Your company has the potential to leave a lasting impact on the world, but to do that, you’ll need the right technology at your side. For teams focused on corporate social responsibility and social impact, finding the right software to support programs is key. During the RFP process, you’ll likely encounter many platforms that promise to improve your current approach to philanthropy. With these social impact RFP best practices, you can find the best fit for your organization.
Making the choice to switch up your approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no small decision, but it can usher in a whole new era of philanthropy at your organization. Considering that the majority (76%) of employees want to work for companies that try to have a positive impact on the world, it’s well worth the effort to ensure that you have the tools to do so.
Here are some best practices to keep in mind when building an RFP for social impact and CSR tech.
Before selecting software, it helps to have a sense of what you’d like the platform you choose to do for you. To understand what you need, you’ll first want to take a step back and establish some goals for your social impact programs, whether you’re improving upon what already exists or starting from the ground up.
Some things to think about as you set goals include:
The most effective goals are specific, measurable, and realistic. For example, you might set a goal to choose a platform that will increase employee participation in your CSR programs by at least 10%.
As you prepare for the RFP process, take some time to think about how corporate social responsibility will fit into your organization’s current operations and workflow. In other words, what will CSR look like at your company, especially when it comes to corporate giving? Will it focus on employee giving and donation matching, or will it branch out into other activities, like corporate grantmaking?
It’s easy to see the potential of social impact tech and jump into pursuing software before you have a solid understanding of what your organization can gain from it. With a sense of what you’d like to achieve from your CSR programs in general, you can zoom in on why technology is the right solution for your goals.
You might, for instance, realize that social impact tech is necessary because employees aren’t engaging with your existing programs. Or perhaps your employees and program leaders alike find your current system to be confusing or inaccessible.
In this case, considering why you need technology can aid you in your search for the right match. A platform that’s built to improve the employee experience with a simple, user-friendly design would likely be a better fit in this scenario than something bulky with a high learning curve.
Throughout the RFP process, it’s absolutely essential to include any and all internal stakeholders in all decisions. This might include everyone from legal teams, payroll teams, marketing and communication departments, and, in some cases, your organization’s board of directors.
Not only does this ensure that everyone is on the same page, but it also gives every member of your team an opportunity to express their needs. The result will likely be a social impact platform that’s a much better fit for your programs.
Your expectations are set, your goals are established, and your priorities are laid out. Now, it’s time to consider your options and compare their features so that you can find a purpose match.
As you learn more about your software options during a social impact RFP, be sure to ask questions that give you insight into whether a platform ticks the right boxes.
One of the best ways to find out if a platform is a good fit is by exploring its capabilities. Not all platforms are made equal – some are more comprehensive than others. But it’s important to note that “bigger” doesn’t always mean better; that is, more expansive software isn’t necessarily the better option for your organization.
Look for software that has features to support your goals – like developing an employee volunteer program, for example, or modernizing your donation matching process – without weighing your teams down with excessive or confusing features.
It also helps to consider each vendor’s values and goals for their tech. How do these factors align with your organization’s?
Other questions to consider:
If you’re spending time, money, and resources on a new platform, it should be one that won’t drag your teams down over time.
Get an understanding of what operating and maintaining a program through your platform of choice feels like so that you can anticipate whether it’s a sustainable choice.
Other questions to consider:
Many legacy software providers have slow donation distribution timelines, meaning that charities may not see the funds donated to them for months after they’re submitted. Some platforms group donations together into monthly batches to send single payments to charities, which can make the process of accounting for individual donations and matches a hassle.
Other questions to consider:
Understanding how the software you’re interested in approaches employee privacy and platform security can help you identify platforms that meet your company’s standards.
Other questions to consider:
Make sure you understand all of the costs – including hidden fees – that come with your platform of choice. It probably doesn’t make sense to choose a platform that costs as much to maintain as you pay in donations themselves.
Other questions to consider:
Groundswell is a corporate social responsibility platform designed to modernize and democratize philanthropy. Our mission is to create tech solutions that make giving, matching, volunteering, and other CSR efforts simple and even fun. Maximize the impact of your programs with a platform that makes giving back a core part of working with your organization.
Our website is constantly growing and evolving to help professionals looking to conduct RFPs locate the information and resources they need. From pricing to platform capabilities and security certifications, our site provides you with details that can help you make the right decision for your needs.
We’re here to make social impact technology accessible to companies of all sizes so that you can engage employees, attract top talent, and retain teams of passionate, hard-working individuals.
Ready to learn more? Book a demo today to see what Groundswell can do for you.
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