Pathways to Local Partnerships in a Semi-Rural Setting: A Qualitative Study of Community Engagement and Employer-Supported Volunteering in Small and Medium Enterprises and Local Nonprofits

There remains a knowledge gap regarding the factors that drive the development of business-nonprofit partnerships in the context of employer-supported volunteering—especially in small and medium enterprises. Furthermore, there is a need to consider how enterprises operate in their cultural contexts to better understand how they support volunteering trends in Canada. This study aimed to improve understanding of the multi-level factors that foster the development of business-nonprofit partnerships in the context of employer-supported volunteering. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with community and small business actors in a semi-rural setting in Francophone Quebec. Results challenged the traditional view of volunteer support as a distinct activity, showing an integrated system of inter-dependence. Results suggest the relevance of conceptualizing small enterprises’ support of volunteering as part of an inclusive approach to community engagement. RESUMELes facteurs lies au developpement de partenariats entre entreprises et OBNL dans le contexte du benevolat appuye par l’employeur sont meconnus – particulierement au sein des petites et moyennes entreprises. Il est egalement pertinent de considerer le contexte culturel pour mieux comprendre les tendances canadiennes du benevolat appuye par l’employeur. Cette etude vise l’obtention d’une meilleure comprehension des facteurs multiniveaux associes au developpement de partenariats entreprises-OBNL dans le contexte du soutien au benevolat. Quinze entretiens semistructures ont ete effectues aupres d’acteurs du secteur communautaire et des petites entreprises dans un milieu semi-rural francophone-quebecois. Les resultats repositionnent la notion d’activites distinctes et temoignent plutot d’un systeme integre d’interdependances. Les resultats suggerent de conceptualiser le soutien au benevolat des petites entreprises au sein d’une approche inclusive d’engagement communautaire.