Business Philanthropy Program Expands Across Minnesota

A program that promotes increased business giving and community involvement will expand across Minnesota under a new name and with a new leader - the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

Minnesota Business Gives will be formally launched statewide in 2005. A $50,000 contribution from Marquette Financial Companies in Minneapolis will support the program.

The new program was created by Building Business Investment in Community (BBIC), a project initiated by the Minnesota Council on Foundations in 2001. The Minnesota Chamber was one of 13 business and community organizations that worked with the Council to research and support business giving and community involvement in the state.

“We’re grateful to Marquette Financial Companies for its generous support,” said David Olson, president of the Minnesota Chamber. “This grant gives us the opportunity to expand the program and work with local chambers and businesses statewide.” Immediate plans are to begin Minnesota Business Gives activities in Greater Minnesota communities including Cambridge, Faribault, Hibbing and Willmar.

“We’re pleased that the Minnesota Chamber is taking the program to Minnesota communities statewide,” said Bert Colianni, executive vice president of Marquette Financial Companies, owned by Carl Pohlad and his family. “We believe that sharing business resources to improve the community is an important value. The products and services of Minnesota Business Gives can help companies strengthen or increase their giving and will offer them the opportunity to receive local recognition for their community contributions.”

Minnesota Business Gives builds on a solid reputation, Olson noted. BBIC recently received national recognition as recipient of the National Community Service Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The honor is given for exemplary corporate citizenship in promoting better corporate-community relations (see MCF's News Archives).

The contributions of all the partners were critical to the success of BBIC, Olson said. “We could not have created this alone and we’re pleased that BBIC members will continue to work to support Minnesota Business Gives’ goal to increase the number of businesses that provide community support,” he said. Through this program, local communities throughout Minnesota will be able to recognize local businesses that give at least 2 percent of their profits to charity, building on the Minnesota Keystone Program (SM) Standard, criteria established in 1976 by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce.

BBIC member organizations in addition to the Chamber and the Council were: Center for Ethical Business Cultures; Initiative Foundation; Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce; Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives; Minnesota Keystone Program; Northland Foundation; Northwest Minnesota Foundation; Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation; Southwest Minnesota Foundation; The Collaborative; United Ways of Minnesota; West Central Initiative.

Jennifer Byers, vice president of external operations for the Minnesota Chamber, will oversee Minnesota Business Gives. Jackie Reis will continue as director of the new program. Reis can be contacted at (651) 292-4679 or jreis@mnchamber.com. The program also has developed a workbook that offers advice on how to start a program, plus helps businesses identify ways to make their giving and community involvement programs more effective.

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