The Real Reasons Giving Culture is So Good for Business
How three local businesses show their support for local nonprofits with Amplify Austin Day
Amplify Austin Day isn’t just for nonprofits - it's a winning strategy for local businesses, too!
We recently invited three brilliant corporate leaders to hear about how and why they engage their companies in Amplify Austin Day. We were lucky enough to talk with Min Choe of Tso Chinese, Amy Elms of University Federal Credit Union, and Sania Bakali of BuildASign.
As you likely know, Amplify Austin Day is a 24-hour online giving event (happening on March 5-6) that unites Central Texas in support of local nonprofits. What you may NOT know is that Amplify Austin Day is the PERFECT opportunity for local businesses to give back to the community - it’s what we call a win win!
Do you need to hear more about WHY businesses should participate in Amplify Austin Day?
Beyond the feel-good factor of supporting worthy causes, participating in Amplify Austin Day strengthens your connection to the community, boosts employee morale and engagement, and enhances your corporate image. In fact it is a WIN WIN WIN WIN!
But don’t take my word for it…
Amy Elms at University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) spoke about why they participate in Amplify Austin Day, saying, “We have company cooperative principles and one of those principles is care for the community. We're constantly trying to find ways to give back to the community. It's really just embedded in our organization culture and so we've done Amplify Austin Day as a business fundraiser for years.”
Min Choe of Tso Chinese says, “We try to invest in our community, which really helps strengthen the fabric of the whole city. You know, being healthier and stronger communities, it really benefits everyone, including our own business.”
And Sania Bakali of BuildASign said, "I think any way that you can nurture that participation, you're really just investing back in the business because the happier your employees are, the more they feel that you care not just about them, but also the community."
Now that you feel really, really good about why to get your business engaged with Amplify Austin Day, here are some ideas for HOW…
4 ways businesses can participate in Amplify Austin Day
Sponsorship: Support Amplify Austin Day and get major visibility for your brand. Sponsors include Reissa Foundation, Fidelity, Google, Cirrus Logic, Vinson & Elkins, Maxwell Locke & Ritter, and more.
Matching Partner: Make your impact go further by matching donations to causes that align with your company's values through the Amplify Fund. Amplify Fund Matching Partners include Expedia Group, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, NXP, and more.
Cause Marketing: Donate a portion of sales and show your customers you care. Amplify Austin Day Cause Marketing partners this year include Perissos Vineyards, Amy’s Ice Creams, and Tso Chinese.
Business Fundraiser: At no cost to your business, create a friendly employee giving challenge to rally your team and shape your culture. The deadline to register your company is February 26, 2025.
But companies can make it their own too!
Sania of BuildASign had some incredible ideas for how they run their Business Fundraiser for employees. “We make an event out of it. Amplify Austin Day tends to fall on our in-office days so we do a full breakfast with a coffee bar and catering - everyone just gets really into it. And we will have a big screen with the Amplify leaderboard up so we can track our progress. We've got the donation forms out. We even had a 12 foot Plinko board created a while back and we'll drag that thing out and people will drop a Plinko chip to choose the ratio at which we match the donations. It is fun!”
Amy of UFCU notes that their Business Fundraiser experience is a bit different since they have branches all over Central Texas. Rather than one in person gathering, they turn their intranet entirely over to Amplify Austin Day for that 24 hours. They also divide up all of their departments and branches into four teams that compete for prizes. Amy also notes that Amplify Austin Day is “a really great way for people to break into giving. We see a lot of first-time donors here at UFCU. We walk them through the steps and it's just a really great way to open up that world for people."
Final tips for Amplify Austin Day success FROM business leaders:
Have a plan: Whether you are ordering food or signs or having a happy hour, having a plan will allow you to develop a comprehensive strategy and engage your employees effectively.
Make it fun: Create a festive and engaging atmosphere around your Amplify Austin Day activities. Use decorations, music, and games to make giving an enjoyable experience.
Communicate clearly: Let your employees and customers know why you're participating in Amplify Austin Day and how they can get involved. Share stories about the nonprofits you're supporting and the impact they're making in the community.
Be authentic: Choose to support causes that align with your company's values and mission.
Track your impact: Monitor your fundraising progress and measure the results of your Amplify Austin Day campaign on amplifyatx.org. This will help you demonstrate the impact of your giving and identify areas for improvement in future years.
Min closed out our conversation by stating, “Austin has had our back since day one as a business and we want to return that support to the community. Amplify Austin Day is a lot more than just donating money, it's about being part of something much bigger and really supporting the nonprofits that help keep us vibrant and really strong. And this really benefits everyone, including our own business."
Ready to make an impact? We’re ready to help you get involved! Email jared@ilivehereigivehere.org now.