In late 2017 Ed Satell shared his long-term vision with the Advisory Board of the Satell Institute for the Institute’s Membership goal of 10,000 companies and foundations supporting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) across the country. This would have a giving impact of over a billion dollars a year to nonprofits of the members’ choice.
This vision is based on an expansion formula for the Institute’s success, pioneered in the Philadelphia region, that could be replicated and grown in other communities across the country.
A Long-term Reality
Today, this bold vision is growing into a long-term reality. A second chapter of the Satell Institute was recently started in Central Pennsylvania including Harrisburg, Reading, Lancaster, York and the surrounding areas, adding to the large and still growing chapter in Philadelphia. Already tens of millions of dollars of long-term funding support have been committed to nonprofits through the Satell Institute. Founding Board Members from the Philadelphia region provided important “warm introductions” to the mission and scope of the Institute to fellow CEOs located in the expanded region. After informational meetings, key leaders dedicated to CSR were identified and the Central Pennsylvania Chapter Board was formed.
Local Board Members identify fellow CEOs in the new region who they believe support Corporate Social Responsibility, thinking it adds significant value to both their company and the attractiveness of the community. Now the work of further developing this Chapter is underway. Already new company members have joined by committing a minimum of $25,000 a year for four years, with 100% of the funds going to a nonprofit of each contributing member’s choice. They believe that together (with their individual choices) they can do much more for the well-being of a community than any company can do by itself.
Private CEO Conference
Many new company members also learn about the Satell Institute by being invited to attend one of its private semi-annual CEO Conferences where they learn more about the significant value of CSR to their company and the communities where they live and work. At these conferences, in addition to prominent business speakers, one of the highlights is the small round table discussions where unique and highly-valued idea exchange takes place among the CEOs that makes many of them want to come back for the next Conference.
Members candidly share what they are attracted to, and focus on the Institute’s distinctive features—its endowment which covers the Institute’s expenses so there are no dues or membership fees; its Member-led structure; its cause-agnostic selection of nonprofits chosen by each member; its championing the four-year commitment for nonprofit funding providing the nonprofits with a much more reliable financial planning cycle; and its recognition of and support for the significant benefit of free enterprise values to society.
Later Expansion
Mirroring the Central PA pattern, next will come another Chapter expansion to the Greater Hartford Connecticut area in the fall. Later, the expanding growth areas are expected to include New York City, West Chester County NY, Long Island, Boston, Northern New Jersey, Baltimore-Washington, and Pittsburgh.
We continue to thank all the Member and Nonprofit CEOs who have recognized and collaborated to make the vision an impactful reality. The Satell Institute is proud of its growing Collective Force of Businesses and Private Foundations Members Partnering with Nonprofits to Serve the Greater Good™.
Satell Institute Growth Continues
Membership at SI continues to grow with companies and private foundations choosing to support Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Differential Venture Partners
This week we are glad to include an extraordinary and agile twenty-first century firm, Differential Venture Partners. Dedicated to CSR, with B2B clientele and with decades of operational and investing experience, Differential Venture Partners focuses on companies with a “unique advantage” in data or machine intelligence.
Their Co-Founder and Managing Partner has chosen to support four exceptional regional nonprofits, each at $25,000 per year or above. We proudly welcome Differential as a Corporate Member, and its selected nonprofits as Nonprofit Affiliates of the Institute.