{"id":230418,"date":"2025-01-31T12:52:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T17:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalgiving.org\/learn\/?p=230418"},"modified":"2025-01-31T13:27:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T18:27:16","slug":"how-companies-can-listen-to-nonprofits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalgiving.org\/learn\/how-companies-can-listen-to-nonprofits\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways Corporations Can Listen And Be Responsive To Nonprofit Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

In GlobalGiving\u2019s journey to transform aid and philanthropy, we are committed to becoming more community-led.<\/a> Learning how to listen and be responsive to the needs of our nonprofit community is an indispensable part of that commitment. Responding effectively requires collective curiosity and flexibility to tailor activities to meet nonprofit needs. <\/p>\n

Before we respond to feedback, it\u2019s critical to understand who we\u2019re listening to. Our community-led research reminds us that we are all members of many communities. While the corporate social responsibility world often places \u201ccorporations” and \u201cnonprofits” on opposite ends of the table, many people exist with a foot in both worlds. At your company, the director of marketing may have spent the first decade of their career working with grassroots organizations. Your rising people managers may be offering their empathetic leadership skills to the boards of nonprofits in their parents\u2019 home countries. Your incoming hires may spend weekends volunteering at a nonprofit down the street from the office. But in a recent study from the Milken Institute, 74 percent of US corporate philanthropy leaders surveyed had never worked in the nonprofit sector<\/a>. If you\u2019re among this majority, listening to the wisdom of your colleagues with experience and seeking outside perspective is all the more important.<\/p>\n

Once we understand how connected our worlds are, we can shift from one-way resource flow to two-directional relationships involving mutual growth and learning. Human-centered design tools such as co-creation, feedback loops, and social listening are ingredients for shifting perspectives. Projects like GlobalGiving Ethos<\/a> are an active example of that thinking coming to life within GlobalGiving, but the possibilities are endless for your organization!<\/p>\n

Here are three actionable ways to incorporate generous listening into your CSR strategy:<\/strong><\/p>\n