Corporations and other businesses can be excellent sources of financial support for NGOs. In many respects, such support can be a mutually beneficial relationship. For the business, donations—both financial and in-kind donations, such as food, space or copying access—may be tax deductible or excludable. Further, supporting a local organization may provide the business with excellent advertising or public relations opportunities.

Although corporate philanthropy has been slow to develop in the region, it is a growing source of support for NGOs. USAID reports that in Bulgaria, 23% of NGOs receive support from businesses. In Romania, "while corporate philanthropy is still rare, social services and sports and cultural events are more successful at attracting sponsorship because of their great public impact and broad media coverage." Similar relationships between the corporate and NGO sectors are being built in Lithuania. From USAID, 2002 NGO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia 5-6 (2002).

The first step in approaching a potential business donor is analyzing how the company's interests overlap with the organization's needs. Appeals to businesses can emphasize how support for the organization will help publicize the business and its products. A soap manufacturer, for example, sponsored a water project in the Philippines because the manufacturer calculated that people would use more soap if running water were available. The Internet Nonprofit Center provides a helpful, step-by-step discussion of how to solicit corporate sponsorship for special events, including perspectives on soliciting small sponsors to fund a narrowly-focused event.

Recognition by the organization of a corporate or business sponsor's contribution is very important. Such recognition can be accomplished by including the statement, "sponsored by company X," in a program, brochure or web page describing the project funded.

Companies in CEE/FSU may be more receptive to requests for certain kinds of contributions. Research conducted in East Germany, Bulgaria and Slovakia indicated that a higher percentage of individuals volunteered in a commercial context than in an individual context. Organizations might contact corporations and businesses to see if they would be willing to encourage their employees to volunteer time or technical assistance (e.g., developing a web page, conducting market research, creating advertising plan), or donate in-kind resources (e.g., office space, copying services, advertising). Individuals might also ask their employers to match the employee's donation, or to donate a certain amount for every hour the employee volunteers for the organization.

Organizations might also request that businesses match other contributions, as well. The business may be willing to match donations generated in a direct mail fundraising campaign. All donors want to see their contributions leveraged, and letting individuals know that their donation will be matched can be a great incentive.

Energize, Inc.'s introduction to seeking corporate support includes a word of caution about soliciting business support. Because companies compete with each other, obtaining the support of one many mean that an organization will not get the support of its competitor. Additionally, companies have their own priorities and business support may be tied to and dependent on those priorities. Further, even if the company's priorities do not play a role in the relationship, the public's perception of a company may make the relationship less desirable for the NGO from a public relations standpoint.