Small Business Spotlight: YellowDog
YellowDog, a design, print and marketing studio in Denver’s Clayton neighborhood, completed their first-ever period product drive, collecting more than 3,500 donations.
The 2023 State of the Period report found that nearly one quarter of teens and one third of adults struggle to afford period products, resulting in missed school days, lost wages, stress and embarrassment that no one should have to experience. YellowDog Office Manager Sara Lou Klein saw this need and felt driven to help. She had previously worked with the organization Period Kits and felt strongly about equipping people who menstruate with these basic necessities. Community is one of YellowDog’s core values, and owners Jenny and Dan Mulligan threw their full support behind the initiative.
Insights into Corporate Grantmaking: Strategies from B:CIVIC Investors
Corporate grant making is one tool for supporting communities and driving social impact. We spoke with three corporate foundations, COPIC Medical Foundation, IMA Foundation and Get Grounded Foundation of GFM|CenterTable, to understand the approaches of foundations of differing sizes, maturities and focus areas. There are several common themes across the foundations:
- Focus areas address critical community needs while aligning with business strategies
- The review process incorporates many voices.
- Extending engagement with grantees and leveraging your business assets to further support and amplify impact beyond the grant.
Keep reading below for more insights on building your grantmaking strategy.
The Workforce of the Future: Spanning Five Generations Recap
When it comes to authentically uplifting employees of different generations, our expert panelists recommended leading from a place of curiosity, having mentorship programs and developing processes to share institutional knowledge. They reminded us that while labels like “Boomers” and “Gen Z” can be helpful starting points for understanding, be mindful of stereotypes and recognize that someone’s generation is only one part of their identity.
Thank you to Gina Del Castillo, Polica Houston, Mara Olsen and Ashley Woodman for sharing their insights and expertise. Thank you to Liz Gardner for being our moderator.