I sat down with Stacy Huston, the Executive Director of SixDegrees.org, and it was one of those talks that completely re-shapes how you think about business, purpose, and impact. Stacy and the Six Degrees team have already found it, and they’re showing everyone how to make it happen.
A New Model for Corporate Social Responsibility
Stacy talked about how the non-profit world is moving beyond the traditional "check-in-the-box" approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and into something much more powerful: a model of "hyper-local philanthropy." It’s not just about donating a lump sum to a national charity. It's about empowering businesses to make a real, tangible impact in their own communities. The ‘pie’ of money is not getting bigger year over year — more non-profits are being launched while the donation dollars stay stagnant or declining.
How can you break through the noise?
Think of it like this:
Beyond the "Big Brand" Mentality: Instead of a company like Starbucks simply donating to a large, global foundation, Stacy and her team work with brands to create tailored, local initiatives. Imagine a Starbucks store in a specific neighborhood partnering directly with a local youth center, not just financially, but by having employees volunteer, host events, and become part of the community fabric.
The Power of Storytelling: A key part of SixDegrees.org's strategy is helping non-profits tell their stories. This isn't just fluffy marketing; it's about making the impact visible and emotional and breaking through the media algorithms. Businesses like Bell Bank have partnered with Six Degrees to create content that highlights the good their CSR efforts are doing on the ground. This not only inspires other businesses, but it also creates a strong, authentic brand story that resonates with customers far more than a generic ad campaign.
Advertising Week and the Power of Purpose: Stacey highlighted the work SixDegrees.org is doing with Advertising Week on a new initiative called "Purpose, Produced." It’s a groundbreaking program where they've paired a group of deserving non-profits with some of the world's top advertising agencies to create full-scale, pro-bono marketing campaigns. The goal is to give these small organizations the kind of high-level brand exposure that's typically reserved for major corporations.
Amplifying Grassroots Causes: Sixdegrees.org focuses its efforts on small, community-based non-profits, specifically those with less than $3 million in revenue. Their mission is to empower these organizations that are often overlooked by larger funders and to help them scale their impact by giving them a powerful platform. Their focus is on four key areas: youth empowerment, justice and equality, sustainable environments, and emergent issues.
Purpose as a Product: Stacy mentioned how businesses are starting to realize that their core product or service can be a tool for good. This is similar to what we're seeing from companies like Patagonia, where environmental leadership is built into the business model itself, or TOMS, which birthed the "buy one, give one" model. SixDegrees.org helps companies find that unique way their business can be a force for positive change. Again, doing good WHILE doing well :).
The Six Degrees Origin Story
If you're wondering where the name comes from, it's all thanks to Hollywood icon Kevin Bacon. He founded SixDegrees.org in 2007 on the principle that everyone is in need of human connection and that we can all be "celebrities for our own causes." The idea, of course, plays on the popular "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game. Kevin reframed the game and turned it into a powerful, global movement for good. He's still actively involved as the organization's chair, using his unique platform and celebrity to champion the work of grassroots non-profits.
This episode was a total wake-up call. It's not about being a giant corporation to make an impact; it's about being strategic, authentic, and connected to your local community. I left the episode feeling so motivated to think differently about how my own work can contribute. You should definitely check it out and see what you think.
To learn more about their mission and programs, visit SixDegrees.org
