287Charity Begins with Business Gift Giving

posted by julia on April 5th, 2007

When thinking about the perfect business gift this year you may want to consider giving your employees the “gift of giving” by helping to encourage or initiate charitable giving to others in need this season.  A business gift of charity is a great way to show appreciation to clients with out overstepping the ethical guidelines of corporate customer relations policies.  This may also be a fully tax deductible gift that is above the general $25 IRS maximum for business gifts.  Be sure to check with your tax advisor on the details. 

There are many ways to give to charity this year or to give in the name of your business associates this year.  Try giving the “gift of giving” gift certificates, which allow the recipient to choose the charity that they want to give to.  If you have a favorite charity of your own, you can donate in your co-worker’s name to any of charitable organization of your choosing.  Also, consider organizing a charity event or fundraiser for your office this year to support those in need and organize a little fun for yourselves.  Another option is to get your office, or some of your coworkers together for some charity work and time spent together.  There are many ways for you to contribute to a cause greater than yourself this year, and to foster a culture of corporate giving this holiday season.

“Gift of Giving” gift certificates are a great way to establish charitable giving as part of your corporate culture as well as a meaningful way to recognize outstanding service and performance this year.  Charity “Gift Giving” certificates allow you to give the gift of choice this year when it comes to the charity that will receive your gift.  Employers can also arrange to match the contribution of their employees through these types of programs as well as arrange everything through e-mail, which eliminates the paperwork that can clog some company’s mailboxes.  E-cards can be sent to reward your employees and let them know what their gift will do for others.  These special occasion e-cards to the gift recipients will note the corporation’s participation in the charitable gift as well as demonstrate your commitment to corporate social responsibility.

If you have a favorite charity that you support for a personal reason, try donating in your employee’s name to that charity of your choosing.  It is always more meaningful if you describe your personal love of a particular cause and why that cause if near and dear to your heart.  This will make the people who receive the gift feel as though they have participated in the cause and allow others to develop feelings about your favorite cause.

If you want to include your entire office or a group of people in an event that benefits charity, consider organizing a charitable fundraising event that will allow your guests to have a good time celebrating the holidays, as well as giving your guests the opportunity to support a worthy cause.  Charity events are a fun way to celebrate the holidays and give to others at the same time.

Another great way to celebrate with your coworkers or colleagues this year is to organize an event where you would donate your time to others.  This could be volunteering at a soup kitchen, or collecting coats for needy families this winter.  If you don’t want to ask people to give their time, consider collecting food for a family in need or toys for tots.  There are many ways to make a difference this year, and by giving the gift of charity as your business gifts this year, you are making a difference in their lives by making them feel great, but also the lives of others who may be less fortunate than yourselves, so give the gift of charity this year!

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