Author: Eleda Towle
What is the name of your company?
Triple Mountain, located in Hiram, Maine.
What do you do?
We are a niche collectibles business, catering to model horse collectors and LEGO™ collectors. We are a mom-and-pop business, but we ship models to collectors around the world. We sell both “regular” retail items and also vintage pieces on consignment, with an inventory of over 5,000 items.
Why did you choose to take the Pledge?
We were already donating 1% to charities using the Give & Grow app by Pledgify (through Shopify), as well as helping our local animal shelter and other local non-profits before we heard of Pledge 1%. We believe that businesses have the power to positively impact their communities and the responsibility to do so. We joined Pledge 1% as a way to be part of a community of like-minded businesses and as a way to display our pledge to customers.
If you could share one story about your company’s impact, what would it be?
There’s not one single “big” story I can share because a small business’s greatest impact is made in a series of small stories. As an animal-centric business, many of our impacts revolve around animals. As word came of horses and livestock trapped in the flood waters of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, we set up a fundraiser and donated 20% of our profits to the Texas Equine Veterinary Association, which spearheaded rescue efforts by boat and treated, fed, and housed animals they found until their owners could reclaim them. After the horrific attack in Lewiston, Maine, we donated all of our profits to the fund set up to help survivors and victims’ families with medical or burial costs.
We have a permanent consignment sales account set up for our regional animal shelter. Since 2016, people have donated model horses to the account, and when they sell, the proceeds have gone to the shelter, raising over $10,000 to date. The benefit of being a small business is that we can pivot quickly when there is a need and we can be ready to help within hours.
How do you measure the impact of your Pledge?
Being a mom-and-pop business, we don’t need to document or measure impacts like a corporation might; instead, we measure impact by the help we are able to offer our community. We visit many of the nonprofits we help, such as Harvest Hills Animal Shelter and Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center, and see firsthand the ways our contributions are helping. It’s a great joy to have the means to help others.
What advice would you give to other small but mighty companies that are thinking about taking the Pledge?
If you have a small business, you are probably already active in your community. Why not put that love for your community into writing and use it in your marketing? As much as we help our neighbors in Western Maine, they return that kindness many-fold by shopping with us and spreading the word that our business helps area non-profits.
Original article here
Author: Brooke White
This year, KCare is proudly pledging 1% of our profits to Voices for Children reaffirming our ongoing commitment to giving back to our community. Voices for Children is a nonprofit organization that pairs caring volunteer advocates with children in foster care, ensuring these children have a voice and a champion—someone who is always looking out for their best interests.
What is a Court Appointed Special Advocate?
Children in foster care have often experienced abuse and neglect, and they are unprepared to navigate the complexities of social workers, court hearings, attorney visits, new homes, and new schools that come with the dependency system. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are volunteers from all backgrounds who commit to advocating for the needs of the child or sibling group they are matched with.
A CASA foster care advocate routinely reports on a child’s progress and needs, communicates with professionals on their behalf, and provides judges with insights to help make informed decisions about the child’s future. Court Appointed Special Advocates also assist with practical problem-solving, such as ensuring a child gets glasses or their records are transferred to a new school, so none of the little things get overlooked. Over time, a CASA often becomes the most consistent person in a child’s life, creating a caring and reliable presence for a child in foster care.
Meet Tati Fregosi, a Court Appointed Special Advocate & One of Our Own
Tati works for KCare’s parent company, Radicle Health, and brought Voices for Children to our attention when we were seeking nonprofits for our annual Pledge 1% donation. Tati has been a CASA for Voices for Children in San Diego since February of 2023.
Tati first learned about Voices for Children over a decade ago, while working for an international child advocacy organization. At the time she was advocating for youth in the child welfare system on a large scale, but she was drawn to the idea of providing the personal attention and consistency needed to make a big difference for one child.
She has now had the privilege of supporting the same youth for the past year and a half and says that seeing the positive impact of their trusted relationship has been incredibly rewarding. The youth Tati supports is overcoming unimaginable obstacles and traumas, and together, they have navigated many ups and downs. With care, consistency, and safety in their relationship, this youth has progressed from flunking out of school to being on the principal’s honor role. Tati shared:
“She is amazingly resilient, and it’s both beautiful and heartbreaking that she’s been able to make such big strides with just the additional relational support and consistency of a CASA volunteer in her life.”
Additionally, Tati says that she cannot “…speak more highly of the value of the CASA program and the amazing role of Voices for Children in not only recruiting and training CASA volunteers, but in continuing to ensure we have the support and resources to meet the complex needs of our youth buddies.” She believes the CASA program is pivotal because it provides youth in foster care with consistent, dedicated adults to advocate for their best interests, ensuring their needs don’t fall through the many cracks of the foster system, so they have the opportunity “to just be kids.”
Interested in Becoming a Foster Care Advocate?
Voices for Children needs your help! This year, an estimated 3,500 children will spend time in foster care in San Diego County and 4,000 in Riverside County after experiencing abuse and neglect. These children need someone to speak up for them– maybe that someone is you! Attend a Volunteer Information Session to learn what it takes to be a CASA. Don’t worry if you have questions, a current CASA will be there to walk you through the process. You also receive 35 hours of training to learn about child development and dependency law, and you’ll have a supervisor to provide resources and support.
You Too Can Donate to Voices for Children
The foster care system is made up of many caring and dedicated professionals who work tirelessly for children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. However, the system is overburdened, and the CASA model offers unparalleled support to youth in foster care by empowering trained volunteers to investigate the needs of children and help judges make the best decisions about their futures.
By donating to Voices for Children, you can help provide foster children with consistency, safety, and stability. Your donation will support the recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteer advocates who always have the children’s best interests at heart. Visit Voices for Children’s donation page to make a difference today!
KCare Supports Foster Care Families
The work of Voices for Children is near and dear to our hearts, and we’re proud to support their mission through this year’s Pledge 1% donation. At KCare, we support foster care agencies and families with our suite of EHR software solutions designed for foster care case management. We work hand-in-hand with organizations that make a difference in the lives of children in foster care every day, and we understand the tremendous impact foster care advocates can have on families. Thank you, Voices for Children, for the important work you do!
Original article here
Author: codefortynine GmbH
Since 2019, we are proud to be a member of Pledge 1%. This initiative has inspired us to give back part of our success to the community. What started with 1% has now grown to an impressive 10% of our profits, which we donate each year to charitable causes.
Our Passion for Giving
Our donation practice at codefortynine is more than just an obligation—it’s a passion. The selection of donation recipients is a collective effort: Every employee has the opportunity to present organizations they care about. We then vote together and distribute the donation sum to the chosen organizations. This democratic approach ensures our donations carry a personal touch and reach those who truly need them.
We support various areas, including environmental protection, aiding children and families in need, and promoting open-source projects that enrich our daily work. We are particularly proud of our continuous support for projects dedicated to climate protection. For instance, we offset all our company flight emissions through atmosfair, contributing positively to the reduction of CO₂ and other emissions.
Responding to Global Events
A particularly challenging moment was the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. We immediately initiated donations to support the urgently needed humanitarian aid. This demonstrates how flexible and committed our team is in responding to global events.
“Being part of a company that really cares about making a difference is incredibly rewarding. The democratic approach to selecting donation recipients means that every voice is heard and every cause we support is close to our hearts. It’s inspiring to see how our collective efforts can make a real difference in the world.”
– Markus, Operations Director
Highlighting Special Initiatives
One memorable event was our special raffle at Atlassian Team ’24 in Las Vegas. It enabled the winner to donate $49,000 to an impactful campaign. He chose to donate to UNICEF, helping to support children in need around the world. This event highlights our commitment to making a difference in the world.
Our journey with Pledge 1% has brought us closer together as a company and as a team. We are proud to see the difference our joint efforts can make. We remain committed to our mission and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the world through our donations.
A Balanced Approach
At codefortynine, we believe in making a difference both locally and globally. Our donations reflect our commitment to supporting causes that matter in our home country. We are dedicated to contributing to national initiatives that support our local communities and environment, such as the Kinderschutzbund Karlsruhe and the Stiftung THW.
At an international level, our contributions to organizations such as atmosfair and UNICEF ensure that our impact is felt globally. By supporting climate protection initiatives and humanitarian aid measures, we want to tackle global challenges and help people in need worldwide.
Our balanced approach to supporting both national and international causes underscores our dedication to making the world a better place, starting from our own backyard and extending our reach across the globe. Through our thoughtful and democratic donation process, we aim to support a diverse range of initiatives that reflect our values.
Annual distribution of company donations by sector (2019-2023)
Original article here
Author: Mark Whittaker
Canva has hit so many billion-dollar milestones that it’s easy to lose track. Co-founder Cam Adams said the design juggernaut made it’s premium product free to non-profits in 2015 – reaching some 650,000 organisations – and to schools in 2019.
Canva co-founder Cameron Adams. Image: Forbes Australia
Forty million students have jumped on since it launched a “classroom safe” AI last October, Canva says, bringing the number of students and teachers using the premium product for free to 70 million, at 750,000 schools.
All of which got the Canva leaders wondering how much they were giving away, Adams tells Forbes Australia.
“So we ran the numbers, and we’d just hit the $1-billion mark, which means that every single year we are now giving away the equivalent of a billion dollars of revenue to educators and to non-profits.”
With Canva last valued at $40 billion – and continuing on an acquisitive path, recently taking over Leonardo.ai – the three Canva founders have made a thing about progressively giving away their wealth.
In 2019, the private company joined Pledge 1% – founded by Salesforce, Atlassian and Rally – with the goal of companies giving 1% of their equity, 1% of product, 1% of profit and 1% of employee time to charity.
Canva’s last reported annualised revenue was $2.7 billion. So if you add the $1 billion given away, then turn it into a percentage, it equates to Canva giving away 27% of revenue.
Adams wants more companies to join the pledge.
“One of the great things about Pledge 1% is it’s relatively easy to do,” says Adams. “One per cent is a small number in the scheme of things, but it introduces you to doing good and philanthropy, and inevitably encourages you to do more. Obviously, giving away a billion dollars in equivalent revenue every year is more than 1%, but we’re happy to go above and beyond.”
Two years after pledging that 1%, Adams’s co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht promised to give 30% of their equity in the company – the married couple’s share being an estimated $13.2 billion, combined – to their charity, the Canva Foundation.
Wedgetail founders Cameron Adams and Lisa Miller.
Adams has not joined them in that promise, but says he and wife Lisa are intending to do something similar with their estimated $3.37 billion fortune, devoting it to their biodiversity-focused venture-fund and loan facility Wedgetail. “We’re just waiting for all the pieces to line up in terms of having a registered non-profit and stuff like that,” he says.
Adams can’t remember when he and his co-founders started talking about giving so much away. “There was just a kind of a values alignment from the early days. It even stems from the business model. We always wanted a free product that we could give to everyone in the world. We wanted people to be able to access design and use these new visual communication skills to achieve amazing things.”
And while OpenAI’s billionaire cofounder and CEO Sam Altman has given away US$45 million in monthly gifts to individual Texans in order to study a “universal basic income”, the Canva Foundation has been conducting a similar experiment in one of the world’s poorest countries.
It gave $10 million, then $20 million, to GiveDirectly, a charity which eschews traditional aid routes to give money directly to the impoverished. “The whole philosophy behind it is that it’s not about building a school or building a well for a community, it’s about giving people the money that they need to solve their own problems. They know best what is going to help them.
OpenAI Co-Founder & CEO Sam Altman.
And while he applauds Altman’s efforts to make a better world with universal basic income, he says it’s only tangentially related to what the Canva Foundation is doing. “Our work is really focused on the areas of the world where the need is most extreme.”
GiveDirectly identifies an impoverished community and gives thousands of people regular grants totalling between US$250 and US$750 over several months. “The overwhelming evidence coming back is that when you do this, as opposed to, like, building your own infrastructure program, it has greater positive impact,” says Adams.
“You see people starting businesses which enable them to drive income over many years. You see people building houses that house their family. You see people buying goats which give them income. It creates this broader system of sustainable economic support that they need to get themselves out of poverty, as opposed to creating infrastructure projects that don’t get maintained and end up going nowhere.
“So we’ve delivered close to $30 million now into that project, and we’re monitoring it. GiveDirectly is working a lot on the ground, and the plan is to scale that up successfully throughout this year, and the years beyond, and that will scale through Malawi and then eventually scales throughout the world.”
Cameron Adams on the cover of Issue 9 of Forbes Australia.
Blackboards to onboarding
The Canva founders started looking at education uses in 2017. “But it was in 2019 when I really picked up the baton, because we started noticing a whole bunch of teachers and students using Canva,” says Adams. “And we didn’t originally design Canva for education … So we started looking at what teachers and students were using it for, started thinking about how we might improve the product to be able to make it better for them … I went to the States. We interviewed a bunch of education users there … as well as school districts and even at the level of ministries of education, what they would all need. And we started putting together what became Canva for Education.”
Canva co-cofounder Melanie Perkins. | Images: Supplied
Adams doesn’t resile from the cynical view that Canva for Education is just onboarding the next generation of paying customers.
“That’s part of the social impact as well. We’re helping every student develop design skills, develop digital literacy and also spark creative thinking. And by developing those skills, we’re really fueling the next generation of change makers, like people who are going to start new businesses, new non-profits, drive movements to help solve climate change, help solve many of the world’s problems – and make sure that there is a new wave of Canvas wanting to leave the world in a better place than they started with.”
It didn’t cost much, he says. “By just flipping a switch behind the scenes to give them access to a free product, it’s probably one of the highest leverage things that we can do.
“We’re seeing not only whole school districts now pick it up, we’re seeing entire countries as well. So Indonesia just rolled out Canva for Education. Poland too. And, equally, we encourage any non-profit anywhere in the world to get in touch. We’re really keen to grow that program beyond a million non-profits using Canva over the next year or two.”
Original article here
Author: Maria Villalba Gomez
As a proud member of the Pledge 1% movement, Braze has committed to contribute 1% of its outstanding equity (as of 2021) over ten years to uplift charitable organizations through the Braze for Social Impact Fund at Tides Foundation. This commitment reflects our deep dedication to amplifying employee passions, investing in our communities, and driving science-based climate solutions. That’s why, for the second consecutive year, our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have played a pivotal role in guiding our philanthropic endeavors. These ERGs, formed by employees with shared experiences, interests, or backgrounds, have been instrumental in directing a significant portion of our Social Impact Fund. By harnessing the collective expertise and enthusiasm of our diverse workforce, we ensure that our charitable contributions directly serve and resonate with the communities our employees care about.
In the second year of the Braze ERG Grant Program, our ten ERGs have allocated $300,000 in unrestricted grants to over 36 impactful nonprofits and charities worldwide since August 2023. These organizations, chosen by each ERG to reflect their values, address a broad spectrum of needs, from providing immediate support and essential services to advocating for systemic change. By supporting organizations that empower underrepresented and marginalized communities, our ERGs honor their shared experiences and interests, driving tangible and positive change across the global communities they passionately support.
“Pride@ Braze chose to support the Ali Forney Center, Galop, the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, and 56 Dean Street because of their unwavering commitment to advocating for and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. These organizations are at the forefront of providing essential services, legal assistance, and healthcare to those in need, both domestically and internationally. Our inclusive choice reflects Pride@Braze’s dedication to global equality and resilience, embodying our shared values. By supporting these organizations, we aim to make a tangible impact and contribute to the ongoing fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and well-being worldwide. It’s an honor to be able to contribute to these remarkable organizations as they continue to make a difference and positive impact within our communities.”
—Hannah Collins, Pride@Braze President
For a comprehensive list of this year’s grant recipients, please see below:
2024 ERG Grants
Asians@Braze:
Asian Mental Health Collective works to make mental health easily available, approachable, and accessible to Asian communities worldwide.
Chinatown Health aims to improve access to quality health care for underserved Asian Americans and other vulnerable populations by supporting community-based health care services.
Japanese American National Museum promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience.
Stand with Asian Americans supports Asian American communities through organizing and empowerment efforts.
Black@Braze:
Black Girl Ventures Foundation aims to provide underrepresented woman-identifying founders with access to community, capital, and capacity-building in order to meet business milestones that lead to economic advancement through entrepreneurship.
National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) supports Black individuals, families, and communities in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBTQ+/SGL equity.
The Fifteen Percent Pledge is a call to action for major retailers and corporations to join in creating sustainable and supportive ecosystems for Black-owned businesses to succeed. They work with companies to comprehensively re-evaluate their organizational structures, ways of working, funding, and resourcing in order to implement meaningful change and create greater equity for Black businesses.
PRINCESS Foundation provides mentoring and empowerment programs for high school females in New Jersey. Their primary purpose is to address the unmet challenges faced by young women, guiding them toward success and empowerment.
Brown@Braze:
IKWRO provides advice and support to Middle Eastern, North African, and Afghan women and girls living in the UK who have experienced or are at risk of all forms of “honor” based abuse, including: Forced marriage, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, or domestic abuse by offering free advice, advocacy, and counseling services.
Udavum Karangal (Helping Hands) has the sole objective to serve people in need. The center provides individualized services including treatment, care, rehabilitation, and education.
Sewa International specializes in disaster relief and rehabilitation. Their development programs focus on family services; child, tribal, and refugee welfare; women empowerment; health; and education.
Elle@Braze:
Dress for Success empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Girls Who Code works to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does through coding clubs, summer programs, and college and career programs.
Ipas works globally to advance reproductive justice by expanding access to abortion and contraception.
Seeds of Fortune is a scholars program and ed tech platform creating the next generation of financially empowered young women of color. They help them apply for college scholarships and teach career, financial, and management skills.
World Central Kitchen is first on the frontlines, providing meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and during prolonged humanitarian crises, such as the war in Ukraine.
Healthy Minds@Braze:
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is a suicide prevention movement that provides free and confidential helpline and webchat for those who need to talk, among many other community and campaign services.
Jaya Mental Health aims to equip healthcare professionals and local people with the resources needed to cope with mental illness in South Asia.
The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
To Write Love On Her Arms is dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.
Jews@Braze:
The Holocaust Educational Trust works to ensure that people from every background are educated about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today.
UJA-Federation of New York cares for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, responding to crises both close to home and far away, strengthening the local Jewish community, and building coalitions that promote inclusion.
Muslims@Braze:
Baitulmaal USA provides life-saving, life-sustaining, and life-enriching humanitarian aid to underserved populations around the world.
Global Deaf Muslim USA works to address the rights and needs of Deaf Muslims across the global ummah, increasing the access to Islamic information available in sign language.
Helping Hand for Relief and Development is a global humanitarian relief and development organization responding to human suffering in emergency and disaster situations around the world. In addition to emergency relief efforts in natural or man-made disasters, they also work on long-term relief and development programs.
Nisa Homes offers transitional homes for immigrant, refugee, non-status, and Muslim women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Nisa Homes envision a flourishing Muslim community in which help is available, shelter is attainable, and healing is possible.
Parents@Braze:
Children International seeks to ensure children around the world have access to healthcare, food, and shelter, as well as learning and child protection services when children need it most.
Hello Nurze is a platform where medically complex families can find in-home nursing care and nurses can find opportunities to work with families in need.
We All Code’s mission is to introduce a diverse group of children to the fun of coding by providing free educational resources and hands-on classes.
Every Mother Counts aims to achieve quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all by giving grants and working with partners and thought leaders to increase awareness and mobilize communities to take action.
Pride@Braze:
Galop works directly with thousands of LGBT+ people in the UK who have experienced abuse and violence every year. They specialize in supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, honor-based abuse, forced marriage, so-called conversion therapies, and other forms of interpersonal abuse.
The Ali Forney Center is committed to saving the lives of LGBTQ+ young people by protecting them from the harms of homelessness and empowering them with the tools needed to live independently.
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence.
56 Dean Street is an expert sexual health clinic in London that focuses on the needs of the LGBTQI+ community.
SOMOS:
GreenLatinos is an active community of Latino leaders confronting national and local environmental issues in the Latino community.
Forever Changed International is dedicated to providing holistic care for vulnerable children. Through Dorie’s Promise Orphan Care Home in Guatemala City, they offer a nurturing environment where children receive comprehensive support from trained professionals in pediatrics, education, social work, and child care.
The Colibrí Center for Human Rights works to create a safe, humane, and effective process for families of missing migrants to find answers.
Philanthropic giving is just one facet of our comprehensive social impact strategy. Through the Braze for Social Impact Fund, we are deeply committed to driving meaningful change and creating a lasting positive impact on underrepresented and underserved communities. We take immense pride in the difference these grants will make in the lives of individuals and the broader communities we strive to uplift.
To learn more about Braze and our social impact efforts, check out our 2024 ESG Report coming soon in July 2024. Check out last year’s report here.
Original article here
Author: Patrick Goffin
At Airteam, we strive to make a positive impact, not just through the software products we create, but also through the partnerships we foster and the values we have committed ourselves to. Our decision to support the Environmental Defenders Office and join the Pledge 1% initiative is another way we are trying to uphold our vision of bringing about positive change.
Who are the Environmental Defenders Office?
The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is an accredited community legal service dedicated to defending Australia’s wildlife, people, and places through the power of the law.
EDO has a solid track record of taking landmark environmental cases to court and winning.
One of their notable achievements is their work in protecting the Great Barrier Reef by ensuring that development projects comply with strict environmental regulations. They also provide vital legal support to Indigenous communities, helping to preserve their land and cultural heritage.
Who are Pledge 1%?
Pledge 1% is a global movement encouraging companies to pledge 1% of equity, profit, product, or employee time to a charity of their choice. Over 8,500 companies have joined the movement, contributing to various social and environmental causes.
Why we chose to support EDO
Supporting EDO aligns with our mission to drive positive change, as well as our core values as a business and a team:
- Do the right thing
- Build a strong team
- Focus on outcomes
- Strive for better
By supporting EDO, we feel we’re not only upholding our values but also contributing to the protection of Australia’s unique environment.
What does this mean for our clients?
We take pride in sharing this with our clients, because their decision to work with us is having a direct and meaningful impact on our environment.
Choosing to partner with companies who are making a positive impact demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, is something we all strive for.
Want to learn more?
We’d encourage everyone to learn more about EDO’s critical work and consider supporting their initiatives. You can make a donation here and join us in making a positive impact. Additionally, we encourage other businesses to join the Pledge 1% movement and commit to giving back.
Original article here
Author: Simon Thomsen
The three billionaire cofounders of Canva donated $39 million to the foundation in their company’s name over 18 months, with most of that money already given away.
Husband and wife Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, set up the Canva Foundation with cofounder Cameron Adams in May 2020.
A month later, the privately-owned design giant Canva doubled in value to $8.7 billion following an $87 million raise. The company is now worth $39 billion and Perkins and Obrecht are among Australia’s top 10 richest people with an estimated $11 billion to their joint names thanks to their 30% stake in the business. Adams has an estimated worth of $3.3 billion.
The duo pledged to give 80% of their fortune away to the Canva Foundation for charitable causes in 2021 and have been busy living up to their word.
Filings lodged with the government regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), this week revealed the trio poured $38.896 million in cash into the Canva Foundation between July 2022 and December 2023, topped up $607,416 in donations in kind.
That figure’s a substantial jump on $14.894 million donated in the 2022 financial year (the Foundation has moved to calendar year reporting with its latest filing).
What’s even more remarkable about that is that while Australia has around 150 billionaires, including the Atlassian and Afterpay cofounders, but Obrecht, 38, Perkins, 37, and Adams, 44, are the nation’s second most generous philanthropists behind Andrew Forrest and his former wife, Nicole, who gave away $224.9 million of their fortune via their own charitable fund, Minderoo.
Melbourne packaging billionaire Anthony Pratt and his family, were just behind the Canva trio in their generosity.
Canva is already an ardent supporter of 1% pledge, the corporate philanthropic movement, co-founded by Atlassian, which encourages and empowers companies of all sizes and stages to donate 1% of their staff time, product, profit, and/or equity to any charity of their choosing.
The Canva Foundation certainly provides bang for its bucks, costing $641,677 to run over the 18 months and giving away $31.639 million over that time.
The vast bulk of that funding, $31.266 went offshore, alongside grants and donations worth $372,478 made in Australia.
We continue to scale our support for local communities in the form of local projects and volunteering,” the Canva Foundation report says.
“During this reporting period, the Canva Foundation provided more than $164,000 to nonprofit partners to support their local goals and amplify their impact. As part of our local efforts, this year also marked the launch of a pilot Community Project in the form of a $110,000 donation to Orange Sky Laundry to create a safe, personalised, and welcoming environment for those experiencing homelessness across Sydney, Australia.”
Perkins laid out their philanthropic ambitions clearly three years ago as part of Canva’s elegantly simple “Two-Step plan: Step 1: ‘Become one of the most valuable companies in the world’; and Step 2: ‘Do the most good we can’.”
“”It has never felt like our money, we’ve always felt that we’re purely custodians of it. As we’ve previously shared, it’s long been our intention to give the wealth away, and we’ve been thinking long and hard about the best way to start that journey,” Perkins wrote in 2021.
“We wanted to ensure that everyone who is contributing to Canva’s success in Step 1 is able to feel pride in their contribution to Step 2.”
Perkins said Step 1 should fuel Step 2, and in turn Step 2 should fuel Step 1.
“As Canva’s value grows, so too does our ability to have a positive impact on the world. And as we have a positive impact on the world, we believe that Canva will grow too by being able to attract and motivate the best team and our community who care about having a positive impact on the world too,” she said.
“We have this wildly optimistic belief that there is enough money, goodwill, and good intentions in the world to solve most of the world’s problems, and we want to spend our lifetime working towards that. We see the best way to do that is to continue to work towards both Step 1 and 2 Step of our plan: to scale Canva into one of the biggest companies in the world and build an organisation that at its core is focused on being a force for good.”
The Foundation has also invested an initial $7.4 million in an education pilot program to improve foundational literacy and numeracy learning in Southern Africa and India.
“Following a period of comprehensive research, this program aims to support our work of uplifting individuals from extreme poverty by addressing early education as a key contributor to the poverty cycle,” the Foundation said in its report.
“The pilot program, in partnership with Prevail, will support more than 400,000 children.”
When Perkins announced their plan give away the vast majority of the billions they’ve made from building Canva in 2021, she said the growth of the business increased their ability to have a positive impact on the world.
“We have this wildly optimistic belief that there is enough money, goodwill, and good intentions in the world to solve most of the world’s problems, and we want to spend our lifetime working towards that,” she said.
Melinda French Gates, worth around $16.5 billion, recently parted ways with the foundation she established with her former husband, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and has pledged to donate $1.5 billion (US$1bn) over the next two years to women’s causes and gender equity around the world.
Original article here
Author: Niña Cabrera
We are now a proud member of Pledge 1%, a global movement dedicated to reshaping the role of companies in society. This initiative of Pledge 1%, aims to establish a new standard for corporate social responsibility, regardless of a company’s size or stage. We’re part of this movement with 18,000+ companies across 120 countries, allocating 1% of our product, profit, and more to charitable causes.
Our decision to take part in this initiative is driven by several reasons:
Enhancing Brand Reputation
As part of our social responsibility, we uphold our core values of integrity and community support. By increasing our efforts to give back to society, we strengthen our brand identity as a company that prioritizes making a meaningful difference in the world. Through active participation in philanthropic activities and support for charitable causes, we not only enhance our brand reputation but also inspire others to join us in our mission of creating positive social impact.
Driving Innovation
Engaging in a partnership with Pledge 1% fosters a culture of innovation. It encourages our teams to think creatively about how our products and services can address social challenges, leading to new opportunities for growth and impact. We believe that by aligning our goals with meaningful social impact initiatives, we can drive innovation and create lasting positive change.
Fostering Employee Satisfaction
We understand that employees are more likely to feel proud and motivated to work for a company that prioritizes social responsibility. Investing in this aspect can significantly boost employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.
Our Head of Professional Services, Kevin Paul, said, “We partnered with Pledge 1% to harness our employees’ passion for social impact, with a current focus on environmental sustainability, educational programs, and gender equality, inspired by the leadership of industry giants, Atlassian and Salesforce.” This just means that our partnership with Pledge 1% reflects our commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Our Previous Initiatives
Our recent inclusion in Pledge 1% strengthens our dedication to social responsibility through our previous initiatives. Firstly, the Dive into Tech: The Ribbonfish Innovation Challenge, where the top five finalists developed innovative applications using Salesforce. The three winners received cash prizes for their innovative solutions and an opportunity to work with us through a contract. Additionally, we sponsored Women of the World (WOW) Soiree in Manila. It is a program and community that empowers women to make a meaningful impact in their careers and lives. This coming June, we’ll also sponsor a Soirée in London. Lastly, we donate to charities such as WWF, Marie Curie, Clic Sargent, and NSPCC. These contributions helps important causes like environmental conservation, cancer care, and child protection. Overall, with our initiatives, it reflects our dedication to creating a positive and lasting impact on society.
Joining Pledge 1% not only benefits us but also contributes to positive change worldwide. As we progress, we invite you to support and join us on this journey toward making a difference. Let’s create a meaningful impact in shaping a better tomorrow. Together, we can create a brighter future for all. Stay updated with us for more insights into our initiatives!
Original article here
Author: Evolving-Consulting
Waverly Robotics, a multi-tier robotics program serving Waverly Community Schools in Lansing, MI, has seen remarkable growth since its inception in late 2017. Originally starting with a single high school competition team, Waverly Robotics has expanded to over 20 teams across all grade levels, involving more than 250 active students. The program is dedicated to fostering a love for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in the community, offering students hands-on learning opportunities and competitive experiences.
THE CHALLANGE
Efficiently Tracking Donations: With an increasing number of donors, Waverly Robotics sought to streamline and enhance their ability to track contributions and donor interactions.
Support Staff Optimization: Managing leads and sending mass emails efficiently became a focus, as the organization looked to ensure timely and targeted communications with current and prospective donors.
THE SOLUTION
To capitalize on these opportunities, Waverly Robotics implemented a comprehensive donor management system with the following features:
Centralized Donor Database: All donor information, including contact details, donation history, and engagement preferences, was consolidated into a single, centralized database. This system allowed for more streamlined tracking and management of donor interactions.
Segmentation and Targeting: Donors were segmented based on donation levels and frequency. This segmentation enabled Waverly Robotics to tailor their communication strategies, ensuring that each donor received relevant and personalized messages.
Email Campaigns: The new system facilitated the creation and distribution of targeted email campaigns. These campaigns were designed to engage active donors, re-engage former donors, and attract prospective donors, enhancing overall donor engagement.
Email Campaign Approval Process: An approval process for email campaigns was established to ensure consistency, accuracy, and professionalism in all communications. This process involved review and authorization from key stakeholders before emails were sent out.
Dashboards: Customizable dashboards were created to visualize key metrics and track performance. These dashboards provided real-time insights into donation trends, campaign effectiveness, and overall donor engagement.
Reports: Detailed reports on donations, volunteer activities, and program outcomes were generated. These reports offered valuable insights for strategic planning and demonstrated the impact of donor contributions on the program’s success.
The implementation of the new donor management system enhanced Waverly Robotics’ ability to engage with their donor base effectively. The centralized database and targeted email campaigns led to a more organized and efficient approach to donor relations. The dashboards and detailed reports provided actionable insights, enabling the team to make informed decisions and optimize their fundraising efforts.
Through the successful implementation of these solutions, Waverly Robotics continues to thrive, inspiring the next generation of innovators and leaders in STEM.
“Evolving Consulting exceeded our expectations with their Salesforce consulting services. The solutions provided were innovative, efficiently implemented, and greatly enhanced our operational efficiency. The collaboration was seamless, and the results spoke for themselves. We highly recommend Evolving Consulting for Salesforce services.”