If you’re looking for where to start take a look at our FAQ’s of Philanthropy initiatives by industry list of recommendations.

 

First, start with a category. Which one best suits your business culture?

• Environment

• Food & Water

• Shelter

• Health

• Education

 

Next, take a look at our ideas for each industry:

 

Aerospace industry:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mechanics) Initiatives

  • Women in aerospace programs

  • Facility tours

  • Science camps

  • Coding camps

  • Donate scientific equipment

  • Grants

  • Fellowships

  • Internships

• Donate aerospace models to museums, schools or educational foundations

Agriculture

• Agricultural tours

• Environmental sustainability initiatives

  • Demonstrations through video, webcasts, infographics, etc.

  • Grow your own garden initiatives

  • Healthcare initiatives for proper nutrition

  • Sponsoring farmer’s markets

  • Planting trees

  • Cleaning up parks

Computer:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mechanics) Initiatives

  • Hackathon sponsorships

  • Video game streaming fundraisers

  • Women in coding camps, courses, meetups

  • Coding camps

  • Grants

  • Fellowships

  • Internships

• Donating computers to:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

Construction:

• Building or providing temporary shelter or housing for:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

Defense industry:

• U.S. Veterans initiatives

  • Donations (care packages)

  • Fundraisers

• Sponsor sporting or outdoor events

Education:

• For nutritional initiatives in schools, see the food industry category.

• Mini library initiatives: funding construction of mailbox-size libraries in communities

• Offering free courses, conferences, webinars, podcasts

• Scholarships, funds, fellowships, grants, internships

• Partner with boy scouts, girl scouts and summer camps

• Sponsor motivational speakers to come to schools

• Providing school supplies such as backpacks, words of encouragement for:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

Energy

• Donating energy resources to:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

• Renewable energy initiatives

  • Sponsoring school grants, competitions, fellowships, scholarships, etc.

Entertainment

• Movie industry:

  • Auction famous items from famous movies

  • Partner with celebrity who has a charitable cause

• Music industry:

  • Recycling initiatives at events

  • Dance-a-thons as a fundraiser

Financial services

• Food “banks”

• Sponsoring free educational events on the basics of finance, planning for your future in high schools, colleges, etc.

Food industry

• Pet food:

  • Sponsor pet adoption events

  • Wildlife sanctuary donations or charity events

• Restaurants:

  • If you have a performance space, host small concerts for charities

  • Host charity events featuring local chefs teaching children to cook

  • Sponsoring cooking competitions

• All food companies:

  • Food kitchens, soup kitchens, canned food donation drives, meals on wheels

  • Partnership with Girl Scouts for Girl Scout cookies

  • Funding construction of mailbox-size food pantries

  • Grow your own garden initiatives

  • Sponsoring farmer’s markets

  • Sending or providing food to:

    • Victims of natural disasters

    • Underprivileged

    • Refugees

Health care industry

• Sponsor de-stress events:

  • Massage clinics

  • Meditation classes

• Sponsoring fitness activities:

  • Races

  • Marathons

  • Walkathons

  • Dance-a-thons

  • Health conferences

• Sponsoring medical supplies or services for:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

• Grow your own garden initiatives

Hospitality industry:

• Tourism:

  • Sponsoring green activities

• Agricultural tours

• Sustainment initiatives for hotels:

  • Energy savings initiatives within hotels

  • Sourcing hotel food from local farmers

Manufacturing:

• Sustainment initiatives

• Sponsoring educational funds for future employees

• Offering free training courses for future employees

• Clothing:

  • Donate clothes (in general), get a discount

  • Donating suits for interviews (for business attire clothing stores), get a discount

  • Buy one piece, we will donate a piece

Mass media:

• Start a hashtag that will start a positive movement

• Feature model citizens in your local community through your channels

• Highlight clients that have their own community outreach campaigns

Telecommunications

• Providing connectivity to:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

Transport

• Clean-air initiatives

• Airlines:

  • Offering free rides to and from the airport for those in need

• Ground based companies.

  • Cleaning up highways

  • Offering free rides to interviews

• Providing free transportation or discount for:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Unemployed

  • Underprivileged

  • U.S. veterans

  • Refugees

Water/Water filter companies

• Filter companies:

  • Environmental initiatives in communities

  • Educational outreach about the water cycle

• Donating water to:

  • Victims of natural disasters

  • Underprivileged

  • Refugees

• Sponsoring fitness activities:

  • Races

  • Marathons

  • Walkathons

  • Dance-a-thons