Latest news with #giving
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Setting Aside Revenue For Good Helps Your Business Mission Grow
Ryan McFarland, Founder & CEO of Strider Bikes. Most businesses want to support causes they believe in and make a positive impact beyond their bottom line. As altruistic as we'd all like to be, we often put up roadblocks that stop us. I find the biggest roadblock to be that we see giving as an afterthought. It's something we consider only when profits allow, or when a pressing need arises. That's a reactive exercise and it will never allow you to truly help people or work on the projects you're passionate about—because there's always an excuse for why next month might be a better time to give. If you really want to commit yourself to giving, you need to turn your company's giving mission proactive. Carve off a percentage of your revenue for good—no questions asked, no hesitation, no second-guessing. That may be frightening, but I can tell you from experience that it will strengthen your operation and bring your business closer to its mission statement. The first (and most challenging) step is committing to your new revenue reality. A few years ago, I was reading a book called Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller. In one chapter, Miller describes a friend who took a percentage of his paycheck, committed it to God, put it in a jar and set it aside strictly for doing good. When his friend wanted to buy a new motorcycle, Miller suggested he dip into the jar on his dresser. But he couldn't. Why? He didn't consider that money his own. Yes, it was in his home, but it was designated for making the world a better place. That concept stuck with me. First, I obviously sympathized with wanting that new motorcycle! I got into the business of making balance bikes for kids because I just loved the idea of sharing my love of two wheels with my kids. Then I got so passionate about it, I wanted to share that love with kids around the world. But the more I focused on making a better bike and selling it, the farther I got from that original mission. If I wanted to teach every child how to ride, I had to go farther than convincing parents to just buy my bikes. I had to commit to more impactful projects. Not long after reading that book, we made a powerful decision to commit 1% of our monthly gross revenue—before cost of goods sold, before expenses, before knowing if there would even be any profits—to charitable initiatives that were core to our mission. That money, we thought, is no longer ours. It belongs to our giving mission. In the years that followed, we've gotten closer to what I always wanted our business to be. We've donated bikes to hospitals, custom-modified bikes for kids with height and limb differences, funded programs that teach kindergartners how to ride in PE class and more. The key that unlocked all those possibilities was the simple act of committing 1% of our revenue to a proverbial jar and accepting that it wasn't our money. It made giving a consistent, sustainable part of our business. More importantly, it made our giving more proactive. We no longer had to decide every month or every year whether we 'could afford' to give. It just became part of how we operated. You've already taken the step to bake giving into your budget, so treat your giving mission the same way you treat other parts of your business. Develop grand plans for your giving mission and map out the steps you need to get there. What revenue goal do you need to hit so that your 1% can help you reach your most lofty charitable goals? This has two advantages. First, if you start by thinking small, you have to continuously plan your next big giving project as your capacity for giving grows. Second, your big dreams give your team a compelling reason to help the business grow. Now, you're not just trying to grow your bottom line. You're pushing everyone toward an exciting mission-driven goal. Somewhere along the line, we've all seen some version of the sales goal thermometer. What if you could replace that number at the top with your team's most coveted charitable mission? The human element of your goal is much more compelling than any monetary incentive. In the end, you'll push your team to do good and your business will benefit as a natural consequence. Since launching our program—the Strider Rider Fund—we've been able to support more projects because our team has been invested in those giving missions. They help us brainstorm our big ideas and they feel connected to making those ideas a reality, which means they're also more connected to our brand's mission—to teach every child how to ride a bike. Because that money is always there, giving back is never stressful. Even if we don't hit our #1 goal, we can always find an impactful project within our roadmap. Then we get to look at this growing fund and dream about how we can use it to make an even bigger difference. This single decision to set aside a percentage of our revenue changed the way we give. It has allowed us to give literally millions to the causes we love, and I believe it can change the way businesses everywhere approach doing good. If you really have a passion, especially one that's in line with your business mission, choose a percentage and stick to it. Set it aside, and let it become part of the DNA of your company. Don't leave it up to emotion, timing or financial ups and downs. Carve it off the top, and then run your business knowing that what's left is what you have to work with. You'll be amazed at how much that tiny percentage allows you to accomplish, and how it transforms the way you and your team approach your business. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Khaleej Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Over $2 trillion in philanthropic capital is deployed globally each year
Globally, approximately $2 trillion in philanthropic capital is deployed annually, with significant potential yet to be realized through strategic, data-driven models of giving. With an estimated $1 trillion expected to transition to the next generation across the Middle East by 2030, the UAE is actively fostering new, evidence-based models of philanthropy designed for transparency, accountability, and scalable impact. More than $200 billion in private capital is donated across the Gulf every year. At the inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy dinner, global leaders gathered in New York City to honour visionary individuals driving transformative change through philanthropy. The event underscored a shared commitment among honourees to advance solutions addressing critical global issues, including health, equality, culture, and economic empowerment. Featuring prominent names such as Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, David Beckham, Aliko Dangote, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Mukesh and Nita Ambani, MacKenzie Scott, Michael Bloomberg, Melinda French Gates, Dolly Parton, Jack Ma, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Jose Andres, the TIME100 Philanthropy list celebrates diverse and dedicated philanthropists from 28 nations who are filling critical gaps and reimagining the role of giving worldwide. Among those recognized was Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises and Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, UAE. Jafar emphasized philanthropy's evolving role, stating, 'Real philanthropy isn't charity. It is about letting what we see change us, and allowing that change to guide how we live, with compassion and courage. Across Asia and Africa, philanthropy is quietly being reimagined, shifting from transactional giving toward transformational impact.' Jafar also highlighted the strategic importance of philanthropy journalism: 'Sharing what's working – and also where we fall short – is essential. It encourages transparency and accountability, allowing us to learn and improve continually.' Reflecting on the UAE's growing role as a global hub for impactful philanthropy, Jafar added, 'As a proud Emirati, I've witnessed the transformative power of collaboration. The UAE increasingly demonstrates that significant challenges can be tackled effectively when diverse sectors of society work together.' Ayesha Javed, TIME's lead for the TIME100 Philanthropy initiative, stated, 'This list celebrates leaders who have stepped forward to make a difference at a pivotal moment globally, directing resources thoughtfully and strategically into the communities that need it most.' The TIME100 Philanthropy event offered an inspiring vision of how leaders worldwide are collaboratively redefining philanthropy to address global challenges with insight, innovation, and integrity.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Gen Culture of Giving Continues To Grow
Our culture of giving is one of the defining aspects of life at Gen. All over the world, our team members find myriad ways to get involved with the causes they care about, from in-person volunteering to virtual skills sharing to targeted donation campaigns and more. This spirit of service was on full display over the past year of business. Between April 2024 and March 2025, more than 67% of our global workforce took part in our Giving@Gen program, our highest participation rate to date. Team members logged upwards of 8,300 volunteer hours and donated nearly $153,000 to 1,710 nonprofits. To celebrate these milestones, we're taking a moment to recognize our employees for making such a positive impact. Thanks to their passion and dedication, we're proud to see our culture of giving continue to grow and thrive. Coming Together to Make a Difference In-person volunteering is one of the ways our team members contribute to their local communities. In addition to organizing company-wide events such as our Global Volunteer Week and holiday giving campaigns, we empower our local sites to find opportunities that resonate with their employees. For example, volunteers at our Dublin office partnered with a local elementary school for Time to Read, a nationwide literacy program that aims to address disparities in education. As part of the program, volunteers took a group of students to their local library and later welcomed them to the Gen office to learn Cyber Safety skills and more about what we do each day. 'I volunteered with Time to Read not only because I love working with kids but also because encouraging them to engage with reading is such a great opportunity,' said Márcio Barros, a web producer at Gen Dublin. 'I wish I had something like this when I was a kid.' Efforts at other sites include a 'Girls in Tech' event in March at our Chennai, India office. There, team members welcomed students from nearby colleges for a day of in-depth cybersecurity training, with the aim of expanding the talent pool for the country's growing tech industry. This office has the highest giving program participation rate across the company and holds regular events to support nonprofits such as Bhumi and Team Everest. Additionally, nearly 100 team members at our U.S. sites in Mountain View, CA, Tempe, AZ, and Plano, TX, spent a March afternoon assembling and decorating 'superhero boxes' of essential items, creative toys and art supplies designed to empower children in the foster care system in collaboration with Foster Love. Making a Deeper Connection In addition to in-person volunteering and donations, our team members volunteer to serve on boards and put their day-to-day skills to use for causes they care about. Utam Reddy, our Head of Partnership Sales for North America, joined the board of the Center for Child Protection, an organization based in Austin, Texas, that provides healing and prevention services for abused children. 'Being on the board has been a great way to donate my time and skills to an important nonprofit in my community,' said Reddy. 'I attend monthly board meetings and serve additional time on the finance/audit committee, and I appreciate Gen's donation that I can give back to the Center.' Our work with HBCU Heroes pairs Gen mentors from across the company with students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to offer career advice and skills development as they prepare to enter the professional world. This skills-based volunteering offering allows Gen team members to share their expertise both with the HBCU students and each other. Volunteers first undergo training from our People & Culture team and Talent Acquisition partners to enhance their abilities to set the students up for professional success. This practice of peer-to-peer skills volunteering has continued across the company. Bogomil Shopov, Program Management Director of Digital Trust Service, is currently leading a global community of remote volunteers through workshops on how to use OpenStreetMap. Together, they participate in challenges such as mapping freshwater resources and underrepresented rural areas to enhance resource management, environmental conservation and data-driven decision-making. Employees also lend their expertise to our nonprofit partners. Iskander Sanchez-Rola, our Director of AI and Innovation, spoke on a webinar hosted by TechSoup supporting our targeted product donation campaign to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), and team members across the company can volunteer through Career Connect from Discovery Education to give virtual presentations about their jobs to classrooms around the country. All of our Giving@Gen efforts are designed to empower our teams to use their skills, time and passions to make a positive impact. We're grateful to our employees for an incredible year of service and are excited to continue to offer exciting giving opportunities in the years to come. These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Gen Digital Inc.
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Pinstripe Soup: A Manifesto For The Givers
Rosemarie Truman is Founder and CEO of the Center for Advancing Innovation, maximizing the commercial impact of breakthrough inventions. getty Imagine if you could change a life—not with millions, but maybe with a buck fifty and a heart full of purpose. There's a question I ask myself often: What would I put in a soup full of pinstripes? It's not rhetorical. It's not clever. It's a gut-check and crowned with grit. For over two decades, I traveled the world in pinstripes—tailored, pressed, sharp as ambition. I've been in boardrooms where billions were decided on before lunch. But some of the most important decisions I've made happened in the quiet moments—in transit, in passing and in giving. Because here's the truth: The strongest pinstripe isn't on your suit; it's in your soul. What Is Pinstripe Soup? Pinstripe Soup isn't food. It's philosophy. It's what you stew in after a lifetime of tenaciously trying, striving, winning, failing and showing up. It's seasoned with resilience, flavored by character and stirred by purpose. And the secret ingredient? Giving. Not charity for show. Not generosity for applause. I'm talking about the $1.50 to the waitress, cookies for the mail carrier and making unique presents for people. The human moments that cost nothing but mean everything. That's Pinstripe Soup. There are people in your life who season the soup, and there are those who step outside of it entirely. I think about people whose names may never show up in headlines, but who have changed the trajectory of others' lives (including mine)—quietly, courageously and with complete empathy. They may not wear pinstripes; they wear humility. They wear heart. They show up—not with flash, but with fire. Not with applause, but with purpose. Their acts of kindness are unrelenting, tenacious and completely unwavering. These are the people who don't just take the shot—they live inside the moment. They own it. They remind me that this world isn't changed by the most powerful room you walk into. It's changed by how you treat the person no one else notices. The $1.50 Principle A dollar fifty. Maybe that's all you had. Maybe it's all they need. The point isn't the number—it's the noticing. The gesture. The pause to acknowledge someone else's grind and grit. It's the decision to see and be deeply aware of people. Because every act of giving is a brushstroke on someone else's canvas. You may never see the full picture. You may never get credit. But you know—in your marrow—you mattered. Always Be Giving (ABG) In business, they teach us ABC—Always Be Closing. I say evolve it. Upgrade it. Flip it. I prefer ABG: Always Be Giving. The world doesn't need more closers. It needs more openers. Open hearts. Open hands. Open moments where someone gets to breathe because you showed up and said, 'I see you.' How can your organization always be giving? Consider: • Mentoring and providing guidance—many times, trailblazers need champions to get them through the forest. • Cultivating relationships with people who don't have access to others because talent doesn't necessarily have access to opportunity. • Simply saying please and thank you and treating your employees with kindness. I personally have a goal to give out 15 presents every day. They do not cost a lot, but they mean so much to people. Lose Yourself (To The Moment) Eminem said it best: "You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it ..." What if we took that energy and poured it into how we give? What if we stopped waiting for the perfect opportunity, the right foundation and the well-lit stage? What if your shot was now? Would you take it? Would you leave that $1.50 or would you let it go? Would you call that person back or say 'next time'? Would you give—even when you didn't have to? Because here's the truth: Sometimes, you only get one shot to make someone feel seen—one opportunity to be the moment someone remembers when they're about to quit. Don't let it slip. So, What Would You Put In Your Pinstripe Soup? A spoonful of grit. A ladle of humility. A pinch of boldness. A gallon of compassion. Unlimited empathy. And just maybe, the names of people who gave before you ever knew you needed it. And I'd serve it hot to anyone hungry for hope and sustainable impact. Because I've worn the pinstripes. I've flown the miles. I've seen the highs. I've done the three countries a week for 20 years with an average of 42 hours a week in the air. The 80-100 hours a week of working and pulling two to three all-nighters, all to help drive the growth and transformation for many Fortune 100s. I care deeply and sustainably about people. And I know: It's not about being seen. It's about seeing and being gravely aware. It's not about taking the shot. It's about giving it away. So, here's your moment. Your one opportunity. Lose yourself in it. And always—always—be giving. Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?
