At Good Sports, we know giving back is important and rewarding. Not just for a nonprofit like us, but for major companies that are looking to align their passions with their work. According to Business Insider, an estimated $140 billion was donated to various causes by both groups and individuals in 2017. And about 5% of that – that’s $21 billion in case your calculator isn’t nearby – came from corporations. Even that was an 8% increase from the year before.
Encouraging your team to follow the likes of Google, Johnson & Johnson, and Microsoft when it comes to donating doesn’t have to be hard. It’s can appear challenging, but there are plenty of in-house resources to make a difference. Take a gander at some good options for giving to charity this holiday season without breaking a sweat! And don’t forget: email info@goodsports.org when you’re ready to start your fundraiser! Even better: you can give right here.
1. Jeans Fri-YAY!
We get it – some offices are top button. Nothing wrong with that! For the holidays, an easy way to dress down is to tell your boss it’s for a good cause. Have people donate a certain amount on Fridays to get away with wearing their favorite blue (or black, maybe leopard print) jeans. We recommend $5 a person (or pair of pants).
2. Company Match
You’ll have to ask the head honcho on this one, but what better way to show you’re taking initiative? Give your coworkers a certain date to turn in their donations – it can be as simple as having a fishbowl collecting loose change by the coffee station (You do have a coffee station, right?). When you’re done collecting, have your boss make a match so that your overall donation is doubled!
3. Board Game Day
Be careful with Monopoly (stay on good terms with your office mates), but nothing brings out people’s competitive side quite like a board game. From Parcheesi to Candy Land, create a small price for folks to enter in a tournament. You can even purchase prizes. If nothing else, it’s a great way to bond and let loose without hitting up a bar.
4. Donate at the Party
If your workplace has a holiday party or even just Beer Fridays (It’s a thing, we swear!), use this as an opportunity to get some last minute donations. Make a fun sign above a donation spot, even get people to leave their signature. It will serve as a great reminder throughout the year of your team’s generosity.
5. Jersey Day
A lot like jeans on Friday, this is another way to generate some office buzz and a sizable group donation. Having a small price for people to rep their favorite team is always a fun way to get people bonding. Nothing brings people together quite like some playful sports trash talk.
6. Cubicle Decoration Contest
It’s holidays, after all! Encourage your teammates to decorate their desk or cubicles to fit a certain theme and have an office-wide vote. Or be super controversial and elect some judges. Either way, charge a small fee for entrance and watch those donations pour in!
7. 50/50 Raffle
An easy one! Set a price for raffle tickets and give your office some time to partake. When you announce the eventual winner, you’ll split the pot between them and your chosen charity. Encourage people to purchase multiple tickets and give a deal on those who buy a large amount.
8. Lunch & Learn
The most formal and educational item yet! While you may have an idea for a great charity, there are so many out there. Talk to your coworkers and see what nonprofits they’re passionate about. Have three to five coworkers do a quick spiel at an office-wide lunch so everyone can pick their favorite charity to donate towards. Don’t forget to add up what is donated in total!
9. Bake Off: Donate to Taste
If you’re tired of the typical (and stale) store-bought cookies, use this as a way to discover new treats! Make the voting office-wide and even split everything into categories (shout out to people who make stellar BBQ as opposed to cupcakes). Charge folks to test taste and it’ll be your sweetest donation, yet!
10. PTO Raffle
Of course you enjoy seeing your coworkers everyday, but everyone deserves a day off. Create a raffle for extra PTO days! Just make sure to set limits so that someone doesn’t win themselves a whole month – unless you’re secretly trying to get someone to stay away from the office.
‘Tis the season of buying gift cards, fancy fruit (Why? Just buy chocolate!) and other presents to spread joy around the office. Asking your coworkers to dig into their pockets again for charity can be daunting but presenting easy motivations will certainly up your chances of scoring contributions.
As a nonprofit, our Good Sports team is always thankful for donations. And it’s fun to hear the stories of how they came to be. It means that these donations, when turned into equipment for kids, have a deeper and more meaningful story.
Got a great donation idea or event? Tag us on Twitter and Instagram so we can share! And if you’re looking to start a fundraiser, reach out to info@goodsports.org and we’ll help get your team started. Visit our Give page to finalize your donation.