Insights from a conversation between Wendy Kidd and E. Jeff Serrano, founder of 360 Corporate Engagement Consulting
For many nonprofits, “corporate partnership” is shorthand for “corporate donation” — a check to be requested once a year and cashed with gratitude. In a recent conversation with host Wendy Kidd, corporate engagement consultant E. Jeff Serrano makes the case that this framing is holding organizations back. Real corporate support, he argues, comes from treating companies as long-term partners rather than one-time donors — and that shift in mindset changes almost everything about how nonprofits should approach the relationship.
Serrano, who runs 360 Corporate Engagement Consulting, has spent his career on both sides of the table, helping nonprofits build the kind of corporate relationships that last for years rather than a single giving cycle. Here’s what he shared.
Engagement Is Bigger Than Fundraising
The core idea running through the conversation is simple but easy to forget in the scramble to hit a fundraising goal: engagement is the process of working with a corporation, not just asking it for money. A company that only hears from a nonprofit when it’s time to renew a sponsorship check is being treated like an ATM, not a partner. Serrano encourages nonprofits to think of corporate relationships the way they’d think of an investor relationship — something that requires ongoing attention, mutual benefit, and trust-building well before (and long after) any dollars change hands.
Get Organized Before You Ask
Before approaching a company, Serrano says nonprofits need their own house in order. That starts with designating a single point of contact for corporate outreach — one person who owns the relationship, understands what the organization can offer, and has the authority (or a direct line to leadership) to say yes to a company’s requests quickly. Corporate partners move fast and expect fast answers; a nonprofit that needs a week and three committee meetings to respond to a simple question about event tickets or a site visit will lose momentum.
That same designated contact should also manage the moving parts of a partnership: sponsorship logistics, event tickets, site visits, and progress updates. Consolidating this into one role prevents the kind of disorganization that makes a nonprofit look unprepared to a corporate partner sizing it up.
Don’t Overlook In-Kind Support
One of the more actionable takeaways from the conversation is a reminder that cash isn’t the only — or even the best — starting point. Companies frequently have professional services to offer: marketing help, PR support, accounting expertise, pro bono consulting, and more. Serrano frames these in-kind contributions as genuine win-wins, and often an easier “yes” for a company than a cash check. Welcoming this kind of support isn’t a consolation prize; it’s a way to build trust and demonstrate mutual value that can pave the way toward larger, ongoing partnerships — including cash gifts — down the line.
Relationships Are a Year-Round Job
A recurring theme is that corporate partnerships shouldn’t go quiet between asks. Serrano recommends nonprofits stay in touch with corporate partners consistently throughout the year: newsletters, invitations to events, and updates on how their support is making an impact. This isn’t just good manners — it’s how a nonprofit demonstrates it sees the company as more than a funding source. Feedback should flow in both directions, too. Listening to what corporate partners say about what’s working (and what isn’t) is one of the most direct ways nonprofits can sharpen their approach over time.
Understand How Corporate Giving Actually Works
Corporate philanthropy has changed, and Serrano walks through some of the shifts nonprofits need to know about:
Companies increasingly prioritize mission alignment over broad, umbrella-style giving — they want to fund causes that connect to their brand, values, or employee interests, not just write checks to anyone who asks. Giving decisions are also less likely to rest with a single person; committees now make many corporate giving calls, which means the process is slower and more structured than it might have been in the past. And because most companies have an established process for evaluating requests, nonprofits that try to shortcut it — going around procedure to reach a decision-maker directly — tend to damage the relationship rather than speed things up.
Perhaps the most practical piece of advice: corporate giving cycles are predictable, and nonprofits should be making requests nine to twelve months in advance of when they need the support. Waiting until a few weeks before an event to approach a company is one of the most common — and avoidable — mistakes nonprofits make.
Patience Pays Off
If there’s one word Serrano returns to throughout the conversation, it’s patience. Corporate partnerships are built over months and years, not days. Nonprofits that understand a company’s timeline, come in with a clear strategic plan for what kind of support they need, and take the time to research which companies actually align with their mission will consistently outperform organizations sending generic asks to a long list of local businesses.
Putting It Into Practice
Pulling the conversation together, a few concrete steps stand out for nonprofits looking to strengthen their corporate engagement:
Designate one person to own corporate relationships and make sure they have the authority to respond quickly. Say yes to in-kind offers as readily as cash, since they build trust and often open the door to larger support later. Keep communication flowing year-round rather than only around ask season. Research companies for genuine mission alignment before reaching out, and respect their internal giving processes rather than trying to route around them. Plan asks nine to twelve months ahead of need. And build in a feedback loop with existing partners so the approach keeps improving.
None of this is complicated, but it does require treating corporate engagement as an ongoing relationship-management discipline rather than an annual fundraising task — which, according to Serrano, is exactly where most nonprofits have room to grow.
Connect with Jeff: LinkedIn · 360corporateengagement.com
Subscribe on YouTube to the Boss Level Podcast: Unlocking Corporate Support: Strategies for Nonprofits