Eighty-two percent of consumers consider community involvement when deciding where to spend their money for a product or service. Having an engagement plan offers many benefits for an organization, including increased interactions between colleagues, networking with other businesses, and an overall aura of positivity when contributing to the community or a specific cause.

On this episode of Like It's Your Job, hosts David Shields, Principal at Shields Legal Group, and Matt Shields, CIO at Shields Capital Group, talked with Monica Smith, Chief Giving and Community Impact officer for Communities Foundation of Texas, and JJ Ponce, Director, Communities Foundation of Texas. Communities Foundation of Texas works side by side with caring donors, committed nonprofits, philanthropy-focused businesses, and civic leaders to help build communities that thrive for all. The group discussed how corporate citizenship can be empowering for organizations and some advice on how an organization can get started.

“As a community foundation, we have two different sides of our work," Smith said of CFT, who works with donors, families, and businesses to engage them in meaningful philanthropy.

Through the years, CFT has developed so many great relationships with all different types of organizations that are trying to serve a community. When you engage with CFT for business, you have the ability to pick your way of helping people.

"The key takeaway is you just have to get started," Smith said. "So many complex issues are facing North Texas and really the world right now, but the lesson is obviously if we all band together and work together, we can accomplish so much more than any of us can do on our own."