NextGear Capital
How does helping others factor into the culture of your business?
Giving back is woven into the fabric of NextGear Capital. From our early years through today, our team members across the country are dedicated to supporting great causes and enriching the lives of others through the donation of time and money. We have many charities and causes we have supported for years. In addition, Cox Enterprises and the Cox family trace their strong belief in giving back all the way to founder James M. Cox, which is why the James M. Cox Foundation bears his name.
Please share with us the causes that are important to you and your business.
We support organizations focused on food insecurities, STEM and STEAM, community mentoring programs, diversity, inclusion and community sustainability. These include Gleaners Food Bank; Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Indiana; Keep Indianapolis Beautiful; Center for Leadership Development; Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis; Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana; and many more. We also support Cox-led efforts such its 34 by 2034 program, a social impact initiative aimed at removing obstacles and expanding access to programs to empower 34 million people to live more prosperous lives by 2034.
How do you encourage your team members to get involved?
Our team members are motivated to leave the world better than we found it. Cox Automotive provides paid time off for employees to volunteer and we provide them with opportunities such as our annual day of service to allow them to give back in the way that makes the most sense for them. We also have a program in place called Community Connections that allows team members to submit a “soft grant” for nonprofits they support in their local communities. Most recently, the James M. Cox Foundation approved a $150,000 grant for Gleaners Food Bank to purchase a refrigerated truck to service other food banks throughout Indiana.
What do you look for in a cause to determine if you will get involved? What advice can offer to others?
We look for charities that match with our core giving areas and that also stand to have the greatest impact on the lives of others and on the communities where we live and work. We have found that it’s important to seek out opportunities for employees to give not only financially, but with their time and talents. As a result, they can give back in the way that works best for them, and our charitable partners receive the maximum benefit of what our team has to offer. We have relationships with charities that span many years and that has allowed us to make the most impact as well as ensure we are providing our employees with meaningful opportunities.