A Nonprofit Guide to Employer Appends Educational Resources

A Nonprofit Guide to Employer Appends Educational Resources

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Data is the currency of the modern nonprofit sector, yet so many organizations are operating with empty pockets when it comes to employment information. You likely know your donors’ names, email addresses, and donation history, but do you know where they work? If that field in your CRM is blank, you are missing the master key to unlocking corporate philanthropy. To solve this, you need to understand data enrichment, and that starts with finding the right Employer Appends educational resources.

Navigating the technical world of data appends can feel overwhelming without the right guidance. It is not just about buying data; it is about understanding how to clean your current records, how to select a vendor that understands the nuances of matching gifts, and how to ethically and effectively use that new information to raise more money. Whether you are a database manager looking for technical specs or a development director looking for ROI stats, having a curated library of knowledge is essential.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

To help you master this strategy, we have compiled a comprehensive list of articles, guides, webinars, and videos. These resources will take you from a novice understanding of data enrichment to an expert level of execution, ensuring you never leave corporate revenue on the table again.

The Fundamentals of Employer Appending

Before you can implement a strategy, you must understand the mechanism behind it. At its core, an employer append is a data enrichment service where a third-party provider takes your existing donor contact information—such as names, addresses, and emails—and matches it against massive external databases to identify their employer.

However, the nuance lies in the details. General marketing appends might give you a company name, but nonprofit-specific appends give you philanthropic context. The resources below provide a foundational understanding of what the process entails and how it specifically benefits charitable organizations.

Recommended Reading:

  • Employer Appends Ultimate Guide: For a complete overview of the definition, process, and benefits, start with the Double the Donation Employer Appends Guide. This is your “101” level course material that explains the basics of how data is matched and returned.
  • Employer Appending Explained: If you are looking for a breakdown of how this integrates with matching gift automation, read Employer Appending Explained. This resource bridges the gap between raw data and fundraising software.
  • Frequently Asked Questions: You likely have specific questions about match rates, costs, and turnaround times. The Employer Appends FAQ covers the most common inquiries development teams have before signing a contract.
  • Supercharge Workplace Giving Revenue with Employer Appends: Access our free downloadable resource to take a deeper dive into all things employer appending!

Did You Know? Employer appends often rely on “fuzzy matching” logic. This means that even if a donor uses a nickname (like “Bill” instead of “William”) or has a slight variation in their address, sophisticated algorithms can still identify them and find their employer with a high degree of confidence.

Determining If Appends Are Right for Your Organization

Data enrichment is a powerful tool, but it requires an investment of resources. Is your nonprofit ready for it? Not every organization needs an append immediately. Factors such as the size of your database, the age of your data, and your current fundraising goals play a significant role in this decision.

Before you allocate budget to this, you need to assess your internal readiness. Do you have enough records to make the minimum batch size worthwhile? Is your data recent enough to yield good match rates? The resources below act as a diagnostic tool to help you evaluate your specific situation.

Recommended Reading:

  • Is an Employer Append Right for Your Nonprofit? This article acts as a checklist for your development team. Read Is an Employer Append Right for Your Nonprofit? to evaluate your donor list size, average gift size, and internal capacity to handle new data.

Data Collection Strategies: Asking vs. Appending

A common debate in the nonprofit tech space is whether you should rely on technology to find data or simply ask donors to provide it themselves. The answer is rarely one or the other; it is usually a combination of both.

Asking donors for their employer information during the donation process is the most cost-effective method and yields the highest accuracy because it comes directly from the source. However, conversion rates on optional fields can be low, leaving you with gaps. Appends fill those gaps. Understanding the interplay between these two strategies is vital for a holistic data health plan.

Recommended Reading:

  • Asking for Employer Info vs. Using Appends: This guide breaks down the pros and cons of organic data collection versus third-party enrichment. It helps you find the balance between optimizing donation form conversion rates and maximizing data completeness. Read more at Asking for Employer Info vs. Using Appends.
  • Employer Appending Workplace Giving Donor Profiles: Once you have the data, what does a complete profile look like? This resource visualizes how appending transforms a standard donor record into a workplace giving powerhouse. See Employer Appending Workplace Giving Donor Profiles.

Quick Tip: Don’t wait for an append to start collecting data. Add an optional “Employer” field to your donation page today. If you use a tool like Double the Donation, you can include a search bar that auto-completes company names, making it easy for donors to give you this valuable information for free.

The Power of Data: Statistics and Success Metrics

If you need to convince your board or executive director to invest in Employer Appends educational resources and services, you need hard numbers. Anecdotal evidence is helpful, but statistics drive budget approvals.

Understanding the potential return on investment (ROI) is crucial. How much revenue is actually hiding in your database? What is the typical match rate you can expect? Armed with these statistics, you can build a compelling business case for data enrichment.

Recommended Reading:

  • Employer Append Statistics to Know: This resource compiles key data points regarding match rates, corporate giving participation, and the revenue lift organizations see after enriching their data. It is essential reading for building your internal pitch. Check out Employer Append Statistics.

These statistics often reveal that knowing a donor’s employer is not just a “nice to have.” It is a direct revenue driver. For example, simply reminding a donor that their specific employer matches gifts can increase response rates by 71 percent. You cannot send that reminder if you do not know the employer.

Visual Learning: Webinars and Video Guides

Sometimes, reading a guide isn’t enough. You need to see the process in action or hear experts discuss the nuances of strategy. Video content and webinars are excellent for visual learners and for teams that want to do a deep dive into specific use cases, such as volunteer grants.

The following resources provide dynamic, expert-led sessions that walk you through the “how-to” of employer appends.

Watch and Learn (Quick Videos):

Deep Dive Webinars:

Technical Deep Dives and Provider Selection

Once you are educated on the concept, the final step is the execution. This involves selecting a provider and understanding the technical workflow. Not all data providers are created equal; general marketing firms might give you an employer name, but they won’t tell you if that employer matches gifts.

You need a partner that specializes in philanthropic data. This ensures that the information you receive is actionable. For instance, knowing a donor works at “General Electric” is good, but knowing “General Electric matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio up to $5,000” is what allows you to send a targeted solicitation.

Key Considerations for Selection:

  • Philanthropic Intelligence: Does the vendor map employer names to matching gift eligibility?
  • Match Rates: What percentage of your file can they realistically identify? (Typical rates for nonprofits are 25-45 percent).
  • Integration: Can they push this data directly into your existing fundraising tools, or will you be stuck with CSV files?
  • Confidence Scores: Do they tell you how likely the match is to be accurate?

By utilizing the educational resources listed throughout this guide, you will be well-equipped to ask these questions and select a partner that aligns with your goals.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Investing time in studying Employer Appends educational resources is an investment in the long-term sustainability of your nonprofit. By moving from a passive approach to data collection to a proactive enrichment strategy, you uncover hidden opportunities that have likely been sitting in your database for years.

Data is only potential power; execution is real power. Once you have educated your team using these guides, videos, and articles, the next step is action.

Ready to get started?

  • Audit your data: Look at your current donor list. What percentage is missing employer info?
  • Educate your team: Share this guide with your development officers and database managers.
  • Explore solutions: Reach out to a provider like Double the Donation to discuss how an append could specifically benefit your organization.

Don’t let valuable corporate revenue slip through the cracks due to missing data. Start your journey toward data enrichment today; see how Double the Donation’s employer appends services can help!

Employer Appends Best Practices for Nonprofits to Know

Employer Appends Best Practices for Nonprofits to Know

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Data is the lifeblood of modern fundraising. It informs who you call, what you ask for, and how you sustain relationships. Yet for many nonprofits, a significant blind spot in their donor database remains: employment information. You likely know your donors’ names, giving history, and email addresses, but do you know where they spend the majority of their waking hours? If not, you are missing the key to unlocking corporate philanthropy. The solution lies in a process called employer appends, but simply buying data isn’t enough. To truly succeed, you must implement Employer Appends best practices that transform raw information into actionable fundraising intelligence.

The difference between a successful data enrichment strategy and a wasted investment often comes down to execution. It involves more than just a transaction with a data vendor; it requires a commitment to data hygiene, strategic vendor selection, and intelligent activation. When executed correctly, employer appends can reveal millions of dollars in untapped matching gifts, volunteer grants, and sponsorship opportunities hiding within your existing donor list.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By adhering to these Employer Appends best practices, your nonprofit can stop guessing about your donors’ capacity and start building partnerships based on accurate, actionable insights.

The Foundation: Prioritizing Data Hygiene

Before you spend a single dollar on data enrichment, you must look inward. The first and perhaps most critical of all Employer Appends best practices is ensuring your existing house file is clean and ready for enhancement. Data vendors use your existing contact points (such as names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers) to match your records against their databases. If your input data is flawed, the output will likely be useless.

Conduct a Pre-Append Audit

Start by auditing your current database for duplicates and inconsistencies. Duplicate records are a major drain on resources; if you have “John Smith” listed three times under slight variations, you might pay to append his employer three times. Merging these duplicates ensures you get a single, comprehensive view of the donor and maximizes your budget. Additionally, standardize your address formatting. Vendors typically rely on standard postal formats to verify identities. If your addresses are riddled with typos or non-standard abbreviations, the match rates—the percentage of donors for whom the vendor can find an employer—will plummet.

Standardize Contact Information

Beyond addresses, ensure your email and phone number fields are populated and formatted correctly. The more data points you can provide to the vendor, the higher the confidence score of the match. A vendor might find five people named “Sarah Jones” in Chicago, but only one who matches the specific email address and phone number you provide. Investing time in cleaning your data upfront is the most effective way to ensure a high return on investment (ROI) later.

Did You Know? An estimated $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed annually. Much of this gap exists simply because nonprofits do not know their donors work for match-eligible companies. Clean data is the first step toward bridging that gap.

Selecting the Right Partner: Philanthropic Context is Key

Not all data is created equal. One of the most overlooked Employer Appends best practices is choosing a vendor that specializes in the nonprofit sector. General marketing data firms can tell you where a donor works, but that information alone is often insufficient for fundraising purposes. You need context.

Look for Workplace Giving Insights

Knowing that a donor works for “The Home Depot” is good. Knowing that “The Home Depot matches donations up to $3,000 at a 1:1 ratio” is actionable. When selecting a provider, prioritize those that map employer data directly to corporate giving guidelines. This allows you to skip the research phase and move straight to solicitation. Providers like Double the Donation specialize in this exact intersection, turning raw employment names into a roadmap for revenue.

Evaluate Match Rates and Accuracy

Ask potential vendors about their match rates and data sources. A reputable provider should be transparent about what percentage of your file they expect to match, typically ranging between 25% and 40% for nonprofit files. Be wary of providers promising 100% match rates, as this often indicates “fuzzy” matching logic that sacrifices accuracy for volume. In the world of fundraising, sending a matching gift appeal to a donor based on incorrect employment data can damage the relationship. Accuracy must always trump volume.

Assessing Integration Capabilities

Your data shouldn’t live in a silo. The best providers offer seamless integrations with your existing CRM or donation platforms. This ensures that once the data is appended, it flows directly into the donor profiles where your development officers and marketing teams live. Manual imports are prone to error and quickly become outdated. Automated integration ensures that your new insights are immediately available for segmentation and reporting.

Activation: Putting Data to Work

Collecting data is passive; fundraising is active. The core of Employer Appends best practices is having a concrete plan for how you will use the information once you have it. The value of an append is not in the spreadsheet itself, but in the campaigns it powers.

Segment for Targeted Outreach

Once your file is returned with employer names and matching gift statuses, segment your audience immediately. You should create distinct lists:

  • Match-Eligible Donors: Donors who work for companies with known matching gift programs.
  • Volunteer Grant Prospects: Donors who volunteer with you and work for companies that pay for volunteer hours.
  • Corporate Sponsorship Leads: Donors with senior job titles at major corporations in your region.

This segmentation allows you to tailor your messaging. Instead of a generic “Check if your employer matches” email, you can send a specific message: “We see you work for Coca-Cola. Did you know they offer a 2:1 match on donations? Here is the link to their form”. This level of personalization significantly increases conversion rates.

The Retroactive Ask

One of the most profitable moves you can make is a retroactive matching gift campaign. Most companies allow employees to request matches for donations made in the last 6 to 12 months (sometimes up to the end of the calendar year or tax year). Use your new data to identify donors who gave recently and work for match-eligible companies. Send them a personalized email thanking them for their past gift and alerting them that they still have time to double it. This is “found money” that requires no new donation from the donor, just a few minutes of paperwork.

Quick Tip: Don’t forget about volunteers! Companies like Verizon and Allstate offer grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 for employees who volunteer. Use your appended data to identify volunteers who work for these companies and guide them through the grant submission process.

Maintenance: Making Data Hygiene a Habit

Data decays. People change jobs, companies merge, and policies are updated. Treating an employer append as a one-time fix is a mistake. Sustainable success requires adhering to Employer Appends best practices regarding maintenance and ongoing data collection.

Schedule Regular Re-Appends

Depending on the size of your database and the turnover rate of your donors, aim to run a fresh employer append every 12 to 24 months. This ensures you capture donors who have changed careers or moved to new companies. It also helps you catch new donors who have entered your system since the last screening.

Build Data Collection into Intake

Stop the problem at the source by improving how you collect data moving forward. Add an optional “Employer” field to your online donation pages, event registration forms, and volunteer sign-ups. To ensure accuracy, use a search tool with an autocomplete function (like Double the Donation’s plugin) that standardizes the company name as the donor types it. This prevents variations like “IBM,” “I.B.M.,” and “International Business Machines” from clogging your database.

Create Feedback Loops

Use your communications to validate the data. In your annual donor survey or impact report, include a section asking supporters to update their employment information. Framing it as “Help us update our records to maximize your impact” encourages participation. If a donor replies that they have retired or changed jobs, update your CRM immediately. This continuous loop keeps your data fresh between major append projects.

Ethical Considerations and Privacy

In an era of heightened data privacy awareness, handling donor data responsibly is non-negotiable. Employer Appends best practices also encompass the ethical sourcing and use of information.

Transparency and Security

Ensure your vendor complies with all relevant data privacy regulations (such as GDPR or CCPA, where applicable) and uses secure, encrypted methods for data transfer. You are entrusting them with your donors’ personal information; their security standards must be rigorous.

Respectful Communication

When reaching out to donors based on appended data, be helpful rather than creepy. You don’t need to explicitly state, “We used a third-party service to find out you work at Google.” Instead, focus on the opportunity: “Many companies, including Google, match donations. Since you are part of their community, you might be eligible.” This frames the outreach as a service to the donor, helping them maximize their impact, rather than an invasion of privacy.

Measuring Success: KPIs for Employer Appends

To justify the investment in employer appends, you need to track the results. It is not enough to simply count the number of records matched; you must measure the revenue impact.

Match Identification Rate

Track the percentage of your donor base that was successfully matched to an employer. If this rate is low, it might indicate that your base is largely retired or that you need a vendor with better coverage for small-to-mid-sized businesses.

Revenue Lift

This is the ultimate metric. Track the increase in matching gift revenue and volunteer grants in the 12 months following the append compared to the previous year. For example, the Central Texas Food Bank identified over $720,000 in match-eligible revenue in less than 12 months by prioritizing matching gift identification. While they used automation tools, the principle applies: knowing the employer drives revenue.

Conversion Rate

Measure how many of the identified match-eligible donors actually submitted a request after your outreach. A low conversion rate suggests that while your data is good, your communication strategy might need refinement. Perhaps the emails aren’t clear, or the instructions for the donor are too complex.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Implementing Employer Appends best practices is a transformative step for any nonprofit looking to graduate from reactive fundraising to proactive partnership building. It allows you to see your donors not just as individuals, but as gateways to the vast resources of the corporate world. By ensuring clean data input, selecting a vendor that offers philanthropic context, and aggressively activating the insights you gather, you can secure sustainable revenue streams that fuel your mission for years to come.

The corporate funds are there—billions of dollars in matching gifts and volunteer grants go unclaimed every year simply because no one asked for them. By mastering the employer appends process, you ensure your organization is the one doing the asking.

Ready to uncover the hidden potential in your donor list?

  • Run a Data Audit: Check your current records for duplicates and address accuracy.
  • Evaluate Your Forms: Add an employer field to your donation pages today.
  • Explore Solutions: Look for partners like Double the Donation who can provide the actionable workplace giving data you need to succeed.

Take control of your data today, and watch your corporate giving revenue grow. Find out how Double the Donation’s employer appends services can help power your efforts!

How Does the Employer Appends Process Work What to Know

How Does the Employer Appends Process Work? What to Know

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Data is the currency of modern fundraising, but for many nonprofits, their database is full of holes. You might know your donors’ names, email addresses, and donation history, but do you know where they spend 40 hours a week? If that field in your CRM is blank, you are leaving significant revenue on the table. Employment information is the key to unlocking corporate philanthropy, from matching gifts to volunteer grants. The solution to filling these gaps isn’t manually calling every donor; it’s mastering the Employer Appends process. By enhancing your existing records with external data, you can uncover hidden opportunities and transform your fundraising strategy from reactive to proactive.

While the concept of data enrichment sounds technical, the process is a strategic workflow that any development team can navigate. It is not just about getting a company name; it is about gaining the insight needed to send the right message to the right donor at the right time. When you understand the Employer Appends process, you empower your organization to identify high-value corporate partners, segment your audience for better engagement, and secure the “free money” that corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs offer.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Effectively executing this process requires more than just a credit card and a CSV file. It demands a clear understanding of your goals, a commitment to data hygiene, and a plan for action once the results are in. This guide will walk you through every stage, ensuring you don’t just collect data, but capitalize on it.

The Strategic Value of Employer Appends

Before diving into the logistics, it is essential to understand why this process is worth the investment. An employer append is a data enhancement service where a third-party provider takes your existing donor contact information (name, address, email, phone) and matches it against massive external databases to identify their employer.

For nonprofits, this isn’t just trivia; it’s actionable intelligence. Knowing where your donors work is the “master key” to unlocking workplace giving revenue.

Unlocking Matching Gifts

The most direct financial benefit is identifying matching gift eligibility. An estimated $4- $7 billion in matching gift revenue goes unclaimed each year, largely because donors are unaware of the programs. If you don’t know a donor works for General Electric or Microsoft, you can’t inform them that their $100 donation could instantly become $200. Employer appends bridge this gap by revealing these affiliations at scale.

Identifying Volunteer Grants

Corporate giving isn’t limited to matching dollars; it also matches time. Many companies offer “Dollars for Doers” grants, donating money to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. By appending employer data to your volunteer lists, you can identify supporters whose hours are worth double to your organization—their labor and a corporate check. This is crucial for securing volunteer grants.

Uncovering Corporate Partnerships

Your donors are your best bridge to corporate sponsorships. If you discover that 50 of your donors work for a local bank or a specific tech firm, you have a compelling case to approach that company for a sponsorship or grant. You aren’t cold-calling; you’re demonstrating that their employees are already invested in your mission.

Did You Know? Appending employer data can improve your major gift prospecting. A donor’s job title and employer are strong indicators of financial capacity. Knowing a donor is a “Senior VP” at a Fortune 500 company signals a much higher giving potential than their past $50 donation might suggest.

Step 1: Auditing and Preparing Your Data

The Employer Appends process begins long before you hire a vendor. The quality of the results you get out is directly dependent on the quality of the data you put in. If your database is riddled with duplicates, typos, or obsolete addresses, the match rates will suffer.

Conduct a Data Hygiene Audit

Start by reviewing your donor records. Look for common issues that could confuse a matching algorithm:

  • Duplicate Records: Merge duplicate entries for the same donor to avoid paying to append the same person twice.
  • Inconsistent Formatting: Ensure names are separated into “First” and “Last” fields, and that addresses follow standard postal formats.
  • Missing Identifiers: The more data points you provide (email, phone, home address), the higher the likelihood of a successful match.

Define Your Scope and Goals

You don’t necessarily need to append your entire database. If you are on a budget, consider segmenting your list. You might prioritize:

  • Active Donors: People who have given in the last 12-24 months.
  • Major Gift Prospects: Donors giving above a certain threshold who have unknown capacity.
  • Volunteers: Active volunteers who might be eligible for grants.

By narrowing your focus, you can maximize your ROI and ensure you are gathering data on the people most likely to engage.

Step 2: Selecting the Right Appends Provider

Not all data providers are created equal. When researching vendors for the Employer Appends process, you need to look beyond just the price per record. For nonprofits, the type of data matters as much as the accuracy.

Look for Workplace Giving Specialization

General marketing data firms might give you an employer name, but that’s where their value ends. Specialized providers like Double the Donation offer appends specifically designed for fundraising. They don’t just tell you “Jane works at Home Depot”; they tell you “Jane works at Home Depot, which has a matching gift program with a 1:1 ratio”. This context turns raw data into fundraising fuel.

Key Questions to Ask Providers

  • Match Rates: What percentage of records do they typically match? (A typical range is 25-45% for nonprofits).
  • Data Sources: Do they use public records, social profiles, or proprietary databases? Diverse sources usually yield better accuracy.
  • Confidence Scores: Do they provide a “confidence score” or accuracy rating for each match? This helps you know which data points are rock-solid and which need verification.
  • Turnaround Time: How long will the process take?

Quick Tip: Ask if the provider offers a “test” file. Many reputable companies will allow you to upload a small sample (e.g., 100 records) for free or a low cost. This lets you verify the accuracy of their data before committing to a full contract.

Step 3: The Handoff and Matching Process

Once you’ve prepped your file and chosen a partner, the actual technical execution of the Employer Appends process takes place. This is often the simplest part for the nonprofit, but understanding what happens “inside the black box” helps you manage expectations.

Data Submission

You will typically export your selected donor segments into a CSV or Excel file. This file should include unique ID numbers (to help you re-import the data later) and all relevant contact details. Most providers have secure, encrypted portals for uploading this sensitive information to ensure donor privacy.

The Matching Algorithm

The provider’s system scans your file against their massive aggregation of employment data. They use “fuzzy matching” logic to account for nicknames (e.g., “Bill” vs. “William”) or slight variations in addresses.

  • Exact Matches: High confidence. All identifiers align.
  • Probable Matches: Moderate confidence. Most identifiers align, but perhaps an old address is used.

The Output

The provider returns your file with new columns added. These typically include:

  • Employer Name: The company the donor works for.
  • Job Title: (If available) Helps with wealth screening.
  • Matching Gift Status: (If using a specialized provider) A flag indicating if the company matches gifts.
  • Confidence Code: A rating of how likely the match is to be correct.

Step 4: Integrating and Activating Your New Data

Receiving the file is not the finish line; it is the starting line. The true success of the Employer Appends process depends on how effectively you integrate this new intelligence into your fundraising workflow.

Update Your CRM

Import the new data back into your donor management system. Ensure you map the fields correctly so that “Employer Name” goes into the employment field and not the notes section. If your provider provides confidence scores, you might choose to import only matches with a high confidence rating to keep your database clean.

Segment Your Communication

Now, stop treating your donors like a monolith. Use this data to create targeted email segments:

  • The “Match-Eligible” Segment: Donors who work for matching gift companies. Send them a specific email: “Did you know [Employer Name] will double your donation?”
  • The “Corporate Partner” Segment: Donors working at companies with strong CSR reputations. Flag these for personal outreach by your corporate relations officer.
  • The “High-Capacity” Segment: Donors with C-suite or Director-level titles. Move these into a prospect pool for major gift officers to review.

Launch Automated Campaigns

If you use a matching gift automation platform (like Double the Donation), you can feed this data directly into the system. This allows you to trigger automated emails to donors retroactively. For example, you can send an email that says, “We noticed you work for [Company]. They offer a matching gift program—here is the link to their form to submit your request for your recent donation.”

Did You Know? Mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. Simply knowing the employer allows you to add this powerful call-to-action to your messaging.

Best Practices for Data Hygiene and Maintenance

Data decays quickly. People change jobs, companies merge, and policies are updated. To ensure the Employer Appends process continues to deliver ROI, you must view it as an ongoing cycle, not a one-time fix.

Schedule Regular Re-Appends

Depending on the size of your database and the turnover of your donor file, aim to run a fresh employer append every 12 to 24 months. This captures donors who have changed jobs and new donors who have entered your system without providing employment details.

Build Data Collection into Intake

Stop the bleeding of missing data by improving your intake forms. Add an optional “Employer” field to your online donation pages and volunteer sign-up forms. Using a search tool with an autocomplete function (like Double the Donation’s plugin) encourages donors to provide this info by making it easy to find their company.

Validate with Donors

Use your communications to verify the data. In your annual update or donor survey, show them the info you have on file (e.g., “Do you still work at [Company]?”) and ask them to update it. This keeps your data fresh and reminds them of their potential connection to workplace giving.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

The Employer Appends process is one of the most efficient ways to turn “dead data” into “active revenue.” By systematically identifying where your donors work, you peel back the curtain on thousands of dollars in potential corporate funding that is currently sitting unclaimed. It allows you to move from generic “please give” messaging to highly personalized, strategic partnerships that benefit the donor, their employer, and your mission.

While the technical steps—cleaning, matching, and importing—require diligence, the payoff is substantial. A single append can reveal hundreds of match-eligible donors, dozens of potential corporate sponsors, and a clear roadmap for your major gifts team.

Ready to uncover the hidden potential in your donor list?

  • Run a quick query: How many of your active donor records are missing employer info? If it’s more than 30%, it’s time for an append.
  • Check your forms: Are you asking for employer info on your donation page? If not, add that field today.
  • Explore solutions: Look into specialized providers like Double the Donation that can not only append the data but also instantly connect it to actionable matching gift forms.

Don’t let missing data slow down your mission. Start the Employer Appends process today and give your fundraising team the intelligence they need to thrive. See how Double the Donation’s Workplace Giving Insights module can help!

Unlocking Corporate Grants Using Supporter Employment Data

Unlocking Corporate Grants Using Supporter Employment Data

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Securing corporate grants can often feel like a daunting task, especially when it comes to identifying the right companies and contacts. However, many nonprofits overlook a powerful resource already within reach: corporate grants and employment data. By tapping into the employment information of your supporters, you can unlock a treasure trove of funding opportunities that are closer than you think.

Why? Companies are much more likely to fund organizations that resonate with their employees, whether through matching gift programs, CSR initiatives, or employee-nominated giving. These opportunities often start with a single connection: one of your donors, volunteers, or board members who works for a company eager to give back.

In this post, we’ll show you how to use corporate grants and employment data to identify and secure more funding opportunities than ever before.

1. Why Employment Data Matters for Corporate Grants

Many corporate giving programs, but especially grants, prioritize organizations with an internal advocate. This is usually an employee who donates, volunteers, or nominates the nonprofit in question. Therefore, if you can identify where your supporters work, you instantly gain visibility into which companies might be open to funding your mission.

Here’s why employment data is so valuable in this context:

  • Workplace giving grants: Companies are more likely to fund causes that matter to their workforce, which is where workplace giving programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more come in.
  • Employee-nominated grants: Many companies accept nonprofit nominations from current employees, so knowing where your supporters work allows you to target them effectively.
  • Broader connections to grant opportunities: Even beyond grants that are specifically “employee-nominated,” nonprofits can use employment information to locate existing connections to charitable businesses. When a company sees that a sizable segment of their employee base supports your cause, they may be more likely to shell out grant funds.

The bottom line? Knowing your supporters’ employers allows you to tap into otherwise hidden funding pipelines. But first, in order to do so effectively, you need a system for capturing that data.

2. How to Collect Supporter Employment Information

Collecting employment data doesn’t have to be intrusive or complicated. In fact, most donors are happy to share where they work, especially if you explain how that information can help you unlock more impact.

Start by integrating employment data fields at key touchpoints:

  • Donation forms: Include an optional “Employer Name” field alongside standard fields such as name and email.
  • Confirmation pages: Prompt donors to check if their employer has a giving program immediately after donating by providing their company name in a database search tool.
  • Email follow-ups: Send a follow-up email asking supporters where they work, explaining how it can lead to increased funding.
  • Event sign-ups or volunteer forms: Add a simple employer field here, too; these contacts are often highly engaged and ready to provide additional value.

In addition to collecting data manually, organizations can also use employer data enrichment strategies to uncover employment information for supporters who haven’t provided it directly. These services analyze an individual’s name, email, and other identifying details to match them with publicly available employment records, allowing you to fill in the existing gaps in your database and fueling your corporate grant search.

By combining direct collection with employer append tools, you can build a far more complete picture of your supporter base and proactively identify companies that may be a great fit for outreach.

3. How to Identify Corporate Grants

Once you begin collecting supporter employment information (either through your donation forms or volunteer sign-ups) you can begin identifying which companies offer corporate grants that align with your mission. But with thousands of companies potentially offering funding, it can be tough to know where to start.

Instead of cold outreach, we recommend strategic resources to focus your efforts:

  • Look for curated corporate grant lists. Numerous nonprofit blogs and philanthropy platforms publish regularly updated roundups of companies with active grant programs. For example, check out this list of companies that give grants to nonprofits!
  • Look at your supporters’ employers. At this point, you should know where some of your supporters work. Use this information to research whether their companies offer grants or sponsorships, and whether employees can nominate or advocate for your organization.
  • Explore CSR or community investment pages. Visit the websites of companies in your network and look for terms like “Community Impact,” “Corporate Responsibility,” or “Giving Back.” These often lead to grant program guidelines, eligibility criteria, and deadlines.
  • Track and document your outreach. Use a simple CRM or spreadsheet to track potential grantmakers, application timelines, contact information, and employee advocates within each company.

Once you’ve identified likely prospects, craft proposals that highlight your mission alignment, your existing relationships with their workforce, and the tangible impact of their support. You can also tap into professional grantwriting resources, whether that’s hiring a writer, attending a webinar, or downloading free templates, to strengthen your applications.

4. Using Employment Data to Strengthen Grant Requests

Employment data isn’t just about discovery; it’s also a powerful way to strengthen your actual grant applications. When applying for a corporate grant, having an internal advocate can dramatically increase your odds of success.

Here’s how your team can involve them for the best results:

  • Ask the employee to nominate your nonprofit, if required by the grant.
  • Include their name, role, and connection to your organization in the application.
  • Invite them to provide a testimonial about why they support your mission.
  • Ask them to share internal CSR contacts or program guidelines with your team.

From there, when reaching out to corporate contacts or applying for grants, mention the employee connection explicitly: “We are proud to have 14 donors and 3 volunteers from your company, including Jane Doe from your Marketing team. Their ongoing support makes a meaningful impact, and we would love to explore a deeper partnership.”

All in all, this type of outreach shows alignment, community relevance, and trust: three key factors for funders considering grant applications.

5. Building Long-Term Value with Corporate Partners

Unlocking a single grant is excellent, but turning that grant into a long-term partnership is even better. Luckily, employment data can help you build those bridges.

For example, consider using corporate employment connections as a starting point for ongoing engagement. You can…

  • Send tailored impact reports to the employee advocate and CSR contact;
  • Invite company reps to site visits, events, or webinars;
  • Recognize the company publicly through social media, email, or donor walls;
  • Offer corporate volunteering opportunities that align with their values;
  • Bundle sponsorship, volunteering, and grant opportunities into custom partnership packages;
  • And more.

In the best case scenario, you’re not just asking for money. You’re inviting a company to be part of your mission and vision in a real, tangible way.

By keeping the employee connected, reporting on outcomes, and providing continued value, you can turn a one-time grant into a multi-year relationship that benefits both sides of the party.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Supporter employment data is one of the most underutilized assets in nonprofit fundraising. By simply knowing where your supporters work, you unlock access to employee-driven and broader giving programs, increase your relevance with corporate funders, and make your grant requests more personal and powerful than ever before.

Luckily, you can start today by:

  • Adding an “Employer” field to your donation and event forms
  • Conducting an employer append to gather missing employment info
  • Using that data to research and pursue grant opportunities backed by internal advocates

With complete data and a well-thought-out strategy in place, your nonprofit can open new funding pipelines, build stronger corporate partnerships, and expand your impact, one supporter at a time.

Asking for Employer Info vs. Using Employer Appends: What to Know

Asking for Employer Info vs. Using Appends: What to Know

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Is an Employer Append Right for Your Nonprofit How to Know

Is an Employer Append Right for Your Nonprofit? How to Know

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If your donor database is missing key employment information, you might be wondering: Is an employer append right for your nonprofit?

Employer appends, or the process of enhancing donor records by filling in employment data, can unlock new opportunities for improved workplace giving efforts, better segmentation, and deepened corporate partnerships. But like any data investment, it’s important to weigh the benefits against your organization’s readiness and goals.

In this post, we’ll walk through the pros, cons, and key inquiries that can help you decide whether this strategy is a smart next step for your fundraising efforts.

Specifically, we invite you to ask yourself (or your team) the following questions:

If you answered “yes” to most (or all) of the above, an employer append might be a strategic next step. Now, let’s take a deeper dive into each key question.

Is an employer append right for your nonprofit? Consider whether you have a high volume of individual gifts.

Do you receive a high volume of individual gifts?

YES: One of the clearest indicators that an employer append might be a wise investment is the volume of individual donations your organization receives. If a significant portion of your fundraising comes from individual donors—especially in the form of small to mid-sized gifts—you likely have untapped potential for employer matching and corporate engagement.

Why does volume matter? Because even if just 20–30% of your individual donors are eligible for matching gifts through their employers, that could represent thousands of dollars in additional revenue you’re currently missing.

NO: By contrast, if your funding is primarily made up of grants, major gifts, or government contracts, an employer append may not deliver the same return. In those cases, employment data may be less relevant to your core fundraising strategy.

So, if you’re regularly processing hundreds or thousands of individual gifts each year, it might be worth it to consider an append. In other words, the higher your individual donor volume, the stronger the case for appending employer data.

Is an employer append right for your nonprofit? Consider whether you have a lot of missing employment data.

Are you missing employment information in your database?

YES: Before you can take advantage of matching gifts or other workplace giving campaigns, you need one essential piece of data: where your supporters work. If your CRM is filled with blank employer fields, that’s a clear sign that an employer append could be beneficial.

Appending employer data helps fill these gaps efficiently, especially for organizations with a large donor base and limited staff capacity. Even if only a portion of your records can be matched, it’s often enough to uncover significant corporate giving potential and segment communications more effectively.

NO: On the other hand, perhaps you collect employer information consistently, whether through your donation forms, volunteer registrations, follow-up emails, or other supporter onboarding efforts⁠—and don’t have many gaps in your donor base. In that case, you may already have a strong foundation in place.

In other words, if the employer field in your database is mostly complete and kept up to date, an employer append may not deliver as much added value. If so, your resources might be better spent on activating the employer data you already have through targeted matching gift outreach or broader workplace giving campaigns.

Is an employer append right for your nonprofit? Consider whether you have a considerable volunteer base.

Does your organization have many volunteers?

YES: Volunteers often give more than just their time—they can also open the door to valuable funding opportunities, especially if you know where they work. If your organization relies heavily on volunteer support but lacks employment information for those individuals, you could be missing out on corporate volunteer grants and Volunteer Time Off (VTO) programs.

After all, many companies offer financial donations in recognition of their employees’ volunteer hours. Others provide paid VTO, encouraging employees to give back during work hours at approved nonprofit partners. But you can’t take advantage of these programs if you don’t know where your volunteers are employed.

An employer append can help fill in those missing details. Plus, it allows you to follow up with volunteers about corporate giving opportunities tied to their time. Even if only a portion of volunteers qualify, the combined value of grants and engagement can make a meaningful impact. If volunteers are a core part of your community, enhancing your data with employer information is a strategic next step.

NO: If your organization doesn’t rely heavily on volunteers—or volunteer engagement makes up a very small portion of your operations—then an employer append for volunteer records may not deliver significant value. In this case, your time and resources might be better spent optimizing donor data or focusing on other segments of your supporter base, such as recurring givers or event participants.

However, if volunteer involvement grows, revisiting this opportunity could unlock new sources of funding and corporate engagement in the future.

Is an employer append right for your nonprofit? Consider whether you have the resources to prioritize workplace giving.

Is your team ready to prioritize workplace giving?

YES: If your team already sees workplace giving as a strategic priority, an employer append can significantly enhance your efforts. However, adding employment data to your records is only valuable if your team has the resources to act on it. That means following up on workplace giving opportunities, running targeted campaigns, and having someone focused on corporate outreach or stewardship.

When workplace giving is embraced organization-wide, you unlock greater ROI and longer-lasting corporate partnerships. If your team is aligned, resourced, and ready to collaborate around workplace giving, an employer append can serve as the catalyst for smarter outreach and greater impact.

NO: If workplace giving hasn’t yet become a focus—or your team lacks the time, tech, or clarity to act on employer data—it may be worth holding off on an employer append until you’re better prepared. Without a clear plan to integrate employment data into your campaigns, stewardship efforts, or corporate outreach, the data may go unused and offer limited returns on your investment.

Instead, consider starting small. Develop a workplace giving strategy, assign ownership of workplace giving-related tasks, and ensure your team is equipped with program knowledge. Keep in mind that prioritizing workplace giving doesn’t need to be difficult, either, especially when your team is equipped with the right tools, as many teams are already stretched thin. Once you’re aligned on prioritizing workplace giving, you’ll be in a stronger position to turn employer data into meaningful results. At that point, an employer append can be a high-impact next step.

Is an employer append right for your nonprofit? Consider whether you have the right tech in place to support one.

Do you have the right tools in place to support your efforts?

YES: If your organization already has strong tech infrastructure, like a modern CRM, mobile-friendly donation forms, and a workplace giving automation platform, you’re in a great position to act on the insights gained from an employer append. These tools allow you to leverage employer data, uncover employee giving eligibility, and send targeted follow-ups based on employment data.

Beyond basic functionality, think about how your tools help connect supporters to their next steps. Is your matching gift tool connected to your giving forms and CRM to enable targeted outreach? Is your corporate volunteering solution integrated with your VMS to provide seamless information and tailored program instructions?

If your systems support those experiences, you’re well-positioned to maximize the value of appended data and drive meaningful action.

NO: If your organization is still working with outdated systems, manual spreadsheets, or donation forms that don’t support employer-related functionality, an employer append might not yield strong results—at least not yet.

Without the right tools to store, track, and act on employment data, much of that insight may go unused. In this case, focus first on upgrading your tech stack. Prioritize a donor management system that allows for custom fields and segmentation. Plus, explore integrations that support matching gifts and workplace giving platforms.

When your tools are ready to handle and act on employer data, you’ll be able to extract real value from an append, boosting engagement, unlocking corporate funding, and streamlining supporter journeys.

Still wondering if an employer append is right for you? Take the quiz below to find out.

Donor employer information is the single most important piece of data for nonprofits, instantly transforming individual givers into potential corporate partners and enabling hyper-personalized outreach for matching gifts and volunteer grants. By failing to systematically collect, segment, and leverage this data, organizations miss opportunities to drive significant, untapped corporate revenue.

Wrapping up & additional employer append resources

Employer appends are a powerful tool for nonprofits looking to deepen donor insights and tap into underutilized corporate giving opportunities. But they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Evaluate your data quality, fundraising strategy, and capacity to act on new information and make a clear, informed decision about whether it’s the right fit.

If you’ve answered “yes” to many of the readiness questions shared above, your organization may be well-positioned to benefit from this next-level data enhancement.

Interested in learning more about employer appends and how your organization can benefit from them? Check out the additional recommended resources below:

How Employer Appending Completes Your Workplace Giving Donor Profiles

How Employer Appending Completes Your Workplace Giving Donor Profiles

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When it comes to equipping your team with enhanced workplace giving donor profiles, accurate and complete donor data isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. One of the most overlooked yet powerful pieces of information in your donor database is employer data. After all, knowing where your supporters work can unlock corporate matching gifts, boost campaign targeting, and significantly increase giving potential.

But what happens when this information is missing? That’s where employer appending comes in. This process helps nonprofits fill in the blanks, matching donors with their employers to build more complete, actionable profiles.

In this post, we’ll explore how employer appending works and why it’s a game-changer for enhancing your workplace giving strategy. We’ll cover:

Accurate employer data can be the missing link between a good fundraising program and a great one. In the sections ahead, we’ll show you how employer appending strengthens workplace giving donor profiles and empowers your team to make more informed, strategic outreach decisions.

Why do donor profiles matter for workplace giving?

Workplace giving programs thrive on strong engagement, and comprehensive donor profiles are what make that engagement possible. After all, a well-crafted donor profile is more than just a name and email address. It’s a collection of key data points that help your organization understand who your supporters are, how they prefer to give, and even what engagement opportunities are available to them. This information is especially critical when it comes to unlocking the full potential of workplace giving.

Why? One of the most valuable—but often missing—data points in a donor profile is an individual’s employer. And without it, you may be leaving thousands of dollars in matching gifts or volunteer grants unclaimed. However, simply knowing where a donor works allows you to identify their eligibility for corporate giving programs, tailor outreach messages, and segment communications based on employer partnerships or matching opportunities.

Use our appends services to complete your workplace giving donor profiles.

In short, complete and accurate workplace giving donor profiles enable your team to:

  • Identify workplace giving opportunities like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and payroll giving programs more efficiently
  • Increase participation rates by targeting eligible supporters with tailored engagement information
  • Strengthen corporate relationships by demonstrating shared support and rallying donors to advocate on your behalf
  • Enhance personalization in your appeals and stewardship efforts, demonstrating a deep knowledge of your supporter base

The more you know about your donors—including their employing companies—the more strategic and successful your workplace giving campaigns will be. That’s why maintaining complete profiles isn’t just helpful; it’s mission-critical.

How does appending employer data help?

Appending employer data is a strategic way to strengthen your donor database by filling in one of its most valuable gaps: where your supporters work. This process utilizes extensive third-party data sources to match your donors with their likely employers, based on identifying details such as name, email, or postal address.

The result? Richer, more actionable workplace giving donor profiles that drive greater fundraising impact.

Here’s how employer appending specifically helps your nonprofit:

  • It Uncovers Employee Giving Opportunities: Many companies offer employee giving programs, but if you don’t know where your donors work, you can’t alert them to these opportunities. Appending employer data allows you to proactively identify eligible donors and guide them through the participation process.
  • It Improves Campaign Segmentation and Personalization: With employer data on hand, you can tailor your messaging to resonate with specific workplace audiences or corporate partners. For example, consider sending targeted emails to employees of a company running a giving campaign or creating custom donation appeals aligned with that employer’s CSR priorities.
  • It Fills Data Gaps and Keeps Records Current: Donor records can become outdated quickly, especially if employment changes aren’t captured regularly. Appending services help refresh your data, ensuring your team has the most accurate and complete information to work with.
  • It Strengthens Corporate Partnership Opportunities: When you know which companies your donors work for, you gain insight into potential corporate sponsors or partners. This data can help you identify shared connections and demonstrate employee engagement when approaching companies for in-kind donations, sponsorships, grants, or expanded giving initiatives.

In short, employer appending transforms donor records from passive assets into strategic fundraising tools. By providing you with the employer-focused insights you need, it powers more innovative outreach, better workplace giving outcomes, and stronger donor relationships.

Grow your workplace giving potential with employer data

Getting started with employer appends for workplace giving

Employer appending can open new doors for workplace giving. Still, like any data-driven initiative, it works best with thoughtful preparation and execution. The process is relatively straightforward, but taking the proper steps up front will ensure you get the most value out of your appended data.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help your nonprofit get started the right way.

Usig appends to complete your workplace giving donor profiles.

1. Assess the Quality of Your Existing Data

Before you begin the appending process, take time to review and clean your current donor database. After all, the success of an employer append depends heavily on the quality of the data you provide. If your records contain outdated contact information, misspellings, duplicate entries, or inconsistent formats, your match rate will likely suffer.

Key actions to take at this step include:

  • Removing duplicate records.
  • Standardizing naming conventions (e.g., using full names instead of initials).
  • Verifying email addresses and mailing addresses.
  • Filling in missing fields where possible.

Well-organized donor information not only improves your append results but also helps downstream fundraising and communications efforts. It’s great to start the process with fresh, clean data in order to drive the best results overall.

2. Choose a Trusted Data Append Provider

As it comes to data appending, selecting the right partner for your efforts is crucial. This enables you to avoid common employer appending mistakes and maximize the accuracy, relevance, and long-term value of your workplace giving donor profiles.

For the best results, a reliable append service should use verified and frequently updated employment databases, offer transparent match methodologies, and ensure overall data accuracy and integrity.

What to look for:

  • Experience working with nonprofits and schools.
  • High match rates and data accuracy guarantees.
  • Clear pricing structure—such as flat fee vs. per-match pricing.
  • Strong security and confidentiality policies.
  • Detailed workplace giving eligibility insights and next steps.

When selecting the right employer appends service, keep in mind that the more actionable the information they provide, the more you’ll be able to do with it for your cause.

3. Define Your Goals and Use Cases

Before diving into the appending process, be sure to clarify why you want to append employer data. The more specific your goals, the easier it will be to measure success and apply the new data effectively.

Common use cases include:

  • Identifying and targeting donors eligible for corporate matching gifts.
  • Uncovering volunteers who qualify for corporate volunteer incentives.
  • Triggering communications to employees of specific companies.
  • Discovering potential corporate sponsorship or grant opportunities.

All in all, realizing your goals will also help you prioritize which data fields matter most (company name, job title, industry, location, workplace giving eligibility, etc.), allowing you to adjust your appends process accordingly.

4. Upload and Append Your Donor Records

At this point in the process, it’s time to submit your file to your selected appends provider. Most services accept CSV or Excel files and require only a few basic fields—commonly donor name, email, mailing address, or phone number—for matching purposes.

Here are some tips for a smoother upload:

  • Include as many identifiers as possible to increase the accuracy of matches.
  • Make sure your data is formatted according to the provider’s guidelines.
  • Label fields clearly (e.g., “First Name,” “Last Name,” “Email Address,” etc.).

Once you upload your data file, you’ve done your part! While turnaround times can vary, most providers will return results within a few days to a week.

5. Integrate and Act on the Data

Once your results come back, don’t let the data sit unused. Look for ways to use the appended employer information alongside your workplace giving platform—like Double the Donation—to identify matching gift opportunities, trigger outreach, or prioritize volunteer grant follow-up. The goal is to make the data actionable, fueling segmentation, outreach, and campaigns tied to employer-based giving.

Examples of how to use appended data:

  • Send a custom email to donors at companies that offer matching gifts, linking them to their employer’s submission form.
  • Create segmented content for existing volunteers who work at companies with volunteer incentive programs, encouraging them to tap into their workplace benefits.
  • Organize a payroll giving drive, where you encourage eligible employees to enroll in their companies’ payroll giving programs on your behalf.
  • Encourage a supporter who works at a company with an in-kind donation or grant program to advocate for your organization as a potential recipient.
  • At the very least, make sure your team understands how to use the new data and update relevant workflows accordingly.

6. Keep It Fresh

Employment data changes frequently—people change jobs, companies merge, and positions shift. To maintain accuracy, plan to run employer appends on a regular basis (every 6 to 12 months is typical).

Check out these tips for ongoing data hygiene:

  • Schedule regular audits and data refreshes.
  • Encourage supporters to update their employment info on donation forms, volunteer registrations, or email follow-ups.
  • Track employer engagement metrics to inform future corporate outreach.

Keeping your workplace giving donor profiles up to date ensures that your campaigns remain relevant and your workplace giving outreach is as effective as possible.

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to building a more powerful, data-enriched fundraising program. With stronger employer insights, your team can unlock new corporate giving opportunities, personalize workplace giving outreach, and ultimately raise more for your mission.

Wrapping up & additional workplace giving appends resources

A strong workplace giving program starts with strong donor data. Luckily, employer appending offers nonprofits a smart, efficient way to enrich donor profiles, uncover new workplace giving opportunities, and create increasingly personalized outreach. By simply identifying where your donors work, you can gain valuable insights that fuel deeper engagement and facilitate fundraising success.

If you’re looking to maximize your workplace giving efforts, employer appending is a strategic step you can’t afford to skip. Now is the time to take a closer look at your donor records—and fill in the missing pieces that could make all the difference.

Interested in learning more about employer appends and their impact on workplace giving? Check out the additional resources below:

Grow your workplace giving revenue with Double the Donation