Environmental Philanthropy at Work

by Marci Reed, Director of Development & Communications, Southface and Vice President, Earth Share of Georgia

Earth Share of Georgia plays a vital role in promoting environmental education, volunteerism and charitable giving by partnering with businesses across Georgia. Since its founding in 1992, employees across the state have generously pledged their financial support and time to the important work of Earth Share’s 61 member organizations, including Southface. After several successful Earth Day events (see article in Spring 2005 Southface Journal), Earth Share of Georgia and its member groups are preparing for the 2005 workplace giving campaign season.

What is Workplace Giving?
Workplace giving campaigns are payroll deduction drives organized by companies to generate employee support for the nonprofit community. United Way has a well known workplace giving campaign that focuses on giving to organizations providing social services. Earth Share organizes giving to environmental organizations. Campaigns are usually run in the fall, when employees make their payroll pledges for the following calendar year. More and more businesses are now moving to place the environment alongside United Way as a key recipient of employee contributions. Corporate and Human Resource Executives realize that allowing their employees to support groups like Southface through workplace giving sends a strong internal and public
relations message about their commitment to caring for our air, land and water. Earth Share now participates in over sixty government and corporate campaigns including: Primerica, Worldspan, Emory University, Turner, City of Atlanta and the State of Georgia.

Earth Share of Georgia was originally incorporated as the Environmental Fund for Georgia (EFG). In 2001, EFG became a state partner of Earth Share, the nation’s oldest and largest environmental workplace fundraising organization. Now, thanks to this partnership, Earth Share of Georgia represents not only the best of Georgia’s environmental organizations, but the most reputable in the nation as well.

How are Donations Shared among Earth Share Member Groups?
Employees have the unique option of making one gift to Earth Share (to be shared among all member groups) or designating a pledge to one or more organizations of their choice. General contributions are shared among Georgia organizations (60 percent) and national organizations (40 percent). Many employees like to designate their gift. Earth Share will honor all designated contributions to specific member groups. As a local member group, Southface is charged a low administrative fee of 15 percent, which means we receive 85 cents on the dollar of your designated contribution to Southface. National organizations are assessed a 25 percent administrative fee.
There is a new trend for companies to bypass federations like Earth Share and send designated gifts directly to the selected organization. At Southface, we appreciate the hard work Earth Share undertakes to raise awareness of our work and the work of other member groups among Georgia businesses and employees. Earth Share is often the way new people get to know us—in fact, 80 percent of new Earth Share donors have never given to the environment before. Additionally, the Earth Share of Georgia staff is always looking for ways to facilitate partnerships for the benefit of member groups. The administrative fee collected (one of the lowest in the country) is a small price for the numerous benefits we enjoy as an Earth Share member group.

Working for the Day When...
People often feel overwhelmed by the numerous messages of urgent gloom and doom in regards to our region’s environmental challenges. That’s why Earth Share feels it’s important to remind Georgians what we’re working for and to provide them with one simple way to help. Earth Share and its member groups are “Working for the day when. . . All days are smog-free...Every child lives within a five-minute walk of a park...Georgians can safely swim in our rivers again.” You can help today by talking to your employer about adding Earth Share to your workplace giving campaign.
You can contact Southface at 404.872.3549 x124 or marci@southface.org for more information, or visit www.earthsharega.org.