Ellen Burts-Cooper, senior managing partner of personal and professional development training firm Improve Consulting and Training Group LLC, makes giving back a priority for her staff. Employees are required to contribute to the community in at least one of the following three ways: a minimum of four volunteer hours; a financial or material donation; or use of their skills to help, such as offering project assistance.
Their efforts make a big impact, including the building of the Kaboom Playground for Imagine Cleveland Schools in 2012, and providing leadership training for more than 1,000 students annually.
Burts-Cooper holds the company to the same standard as a whole. Improve Consulting and Training Group offers either pro bono or at least a 50 percent discount to numerous nonprofit clients, including National Black MBA Association Cleveland and National, Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Foundation, Girl Scouts of Northeastern Ohio, Cleveland Metroparks, Center for Families and Children, Cleveland Public Library, YWCA Greater Cleveland and many more.
Revenue generated from youth development services is donated back into the community in the form of scholarships, internships, school supplies, college application fee and computers.
The company contributed $25,000 to the Cleveland Foundation to establish the Bagby Palmer Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2011 and gave $5,000 in additional scholarships that year. A $1,000 donation was also made to the National Urban League. In 2012, contributions to additional scholarships rose to $8,000, and the organization donated more than $16,000 in supplies to local nonprofits. Corporate financial contributions for 2011 and 2012 totaled $42,000.
Improve Consulting and Training Group’s efforts on an employee and company level ensure Northeast Ohio continues to be a great place for people and organizations to flourish.
How to reach: Improve Consulting and Training Group, (216) 539-8737 or www.improveconsulting.biz
