Nonprofits today are facing a number of challenges — ones that can feel like an uphill battle. They need more volunteers, visibility, donations, and engagement. The more exposure they get, the more volunteers and donations they attract, and the more help they can provide. But without visibility, without exposure, it’s hard to gain that traction. “What we do is so far-reaching,” shared Camille Daniels of Volunteers of America Oregon. “Getting our message out… that affects the sort of volunteers and donors we attract.”
Businesses, on the other hand, are faced with their own uphill challenge: attracting top talent and adapting to changing customer expectations. Nearly three-fourths of employees expect their employer to provide volunteer efforts or make donations to those in need, and 51% expect their employer to allocate work time to advocating for social change. On top of that, 87% of consumers say they’d support a business that was involved in a cause they care about.
Nonprofits, by their very nature, desire to help others — but a gap between what they want to do and what they can do still remains. And businesses and employees have entered an era where “giving back” isn’t just about donating a few bucks. To help bridge this gap and address these challenges, NobleHour delivers a seamless solution that allows nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers to all work together to make a difference.
And to ensure that nonprofits get the support they need, NobleHour has partnered with groups like the Technology Association of Oregon with the shared goal of positively impacting the region.
Using NobleHour, TAO-affiliated businesses can see the impact they’re making in the community; whether through hours volunteered or in dollars (for free). The intelligence NobleHour provides makes it easy for businesses to see the successes of their volunteer programs and policies, like VTO (volunteer time off) and CSR (corporate social responsibility). “This [tool] lets us look at ROI from a financial perspective. It also gives us data to see what our employees are connecting to within our mission — not just the base dollar value,” said Katie Chaney of Gridworks IC.
As a result of using NobleHour, and of this partnership with TAO, nonprofits and charities get reliable, skilled, and passionate volunteers — and much-needed visibility. “We really benefit from partnering with businesses because it’s an untapped resource,” said Daniels. Employee volunteers can help with programs or needs that have been previously unfulfilled, and even explore their interests in other ways.
Corporate volunteering and nonprofit partnerships offer an unprecedented triple benefit: the nonprofit can access a large pool of skilled and professional volunteers. Employees are allowed time to give back, which makes them happier. Companies reap the benefits of happier, more engaged employees while earning brand equity and loyalty in the community. So the question is: What company wouldn’t want to reap the benefits of being more engaged in their community?
Paul Underwood, Executive Director of Operation Nightwatch has something to say to businesses who get involved in their communities: “To the business leaders, what I would say to them is: this will deepen the impact of what you do. It will strengthen teams who aren’t just chasing that buck and it makes for a richer experience in this life.”
The Community Development Specialist at Rivermark Credit Union, Haley Andrews, reports that using the NobleHour tool is making it easier for the credit union to track volunteer opportunities, communicate with partners and fellow credit unions. It’s also helping them make more of a difference in the Portland area. After just six months of using NobleHour, the credit union had already logged 407.50 volunteer hours, totaling $10,363 in economic impact.
NobleHour, TAO, and all of our partners believe when businesses, residents, and nonprofits all work together, they are an unstoppable force for good. “Imagine the impact we could all have if we just volunteered for one hour a year,” said Mike Calvo, Vice President of new development and customers of NobleHour.
Techlandia 25