Many corporations, large and small, engage in some form of charitable giving. Whether these corporations offer monetary donations to nonprofit organizations, provide volunteer support, or match employee contributions, there are numerous benefits throughout the chain of individuals involved in any form of corporate charitable giving. The OffenderWatch® Initiative (OWI) is just one of numerous nonprofit organizations that owes its continued survival at least in part to corporate contributions.
One major incentive involved in corporate charitable giving is the tax deduction involved. When corporations donate money or items to qualified nonprofit agencies, such as OWI, those contributions significantly reduce the company’s tax burden. Additionally, corporate charitable giving can positively affect the company’s bottom line in other ways. A strong public relations campaign focusing on a corporation’s relationship with a charitable organization can improve public perception—and often increase business as a result. Involving employees in charitable campaigns tends to boost morale as well, leading to happier and more productive workers. Financially, it just makes sense for companies to participate in corporate charitable giving.
On the receiving end of the chain, corporate donations often constitute a critical portion of a charitable organization’s operating budget. For The OffenderWatch® Initiative, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, corporate charitable giving is essential in helping to fund its mission to increase public awareness of sex offenders through better education, improved community notification, enhanced partnerships between law enforcement and the general public, and support of stronger legislation concerning sexual predators and the crimes they commit.
OWI’s stated goals are as follows:
- Encourage the public to stay informed about sex offenders in their community using the sex offender registry and through email and post card notifications
- Aid law enforcement agencies responsible for registering and monitoring sex offenders and notifying the public of the location of sex offenders in their communities
- Aid law enforcement with education and tools for presentation to their citizens concerning sex offenders
- To help write best practices for law enforcement and advocate stronger and enforceable sex offender laws.
The OffenderWatch® Initiative welcomes all forms of community support, including corporate charitable giving, and provides a number of options for donating via the OWI website. In each case, OWI strives to ensure that administrative costs are minimized, so that the vast majority of each dollar donated can be utilized to realize the organization’s overarching goal of advocating for and protecting our children.