My viewpoint may not be too popular with some of my nonprofit friends and colleagues.  But for me it’s the bedrock of what our country was founded on – freedom.  Specifically freedom of choice.

An article on the National Public Radio website has the headline: Should bank execs donate part of their paychecks to charity?

The article then opens with, “Typically big profits for a Wall Street bank translate into large bonuses for the firm’s executives. But this year’s bonus season could be tempered by an unprecedented measure: mandatory philanthropy. Goldman Sachs is reportedly considering a plan to force employees to give part of their bonuses to charity.”

Setting the subject of taxes aside . . . Forcing people to spend the money they earned in a certain way is wrong – and for me it doesn’t matter how much they earned.  Taking away my choices and dictating how I spend my income is socialism.  It’s flat out wrong in my book and contrary to what the USA stands for.

And telling people it must go to charity does not make it right.  The end doesn’t justify the means.

I faced something like this early in my working career as an employee in the for-profit world.  And I assure you I wasn’t receiving a large bonus!  Far from it.  I was told I had to give a specified percentage of my gross income to a charity my employer chose.  I fought it then and I’ll continue to fight it.

Folks, you may not like that some people earn large salaries and bonuses.  But opportunities for success without the government or anyone else restricting them are often why so many people immigrate to the U.S.  They know how precious our freedoms are.  They know how incredible it is that you can be as successful as your creativity, dedication, and talents allow in the USA.

Don’t condemn success.  Instead reach out to these people.  Congratulate them and ask if they would kindly consider sharing some of their success through a donation to your charity.  It’s the American way.

Here’s an example of charities connecting with the right business to help their cause.  In this case, the business is Major League Baseball but the principles are the same.

Last night the Phillies lost the World Series to the Yankees.  But what you may not know is that they need to have all the apparel manufactured and ready to sell before the final results of the championship games are known.

This means that the Phillies and the Yankees both had apparel and merchandise ready for market.  But since the Phillies lost, what do they do with their stuff? Give it to charity.  This way the hats, shirts and so on don’t go to waste.

Specifically World Vision receives the gifts-in-kind.  World Vision is an international antipoverty group located in Federal Way, Washington.  According to World Vision the Phillies apparel is headed for children and families in Indonesia.  They were hit by an earthquake in September.

But that’s not all they’re getting.  The Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers also sent apparel to World Vision when each team lost their league championship series.  An additional heart-warming fact is that the nonprofit says for some recipients, the baseball donations are the first new piece of clothing they have ever owned.

Now that’s a neat solution to unwanted stuff.  And it’s a good nonprofit-business partnership.

Marketing must grab people’s attention.  And it must also be relevant. I can’t begin to tell you how many ads from Madison Avenue I’ve seen that grab my attention.  However, they’re so bizarre or obscure I have no idea what they’re trying to tell me.  And I can’t see any connection whatsoever to the product.

That is NOT your objective.

But here is a fun example of an attention-getting idea that does relate to the nonprofit charity being promoted.  You’ll watch a fun video of a talented man building a house out of chocolate bars.  He’s doing this to “raise awareness about housing needs and encourage others to volunteer to build.”

Watch him build a house out of candy – http://bit.ly/2LpcVH

There are lots of great examples of how general aviation and business aviation support charities.  In fact, some nonprofits couldn’t survive without aviation.

Here’s one recent example of the giving nature of aviation.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) held their annual convention this month.  One evening featured the Corporate Angel Network Charity Benefit.  $168,000 dollars were raised during the benefit.

The Corporate Angel Network is the only charitable organization in the United States whose sole mission is to “arrange free air transportation for cancer patients traveling to treatment using the empty seats” on business and corporate aircraft.

Business aircraft and the companies that own that aircraft are helping to save lives every day.  Now those are friendly skies.

Visit the Corporate Angel Network website to learn more this great example of a nonprofit partnering with business.