Trends in 2021 corporate partnerships and CSR

By Maureen Carlson | January 25, 2021

Document with the text CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY on a clipboard sitting beside a computer keyboard and office items

Over the last 20 years I have had the honor of diving deep with both nonprofits and corporations to help shape how corporations align with and fundraise for causes. And even though corporations have actively worked to drive social impact over the last 20 years, for many reasons, 2020 intensified the spotlight on these activities. So how has that scrutiny and the events of 2020 changed the playing field for corporate social responsibility (CSR) professionals, and how do nonprofits adapt to ensure their relationships with their corporate partners remain robust? Here are some trends nonprofit corporate partnership executives may want to consider in 2021.

1. It isn’t just about the fundraising team anymore … marketing is all in

For years, I have been proclaiming that corporate partnerships, if done right, are just as much about marketing value as they are about fundraising.

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