As the disposable income of people in the West has increased over the decades there has been a massive rise in the number of charities striving to raise money for causes. Charity has become big business.
If you take a look at some of the biggest exhibitions in the world, such as those in Munich and Hong Kong, charities are often featured, and quite frequently have pretty impressive stands. This is a sign of the times.
Regular exhibitors
Many charities are regular exhibitors at conference centres around the world. For example world vision attend festivals and exhibitions regularly, as does the WWF, Cancer research UK and most of the big players in the industry.
Corporate charity partnerships are becoming more and more frequent, and increasingly visible. The role that the Internet has to play in businesses these days means that a strong charity partnership can do wonders for a brand image. As well as all the good things that happen through the charity partnership, such as raising money, awareness and saving lives, the businesses also benefit through tax benefits and creating a better image of themselves in the industry in which they operate.
It isn’t just traditional partnerships
Some businesses are getting quite innovative in the way that they support charities. For example
Marley Haley have, for five years, been running a competition to find a deserving charity to receive free exhibition equipment from them. This year’s competition will see one charity walk away with £300 worth of kit from the
Marley Harley website. With 37 entrants it is clear that exhibition equipment and displays are important to charities in today’s fundraising world.
Many people complain about the amounts of contacts they get from charities. You will often hear people saying “you can’t walk down the street these days without being absconded by someone asking for money”. The reality though is that charities are making Britain a better place, and that many get very little government funding. These corporate charity partnerships are vital to the lives of many around the UK, and around the world.
