Our goal with the Awards Program is not only to recognize excellence, but to enable both sectors across the country to learn from outstanding examples of business-community partnerships. In this way, we hope they will be inspired to initiate creative partnerships in their own community settings. Business and community groups offer diverse approaches and complementary strengths for tackling social problems. Companies have within them an enormous range of skills, expertise and other resources that community organizations need. Increasingly, companies are making in-kind contributions, as well as giving cash.
Business has a lot to gain as well as to give.
The personal development and sprit that comes from a good volunteer experience ranks right up there with what we can accomplish through some of the training and development programs we spend a lot of money on. Recent research also demonstrates that caring for the community has a significant impact on a company's reputation in the marketplace and is a contributing factor in ensuring long-run business success.