How to Build a % of Revenue Giving Model Into Your Business

Giving back doesn’t have to be complicated and one of the simplest, most scalable ways to do it is by allocating a small percentage of your revenue or profit to a cause that matters to you.

It’s a model that works for solo operators and large companies alike. It gives your team and customers clarity around your social impact, and most importantly - it builds giving into the culture of your business and it’s operations.

In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to design and implement a percentage-based giving model that’s both meaningful and manageable.

Step 1: Decide where you are giving from - Revenue or Profit?

This is a strategic choice, and both approaches have benefits:
- Revenue: Simple to track, more predictable, and doesn’t vary with your expenses. A popular option is to choose between 1% and 5% of top-line revenue.
- Profit: More flexible and responsive to business performance - especially helpful if cash flow is a concern.

Pro Tip: Start small. Even 0.5% of revenue can make a difference when done consistently.

Step 2: Choose a cause or NFP that aligns with your values

Your giving model should feel personal and connected to your business purpose. Ask yourself:
- What issues or causes matter most to our team?
- What aligns with our customer base?
- Are there local or grassroots organisations we’d prefer to support?

You can:
- Pick one long-term partner for simplicity
- Rotate causes quarterly or annually
- Let staff or customers vote from a shortlist

Pro Tip: Fewer causes = more impact and easier reporting.

Step 3: Decide how often you’ll give

Keep it simple and regular:
- Monthly or quarterly contributions work well for cash flow and tracking
- Annual giving may be easier for smaller businesses or those with seasonal cycles

Pro Tip: Make it predictable and commit to a calendar reminder or finance process so it doesn’t get forgotten.

Step 4: Build it into your operations

To make your giving model sustainable, treat it like any other part of your business:

- Include it in your financial forecasting, just like marketing or wages.

- Add it to your invoicing, sales material and even email signatures e.g. “1% of all revenue this month goes to [charity name] as part of our Giving Program.”
- Automate the transfer - set up a regular payment to your chosen charity.

This reinforces the message with your clients and makes the giving real.

Step 5: Track, Measure, Report

Show your impact - even if it’s small at first.

- Tally how much you’ve contributed over time.
- Share updates with your team and customers: “This quarter, we donated $X to support Y.”
- Ask your charity partner for stories, photos, or testimonials (with permission) to bring your impact to life.

You don’t need a time consuming, lengthy impact report - just something transparent, clear and human.

Step 6: Involve your people

Whether it’s your team, your customers, or your broader community - get others involved:

- Ask your team to help choose the charity each time you cycle to the next cause
- Celebrate donation milestones together through team and customer communications
- Use your giving as a way to connect internally by including this in your team meetings as a fixed agenda item and a summary at the end of each quarter or year

Giving is more powerful when it’s shared.

Final Thoughts

A percentage-based giving model is more than just a donation. It’s a commitment to weaving purpose into the way you do business.

By setting up a clear and consistent process, you’ll avoid the decision fatigue and operational strain of one-off giving programs and initiatives, instead creating something that grows with your business.

Start small. Stay consistent. And remember: It’s not the amount; it’s the intention and impact that counts.

This is general guidance. Want to know more? For tailored support on embedding giving into your business model, book a consult here - it’s how we give back.