The right moment for virtual philanthropy

So much has changed about our world over the past year, and philanthropy is no different. At United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, our entire fall campaign went virtual. We marveled as our partners adapted, sweeping up virtual volunteering spots and planning creative (and safe) workplace fundraising events. 

So what didn’t change this year? Our community continued to give back, enthusiastically and generously. 

In this season of giving, it has never been more important for employees to have an easy way to share their treasure, time, and talent. Homelessness and housing instability are on the rise, people are out of work, and the lines at food pantries stretch around the block. But as we’ve seen time and time again at United Way, when the community comes together, no one gets left behind. 

United Way and Salesforce are proud to offer Philanthropy Cloud to transform workplace giving and volunteering for our digital world. 

Today, innovative and forward-thinking companies are helping their employees give back virtually. Philanthropy Cloud is a user-friendly digital platform that combines tailored giving options, virtual volunteer opportunities, and real-life stories of how donor dollars have transformed people’s lives. 

The time is right for taking your workplace philanthropic efforts virtual. Here are  4 things you should know about Philanthropy Cloud: 

• Track and achieve corporate social responsibility goals in one place. Studies have shown that today’s employees want to work for an organization that prioritizes community involvement and philanthropy. In response, many companies have developed comprehensive corporate social responsibility plans. With Philanthropy Cloud, you can track and measure progress toward volunteer hour and fundraising goals and run employee giving campaigns while allowing employees to engage with the issues they care about most. 

• Help employees give back when, where, and how they want. Giving back is personal. While one person may care deeply about early childhood education, another may be a lifelong advocate for employment equity. Today, many people want to give directly to COVID-19 relief efforts. With Philanthropy Cloud, each employee has a personalized profile highlighting stories and initiatives around the issues important to them. Plus, they can give back whenever the desire strikes them, as the platform is available 24/7/365. 

• Volunteer together…even while working apart. Volunteers transform communities, and getting everyone together to volunteer is a beloved tradition in many workplaces. While COVID-19 has made it more difficult to volunteer together in person, there are still hundreds of opportunities to volunteer safely and virtually as a team. Right now on Philanthropy Cloud, employees can sign up to purchase a gift for the Holiday Giving Tree, make masks, record themselves reading a story for kids, write notes of encouragement to job seekers, and more. 
• Get creative with your workplace’s United Way campaign. Philanthropy Cloud makes running your workplace’s annual United Way campaign a breeze. Customize your campaign theme, share stories of impact featuring your very own employees, choose unique volunteer opportunities for your teams, and allow employees to make multiple philanthropic gifts in one place, all on a convenient virtual platform. It couldn’t be easier…or more engaging. 

Corporate social responsibility is more important than ever, and giving employees the opportunity to virtually donate, advocate, and volunteer for the causes they care about puts your businesses ahead of the pack. To learn more about why Philanthropy Cloud is the right platform for your workplace and sign up for a demo, visit UnitedWayGMWC.org/Philanthropy-Cloud.