How do you contribute to a third sector organization?

Know why your company should maintain an effective collaboration with projects that generate social impact in society 

When a company collaborates with a third sector organization, be it an NGO or an independent project, it strengthens the actions. By offering ways that guarantee the economical sustainability of the projects, the organization helps to amplify the positive social impact in society. 

Besides that, companies which engage in social and environmental issues and associate themselves with noble causes, will have diverse positive developments. These can range from strengthening the social responsibility, improving the companies’ public image, fomenting the integration between employees, and even to reducing taxes. 

Find out why your company should support a third sector organization and the reasons to keep this partnership alive.

Favela Brass: the project works through donations, sponsorships and incentive laws and strongly depends on volunteers for its maintenance. Image: Paula Dutra.

NGOs and other third sector initiatives don’t make profit from their actions. They instead work with relevant causes, such as education, health, poverty reduction, animal protection, nature conservation, human rights, gender equality and many more.  

However, a large majority of the projects suffer from resource shortage, making success difficult.  By supporting these nonprofit organizations, companies enable a more effective performance, financing actions that contribute to a fairer and more sustainable world.

Social Responsibility

When a company cooperates with a social or environmental project, it shows that they are aware of their own impact in the community and additionally, that they are available to deal with challenges and reach out for solutions, strengthening corporate social responsibility. The companies can also associate themselves with NGOs to promote inclusion and diversity, or to think up then develop ecologically correct practices.

When it comes to offering support, many  companies choose to create public notices. However, there are plenty of other strategies which can promote resource mobilization, such as prizes, process facilitation that enlarge the society’s engagement and the offering of communication tools.

Customer perceptions

To align with a third sector organization with common interests and goals demonstrates a commitment to a certain cause. It can improve the company’s public image, increasing brand loyalty and spontaneous marketing. 

With this in consideration, plenty of NGOs develop creative solutions that guarantee constant support for their projects. One example of this is the “partner company”, from the NGO “Arquitetura na Periferia”, which enables women to build, as well as renovate their own homes. Several architectural companies joined the cause and this attitude was recognized by their customers. 

Increase team integration

Many employees would like to work for a company that values the social impact and supports the initiatives from the third sector. The companies which contribute to social and environmental projects can then promote more engagement among their employees.  

Encouraging employee volunteering and mobilization around fundraising, food, sports material, school supplies, music instruments, clothes and toys, among others, also tends to increase the team’s sense of purpose, improving its integration.

Tax deductions

In Brazil, the legislation guarantees several tax breaks for companies in support of third sector organizations. Through incentive laws, it is possible to contribute with sport, culture, education, technology, health and other projects. 

The Esporte Mais Institute, for instance, promotes feminine soccer by offering it as a free service in Fortaleza, Ceará. Through incentive laws and sponsorships, the establishment can keep the activities going for over 10 years. The institute has been doing what is considered to be such innovative work that FIFA have backed it with the elaboration of a document named Soccer for Equality. 

Access to innovative knowledge

NGOs have the knowledge and experience in their fields of work. In that way, by collaborating with these organizations, companies can get access to ideas and innovative solutions to face social and environmental challenges.

The collaboration can also offer networking and partnership opportunities. If you would like to support a project, but don’t know which, the project Lupa do Bem brings an extensive group of these initiatives to the table, facilitating contact between supporters and organizations.

Citizen team

Finally, when a company collaborates with an NGO, this attitude increases the idea of citizenship and belonging within the team, especially in leaders who are in direct contact with the supported project.

This improves the perception of each person’s potential as an agent of transformation. After all, contributing to a third sector organization is also supporting a cause. From animal protection to the inclusion of women with disabilities, there are plenty of projects that can be supported!