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Border Philanthropy Partnership Releases First Ever Study of Corporate Giving Trends
along Mexico’s Northern Border

In an effort to better assess current corporate giving trends among maquiladoras along Mexico´s border region the Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) commissioned a study to review the level of giving and volunteerism among the leading maquiladoras from Tijuana to Matamoros. The study is the first of its kind focusing on corporate giving in the U.S.-Mexico border region.

The study assesses general levels of giving by Mexico’s maquiladora industry to better understand their philanthropic policies.  It identifies and describes specific cases of community participation by maquiladoras, and assesses some of the outreach efforts of nonprofit groups that are actively working with companies operating maquiladoras in the border region.

Surveys were conducted among nonprofits, maquiladoras, and corporations that operate in the six Mexican border-states (Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas).  Over 800 maquiladora facilities were surveyed, with 110 maquiladoras from Fortune 500 companies and major third country multi-nationals participating in the study.  The sample set represented 8.2 % of total maquila employment along Mexico’s northern border. Additionally, 50 Mexican border area nonprofit leaders were surveyed to gauge their perceptions of corporate giving in the region.

The study found that while there are notable exceptions of corporations setting the standard through their philanthropic leadership, the vast majority of companies operating maquiladoras along Mexico’s northern border engage in low levels of charitable giving in Mexican border communities when compared to contributions made to comparable nonprofits in the United States.  Of the companies surveyed 65.5% claimed to have contributed $10,000 or less in combined cash donations to charitable causes annually along the Mexican northern border, while 25.5% claimed to have contributed nothing.  Only 9.1% said that they gave over $10,000 annually. 

The study examines key reasons for the low level of corporate giving which includes a Mexican tax regime that dis-incentivizes maquiladora operators from giving charitably; weak linkages between a company´s headquarters corporate giving programs and/or corporate foundation and their maquila plant managers; a limited number of border area nonprofits positioned to quality for corporate donations; and a need for more pro-active outreach on the part of border area charities to better understand the corporate giving needs of area maquilas.

The study was a year-long research project that was funded in great part by the Ford Foundation and led by a team composed of four member organizations of the BPP: the International Community Foundation (ICF), the Synergos Institute, the Fundación Empresarial Sonorense, A.C. (FESAC), El Paso Community Foundation and an independent consulting firm, Crossborder Business Associates.  In addition to exploring current giving trends, it also suggests steps for eliminating the challenges and impediments that hinder corporate giving along Mexico’s northern border; from legislative reforms to offering alternatives to how corporations and nonprofits can collaborate. 

To review the study´s complete findings, please refer to:
http://www.icfdn.org/publications/cs/index.htm

or

www.borderpartnership.org/events/announcements.html