Many CPAs and accounting firms rely on maintaining strong relationships with their communities to keep a high profile and good reputation. These community connections take time, effort, and commitment to be of mutual benefit to the firm and the community.
Accounting firms have opportunities to share not only time and money, but expertise. The following community service ideas can help accounting firms serve and enrich their communities.
Charity Tournaments
Charity tournaments are a tried-and-true fundraising method for accounting firms. Whether golfing, bowling, softball, or even dodgeball, organizing a game or tournament for charity can boost staff morale and engage members of the community. Setting aside part of the proceeds for prize money and the rest for charity can serve as an effective incentive. Charity tournaments can be especially effective fundraising efforts as they can scale with the size and reach of the firm hosting—whether it’s a night of bowling for employees or a community-wide golf tournament.
Education and Expertise
Many accounting firms looking to give back lean on their financial and career expertise, working with students and schools. Accountants’ efforts to connect with students can correspond to the size of the organization. An individual CPA might offer to speak at a career day while a larger firm might organize a career preparedness fair at a school. Centering community service around education can help accountants connect with the community while emphasizing and demonstrating their values. Scholarships, even comparably small ones, can also change a student’s life and empower the next generation of accountants.
Office Pools
SDC CPAs founder, Dee Studler, has long used charity office pools to improve morale while giving back to the community. In the past SDC CPAs has run pools for the Super Bowl, NCAA basketball, Euro Vision, and the World Cup, donating a portion of the proceeds to local animal shelters. Office pools are an exciting, self-contained charity option with minimal expense to employees, making them an ideal starting point for firms looking to give back to the community.
Accounting firms and their communities depend on strong mutual connections, but it falls on accounting firms to reach out and make these connections. Community service opportunities including charity tournaments, educational outreach, and office pools can be invaluable for giving back and connecting a firm to its community.