Business and Non-Profit Sector: New Approaches to Collaboration

At the Impacture 2026 conference, many topics of collaboration between the business and non-profit sectors were discussed, but after the conference, one thought keeps spinning in my mind: business and non-profit organizations learn from each other.

For years, there has been a prevailing notion in Armenia and elsewhere that non-profit organizations need to learn to operate with a business mindset—more efficiently, measurably, and sales-oriented. However, the opposite question is rarely asked: what can businesses learn from non-profit organizations?

During the Impacture 2026 conference, I posed this question to Mher Abrahamyan, the Chairman of the Board of IDBank. His response was intriguing: “We have learned to better assess the needs of communities from non-profit organizations”.

In my opinion, this is a sign of change that is gradually taking shape in Armenia. Businesses no longer view non-profit organizations solely as recipients of aid but as partners that can bring real value to collaborative efforts.

Of course, not all businesses have made this transition yet. However, the movement is already noticeable. During this transition, the perception of corporate social responsibility is also changing—not as a separate addition, but as part of the mindset and strategy.

It was also noted that philosophy is important. Businesses must decide whether their investments merely temporarily alleviate problems or whether they seek to understand the deeper causes and engage in the resolution process by collaborating with the organizations closest to those issues.

In this context, non-profit organizations possess a deep understanding of social issues and their resolution mechanisms, years of experience, and direct connections with communities. Businesses, in turn, bring financial resources, management tools, and scaling opportunities. This is where the real potential for collaboration is formed.

However, in this collaboration, not only the exchange of resources is important but also the correct positioning.

A thought was voiced from the audience that I believe is very important for this conversation: it is wrong for a non-profit organization to approach a business solely from a