How to Give Back as a Small Business Owner (Even On a Tight Budget)
You don't need a corporate budget to give back meaningfully as a founder. Shannon Kate Murray on what eight years of supporting Kurandza has taught her about generosity that lasts, and three small-budget ways to start.
Every month, it feels like there’s a day or week focused on spreading awareness for a charity or special cause. Our social media feeds become cluttered with posts about events like International Women’s Day or Earth Day, but how many of these “giving back” campaigns are actually making measurable change?
As a founder, you might want to play a part in supporting a special cause, but you’re not at the stage to sponsor a local charity or make a four-figure donation. Small businesses often have the biggest hearts, and there are plenty of ways to make a meaningful impact that don’t involve flashy marketing campaigns or giant donations. These things can often feel like they’ve been done for corporate spin.
Supporting a charity can be easier and more sustainable when it’s connected to your mission or values. Giving back is the perfect way to grow the impact that your business has on your local community.
Why Giving Back Feels Different for Small Business Owners
Small businesses feel more personal than the big corporations that are household names. Whether you live in a city or a small town, your local community knows the challenges of running a small business, and how difficult it can be to give back to others.
Many founders want to make an impact, but they feel the financial pressure to make a significant donation or sponsor a charity event. It takes an average of 2 to 3 years for a small business to start making a profit, but giving back doesn’t have to come with a price tag.
There’s no denying that social media has started to make generosity feel performative. We’ve all seen a photo of a business standing with a cheque or promoting a charity once, then never following up.
As a founder, you can give back in meaningful ways other than just by making a charitable donation. Paying fair prices, supporting your local community, and helping your small business neighbours are some of the best ways you can give back.
Start With Your Mission, Not a Random Charity
As a small business owner, you’ve probably been asked to donate or offer a prize for charities that have little or nothing to do with your business. If your business offers a service like photography or you sell products like skincare or jewellery, you’ll know the frustration of wanting to support a charity but feeling like you might be getting taken advantage of.
Making random donations can feel disconnected, as if giving back is an obligation. Instead, founders can make a greater impact by supporting causes that align with their long-term goals and mission.
The non-profits you support are not random charities. They are the ones who can take your mission further than your business alone could. Whether it’s a wildlife protection trust or free reading support for kids, you can support charitable causes that align with your company’s values and ethos in ways that make a meaningful impact.
Since 2018, I’ve been supporting Kurandza, a charity that gives the gift of education to girls in Mozambique. In 2022, I created a physical productivity planner to help them raise funds for their scholarship program, microloans, and training courses.
3 Ways to Give Back as a Small Business (Even With a Small Budget)
You don’t need the budget of a multinational corporation to make a difference. While giving back can bring good publicity to your business, it can also make you feel more connected to your community. Philanthropy and giving back have always been a core part of entrepreneurship, helping you to build a real legacy for your business.
Here are 3 ways that you can give back as a founder:
01. Donate a Small Fixed Amount Consistently
Consistency is what matters more than scale. Instead of feeling the pressure to make a bigger one-off donation, you can donate a small, fixed amount of £10 or £20 every month. You could also donate a small percentage of the profits from a specific product or service to your chosen charity.
02. Offer Your Skills or Time for Local Charities
The best way to give back without a lot of money is to donate your time or skills instead. As a female founder, you could support a charity like Inspiring Girls by offering mentoring or volunteering to support events and initiatives. Alternatively, you could support charities in your local community by donating your marketing, admin, or design services for free.
03. Support Your Community Through Everyday Business Practices
Giving back doesn’t have to be something that you do outside of your business. How you run your business matters just as much as the charities you choose to support. You can lead by example by sourcing locally where possible, supporting other small businesses, and paying your contractors fairly.
How to Make Giving Back Sustainable Long-Term
Running a small business can be unpredictable, making it harder to develop a long-term plan for supporting your chosen charity or initiatives. There are lots to consider as your business grows, from whether it’s best to give a fixed amount or a percentage and how to continue supporting your causes if your income fluctuates.
You want to avoid becoming burnt out or stretching your resources too thin. It’s best to avoid overcommitting publicly and instead start small, focusing on making contributions that energise and motivate you as an entrepreneur. Your business doesn’t have to be big to make a meaningful impact, and starting small is the key to giving back sustainably long-term.
Giving Back Intentionally As a Small Business Owner
What impact do you want your business to have? Giving back will look different to every entrepreneur and founder. You can be intentional with your time, skills, influence, and money.
While giving back may feel like a PR exercise, it’s a way of energising you as an entrepreneur and helping you make a greater impact than you’d be able to do with just your business.
Start small and stay intentional with the causes and charities that you choose to support.