Motivations for Establishing a Corporate Foundation in Australia

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ABSTRACT Similar to other countries, Australian firms are increasingly using corporate foundations (CFs) to manage their philanthropic giving. While research has explored the global expansion of CFs, there has been limited understanding on why they are established. This study involving 16 Australian CF managers used qualitative thematic analysis to identify the following four motivational factors that most influence organizational establishment of CFs: 1) centralizing corporate giving; 2) stakeholder influences; 3) financial advantages of foundation structure; and 4) strategic benefits to the establishing firm. The results suggest most Australian firms establish CFs to undertake strategic philanthropy, assisting those in need while capitalizing on the legitimizing social benefits. Many also use it to market activities to their staff, thereby enhancing internal engagement and retention. Yet despite such positive benefits, there is rarely a reduction in principal-agency costs when using a structured CF controlled by corporate executives rather than ad-hoc corporate giving. Furthermore, the decision to establish a CF is often based on normative isomorphism (copying competitors). Additionally, no CFs were established for direct taxation benefits, rather most were focused on the tax benefits associated with employee giving and donations from the general public. The uniqueness of these results, compared with other research, suggests there could be differing motivations to establish CFs based on the organization and the environment of the country where it is located.