Impacting Our Communities

Giving back is different at Baird. We look at community involvement as not only an opportunity to make an impact in the communities where we live and work, but also a way to amplify our associates’ voices. Whether it’s making donations to deserving organizations or volunteering together, we strive to make a real, measurable impact.

A group of Individuals pose as they visit the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business.

A man in a Baird Gives Back t-shirt holds roof rafters at a Habitat for Humanity volunteer event

Five Baird associates wearing Baird Gives Back t-shirts and hats and holding shovels at Longfellow Creek in Seattle

^$5.7
MILLION
DONATED IN 2023

BAIRD FOUNDATION

Baird Foundation serves as a cornerstone in Baird’s tradition of giving back, furthering the impact of our associates’ personal giving and the firm’s commitment to equality and opportunity for all. In 2023, Baird Foundation contributed more than $5.7 million to qualified nonprofits, including more than $3.2 million to match our associates’ gifts to deserving charities. Baird Foundation not only makes charitable and matching contributions to deserving organizations, but also serves as a resource to help our associates deepen their personal involvement with nonprofits by joining boards and serving in leadership roles.

A staple in Baird’s community involvement is our support of United Way, an organization we have contributed to for more than 65 years. We support its mission of helping children thrive in school, providing emergency food for families, cultivating financial stability, and preventing homelessness – all of which help to build stronger, more resilient communities.

In 2023, Baird’s United Way campaign raised more than $4.4 million in associate giving, which is our largest campaign to date. The donations were driven by participation across 59 U.S. offices, benefiting 99 local United Ways along with hundreds of nonprofit organizations. An additional $359,000 was also donated to United Ways through the Baird Foundation Associate Match program.

2023 Baird Foundation Giving Areas of Focus

PAUL PURCELL "KIDS WIN!" ANNUAL BAIRD EDUCATION GRANT

In 2023, the firm also continued former Chairman and CEO Paul Purcell’s legacy through the Paul Purcell “Kids Win!” Annual Baird Education Grant. Paul firmly believed that everyone, no matter their circumstances, deserved access to a quality education. These annual grants, which support educational organizations, help us make that belief a reality. Eleven nonprofits received grants totaling more than $970,000.

The 2023 Recipients of Paul Purcell “Kids Win!” Annual Baird Education Grant:

MAXIMIZING OUR IMPACT, TOGETHER

At Baird, we value the impact that can be made when motivated people come together to support a common cause. Whether it’s coming together to volunteer for a nonprofit in need, a grassroots effort to support a deserving organization, or associates’ personal giving being amplified by a Baird Foundation matching donation, Baird’s community involvement simply couldn’t thrive the way it does without this unique sense of togetherness.

A great example of this combined effort is our annual Baird Gives Back Week. In 2023, over 2,300 volunteers from more than 100 Baird offices donated nearly 8,000 volunteer hours to 223 charitable organizations. These volunteers helped prepare and serve food, tutor and mentor students, walk and play with shelter animals, work with seniors and clean up parks, riverbeds and gardens, among many other activities.

We’re also committed to supporting our talented associates, who come from different backgrounds and have a wide range of interests. This effort comes to life through our Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), which provide professional development opportunities, meaningful community outreach and more. Our ARGs are dedicated to supporting women in the workplace, deepening community involvement, supporting veterans, cultural diversity, and supporting the interests of our LGBTQ+ and next-gen associates.

The left image is a woman embracing a child while volunteering. The right image showcases Kim Fleming and Max Mann wearing Baird Gives Back t-shirts at an outdoor volunteer event.

Baird Gives Back Week

Held annually since 2009, Baird associates team up during Baird Gives Back Week, an associate-organized series of volunteering events in communities across the globe.

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MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY CONFERENCE

In November 2023, Baird hosted its second Multicultural Community Conference in Atlanta. The theme “Think. Act. Impact.” inspired open dialogue about our inclusion and diversity efforts and commitment to being the best place to work for everyone.