Profit in Charity: How businesses partnering with nonprofits helps everyone's bottom line.

• Author: O'Hanley, Tara
• Position: NONPROFIT

Sixty-six years ago, a group of eighteen business leaders created the United Good Neighbor Fund, forming a board of directors that is now known as United Way of Anchorage. This early partnership between business leaders and nonprofit community-building organizations set the stage for a symbiotic relationship that continues to benefit the state.

"I think we all know what community we want to live in, and for our businesses, where they want their staff to be able to live, where they want their children to grow up," explains Clark Halvorson, president and CEO of United Way of Anchorage. "Partnering with businesses to help create that community... doesn't just help the folks who live there. It also helps the businesses and their ability to recruit and retain really great employees."

United Way entered into one of its longest-lasting partnerships almost fifty years ago with the entity that became Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. "Their wanting and willingness to give back to the community is almost hardwired into the DNA of the organization," according to Halvorson, whose staff recently provided Alyeska with photos from the earliest teaming events for the thennascent organization.

In the same way they have built up essential infrastructure, many of the largest organizations in Alaska have helped to weave a social network to support people across the state. ConocoPhillips Alaska has "been an amazing partner" to the United Way of Anchorage, according to Halvorson, providing "years and years and over a million dollars invested into the United Way initiatives and our food drives." He cites the Alaska Railroad Corporation as another company that's been giving back to the community for over a hundred years, creating lasting change. Alaska's legacy corporations were far ahead of the curve when it comes to nonprofit partnerships, now recognized as a powerful strategy for business development.

Relationshipping

Since entering the Alaska market through acquiring Horizon Lines in 2015, shipping company Matson has invested millions of dollars in funding and in-kind services across the state. "One of Matson's long-held values is a deep commitment to improving the quality of life and communities that we serve and making sure that we're a good neighbor," says Dylan Faber, Matson's government and community affairs manager for Alaska. "When communities are a better place, employees are happier, they're proud to work for Matson, and they're proud to be out there making a difference beyond...