There’s a number that should make every business leader pay attention: companies with employee volunteer programs have workers who are five times more engaged than those at companies without one. And engaged employees stay longer, perform better, and advocate for your brand in ways no marketing budget can replicate.
So why are so many businesses still treating community involvement as an afterthought?
Community engagement has a reputation problem.
Too often, it gets filed under “nice to do when we have time” rather than recognized for what it actually is: a business lever. When companies invest in their local communities through nonprofit partnerships, volunteer programs, or board service, the returns show up in places that directly affect the bottom line.
Research consistently points to lower turnover rates, stronger team culture, and better brand trust among companies that make community involvement a real priority rather than a quarterly checkbox. The 2022 Benevity Talent Retention Study found that newer employees at companies with purpose-driven programs showed a 52% lower turnover rate compared to peers at companies without them. In an environment where recruiting and retention costs are a real concern for Northern Nevada businesses, that’s not a small thing.
Employees who volunteer gain exposure to leadership challenges, cross-sector problem solving.
What This Looks Like in Practice
The businesses that do this well are intentional about which organizations they partner with, how they engage their teams, and what outcomes they’re trying to create, both for the community and for their company.
They think about alignment:
- Does this partnership reflect our values?
- Does it develop our people?
- Does it strengthen our presence in this region?
That kind of strategic clarity is exactly what this month’s WIN Speaker Series conversation is built around.
On August 28, WIN Speaker Series is bringing together two experts who have spent their careers at the intersection of business impact and community investment.
Jeff Bryant, CEO of the Nevada Nonprofit Center, brings more than fifteen years of nonprofit leadership experience across organizational development, strategic planning, and capacity building. He knows firsthand what makes a business-nonprofit partnership work and what makes it fall apart.
Lauren Sgandurra, Director of Donor Services at the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, works with individuals and organizations to build giving strategies that create lasting local impact.
Together, they’ll walk through how real businesses are using community partnerships to build stronger teams, expand their networks, and grow their reputations in Northern Nevada.
If you want to build a stronger business while making a real difference in this community, this is a conversation worth showing up for.