By Marie LeBlanc, Community Partnerships Coordinator

Sometimes, words on a page just aren’t enough. The Catalogue for Philanthropy exists to make connections between caring citizens and worthy community causes, and generally relies on the words and images of our print catalogue and website to accomplish that mission. However, sometimes even the most moving words and images don’t make the same impact as a face-to-face interaction. Yesterday, the staff of Catalogue’s Corporate Portal Partner Anybill had the opportunity to meet with a Catalogue nonprofit leader from the Dance Institute of Washington and hear about the organization’s work in person.

As the Catalogue continues to roll out the Corporate Portal (a work-place giving tool featuring the Catalogue’s community of “One of the Best” nonprofits), we’re planning speaking events with our nonprofits leaders to build excitement and energy around giving through the Portal. Anybill employees participated in our first Brown Bag Lunch event, which featured the Dance Institute’s Founder and Artistic Director Fabian Barnes. Hearing Fabian’s words about the impact of dance on his own life, as well as the lives of his students, made an impression on the staff of Anybill. Fabian’s own journey — “I went from being at-risk to being on the great stages of the world” — shows the positive impact that engagement in the arts can have on youth, and the importance of continuing to support arts programs for students.

The Corporate Portal and associated programming allows both companies and nonprofits to create more meaningful connections, benefiting both sides. Companies can identify a common cause around which to unite and support — increasing employee engagement and satisfaction. Nonprofits benefit from that support and the opportunity to develop a wider network of supporters — volunteers, board members or donors. We look forward to seeing the partnership between Anybill and DIW grow during the coming months!

The Catalogue encourages all nonprofits to take note of the impact of personal interactions with donors and other stakeholders — seek out those opportunities and take advantage of them to the max, reflecting about the best way to share your organization’s story and establish an emotional connection with your audience, whether one person or a hundred people.