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Prospect Research: A Nonprofit’s Key to Better Relationships

May 22, 2024/in Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

If your nonprofit is looking for a way to maximize its fundraising efforts, there’s one avenue you might not be paying enough attention to: prospect research.

Regardless of your organization’s size, gathering the right donor data via prospect research can have a huge impact on your nonprofit’s revenue. These funds can help you serve your mission, fund important projects, and work toward your goals.

In this guide, we’ll outline several important pieces of information you’ll need to successfully leverage prospect research, including:

The Basics of Prospect Research
Data Points to Gather During Prospect Research
Primary Uses of Prospect Research
How Matching Gifts Can Aid in Prospect Research
How to Research Donors and Other Constituents
Types of Prospect Research Tools and Software
Fueling Your Prospect Research With 360MatchPro

From learning the basics to soliciting your first prospects, fully understanding prospect research can be a game-changer for your organization. Let’s get started!

The Basics of Prospect Research

What Is Prospect Research?

Prospect research is a process performed by a nonprofit’s development team to gather data about donors, volunteers, and other supporters. The process analyzes each individual’s giving capacity, motivations, and affinity for the cause. It helps determine an individual’s ability and desire to support that specific cause as well as how to appeal to their interests.

Key factors nonprofits look for during prospect research include past giving, wealth markers, business affiliations, and philanthropic tendencies. Nonprofits can also use software or turn to prospect research companies to gather this data.

Wealth Screening vs. Prospect Research

You may have heard the term wealth screening in conjunction with prospect research. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, wealth screening is only one component of prospect research.

Wealth screening analyzes the financial aspects of a donor’s profile, such as real estate ownership, stock ownership, and political giving. While it’s an essential part of prospect research, this only indicates an individual’s ability to give.

Prospect research goes a few steps further and uses both wealth indicators and philanthropic indicators to determine a donor’s willingness and capacity to give. This presents nonprofits with a full picture of each donor and helps make more educated solicitations. We’ll explore the complete range of data you should collect in the next section.

Who Uses Prospect Research?

A variety of organizations use prospect research to boost revenue and drive more meaningful relationships. These include:

Educational institutions: Thorough research can pinpoint alumni and parents with a strong financial capacity and history of philanthropy. Educational institutions can then tailor fundraising appeals to promote scholarships, facilities upgrades, and special programs.
Healthcare organizations: Prospect research helps find donors who have personal connections to specific medical causes or previously donated to health-related initiatives. This allows these organizations to focus on potential donors likely to fund state-of-the-art equipment or patient care facilities.
Arts and cultural organizations: Arts organizations can identify patrons with a keen interest in the arts and a history of supporting cultural initiatives. This information is crucial for targeting campaigns for exhibitions, performances, and educational workshops.
Environmental groups: These organizations can identify donors who are passionate about conservation, climate change, or specific regional environmental issues. Effective prospect research can lead to targeted campaigns that resonate deeply with donors’ values, driving funding for crucial projects and advocacy efforts.
Faith-based organizations: Prospect research helps locate individuals who have shown generosity to religious or spiritual causes, enabling faith-based organizations like churches to personalize solicitations for funding new facilities and mission work.
Advocacy groups: Prospect research helps uncover supporters who are financially capable and deeply committed to specific causes like civil rights, education reform, or health policy. This insight helps mobilize resources for lobbying and public awareness campaigns.
Greek organizations: Fraternities and sororities can use prospect research to connect with alumni who have fond memories of their membership and might be interested in funding scholarships and chapter house renovations.

Prospect research can help all of these organizations (plus others!) become more focused in their outreach.

The Value of Thorough Prospect Research

40% of B2B salespeople say prospecting is the most challenging part of the sales process. When it comes to fundraising, nonprofits experience that same exact pain point. Prospect research can be incredibly helpful in sourcing and qualifying leads to avoid wasting time pursuing individuals without the affinity or capacity to give.

Beyond time savings, here are the most important benefits of researching supporters:

Improved Fundraising Efficiency: Prospect research helps nonprofits identify the most promising donors, focusing efforts on those who are most likely to contribute.
Tailored Appeals and Marketing: By understanding potential donors’ giving capacity, nonprofits can tailor asks to different supporter segments based on individual wealth indicators and giving history.
Better Supporter Relationships: Comprehensive prospect research allows nonprofits to understand supporters’ interests and passions, enabling personalized communication that resonates with each individual’s values and retains support.
Strategic Planning: Insight into supporters’ capabilities and preferences helps nonprofits plan their projects more strategically.
More Reliable Data: Prospect research helps nonprofits gather accurate and comprehensive data about potential donors, including accurate phone numbers, demographics, wealth indicators, and philanthropic interests. Reliable data is crucial for making informed decisions and staying connected with supporters.

Prospect research is essential for nonprofits looking to optimize their fundraising initiatives and build lasting relationships. Make sure you’re working with reliable tools and companies to gather supporter data, and you’ll set your team up for success.

Data Points To Gather During Prospect Research

Since prospect research involves collecting both wealth and philanthropic indicators, it’s important to understand the common data points that fall under each umbrella category.

1) Philanthropic Indicators

Philanthropic indicators represent an individual’s willingness to give to your organization. These include:

Previous Donations to Your Nonprofit

Past giving is the best indicator of future giving because it means the supporter is interested in your cause and has already contributed. Prospect research helps uncover these previous donations so your organization can reach back out.

Donations to Other Organizations

If your donors are philanthropically minded, they probably aren’t only giving to your nonprofit. Let prospect research unveil past giving to organizations with causes similar to yours.

Nonprofit Involvement

Giving isn’t the only indicator that an individual is philanthropically minded. With prospect research, you can identify other types of nonprofit involvement, such as advocacy work, volunteerism, and board membership.

Personal Information

Collecting personal data will give you a more holistic understanding of who each donor is and how you can connect with them on a deeper level. Craft more targeted appeals and deliver those appeals successfully by gathering this donor data:

Full and preferred name and title
Gender
Marital status
Contact information, like email addresses, phone numbers, and postal addresses
Hobbies and interests
Dates of birth

Much of this information can be collected online or through data appending services and can help you identify ideal prospects.

2) Wealth Indicators

Wealth indicators represent an individual’s ability to give to your organization. These include:

Real Estate Ownership

The quality and quantity of real estate someone owns is a wealth indicator your fundraising team should pay attention to. Individuals with notable real estate have large giving capacities that you can capitalize on in your nonprofit’s fundraising initiatives.

Business Affiliations

Prospect research can help you detect existing business connections among your donors. This research includes details about a donor’s career such as salary estimates, which can indicate wealth and ability to give. You may also discover information about a donor’s employer’s corporate giving program, which can provide insights into potential matching gift opportunities.

Stock Ownership/SEC Transactions

Knowing about a contributor’s stock ownership can give you even more insight into their wealth and capacity to donate to your organization.

Political Contributions

Chances are that an individual who has made sizable donations to a political campaign also has the giving capacity to donate major gifts to your nonprofit. By using prospect research to target this group, you can focus on winning over prospects with the potential to make generous contributions.

Primary Uses of Prospect Research

Prospect research can impact several areas of your mission. Let’s explore common ways nonprofits use the data they gather.

Major Giving

Prospect research is the perfect tool for finding hidden major gift prospects in your existing donor database. It can help you uncover past giving and involvement and track giving patterns that may predict major giving.

For instance, you might have a faithful donor whose contributions have steadily increased over the past five years. With prospect research, you can examine that donor’s history and figure out the best strategy to ask for a major donation.

Capital Campaigns

A capital campaign is a long-term fundraising effort that’s usually tied to a large project, such as the construction of a new building or the development of an endowment.

Capital campaigns typically rely on a set number of major gifts during the “quiet phase” before fundraising is opened to everyone in what’s known as the “public phase.” Prospect research can help uncover ideal donors for both the quiet and public phases.

Annual Giving

Annual giving is what keeps your organization’s wheels turning. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to complete your day-to-day operations.

While your organization likely already asks all supporters to contribute to your annual fund, you can now search for new annual donors via prospect research tools.

In addition, you’re more likely to uncover potential supporters by looking into someone’s past giving to organizations that align with your own.

Corporate Giving Opportunities

Prospect research is instrumental in identifying and understanding potential corporate partners whose philanthropic interests align with your nonprofit’s mission. Collecting employer data also helps pinpoint existing opportunities that have gone untapped. Examples include:

Matching gift opportunities: Many companies match their employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits. Knowing where your supporters work can help you identify match-eligible donors, so you can follow up and double those individuals’ contributions.
Volunteer grants: Businesses also provide volunteer grants to nonprofits where their employees volunteer regularly. Prospect research can help pinpoint these opportunities.
Volunteer Time Off: Tons of companies offer their employees bonus PTO to participate in volunteer activities with organizations like ours. Use prospect research to identify volunteers (or prospects) who work for companies with these programs.
In-Kind Donations: Companies can provide non-monetary support in the form of goods or services. Prospect research helps identify potential donors who can offer in-kind contributions relevant to your nonprofit’s needs, such as technology, office supplies, or professional services.

Once you identify these opportunities, your nonprofit can reach out to supporters who are eligible to participate in their companies’ corporate giving programs.

Planned Giving

Identify donors who are in a position to make significant long-term commitments, such as bequests, trusts, or annuities.

Researching a donor’s financial background and giving history allows your nonprofit to tailor conversations around legacy opportunities that resonate on a personal level, so you can secure future funding and ensure the donor’s lifelong engagement with your mission.

How Matching Gifts and Prospect Research Work Together

Matching gifts and prospect research are both powerful strategies that, when combined, can significantly enhance your fundraising efforts.

As mentioned, prospect research helps identify donors who are affiliated with companies that offer matching gift programs, potentially doubling their donations without requiring extra effort from the donors themselves. This synergy not only boosts your fundraising capacity but also deepens donor engagement, as donors feel their contributions have a greater impact.

Here are some key ways that matching gifts and prospect research can work together to dramatically increase your fundraising success:

A matching gift search tool can help you identify corporate and individual prospects from a list of people who have already made matching gifts to your nonprofit.
Matching gifts can encourage prospects to give more to your organization after being inspired by the chance to double their impact. In fact, one in three donors is more likely to donate if a match is offered.
Prospect research and matching gifts can grow your corporate engagement efforts by pinpointing companies with generous programs.
Focusing on individuals with matching gift potential doubles the value of that donor’s potential support.

To manage this strategy effectively, consider using specialized tools like 360MatchPro by Double the Donation. This software simplifies the process of tracking and verifying matching gift eligibility and submissions, ensuring you make the most of every donation opportunity.

How to Research Donors and Other Constituents

Once you’ve decided to perform prospect research, you might be wondering where you should start. Here are the general steps you can take to gather supporter data.

1) Choose your prospect research method.

Your first step is to plan how you’ll approach your research process by asking yourself about your fundraising goals, current strategies, and timeline. Once you understand what you need out of your research, choose one of these methods:

Do It Yourself: For smaller or newer nonprofits with tighter budgets, a do-it-yourself prospect screening approach is a good option. Use free or low-cost prospect research tools to examine donors’ giving and philanthropic histories.
Prospect Research Consultants: Prospect research consulting firms are extremely valuable resources for nonprofits. They offer advice and complete screenings for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes.
Prospect Screening Companies: Every prospect screening company is different, but most compare your donors against a variety of databases to create a comprehensive profile for each supporter. This will help your organization track, sort, and evaluate all of your supporters.

Make sure you know exactly what types of data you need to collect and how quickly you need to collect that data to make sure you pick the right method.

2) Form a prospect research team.

If you’ll conduct prospect research in-house, you’ll need to build an effective prospect research team of individuals with complementary skills. The following roles are critical to your team’s success:

Director: This individual leads the team, sets strategic goals, and ensures alignment with your nonprofit’s broader objectives. They oversee the entire research process and ensure the team has the necessary tools to conduct research.
Prospect Researcher: This team member is responsible for gathering data about potential and current supporters. They’re tasked with creating detailed profiles by digging into donor data using various sources, such as databases, public records, and social media.
Data Analyst: A data analyst focuses on interpreting data and trends from donor databases and external sources. They help the team understand giving patterns and identify potential high-value donors.
Development Officer: This individual uses the insights provided by prospect research to cultivate and maintain donor relationships. They are typically involved in direct fundraising efforts and use data-driven strategies to approach potential donors, secure donations, and nurture ongoing donor relationships.
Legal/Compliance Officer: Given the sensitive nature of handling personal data, having someone knowledgeable about legal and ethical standards is crucial. This team member ensures that all prospect research activities comply with privacy laws and ethical fundraising practices.

Each role focuses on a specific aspect of the prospect research process, contributing to a comprehensive approach. While the structure of your team may vary, this suggested structure supports targeted fundraising efforts and helps build a robust foundation for long-term supporter engagement.

3) Clean up your data.

Before conducting prospect research, clean up your data to make the process run smoother and ensure more accurate results. A few ways to maintain proper data hygiene include:

Identifying and removing duplicate records within your database
Standardizing data entries to maintain consistency across your database, such as by using uniform formats for dates, addresses, phone numbers, and names
Identifying and removing outdated or irrelevant information that no longer serves your fundraising strategies
Removing lapsed donors from your records
Scanning your database for typos

Your data doesn’t need to be perfect, but cleaning up your data as much as possible will optimize your system for prospect research.

4) Check for accuracy.

Once you’ve actually conducted prospect research, verify the accuracy of the data gathered. This step involves cross-referencing information from multiple sources to confirm details such as contact information, philanthropic history, and financial capacity. Some prospect research companies will have an accuracy check process, such as manually checking appended emails and phone numbers.

Ensuring data accuracy helps prevent miscommunication and fosters trust by demonstrating diligence and respect for each prospect’s information. It also optimizes the efficiency of subsequent outreach efforts by reducing the time spent on addressing inaccurate or outdated information.

5) Analyze and make a plan for leveraging your new data.

After integrating the data into your CRM, sift through the results to identify the most promising prospects by analyzing factors such as giving capacity, alignment with your nonprofit’s mission, and likelihood of giving. Following this analysis, create a detailed plan on how to best use this data for outreach.

This plan should outline who to approach, the best ways to reach out to them, and the right time to do so. It involves deciding whether to meet someone in person, invite them to a special event, send them a personalized letter, or connect through online platforms based on their preferences and past donations.

During this stage, you’ll want to segment your supporters based on shared characteristics, such as:

Donation Level: Group donors based on the amount they contribute, such as major, mid-level, and low-level donors. This allows for tailored communication strategies that recognize the level of support.
Donation Frequency: Identify who gives regularly versus those who donate sporadically. Regular givers can be approached for recurring giving programs, while sporadic givers can be encouraged to give more consistently.
Geographic Location: Segmenting donors by location can help in organizing local events, understanding regional interests, and tailoring communications that resonate with local community values or needs.
Interests: By understanding what specific projects or aspects of the organization’s work a donor supports, nonprofits can tailor outreach to reflect donors’ interests.
Type of Support: Differentiate between types of supporters such as volunteers, advocates, corporate sponsors, and individual donors.
Demographics: Segmenting based on demographics helps choose messages and outreach strategies that are more likely to resonate with different groups.
Communication Preferences: Some supporters may prefer digital communication while others might value traditional mail or personal calls. Segmenting by communication preference ensures that supporters receive information in the way they find most accessible and engaging.

An effective plan ensures that your team knows exactly what steps to take to engage each prospect, helping to turn potential interest into actual support. From here, put your plan into action and start reaching out!

Types of Prospect Research Tools and Software

While the thought of performing prospect research may sound daunting, there are several prospect screening companies and platforms that nonprofits and educational institutions can use. Let’s explore a few recommended services and tools.

Data Enhancement

Also called data appending companies, data enhancement services improve the quality and depth of existing donor databases by pulling additional information such as:

Contact information like email addresses, postal addresses, and phone numbers
Demographics like ages, birthdates, and geographic location
Employer data like company names and role titles

These services leverage external data sources to fill in gaps and update outdated information within your database. This ensures that your nonprofit has accurate and comprehensive profiles for each prospect.

Prospect Research Database

Prospect research databases are specialized tools that provide access to a wealth of information on potential donors, including personal backgrounds, giving histories, wealth assessments, and affiliations.

These databases compile data from multiple public and proprietary sources, allowing fundraisers to quickly gather detailed insights about prospective donors’ capacity and propensity to give. Using this type of prospect research tool helps nonprofits identify and prioritize high-potential prospects.

Corporate Giving Software

Corporate giving software is designed to help nonprofits identify potential corporate donors. This type of software typically includes features for researching matching gift programs and volunteer grant information. Here are two types of tools that are most helpful:

Matching gift databases contain information on companies that offer matching gift programs. They store requirements for employee eligibility, nonprofit eligibility, and donation amounts. Plus, they provide relevant submission information such as available forms and deadlines.

Volunteer grant databases provide details on companies that offer grants to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. This prospect research tool stores records on individual companies’ programs, including volunteer hour, employee, and nonprofit requirements as well as instructions and links to application forms and deadlines.

These prospect research tools can help your nonprofit identify donors and volunteers eligible for their companies’ philanthropic programs. Plus, they can help you identify companies that offer generous corporate giving initiatives, which can open the door to strategic partnerships.

Your Nonprofit’s CRM

Your nonprofit’s CRM is a fundamental tool for managing interactions with donors and tracking engagement history. It stores critical data such as donation records, event attendance, volunteer activity, and communication preferences, which can be leveraged to build stronger relationships with supporters. Effective use of a CRM helps personalize donor interactions and streamline fundraising activities, making it easier to cultivate and steward donor relationships.

SEC Investment Records

SEC investment records provide information about the investment activities of individuals and institutions, which can be particularly valuable in assessing the financial capacity of potential major donors.

By examining public filings such as insider trading reports and stock holdings, nonprofits can gauge prospects’ wealth level and philanthropic capacity. This is especially useful for identifying high-net-worth individuals and understanding their investment behaviors.

Predictive Modeling Solutions

Predictive modeling solutions use statistical techniques and algorithms to analyze historical data and predict future donor behaviors. These tools help nonprofits anticipate which prospects are most likely to donate, their expected donation amounts, and optimal times for solicitation.

Wealth Screening Tools

These tools help nonprofits identify the financial capacity of potential donors by analyzing various data points such as real estate ownership, stock holdings, past charitable contributions, and other public financial information. That way, you can focus on prospects with the means and propensity to give significantly.

As a top recommended prospect research service, DonorSearch blends philanthropic and wealth metrics so your organization can make informed decisions about prospects and plan effective outreach. Plus, the company offers a few choices of tools when it comes to conducting prospect research:

Charitable giving database. DonorSearch’s charitable giving database is comprehensive and constantly growing, housing tons of useful philanthropic data.
DSGiving search tool. DSGiving is a free prospect research tool that offers access to a smaller-scale version of DonorSearch’s philanthropic and political contributions data. Simply type in an individual’s name, state of residence, and gift type, and the tool will pull useful data.

DonorSearch helps your nonprofit learn more about your donors and create comprehensive donor profiles. Because the tools analyze philanthropic and wealth indicators, this results in more qualified leads for nonprofits to pursue.

Fueling Your Prospect Research With Double the Donation

Double the Donation is the leading provider of matching gift solutions, and our complete automation platform can give your nonprofit the ability to maximize donations with matching gifts and volunteer grants without lifting a finger. We also offer robust data append services as a way to empower organizations to enhance their donor data with fresh new insights!

Here’s an overview of each solution and its benefits for prospect research:

Bulk Data Append Services: Looking to fill in some gaps in your existing donor data? Our data enhancement services, which include appending employer details, phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, and more, can help round out your donor profiles. All you need to do is provide the information you have (e.g., name, contact details, giving history, etc.), and we’ll screen against our comprehensive database to provide the information you need.
360MatchPro: Using Double the Donation’s matching gift fundraising software, organizations can uncover valuable matching gift prospects by collecting employer information within the donation process. From there, the solution screens for matching gift eligibility and populates the right forms and guidelines to submit a match. Plus, 360MatchPro offers a real-time employer appends add-on that instantly scans donor records and automatically supplies company information if available. Check out this video for a closer look at 360MatchPro:

For the best results, leverage both of these services. Our data enhancement services will ensure you have accurate employer information, so our matching gift software can help you locate valuable and up-to-date company records.

Want to learn more about how our cutting-edge technology can support your prospect research and drive greater fundraising results? Reach out to our team for a free demo!

Wrapping Up

Prospect research is an invaluable strategy that equips nonprofits with the insights needed to target donors effectively. By harnessing the power of detailed data analysis and strategic donor segmentation, your organization can unlock new opportunities and maximize the impact of its fundraising efforts.

If you’re looking for more information about prospect research, check out the additional resources below:

10 Ways to Maximize the Benefits of Wealth Screening. Explore the fundamentals of wealth screening and advice for leveraging the wealth data you collect.
Major Gifts: How to Unlock Your Donors’ Potential. Major gifts can have a huge impact on your mission. Learn how to cultivate major gift donors with this insider’s guide.
Improving Your Donor Development Approach: 15 Expert Tactics. Prospect research is just one part of improving donor relationships. Explore actionable advice for acquiring and retaining your nonprofit’s donors.

Top VTO Companies 15 Volunteer Time Off Programs to Know

Top Volunteer Time Off Companies | 35 Programs to Know

May 7, 2024/in Company Spotlights, Learning Center, Lists and Rankings /by Adam Weinger

In today’s fast-paced corporate landscape, striking a balance between professional responsibilities and personal growth can be challenging for employees. However, an increasing number of companies are recognizing the importance of community engagement. As a result, more employers are offering Paid Volunteer Time Off⁠ programs as part of their staff compensation packages. In order to get better acquainted with the idea, we’ll highlight some top VTO companies below.

(Interested in a particular employer? Click on the ‘company name’ to skip to that section!)

COMPANY NAME	ANNUAL VTO CAP	SECTOR	EMPLOYEES	HEADQUARTERS
AppDynamics	40 hours	Media & Technology	~2,000	San Francisco, CA
Blue Cross	15 hours	Healthcare	~190,000	Chicago, IL
Cisco	80 hours	Media & Technology	~84,900	San Jose, CA
County of San Mateo	20 – 416 hours	Public	~4,800	Redwood City, CA
Deloitte	8 hours	Professional Services	~455,000	London, England
EOG Resources	8 hours	Energy & Power	~2,900	Houston, TX
Enel	16 hours	Energy & Power	~6,500	Rome, Italy
FirstBank	16 hours	Financial Services	~4,100	San Juan, Puerto Rico
Getty Images	8 hours	Media & Technology	~1,700	Seattle, WA
GM Financial	32 hours	Financial Services	~8,800	Fort Worth, TX
Hasbro	48 hours	Toy & Entertainment	~5,600	Pawtucket, RI
Heineken USA	36 hours	Food & Beverage	~8,500	White Plains, NY
Humana	8 hours	Healthcare	~67,600	Louisville, KY
Ibotta	8 hours	Media & Technology	~815	Denver, CO
Intuit	32 hours	Financial Services	~18,200	Montain View, CA
Johnson & Johnson	40 hours	Healthcare	~141,700	New Brunswick, NJ
KPMG	40 hours	Professional Services	~219,200	New York, NY
Lowe’s	8 hours	Home Improvement	~300,000	Mooresville, NC
Microsoft	24 hours	Media & Technology	~221,000	Redmond, WA
Nielsen	24 hours	Information	~44,000	New York, NY
Novo Nordisk U.S.	80 hours	Healthcare	~6,400	Plainsboro, NJ
Patagonia	18 hours	Fashion & Apparel	~3,000	Ventura, CA
PNC Financial	40 hours	Financial Services	~56,400	Pittsburgh, PA
PwC US	40 hours	Professional Services	~328,000	New York, NY
Salesforce	56 hours	Media & Technology	~79,400	San Francisco, CA
Sentinel Group	16 hours	Financial Services	~325	Wakefield, MA
ServiceNow	20 hours	Media & Technology	~22,700	Santa Clara, CA
Siemens USA	16 hours	Media & Technology	~303,000	Saint Paul, MN
S&P Global	16 hours	Financial Services	~40,000	New York, NY
Tapestry	8 hours	Fashion & Apparel	~17,300	New York, NY
Takeda	16 hours	Healthcare	~47,300	Cambridge, MA
Thomson Reuters	16 hours	Information	~25,600	Toronto, Canada
Timberland	40 hours	Fashion & Apparel	~50,000	Stratham, NH
University of Arizona	8 hours	Higher Education	~16,000	Tucson, AZ
Warner Media	40 hours	Media & Technology	~35,300	New York, NY

If you’re looking for a refresher on volunteer time off—and how to make the most of the programs for your organization⁠—check out our complete VTO guide here.

Otherwise, we’ve provided a quick summary of the benefits before jumping into the compilation of VTO companies below.

BENEFITS OF VTO FOR EMPLOYEES

The opportunity to give back to their communities, develop new skills, and support causes they are passionate about through volunteerism without missing out on a portion of a regular paycheck

BENEFITS OF VTO FOR NONPROFITS

Access to skilled volunteers who are motivated to make a meaningful impact, thus expanding their capacity, tapping into specialized expertise, and accomplishing more with limited resources

BENEFITS OF VTO FOR COMPANIES

Enhanced reputation as a socially responsible employer, strengthened corporate culture with heightened staff engagement, loyalty, and retention, leading to positive business outcomes

Read up on these programs to explore top companies offering paid volunteer time off for their employees. Then, see if your supporters qualify for the benefit! 🠟

AppDynamics

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: San Francisco, CA and worldwide
Employee count: ~2,000
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

AppDynamics, a leader in application performance management, believes in giving back to the community. Their VTO program reflects this value by allowing employees to take paid time off (up to a full week each year) to engage in volunteer activities with the charitable organizations of their choice.

By providing this opportunity, AppDynamics fosters a culture of social responsibility and actively encourages its employees to contribute to the betterment of society on a local and global scale.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Sector: Healthcare
Location: Chicago, IL and nationwide
Employee count: ~190,000
VTO cap: 15 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔ (Can vary based on location)

Blue Cross Blue Shield, a network of independently owned health insurance companies across the U.S., demonstrates its commitment to improving health, going above and beyond medical care to include community well-being. Through their generous VTO program, employees are granted paid time off (equal to 15 hours, or nearly two full days of work) to volunteer for various philanthropy initiatives.

In investing in employee volunteerism, Blue Cross Blue Shield strengthens its ties to its community while supporting healthcare access for underserved populations and reinforcing its mission to promote health and wellness for all.

Cisco

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: San Jose, CA and nationwide
Employee count: ~84,900
VTO cap: 80 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

At Cisco Systems, technology is not just about innovation. It’s also about making a positive impact on society. That’s why the company’s VTO program empowers employees to spend up to two weeks each year volunteering with nonprofit causes.

As it encourages employees to give back through incentivized volunteerism, Cisco cultivates a culture of collaboration and social responsibility. Through their VTO program, employees can also leverage their skills and expertise to support the communities in which they live and work, ultimately aligning with the company’s vision of technology as a force for good.

County of San Mateo

Sector: Public
Location: Redwood City, CA
Employee count: ~4,800
VTO cap: 20 – 416 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Payroll Deductions ✔

The County of San Mateo in Redwood City, California also values community engagement and aims to incentivize philanthropy among its staff. Through its VTO program, employees are granted paid time off to volunteer for local initiatives, with the number of hours each team member receives ranging from 20 to 416 annually.

By supporting employee volunteerism, the County further strengthens its ties with the community and fosters a sense of civic pride and responsibility among its workforce.

Deloitte

Sector: Professional Services
Location: London, England and worldwide
Employee count: ~455,000
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Deloitte, a global leader in consulting and professional services, recognizes the importance of giving back to the communities it serves. It aims to increase its philanthropy efforts by offering paid volunteer time off, with team members encouraged to spend a full day each year supporting nonprofit causes.

Whether it’s providing pro bono consulting services to nonprofit organizations, participating in skills-based volunteering initiatives, or organizing fundraising events, Deloitte’s employees are empowered to make a positive impact beyond the office building.

EOG Resources

Sector: Energy & Power
Location: Houston, TX and nationwide
Employee count: ~2,900
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

EOG Resources, a leading energy company, believes in giving back to the communities where it operates. Through its VTO program, employees are provided with paid time off to volunteer for causes like environmental stewardship, community development, or disaster relief.

By supporting employee volunteerism with paid time off, EOG Resources demonstrates its commitment to corporate citizenship and sustainable development. Plus, it fosters a culture of giving and philanthropy among its workforce.

Enel North America

Sector: Energy & Power
Location: Andover, MA and worldwide
Employee count: ~6,500
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Sustainability Projects ✔

Enel, a global energy company, is committed to sustainability and social responsibility. Enel employees have the opportunity to contribute to positive change in the world by spending one day each year out of the office, giving back to their communities.

Through its VTO program, employees are encouraged to use paid time off to volunteer for a range of environmental conservation and other philanthropic efforts. By investing in employee volunteerism, Enel strengthens its reputation as a responsible corporate citizen and aligns its business objectives with the needs of society and the planet.

FirstBank

Sector: Financial Services
Location: Lakewood, CO and nationwide
Employee count: ~4,100
VTO cap: 16 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

FirstBank, a leading financial institution, believes in giving back to the communities it serves. Through its VTO program, employees are provided with paid time off to volunteer for charitable organizations and community projects two days out of the year.

Whether it’s serving meals at homeless shelters, tutoring students in underserved neighborhoods, or participating in financial literacy workshops, each employee has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference without losing out on any pay.

Getty Images

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: Seattle, WA and worldwide
Employee count: ~1,700
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

As a global leader in visual communication, Getty Images is committed to making a positive impact on society and engaging its workforce to do the same. Through its VTO program, employees are provided with paid time off to volunteer for causes, from arts and culture and education to humanitarian relief efforts.

In order to do so, Getty Images employees have the opportunity to leverage their skills and expertise to drive positive change for their nonprofit partners.

GM Financial

Sector: Financial Services
Location: Fort Worth, TX and nationwide
Employee count: ~8,800
VTO cap: 32 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Volunteer Grants ✔

GM Financial, the financial services arm of General Motors, believes in giving back to the communities it serves through volunteerism and other philanthropy programs. Through its VTO program, employees are provided with up to four days of paid time off for charitable volunteer initiatives.

By supporting employee volunteerism, GM Financial strengthens its corporate social responsibility efforts and supplies its workforce with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the world.

Hasbro

Sector: Toy & Entertainment
Location: Pawtucket, RI and worldwide
Employee count: ~5,600
VTO cap: 48 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Hasbro is committed to making a positive impact on the world through a generous VTO program, providing employees with paid volunteer time off to devote to giving back. Corporate employees are granted four hours worth of time off each month, equating to six full days on an annual basis they can spend performing volunteer activities with a wide range of causes.

Heineken USA

Sector: Food & Beverage
Location: White Plains, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~8,500
VTO cap: 36 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Volunteer Grants ✔

Heineken, a global brewing company committed to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, believes in raising a glass to community service and volunteerism. Through its company volunteer program, employees are provided with a total of 36 hours of paid time off each year to spend volunteering for causes they are passionate about.

Humana

Sector: Healthcare
Location: Louisville, KY and nationwide
Employee count: ~67,700
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

Leading health and well-being company, Humana, believes in giving back to the communities it serves, and it encourages its staff to do so as well. Every year, Humana employees are provided with paid time off (equal to one full day of work) to spend volunteering with the charitable organizations of their choice!

Ibotta

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: Denver, CO and nationwide
Employee count: ~815
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Nonprofit Partnerships ✔

Ibotta, a leading mobile rewards platform, has also developed a VTO program designed to empower employees to spend time volunteering with nonprofit causes. Team members receive 8 hours of paid time off each year, providing them with the opportunity to make a positive difference in the world around them.

While the causes supported can range greatly, Ibotta staff have engaged with tons of organizations centered on hunger relief, education, and environmental sustainability.

Intuit

Sector: Financial Services
Location: Mountain View, CA and worldwide
Employee count: ~18,200
VTO cap: 32 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

Intuit, a leading financial software company, believes in giving back to the communities it serves. Through its VTO program, employees are provided with paid time off to volunteer for charitable organizations and community projects. Whether it’s providing tax assistance to low-income individuals, mentoring small business owners, or participating in environmental conservation efforts, Intuit employees have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the world.

By supporting employee volunteerism, Intuit strengthens its corporate social responsibility efforts and reinforces its commitment to building stronger, more prosperous communities.

Johnson & Johnson

Sector: Healthcare
Location: New Brunswick, NJ and worldwide
Employee count: ~141,700
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Johnson & Johnson, a global healthcare company, is committed to improving the health and well-being of people around the world through its pharmaceutical products and beyond. One key facet of its employee giving initiatives is a generous VTO program. Through the program, employees are able to use dedicated paid time off (up to a full week each year) to volunteer with the causes of their choice.

By supporting employee volunteerism in this way, Johnson & Johnson strengthens its commitment to the company’s founding principles of caring for the communities it serves.

KPMG

Sector: Professional Services
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~219,200
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

KPMG, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, offers a standout VTO program designed to empower its employees to give back to the communities they serve. With paid volunteer time off, employees are encouraged to partake in volunteer projects during standard working hours (without losing out on any pay) for up to 5 days each year.

Talk about adding value to corporate citizenship!

Lowe’s

Sector: Home Improvement
Location: Mooresville, NC and worldwide
Employee count: ~300,000
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Community Grants ✔

Lowe’s, a leading home improvement retailer, is committed to giving back to the communities it serves. Through its VTO program, more than 300,000 employees across the globe are provided with a day’s worth of paid time off specifically for volunteerism. Whether it’s building homes for families in need, renovating schools and community centers, or participating in disaster relief efforts, Lowe’s employees have the opportunity to develop and leverage new skills, make a meaningful difference, and contribute to the well-being of communities across the country.

Microsoft

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: Redmond, WA and worldwide
Employee count: ~221,000
VTO cap: 24 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔ Microsoft Ad Grants ✔

As a leading technology company, Microsoft believes in using its resources to make a positive impact on society. That includes its labor!

Through its VTO program, Microsoft employees are encouraged to participate in dedicated technology and innovation projects to use their skills and expertise for good (for up to three working days a year).

Nielsen

Sector: Information
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~44,000
VTO cap: 24 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Volunteer Grants ✔

Nielsen is a global measurement and data analytics company, and it’s committed to making a positive impact on society through corporate philanthropy programs like paid volunteer time off and more. Each team member receives 24 hours of VTO annually, which employees can use to participate in fundraising events, community service initiatives, and other nonprofit activities.

Novo Nordisk U.S.

Sector: Healthcare
Location: Plainsboro, NJ and worldwide
Employee count: ~6,400
VTO cap: 80 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company committed to driving change and improving the lives of people with chronic diseases. One way that it aims to do so is by engaging its employees in volunteer activities (such as hosting educational workshops, participating in fundraising events, or working at free medical clinics).

The company also boasts one of the highest annual limits, offering each employee up to two weeks of paid time to spend participating in nonprofit volunteer activities.

Patagonia

Sector: Fashion & Apparel
Location: Ventura, CA and worldwide
Employee count: ~3,000
VTO cap: 18 hours per year*
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Patagonia, a leading outdoor apparel company, is committed to environmental conservation and corporate activism. By offering paid volunteer time off for its employees, the business encourages philanthropy and enhances its impact on the planet.

Plus, in addition to the standard 18 hours of VTO each year, an employee can choose to spend up to two months volunteering with the environmental organization of their choice.

PNC Financial

Sector: Financial Services
Location: Pittsburgh, PA and worldwide
Employee count: ~56,400
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

PNC Financial Services is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States. It’s also a leader in corporate philanthropy and wholeheartedly believes in giving back to the communities it serves. For example, employees are provided with paid time off to spend volunteering with nonprofit organizations through the company’s VTO program. This empowers individual team members to get involved in social good, with a generous annual limit allowing for a full week of volunteer-related activities outside the office.

PwC US

Sector: Professional Services
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~328,000
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

PwC is another of the world’s leading professional services firms. This company, as a way of committing to making a positive impact on society, also offers a generous VTO program in which employees are welcome to spend a full week’s time supporting the nonprofits of their choice. This often includes providing pro bono consulting services but can encompass a wide range of volunteer-focused activities.

Salesforce

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: San Francisco, CA and worldwide
Employee count: ~79,400
VTO cap: 56 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

As a global leader in customer relationship management software, Salesforce believes in the power and potential of using its technology for good. Through its VTO program, employees are empowered to use dedicated paid time off (up to 56 hours annually) to volunteer for their favorite causes.

Sentinel Group

Sector: Financial Services
Location: Wakefield, MA and nationwide
Employee count: ~325
VTO cap: 16 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts (with auto-submission enabled) ✔

Sentinel Group, also referred to as Sentinel Benefits and Financial Group, is a leader in risk management and security solutions. As a tangible way to give back to the communities it serves, the company has developed a generous VTO program, where employees are provided with paid time off (equal to two days annually) to volunteer with qualifying nonprofit groups.

ServiceNow

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: Santa Clara, CA and worldwide
Employee count: ~22,700
VTO cap: 20 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

ServiceNow, a leading provider of digital workflow solutions, believes in using its technology to drive positive change. Through its VTO program, employees are encouraged to use paid time off to volunteer for causes they are passionate about, such as education, environmental sustainability, or social justice.

Whether it’s developing software solutions for nonprofit organizations, organizing volunteer events, or participating in service projects, ServiceNow employees have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

Siemens

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: Saint Paul, MN and worldwide
Employee count: ~303,000
VTO cap: 16 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Team Volunteer Grants ✔

Siemens, the global technology powerhouse, commits to engaging its employees by supplying 16 hours worth of paid volunteer time off every year for team members to support nonprofit causes. That’s in addition to the other giving programs the company established, which include matching employee donations and offering team-wide volunteer grants, too!

S&P Global

Sector: Financial Services
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~40,000
VTO cap: 16 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

S&P Global, a leading provider of financial market intelligence, engages its employee base in volunteerism (and other giving programs) by incentivizing their involvement. One such program offers paid VTO, or volunteer time off, where employees are given the opportunity to spend two days working with various organizations or projects on an annual basis.

Tapestry

Sector: Fashion & Apparel
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~17,300
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔

Tapestry is a leading house of modern luxury and lifestyle brands. The company is committed to making a positive impact on society in a number of ways, which include matching employee donations and offering paid time off for nonprofit volunteering. Specifically, through its VTO program, employees across Kate Spade, Coach, and Stuart Weitzman are gifted paid time off to volunteer for and make a positive impact on causes they are passionate about.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A.

Sector: Healthcare
Location: Cambridge, MA and worldwide
Employee count: ~47,300
VTO cap: 16 hours per year*
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

Takeda Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to making the world a better place through strategic philanthropy, innovation, and more. Through its VTO program, the company’s employees are gifted paid time off to volunteer. The program provides two days of paid time off per year, though Takeda has been known to expand the program to offer up to five days in the event of a humanitarian crisis.

Thomson Reuters

Sector: Information
Location: Toronto, Canada and worldwide
Employee count: ~15,600
VTO cap: 16 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of business information services, believes in giving back through corporate volunteerism. In order to engage its employee base, the company provides an additional 16 hours of paid time off to volunteer for charitable projects.

Whether it’s providing pro bono legal services to low-income individuals, mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds, or participating in environmental conservation efforts, employees have the opportunity to build stronger, more resilient communities.

Timberland

Sector: Fashion & Apparel
Location: Stratham, NH and nationwide
Employee count: ~50,000
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Volunteer Grants ✔

Timberland, along with other subsidiaries of VF Corporation like North Face, JanSport, Dickies, and more, is a global outdoor lifestyle brand committed to environmental conservation and social responsibility. Through its VTO program, employees are encouraged to use paid time off (a full week’s worth!) to participate in volunteer activities.

By supporting employee volunteerism, Timberland strengthens its commitment to corporate citizenship and reinforces its mission to inspire and equip people to step outside, work together, and make a difference in the world.

University of Arizona

Sector: Higher Education
Location: Tucson, AZ
Employee count: ~1,600
VTO cap: 8 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Scholarship Funds ✔ Research and Innovation ✔

The University of Arizona is a leading public research university. It’s also an institution that’s committed to serving the greater community and fostering social responsibility among its employees. One way that it does so is through its VTO program!

As a way to incentivize volunteerism among university faculty and staff, team members are encouraged to spend 8 hours of paid time off volunteering with nonprofit. In the end, the University strengthens its commitment to excellence and innovation, both on campus and beyond.

Warner Media

Sector: Media & Technology
Location: New York, NY and worldwide
Employee count: ~35,300
VTO cap: 40 hours per year
Other notable giving programs: Matching Gifts ✔ Volunteer Grants ✔

Warner Media, formerly Warner Bros. Discovery, is a leading global media and entertainment company devoted to driving positive change in society through various philanthropy efforts. One example of this is its VTO program, where employees are encouraged to use 40 hours of dedicated paid time off to volunteer for causes related to arts and culture, education, social justice, and beyond.

Wrapping Up

Corporate social responsibility continues to grow in terms of demand and execution alike, which means more companies participating than ever before. Volunteerism is one of the top ways for corporate employees to get involved, and paid volunteer programs from VTO companies like these offer a unique incentive for engagement.

Just remember: the companies selected above represent only a fraction of available opportunities. Encourage your volunteers, donors, and other supporters to look into their employers’ programming to see what possibilities lie in your network.

Interested in delving deeper into corporate volunteerism and other forms of workplace giving incentives? Check out the additional resources below:

Free Download: The Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts. Unlock your full fundraising potential with matching gifts! This downloadable resource shares invaluable insights and tips to help navigate the world of matching gifts with ease.
Maximizing Impact With Corporate Volunteer Grant Programs. Volunteer grant programs provide charitable funds in response to employee volunteerism. Learn to identify opportunities, enhance engagement, and maximize financial support here.
Navigating Corporate Philanthropy | A Nonprofit Playbook. Gain a deeper understanding of corporate giving in this guide. From establishing partnerships to securing vital funding, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed.

Scale up your organization's corporate volunteer strategy with 360MatchPro 💡

Guide to gift acceptance policies for nonprofits

Gift Acceptance Policies: Templates and FAQs for Nonprofits

May 6, 2024/in Learning Center, Nonprofit Basics /by Adam Weinger

Gift acceptance policies are an essential but easily overlooked part of nonprofit management. You won’t miss them until you need them, and then you’ll wish you’d created them earlier!

To avoid touchy (and potentially damaging) donor relations and legal situations, it’s worth taking the time to study up on these policies and how to create them. This quick guide covers all the essentials, plus extra considerations you need to know:

Understanding Gift Acceptance Policies
How to Create a Gift Acceptance Policy
See Them in Action: Example Policies
Gift Acceptance Policy Templates
Additional Considerations to Keep in Mind

Looking for more ways to improve your nonprofit’s governing structures and set your organization up for success? We recommend board self-assessments.

Understanding Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policies

Let’s start with the fundamentals by reviewing a few frequently asked questions about nonprofit gift policies.

What is a gift acceptance policy?

A gift acceptance policy is a section of or addendum to a nonprofit’s bylaws that clearly defines the types of gifts it can and cannot accept. These policies most often come into play when donors offer to give unusual or exceedingly valuable in-kind or non-cash gifts.

In addition to defining acceptable types of gifts, thorough (and effective) acceptance policies also cover:

The circumstances under which certain types of gifts can be accepted
How certain types of in-kind and non-cash gifts will be liquidated and/or managed
Who at the nonprofit is responsible for reviewing donations that may conflict with the acceptance policy
Logistical details defining how certain gifts will recognized, tracked, and reported
Guidelines for your general gift substantiation process, which is how and when donors receive acknowledgment for tax-deductible gifts valued over $250

Why do nonprofits create gift acceptance policies?

A gift acceptance policy spells out what you can and cannot accept, giving your fundraisers and donors a concrete set of guidelines to reference when tricky conversations arise.

Why is this important? All kinds of tangible items, assets, and securities get donated to nonprofits, and many may come with added baggage, such as compliance requirements, reputational implications, complex restrictions, and additional costs. This means there are cases when it’s in your nonprofit’s best interest to turn down a gift, either because its value isn’t worth the added work/cost of accepting it or because it might open you up to new liabilities that aren’t worth the risk.

Acceptance policies can also establish operating guidelines for gift substantiation and reporting, which are essential for maintaining your nonprofit’s legal compliance.

Plus, you may be required to have a gift acceptance policy in place when reporting some gifts to the IRS in your nonprofit’s annual 990 filing process. When reporting non-cash gifts, your nonprofit may be required to complete Schedule M (Noncash Contributions) of Form 990 if it has received over $25,000 in non-cash gifts or received certain gifts of art or similar assets. Schedule M asks whether you have a gift acceptance policy in place, and “no” is not an acceptable answer to this question.

What are the benefits of having concrete gift policies?

Gift acceptance policies provide a few key benefits:

Policies give you concrete criteria for determining if you should or shouldn’t accept a gift with no guesswork needed.
Policies make it much easier for fundraisers to turn down a gift with a simple “Our acceptance policy prohibits this kind of gift,” rather than a protracted or confusing conversation that could damage your relationship with the donor.
Guidelines for gift reporting and substantiation included in your acceptance policy help to ensure that your organization fully complies with regulations by documenting them and assigning ownership in a central location.
As mentioned above, gift acceptance policies are required as part of the Form 990 process, essential for maintaining your organization’s tax-exempt status.

How to Create a Gift Acceptance Policy: 5 Steps

You’re ready to update (or write your first) gift acceptance policy for your organization. Great! Now, what next? We recommend these core steps:

Secure buy-in and alignment. Get your organization’s leadership and board on the same page about the need for a new or updated gift acceptance policy. You need official sign-off and ratification for the policy addition to take effect, so get a head start by putting it on everyone’s radar. Recruit one or two individuals to join a small committee. If you have a board member with professional legal experience or connections, ask them specifically to join.
Draft your gift acceptance policy. Work with your team to draft a policy for your organization. Take a look at the example policies and templates below to get started. But be sure to take your time and seek legal input if needed. Although nonprofits’ gift acceptance policies are often quite similar, they should not be one-size-fits-all. A policy customized to your nonprofit’s needs, past experiences, and anticipated challenges (even if they’re unlikely) always offers the best protection.
Review and revise as a team. Gather feedback from your team and one or two other organizational leaders or legal counsel who haven’t been involved in the drafting process. They’ll evaluate the policy more objectively and identify any potential problems or gaps that should be addressed in the next draft.
Vote and enact your policy addition. Once you have a final version, share it with leaders and the board ahead of your next board meeting, and add the policy to the meeting agenda. During the meeting, discuss it as a group, determine if any further changes are needed, and then follow your organization’s protocol to vote on and enact the policy addition.
Communicate the change internally. Add the new policy to your nonprofit’s official bylaws, republish them, and notify your entire internal team. Send a quick email that links to the updated policy and explains these key points:
- What an acceptance policy is
- Why you’ve created or updated one
- How it will help your nonprofit and specific teams
- Who to contact with questions

See Them in Action: Example Gift Acceptance Policies

Check out these real examples of nonprofit gift acceptance policies:

If you’re drafting or updating your own policy, we recommend carefully reading thorough examples like these to see their full range of details and specifications. Here are some notable sections and inclusions from these examples:

Introductions and contextual sections that clearly define what your nonprofit considers a “gift”
Details about any gift review committees or internal staff positions in charge of reviewing specific types of gifts and what that process entails
Details, requirements, and expectations for any gift agreement processes that you may implement to ensure mutual understanding of the policies for large gifts above a certain value threshold
Exact acceptance criteria and processes for gifts of cash, publicly traded securities, private securities, cryptocurrency, various types of in-kind gifts, real estate, donor-advised fund grants, various types of planned gifts, and more
Liquidation timeframes for gifts of securities or cryptocurrency
Whether certain types of gifts will be restricted or unrestricted upon donation, plus the process for changing a donation’s restriction status if desired by the donor
Explanations of how employer-sponsored matching gifts will be recorded and substantiated
Details about standard gift counting and reporting processes

Gift Acceptance Policy Templates

Gift acceptance policies are extremely varied as the whole point is that they should protect and support your unique organization. However, they do usually share a few common elements and details that make your staff’s lives easier and protect your 501(c)(3) status.

Policies can be simple and short to cover your bases or extremely thorough to spell out exact protocols for specific situations. For reference, here are templates for a basic and more detailed gift acceptance policy:

Gift Acceptance Policy Template – Basic

[Nonprofit] solicits and accepts gifts consistent with its mission and support its core programs and special projects.

Donations and other donated forms of support are generally accepted from individuals, corporations, foundations, government agencies, and other partners, subject to the following acceptance limitations:

[Descriptions of limitations, which may include:]

[Specific types of gifts]

[Delivery/pickup of donated items]

[Condition of donated items]

[Proof of ownership or provenance of donated items]

Gifts of Real Property, Personal Property, Securities, and other Assets may only be accepted upon approval of [specific committee within the nonprofit].

This example clearly states that accepted gifts are determined to be consistent with the mission, adhere to specific limitations, and require approval in some cases. Its last point helps cover your bases and eliminates the need for granular detail, but do not neglect to follow through with the approval process.

If a policy is so loose or light that it’s forgotten the next time a donor wants to gift you a certain type of donation, you might as well not have the policy in place at all!

Gift Acceptance Policy Template – Moderately Thorough

[Nonprofit] solicits and accepts gifts for purposes that will help it further and fulfill its mission. [Nonprofit] encourages prospective donors to seek the assistance of personal legal and financial advisors in matters relating to their gifts, including the resulting tax and estate planning consequences. The following policies govern acceptance of gifts made to [Nonprofit].

Purpose of the Policy: The purpose of this policy is to govern the acceptance by [Nonprofit] of [all or specific types of gifts], and to provide guidance to prospective donors.

Gift Review Committee: Any gift or proposed gift that does not comply with this policy must be reviewed and approved by the [internal committee], which is composed of [internal roles that make up the committee]. As indicated below, certain proposed gifts may require the approval of the [Board or Executive leadership, if applicable].

Use of Legal Counsel: [Nonprofit] will seek the advice of legal counsel in matters relating to acceptance of gifts when appropriate. Review by counsel is recommended for [common stipulations below]:

Gifts of securities that are subject to restrictions or buy-sell agreements

Documents naming [Nonprofit] as trustee or requiring it to act in any fiduciary capacity

Gifts requiring [Nonprofit] to assume financial or other obligations

Transactions with potential conflicts of interest

Gifts of property that may be subject to environmental or other regulatory restrictions

Restrictions on Gifts: [Nonprofit] will not accept gifts that:

Would result in [Nonprofit] violating its corporate charter

Would result in [Nonprofit] losing its status as an IRC § 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Are too difficult or too expensive to administer in relation to their value

Would result in any unacceptable consequences for the organization

Are for purposes outside [Nonprofit]’s mission.

Decisions on the restrictive nature of a gift, and its acceptance or refusal, shall be made by the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Executive Director.

Gifts Generally Accepted Without Review [common examples below]:

Cash. Cash gifts are acceptable in any form, including by check, money order, credit card, or online… [Provide additional requirements and restrictions for all gift types as needed.]

Marketable Securities. [Include details about the transfer process, liquidation timeframe, restrictions, approval processes, etc.]

Bequests and Beneficiary Designations under Revocable Trusts, Life Insurance Policies, Commercial Annuities, and Retirement Plans.

Gifts Accepted Subject to Prior Review:

Certain forms of gifts or donated properties will be subject to review by [committee, board, and/or executive leadership] prior to acceptance. Examples of gifts subject to prior review include, but are not limited to [common examples below]:

Tangible Personal Property. [Details about acceptance requirements, restrictions, approval processes and criteria, etc.]

Life Insurance.

Real Estate.

This example is more thorough than the first and more clearly defines specific details about types of gifts and the processes and protocols that surround their acceptance.

But if you want, your policy can go even further! Consult with your nonprofit’s legal counsel to develop a gift acceptance policy tailored to your organization’s exact needs.

However, remember that while you don’t necessarily need to get your gift acceptance policy perfect the very first time, you do need to have one in place! You can always expand or refine it over time by working with your organization’s leaders and legal counsel.

Additional Considerations to Keep in Mind

As you draft or update your nonprofit’s acceptance policy, there are additional considerations that you should keep in mind. These will help to further protect your organization, maximize the policy’s utility and value, and ensure adoption.

Adjust your policy over time. As noted above, your gift acceptance policy is not set in stone. Drafting an exhaustive policy isn’t always necessary, and it can be quite time-intensive when done on your own. If you need to develop a basic one to cover your bases quickly, go for it. Then, take the time later to consult with a nonprofit legal expert, draft a more thorough version, and get it approved by your board.
Include gift-specific clauses as needed. It might be easy to define what your nonprofit considers “gifts” and slap a gift review committee process onto the policy (definitely better than nothing!), but it might not serve you well in the long run. It’s easy to forget or neglect loose policies, and policies that create additional steps for multiple team members are likely to be disliked and perhaps disregarded over time—not a good outcome. Consider the types of gifts you currently accept and want to accept. For example, if your nonprofit wants to intentionally expand its programs for securing planned gifts or corporate gifts of in-kind goods, a policy playbook will be extremely helpful for reaching these goals.
Consider additional types of clauses as needed. Most notably, decide if you want to include variance and morality clauses. The primary function of these clauses is to give your nonprofit options for dealing with the repercussions of a donor’s poor reputation or legal troubles, allowing your organization to separate itself from their name. An unfortunate outcome, but it does happen, so best to have options!
- Variance clauses in gift agreements dictate what happens when the original terms of a gift can no longer be met. For example, if a building funded by a donor’s major gift is renovated or rebuilt, their name will be removed from the updated or new building. These clauses can also more generally ban perpetual public recognition and eliminate any expectations that your nonprofit must display the donor’s name on prominent funded buildings or installations in perpetuity.
- Morality clauses explicitly give your nonprofit the ability to distance itself and remove naming if a donor (or the donor’s business practices) no longer align with your stated values and mission. These can be touchy to discuss with donors, which is why many nonprofits rely on a combination of variance and morality clauses to provide protection without offending new donors when gift terms are discussed.
Have a plan for using your gift acceptance policy. When your gift acceptance policy is triggered (or a gift officer simply encounters an unfamiliar situation), have a process and guidelines in place for how to discuss it with donors. First, ensure your policy is internally publicized and easily accessible to everyone in your bylaws. Next, actively train your fundraisers, gift officers, accounting team, and any other relevant staff on the policy’s contents and applicability. Outline specific steps they should follow to elevate unusual or new issues that aren’t covered in your policy.

Deepening Relationships Through Non-Cash and Corporate Gifts

One final recommendation is to use the occasion of drafting or updating your nonprofit’s gift acceptance policy as an opportunity to consider your current (and ideal) revenue streams.

These policies are most helpful in situations that involve either non-cash gifts or donations made through other organizations rather than individuals. As you work on your acceptance policy, use it as a springboard to think about what further growth might look like for your nonprofit. Consider these questions:

Are you heavily reliant on individual contributions?
Are you making the most of opportunities to secure non-cash gifts or gifts from businesses and foundations?
Do you actively talk about diverse or alternate giving options with donors?
Have you promoted matching gifts to your donors (the easiest way to build a corporate giving stream by far)?
Do you explore your major and mid-level donors’ corporate connections to uncover new potential partnerships?

Corporate giving platforms for nonprofits like 360MatchPro by Double the Donation and software built specifically for planned giving, stock giving, DAFs, and more can help you build more robust giving programs that match the robustness of your acceptance policies (and aspirations).

Explore your options and don’t be afraid to diversify. Overreliance on a single form of revenue is risky for nonprofits, and there are tons of easy ways to diversify your fundraising and give your donors better, more flexible experiences. To continue learning how to build a well governed and funded nonprofit, take a look at these additional resources:

Volunteer Time Off | The Ultimate VTO Guide For Nonprofits

May 2, 2024/in About Double the Donation, Learning Center, Volunteer Grant Companies /by Adam Weinger

In today’s developing corporate landscape, businesses are constantly on the lookout for new ways to engage their employees, differentiate their brands, and increase their overall revenue. One powerful tool that’s emerged as a way for companies to reach these objectives is corporate volunteerism⁠—and, specifically, offering paid volunteer time off (or VTO) for their employees.

As a nonprofit professional, these types of programs present a lucrative opportunity to incentivize volunteerism, foster meaningful supporter relationships, and expand your mission reach. However, understanding how to make the most of these endeavors and navigate the intricacies of the programs can seem daunting. That’s why we’ve crafted this comprehensive resource.

Designed to illuminate the path toward leveraging volunteer time off to its fullest potential, this guide will cover the following:

What is Paid Volunteer Time Off?
What to Know About VTO Program Guidelines
How Do Nonprofits Benefit From Volunteer Time Off?
Top 5 Employers With Paid Volunteer Time Off Programs
Promoting VTO Opportunities to Supporters

Ready to learn more about corporate volunteer incentives like VTO? Let’s get started with the basics.

What is Paid Volunteer Time Off?

Also known as employer-sponsored volunteerism or paid-release time volunteer programs, paid volunteer time off is a strategic mechanism through which companies empower employees to partake in philanthropy during standard work hours.

Companies that offer these programs generally establish a certain number of VTO hours team members accrue each year⁠ for designated volunteer projects—above and beyond any existing paid leave or sick time. This approach not only encourages employee engagement but also strengthens corporate citizenship and fosters social responsibility within the workforce.

By providing paid time for volunteering, companies involve their teams in giving back to their communities. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the portion of companies offering VTO as part of their benefits package increased by more than 2 in 3 over the last decade. Today, an estimated 66% of surveyed employers provide some sort of paid time off in their benefits packages for employees to engage in volunteer events.

Why? Research shows that 96% of employees who participate in corporate volunteerism report having a positive company culture. And one of the best ways for businesses to encourage participation among staff is to turn it into a paid day out of the office!

Types of VTO Programs

Like volunteerism itself, there’s no single way to participate in a VTO program. While the specifics tend to vary from one company to the next, many initiatives fall into one of the following categories:

Individual VTO — Paid time off designed to encourage a company’s employees to spend time volunteering on the clock. Businesses offering VTO empower staff to give back independently, contributing unique skills and expertise without missing a day of pay. Plus, the programs allow individuals to choose organizations or causes that align with their interests and skill sets (like yours!).
Group volunteer events ⁠— Business or team-wide volunteer events that involve a company’s employees participating in organized activities or projects collectively. These types of events promote teamwork, morale, and camaraderie among employees. At the same time, it allows volunteers to make a collective impact on larger-scale projects or initiatives.
Skills-based volunteerism ⁠— Also referred to as pro bono services, employees use professional skills to volunteer for a cause or organization beyond traditional volunteer activities. For example, a marketing specialist could assist in developing a promotional strategy, or a CPA may donate time to facilitate an organization’s accounting efforts.
Disaster response volunteering ⁠— Employees assisting with relevant and timely relief efforts in the event of a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis. This may include supply distribution, shelter assistance, search and rescue, first aid, and more to provide aid to communities affected.
Civic time off ⁠— Paid time off designated for employees to participate in civic activities such as voting or serving on a jury. Companies offering this benefit demonstrate their commitment to responsible citizenship and engagement.

Once you’ve established which of your supporters qualify for volunteer time off, take a look at the program guidelines to determine⁠—and communicate⁠—the types of activities included in the programming.

Paid VTO vs. Volunteer Grants

Corporate volunteer grants and paid volunteer time off each represent a powerful way for companies to incentivize volunteerism among their staff. However, the two programs differ in key ways, and it’s important to understand the distinctions as you craft your organization’s engagement strategy.

First, VTO refers to a company policy where employees are granted paid time off work to participate in qualifying volunteer activities. Through these programs, employees can donate time to their favorite nonprofits and engage in community service without sacrificing their regular pay.

Conversely, volunteer grants are donations made by companies to nonprofit causes in recognition of their employees’ volunteer efforts. The biggest difference between the two is that funding is contributed to the organizations with which employees volunteer rather than to employees’ own paychecks.

What to Know About VTO Program Guidelines

Each company that offers volunteer time off first establishes a set of criteria or guidelines that dictate qualifying employees, nonprofits, activities, and more. For a nonprofit team, understanding common program guidelines enables fundraisers to identify VTO opportunities within their network.

Fortunately, most companies provide their employees with helpful documentation regarding eligibility and instructions for the program. These policies generally include the following:

Eligible employees ⁠— Companies may implement regulations regarding full-time versus part-time team members or establish a minimum duration of employment prior to employees becoming eligible.
VTO hours accrued ⁠— Some companies provide a set number of hours employees receive each year, while others allow it to accrue in smaller increments. Regardless, a recent study found that participating companies provide an average of 20 VTO hours per year per employee.
Qualifying organizations and activities ⁠— The mission or cause of the organization an employee volunteers with can play a role in an individual’s eligibility for time off, too. For example, most 501(c)(3) nonprofits qualify, though strictly political or religious organizations often do not. Similarly, there may be limits placed on the scope of activities covered under VTO.
Pre-approval or request processes ⁠— Most companies require some sort of request process for their VTO programs. Make sure eligible supporters are aware of the opportunity, and take steps to guide volunteers through their submissions as much as possible.

Take a look at this sample VTO template to get a feel for the types of programs you’ll likely encounter. This policy provides a number of exclusions to the program, too⁠—including coaching a child’s sports team, attending a PTA meeting, or participating in a religious conference.

By familiarizing yourself with corporate VTO guidelines, your organization can effectively engage corporate volunteers and maximize the impact of their volunteer efforts.

How Do Nonprofits Benefit From Volunteer Time Off?

Many organizations⁠ rely on dedicated volunteers to ensure smooth operations. Volunteers generously contribute their time, energy, and skills to benefit communities. As a result, volunteerism provides essential support without added financial costs. This expands capacity, fosters engagement, enhances programming, and more.

Paid volunteer time off (or VTO) programs go a few steps further to drive an even greater impact. These benefits include:

Low-cost labor ⁠— Empower your team to get more done for your organization while reducing the need to invest in additional hiring, recruitment, or labor efforts. According to volunteerism research, the value of a single volunteer hour is currently estimated to be $31.80.

Expanded volunteer pool ⁠— By removing financial and logistical barriers, VTO produces a larger pool of potential volunteers to engage with. That means more volunteers signing up to participate!

Diverse skillsets and expertise ⁠— When it comes to volunteerism, employees often bring their professional expertise to the table (think: copywriting, graphic design, accounting, legal services, etc.). This ultimately provides increased access to specialized skills and knowledge.

Heightened retention ⁠— Volunteers are more likely to continue their support when their time is compensated. Highlight the availability of VTO to keep supporters coming back time and time again.

New fundraising opportunities ⁠— According to Volunteer Hub, 79% of people who volunteer donate to the organization as well. VTO programs help engage volunteers with your cause, and your team can begin stewarding them as donors, too!

Growing corporate partnerships ⁠— Targeting VTO companies can heighten visibility and open doors for partnerships. Consider whether participating employers also supply matching gifts, volunteer grants, and other types of programs.

Increased community impact ⁠— With expanded resources and a growing supporter base thanks to corporate volunteer programming like VTO, your team can benefit its community and mission even more.

Learn more with the complete guide to Corporate Volunteer Incentives

Top 5 Employers With Paid Volunteer Time Off Programs

Tons of businesses offer paid volunteer time for their employees. Becoming familiar with top VTO programs allows your team to identify engagement opportunities, access valuable resources, and establish strategic partnerships.

Check out these five examples of generous employers⁠—and see if your volunteers (or donors!) work for these companies.

1. Patagonia

Up to 18 paid volunteer hours each year
Additional two-month paid internship opportunities
Focus: Environmental activism

Also offers matching gifts: ✔️
Also offers volunteer grants: ❌

Patagonia is an outdoor clothing and recreation gear retailer based in Ventura, California. With a focus on environmental activism, the company engages employees by offering up to 18 paid volunteer hours annually.

Not to mention, Patagonia also encourages employees to participate in an additional two-month Environmental Internship Program with the environmental group of their choice (while maintaining full benefits!). Additionally, Patagonia matches employees’ monetary donations to a wide range of nonprofits as well⁠—with each team member qualifying for up to $10,000 in matching gift funds per year.

2. Thomson Reuters

Two paid days (16 hours) each year
Inclusive of company-sponsored volunteer activities
Focus: Local community investment

Also offers matching gifts: ✔️
Also offers volunteer grants: ✔️

Thomson Reuters is a Canadian-based multinational information and media conglomerate. With more than 25,000 employees across hundreds of locations worldwide, the company offers a number of corporate-sponsored ways for team members to give back to their communities.

While full-time team members receive two paid days off for volunteer activities each year, the program policy dictates that part-time staff (specifically those regularly scheduled for more than 20 hours per week) qualify for a prorated number of VTO hours as well.

3. GM Financial

8 hours VTO per quarter for full-time staff
4 hours VTO per quarter for part-time staff
Focus: Strengthening communities

Also offers matching gifts: ❌
Also offers volunteer grants: ✔️
Also offers P2P fundraising matches: ✔️

GM Financial is a financial services provider and subsidiary of General Motors with extensive operations based in North and Latin America, Europe, and China. As a way of giving back to society, GM Financial incentivizes volunteerism among employees in a few ways⁠—including both volunteer grants and paid time off to volunteer.

The good news? Full-time and part-time employees can participate! Each quarter, full-time GM Financial staff receive 8 hours of volunteer time off, while part-time workers receive 4.

Meanwhile, through its volunteer grant program, employees can earn $10 for every hour they donate to a nonprofit. However, the program policy does specify that dollars for doers (or volunteer grants) may only be requested for volunteer activities that take place outside of working hours.

4. Microsoft

30 hours pro bono services each year
Hack for Good tech innovation event
Focus: Accessible legal knowledge, resources, and services

Also offers matching gifts: ✔️
Also offers volunteer grants: ✔️

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational corporation with a focus on leading operating systems, productivity applications, and web browsers. The company is also known for its standout philanthropy⁠—and, specifically, its widespread employee involvement.

In a single year, nearly 50,000 Microsoft employees volunteered more than 1 million hours of their time with charitable organizations worldwide. Through its paid volunteer time off program, each team member receives 30 hours to dedicate to pro bono work annually.

5. Sentinel Group

Two paid days of service (16 hours) each year
Focus: Education, community, and health and wellness

Also offers matching gifts: ✔️ (With auto-submission!)
Also offers volunteer grants: ❌

Sentinel Group, formerly known as Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group, is a Massachusetts-based business management consulting firm. In order to engage their employees and incentivize community service, Sentinel Group launched a volunteer time off program. Through the initiative, each team member receives 16 hours (or two full days) worth of PTO to devote to volunteer activities.

Promoting VTO Opportunities to Supporters

The rate at which a company’s staff are involved in corporate volunteer initiatives can vary drastically from one employer to the next. As a nonprofit, one of the best things your team can do to increase participation is to begin driving awareness of the programs with smart marketing and promotional efforts.

Here’s what we recommend!

1. Share about volunteer time off programs on social media.

Your organization’s social media profiles are going to be some of your greatest assets when it comes to driving awareness of VTO opportunities on a mass scale. Sharing information about paid volunteer time off programs online can be just what you need to inspire action among your followers.

As usual, remember to use engaging visuals and compelling storytelling strategies to capture and retain your audience’s attention. You might also choose to share success stories of team members who have previously participated in VTO activities and highlight the tangible impact they’ve made for your cause. Then, be sure to link out to additional resources (such as a dedicated page on your website) for interested supporters to learn more.

2. Create or optimize a dedicated Volunteers page on your website.

Speaking of, creating a dedicated web page for all things volunteerism (and volunteer incentives) allows you to establish a centralized hub for volunteer-related resources. If you already have a volunteers page on your site, you’ll want to incorporate information about paid volunteer time off programs to best market the opportunity to your audience.

Be sure to illustrate the positive impact of corporate volunteerism on your mission and provide additional resources and information on how supporters can get involved. In doing so, you can reinforce your organization’s commitment to collaboration and volunteerism, too!

3. Leverage employer data to identify VTO opportunities.

Your supporters’ employment data contains a wealth of information about available engagement opportunities⁠—from matching donations to supplying paid time for volunteering. Use the information to uncover contacts in your database who work for companies with VTO. Then, adjust your strategy accordingly.

If you already know where a volunteer works, take a moment to look into the company’s volunteer incentive programs. If you don’t have an individual’s employer on file, consider a corporate giving database tool or explore an employer append service to help fill in any gaps.

4. Implement personalized outreach for eligible supporters.

Once you’ve determined which supporters work for companies with VTO programs, initiating tailored communications can go a long way. But you don’t just want to reach out to existing volunteers! In fact, identifying and engaging with donors working for VTO companies can be a surefire way to tap into new opportunities for support.

Be sure to focus your outreach while highlighting the benefits of paid volunteerism (i.e., a meaningful experience and a fun day off work!). Then, encourage recipients to take advantage of the programming. Provide information on upcoming volunteer activities and clearly communicate how supporters can get involved.

Our top recommendation? Embed a volunteer grant database (such as 360MatchPro’s Volunteer Hub tool) on your website so supporters can easily access program guidelines and instructions.

5. Familiarize yourself with local businesses offering volunteer time off.

Local businesses can become some of your most valuable corporate partners. Research companies in your area and note those offering VTO programs for their employees. (Not sure where to start? Reach out to professional services firms in your area⁠—such as advertising, law, or accounting.)

From there, you’ll want to establish connections within the human resources department or corporate social responsibility team. Start your conversation by learning more about their volunteerism initiatives and identify opportunities for collaboration. Then, pitch a volunteer event or activity with which to engage the business’s staff through VTO.

6. Encourage volunteers at VTO companies to organize group activities.

Let’s say you have an existing volunteer who works for a large company with a paid VTO policy. One of the best ways to attract eligible volunteers is to empower supporters to rally their colleagues.

Sometimes, all you have to do is encourage a single volunteer to organize a group activity and get their teammates on board.

Be sure to provide resources to assist in coordinating volunteer projects, like team-building exercises, community service days, or fundraising events. By setting up your volunteers to mobilize their coworkers, you can maximize the impact of available VTO programs and foster a culture of collaborative volunteerism.

Final Thoughts & Additional Resources

When nonprofits and companies work together, the opportunities for social impact are endless. Paid volunteer time off programs are one example of a way businesses are meeting the increased demand for corporate responsibility. Matching gifts and volunteer grants are a few others.

Now, it’s time to tap into the VTO programs in your organization’s network. Your team can establish solid corporate partnerships, better engage with volunteers, and achieve your mission with greater efficiency.

Good luck!

There’s more to corporate engagement than paid volunteer time off. Dive into these other generous programs and initiatives to uncover new opportunities for your organization:

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts. This must-read resource provides comprehensive insights into matching gifts, empowering organizations to make the most of these programs. Explore practical tips and strategies to navigate donation matching here!
Maximizing Impact With Corporate Volunteer Grant Programs. Did you know you can collect corporate funds when a company’s employees volunteer with your cause? Dive into this in-depth exploration of volunteer grant programs and discover the power of volunteerism to drive positive change.
Navigating Corporate Philanthropy | A Nonprofit Playbook. Forging successful corporate partnerships is a must. This complete guide supplies actionable guidance for navigating corporate philanthropy⁠. Learn to identify prospects, craft proposals, make your pitch, and foster mutually beneficial relationships.

A man using fundraising software on his computer with the title of the article next to him: How A Corporate Giving Database Unlocks Fundraising Success

How A Corporate Giving Database Unlocks Fundraising Success

May 1, 2024/in About Double the Donation, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Companies gave an impressive $29.48 billion to U.S. charities in 2022. Even with this generosity, nonprofits frequently overlook revenue opportunities. In fact, $4-$7 billion in funds allocated for matching gifts go unclaimed every year. That’s where a corporate giving database comes in.

This technology makes it easy for nonprofits to identify companies that offer CSR opportunities, such as workplace giving programs, sponsorships, and in-kind gifts. With a comprehensive and accurate database, nonprofits can access detailed information about corporate giving programs, including eligibility criteria, application processes, and deadlines.

This article will cover these topics and share how nonprofits can utilize corporate giving databases to discover companies willing to donate:

What Is A Corporate Giving Database?
CSR Databases: Understanding The Business Perspective
Double the Donation’s Corporate Giving Database For Nonprofits
How Nonprofits Can Leverage Our Corporate Giving Database

These databases aren’t just information repositories; they’re gateways to increased donations through generous companies. Let’s explore how to harness this technology to unlock greater fundraising success at your nonprofit.

What Is A Corporate Giving Database?

A corporate giving database is a comprehensive resource that compiles information on corporate philanthropy programs. This technology helps nonprofits identify potential funding opportunities by providing details on individual companies’ program criteria, application processes, and contact information.

Some databases offer geographic search functions, while others require you to search for specific companies by name. A database will typically store information on different types of giving opportunities such as:

Matching Gifts: In this program, companies match donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits, effectively doubling the initial donation amount.
Volunteer Grants: Corporations provide monetary grants to nonprofits where their employees volunteer usually based on the number of hours volunteered.
Volunteer Time Off: This type of program provides employees with dedicated PTO hours they can spend volunteering with nonprofit causes.
In-Kind Donations: Instead of cash, businesses donate goods or services, such as products, professional services, or other resources that the nonprofit might need.
Cause Marketing: Also called cause-related marketing, cause marketing is when companies collaborate with nonprofits to launch campaigns where a portion of the revenue from certain products or services is donated to the nonprofit.
Community Grants: Corporations provide grants for specific projects or programs that align with their CSR objectives, often focusing on local community enhancement.

360MatchPro’s matching gift database stores information on companies’ matching gift and volunteer grant programs. Fundraisers, donors, and volunteers can use the database to search for their employers and discover employee eligibility requirements, which nonprofits are eligible for matching grants, grant amounts, and match ratios. It’ll even provide instructions on submitting a match request and a link to the form, if available.

For example, here are the guidelines our database has for YUM Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell:

Corporate giving databases are ideal for nonprofits looking for support and journalists reporting on CSR contributions.

CSR Databases: Understanding The Business Perspective

Companies that give to charity receive a reputation boost, tax write-offs, and increased employee engagement. As such, many corporations like to publicize their CSR efforts by creating dedicated web pages. They’ll also reach out to corporate giving database providers to be added to their systems, making it easy for nonprofits and employees to research donation opportunities and find eligibility requirements.

Reasons that companies share their CSR policies include:

Enhanced brand reputation: Our CSR research indicates that consumers are 4-6x more likely to trust, protect, champion, and purchase from companies with a strong sense of purpose. Meanwhile, 93% of employees prefer working for companies that lead with purpose. That means companies with CSR initiatives are more likely to win over employees and consumers.
Higher employee participation in CSR: Promoting their workplace giving programs means more employee participation! For example, let’s say someone donates to your nonprofit. If their employer shares their information with a corporate giving database provider, donors can research their eligibility and determine if they’re match-eligible right from your donation page.
Community goodwill: Some companies show off their support for specific causes that align with their companies’ services. Our list of corporate philanthropy examples highlights how Bombas, a popular clothing retailer, donates socks, t-shirts, or underwear for every item purchased. They’ve donated 100 million items to 3,500+ shelters, transitional living facilities, and other community organizations.

Some companies manage corporate giving by launching a separately administered private foundation, for which the IRS requires public disclosure. Companies typically share impact metrics, funding opportunities, and how to apply for funding on their websites.

However, businesses commonly donate through corporate giving programs. Since companies aren’t required to publicize these programs, you might have trouble finding which businesses offer them. A corporate giving database like ours can help here! Our team constantly updates its database with the latest information on companies’ CSR programs. With records on more than 24,000 companies, our matching gift database is the most comprehensive, accurate one in the world.

Why Some Companies Cautiously Share Their CSR Programs

While there are several benefits to marketing CSR programs, some companies choose to limit their publicization. Here’s why some companies choose to limit the visibility of their philanthropic activities:

Concerns over too many donation requests
Privacy considerations for recipients or sensitive projects
Angering customers who think the company is wasting money on an organization or cause they don’t approve of

Instead of publishing relevant CSR information on their website, businesses may quietly add their information to a corporate giving database to ensure key information is available to only those who need it, such as nonprofits and employees.

Double the Donation’s Corporate Giving Database For Nonprofits

Our corporate giving database, 360MatchPro, is specifically designed to help nonprofits increase fundraising through corporate philanthropy. It’s the world’s most comprehensive matching gift database, representing 26.8 million matching gift-eligible individuals at 24,000+ companies. That’s an incredible 99.68% of all match-eligible donors!

With it, your nonprofit can:

Identify and pursue match-eligible gifts and volunteer grants
Incorporate matching gifts into existing software via 100+ integrations, including leading providers like Blackbaud and Classy
Simplify the matching gift and volunteer grant experience for supporters
Save time with automated email streams that encourage supporters to submit requests to their employers
Track and report on matching gifts with ease
Uncover volunteer time off opportunities offered by generous employers in your network

Our team also constantly searches for and resolves stumbling blocks like broken links, outdated forms, and loading issues. That way, donors and volunteers won’t waste time completing an application just to find out they’re not eligible.

How Our Corporate Giving Database Works

Nonprofits can easily make using our database a part of their existing donation and volunteer management processes. Here’s how it works:

Embed our company search tool into key areas on your website like your donation form and confirmation page.
Supporters look up their employers. They can search for subsidiaries, brand names, and local offices. Even if they misspell the company’s name, our database can help them find the right one.
Supporters view the company’s guidelines. For matching gifts, this includes minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, employee eligibility requirements, nonprofit eligibility requirements, and request deadlines.
If available, supporters click the link to the match request form or follow other submission guidelines. Currently, we have over 90% of forms available in our CSR database.

Watch this virtual tour of our platform, so you can envision how it’ll work for your team:

With 360MatchPro, you can check on individual donors’ match statuses and follow up at any point. You’ll even have a matching gift dashboard to get a snapshot of your nonprofit’s corporate giving fundraising results!

As the leader in matching gift technology, we’re constantly developing powerful new features to drive nonprofits’ success forward. For instance, our latest innovation is matching gift auto-submission, which gives donors the option to let our technology submit their match requests for them. That means less work for them, fewer errors on their forms, and more revenue for your nonprofit!

With 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, you can rest assured that you’re making the most of corporate matching gifts.

How Nonprofits Can Leverage Our Corporate Giving Database

Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes should learn how to leverage a corporate giving database. These databases can help your nonprofit identify and connect with companies whose giving criteria match your mission, helping to pinpoint long-term partnerships.

If investing in a corporate giving database sounds like a smart move, here’s how you can make the most of 360MatchPro:

Educate your team. Ensure your team knows how to use your corporate giving database. Nonprofits who use our database can explore our support articles, learn all about corporate giving through our Matching Gift Academy, and connect with our highly-responsive team if they need help.
Embed the company search tool into key places. Add our company search tool to your online donation form and confirmation page to enable donors to check if their employer offers matching gifts when donating. Some nonprofits create a dedicated corporate giving page that features CSR opportunities and the search tool.

Track and report on CSR results. Our platform maintains detailed records of your supporters’ corporate giving to analyze your strategies’ success. Pay special attention to companies that give substantially to your organization. Then, follow up to emphasize their impact and thank them for their support. This can lead to ongoing support through long-term partnerships and sponsored events.

By following these strategies, your nonprofit can boost its fundraising efforts with our corporate giving database. In no time, you’ll raise more funds and build stronger relationships with donors and corporate partners.

Final Thoughts on Corporate Giving Databases

Corporate giving databases offer a vital resource for nonprofits seeking to maximize their fundraising efforts and enhance their impact. By leveraging companies’ generosity, your nonprofit can expand its capacity to serve, innovate, and thrive.

To learn more about unlocking growth via corporate giving, explore these educational resources:

The Ultimate Fundraising Guide to Corporate Giving Programs: Dive into the world of corporate philanthropy with this guide for nonprofits. Learn about types of corporate giving, including everything from sponsorships to automatic payroll deductions.
Top 20+ Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Corporate Giving: Explore leading companies we pulled from our matching gift database that give back to nonprofits.
Matching Gift Databases: What Nonprofits Should Know: Matching gift databases are a particular type of corporate giving database. Learn the fundamentals of these platforms and how using one can impact your fundraising.

10+ Higher Education Fundraising Conferences to Attend

April 3, 2024/in Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Higher education fundraising professionals work hard every day to generate the revenue that keeps their schools running. By doing so, they offer a better educational experience to students, provide scholarships and financial aid, fund research projects, and more.

Since fundraising is so essential, higher education professionals need to stay up-to-date on new trends and best practices. That’s where fundraising conferences come in. These events provide a venue for you to develop your fundraising skills and discover cutting-edge knowledge.

To help you decide on which conferences to attend, we’ve put together a list of the top higher education fundraising conferences. No matter which conference you decide on, you’re sure to come away with a wealth of knowledge you can use to grow the wealth of your higher education organization.

1. Academic Impressions

Date: Year-Round

Location: Varies

Academic Impressions is dedicated to providing leadership, personal development, and skills-based training opportunities to higher education faculty and staff members. As part of their goal, they regularly offer training opportunities and conferences to members and non-members alike. Many of these events occur virtually, making Academic Impressions’ offerings a great choice for higher education professionals who prefer not to travel.

Training sessions and conferences offered by Academic Impressions focus on a range of topics relevant to higher education professionals. Aside from fundraising, they also cover academic leadership, faculty success, academic planning, enrollment management, and more.

2. AFP Icon

Date: April 7-9, 2024

Location: Toronto, Ontario

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is a member-based group that empowers individuals and organizations to practice ethical fundraising. AFP Icon is their annual fundraising conference and one of the biggest around with over 3,000 attendees each year. This conference offers fundraising training to professionals from all types of organizations, providing an opportunity to network and build relationships with other prestigious nonprofits in addition to attending educational workshops.

From executive coaching to affinity group meetings to speed networking, AFP Icon is sure to boost your knowledge of fundraising.

3. CASE District IV Annual Conference

Date: April 14-16, 2024

Location: San Antonio, Texas

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a global nonprofit association dedicated to education advancement professionals. It hosts a variety of annual conferences, including the District IV Annual Conference.

At this conference, higher education fundraising professionals can attend speaker sessions and workshops focused on various topics related to nonprofit education organizations. Regardless of your experience level or the type of higher education institution you belong to, you can find a track that you will benefit from, such as fundraising, alumni relations, development, communications and marketing, professional development, and more.

4. CASE Drive

Date: March 25-27, 2025

Location: Washington, DC

Also hosted by CASE, Drive is an annual conference that creates a focused learning and networking experience for higher education institutions and other nonprofits that work with data and analytics. If you wish to improve your knowledge of collecting, managing, and analyzing donor data for fundraising, Drive is a valuable conference to attend.

In today’s constantly developing technological landscape, this conference empowers you to stay ahead of evolving data tools and gain insights into harnessing the power of data to improve fundraising and other aspects of your operations.

5. Elevate: A Conference for Fundraising Events

Date: March 12-13, 2025

Location: Portland, Oregon and online

Elevate is a collaborative community of industry experts and thought leaders dedicated to creating a learning hub for individuals who want to expand their knowledge of fundraising events. Elevate’s annual conference serves as a masterclass in fundraising events, bringing together nonprofit and fundraising professionals from a variety of sectors to network, share resources, and learn about best practices.

By being held in a hybrid format, this conference provides the flexibility of attending at a location of your preference. You can either go in person to the venue in Portland, Oregon or attend virtually from another location. Either way, you’re sure to pick up tips on storytelling and fundraising strategy that will help you elevate the donor experience at your higher education organization’s fundraising events.

6. Fundraising Day in New York

Date: June 14, 2024

Location: New York, New York

Another conference hosted by the AFP, Fundraising Day in New York is a one-day fundraising conference. Whether you’re a newcomer to the fundraising industry or a seasoned veteran, you’re sure to benefit from this conference’s diverse range of sessions, including ones on the most current trends and developments. Plus, these sessions are presented by respected leaders and experts in the fundraising industry.

At Fundraising Day in New York, you’ll connect with a community of dedicated fundraisers who are eager to share their knowledge, form new connections, and advance their fundraising expertise.

7. NASPA Annual Conference

Date: March 9-13, 2024

Location: Seattle, Washington

NASPA is an association for student affairs administrators in higher education, supporting a network of 15,000 professionals and over 1,200 institutions across the globe. They’re dedicated to helping colleges and universities fulfill the promise of higher education by placing students at the center of their work.

At the NASPA Annual Conference, you’ll participate in professional development workshops that will inspire you and your work. Attend educational sessions and connect with exhibitors to aid in your professional development and your organization’s fundraising efforts. If you’re a first-time attendee, participate in the Mentor Program to connect with experienced professionals who can serve as a resource for networking and conference navigation.

8. One Day Development

Date: June 21, 2024

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Hosted by Academic Advancement Partners, One Day Development is a conference for professionals who work in higher education fundraising. These individuals are encouraged to attend alongside deans and provosts, as the focus of the conference is on major donors.

This conference features speakers who are experts in academic fundraising and storytelling, some of whom currently serve on the fundraising committees of higher education organizations. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other higher education fundraising professionals.

9. Planet Philanthropy

Date: June 3-5, 2024

Location: Orlando, Florida

Planet Philanthropy is a premier fundraising conference in Florida. Hosted by the Florida Caucus of AFP, it attracts fundraising professionals from all over the United States and Puerto Rico. Over 300 nonprofit leaders attend this conference to learn about the latest and greatest fundraising news and strategies.

Planet Philanthropy addresses topics ranging from grant writing to leveraging AI to assessing legacy pipelines. On top of keynote speeches and workshops, Planet Philanthropy also offers a social event that you can attend for fun or to network with other professionals.

10. RNL Advancement Innovation Summit

Date: March 23, 2023

Location: Online

Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) is an organization dedicated to making colleges, universities, and other nonprofit organizations successful and vibrant. RNL does this by helping these organizations learn how to build lifelong relationships with donors at their Advancement Innovation Summit.

Although RNL hosts a plethora of events, including the RNL National Conference, if your focus is on higher education fundraising, the Advancement Innovation Summit is the conference you should attend. At this event, you’ll learn key insights into maximizing donor engagement, increasing fundraising results, and providing a better donor experience. From annual giving to alumni relations to legacy gifts, this conference will help you build a fundraising strategy that works.

11. SEC/ACC Annual Giving Conference

Date: January 24-26, 2024

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

The SEC/ACC Annual Giving Conference brings together annual giving professionals from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to discuss topics related to higher education fundraising. The conference is hosted at a different university each year within the SEC or ACC.

This conference offers two days of learning, networking, and inspiration. At it, you’ll participate in roundtable discussions and presentations focused on advancing and enhancing annual giving operations and solicitations. Their topics range from giving days to CRM conversions to crowdfunding, covering valuable fundraising insights sure to help your annual giving strategy.

Fundraising with Matching Gifts

If you’re looking for a quick way to augment your higher education organization’s fundraising, matching gifts provide a great opportunity for you to double the donations you receive. This is how matching gifts work:

An individual, such as an alumni, donates to your organization.
The individual checks if they’re eligible for a gift match from their employer.
This individual submits a matching gift request to their employer.
The employer reviews the request and verifies the donation.
The employer matches the individual’s donation to your organization.

The greatest barrier to obtaining matching gifts funding is awareness. After all, it’s estimated that over $4 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. To leverage this source of funding, promote educational content about matching gifts through your marketing channels.

Additionally, you may want to purchase a dedicated matching gifts software solution. The right tool will allow you to embed a matching gift database that donors can use to check their matching gift eligibility. These platforms also allow you to send automated emails to encourage donors to fill out a matching gift request with their employer and create reports to determine if you are making the most of matching gifts. Plus, some solutions include auto-submission features, simplifying the matching gift process even further for donors through automation.

Additional Resources

If your organization has been looking to improve your fundraising strategy, higher education fundraising conferences are great opportunities for you and the other professionals on your team. Through these events, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the best ways to fundraise, empowering you to generate more fundraising revenue for your organization.

If you’re interested in learning more about higher education fundraising, check out these resources:

Alumni Fundraising: A Complete Guide to Winning More Support. For higher education institutions, alumni are one of the greatest donor bases. Discover how to appeal to them in this guide.
A Closer Look at Key Alumni Donation Statistics. Data and statistics can reveal insights into giving that you might not otherwise have known. Check out key alumni donation statistics here.
8 Types of Planned Gifts Your Nonprofit Should Know. Higher education organizations should be prepared to receive planned and legacy gifts. This guide covers the top types of planned gifts you should know about.

Explore this ultimate guide to learn how to find the best eCard websites.

10+ Best eCard Websites for Nonprofits to Raise More

April 2, 2024/in Fundraising Ideas, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Whether someone is celebrating a birthday or needs a pick-me-up, greeting cards show you care. As technology advances, we can bring this joy into the digital space via eCard websites.

Nonprofits, in particular, can sell branded charity eCards to raise money, encourage supporters to send personalized cards to spread awareness, or send greeting cards directly to supporters to show appreciation.

However, you shouldn’t just pick any eCard software. Your organization needs special features like the ability to embed eCards into your website or bulk discounts to stay within your budget.

To narrow down your options, this guide will help your team make smart buying decisions when selecting an eCard website. We’ll cover the following:

What eCard Websites Are and How They Work
Why You Should Leverage eCard Sites
How To Choose The Right eCard Website
The Best eCard Website: eCardWidget
Other Top eCard Software for Organizations

If you’re ready to take advantage of all the great benefits eCards offer, let’s get started on our journey. Alternatively, go ahead and launch your efforts forward with our favorite platform!

What eCard Websites Are and How They Work

Before getting too deep into your search, learn the fundamentals of these platforms. Simply put, eCard websites are online platforms that enable users to design and send electronic greeting cards. These websites typically offer pre-designed templates, graphics, and customization options, allowing users to personalize digital cards for different occasions.

For nonprofits, you can sell cards to raise money or send them to supporters during key times to let them know you’re thinking about them.

When leveraging eCard software, here’s how the process typically looks:

Select a website: Choose a site that suits your needs based on features and pricing. We’ll explore specific features to keep an eye out for later. For now, consider features like easy design tools and fundraising capabilities.
Design your eCards: To get a jump start on your project, browse through the platform’s eCard templates. These are typically organized into occasions like birthdays, holidays, and appreciation. Alternatively, design from scratch to make the design completely your own.
Customize the eCard: Personalize each eCard with your own text, images, animations, or videos. You can also adjust other visual elements like fonts and colors to match your branding.
Add the eCards to your website or online store: Think through whether you’ll give greeting cards in exchange for donations. If so, Fundraising Letters’ charity eCards guide explains that depending on your platform, you have a few ways to sell them. Use them as integrated donation forms, offer them on your donation confirmation page, or add them to your online store. From here, your supporters can buy your eCards.

That’s the gist of how these platforms work. Now, let’s take a closer look at the nonprofit-specific benefits of these websites.

Why You Should Leverage eCard Sites

For one, eCard websites provide a convenient, eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper greeting cards. Not to mention, they offer more design options, customization features, and delivery tracking options than direct mail.

Beyond convenience and creative control, online greeting cards have so many great uses for nonprofits. Here’s a quick overview of how you can leverage eCard sites to amplify your work:

Fundraise in a unique way by selling eCards or offering them in exchange for donations.
Celebrate holidays and show supporters you’re thinking of them on important occasions.
Thank donors and volunteers for their generosity.
Announce upcoming events and initiatives to increase participation.
Boost peer referrals to spread the word about your cause.

In short, the best eCard websites make it easy for organizations to fundraise, expand brand awareness, or express appreciation for volunteers and donors through digital cards. Think carefully through your approach, and you’ll make up whatever you invest in your platform in the form of fundraising dollars or supporter engagement.

How To Choose The Right eCard Website

Before spending your hard-earned fundraising dollars on a website, make sure you know what you’re looking for. Your chosen platform should equip you with everything you need to design branded eCards that stimulate brand awareness and push your fundraising forward.

Let’s dive into some of the key features nonprofit leaders should prioritize.

User-Friendly Design Tools

Chances are, you’re not a nonprofit graphic design pro. With the right nonprofit eCard software, you don’t have to be!

Consider each eCard site’s ease of use and design capabilities when narrowing down your options. Here are some key features that indicate whether a site’s design tools will be intuitive:

Templates to kickstart the design process
The ability to incorporate custom branding by uploading your own graphics
Plenty of colors and fonts to make your design your own
Drag-and-drop functionality to simplify the design process
A library filled with photos and graphics

Each eCard’s design is imperative, so ensure your nonprofit will have no problem creating ones that capture your brand and its cause.

Integrated Fundraising Capabilities

As a nonprofit leader, you’re constantly thinking about how to raise money to support your work. As we touched on, charity eCards are a fantastic way to do that, so make sure the eCard website you choose has integrated fundraising abilities.

In other words, you should be able to offer online greeting cards in exchange for donations. For this approach, we recommended looking for eCard software that enables you to set suggested giving amounts. Alternatively, you might be able to add them as fundraising products in an online store.

You may even be able to tap into advanced features like tribute donations, where supporters can donate on behalf of a loved one and send an eCard letting them know.

Multi-Language Support

Especially if your work spans multiple countries, you should choose a platform that allows you to change the translation of your eCards.

That way, everyone can enjoy your eCards, no matter where they’re located in the world!

Reporting and Insights

Ensure you can track sender and recipient email addresses to know who’s sending and receiving eCards. This is a fantastic way to measure supporter engagement and build a pipeline of likely supporters.

Senders may also be able to enable read receipts. That way, there’s no question as to whether the recipient opened their eCard.

Fair Pricing and Subscription Models

Nonprofits must be thoughtful about how they spend their money. As with any software you purchase, choose an eCard website within your budget.

These types of sites typically follow one of two pricing models:

Pay for a set number of eCards either all at once for a specific time span or individually.
Purchase unlimited eCards for a certain time span, which is more economical if you want to send several to power fundraising and donor relationships.

Choose the model that’s right for your organization based on how many eCards you’ll send.

The Best eCard Website: eCardWidget

Without further ado, we present our favorite eCard platform: eCardWidget. This highly versatile platform makes it incredibly easy to boost audience engagement, build brand loyalty, and add an interactive element to your online presence.

Designed for organizational use, eCardWidget comes equipped with all the features you need to fundraise, spread the word about projects, or let donors know you’re thinking about them on important occasions.

Once you’ve perfected your designs with the user-friendly designer, organize your eCards into campaigns like donation eCards for Valentine’s Day or volunteer thank-you eCards. Then, easily embed the widget into your website or fundraising store. From here, your team can send custom greeting cards to supporters or enable supporters to send them to loved ones. Either way, you’ll have plenty of sending options, including email, social media, and text messages.

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Standout Features of This eCard Site

When you get started with eCardWidget, you’ll gain access to plenty of useful features, including:

Fundraising capabilities: With eCardWidget, you can turn eCards into a regular part of your fundraising. Sell eCards in your fundraising store or embed the widget into your donation confirmation page to provide an instant give-back with every gift. You can create suggested giving amounts and even enable tribute donations, making a donation to your organization the perfect gift for birthdays and holidays!
User-friendly design tools: Gain complete design control with plenty of customization options. Choose from dozens of templates to get started. Then, use the drag-and-drop tools to incorporate different fonts, colors, and your own images.
eCard statistics: Get powerful insights into who’s sending and receiving emails with reporting. Get copied on all eCards sent through the widget. This feature is great for kickstarting relationships or seeing which supporters are most engaged.

Why We Love This eCard Site

Designing and selling eCards has never been easier. They’ve really thought of everything with this eCard website! Between easy implementation and mobile responsiveness, you’ll have whatever you need to design interactive greeting cards that spark joy and bolster brand awareness.

eCardWidget Pricing: Get started with a free plan, which offers up to 4 eCards and 15 emails per month. All the paid plans offer unlimited eCards and start at just $30 per month.

Other Top eCard Software for Organizations

While eCardWidget checks off all our boxes, there are some other great platforms out there. To give you a sense of your options, here are 10 other top eCard sites that work for nonprofits.

eCard Website 2) Smilebox

If your nonprofit sells fundraising products, this eCard website might be the solution for you.

Smilebox enables users to create animated eCards when they purchase a gift from your online store. At checkout, they’ll be asked if their purchase is a gift. If they select “yes,” they’ll be prompted to create a personalized card to send alongside it. They can also schedule a time to send it, correlating it with the gift’s estimated delivery date.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Gift recipients can track their package, making it the perfect retargeting strategy for your organization’s marketing efforts.

Sitebox’s Pricing: Request a demo to receive pricing information for this platform.

eCard Website 3) Open Me

Looking for a collaborative approach to eCards? Try out Open Me. This eCard site allows you to send thoughtful digital greeting cards via Facebook and email. You can send them directly to supporters, but our favorite feature is the ability to create group eCards.

With this feature, choose an eCard, sign it with a personal note, and share it with anyone else before it’s sent to the recipient. You’ll be able to select the send date, click the ‘Invite to Sign’ button, and select your delivery method. Thanks to this unique feature, this eCard site is perfect for sending eCards from your team to beneficiaries, supporters, and stakeholders.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

This eCard website features eCards designed by artists around the globe, giving you a hand-curated boutique of different styles. When you explore the site, you’ll notice that each eCard includes the artist’s name, so you can find ones whose styles speak to you.

Open Me’s Pricing: Send unlimited eCards for free via Facebook or email by signing up.

eCard Website 4) Evite

Known for virtual event invitations, Evite now offers eCard templates you can customize with text, images, and other visual elements. Whether you want to get ahead of things or a special occasion sneaks up on you, you can use scheduled sending or instant sharing.

Great for spreading event awareness or sending just-because eCards, Evite makes it easy to design custom cards or choose from its premade selection of cards. Customize each design by adding a message or attaching a photo or video.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Your thoughtful words are what will stand out to supporters you send these eCards to. Evite makes it easy to add a message to the front of the card or flip it over to write a longer message on the other side. If you’re at a loss for words, check out the suggested message options that’ll help craft the perfect message. Plus, you can choose from different fonts and adjust the text size to make your eCard look exactly how you want it to.

Evite’s Pricing: Either choose the free version, which includes ads on eCards, or upgrade to a paid account, starting at $15.99 for up to 15 cards. Paid accounts are priced based on how many recipients will receive your cards.

eCard Website 5) Hallmark eCards

We couldn’t leave the company that revolutionized the greeting card business off this list. Since 1910, Hallmark has empowered people to convey their emotions through thoughtful cards. Over a century later, they’re bringing that tradition into the virtual space with its video eCards.

Upload your photos and videos to create a memorable, one-of-a-kind video greeting card. Then, instantly share it via text or email. You also have the option to send a real card, which they can scan with their phone to play your video. How innovative!

With tons of designs to personalize, you can create eCards to send to supporters for any occasion, whether you’re looking for a silly card, a serious design, or something in between.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Hallmark is ideal for nonprofits that want to send highly personalized eCards, making this platform a great source for volunteer or donor appreciation gifts. As explained in re:Charity’s donor appreciation gift guide, greeting cards can be personalized with custom messages, perfect for highlighting an individual supporter’s impact.

Hallmark’s Pricing: Purchase video eCards individually. Most video eCards cost $4.99 and $5.99 depending on whether you purchase a physical card too.

eCard Website 6) Paperless Post

Similar to Evite, Paperless Post is known for its invitation services, but it also offers a selection of greeting cards, too. Featuring world-class brands like Rifle Paper Co. and Kate Spade, Paperless Post has a range of beautifully-designed eCard templates for events and special occasions.

Browse the selection to find your favorite designs. Then, make each eCard your own by customizing everything from the text and images to the virtual envelope lining and stamps. Your supporters will appreciate the extra effort you put into customizing your cards!

The user-friendly interface enables you to easily choose from various themes, styles, and layouts to match your nonprofit’s aesthetics — whether you’re sending event invites or holiday greetings. You can even add animated elements to make your eCards more engaging and memorable. Then, send your eCards to recipients via email, text, or shareable link.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Keep an eye on delivery statuses and gather RSVPs for events thanks to Paperless Post’s tracking and RSVP management features. That way, you’ll know whether your eCards are being delivered and can accurately gauge attendance for nonprofit events.

Paperless Post’s Pricing: Most cards are free for up to 50 emails. To send more than that, you’ll pay a flat fee of $20 for up to 15,000 recipients. Purchase eCards with credits called Coins, starting at $0.12 per coin each depending on how many you buy. Each eCard displays a “starting at” number of coins, which indicates the starting pricing. The final price includes any additional Premium elements you opt to include, like the envelope, liner, stamp, or backdrop.

eCard Website 7) Adobe Creative Cloud Express

For a do-it-yourself approach to your charity eCards, check out Adobe Creative Cloud Express. Design custom eCards that feature your organizations branding — even on the go thanks to the mobile app.

If you’re limited on graphic design experience, select from a wide array of online templates to get started. Then, handpick graphics from their libraries or upload your own photos, icons, and graphics. The platform supports high-resolution graphics and offers precise control over your details, so you can create impactful charity eCards.

Once you’ve perfected your design, hit the download button to save your project and instantly share your eCard across virtual platforms.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

You gain complete creative freedom with Adobe’s extensive customization options. Because of its flexible design tools, you can personalize every aspect of your eCards including colors, typography, illustrations, and animations.

Adobe’s Pricing: Adobe is a great free option, but paid premium plans unlock features like the option to auto-apply your nonprofit’s logo, fonts, and colors. Note that verified nonprofits can receive Adobe Express Premium for free as part of the company’s commitment to CSR.

eCard Website 8) Canva

Canva is a well-known graphic design platform that offers a wide range of features, making it well-suited for designing eCards. Its popularity stems from how quickly users can create designs, which applies to designing eCards too.

With this design site, you gain access to a library of more than 420,000 templates, 75 million images, 3.5 million graphic elements, and 3,000 fonts. With countless customizability options, you can create designs perfect for celebrating any occasion with supporters or inviting people to your events.

Note that Canva doesn’t offer an eCard-sending service. Instead, you’ll need to share your eCards directly from the platform or download your designs to use across other channels. Alternatively, go the snail mail route by designing physical cards.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

If you want to take a collaborative approach to your eCards, Canva is a solid choice. This eCard website enables collaboration among team members, allowing multiple users to pitch in on the design process.

Canva’s Pricing: Canva’s premium design tools are free for verified nonprofits.

eCard Website 9) Jacquie Lawson

If you love the idea of art-inspired eCards, Jacquie Lawson may be the eCard website for you!

Whether you want watercolor creations or colorful celebratory designs, you’ll have plenty of options. Purchase a membership, then send as many eCards as you want for the duration of your membership.

You’ll also get everything you need from a professionally-run eCard site: an address book, birthday reminders, and a helpline on top of the unique, artfully-drawn designs.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Break out of the traditional eCard realm with Jacquie Lawson. This eCard website offers beautiful, artful designs you can’t get anywhere else. These visually-compelling cards are ideal for propelling your nonprofit’s relationships forward, especially if the unique look correlates with your brand.

Jacquie Lawson’s Pricing: Become a member for the equivalent of four traditional paper cards per year. Monthly plans are $9, annual plans are $30, and 2-year plans are $45.

eCard Website 10) Acme Ecards

Put plenty of thought into your eCard strategy with Acme Ecards. Formerly known as Ecard Mint, this eCard website works to reimagine your nonprofit marketing ideas with bespoke cards designed to grow your brand

Communicate your strategy and digital marketing goals to their team. Then, let them curate your eCard collection by designing animated eCards based on supporter data and history. They’ll handle your email campaigns for you, making every email feel personal to recipients.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

For cards fully tailored to your recipients, Acme Ecards is a reliable solution. Humanize your email marketing by letting them take charge of your card designs. They’ll pull from their wide range of pre-designed greeting cards which can be rebranded and worked into any campaign. In no time, you’ll have on-brand bespoke eCards that make your outreach stand out in supporters’ inboxes.

Acme Ecards’ Pricing: Acme’s pricing starts at $90 for first-time customers. Pricing tiers increase primarily based on the number of individuals on your contact list. This site offers discounts for nonprofits, so contact their sales team to learn more.

eCard Website 11) Postable

Postable offers a different take on eCards. While the experience is virtual on your end, recipients will receive a physical card in the mail. Browse their massive collection or create your own unique designs. That means you can fully infuse your nonprofit’s brand. Then, they’ll handwrite the address and eCard’s note for you. They even help curate your online address book, making sending your cards incredibly easy.

If you’re worried about eco-friendliness, it might ease your concerns to know that their cards and envelopes are 100% recycled.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Make your greeting cards even more personal by maintaining the traditional feel of direct mail. The design is fully your own, and you can even choose the handwritten font that each note and address uses.

Postable’s Pricing: An account is totally free. The cards vary in pricing depending on how many you send. Generally, 1-19 cards cost $3.99 each plus stamp fees, while 20 or more cards cost $3.29 plus stamp fees. This eCard site also offers discounted volume pricing, making it great for organizations.

Final Thoughts on eCard Websites

When it comes to fundraising and supercharging supporter relations, nothing quite matches up to eCards. Personalized and visually appealing eCards can strengthen your nonprofit communication and engagement in a snap — but only if you use the right eCard platform!

The right website can make eCards a viable fundraising and marketing avenue for your cause. Keep the key features we mentioned in mind, and you’ll be set to choose the site that best fits your organization’s needs.

While you make your decision, check out some of these helpful resources we hand-curated for you to continue learning:

Charity eCards: How to Create Cards That Make A Difference. Dive into the world of nonprofit eCards. In this guide from eCardWidget, you’ll learn more about what charity eCards are, how to create powerful designs, and how to leverage your newly-purchased eCard software.
20 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas To Foster Relationships. Nonprofit eCards are a wonderful way to say thanks to your generous volunteers. Explore this idea and several others in this guide from the graphic design experts at Kwala.
How to Ask for Donations From Individuals, Companies & More. Gain creative ideas for effectively requesting donations. From eCards to product fundraising, you’ll leave with everything you need to know to raise money.

Learn how to develop and use a winning fundraising case for support.

The Art of Persuasion: How to Build a Case for Support

April 2, 2024/in Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Convincing an audience to take any kind of action requires making an effective pitch. Nonprofits know this all too well. When you rely on people’s donated support to push your work forward, you must be able to confidently explain to your donors what you need, why, and what the benefit will be.

A nonprofit case for support is at the root of how you make a compelling pitch to donors. It’s an essential part of running fundraising campaigns and effectively communicating your mission.

What’s more, a case for support can (and should) be an active tool for better fundraising—not just a pre-campaign task to get out of the way, but a real asset that will fuel your success.

So how do you create one? What should your case for support contain? What mistakes should you avoid? We’ve got you covered. This crash course will cover all the essentials, including:

Frequently asked questions
Essential elements of a case for support
How to create a case for support
Expert tips for a more compelling case
Getting specific with your data
5 case for support pitfalls to avoid
Real case for support examples

Nonprofit Case for Support FAQs

Let’s start by establishing some context:

What is a case for support?

A nonprofit case for support is the core set of reasons why donors should support a particular campaign, project, or organization’s work as a whole. It’s a fundamental fundraising framework or concept on which you can build your campaigns.

Cases can be developed for a wide variety of contexts and audiences, making them extremely flexible tools to guide the fundraising process in any situation. They essentially seek to answer the questions, “Why should someone care, and what are we asking them to do?”

It’s important to note that while this term is often used to describe a tangible document or other resource, the underlying set of arguments themselves comprise the case for support. We’ll take a look at some examples below.

While a case will be distilled into various printed and digital resources during a fundraising campaign, overly fixating on a specific document can ultimately limit a nonprofit’s vision and the overall effectiveness of its case.

Why are cases for support important?

Cases for support give your fundraising team a clear roadmap and talking points to use when promoting your campaigns or overall mission to donors.

When created and used well, a case for support will standardize your messaging and ensure that you communicate a clear, unified, and compelling vision to potential supporters. Then, with the scaffolding in place, your team can use it to create tailored variations, individualized pitches, and all kinds of helpful resources that will support the overall vision of your fundraising campaign.

When do nonprofits create and use cases for support?

Nonprofits develop cases for support in a range of different situations. They might be created to support:

Major fundraising campaigns, like capital campaigns
Annual campaigns
Specific fundraising programs, like corporate sponsorships or planned giving
The overall organization’s messaging as a whole

They’re most commonly discussed in the context of capital campaigns as a critical early step in the campaign planning process.

But note that you’ll benefit from a case for support in any situation in which your team will need to make a clear pitch to donors to solicit support. As long as you understand what a case for support is and what it should accomplish, you can use its framework to support your goals.

Who in a nonprofit should create a case for support?

A case for support should be created by the fundraising or development team that will be directly involved in running that particular campaign. An overarching case for support for the organization’s work as a whole should also be owned by the fundraising team.

However, the overall development process should be collaborative. Gathering input and suggestions is an important part of developing a compelling case. Many organizations also seek the direct input of major donors when crafting their cases. Plus, you’ll usually need to secure leadership buy-in on the finalized case for support.

Essential Elements of an Effective Case for Support

A compelling case for support should cover a few essentials. By including these core talking points or sections, you’ll ensure that your team has the strong framework they need to make an effective fundraising pitch.

Objective. What will your campaign accomplish? Why are you fundraising? Be as specific as possible—concrete objectives will always be more compelling than vague or intangible ones because they allow donors to envision the real impact of success.
Fundraising goal. How much money are you seeking to raise to fund your objective? Again, specificity is key. Spell out your needs so that your team can better articulate them to prospects.
Connection to mission. Your mission should be clearly visible through all of your fundraising efforts. Even if it seems self-evident, take the time to define the exact ways that completing your objective will push your nonprofit’s mission forward.
The problem. What is the context behind your objective, or what problem are you intending to solve or alleviate? What steps have you taken to combat it in the past?
The impact. What will the impact of your success be in concrete terms? Projecting impact can be tricky, but it’s always worth doing. Think about how you’ll measure the success of your objective in relation to your mission and use those metrics or key performance indicators to help determine some concrete impact projections.
Call to action. Spur your prospective donor to action. Again, clearly spell out the relationship between your mission, objective, goal, needs, and impact.

You might think that these key talking points might sound like the sections of a grant proposal, and you’re not wrong.

However, keep in mind that, unlike a grant proposal, a case for support can be more flexible and adapted to your specific goals. There’s no one specific format to follow—this will be shaped by the specific fundraising context once you’ve established the core set of arguments and details listed above.

Developing a Case for Support: 9 Steps

You’re ready to develop your next case for support and drive your best fundraising results yet. How do you get started? We break it down into these key steps:

Form a team. A small group of fundraisers or development staff should oversee the case development process. Depending on the purpose or scope of the fundraising campaign, however, you may want to proactively involve a board member or other organizational leader. Organization-wide or capital campaign cases for support are instances when getting a broader leadership perspective early will be helpful.
Determine your case for support guidelines. What’s the context for this case for support? Is it for a particular campaign or initiative? Align your team on the context and purpose.
Draft your key elements. Work through the list of key elements of a case for support above and draft a few sentences for each. Brevity is key—a handful of highly impactful sentences will carry much more weight than rambling paragraphs. Besides, at this stage, you’re seeking to create a framework, not a completed structure!
Ensure coherence. Read your preliminary case for support closely to ensure that it clearly ties back to your organization’s mission. Do the key points you’ve made align with how the campaign is being discussed internally? Are there more compelling talking points or impact details that you might be able to provide?
Review and revise. Take some time as a team to review what you’ve developed. Proofread and look for weak spots in your argument where your claims or calls to action could be better supported. Make quick revisions as needed, but don’t get too bogged down in creating the perfect finished product just yet.
Test and refine. Next, seek feedback outside of your case for support committee. Other fundraisers, marketers, and leaders in your organization may have helpful perspectives. If you’re developing a case for support for a capital campaign, this is when you’ll gather direct donor feedback through a feasibility study. Make adjustments to your case and campaign plans as needed to ensure your strategy and argument are set up to succeed.
Secure buy-in. Present your finalized case for support to organizational and/or campaign leadership as needed. Get their feedback and approval to move forward with using the case as the basis for your fundraising messaging going forward.
Save and share. Save your case for support in a central, accessible digital location. Then, publicize it to your broader fundraising and marketing teams.
Distill into campaign materials. Over time, as your fundraising campaign progresses into new stages that target different audiences, use your case for support to guide the messaging in new campaign materials. Brochures, email appeals, letters, texts—everything related to your campaign or this particular fundraising push should be part of a coherent whole.

Expert Tips for a More Compelling Case for Support

Now that you understand the process and purpose of creating a case for support for your campaign, what are the tactical tips to keep in mind when actually drafting it? We’ve got some recommendations.

1. Make it impact-centric.

Your case for support should revolve around the positive impacts of your success. This is the ultimate reason for the campaign and its objective, so there should be a crystal-clear throughline from the ask to the objective to the impact.

Not only will this ensure coherent, compelling messaging across your campaign later, but it’s also increasingly thought of as a prerequisite by many donors. If donors are unclear on what exactly will happen with their gift and how it will go towards the problem at hand, it’ll be harder to secure their support. In fact, younger generations are much more likely to say they will not donate if they’re unsure what the charity will do with the money (37.8% of Gen Z donors vs. 15.2% of Mature age donors).

2. Gather compelling storytelling details.

While your core case for support should be concise, aim to embed compelling storytelling elements that will help make the ask and impact real to your donors. Help them understand and feel the urgency surrounding the problem that your campaign’s objective will solve.

While preparing a case for support, gather a range of storytelling details that you can use later when developing more fleshed-out and tailored variations for your campaign marketing materials. These could include:

Anecdotes and testimonials from constituents and donors (with their permission)
Photos of your nonprofit’s programs at work
Data to support your claims about the problem and your objective’s projected impact

Assembling this kind of “case for support kit” will be extremely helpful once it’s time to create campaign materials like web pages, brochures, email templates, and more—see the examples below for this strategy in action.

3. Boost your persuasion power with clear writing.

Persuasive writing is direct, clear, and evocative—set your fundraising materials up for success by baking these qualities into your case for support from the very start. Consider these best practices:

Keep sentences short and impactful. Write as specifically as possible to naturally keep things concise.
Avoid using too many adjectives and adverbs to describe things and problems. Let the details and the context speak for themselves and paint a picture for readers.
Be intentional and specific with your word choices. It’s easy in nonprofit work to get bogged down in vague generalities and jargon, but these will never give you the impact you need to make a convincing pitch to people who aren’t knee-deep in your mission all day.
Understand the power of passive and active voice. Active voice tends to be clearer and more impactful and should take precedence in your core case for support. Passive voice has its role and is more helpful for explaining complex thoughts and situations, but try to wait until you’re writing longer-form campaign materials to use it.

4. Understand your audience and context.

Actively think about who your case for support is speaking to and why they should care about your mission and ask.

For many cases for support, you’ll be writing to a general audience of supporters. In others, you’ll be targeting a more specific segment from the get-go, like

Major, mid-level, or lower-level donors
Volunteers
Event attendees
Prospective donors for a specific giving program
Potential corporate sponsors

Draft your case for support with the interests and motivations of your audience in mind. For example, positive brand awareness is a prime motivator for corporate partners, so make sure your core case statements highlight the size of your audience and the public reach that your organization has. Tax incentives often motivate major and non-cash donors, so you can mention these when discussing the positive impacts (both for your mission and your donors) that your fundraising initiative will have.

Getting Specific: Using Data to Take Your Case for Support to the Next Level

Concrete details make for more effective pitches. When compiling a new case for support and any associated kits of details and stories, don’t forget the data.

For a case for support, this supporting data might include information like:

Details about other funding sources for the campaign or project
Information about your corporate partners
Your organization’s current matching gift revenue
Statistics about your volunteer program

Why gather this information? Depending on the audience and context of your case for support, being prepared with this data can be extremely helpful.

For example, major donors might want to know it to gauge your organization’s effectiveness before committing to a large gift. Foundations and sponsors might require this information. In very specific circumstances, like if you’re laying out the case to recruit sponsors for a special donation match challenge, information about the scope of your fundraising efforts will be integral to the agreement.

By having this data on hand and baked into the messaging guidelines of your case for support, you’ll be able to easily create detailed, custom pitches for your prospects.

You might already have much of this information in your CRM. For data specific to your grants or corporate philanthropy efforts, be sure to use dedicated grant management and corporate philanthropy tools that make it easy to generate reports and projections (and to raise more of these funds in general).

Check out this video to learn more about how the right platform, like 360MatchPro, can not only unlock new revenue streams for your nonprofit but also equip you with the tools you need to build and report more thriving giving programs all around:

Watch Out! 5 Case for Support Pitfalls to Avoid

Creating a case for support should become second nature anytime your organization takes on a significant new fundraising campaign or launches a new giving program. What are the common mistakes to avoid along the way?

Mistake 1: Starting with a document or brochure.
- Remember, a case for support is a set of persuasive arguments and details, not just a document. You’ll distill your case into a wide range of campaign materials like brochures, emails, web pages, and more, but jumping ahead to that stage might limit your vision and the case’s overall effectiveness.

Mistake 2: Not securing buy-in.
- A case for support is a foundational fundraising resource—your organization should feel confident that the pitch it lays out aligns with your vision and goals for the campaign. If you don’t get sign-off from campaign or organizational leaders early, you might risk needing to backtrack later to update fundraising materials that were based on an outdated version of the case.

Mistake 3: Not testing your case for major campaigns.
- A case for support allows you to test your pitch in the lead-up to a capital campaign. These kinds of major fundraising campaigns are big investments of your time and resources, and they have high stakes, so you need to ensure your messaging is as effective as possible early in the process. Use a feasibility study to introduce a small group of high-impact supporters to your campaign, ask for feedback on your case for support, and use their input to improve it before moving forward.

Mistake 4: Becoming too donor- or organization-centric.
- The focus in a case for support should be on the positive impact that will be created when you achieve your campaign’s objective. Nonprofits often see advice about making donors the heroes of their pitches, but that’s not necessarily the goal in a case for support. You can emphasize their role in later messages that you create using the case for support. Similarly, avoid overly-centering your organization as the active player—it’s all about the objective and impact at this stage.

Mistake 5: Veering into scarcity-thinking.
- Your case for support should convey a positive and ambitious but realistic vision for achieving your objective. Avoid limiting yourself (and using toned-down or pessimistic language) in your case for support since its core messages will make their way into all of your fundraising materials later. While you don’t want to positivity-whitewash the problem you’re tackling, which might downplay the urgency, you should still emphasize your strengths and come off as confident.

Nonprofit Case for Support Examples

Let’s take a look at some strong examples of case for support documents created by leading nonprofits. We’ll examine them from both sides:

Public-Facing Case for Support: UNICEF

Read the case for support document

This is the public-facing case for support for an ambitious 10-year initiative, The UNICEF and WHO Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being and Development of Children and Adolescents. This campaign seeks to raise $50 million in donation commitments to achieve its crystal-clear objective:

“By 2030, children and adolescents living in countries targeted under the Joint Programme will experience reduced suffering and improved mental health and psychosocial well-being and development.”

This is a “global” case for support document for the campaign, meaning it can serve as the single source of truth for fundraisers to create new campaign materials and have more targeted discussions with prospective donors. Its high quality also means it could easily be shared directly with prospects and news outlets as-is, too.

What this Case for Support Does Well

Includes extremely clear and impactful language
Repeats key phrases and vision statements across the entire document
Conveys true urgency without coming across as dark or dire
Emphasizes the impact of proposed solutions and provides statistics to back them up
Very clearly structured with headings that reinforce the purpose of the document

Internal Case for Support: YMCA

Read the case for support document

This is an internally-facing case for support written by the team at the Santa Monica Family YMCA to support an annual fundraising campaign.

This particular case document could be an extremely helpful example for your nonprofit. It gives us a direct glimpse into what a working case for support looks like and what kind of information yours should include.

We love how mission-centric this example is—every section clearly connects back to the organization’s mission of strengthening communities through supporting youth and fostering healthy living. With this resource in hand, it would be easy for YMCA fundraisers to craft compelling gift solicitations and promotional materials.

What this Case for Support Does Well

Begins by clarifying the purpose of the resource for YMCA staff
Clearly connects all sections back to the organization’s mission
Explains core programs and areas of operation in easily-repeatable language for use in more materials and donor discussions
Ends with a short library of constituent stories broken down by program—invaluable for fundraisers in the field!

Writing a case for support (for a campaign, event, or just for your fundraising efforts in general) is one of the most important things you can do to set your nonprofit up for success.

With an easy-to-use guide on how to talk about your objectives, needs, goals, and plans, your team will be able to tackle any fundraising challenge with ease. If you need to draft a case of support of your own, start by working through the “Essential Elements” explained above and following our recommended steps. You’ll be engaging your prospects, funders, and corporate partners with compelling fundraising pitches in no time.

To keep learning, explore these additional fundraising guides:

This article goes over why workplace giving matters for both nonprofits and companies.

Why Workplace Giving Matters for Nonprofits + Companies

March 31, 2024/in Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Today, companies are diving deep into social good causes in large part due to the rise of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which reflects a company’s efforts toward improving society. One of the biggest programs to come from CSR is workplace giving.

Workplace giving programs are important to more organizations than just the companies that run them. Nonprofit organizations all over the world benefit from CSR initiatives, with workplace giving at the forefront, raising approximately $5 billion every year.

Both companies and nonprofits should focus on workplace giving to reap its unique benefits. That’s why we’re going to cover the following topics:

What is workplace giving?
Why workplace giving matters for companies
Why workplace giving matters for nonprofits
Why workplace giving matters for employees
How can companies implement and maintain workplace giving programs?

Workplace giving can have a huge impact on society as a whole, benefiting nonprofits all over the globe. But there’s more to it than that. Let’s get started.

1. What is workplace giving?

Workplace giving is a company-sponsored program that provides its employees with the opportunity to financially support nonprofit organizations.

Through workplace giving, employees can make charitable donations to the nonprofits they care about.

Workplace giving is an umbrella term, which means it can refer to multiple types of programs. Diversifying workplace giving can encourage greater employee participation. When you provide multiple ways to get involved, employees have the freedom to choose how they want to give and actively take part in the process as a result.

As part of workplace giving, companies can choose to:

Match donations. Corporate matching gift programs are a form of workplace giving in which companies financially match donations their employees make to nonprofits, essentially doubling employees’ donations.
Offer volunteer grants. For employees who might not be able to donate financially, they can still donate their time. Employees who volunteer on a regular basis with a nonprofit can submit a volunteer grant request to their employer. This means the nonprofit will receive a donation from the employer based on the number of hours the employee volunteered.
Payroll deductions. Payroll deductions are one of the most common types of workplace giving. Rather than employees going out of their way to make donations, payroll deductions automatically deduct a portion of their paychecks to donate to a charity of their choice. Payroll deductions are usually small but can quickly add up, allowing one nonprofit supported by an entire company to amass significant financial support.

Of these programs, corporate matching gifts are arguably the most effective and important giving channel to focus on as both a company and a nonprofit. Most companies match at a 1:1 ratio (a dollar for a dollar), but ratios can range from 0.5:1 to 4:1. Many companies also match donations to a wide range of organizations, with few restrictions.

Workplace giving can be enhanced by any of the programs we’ve already mentioned. But the most important thing to remember is that when companies offer multiple ways to give to charities, employee participation as a whole will rise.

2. Why workplace giving matters for companies

Beyond the social good workplace giving promotes all around, there are specific benefits for companies:

When it comes to employee engagement, a company’s employees tend to be happier working for companies that support generous giving initiatives, and companies with happy employees outperform their competition by 20%.
69% of employees feel a stronger sense of loyalty to their employer if they have a workplace giving program. This loyalty leads to higher retention, meaning less turnover and more time spent investing in experienced employees rather than training new ones.
Apart from internal benefits, companies also maintain a positive public image in the communities in which they operate. 84% of consumers state they have more trust in businesses that have charitable giving programs.

Your company has spent a lot of time and energy setting up its workplace giving program, and you can start reaping its benefits faster the easier employee participation is. After all, the more your employees take part in workplace giving, the happier they’ll be.

For that reason, finding software that makes participating in workplace giving easy can help you get the most out of your program. Read more about workplace giving software solutions below!

How auto-submission helps

When an employer leverages a workplace giving platform equipped with auto-submission functionality, which recently came out of beta for all 360MatchPro users, it makes workplace giving participation easier than ever before. Not only is it quicker for employees to get involved, but it’s also simpler for companies to organize, establish, and maintain their programs.

Employers can spend less time tracking and reporting on employee giving and matching gift submissions, reducing the administrative workload it takes to manage workplace giving. And it’s all while making a larger impact on the causes their employees care about!

3. Why workplace giving matters for nonprofits

It’s obvious that workplace giving campaigns help nonprofits financially. But the benefits go deeper than that.

When companies emphasize corporate matching gifts and other workplace giving programs, nonprofits benefit tremendously. This is because:

Workplace giving builds stronger relationships between nonprofits and companies/employees. Even charitable employees can forget to give on occasion, but workplace giving makes interacting with nonprofits a routine part of their schedule, increasing interactions and strengthening their investment in the nonprofits they give to.
Long-term relationships between nonprofits and companies lead to ongoing partnerships. When multiple employees give to the same nonprofit, leadership may be inspired to take their support to the next level with corporate sponsorships for the nonprofit’s events and programs.
Nonprofits can better serve their constituents and their missions. Nonprofits also save time and resources by participating in workplace giving programs. They can receive gifts in a cost-efficient way without spending time soliciting donations. Instead, that time can go to doing good.

When companies do everything they can to encourage employees to participate in workplace giving programs, nonprofits gain more than just monetary support. They’ll become part of a larger community that helps them reach their goals.

How auto-submission helps

With higher participation rates by companies and their employees, auto-submission leads to greater revenue for the nonprofits on the receiving end of the relationship. More matching gifts are processed with auto-submission⁠, meaning charitable organizations in need of support earn more revenue.

Not to mention, matching gift auto-submission directly addresses obstacles that nonprofit fundraisers have been facing for years! Common roadblocks⁠, such as a lack of donor awareness of workplace giving programs and non-completed submission forms⁠, are eliminated with auto-submission. Donors are more inclined to complete their end of the process when it’s as easy as a single click⁠, and they’re also likely to keep giving and matching year after year.

4. Why workplace giving matters for employees

Workplace giving doesn’t just benefit companies and nonprofits. As previously mentioned, companies that participate in workplace giving maintain a higher employee engagement rate and lower turnover.

Let’s look at how workplace giving programs can further benefit employees specifically:

Employees give to reputable charities. One of the benefits of workplace giving—especially for employees—is that they can be certain they’re giving to reputable organizations. Generally, workplace giving programs screen the nonprofits that are allowed to participate. This means employees can rest assured their donations are going to a good cause.
Employees give in smaller increments. Employees who might not be able to donate a large sum at once can benefit from automatic payroll deductions. The smaller amounts deducted from each paycheck will add up over time, and, when paired with a matching gift from their employer, add up to make a real impact.
Employees make a larger impact overall. Even if employees are only able to donate in small increments, their gifts combine with those of thousands of employees across the country. These donations are also unrestricted, meaning nonprofits can use them however they see fit to continue fulfilling their mission.

There are many reasons why workplace giving matters, and for employees, being able to donate effectively to worthy causes is a big one.

How auto-submission helps

A nonprofit’s donors want to make a significant impact on their favorite organizations’ missions. Additionally, a company’s staff appreciates the opportunity to involve their employer in the causes they care about. Luckily, auto-submission makes every step in the process easier.

When an employee who qualifies for auto-submission gives to an organization equipped with Double the Donation’s tools, a matching gift request can be completed in mere seconds⁠—no website redirects, separate login processes, or repetition of donation information.

This empowers more employees to get involved in their companies’ workplace giving programs that would have otherwise been deterred by a complicated process.

5. How can companies implement and maintain workplace giving programs?

For companies, reporting tools are crucial to their workplace giving programs’ success. If a company doesn’t have a set process in place for tracking matching gifts, volunteer grant requests, payroll deduction options, and other components of their giving programs, measuring what impact the company has made becomes challenging.

Reporting enables your company to maintain transparency, which tends to be low among corporate philanthropy programs. As a result, only 1 in 10 consumers state that they trust corporate giving programs as compared to nonprofit programs.

That’s why many companies invest in workplace giving solutions to effectively track each task, their CSR initiatives, their goals, and any pending requests. There are many types of workplace giving platforms, so be sure to look for tools that meet your company’s needs.

More specifically, if you’re running a matching gift, volunteer grant, or payroll deduction program, below are key features to look for in your workplace giving solution:

Centralized employee donation tracking
Streamlined approval process for nonprofit types, donation matches, and volunteer grants
Volunteer event setup and management
Volunteer hour tracking
Payroll integration

When you choose workplace giving software that offers the tools you need to manage each component of your giving program, it’ll be much easier for your employees to get involved and for your company to track your overall CSR initiatives and progress.

How can companies offer the best workplace giving programs for employees?

According to corporate giving research, one of the largest considerations as to whether employees will participate in a workplace giving program revolves around how easy it is for them to get involved. For many donors, that idea is based heavily on the different ways that they’re able to give.

For example, our studies show the following:

96% of employees at companies with matching gift programs have a strong or very strong preference for their company to match donations made directly to a nonprofit (such as through the nonprofit’s website, peer-to-peer fundraising platform, or mail) rather than only matching donations through a workplace giving software platform.

This idea boils down to the fact that employees do not want to participate in an employee giving program that is restricted to gifts made through just their employer’s workplace giving platform. The more options a company has for employees to support the nonprofits they care about, the more likely they are to partake.

Along similar lines, if you want more employees to get involved with your matching gifts initiatives, adjust your requirements to offer low minimum donations, high maximums, and liberal submission deadlines⁠, and expand the types—full-time, part-time, and retired—of employees who can have their gifts matched.

Once a match-eligible donation has been made, it’s equally (if not more) important that the match submission process is quick and easy. Again, this is where matching gift auto-submission—made available through Double the Donation in partnership with select workplace giving platforms—can come in handy.

How can companies actively promote workplace giving programs?

The best thing a company can do to promote workplace giving—and to help nonprofits in the process—is to educate their employees.

Feature your workplace giving programs in employee onboarding materials. More specifically, you should highlight:

Matching gift programs
Volunteer grant opportunities
Payroll deductions
Paid time off to volunteer
Other opportunities to support nonprofits

Educating your employees when you first launch your program and offering reminders throughout the year will keep your CSR initiatives at the forefront of your company culture.

Of course, it’s always a good practice to get employee feedback on your workplace giving programs. This will help you determine whether your program is accessible and effective. Send out surveys and allow employees to vote on the types of nonprofits or causes they want to support or even the types of workplace giving programs they want to see offered.

Additional workplace giving resources

If you’re interested in starting a workplace giving program, hopefully, this guide has served as a helpful start to learning more about employee giving opportunities and why workplace giving matters in the long run. Whether you’re part of a company or nonprofit, the benefits of taking part in workplace giving programs are endless.

To learn more about this extensive topic, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite resources below:

How Corporate Volunteer Grants Increase Employee Engagement. Volunteering is a huge component of workplace giving. Learn how to boost employee engagement with this article!
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Employee Giving Programs. Want to focus on employee giving specifically? Here are 10 things you might not know about employee giving programs.
Matching Gift Software Vendors: The Comprehensive List. Looking for corporate vendors that are tailored specifically to nonprofits or companies? Check out our list.

Matching Gift Requests | Deadlines, Forms & Auto-Submission

March 20, 2024/in Donor communications, Learning Center, Company Spotlights, Matching Gift Companies, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

You likely have a number of matchable donations in your CRM at any given time. If you’re looking to revamp your strategy, you might wonder if gifts made last week, month, or quarter remain eligible for the giving programs. Fear not—many contributions from the past year (give or take) should still qualify for company matching. Now, you’re just waiting for your donors to complete their matching gift requests!

The problem is that many donors remain unaware of the matching gift opportunity entirely. When an individual has no idea their employer matches, they won’t take the necessary steps to request associated funding and secure additional revenue for your nonprofit.

That’s why educating your team and your donors about the importance of matching gift requests is essential. And we’ve provided this expert guide to help you do so!

In this blog post, we’ll cover the following key topics:

What Are Matching Gift Requests?
How Do Donors Complete Matching Gift Requests?
What to Know About Matching Gift Request Deadlines
Encouraging Matching Gift Requests’ Completion
Streamlining Matching Gift Requests With Auto-Submission

Let’s get started!

What Are Matching Gift Requests?

A matching gift request is a submission made by a donor to their employer as part of the company’s matching gift program. The request aims to secure a corporate match for the individual’s donation to a nonprofit cause⁠, making it an essential part of the matching gift process.

The Matching Gift Fundraising Process

A donor contributes to a nonprofit.
The donor determines if their gift qualifies for an employer match.
The donor completes a matching gift request from their employer.
The employer reviews the matching gift request and verifies the initial donation with the organization.
The employer approves the matching gift request and disburses match funding to the organization.

Though the request itself can vary from one company to the next, these forms generally source information on the employee, the recipient organization, and transaction details.

How Do Donors Complete Matching Gift Requests?

The actual task of submitting a matching gift request is going to fall on each individual donor. However, it helps to ensure your fundraising team is familiar with the process and prepared to assist donors in completing it.

Here’s how it generally works:

Step 1: A donor receives a link to their matching gift form.

After a donor contributes to a nonprofit, the organization should take proactive steps to encourage the individual to complete the matching gift request process. This might mean promoting matching gifts from the confirmation screen or in a separate email follow-up (as pictured below).

For the best results, the reminder should include an acknowledgment of the donor’s initial donation along with a direct link to their company forms.

How donors complete their matching gift requests

Step 2: The donor logs into their company’s giving portal.

After the donor receives a link to their employer’s matching gift form, they should navigate to the company’s giving portal or corporate philanthropy platform. This site will generally house a range of corporate giving information, including the forms required for employees to complete their matching gift requests.

Once on the page, they’ll log in using credentials provided by their employer. Most online portals have contact information for the company’s program administrator, should a donor have difficulty accessing the platform on their own.

Step 3: The donor initiates a matching gift request.

Within the company’s giving portal (or externally, for companies that don’t use them), a donor should locate the option to initiate a matching gift request.

This may be presented as a specific form or an online application within the portal.

Step 4: The donor provides donation details on the online form.

The donor should now follow the instructions provided by the portal to complete their matching gift request form properly. They should expect to supply information about…

Themselves (i.e., employee ID number, corporate email address)
The organization they supported (there will typically be some kind of search field or dropdown menu from which to choose)
Their recent transaction details (gift format, amount, date, etc.)

Once approved, the company makes its own donation to the nonprofit, effectively doubling (or, in some cases, tripling) the impact of the original gift.

What to Know About Matching Gift Request Deadlines ⌛

Matching gift requests are not generally required to be submitted immediately following the initial giving transaction. However, nearly all companies establish some sort of deadline by which employee matching gift requests must be completed.

The dates themselves vary, generally coinciding with the calendar year (e.g., December of the year in which the donation was made; the end of the calendar year plus a grace period into the following one) or a set amount of time post-donation.

Top tip: Encouraging timely submissions from donors is integral to an optimized strategy. The more time passes after an individual’s donation, the less likely they are to complete the match. Not to mention, the sooner your nonprofit receives the extra funds, the sooner it can put those funds to good use.

See How Matching Gift Automation Can Help

Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, 360MatchPro.

Benefits of matching gift automation software

request a free personalized demo

Familiarize yourself with the following types of program deadlines. Plus, review leading matching gift company guidelines to see when their employees’ matching gift requests are due!

Deadline #1: A Set Number of Days or Months Post-Donation

The first type of deadline is based on the amount of time elapsed since the individual completed their initial donation. While most companies offer flexible submission windows for matching gift requests, deadlines can range from 30 days to an entire year post-transaction.

Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae currently matches part-time and full-time employee donations up to $5,000. Unfortunately, some donors miss out on this funding opportunity, largely due to a lack of program awareness, which results in missed matching gift requests.

Match request deadline: Fannie Mae donors must submit their matching gift requests within 30 days of their donation date or by December 31st of each year (whichever is sooner).

Click here for additional details on Fannie Mae’s matching gift program.

Altria

Altria offers a generous matching gift program (up to $30,000 per employee per year) along with sizable volunteer grants (up to $500 after 25 hours of volunteering).

Match request deadline: Altria’s program administrator must receive all matching gift requests within 90 days of the donations being made.

Click here for additional details on Altria’s matching gift program.

Apple

Apple offers a generous matching gift program for full-time and part-time employees. Each year, team members are encouraged to request between $1 and $10,000 in matches from qualifying gifts!

Match request deadline: Employees should be sure to submit their matching gift requests swiftly, as Apple requires gifts to be registered within one month of the transaction date.

Click here for additional details on Apple’s matching gift program.

Microsoft

Microsoft matches between $1 and $15,000 per team member per year. Plus, employees can earn grants for their favorite organizations worth $25 for each hour they spend volunteering.

Match request deadline: Employees are welcome to request matching gifts for any qualifying donations made in the past 12 months!

Click here for additional details on Microsoft’s matching gift program.

YUM Brands

Fast food corporation YUM Brands, including employees at Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell restaurants, matches gifts at a dollar-for-dollar rate up to $1,000 per associate per year.

Match request deadline: All YUM Brands employees should complete their matching gift requests within six months of their initial donations.

Click here for additional details on YUM Brands’ matching gift program.

Deadline #2: End of Calendar Year

The other main type of matching gift request deadline is one that aligns with the calendar year (running from January 1st to December 31st). That means tons of companies set their deadlines at December 31st.

Here are a few examples:

AVON

AVON matches employee donations up to $15,000 per year. And the first $500 donated is matched at a 2:1 rate, thus tripling the initial donation value.

Match request deadline: AVON employees should mark their calendars! While the deadline indeed falls in December of each year, team members are required to complete their requests prior to December 11th rather than the standard 31st.

Click here for additional details on AVON’s matching gift program.

Freeport-McMoRan

Freeport-McMoRan matches donations of up to $40,000 to a wide range of nonprofits. While the first $1,000 donated is matched at a 2:1 rate (thus tripling each initial dollar’s value), donations above $1,000 are matched dollar-for-dollar.

Match request deadline: While Freeport-McMoRan encourages employees to submit matching donation requests at the time of the initial donation, employees can submit matches until Dec. 31st of the year following the date of the donation.

Click here for additional details on Freeport’s matching gift program.

SAP America

SAP America gives charitably through the SAP Together Program. Within this initiative, SAP employees are incentivized to donate to nonprofits to unlock matching gifts for their favorite organizations.

Match request deadline: Matching gifts must be requested of the company by December 31st of the year in which the initial donation is made. However, donors should be encouraged to submit their matches as soon as possible due to a company-wide annual limit.

Click here for additional details on Sap’s matching gift program.

Deadline #3: End of Calendar Year + Grace Period

The last group of companies establishes their matching gift deadlines according to the calendar year as well. But they also tack on an additional month or so.

Boeing

Boeing offers a monetary match, a volunteer grant match, and a fundraising match. And while full-time and part-time employees qualify to have their gifts matched dollar-for-dollar, retirees of the company are eligible to request a 0.5:1 match.

Match request deadline: Boeing employees (or retirees) participating in any matching gift program must submit their matching gift requests by January 31st of the year following the one in which the initial contribution/volunteerism/event took place.

Click here for additional details on Boeing’s matching gift program.

Verizon

Each year, Verizon matches employee donations of up to $5,000 to the educational institutions of their choice. Meanwhile, all other nonprofits qualify for up to $1,000 in match funding, along with $750 grants for organizations with which employees volunteer.

Match request deadline: Matching gift requests must be entered into the electronic matching gift system before January 31st of the year following the date of the donation.

Click here for additional details on Verizon’s matching gift program.

Adobe

Adobe matches donations of up to $10,000 per employee per year. Additionally, employees can submit volunteer or “dollars for doers” grant requests worth $250 for every 10 hours they volunteer.

Match request deadline: All matching gift requests must be submitted by January 31st of the year following the one in which the gift was made, regardless of the donation date.

Click here for additional details on Adobe’s matching gift program.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola generously matches employee gifts at a 2:1 ratio. That means for every $1 an employee contributes, Coke gives $2 up to a maximum corporate contribution of $20,000.

Match request deadline: All employee matching gift requests should be completed and returned to The Coca-Cola Company by February 28th of the following year.

Click here for additional details on Coke’s matching gift program.

Bank of America

Bank of America (including the investment management and wealth management division, Merrill Lynch) matches employee donations to nearly all nonprofit causes. Each year, team members can request between $24 and $5,000 worth of matches for personal donations of equal amounts.

Match request deadline: Employees must complete an application and have the recipient organization verify the gift. This information must be received by January 31st of the year following the date of the donation.

Click here for additional details on Bank of America’s matching gift program.

General Electric

Fun fact: General Electric was the first company to implement an employee matching gift program in 1954. Today, it matches millions of dollars worth of gifts to approved charities around the world. Each team full or part-time team member is encouraged to request between $25 and $5,000 per year!

Match request deadline: General Electric offers one of the most extended matching gift program deadlines, with employees being able to request matches until April 15th (tax day!) of the year after their gifts were made.

Click here for additional details on GE’s matching gift program.

Driving Matching Gift Requests to Completion

Unfortunately, matching gift deadlines mean little if your organization isn’t informing donors about matching gifts first. After all, the vast majority of match-eligible employees (approximately 78%) have no idea their company even matches gifts.

How will a donor know to submit a request on time if they don’t know to submit one in the first place?

Luckily, marketing matching gifts to your donors is easier than ever (check out our free downloadable resource for more tips and tricks!). Proper software can help screen for match-eligible transactions, inform donors of their eligibility, and supply individuals with actionable information to initiate the process, too.

If you’re looking to automate your matching gift processes, consider innovative tools like Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro.

As the fundraising sector’s top matching gift tool, 360MatchPro identifies matching gift opportunities and triggers personalized marketing emails. It also integrates with nearly all of the leading fundraising solutions, allowing it to supercharge the donation process and make implementation and management quick and easy.

Watch the following 60-second overview video to learn more:

Streamlining Matching Gift Requests With Auto-Submission

Traditionally, an employee wanting to file a matching gift request had to determine their eligibility for a match before identifying and completing the correct forms for their employer. Then, as outlined above, the matching gift request process typically requires an individual to log into a separate portal. There, they supply donation data and submit their matching gift form.

But today, the matching gift request process is being transformed. And it’s beginning with a shift toward 360MatchPro’s groundbreaking auto-submission functionality! Now, companies that enable this option through their CSR platforms empower employees with a one-click request opportunity directly from their favorite organizations’ giving pages.

Boost matching gift request rates with autosubmission

When requesting a match is as simple as selecting a checkbox on a confirmation screen, more donors will be inclined to do it⁠—which is why auto-submission is such an invaluable tool.

Streamline matching gift requests with 360MatchPro's auto-submission

Wrapping Up

Effectively navigating the world of matching gift requests can seem like a daunting task. But armed with the right knowledge and resources, donors can maximize the impact of their contributions to nonprofits like yours.

Keep in mind that as the fundraising organization, it’s your responsibility to ensure your audience is informed and encouraged to participate. And that means recognizing the potential for matching gifts and taking proactive steps to supply donors with company forms and guidelines.

Interested in learning more about effective matching gift fundraising practices? Check out these additional recommended resources:

8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests. Learn valuable strategies to boost donor engagement and increase completed matching gift requests in this guide.
Corporate Matching Gift Forms | The Ultimate Guide. From understanding the process to maximizing your submissions, this resource equips you with the knowledge to navigate and optimize matching gifts for your nonprofit.
Become an Expert: Access 10 Quick Steps to Matching Gift Success. Unlock your organization’s greatest matching gift potential. Follow this suggested process and establish an effective plan for maximum impact.