic giving, and environmental impact. He is a founding member of the Net Impact professional chapter in Dallas-Ft. Worth, an active member of the North Texas Clean Air Coalition, and a proud alumnus of Teach For America.

Thursday, 9/9, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: Enter the Relationship Era | 1.74 MB

Disaster Relief & Preparedness, Part 2: A Lasting Partnership - Ryder System, Inc. and The American Red Cross

As we've seen in Haiti, Nashville, the Gulf Coast, and elsewhere, corporate-nonprofit partnerships that are developed, evaluated and tested far in advance, can be key players in effective disaster response. What are the priorities for companies that are planning new partnerships in preparedness and relief?

In part two of our Disaster Relief & Preparedness webinar series, Bob Brunn, VP, Investor Relations and Public Affairs, at Ryder System, Inc., and Katie Stewart, Officer of Corporate Partnerships, at American Red Cross, will share the evolution of their corporate-nonprofit partnership and the impactful giving and support that has resulted.

Using the Ryder and Red Cross partnership as an example, this webinar will offer information about how to improve corporate-nonprofit partnerships, describe obstacles that Ryder and American Red Cross have faced while formalizing their partnership, and share best practices for developing clear goals. We hope this webinar will serve as a resource for those companies and nonprofits interested in strengthening or creating new partnerships. Rather than "reinvent the wheel," join us to learn from a partnership that has had real success in helping to deliver for communities in times of need.

Thursday, 9/23, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN

BPN: Disaster Relief Part 2 | 784 KB

8 Proven Pro Bono Models for Community and Business Impact

Before your company embarks on a pro bono project for a good cause, it's important to explore the right model. In the latest Best Practice Network webinar from VolunteerMatch, Taproot Foundation's Carol Guttery will provide an overview and case studies of eight different ways that companies can contribute their services to social benefit organizations.

Effective pro bono service comes in many shapes and sizes. The ideal situation for any corporation wishing to develop or expand a pro bono program is to find a solution that marries its goals for social sector impact with its goals for corporate engagement.

In this webinar, Carol Guttery, Director of Program Development, Advisory Services, for Taproot Foundation will examine eight proven models of pro bono service. Ms. Guttery will offer case studies that describe and illuminate each model, and discuss each one's particular characteristics and potential for bringing benefit back to the social sector and the corporation.

At the Taproot Foundation, Carol Guttery helps companies to assess, develop and scale their own effective pro bono programs. Through its Service Grants, Taproot Foundation brings together skilled volunteers to contribute pro bono services as a team to qualifying community organizations. Ms. Guttery has had a leadership role in growing the national nonprofit organization's Service Grant initiative from a two-city program to one that currently supports over 350 pro bono projects in five cities, and Ms. Guttery has developed tools, processes and best practices that helped to establish the standard for quality delivery of pro bono services to nonprofits.

In addition to the Taproot Foundation, Carol has spent time in the nonprofit sector working for the Sierra Club, helping to grow its National Advisory Council and also as a pro bono consultant for Wildlife Conservation Network. She also worked for 18 years in the corporate sector.

Thursday, 10/21, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN— RECORDING

BPN: 8 Pro Bono Models | 397 KB

Employee Volunteers & Social Media: Best Practices in Storytelling for Your Company

In this Best Practice Network webinar from VolunteerMatch, corporate volunteering consultant Chris Jarvis, of Realized Worth, will help your company learn how to let employees tell their volunteering stories through social media.

Companies that are doing great things in their communities have great stories to tell - stories that can inspire customers, motivate employees and earn public respect.

Unfortunately, many of these stories are never told. Instead, they are filed away, lost in the chaos of everyday life and work. While policies that discourage employee-led communications about company programs are occasionally to blame, most companies either don't know how to enable employees to share their engagement stories, or else believe they simply don't have the time or resources to do it.

The truth is, the potential for companies to publicize the story of their community engagement has never been greater thanks to social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Companies, employees and even customers are able to share stories of meaningful community involvement through multiple, dynamic venues.

While it may not be as easy as starting a blog or sending a few tweets, this webinar, "Employee Volunteers & Social Media: Best Practices in Storytelling for Your Company," will show you it isn't as difficult as you may think. In fact, it's probably exactly what your corporate volunteering program has needed all along.

Thursday, 10/28, 2010 —10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PACIFIC / 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EASTERN