A Purpose-Driven Partnership: Habitat for Humanity & Thrivent

The centerpiece of my book “The Future of Purpose-Driven Branding,” is the concept of an organization creating or finding and partnering with a set of branded signature programs: branded programs that will address significant societal challenges with competence and commitment. And the central idea is that such branded signature programs will be integrated into the partner firm’s business strategy and brand so that it will enhance the business. In turn, the business will provide resources and endorsement to its signature program. It is a win-win branding play. A prime example is when Thrivent adopted Habitat for Humanity as one of its signature social program. First, let’s introduce the characters.

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity began when Millard and Linda Fuller tested the idea that those in need of housing could work beside volunteers to build affordable homes that would be partially financed by fundraising. After trying out and refining the concept in Georgia and then Africa, they founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976. Four years later, Habitat for Humanity had built 340 homes in seven countries. By 2020, it had helped more than 30 million people have homes that were newly built or restored, over 95% outside the U.S., with a volunteer effort that exceeded 1.4 million people. Its model has expanded over time.

Habitat for Humanity is one of the best nonprofits at finding active business partners. The national U.S. organization has over 100 sponsors, 20 of which are legacy sponsors who pledge over $1 million a year on an ongoing basis making rolling five-year commitments. Of this group of 20, two have been partners for over 35 years, and 16 for over eight years. In addition, there are over 80 local branches and presence in over 100 countries that involve more partners. The most significant partner in terms of impact on Habitat for Humanity’s mission is Thrivent.

About Thrivent

Thrivent is a nonprofit Fortune 500 financial services firm founded in 1902 with a heritage of helping members of church communities. It “believes that humanity thrives when people make the most of all they’ve been given” and that money is a tool not a goal. As a result, “Inspiring Generosity” and giving back is a core value.

Each of the 2 million or so Thrivent clients and employees become part of a local Thrivent Member Network, which was created in part to encourage and facilitate getting involved in helping others in need. Any network member can propose a Thrivent Action Team to address a societal need with a specific program that could be a fundraiser, an educational event or a service activity. A dedicated website provides a roadmap to find, create, fund and operate a program and a place to share the resulting experience and its impact with a story. Thrivent supports, and the team brings the passion to make it happen.

By 2022, there have been over 450,000 projects and over 50,000 stories of experiences emerging from the projects. One major source of a team mission, initiated in 2005, is to participate in building homes under Habitat for Humanity. Under the “Thrivent Builds” brand, it became a signature program representing the organization’s values and effort.

The partnership has resulted in a significant win-win for both organizations.??????

Benefits to Habitat for Humanity

• Funding and Volunteers – In the first 15 years of the partnership, Thrivent has been responsible for creating $275 million in donations to Habitat for Humanity. Having Thrivent and 19 other legacy partners provides a predictable flow of funding, which is so important to an external nonprofit with ongoing budget needs. Thrivent also contributed 6.2 million hours of volunteer time in the form of organized teams with trained, experienced people.
• Endorsement – Especially for those clients and employees of Thrivent, the fact that Habitat for Humanity has been taken on as a signature program has both meaning and emotion connected to it. It means that Habitat for Humanity has credibility not only in terms of its ability to perform, but also where its heart and passion resides.
• Engaged Supporters – The active engagement of so many in homebuilding adventures, some in Africa, for example, create a base of Habitat for Humanity loyalists that not only do but tell stories about their adventures. It also creates energy and visibility as the mission becomes vivid for more people.

Benefits to Thrivent

• Reputation as a Credible, Tested Program – Habitat for Humanity delivers. It does what it says, again and again—all over the world for nearly 50 years. The endorsements and participation of partner firms and personalities such as President Carter confirm this. As do the numbers: Habitat for Humanity is now affecting the housing of over seven million people each year, over 95% outside the U.S. Unlike a Thrivent internal social program, there is no up-front investment, startup delays or risk that the resulting program will be disappointing.
• A Strong Brand – The Habitat for Humanity brand is already established. It is visible, has clarity and is admired. It has an emotional connection. People feel good about the program and their involvement, whether building homes or supporting in other ways. They feel pride in visualizing volunteers building or repairing structures, a family gaining home ownership and a neighborhood flourishing. It engenders warm feelings.
• Image Support – The Thrivent basic “Live Generously” value comes to life functionally and emotionally with the Habitat for Humanity program. Habitat for Humanity is not an abstract idea or just words. In part, this is because its mission and values fit so well with those of Thrivent and because of the long-term commitment that Thrivent has made in the Habitat for Humanity program. By contrast, an effort that consists of aimless grants, volunteering and energy goals will have minimal impact and will look like those of other organizations.
• Engagement Opportunities–Affinity for the Thrivent brand and organization is taken to another level when there is active engagement. Volunteering to build a home in Africa, or even getting firsthand accounts of doing so, can make a connection richer and deeper than any ability to learn about activities and their result. First-hand experience makes a huge difference. Habitat for Humanity makes it easy to get employees and others involved, and the Thrivent Action Teams provide more organizational support. Further, the effort is made distinctive because of the “Thrivent Builds” brand.

This win-win partnership creates a flywheel effect: as the business gets enhanced by the nonprofit program, the nonprofit program gets more energy and resources from the business, which in turn allows the nonprofit program to do more for the business, which goes on and on. It does not involve contorting your business to meet a social purpose or checking boxes on an ESG survey. It works for society, for the social program whether it’s internal or external, and for the partner sponsoring business.

My new book covers this topic more in-depth and is available here, here and here. I’m happy to set up a podcast interview, webinar, speaking engagement or guest article on this topic. Please email me at [email protected] to coordinate.