Today I checked a fun goal off my bucket list. Not only did I get to visit Starbucks Headquarters in Seattle, Washington, but I also got to talk about cause marketing to a group of corporate contribution professionals from some of the best companies in the country. It was all part of ACCP's Corporate Contribution Academy.

Like cause marketing, my partnership with Starbucks has always been win-win. So it was exciting to visit the mothership in Seattle to talk about cutting edge cause marketing at a company that has had so many innovative campaigns.

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Tara Darrow, Director of Public Affairs & Corporate Social Responsibility for Nordstrom, about Treasure&Bond, Nordstrom’s private label, give-back brand. Since the brand's inception in 2014, Nordstrom raised $440,000 for charities like Girls Inc., Girls on the Run and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Megan, Tara and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Sharon Yon-Johansson, Community Affairs Manager for Stripes | Sunoco Convenience Stores, about an in-store cause marketing program that raised a $1.2 million for Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Megan, Sharon and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Julie Hirshey, Director of Community Relations for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, about the Eagles Care Program and their capacity building efforts for nonprofits in the Greater Philadelphia area.  

Megan, Julie and Joe discuss...

This year, as part of Be Good to Each Other, CustomInk is selling a Unity Day t-shirt that will benefit PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, which educates communities nationwide to address bullying through creative strategies and resources. 

Unity Day will take place on Wednesday, October 21st.

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Keith Nowak, Director of Marketing Communications at Travelocity, about the results of its recent Travel for Good Survey and plans to expand its Travel for Good program to help people achieve their dreams of philanthropic travel!

Megan, Keith and I discuss...

My newest infographic highlights the six top cause marketing fundraisers. They include checkout programs, percentage of sales fundraisers, buy-one give one, action-triggered donations and cause products.

Which ones are your nonprofit or business currently using?

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Scott Welch, Global Corporate Relations Manager, at Columbia Sportswear Company about their national cause marketing program with the National Park Foundation called Find Your Park. 

The program encouraged people to discover and share their special park. Participants also earned the chance to win a special week-long trip to the incredible Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado.

Megan, Scott and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Randy Paynter, Founder and CEO of Care2, a social network of 32 million citizen-activists who are using and supporting petitions to make the world a better place. 

Megan, Randy and I discuss....

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Genevieve Martin, Executive Director of the Dave's Killer Bread Foundation, about the brand's success with "Second Chance Employment" for people with criminal backgrounds. The goal of the newly created foundation is to offer inspiration and advice to businesses who want to join Dave's as second chance employers.

Megan, Genevieve and I discuss....

Readers have been asking for a cause marketing cheat sheet for a while. And thanks to the support of the t-shirt fundraising site Booster it finally got done!

Bookmark it, save it, print it out and share it with your colleagues or anyone who is interested in what cause marketing is and what it's all about. Also, be sure to check out the resources I included below the infographic.

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Stuart McAllister, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Food Service Segment of Dole Packaged Foods, about Dole's partnership with celebrity chef Roy Choi on starting a healthy eating movement in Los Angeles.

Megan, Stuart and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Jamie Richardson, Vice President at White Castle, about the quick-serve chain's register fundraiser for Autism Speaks that raised $909,000 - a 48 percent increase over the previous year.

Megan, Jamie and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan I talk to Mark Epstein, Co-founder & CEO of The People's Operator (TPO).

The People's Operator is a socially conscious mobile provider based in the U.K. has launched its service stateside with the help of Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. The company donates 10% of its subscribers' monthly bills to a cause of their choice. In addition, the company donates 25% of its profits to charity as well.

Megan, Mark and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to William MacAskill, associate professor at Oxford University and author of a great new book: Doing Good Better. 

Will is one of the cofounders and leading voices of effective altruism, which he calls "Generosity for Nerds."

Effective altruism is all about maximizing your positive impact on the world (through volunteering, charitable donations, etc.), and it's been getting a lot of traction lately.

On today's show, Megan, Will and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Rob Goldstein, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Development, ALS Therapy Development Institute in Cambridge, MA, about the 2015 Ice Bucket Challenge.

ALS TDI is one of 18 ALS-related organizations in the Collaboration for the Cure that are working to coordinate a successful Ice Bucket Challenge this month.

Megan, Rob and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Marco Crespo, Business Director at the Ayrton Senna Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, about the rise and development of cause marketing in the world's 5th largest country.

Ayrton Senna Institute is an education-focused nonprofit organization created by the sister of three-time Formula One world champion, Ayrton Senna.

Megan, Marco and I discuss....

The Ice Bucket Challenge returns on Friday, July 31st. Here’s a look back at the origins of last year’s challenge and the potential for another viral home run this summer.

So when exactly did the Cold Water Challenge become the Ice Bucket Challenge? It didn’t. While the former was getting most of the attention - both good and bad - in May 2014, do-gooders had been pouring water and ice on their heads for charity for at least a year....