Abstract
Many nonprofit organizations are in need of ways to create funding opportunities to maintain the integrity of their operating systems. One way to raise funds is to invite local businesses to participate and provide ways to become involved in the inner workings of the nonprofit organization. By partnering a nonprofit organization and local businesses, ideas and funds can be spread to both partners in order to increase the viability of the overall community.
For one local nonprofit agency, The Heartside Gleaning Initiative, the possibility of partnering with local businesses in the Grand Rapids area is promising. Research regarding various fundraising opportunities was conducted in order to create four fundraising categories: (1) providing customers with donation information through the form of pamphlets, (2) use of donation boxes in the place of business, (3) donation of a certain percentage of sales for a set duration of time, and (4) participation in a fundraising event with other community partners. These options, compiled in an informational pamphlet, along with a generated contact list of local potential business partners are the result of this semester long collaboration and provided to the Heartside Gleaning Initiative to begin the process of recruiting partners.
The many challenges associated with this project included conflicting schedules among project members as well as with local community partners. By utilizing the information we have gathered, one could survey the potential partners for feedback or plan a future fundraising event involving various community partners.
ScholarWorks Citation
Bousquet, Kristy; Jonker, Mason; Powell, Brianna; and Taylor, Noah, "Partnerships Between the Heartside Gleaning Initiative and Local Businesses in the Grand Rapids, MI Area" (2014). LIB 322: Wicked Problems of Sustainability. 13.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/wickedproblems/13
