Interesting article in this week's Chronicle of Philanthropy about two recent reports by LBG Associates on Community Involvement. One report covers domestic and the other international corporate philanthropic activities.

The LBG Associates report is important for highlighting how corporations are giving back to their community. The short story says they aren't.

Beyond this report is work within Brody Weiser Burns that speaks to the concept of Corporate Involvement as valuing markets otherwise not viewed as good areas to do business. For instance, corporate involvement could include opening a grocery store in a community that doesn't have one or providing home insurance that enables a whole lot of low-income folks to then acquire property.

To see a much better explanation, check out the book by John Weiser, Untapped: Creating Value in Underserved Markets. This book is a practical guide for managers on how to buy from, hire from, and sell to underserved markets in ways that create benefits for corporations and communities alike. Visit www.untappedbook.com for more information on this topic.