NRG is experimenting with a democratic way of donating $100K

Like many corporations, Pennsylvania-based energy retailer NRG has a corporate philanthropy program. Unlike many corporations, NRG is giving the public a chance to determine which nonprofits that program will support.

The company just launched a new charitable giving program called NRG Gives in time for #GivingTuesday, and to celebrate the program’s inaugural round of donations, NRG is giving the public a chance to decide where to donate $100,000.

You can vote for one of the following organizations now through Dec. 9, all of which were nominated by NRG employees:

• MANNA
• Gift of Life Family House
• Community Foundation for the Alleghenies

Although the nonprofit with the most votes will take home $100,000, NRG has committed to donating $10,000 and $5,000 to the other two nonprofits based on voting totals.

“With the season of giving upon us, it’s the perfect time to raise awareness for each of these three wonderful organizations, and just as importantly to engage our friends in the community,” said Mike Starck, general manager, NRG Retail East Region. “We encourage everyone to take a brief moment to vote often for one of these nonprofits – it’s as simple as clicking your selection online, all to give a big boost for even bigger causes.”

NRG isn’t new to corporate philanthropy. The company has donated to charities before in various ways (the company’s media flag football game is one of those ways, and, full disclosure, this year’s game enabled this reporter to donate NRG funds to Save the Children Syria and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia).

NRG Gives has experimented with the democratic online donation process before in Texas, but never in the Northeast. Given Pennsylvania is where the company has most of its customers, a process that allows those customers to guide charitable donations just makes sense.