At Louisville-based Innovative Openings, Inc., an inspired workplace giving program is an especially successful model that both advances community engagement and strengthens employee retention.
Opportunities to make a difference in our community come in all shapes and sizes. And at Louisville-based Innovative Openings, Inc., an inspired workplace giving program is an especially successful model that both advances community engagement and strengthens employee retention.
“For quite a while, I’d been thinking about starting a workplace giving program,” says co-owner Dave Friedlander. “Most of my adult life, I’ve been personally involved in charitable giving, and I thought it was important to develop a program at work so that all of our employees could contribute to our community as a company.”
So Dave asked a handful employees for their input. “I wanted their ideas about what the program should look like,” he says. “I gave them some guidelines for a program that would allow employees to give to various charities through a paycheck deduction that would be matched by company funds – dollar for dollar.
“What I wasn’t sure about, and really wanted their help on, was what organizations – and how many – we should emphasize in the program. I knew I wanted to have the organizations represent some of the major charitable categories – from human services and the environment to education and the arts. And while there was no requirement that all the organizations in our program had to be local, I wanted a strong focus on local giving.”
From there, the volunteer workplace committee set out to do its research. “We wanted to make sure that the organizations we support are well run and financially stable,” explains Dave.
Ultimately, the committee selected 10 in-state organizations across their chosen charitable categories, eight of which are in – or based in – Boulder County. “The program allows employees to give to any or all of these organizations by deducting an amount out of each of their paychecks, up to a $1K company match per employee.”
Innovative Openings’ workplace giving program also includes a provision that the company will match funds to other organizations outside the 10 selected organizations. “Employees can submit a request after they make a contribution to their favorite charity to have the company match their contribution [up to $500 per employee], as long as they meet baseline criteria.”
Since the program took effect in October 2015, Innovative Openings has raised ~$47K through paycheck deductions with about two-thirds of the company’s 78 employees participating.
“We’ve always been focused on attracting and keeping quality employees,” continues Dave. “As part of our philosophy to get good people and keep them, our workplace giving program has been great. Everyone seems to think it’s important to support the community where our employees and customers live.
“Today, the program is key to our company culture, and to boosting morale among our employees.”
According to Dave, some of the company’s chosen charitable organizations also happen to be grantees of the Community Foundation – including Community Food Share and the Emergency Family Assistance Association.
“Personally, I’ve always been a supporter of the Community Foundation,” he says. “I like the work they do, how they’re set up, and the wide range of community interests and concerns they represent.” In fact, Dave saw to it that the foundation is among the company’s selected organizations.
“I wanted to make sure we included a broadly-based organization. And the Community Foundation is exactly that.”
Perhaps best of all, Innovative Openings’ workplace giving program has elevated the company’s reputation. “It influences how your employees think about the company, and how the community thinks about the company, too,” concludes Dave. “We’ve been in business in Boulder County for 37 years, but we’re more than just another business – we’re a part of the community.”
