Giving Compass' Take:

• TriplePundit interviews Tim Smith, Head of Pledge 1% Boston and Senior Director at The Boston Foundation, about new Corporate Social Responsibility trends and how motivating even a small portion of business resources for philanthropic purposes can be a game-changer.

• It's encouraging to find that companies are being smarter about their giving strategies, but the nonprofit sector can play a big role in making sure partnerships are maximized for impact through the funder collaboratives mentioned here.

• Here's a survey that shows how well CSR jobs are embedded across different departments.

Pledge 1% is a global movement that encourages and challenges both individuals and companies to Pledge 1% of equity, profit, product, and time for their communities. I had the exciting opportunity to speak with Tim Smith, Head of Pledge 1% Boston and Senior Director at The Boston Foundation to learn about the newest trends in philanthropy and the unique role he plays in driving change in his local community.

TRIPLEPUNDIT: What are the newest trends in cross-sector CSR and philanthropy you see from your vantage point?

TIM SMITH: The number one trend is efficiency. Companies used to make grants here and there and sponsor events, but now they are focusing on creating deep, multi-year partnerships with fewer nonprofits. They are looking at how funding can be amplified by employee time and product donation, and how their employees can give back along all of these different dimensions.

Companies are also working together through funder collaboratives, where a leading entity might define an issue in the community and, instead of one company taking the lead, they leverage the support of community foundations or philanthropic organizations. This approach is less focused on a company’s individual brand or funds, and more about the overall impact. On the nonprofit side, nonprofits are starting to understand that companies are only a small piece of the funding pie and that there is value in individual cultivation.

Read the full article about Pledge 1% Boston and trends in CSR by Lauren Chasanoff at TriplePundit.