Corporate Partnerships: what’s hot and what’s not?

Corporate partnerships have become one of the most dynamic areas of fundraising.

Companies in the UK contribute billions of pounds to charities each year, but the most valuable partnerships now go far beyond financial donations. Businesses are increasingly offering skills, expertise, employee engagement, technology, products and long-term collaboration to help charities create meaningful social impact.

In this webinar, fundraising and corporate giving experts explored what is changing in corporate support, what charities should focus on and how organisations of all sizes can build successful partnerships.

Corporate Giving Has Changed

Traditionally, many corporate fundraising relationships centred on simple financial donations. Today, companies are increasingly looking for partnerships that deliver value for both organisations.

According to sector research highlighted during the webinar, there has been a significant shift towards strategic partnerships, where charities and businesses work together to tackle shared social challenges. Rather than simply writing a cheque, businesses may now contribute:

  • Employee fundraising
  • Skilled volunteering
  • Pro bono expertise
  • Product donations
  • Marketing and communications support
  • Sector knowledge
  • Long-term strategic collaboration

This creates opportunities for charities to access much more than funding.

Companies Want More Than a Donation Request

One of the strongest themes throughout the session was that charities need to move beyond the “please give us money” approach. Corporate partnerships are increasingly driven by shared goals and mutual benefit. Businesses are asking questions such as:

  • What social problem are we helping solve?
  • How does this align with our values?
  • How can our employees get involved?
  • What impact will this partnership have?
  • How does this support our stakeholders?

The strongest proposals answer these questions clearly.

Strategic Partnerships Are Growing

An increasing number of companies are developing long-term strategic partnerships rather than one-off fundraising arrangements. Examples shared during the webinar demonstrated how businesses and charities can combine resources and expertise to create outcomes neither could achieve alone.

Successful partnerships often involve:

  • Shared objectives
  • Employee engagement
  • Long-term investment
  • Skills sharing
  • Joint problem-solving

This approach tends to produce more sustainable outcomes for both parties.

Employee Engagement Matters

Many corporate partnerships are driven as much by employee engagement as they are by charitable objectives. Companies increasingly recognise that social impact activity can help:

  • Improve staff morale
  • Strengthen workplace culture
  • Support recruitment and retention
  • Create meaningful experiences for employees

However, the speakers challenged charities to think differently about volunteering. Traditional activities such as painting fences or litter picking are not always the most effective use of corporate skills. Instead, charities should consider opportunities where businesses can contribute their expertise in areas such as:

  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Strategy
  • Technology
  • Governance
  • Mentoring
  • Professional advice

Often these contributions create greater long-term value than purely practical activities.

Research Before You Approach

One of the biggest mistakes charities make is approaching companies without understanding them. Before making contact, fundraisers should invest time in understanding:

  • What the company does
  • Its values and priorities
  • Existing charity partnerships
  • Corporate social responsibility commitments
  • Employee interests
  • Community focus

Understanding these factors helps charities tailor their approach and identify areas of mutual interest.

Build Relationships First

Corporate fundraising is fundamentally about relationship building. The webinar encouraged charities to focus more on building connections and less on immediate financial asks.

This includes:

  • Attending networking events
  • Joining local business groups
  • Working through existing contacts
  • Engaging with company representatives
  • Creating opportunities for dialogue

Strong relationships often develop long before funding discussions begin.

Local Partnerships Can Be Powerful

Smaller charities sometimes assume that corporate fundraising is only for large national organisations. The panel challenged this idea. Many local businesses want to support local causes because they:

  • Employ local people
  • Serve local communities
  • Want local visibility
  • Care about local issues

Smaller charities often have the advantage of strong community knowledge and local credibility. This can make them attractive partners, particularly for regional businesses.

Why Storytelling Matters

Another recurring theme was the importance of storytelling. Businesses receive numerous funding requests. Strong stories help charities stand out.

Fundraisers should focus on explaining:

  • The problem being addressed
  • The people affected
  • The difference support will make
  • The role the company can play

Rather than positioning the charity as the hero, effective stories help companies see how they can be part of the solution.

Sponsorship Is Not the Only Option

Corporate support comes in many forms. These might include:

  • Sponsorship
  • Charity of the Year partnerships
  • Cause-related marketing
  • Employee fundraising
  • Match funding
  • Gifts in kind
  • Volunteering
  • Strategic collaboration

Charities should think creatively about the opportunities available and avoid focusing solely on direct financial support.

Think Long-Term

One of the most valuable lessons from the webinar was the importance of patience. Relationships can take time to develop. A company that does not support you today may become a valuable partner tomorrow. Consistent communication, engagement and visibility help charities stay on the radar and increase the likelihood of future opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Corporate fundraising continues to evolve. The days when businesses simply wrote a cheque and moved on are becoming less common. Today’s most successful partnerships are built on shared goals, collaboration and meaningful engagement. For charities, this means focusing on relationships, understanding what businesses value and being prepared to think beyond traditional fundraising models.

Companies have much more to offer than money alone. Charities that recognise this and build genuine partnerships can unlock support that helps them achieve far greater impact than funding alone could provide.

Previous fundraising webinars highlighted the interest in corporate partnerships. In this recorded event, a panel of experts shared their insights on corporate support for charities, as well as answering your top questions.

Working with the Directory of Social Change we brought together an expert panel who shared their tips on all things corporate fundraising.

Our panellists included:

Ian Pembridge, Author of Guide to UK Company Giving
Ian highlights examples of good practice within Corporate Support and how charities can tap into that.

Gill Jolly, DSC Associate and Director at Achieve Consultants Ltd
What is a Fundraising Ask in the world of Corporate Support? Gill discusses the motivations for support and how to make the ask.

Chris Pitt, Head of Responsible Business at Ecclesiastical
Chris discusses how Ecclesiastical supports charities and what is important to us as the 4th largest corporate donor in the UK (DSC Guide to Corporate Giving 2021/22).

Sue Clarke, Head of Fundraising and Communications at CHUMS Charity
Sue shares her experiences of successfully raising funds from corporate sources, as well as pit-falls and lessons learnt along the way.

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