Founded in 2001, the Entrepreneurs Foundation of
the Southeast (EFSE) is part of a national nonprofit organization
created to strengthen its local communities by tapping the energy,
innovation, resources and wealth of entrepreneurial companies and
their employees.
Through its
corporate community involvement program, EFSE is helping to fundamentally
change the culture of early-stage companies by making community
involvement an integral part of their corporate responsibility.
EFSE is the only organization specifically focused on this sector
to build sustaining community relationships and create systemic
change.
Mobilizing
the Entrepreneurial Sector to Help Build Stronger Communities
EFSE engages
start-up companies to develop a culture of community volunteerism
and outreach. Recognizing the time and resource constraints typical
of a start-up, EFSE assists companies with the implementation
of community involvement activities, matching their corporate
culture and philanthropic interests with the many opportunities
in the local community.
As a participant in EFSE, each company also makes a small contribution to the Foundation. At its option, a company can designate up to eighty-five percent of its contribution for a company-directed fund for its own philanthropic programs. The balance of the contribution will fund our venture philanthropy interests in the community and our work with participating companies.
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Starting Corporate Community Involvement
Corporate
community involvement is the core principle of EFSE. We make it
easy for a company to adopt community involvement as part of its
corporate culture. Specifically, EFSE acts as both a catalyst
and a facilitator by:
- Assisting companies in developing
outreach strategies and connecting them with nonprofit agencies that match
their particular community interests.
- Linking companies with our
corporate partners to mentor them in developing their community programs.
- Facilitating companies' community
involvement by maximizing their limited available time.
- Using equity from companies
to support both EFSE and company-directed philanthropic programs.
The EFSE
vision is to have thousands of companies engaged in strengthening
the local community with tens of thousands of employees volunteering
their time to nonprofit organizations.
Why Participate?
Companies with a strong
culture of community involvement are better companies. EFSE's participating
companies enjoy increased visibility in the community and a richer corporate
culture. They also benefit from improved employee pride and morale; an edge
in recruitment and retention; and a committed workforce, key characteristics
of high performing teams.
EFSE companies are
part of a powerful network. As active participants in the Foundation, they
are uniquely positioned to help build a stronger community infrastructure
and a healthier community in which to do business.
How
to Participate?
Getting started requires
your interest, leadership and enthusiasm. We recommend the following four-step
process:
- Your CEO takes the lead.
- Your executive team supports
the idea and process.
- Your company allocates equity
(typically 0.5-1.0 percent of stock). Up to eighty-five percent can be allotted
to a company-directed fund to support your own philanthropic efforts.
- Your Board of Directors approves
the plan.
For more information,
contact EFSE.
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