Allen businesses that want to support local causes now have a structured way to find nonprofits that need them.

The Allen Chamber of Commerce held the inaugural meeting of its Nonprofit Industry Council on Aug. 3 at Credit Union of Texas, bringing local nonprofits and companies together in a speed-pitch format.

The council is chaired by Laurie Roberts, founder of Allen-based nonprofit Grateful Gratitude, which she started in 2018 according to a Voyage Dallas profile.

The chamber said the council addresses two problems it kept hearing about: companies want to give back but don't know where to plug in, and nonprofits need a direct line to those willing partners. The chamber described the rationale in a blog post published Aug. 9.

The format is built for speed. Each nonprofit gets one minute to describe its mission, the population it serves and its current needs, whether that's funding, donated items, volunteers or professional contacts. Each business gets one minute to explain what causes it cares about and what it can offer.

After the meeting wraps, chamber staff send every attendee a contact list of fellow participants. They also compile the needs each nonprofit mentioned into a running document shared with the broader business community, giving companies that couldn't attend a way to connect later.

Credit Union of Texas hosted the Aug. 3 session and provided lunch for attendees. The Allen-based financial institution, led by president and CEO Eric Pointer, will host again when the council meets next.

The Nonprofit Industry Council is one of several chamber engagement groups tied to the organization's strategic plan goal of building an "Engaged Community." Residents or organizations interested in joining can contact the chamber at [email protected].

The next meeting is set for Nov. 12 at CUTX's Allen location; registration has not yet opened.