Lunch with Legal Counsel: Motivations for Corporate Giving – Proceed with Caution!

Suzanne Friday, Senior Legal Counsel and Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Council, discussed the goals and motivations driving corporate giving, with a particular focus on corporate foundations.

After a brief review of the applicable legal rules, they discuss how corporate foundations can focus giving in different ways and for different purposes. Whether it is limiting grantmaking activity to the communities or populations the corporation serves, assisting company employees in times of hardship or disaster, funding research in areas related to the company’s business, or simply generating goodwill for the company, we will discuss legal issues that might arise as well as recent criticism surrounding corporate giving for perceived political influence.