To accurately assess levels of border giving, a comparative analysis was undertaken of corporate giving practices and policies among the top 100 maquiladoras employers in the U.S.-Mexico border relative to their giving outside the region (nationally in U.S. and Mexico and abroad). An analysis of border area corporate giving trends and existing impediments was also undertaken with the following methodology:

1. Developed a corporate giving data base of major maquiladoras employers and service providers the primary border sister-city regions: San Diego-Tijuana; Imperial Valley; Ambos Nogales; El Paso-Cd. Juarez; and  Brownsville-Matamoros;
2. Reviewed corporate giving policies of major border area employers and providers (e.g. review of web sites, social responsibility annual reports);
3. Administered a questionnaire to U.S. companies and multinational corporations (maquiladora plant managers and corporate foundation representatives) with significant maquiladora presence in the region based on employee size (top 200 maquiladora employers) to assess the level of specific corporate giving and existing impediments.  To protect the privacy of the companies and to increase participation in the study, the names of the companies participating in the study have been kept confidential.  NOTE: due to the low response rate of U.S. corporate foundation representatives, findings from surveys were not included in this study; instead, included some trends and statistics from data obtained from their websites and on-line reports.
4. Explored an analysis of potential supplier giving opportunities through a targeted questionnaire administered by Solar Tubines to its 100 suppliers serving its maquiladora operation in Tijuana.[1] 
5. Surveyed border nonprofits to assess their perception of corporate giving trends in their community.
6. Conducted interviews with selected employers identified as corporate leaders in the border region to develop case studies to highlight why these companies give.
7. Conducted a comparative analysis of corporate giving by border sub-region.
8. Developed recommendations for identifying ways in which charitable giving could be increased in the border region.