Philanthropy can be defined in many ways, but in its simplest form, it’s people helping people. In Nevada, businesses play a vital role in supporting the nonprofits that provide goods and services to those most in need.
“Corporations are a critical part of the ecosystem of philanthropy,” said Kim Young, CEO of Children’s Cabinet. “Corporations have the voice and the ability to be part of building stronger, healthier communities.” Her organization serves more than 15,000 Nevada families across the state each year by partnering with both private-sector and public agencies. Its programs include parenting classes, childcare resource and referral, family counseling, case management, workforce development, and crisis intervention.
“Corporate giving is part of being a community partner,” said Maria Gatti, VP of Philanthropy and Community Engagement for MGM Resorts International. “MGM Resorts is not in the business of education, but partnering with organizations like Communities in Schools and the Public Education Foundation allows us to put money toward providing services to students who might not otherwise be able to afford them. It’s all part of making sure that our community is healthy.” Gatti is also the president of the MGM Resorts Foundation, established in 2002 to encourage and enable employees to contribute to charitable causes. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised more than $100 million and supported more than 1,500 charitable organizations in the U.S. communities where MGM conducts business.
“The needs of non-profits are significant, and corporate funders can make a substantive impact through donations of funds, volunteerism and/or in-kind goods and services that few individuals can do on their own,” said Julie Murray, CEO and principal of Moonridge Group, whose team of advisors help funders, individual philanthropists and family foundations strengthen their philanthropic impact. “The quality of life in any community is better, stronger, and more vibrant when philanthropy is done strategically to achieve the greatest impact. The best corporate giving does just that, aligning the company’s values with the needs of the community where their employees live, work, and play.”
“It’s also important to realize that corporate giving is a win-win opportunity,” Young stated. “This is a relationship, not a one-way street. Nonprofits have resources that a company’s employees may need. For example, Children’s Cabinet can help employees with free family counseling and access to childcare subsidies. And if a company is considering providing on-site childcare, we can do an assessment to see if it’s practical and help them create a plan to implement it.”
Bob Brown, president and CEO of Opportunity Village, noted that charitable giving has many benefits for corporate donors. “It demonstrates a commitment to the community beyond just making a buck,” he said. “It improves their public image and attracts customers. If you’re a socially conscious customer, you’ll be attracted to that company. It can boost employee morale – people like to know that their employer is making a positive impact on their community.” Since 1954, Opportunity Village has served southern Nevada residents with intellectual and related disabilities. It offers a variety of programs and services, including workforce development, community employment, day services, inclusive housing, and arts and social recreation.
Involving Employees in Giving
“Cultivating an atmosphere that encourages employee participation in giving enhances morale, builds teamwork, and exposes the company’s brand in the community in a positive way,” said Murray. “Companies can get employees’ input as to which nonprofits they want to support and the company can organize regular volunteer opportunities centered on these needs.”
Employees can organize giving campaigns or drives, such as collecting diapers, nonperishable food, or personal hygiene products. They can also go out together to volunteer their help to a nonprofit. “We had volunteers repaint our fire lane curbing, do outside cleanup, and help with document shredding,” said Young. “The connection piece is very important. We want them to engage with us and learn about what we do. You never know when an individual or family will need one of our services.”
Brown noted, “Volunteering together promotes teambuilding and it can be an enjoyable way to break up your day or your work week, like having a field trip day when you’re in school.”
Employers can also set up a payroll system allowing employees to have charitable donations automatically withdrawn via their paychecks, and they may agree to match donations made by employees to qualified nonprofits.
“We want to incentivize employees to contribute to their favorite causes [through the MGM Resorts Foundation],” said Gatti. “MGM matches employee contributions up to a certain amount. MGM Resorts International assumes all administrative costs for the foundation, allowing 100 percent of donations to reach community causes. That’s a huge investment, but it’s part of MGM’s DNA to believe in giving at all levels – not just the corporation, but also the employees.” The MGM corporation also has a robust volunteer program that logged 104,000 hours across the U.S. last year. In its Employee Volunteer Rewards program, employees who log their volunteer hours earn dollars for the nonprofit they are supporting.
Technology and Social Media Play a Role
“Just a few years ago, tech-savvy was a ‘nice to have’ attribute for a nonprofit organization,” said Murray. “Today, it is absolutely essential. Nonprofits must utilize the latest web technology in their digital presence, stay active on social media, and keep up with continuous technology changes.”
Technology has streamlined the donation process, according to Gatti. “Third-party giving systems make it easy to donate,” she explained. Nonprofits can utilize these platforms in several ways. Supporters can create personalized campaign pages on a platform to raise funds for a nonprofit. A retail corporation can partner with a nonprofit through its point-of-sale system, automatically asking customers at the cash register if they want to round up to the nearest dollar as a donation to a charity.
“In the past, we would print a flyer and mail it out,” Young explained. “If someone wanted to donate, they’d have to write a check, find an envelope and a stamp, and put it in the mail. Now, they can click on a QR code on a website, flyer, or poster. If they see a post online that grabs them, they can click to learn more and then donate.” Making it quicker and easier to give increases the chances that a potential donor will take action.
“Technology allows us to reach a wider audience,” she continued. “For example, someone will google ‘childcare’ and Children’s Cabinet pops up in the search. It creates more awareness about us and the services we provide.”
Technology helps level the playing field between large and small organizations, noted Brown. “You don’t need a huge budget to be active online. Even a two-person nonprofit can raise awareness of its mission,” he said.
Social media also plays an important role in helping nonprofit organizations raise awareness and connect with potential donors. “Social media gives us the ability to provide real-time information to a greater community,” said Young. “We can share experiences and client stories and ask for help. It also lets us publicly thank foundations and corporations for their gifts, which can translate into more donations.”
Gatti stated, “Social media allows people to see how important it is to volunteer and how much good it does to give back, whether it’s serving meals to those in need, cleaning up trash, or fostering pets for a homeless shelter.”
Social media engages more young people than traditional forms of reaching out to the public for donations, according to Brown. “Even though they may not have the money now to be big donors, it gives us hope for the future,” he said.
Trends in Philanthropy
One trend pointed out by Murray is collective impact giving, in which companies and individuals pool funds to achieve a greater impact for a cause or nonprofit. One example of collective impact is the Campus for Hope, a $200 million facility intended to address the homelessness crisis in Southern Nevada. The transitional housing facility will provide services including medical care, addiction and mental health support, childcare, and access to welfare and health programs. In 2023, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill providing $100 million to combat homelessness. Las Vegas resort leaders, which helped spearhead the bill, pledged to donate around $100 million. The bill required the creation of a non-profit and a board to oversee the project, and Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment are founding board members.
Campus for Hope is also an example of another trend – public-private partnerships, since cities, counties, and the state are providing funds and oversight, with resort company partners matching government funds with private donations.
Collaborative lobbying is another trend. Gatti noted that nonprofits typically hire a lobbyist to represent their interests during a legislative session. In collaborative lobbying, the nonprofit asks its corporate partners to tell legislators that they support the organization, giving the nonprofits added leverage.
Trust-based philanthropy is another trend gaining headway. “We’re slowly seeing a trend toward trust-based giving, especially since Covid,” said Young. “Foundations and corporations are giving gifts that are unrestricted, trusting that the nonprofit knows where the need is and will use the funds responsibly.”
However, Brown pointed out that donors expect the nonprofits they fund to maintain open lines of communication. “Donors now are more engaged,” he said. “They want to understand where their money is going, and so they demand transparency.”
Political Change Creates Uncertainty
While recognizing the importance of the trends noted above, Murray stated, “With the prospect of significant federal funding sources being eliminated, I believe the biggest trend will be corporate funders working together to provide grants to offset the loss of nonprofits’ operating revenue that previously came from federal grants. Corporate funders are being proactive and creative, rethinking their giving parameters to reflect a more flexible use of funds to allow nonprofit leaders to use funding wherever the need is greatest.”
Young added, “Any time there’s a change in administration, there will be changes. We’re relying more than ever on our philanthropic partners and corporate donors. We are having conversations now with the donor community. We may need them to fill the gaps if programs are cut. We’re staying aware every day and being nimble. We’re being transparent with donors: ‘Here’s what’s happening and here’s how you can lessen any negative impact.’”
Brown stated, “My whole stand is to calm down and wait and see. If people ask for my opinion, I tell them, ‘No matter who’s President or what Congress is doing, we just keep plugging along.’ If you run your organization efficiently, you’re a good steward of your money, and you’re transparent about what you’re doing, you’ll be okay.”
Corporate partners have historically stepped up to help nonprofits during a crisis. “MGM Resorts has always been committed to giving back to the communities where we’re located,” said Gatti. “We will continue to do what we’ve always done, to move forward and embrace humanity through our efforts. That is not going to change.”
