Mainebiz Special Editions

V O L . X X I V N O. X X I G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 1 8 – 2 0 1 9 6 F rom global disaster relief to com- munity micro-grants, businesses considering charitable gifts today have more choices to consider than ever. So do their employees. And there's never been more at stake in determining what to support. U.S. corporations gave nearly $21 billion in philanthropy during 2017, an 8% increase over the previous year and larger than the growth rates in giving by individuals, bequests and foundations. Overall, charitable donations grew 5.2% from $390 billion to over $410 billion, the highest annual total since Indiana University began tracking the data more than 60 years ago. At the state level, charitable giving totaled $776 million in 2016, according to the Maine Philanthropy Center. Corporate gifts represented 5% of that total, or roughly $39 million, the cen- ter estimates. Despite the large numbers, many businesses are giving in small, under-the-radar ways. And increas- ingly, the decisions about philan- thropy are driven not by senior executives, but by the people who work for them. " e traditional model of top- down, corporate-directed giving is no longer acceptable," reports a recent study by America's Charities, a national advocacy group for philanthropies. "Workplace giving and employee engagement [are] alive and evolving at a very rapid pace." Employee philanthropists Allagash Brewing Co. is a Maine business that has embraced the new model. e Portland brewer pledges 1% of its annual sale proceeds to charitable Maine orga- nizations. Last year, this support totaled $340,000, of which $100,000 came through community grants awarded by employees, says Kate Benthien, Allagash Brewing's philanthropy program manager. A committee of eight, drawn from throughout the 140-person company, selects grant recipients from dozens of applications that are received twice a year. Typically, Allagash makes seven to 10 awards in each round. Amounts average about $8,000 in size, but have ranged from $1,200 to $12,000 since the grant program's launch in 2013. e only award criteria: Funded organizations must be Maine-based nonprofi ts providing "access to basic human needs for the people of Maine." Past recipients include the Center for Grieving Children and the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, and lesser-known groups such as Portland Wheelers, a nonprofi t that off ers access to adaptive forms of cycling for people with disabilities. " e mix [of recipients] can be all over the place," says Benthien. But despite what she calls the committee's "free-form" selection process, she doesn't worry about the outcome. "Staff take the process seriously," says Benthien, who advises the commit- tee but has no say in its decisions. "It's time consuming, it can be tedious, but they know it's important to go through each application carefully. And for the most part, the committee is considering Allagash's core values in the process." Allagash employees help channel the company's giving in other ways, too. Instead of accepting tips from cus- tomers, employees in the brewery's tast- ing room accept gratuities as donations and in turn contribute them to a charity. Allagash also off ers matching funds for employees' personal donations, and pro- vides each employee up to 16 hours of paid time annually for volunteer activity. Employee feedback even helps Allagash make decisions about other forms of giving, such as the com- pany's in-kind donations of beer and merchandise. "Often we'll supply a [charitable] event, such as an auction, and the connection to it will come through an employee," Benthien says. "We're always relying on staff to give us guidance." Coff ee By Design, which operates a coff ee roastery and coff ee houses in Portland and Freeport, has relied on employee giving guidance since at least 1998. Just four years after the company's launch, it established the Rebel Blend Fund, which provides grants to Maine artists and small arts organizations. e fund is built up with a $1 donation for each pound of Rebel Blend coff ee sold or brewed at CBD. A committee of eight to 10 employees, from each of the fi ve coff ee houses and other areas of the company, selects grant recipients in the fall. To date, CBD has given over $80,000 in Rebel Blend Fund grants. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY A new force in philanthropy How employees are changing corporate giving B Y W I L L I A M H A L L C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away Giving money away is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your is really part of your marketing budget. People want to do business with people who support the community. — Donna Betts consultant LEFT TO RIGHT: Kate Benthien, philanthropy program manager for Allagash Brewing Co.; Emily Griffi n, guest relations associate; Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing; and brewer Hank Ginsberg in the brewhouse in Portland. Allagash pledges 1% of its annual sales to Maine charitable organizations.

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