http://philanthropy.com/article/Corporate-Giving-During-Uneasy/123734/
This chat was geared towards those at non profits. I would have to agree with most of what Margaret and Bob said based on my years of doing this work at Disney. The two quotes below are responses to the question of how to approach corporate foundations.
Margaret First of all, I would say that corporate foundations tend to align with the mission of their companies and with the company’s geographic footprint. Also, because corporate foundations do so many different things, it is important to be absolutely clear about the need, how you will be addressing the need, and what difference your program will make.
Bob Good question. For one, most corporate foundations have a strong focus on process and accountability. And another, corporations tend not to waver from their commitments. Thirdly, we also tend to stick to our strategy laid out over time. As a result, if what you do falls into the “sweet spot’ of a corporate foundation’s program thrust, you can find good opportunities. Unfortunately, it’s difficult (appropriately so) to convince a corporate foundation to fund work that’s outside of their strategy.