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“How Can We Be Expansive Together?”
The Future of Nonprofit Partnerships
with United Way’s Matthew Sutton

If a corporate partner had to tell the story of working with your nonprofit, what would they say?

That question has been sitting with me since a recent conversation with my friend and one of the most thoughtful partnership builders I know, Matthew Sutton, Director of Corporate Partnerships at United Way of Greater Atlanta. Matthew and I serve together on the board of YNPN Atlanta, and over the last few years I’ve had a front-row seat to how intentionally he approaches relationships, always asking not just what’s possible, but who’s missing and how partnerships can be more expansive.

In this conversation, we didn’t just talk about corporate partnerships as a funding strategy. We talked about them as shared narratives, built slowly, rooted in trust, and designed to last.

And if you’re a nonprofit leader wondering why old partnership models suddenly feel harder, or why transactional sponsorships aren’t sticking the way they used to, this shift is exactly why.

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The Era of “One Check, One Logo” Is Ending

Matthew put words to something many nonprofit leaders are already feeling: corporate partners are no longer interested in being everywhere. They’re choosing to go deeper with fewer organizations.

Companies have moved from being “three miles wide and one inch deep” to “a mile wide and three feet deep.” Instead of spreading support across dozens of nonprofits, they’re asking:

• How does this partnership align with our business values?
• Do our employees feel connected to this work?
• Can we clearly articulate the impact we’re making together?

This shift didn’t happen overnight. COVID accelerated it. When companies poured unprecedented resources into communities, the natural follow-up question became: What changed because of this investment?

That question now sits at the center of modern corporate partnerships.

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Partnerships Now Look More Like Collaboration Than Charity

One of the most powerful reframes Matthew shared is this:
Nonprofit partnerships should feel more like for-profit collaborations.

Think about how brands co-create together, how they tell a story jointly, leverage each other’s strengths, and build something neither could do alone. That’s increasingly what companies want from nonprofit relationships too.

This means nonprofits are being invited into:

• Shared impact design, not just funded programs
• Early conversations, not just final proposals
• Storytelling that reflects both community impact and business values

It also means partnerships take longer to build and that’s not a bad thing.

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Why the Best Partnerships Can’t Be Rushed

One of the most refreshing parts of this conversation was Matthew’s honesty about time.

Deep partnerships take patience. Trust doesn’t form in a first meeting. In fact, some of the most successful partnerships he’s worked on took nearly two years to fully develop.

He compared the early stages to dating. You wouldn’t ask someone to marry you on the first date. Instead, you listen. You learn. You pay attention to who they are, not just what they can give.

For nonprofits under pressure to hit annual goals, this can feel uncomfortable. But rushing to the transaction often costs far more in the long run than slowing down to build something resilient.

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The Unexpected Power of “No”

One of my favorite stories from the episode started with a rejection.

A long-time corporate partner said “no” to continuing an employee giving campaign. At first, it felt like a loss. But that no created space for conversation: for coffee, curiosity, and mutual understanding beyond organizational titles.

That relationship eventually turned into a completely new partnership, co-designed over 24 months, involving employee engagement, curriculum development, and advocacy across the company.

The lesson? Sometimes “no” isn’t the end of the relationship but it’s the beginning of a better one.

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Why Multi-Layer Partnerships Matter More Than Ever

Corporate partners don’t just want to write a check. They want their employees to experience the impact.

The strongest partnerships today include multiple touchpoints:

• Financial investment
• Skills-based volunteering
• Employee-led program design
• Internal champions across departments

When employees are actively involved, the partnership becomes embedded inside the company, not dependent on one person or one budget line.

That depth is what makes partnerships durable, even when leadership or priorities change.

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Social Enterprise and the Search for Predictable Revenue

As the conversation evolved, we explored the growing role of social enterprise in nonprofit sustainability.

More organizations are looking for earned revenue models that align with mission while providing greater predictability. But social enterprise can feel intimidating, especially when nonprofits are risk-aware by necessity.

Matthew offered a grounding reframe: start with partnership, not perfection.

Learn from organizations already doing this well. Partner with businesses that bring operational expertise. Treat early supporters as investors, not donors. And most importantly, don’t try to build alone.

Social enterprise, when supported by the right corporate partners, can become a powerful extension of mission, not a departure from it.

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The Question Worth Sitting With

As nonprofit leaders, we spend so much time thinking about what we need from partners. This conversation flipped that lens.

What story are they telling about working with us?

Is it a story of trust? Of collaboration? Of shared wins and mutual learning?

Because when corporate partners see themselves as co-creators in your mission (not just funders) you’re no longer chasing short-term support. You’re building relationships that can sustain your work for years to come.

And that’s the future of corporate partnerships.

Resources & Links

Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn or send him an email at matthewsutton2018@gmail.com.

Check out Matthew’s book recommendations, including my book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, and Beyond Checks & Halos by Cynthia Eads Currence.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.

Join The Sustainers, my FREE Slack community for nonprofit professionals growing and scaling a recurring giving program.

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