PR help needed!

[SDreamer]

I was after some information.

I have been doing some research on what the benefits are to companies that donate to charity and although I'm a little confused by the tax benefits?? I do understand that there can be advertising benefits etc. I was just wondering if anyone can clarify what the main attraction is...baring in mind we are a local youth based charity that works in schools on projects for disengaged youth and provides youth clubs etc.

Also...when approaching companies for donations, is there a type of company where your more likely to be successful. Small/Large? Companies that sell products or sevices? I just need a starting point!

So lost and would be grateful for all your wonderful peoples help

Oh and whats the difference between gaining corporate social responsibility and getting tax relief? is there one?


Thanks :-)

[Indizine]

Moved to the accounting forum - as most questions are geared towards the tax benefits etc.

[skeeter]

whats the difference between gaining corporate social responsibility and getting tax relief? is there one?

We are doing it. CSR as far as I am concerned is something that everyone should think about. If all you do is make money, then it is a pretty sad really. As for tax relief, speak to an accountant...I am not sure.

If you are a charity, I would not think so hard about the tax relief...think more about the connection between you and the company. How one can connect with the other through shared values. It is a cultural thing. Most decent business people are happy to do something locally, benefits are not just about bottom line or tax reliefs. They jut need to be approached in the right way.

Quite happy to talk about this offline. PM me if you need to.

[James Smith]

Skeeter - I think you misread the question although it is rather badly laid out and I had to read it twice before I understood the situation. The OP is a charity looking for donations.

Tax relief is not going to be much of a motivation to a company - you can get tax relief by paying yourself higher wages or spending the company money on a nice carpet for the office.

What you need to do is inspire someone to donate to you based on what you are going to do with the money.

[skeeter]

Yes. Perhaps I wrote it the wrong way round. I was trying to explain exactly that.

I was saying forget tax relief too. I am working through the process for the second time from the other end. Company giving to charity. My point is find a cultural match. Companies like this. It does well for the charity too.

I note the Mod moved it to accounting?#! The question is about PR not accounting. Agreed totally.

Sorry if my words are not constructed as well as they could be. I find the forum environment makes your original meaning ambiguous some times.

Donations are best seeked where there is a good cultural match. A little stakeholder analysis will do the trick.

[HuggyBear]

Yes. Perhaps I wrote it the wrong way round.

I was saying forget tax relief too. I am working through the process for the second time from the other end. Company giving to charity.

My point is find a cultural match. Companies like this. It does well for the charity.

I note the Mod moved it to accounting?#! The question is about PR not accounting. Agreed totally.

No. This post is about finding if there is any tax relief available in charitable donations.

Tax relief = Accounting

[skeeter]

I would say it is not (from what I understand it to mean).

The OP is posting about Public Relations (PR). The tax issue is a side issue they are thinking about...in terms of a motivator.

Unless I am mistaken. Both James and I feel it is more to do with "how to encourage partnerships with the right companies". To allow donations to happen.

Perhaps the OP wants to explain more...I am currently working on this myself from the company end.

The OP said "understand the main attraction" and ultimately how to go about it. Tax relief is not the benefit and not why companies want to partner up.

[SDreamer]

I'm sorry if my original question wasn't well written. When your heads full of things to say and ask it doesn't always go down on paper the way you wish it too.

My question was simply, 'I want to know the best way to get companies to donate to the charity I'm working for?'

The tax thing/corporate responsibility thing was just something I assumed was a big motivator. It might just be me being cynical but I assumed that companies wouldn't donate to us just because they like what we are trying to do.

Someone once told me that realistically, the "free" benefits the company will receive e.g. advertising, have to be worth their donation.

From what you have now said about having a cultural match, I'm hoping that this isn't necessarily the case.


Thanks again

[Indizine]

The factors are about tax and status (look at us, we help charities so we MUST care in enough to win your order). I would edge that businesses are more geared towards the latter though ultimately consider the tax reasons. Notice on Secret Millionaire the amounts they give will always have been iven tax consideration first and foremost even though they can afford a damn site more, they will draw the line somewhere because of tax and not because of feelings.

I think when you wrote asking what are the tax benefits you actually dont mean £££ but perhaps just an explanation of what that translates to, to a donor?

I will move this over the to charity forums as its quite a generic, fundamental question.

[James Smith]

I would disagree indizine.

I think the CYNICAL company would care about status and play to the gallery and waffle on about corporate responsibility *yawn*. But most serious/long term donations would be the result of a business owner wanting to support something they believed in.

Tax is a red herring. Why would you spend £1,000 to save £210 in tax? That way madness lies.