In today’s landscape, companies are increasingly focusing on giving back through a variety of corporate social responsibility (or CSR) initiatives. Among these are workplace giving programs, which include matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more, all designed to amplify the impact of employees’ contributions to nonprofits. However, so many companies are giving back that it can be difficult to keep track of which businesses offer these giving initiatives. That’s where a workplace giving database comes in!
Still, keeping your database updated with fresh insights is a must. After all, nonprofits understanding and leveraging these programs can open doors to greater financial support, as well as unlock a broader network of donors and volunteers. And a comprehensive dataset is a great place to start.
That said, this guide will address the basics of workplace giving databases and how organizations like yours can add to and enhance ours. Specifically, we’ll cover:
An accurate and up-to-date database is an invaluable resource for nonprofits seeking to make the most of corporate philanthropy, ensuring that no available support goes untapped. Let’s dive in to see how your team can play a role in this occurrence.
What is a workplace giving database?
A workplace giving database is a comprehensive resource that aggregates information about corporate philanthropy programs offered by companies. These databases typically include details on workplace giving initiatives such as matching gifts, corporate volunteer incentives, and more.
To increase accessibility, a workplace giving database generally comes with a built-in search tool as well, making it quick and easy for donors to uncover the information they need to get involved.
A database tool is typically embeddable, too, offering a simple way for organizations to implement the solution on their websites—including donation pages, volunteer registration forms, confirmation screens, and more.
Benefits of a comprehensive workplace giving database
A comprehensive workplace giving database offers numerous benefits for both nonprofits and donors, empowering them to maximize support through corporate philanthropy programs. Here are some key advantages:
1. Increased Revenue Opportunities
By providing up-to-date information on companies offering matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more, a comprehensive database makes it easy for nonprofits to identify opportunities for additional funding.
2. Streamlined Supporter Engagement
A database helps nonprofits encourage donors to leverage workplace giving programs, such as matching gifts or volunteer grants, that they might not know are available. Donors can quickly check if their employers offer programs that amplify their contributions, which builds stronger connections between donors and the organization.
3. Time Savings and Efficiency
A centralized, comprehensive database saves nonprofits time by eliminating the need for manual research on each company’s corporate giving policies. With eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, and deadlines all in one place, organizations can spend less time researching and more time acting on these opportunities.
4. Improved Corporate Relationships
By understanding corporate giving options in detail, nonprofits are better positioned to cultivate relationships with potential corporate partners. A database provides insights into which companies are aligned with the nonprofit’s mission and values, too, making outreach efforts more targeted and likely to succeed.
5. Proactive Fundraising Strategies
With access to a wide array of corporate giving programs, nonprofits can build more proactive fundraising strategies. Instead of waiting for donors to ask if their contributions can be matched, nonprofits can actively promote these programs, especially during campaigns like year-end giving.
In summary, a comprehensive workplace giving database simplifies the process of connecting with corporate giving opportunities, enabling nonprofits to increase funding, strengthen donor relationships, and build proactive strategies—all while promoting greater corporate involvement in social responsibility.
About Double the Donation’s workplace giving database
Double the Donation’s workplace giving database is the largest and most comprehensive resource available for nonprofits and donors looking to maximize the impact of corporate giving programs. It’s designed to streamline the identification of corporate philanthropy opportunities, providing nonprofits with the tools they need to increase revenue through workplace giving.
This specific database includes information on:
Matching gifts
Volunteer grants (team and individual)
Volunteer time off
Fundraising matches
And more!
Here’s what makes Double the Donation’s solution stand out:
Extensive Company Coverage: Double the Donation’s database includes detailed information on thousands of companies with matching gift and volunteer programs. This coverage ensures that nonprofits and their supporters can find opportunities related to almost any company, regardless of industry or location.
Real-Time Program Updates: To keep nonprofits informed and reduce outdated information, Double the Donation regularly updates its database, ensuring that users have access to the latest information on corporate giving guidelines, eligibility requirements, submission deadlines, and more.
Easy Integration with Nonprofit Websites: Double the Donation’s database tool seamlessly integrates with a nonprofit’s website and donation forms, making it easy for donors to check if their employers offer workplace giving programs right as they engage with your cause.
Automated Donor Outreach and Matching Gift Reminders: In addition to the database tool, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro also offers automated email streams to remind donors to get involved. These messages empower nonprofits to follow up with those who may be eligible for matching gifts or volunteer grants, complete with company-specific workplace giving insights from the database, too! This proactive approach increases the likelihood that donors will complete the matching gift process, meaning more revenue for your cause.
How our database gets updated (regularly!)
Double the Donation’s workplace giving database is kept accurate and up-to-date through a systematic process. This ensures nonprofits and donors always have access to the latest information on corporate giving programs.
Here’s how Double the Donation maintains the database’s accuracy and reliability:
Continuous program monitoring. Double the Donation maintains a dedicated database team devoted to actively monitoring companies for changes in their corporate giving policies. This group tracks updates through company websites, press releases, and other announcements, ensuring our database reflects the most up-to-date information.
CSR platform data syncs. Double the Donation offers exclusive partnerships with companies’ CSR platforms that enable matching gift auto-submission. But another key win is that the integrations also allow our database to pull companies’ program guidelines directly from the platforms that manage the programs.
Companies submitting updates themselves. Double the Donation collaborates directly with workplace giving companies. As a result, many employers add their programs to the database themselves. Then, by staying in contact with corporate representatives, our team can receive timely updates when companies make program changes.
Donors submitting their employers. Donors using the database often provide feedback if they encounter outdated or inaccurate information. For example, not finding their company if they know a program is available. This user-driven approach allows our team to promptly investigate reported discrepancies, ensuring the data reflects current guidelines.
Nonprofits submitting unregistered companies. Sometimes, nonprofits receive funds from companies not currently registered with Double the Donation’s database. In that case, organizations may choose to submit the new companies to be added for easier access going forward.
Together, these practices ensure that nonprofits and donors can rely on Double the Donation’s database to provide the most accurate information, making it a valuable resource for maximizing corporate giving opportunities.
Adding corporate programs to our database
Double the Donation provides several straightforward options for organizations, companies, or employees to add or update information about corporate giving programs in its database. Thus, individuals or groups can ensure their workplace giving programs are accurately represented by following one of these methods:
Complete the Add a Company Form.
If you want to add a corporate giving program (such as a matching gift, volunteer grant, or VTO program) to Double the Donation’s database for the first time, representatives can fill out the Add a Company Form on Double the Donation’s website. This brief online submission gathers essential information about the company’s programs, including:
Matching gift or volunteer grant eligibility requirements
Match ratios and minimum/maximum donation amounts
Submission process and deadlines
Any specific program guidelines or criteria
Then, once the form is submitted, Double the Donation’s team reviews the information and adds the program to the database. From there, the record will become accessible to nonprofits and donors through the search tool.
Complete the Update Company Information Form.
If a company already listed in the database makes changes to its workplace giving program (for instance, altering match ratios or adjusting eligibility requirements) or otherwise notices inaccurate information, a representative can fill out the Update Company Information Form. This allows users to provide updated details, ensuring that donors see the latest version of the program when they search.
Again, after submission, the information is reviewed by Double the Donation’s data team and promptly updated in the database. This keeps it current for nonprofits and donors who may be impacted by the changes.
Send an Email to data@doublethedonation.com.
For those who prefer a direct approach to adding or refreshing company records, our team also accepts requests via email. All you need to do is send an email to data@doublethedonation.com with the necessary details about the program.
This might include:
New program details or recent updates
Any corrections needed in existing database entries
Supporting documents or links that clarify the information
Other feedback on the workplace giving database
From there, the Double the Donation team will verify the information provided in the email. Then, update the database accordingly, ensuring the accuracy of the program details going forward.
[For One-Off Matching Gifts] Manage Programs in 360MatchPro.
Note: Sometimes, a company will offer a matching gift program with a single nonprofit rather than a widely available initiative. These are referred to as one-off (or custom, unique) matching gift programs, and there’s an easy way to add the program to your database within the 360MatchPro platform itself—that is, if the program is specific only to your organization.
In that case, simply log into your 360MatchPro account, navigate to the “Settings” tab, and select “Manage Programs.” From there, you’ll be prompted to add a new one-off matching gift program by filling out the requested information.
Once complete, the program will show up in your organization’s database search tool—but not for other nonprofits’ donors.
Wrapping up & next steps
Empowering organizations and companies to add new corporate programs to our workplace giving database is just one more step in our commitment to helping nonprofits reach their fundraising potential. By keeping this resource up-to-date with the latest information on matching gifts, volunteer grants, and other workplace giving opportunities, we aim to empower nonprofits to connect more deeply with donors and leverage support from their employers.
Take a look at the companies that have contributed matching gifts to your organization in the past. Are they already included in our database? If not, follow the steps to get them added so that your donors can access program guidelines, forms, and more. That means more matches in the future!
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 teamand 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:
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
Consider the following scenario: You’re listening to your regularly scheduled radio show when it’s interrupted for the station’s annual pledge drive. You hear the on-air host making an appeal—“Fundraising is an essential part of what we do at Public Broadcasting Station, and it’s the most efficient way to source funds needed to supply our listeners with educational, inspirational, and entertaining content. Not to mention, thousands of employers offer matching gifts for public media like us, meaning your contributions can go twice as far for your favorite programs.”
Pledge drives and other revenue-generation efforts are crucial for obtaining sustainable funding and delivering high-quality content to widespread communities. Incorporating matching gift opportunities into your media organization’s outreach can go a long way!
In this post, we’ll explore how nonprofits in the media sector can leverage matching gifts to amplify their impact, enhance donor engagement, and ultimately boost their broadcasts. We’ll cover the following topics below:
The Basics of Matching Gifts for Public Media Groups
Matching gifts for public media groups is a category of philanthropy in which companies match donations to the public broadcasting services their employees financially support. This makes it an essential form of workplace giving for these organizations, empowering donors to double or even triple the value of their gifts without reaching back into their own wallets.
All a donor generally has to do is complete a brief online request form for their employer to review and disburse match funding to your cause.
The benefits of matching gifts for public media organizations are significant and widespread. Successful donation-matching ensures that public media outlets, such as radio programs and television networks, are more sustainably funded to better serve the community’s needs and interests. Meanwhile, donors feel more deeply connected to the broadcasts they play a direct role in supporting through financial donations and matching gifts!
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, 360MatchPro.
5 Companies to Know That Match Gifts to Public Media
Over 65% of Fortune 500 companies provide donation matches to the nonprofits their employees support. Check out the examples below to explore top programs that actively match gifts to public broadcasting organizations like yours!
Warner Bros. Discovery
Minimum donation amount: $10 Maximum donation amount: $1,000 Match ratio: 1:1 Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time Eligible nonprofits: Many nonprofits, including public media
Warner Bros. Discovery is a prime example of an employer engaging its workforce through collaborative philanthropy. The company offers two generous giving programs in which its staff are encouraged to donate their money and time to qualifying nonprofits: matching gifts and volunteer grants, respectively.
Each year, full-time and part-time employees have the chance to request up to a combined $1,000 in matches and grants for their favorite causes—of which your public media organization may be included.
The Walt Disney Company (incl. Hulu, Marvel Entertainment, ABC)
Minimum donation amount: $25 Maximum donation amount: $25,000 Match ratio: 1:1 Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media
The Walt Disney Company is another leading corporation known for maximizing employee participation in philanthropy. With a lofty maximum threshold of $25,000, current team members are encouraged to give generously to their favorite nonprofit causes—and to have those gifts matched, dollar-for-dollar.
Disney’s matching gift program is also inclusive of its subsidiaries, too, meaning Hulu, Marvel Entertainment, and ABC employees are welcome to participate.
Minimum donation amount: $10-$50 Maximum donation amount: $1,000-$2,000 Match ratio: 1:1 Eligible employees: Full-time, select retirees Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media
Sony Corporation, encompassing subsidiaries such as Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Corporation of America, and Sony Electronics, operates a few generous matching gift programs that your team might want to take advantage of. These efforts aim to support employees’ charitable giving and reinforce the company’s commitment to social responsibility
Keep in mind that the eligibility criteria and submission processes vary across Sony’s different entities, so it’s important to select the correct employer from the database search tool!
Minimum donation amount: None Maximum donation amount: $1,000 Match ratio: 1:1 Eligible employees: Full-time Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media
Fox Corporation is dedicated to engaging its employees and supporting the communities it serves through its matching gift program. As part of the initiative, the program matches the gifts its current full-time employees make to a wide range of nonprofits. And your public media organization is likely included!
By empowering its employees to give back and amplifying their charitable efforts, Fox Corporation reinforces its commitment to doing good, creating positive change in its staffs’ communities around the world.
Minimum donation amount: None Maximum donation amount: $10,000 Match ratio: 1:1 Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time, board members Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media
In addition to its standout Google Ad Grants program, one of the primary ways Google participates in philanthropy is by matching employees’ charitable gifts. With its matching gift program, the company doubles donations to thousands of nonprofits, effectively multiplying the impact of team members’ contributions.
Then, going a step further, Google also offers an additional $10,000 match limit for donations going to disaster or international relief! Not to mention, matching funds that employees raise through peer-to-peer fundraising events like runs, walks, and rides.
Tips & Tricks for Spreading the Word About Matching Gifts
Implementing a well-thought-out matching gift fundraising plan is an integral step in bridging the knowledge and funding gaps many organizations see. The following tips and tricks will empower public broadcasters like you to maximize donations, build stronger relationships with individual and corporate donors, and reach fundraising goals more effectively and efficiently than ever before.
1. Incorporate matching gift info in pledge drives and on-air appeals.
Public media stations often heavily rely on annual pledge drives to generate the funding needed to power their operations. Thus, you’ll want to heavily promote matching gifts throughout such efforts.
For this strategy, we recommend incorporating information about matching gift programs directly into your on-air appeals. As you introduce your campaign and make the ask of your viewers and listeners, mentioning the opportunity for gifts to be doubled can go a long way. In fact, matching gift research indicates that 84% of donors would be more likely to give if a match is offered, while 1 in 3 say they’d give a larger amount.
Top tip: Kickstart your efforts using our free matching gift appeal script below!
2. Leverage and enhance supporter loyalty with matching gifts.
Matching gifts not only increase the financial impact of one-time individual gifts but also serve as a powerful tool for building supporter loyalty. When donors see that their contributions are going twice as far, they feel double the sense of connection and pride in their support of the organization. And it makes them want to stay involved in the long run, ultimately lengthening and improving the donor journey.
For public media groups, this is essential—as nonprofit broadcast services are often powered by a group of committed, long-term supporters. Additionally, highlighting matching gift opportunities demonstrates the station’s dedication to stewarding its financial assets responsibly, further strengthening the bond between the station and its donors.
3. Offer unique incentives for matching gift participation by donors.
One way to encourage donors to take advantage of matching gift opportunities is by rewarding them for doing so. Offer unique incentives for match-eligible donors who ultimately take the steps to request a match from their employer on your behalf. These might include:
Branded apparel (such as t-shirts, hats, and hoodies)
Other branded merchandise (pens, stickers, mugs, etc.)
Not to mention, as a less tangible incentive, let your audience know that participating in matching gifts will allow your team to reach its fundraising goals sooner. You may even be able to wrap up your pledge drive and return to viewers’ and listeners’ regularly scheduled programming early.
4. Integrate a matching gift solution into your fundraising toolkit.
To streamline the process of capturing matching gifts for public media organizations like yours, it’s essential that teams integrate an automation solution into their software toolkits. Luckily, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro integrates with the leading public media fundraising platforms to ensure quick and easy implementation.
Once equipped with a matching gift solution, your organization will be set to automatically identify matching gift opportunities, educate donors about the process, and facilitate the submission of matching gift requests. The tool simplifies the administrative burden on broadcast staff and even ensures that no matchable gifts slip through the cracks.
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, 360MatchPro.
Sample Scripts | Marketing Matching Gifts to Your Public Media Audience
Kick off your organization’s matching gift promotional efforts with these customizable scripts and templates. Remember: educating your audience about the matching gift opportunity increases the likelihood that donors request their matches.
On-Air Pledge Drive Script: Template #1
“Good [morning/afternoon/evening], [viewers/listeners]! As we embark on our annual pledge drive, I want to start with a pop quiz: What do companies like Disney, Google, and SONY Corporation (along with thousands of others) have in common?
If you said that they all match employees’ donations to nonprofit groups like ours, you’d be correct. That means your donation to [Public Media Organization] could be matchable, stretching twice as far for your favorite broadcast programs.
To check if your employer participates in matching gifts, head to our Match Page at [URL] to search for your company. Then, make your pledge online or by calling now at [station phone number]. Thank you for all your support, and let’s make this pledge drive one for the books!”
Phonathon Script: Template #2
“Good [Morning/Afternoon/Evening], [Recipient]! My name is [Name], and I’m calling on behalf of [Public Media Organization]. We’re reaching out to our valued supporters like you today to share an exciting opportunity to support our station.
Did you know that your donations to [Public Media Organization] may be eligible for a match from your employer? That’s right! Thousands of companies match team members’ gifts, doubling or sometimes tripling the value of each dollar an employee donates.
If you provide the name of your employer, I can do a quick search of our company database to see if you qualify for a match! Then, I’ll walk you through the process of giving and completing the request process to maximize your support for our organization.
Your generosity is instrumental in helping us deliver enriching content to our community, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to [Public Media Organization]!”
Email: Template #3
Subject: Double your support for public media like [Public Media Organization]
Dear [Recipient],
I hope this email finds you well. As a valued supporter of the [Public Media Organization] family, we wanted to see if you were familiar with corporate matching gift opportunities. If not, here’s a brief overview:
Tons of businesses double or even triple their employees’ contributions to causes like ours. This means every dollar you give could be matched by your employer, effectively doubling the impact of your support for our programming and community initiatives.
Interested? Here’s how you can participate:
Visit our donation page at [URL] to make your contribution.
Check if your employer offers a matching gift program on our website search tool: [URL]
If eligible, submit a matching gift request to double your impact on our community.
Your ongoing generosity plays a crucial role in sustaining our mission to produce and supply informative, entertaining, and enriching content. Thank you for considering this opportunity to maximize your support for [Public Media Organization]!
Warm regards,
[Name]
[Title/Position]
[Public Media Organization]
Tweet: Template #4
Exciting news—your support for [Public Media Organization] might be able to make an even bigger impact! Thanks to corporate matching gift programs, thousands of donors’ gifts are matchable by their employers. See if your company matches by using the search tool here: [URL]
Top tip:Make the most of the resources available to you! 360MatchPro users are encouraged to leverage the platform’s library of pre-written emails and pre-made graphic design templates to scale up their matching gift marketing efforts with ease.
Final Thoughts
Harnessing the power of matching gifts presents an invaluable opportunity for public media organizations. When integrated into a fundraising strategy effectively, broadcasters are equipped to amplify impact, engage supporters, and ultimately elevate programming. And this opportunity is only expected to grow. That means now’s your chance to ramp up your efforts, invest in technology, and drive more matching gifts to completion.
Watch the video below to see how Maine Public has boosted matching gifts at their organization by leveraging 360MatchPro!
Interested in more tips and tricks to drive matching gifts for public media groups like yours? Keep reading these additional recommended resources:
40+ Matching Gift Companies: Find Your Match Today. Grow your matching gift fundraising by familiarizing yourself with more top employers offering matching gift programs. Overview guidelines from Apple, General Electric, Google, and others.
Grow Fundraising Revenue: Access 360MatchPro Case Studies. Get inspired by other organizations that have seen great success with matching gifts—including radio stations and television networks. See how Double the Donation’s automation helps!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DTD_Boost-Your-Broadcasts-Matching-Gifts-for-Public-Media-Orgs_Feature.png4501200Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-03-15 23:14:402024-04-22 20:10:06Matching Gifts for Public Media Orgs | Boost Your Broadcasts
Organizations dedicated to fostering positive social change often struggle to maximize their impact with tight budgets and limited resources. Fortunately, matching gifts for civic and community organizations present a powerful opportunity for individuals to double or even triple their generosity at no added cost. In doing so, these programs allow nonprofits to grow their revenue and tap into one of the most prominent sources of corporate philanthropy funding.
In this guide, we aim to overview everything your team needs to know to navigate the opportunity effectively.
Despite significant potential, many civic and community fundraisers have yet to harness the full power of matching gifts. By implementing the strategies and insights below, you can set your team up for double the success in no time.
Let’s dive in!
Gift-Matching for Civic and Community Groups 101: The Basics
Matching gifts for civic and community organizations, such as advocacy groups, youth development initiatives, civic engagement programs, and more, offer donors an enticing chance to double their support for the social causes they care about.
These match funds, supplied by donors’ employers, effectively double (or sometimes even triple) the impact of each dollar gifted. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
An individual makes a financial contribution to the civic or community organization of their choice.
The donor determines if their employer matches team member donations. If so, the individual accesses eligibility criteria (incl. donation thresholds, ratios, causes, and deadlines) and submission forms.
The donor completes the donation match request process outlined by their employer, generally by filling out a brief online form.
The nonprofit verifies the initial donation with the donor’s employer.
The donor’s employer reviews and approves the matching gift request and contributes match funding to the organization in question.
Overall, matching gifts provide significant value to civic and community organizations. These programs can be powerful tools for mobilizing resources, building nonprofit capacity, and driving collective action among individuals and corporations alike.
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, 360MatchPro.
5 Community-Focused Companies That Match Employee Gifts
Thousands of employers match gifts to all sorts of nonprofit causes—of which civic and community organizations are generally included. However, these five programs stand out as excellent examples of companies to keep in mind as you uncover match-eligible donors in your community.
Baxter International
Baxter International is a leading healthcare company employing over 60,000 team members across the globe. In order to support the communities where its employees live and work (and encourage individual staff to do the same), Baxter offers a generous giving program, matching between $25 and $5,000 in donations per person each year.
By empowering its employees to give back and amplifying their charitable efforts, the company strengthens its corporate culture of social responsibility and fosters positive change in communities around the world.
Airbnb, a vacation property rental company, also matches its employees’ gifts to eligible nonprofits. Fortunately, this includes civic and community organizations.
With a minimum donation of $25, full-time and part-time Airbnb team members are eligible to get up to $1,000 worth of donations matched with company funds in a single year. That means more dollars flowing into civic and community engagement efforts, empowering individual donors to make a greater impact on the causes that matter most to them.
Checkr is a corporate employee background screening tool that focuses on fair chance hiring practices. In addition to its mission of transforming hiring for a fairer future, the company pledges to donate at least 1% of its employees’ time, product, equity, and profits each year to philanthropic causes.
One way Checkr supports philanthropy is through its matching gift program! Checkr is committed to rallying its employees to give back by encouraging participation and streamlining the engagement process. In fact, it was one of the first companies to offer Double the Donation’s groundbreaking auto-submission functionality through an integration with its CSR portal!
United Parcel Service, or UPS, demonstrates its commitment to corporate social responsibility through its generous matching gift program. The program aims to support its employees’ philanthropic efforts by matching eligible employee donations to a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including civic and community groups. However, gifts must be contributed directly through the company’s giving portal to qualify for a match.
In addition to its matching gift program, UPS also offers volunteer grants for the organizations with which its employees volunteer. When an employee with 1+ years of service spends 50 hours volunteering, the company contributes a $250 grant to the nonprofit.
Comcast, a multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate with more than 186,000 employees, boasts a top matching gift program designed to empower its employees to make a difference. To incentivize giving back within their communities, Comcast offers a generous company match to many nonprofit organizations, including those in the civic and community sectors.
Note: Comcast employees must donate to their favorite nonprofits directly through the company’s corporate giving platform in order to qualify for matching gifts. Employees with questions are encouraged to contact comcastnbcuniversalsupport@cybergrants.com.
Tips for Driving Civic Engagement With Matching Gifts
A well-thought-out fundraising plan enables an organization to amplify its efforts, effectively engage supporters, and make a greater difference in the communities it serves. To begin building a strategy for your team, check out the following expert-recommended practices.
1. Educate your team and your donors about matching gift opportunities.
One primary cause of unclaimed matching gifts is a lack of knowledge about existing programs. To begin bridging the awareness and subsequent funding gaps, we recommend actively promoting the opportunity to your donors and fundraising team alike.
By educating your internal team about matching gifts, you empower them to be your greatest advocates to your donors. Take time to review common matching gift programs (and how to locate additional company guidelines), eligibility requirements, submission processes, match tracking and verification, and more.
At the same time, it is essential to educate donors about matching gift opportunities. An estimated 78% of match-eligible individuals have no idea if their companies match gifts! When donors are provided with clear information about matching gift programs and how they can take advantage of them, though, they’re generally happy to do so. And that means more awareness = more matching gifts completed!
2. Encourage ineligible donors to advocate for matching to their employers.
While not all supporters will qualify for matching gifts at the time of giving, it’s important to remember that even ineligible donors can play a crucial role in your organization’s strategy. And a big part of that is by advocating for new matching gift program development on your behalf.
Companies match gifts largely as an employee engagement opportunity. When an employee pitches the idea of a matching gift program to their boss, the boss is often inclined to consider the proposal positively. The donor may even get their initial gift matched after all!
Top tip: The less intensive your ask, the more likely a donor is to complete the intended action. Provide interested individuals with a customizable template designed to assist in pitching a new matching gift program to one’s employer.
3. Use impact-driven language to communicate matching gift value.
Effective communication is essential for conveying the positive impact of matching gifts to donors—not to mention inspiring them to take action and get involved. Using impact-driven language emphasizes the programs’ tangible benefits and highlights the specific impact they can have on your organization’s mission. For example, if you typically inform donors that a $100 donation will feed a family of four for a week, you can frame a matching gift opportunity as empowering your team to feed two families for the cost of one.
When possible, emphasize real-world outcomes and achievements made possible through matching gifts for your organization in the past, too! This could mean sharing success stories, testimonials, metrics, and more.
4. Automate the matching gift fundraising experience.
Identifying and following up on matching gifts is an extremely valuable fundraising practice. However, doing so manually can involve a number of time-consuming and resource-intensive activities.
Fortunately, automating the matching gift fundraising experience streamlines the process for donors and maximizes efficiency for your organization’s internal team. By implementing an automated matching gift solution like 360MatchPro, you’ll reduce administrative burden and ensure no matching gift opportunity falls by the wayside.
Plus, when you integrate 360MatchPro into your existing software ecosystem, you can incorporate matching gifts directly into the giving experience. Then, trigger tailored matching gift follow-ups that encourage donors to request their matches and provide company-specific guidelines and submission forms. The end result is a significant increase in matching gift participation, revenue, and more.
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, 360MatchPro.
Free Customizable Templates to Grow Matching Donation Impact
Use the following matching gift outreach examples to inform your organization’s messaging. As you do so, consider how you can customize the templates to fit your nonprofit’s voice and branding to best connect with your audience.
Email Blast: Template #1
Subject: Double Your Impact for [Nonprofit or Initiative]: Matching Donation Opportunity Inside! 💰💰
Dear [Recipient],
As a valued supporter of [Nonprofit], we wanted to share an exciting opportunity that may enable you to DOUBLE your impact on our cause. That is with corporate matching gifts!
Did you know that tens of thousands of businesses—including over 65% of the Fortune 500—match employees’ donations to charitable causes as part of their social responsibility efforts? More than 26 million individuals work for companies that match… and you might be one of them.
To check if your employer offers a matching gift program, please
Click here to visit our matching gift page. [URL]
Type your company name in the search tool widget.
Review the provided guidelines to determine eligibility and access the online forms.
Then, make your donation using our online giving page (if you haven’t already) [URL] and follow the instructions to submit your matching gift request!
As always, your support is critical in helping us [description of mission or current initiatives]. With the power of matching donations, we can do even more to [describe the impact of donations on your organization’s work].
Warm regards,
[Name]
[Title/Position]
[Nonprofit]
LinkedIn Post: Template #2
Attention donors! 📣
Did you know that your generous gifts to [Nonprofit] could have double the impact?
With corporate matching gift programs, millions of donors’ employers provide generous donation matches to the organizations their staff cares about. This allows supporters like you to stretch their gifts and better support [description of mission or current initiatives].
Here’s how you can make a difference:
📲 Visit our donation page at [URL].
💸 Make your contribution and check if your employer offers a matching gift program.
📤 If eligible, submit a matching gift request to double your impact!
Together, we can [description of tangible donation impact] one (matched) donation at a time! 💙 #MatchingGifts #CommunityImpact #DoubleYourImpact
Facebook Post: Template #3
What do Comcast, Airbnb, and the United Parcel Service have in common?
They all offer generous philanthropy initiatives—which include matching gifts for civic and community organizations their employees support.
At [Nonprofit], we’re incredibly grateful for the support of these businesses and the 23,000+ other companies that match gifts for causes like ours. With their help, we amplify our efforts and create lasting change in our communities.
Does your employer participate? If you’ve never checked your eligibility for a match, now is the time to do so. Head to the Matching Gifts Page on our site here [URL] to learn more about the opportunity and see if your company matches!
Top tip:Keep in mind that triggering matching gift outreach has never been easier than with 360MatchPro! Current clients are provided with a number of pre-written emails to implement through the engagement process, along with customizable graphic design elements and Canva templates.
Wrapping Up
Pursuing an optimized matching gift strategy will bring your civic or community organization to new heights in fundraising, donor engagement, mission impact, and more.
By educating your organization inside and out, encouraging advocacy for new program development, and communicating the tangible value of matching gifts, you empower your team to tap into the resource effectively and efficiently. Then, invest in automation technology to streamline the process from start to finish.
Watch the video below to learn how Pi Beta Phi Foundation uses 360MatchPro to scale matching gift revenue.
Looking for more? Check out our other recommended resources below:
Become an Expert: 10 Quick Steps to Matching Gift Success. This free downloadable guide offers ten actionable steps to help civic and community organizations and other nonprofits master the art of matching gift success. Get started by implementing these tips!
How to Identify Corporate Partnerships [With 360MatchPro]. There’s more to corporate giving than matching gifts for civic and community organizations, too. But your matching gift software can help your team uncover the best prospects with which you can partner.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DTD_Advancing-Matching-Gifts-for-Civic-Community-Organizations_Feature.png4501200Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-03-15 01:05:132024-04-22 20:16:41Advancing Matching Gifts for Civic & Community Organizations
Matching gifts play a large role in many nonprofits’ fundraising strategies. These opportunities aren’t just limited to the United States, either. Organizations in Canada—and worldwide—can benefit from corporate philanthropy, too. Specifically, Canadian companies that match gifts supply a powerful opportunity for Canadian charities to maximize funds and engagement alike.
In this guide, we’ve selected a few standout programs that your team should be aware of. Plus, we’ll share expert-proven tips and tricks for making the most of the initiatives. This includes:
To learn more about Canadian companies that match gifts and matching gift databases that cover the Canadian matching gift market, read on!
But before we jump in, let’s cover the basics of matching gifts.
The Basics of Matching Gifts Across Any Market
What are matching gifts?
Matching gifts are a unique and widespread form of corporate philanthropy in which companies match donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits. Matching donations are typically made at a 1:1 ratio, but some companies match at a higher rate, such as 2:1, 3:1, or even 4:1.
This type of giving is particularly valuable because it essentially supplies free money for your nonprofit. However, they’re often overlooked by donors due to a lack of program awareness and by nonprofits lacking the necessary staff, resources, or time to pursue the opportunity.
Who qualifies for matching gifts?
Companies that match gifts typically implement a program policy with specific eligibility guidelines. In order for a donor to qualify, their donation and the organization to which they gave must adhere to the pre-determined criteria.
While the criteria will vary from one company to the next, one overarching stipulation is that receiving organizations are generally required to be registered charities in the region in which they operate. In Canada, that means a nonprofit registered under the nation’s Income Tax Act by the Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency.
Meanwhile, American nonprofits should be registered with the Internal Revenue Service and have received 501(c)(3) status.
Top Canadian Matching Gift Companies
With the 9th largest economy in the world, Canada headquarters many well-known companies with generous employee giving benefits. In fact, Canadian corporations have a long history of philanthropy—which is great news for the nonprofits that call Canada home.
Take a look at the following Canadian companies that match gifts, and find out if your donors work for the generous employers below:
1. BCE Inc.
Minimum donation amount: $1
Maximum donation amount: $1,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Employee eligibility: Full-time, part-time
Nonprofit eligibility: Select organizations, including United Way, Canadian higher education institutions, and the Canadian Mental Health Association
BCE Inc., formerly known as Bell Canada Enterprises, offers a focused matching gift program benefitting a few specific organizations as well as colleges and universities within the country. The company also offers individual and team volunteer grants, where employees or retirees donate their time throughout the year to earn substantial grants for their favorite nonprofits.
Specifically, employees who volunteer at least 50 hours in a year can acquire a grant amount of $500. Meanwhile, teams are required to volunteer a combined 500 hours within a year-long period to qualify for a $2,500 grant!
Nonprofit eligibility: Charitable organizations in Canada, the U.S., and Honduras
Headquartered in Montreal, Gildan Activewear matches nonprofit donations from both full- and part-time employees. The matching gift program is open to organizations in Canada, the United States, and Honduras.
In addition to matching donations, the Canada-based company also supplies volunteer grants and multiplies select fundraising collections by employees, too!
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, health and human services, and more
Green Shield Canada matches gifts of up to $1,000 per full-time employee on an annual basis. The company’s matching gift program is inclusive of most schools and nonprofit organizations, including a variety of institutions ranging from K-12 schools to arts and cultural organizations.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
The Royal Bank of Canada, also known as RBC, matches employee donations to nonprofit causes, and is inclusive of gifts made between $100 and $5,000 per year. A key perk of RBC’s matching gift program is that part-time employees and retirees alike are encouraged to participate with the standard 1:1 ratio.
Like many of these other organizations, RBC also offers dollars for doers grants for active volunteers! After volunteering for a minimum of 40 volunteer hours, the company will provide up to a $500 grant.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
TC Energy offers two main types of employee giving programs. The first is its standard matching gift program, where the company will match up to $1,000 annually to most nonprofits. The program is open to all employees and retirees.
The second program is TC Energy’s Dollars for Doers program. Through this initiative, the company matches its employees’ volunteer hours with monetary grants. It’s easy for employees to get involved in the program, too, as there is only a one-hour minimum for volunteer hours in a calendar year!
Nonprofit eligibility: Any CRA-registered charities
AstraZeneca is an international Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company with a large corporate presence in Canada. The company, which participates generously in corporate philanthropy, also offers different employee giving programs across various markets.
In Canada, active AstraZeneca employees are encouraged to donate between $50 and $500 to the CRA-registered charity of their choice. After doing so, the company matches the gift to stretch its impact even further for the nonprofit cause!
AstraZeneca Canada offers multiple volunteer grant programs, too. Canadian employees or retirees who volunteer 40 hours with an organization can request a corresponding grant of $500. At the same time, the company provides $250 grants to organizations where employees serve as board members or coaches.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian multinational pipeline and energy company, is renowned for its robust and multi-faceted CSR initiatives. This includes a generous matching gift program and a volunteer grant program designed to empower its employees to make a difference in the communities they serve.
These programs and more not only foster a culture of philanthropy within the company but also strengthen Enbridge’s commitment to social impact across Canada and beyond.
Nonprofit eligibility: Eligible Canadian and international post-secondary educational institutions
Suncor Energy is dedicated to making meaningful contributions to society through its corporate philanthropy efforts. Through a targeted and impactful matching gift program, the company encourages its employees to give generously by matching their donations to eligible charitable causes and higher education institutions.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Sun Life Financial is committed to giving back through a generous matching gift initiative, in which it empowers its employees to demonstrate their own philanthropy as well. When eligible full-time employees support nonprofit organizations of their choice, the company doubles their giving to produce an even greater impact.
One of the best things about this specific program? With no minimum donation amount required, employees can get involved with matching gifts to their favorite organizations with ease.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Canadian Pacific Railway (or CP) is deeply committed to corporate citizenship and community engagement, as evidenced by its matching gift program. Through the program, the company encourages its employees to support charitable organizations by matching their donations at a rate of 50 cents to every dollar.
By fostering a culture of philanthropy and supporting causes that matter to its employees, the Canadian Pacific Railway demonstrates its ongoing commitment to social responsibility.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Cenovus Energy, a Calgary, Alberta-based oil and natural gas company, aims to enact positive change in the communities in which it operates through its generous corporate philanthropy initiatives. Currently, these include a comprehensive matching gift program that empowers individual employees to request up to $25,000 per year for their favorite causes.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Scotiabank Canada offers a robust matching gift program, through which the company empowers its employees to support charitable organizations by matching their donations. With no minimum donation amount required and a lofty maximum threshold, individual team members have the chance to make an even greater difference for the nonprofit missions they care about.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Magna International offers a unique matching gift program through which groups of employees are encouraged to support nonprofit organizations in their communities. Specifically, teams of 10 or more employees should contribute a collective minimum donation of $500. Then, the company contributes its match up to $2,500!
By encouraging team-focused employee engagement in philanthropy and supporting causes aligned with its values, Magna builds its workplace culture and gives back at the same time.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Brookfield Properties is a multinational corporation with a substantial Canadian employee base. Through its generous matching gift program, Brookfield Properties encourages its employees to donate time and funds to eligible nonprofit causes by supplying matching funds to the organizations they support.
Currently, full-time Canadian and U.S.-based employees (excluding the Chicago office) with a one-year minimum service are invited to take part in the program.
Nonprofit eligibility: Educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more
Canadian fertilizer company Nutrien is dedicated to making a positive impact in communities through its comprehensive matching gift program and more. Through the match program, Nutrien empowers its employees to support charitable organizations with matching gifts worth up to $1.50 for every $1 initially donated.
Identifying Other Canadian Companies That Match Gifts
We covered fifteen standout Canadian matching gift companies above. But there are a ton of additional programs available from companies everywhere. In fact, there are so many companies that match gifts—based in Canada and otherwise—that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of each program’s guidelines on your own.
And that’s where a database solution comes in handy! With a matching gift database like Double the Donation, donors are automatically supplied with direct links to their companies’ match request portals along with program guidelines (minimums and maximums, eligible nonprofits and employees, match ratios, submission deadlines, etc.).
Alternatively, if a donor works for an unknown company (or your organization lacks a database tool), your team can encourage the individual to reach out to their HR department to learn more about any available giving programs.
How Double the Donation Can Help
360MatchPro by Double the Donation is a complete automation system that screens match-eligible donors and triggers tailored outreach accordingly. As a result, your staff saves time and maximizes its revenue.
With over 24,000 company listings, Double the Donation represents 26+ million match-eligible individuals worldwide. When it comes to Canadian companies that match gifts, recent analyses indicate that the tool remains the country’s most accurate and up-to-date source of matching gift information.
Check out these findings:
93-99% of individuals who work for Canadian companies that match gifts will find their employer in Double the Donation’s database.
$99,000 of $102,000 in matching gifts received by a global organization’s market in Canada were covered by Double the Donation’s database.
483,760 match-eligible Canadians were covered by Double the Donation’s database, while 4,124 were not.
All in all, Double the Donation’s database offers substantial coverage of the market, making it a great fit for Canadian-based organizations and their donors.
Meanwhile, additional benefits of 360MatchPro include:
More matching gift opportunities. By automatically flagging match-eligible gifts using emails, donation forms, and more, your organization increases the number of potential matches identified.
More matches driven to completion. Donors are presented with matching gift information or encouraged to supply employment data after giving. Then, automated outreach guides donors through the request process and ultimately drives more submissions to increase overall revenue.
More time to focus on top opportunities. Your team can primarily focus its efforts on tailoring follow-ups to your most valuable match-eligible donations. With everything else automated, you’ll have time to take an increasingly personalized approach with top-dollar donors.
360MatchPro essentially serves as your own matching gift team. Where you don’t have the staff, time, or resources necessary to perform matching gift outreach, the platform can step in and handle the rest!
Integrations & Customizations
If you’re thinking about investing in a matching gift database to supercharge your organization’s fundraising efforts, there are a few things to consider in your selection. As a Canadian-based organization, you’ll want to look for a solution that adequately covers the Canadian market and integrates with your existing tech stack for easy implementation and data management.
Fortunately, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro does just that! Offering 100+ integrations with the leading Canadian and global fundraising tools, the software provides users with direct access to the industry’s most comprehensive database. These ready-built and simple-to-use integrations include:
CRMs
Peer-to-peer fundraising solutions
Online donation tools
CSR platforms
To get started, all you typically need to do is subscribe to Double the Donation’s tools. Then, activate 360MatchPro by entering your API keys into your fundraising platform.
Additionally, Double the Donation is designed to accommodate nonprofits operating in one or more geographic markets. For Canadian-based organizations, this means you can customize the database search results by adjusting the geographic regions that apply to your nonprofit.
360MatchPro will then tailor the matching gift search results and information your donors receive based on your selections.
Top tip: If your nonprofit’s tax status is based in Canada and you primarily have Canadian donors, it’s recommended that you only select Canada. However, if you’re registered as a nonprofit in multiple markets, such as the U.S. and Canada, or have a large number of donors in those markets, it’s recommended that you select both the U.S. and Canada.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the right matching gift database is essential. Make sure to look for a solution that’s designed to enhance your organization’s fundraising. That means seeking tools that specifically cater to Canadian organizations—and Canadian matching gift companies.
While we’ve listed some of the largest Canada-based employers and overviewed their matching gift opportunities, they aren’t the only businesses that offer such initiatives. Be sure to constantly research your donors’ employers and stay up-to-date on companies in your area. And remember: the right matching gift database can help!
[/av_textblock]
Keep learning! Check out these additional resources to continue exploring matching gifts for your organization:
Matching Gift Marketing Guide
After identifying match-eligible contributions, you’ll need to promote the matching gift opportunities to your donors.
Check out our free downloadable resource to get best practices and expert marketing strategies.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/DTD_Double-Donations-With-Canadian-Companies-That-Match-Gifts_Feature-2-1.jpg6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-02-27 00:21:412024-10-01 12:33:10Double Donations With Canadian Companies That Match Gifts
Tons of companies (from Fortune 500 enterprises to the local law firm down the street) offer generous employee gift-matching programs. When such a program is available, the business essentially agrees to match donations made by its staff to a wide range of charitable causes. These opportunities are great—and relatively well-known in the nonprofit space. However, there’s another type of corporate matching program that’s less widely understood, and that is one-off matching gift programs.
One-off (or custom) matching gift programs generally involve specific partnerships between one corporation and one nonprofit organization. And the results can be grand!
If you’re interested in making the most of corporate matching opportunities for your mission, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know as you begin crafting a plan to source and leverage one-off matching initiatives. This includes:
Ready to dive in? One-off matching gifts have the potential to bring your organization’s corporate fundraising to the next level. You just need a plan that outlines how your team can do so. And for that, let’s start with the basics.
The basics of one-off matching gift programs
One-off matching gift programs are those that are unique to a single organization. In this case, it’s yours! In the matching gift sector, you may hear this type of partnership described in a few ways—including custom, one-off, exclusive, or even unique matching gift programs.
Regardless of the term used, the bottom line is the same: a company works with an organization to facilitate a matching gift program with narrower criteria than a standard match program would have.
Specifically, donations to your nonprofit are the only ones being matched.
You might wonder why a company would offer this particular type of donation-matching initiative.
Picture this: let’s say you run an organization dedicated to breast cancer research and treatment services. Now, imagine a corporate CEO has a soft spot for missions like yours. They come to your nonprofit team with a proposal: They’d like to match employee donations to your organization throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
While the company may not typically have the bandwidth to match all team member donations, a one-off matching gift program can serve as an excellent jumping-off point for corporate philanthropy. Alternatively, a business might offer a traditional matching gift initiative with a 1:1 ratio year-round. During particular times (or to particular causes), however, the employer might elevate its program by offering a temporary 2, 3, or even 4:1 match through a one-off program.
Check out the clip below to get a two-minute overview of one-off matching gifts.
Interested in a more in-depth examination of the programs? Register to get the webinar replay here!
Double the Donation’s one-off match program functionality [with auto-submission]
If you’ve made an effort to elevate corporate fundraising at your organization, you’ve likely invested in a matching gift automation software like Double the Donation. This tool makes it quick and easy for you and your donors to locate information regarding thousands of matching gift companies.
If a company doesn’t offer a widely available matching gift program, though, they likely won’t show up in a search of the database tool. And that confusion can cause a disruption in the number of matching gift requests actually submitted—and secured—for your cause.
When you’ve organized a one-off matching gift program with a corporate partner, you want your donors to seamlessly locate the information they need to initiate the match process.
Luckily, Double the Donation has the solution: we’re offering built-in functionality for managing unique matching gift programs in 360MatchPro. That means you can add matching gift programs specific to your cause to your matching gift search tool—without it populating in other organizations’ databases as well. This way, donors can access the policy and forms they need to complete their matching gift requests on your nonprofit’s behalf.
While this functionality has previously been available exclusively for 360MatchPro Enterprise clients, we’re excited to announce that all 360MatchPro Standard accounts now have access to our unique program management tools!
*As a note, this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers looking to manage custom matching gift initiatives—360MatchPro does not work directly with corporations. If you’re a company interested in creating a matching gift program, contact us, and we’ll share information about our corporate vendor partners.
Adding a One-Off Program in 360MatchPro
Already have a corporate partner offering a one-off matching gift program for your organization? To add your unique campaign to your nonprofit’s matching gift database, log into your 360MatchPro portal and fill out a brief form regarding the offered program. (This can be located under the settings tab → Manage Programs.)
To save the program in your database, you’ll be asked for a few key details regarding the agreed-upon guidelines and parameters. This includes:
Company name
Point of contact information (e.g., the workplace giving coordinator or HR department), email address, and phone number
Types of eligible employees (full-time, part-time, retired team members, and/or spouses)
Minimum and maximum donations matched
Matching gift ratio
Submission form URL or PDF upload (and an overview of the request process)
Program start and end dates
From there, the custom matching gift initiative will begin populating within eligible donors’ queries! All they need to do is begin typing their employer’s name in your organization’s search tool and select the company from the populating options. Once they’re redirected to your confirmation screen (or afterward in an email), donors should find the easy-to-access program details and instructions as usual.
Enabling Auto-Submission for Your One-Off Program
In the same form, your team will also be asked whether you’d like to enable optional auto-submission functionality for the one-off matching gift program. This essentially enables Double the Donation to pre-fill a request form on the donor’s behalf, thus streamlining their experience and enhancing participation and engagement rates.
In order to see the best results from auto-submission forms, be sure to also fill out your comprehensive Organization Profile within 360MatchPro. (This can be located under the settings tab → Organization Profile.)
This resource should include vital and up-to-date information about your nonprofit that will ultimately be used for your matching gift company to review and approve requests. When qualifying donors initiate the auto-submission process from your giving page, Double the Donation has the necessary details to complete the request behind the scenes, thus automating and streamlining donors’ efforts.
The details in your nonprofit’s profile should include:
Your organization’s name
Phone number
Tax ID number (EIN)
Website URL
Full mailing address
Form W-9
501(c)(3) IRS affirmation letter
In the end, proactively sharing this information increases the likelihood that matches are completed without a hitch. As a result, you can expect more matching gift funds flowing into your cause in a timely manner.
(Hint: Your Organization Profile helps streamline auto-submission for other companies’ general matching gift programs as well!)
Locating a one-off corporate matching gift partner
One-off or unique matching gift programs are, by definition, developed on an ad hoc basis. Luckily, that opens up a world of possibilities—because just about any company could offer such an initiative.
As you begin seeking the right partner for your one-off matching gift program, we recommend taking a similar approach to the pursuit of a traditional corporate sponsorship. Following these steps can help organize your efforts and make the most of every avenue of support available to you!
Identifying companies your donors work for that don’t have existing matching gift programs.
Reach out to non-participating employers and share that you have a lot in common with them and their key stakeholders (your donors and their employees) already. Then, let your point of contact know you’d like to launch a one-off donation-matching initiative. Point out that it can be a great way to get into matching gifts for the first time, and be sure to share that your organization has helpful tools and resources for streamlining the facilitation of such a program.
Top tip: If your team uses 360MatchPro, the “Leading Companies” feature allows you to isolate the employers most often searched by donors in your database tool. It even flags top companies according to whether they have an existing match program or not!
Encouraging donors to advocate for a one-off matching program on your behalf.
Your donors can be some of your greatest assets. If they work for companies without existing programs, see if your supporters would be willing to pitch the idea to their employer on your behalf. When you provide a handy template supporters can use to propose a program (such as one included below), they’ll be increasingly likely to take such steps. And a company is going to be more open to considering the opportunity when the proposal is coming from a member of their own team.
Top tip: We recommend implementing 360MatchPro’s custom redirect functionality to inform ineligible donors about the ways they can get involved regardless. When a donor is marked as likely ineligible for a matching gift, send them to a page on your website that shares a myriad of opportunities for increased support: including championing a one-off matching gift program to their employer!
Suggesting unique opportunities for amplifying existing matching gift programs.
One-off matching gift programs are sometimes built off of companies’ existing match initiatives, too! That means you might not be starting from ground zero when it comes to communicating the matching gift opportunity and how a company can get involved.
Instead, there may be a business that contributes a number of matching gifts to your organization already. But in the company’s giving, you see an opportunity for growth or additional, untapped potential. In this case, you might consider proposing the idea of an “above and beyond” matching gift opportunity to set your prospective one-off program apart.
Here are a few examples of ways a company can scale up its matching gift program for your organization:
Increased matching gift ratios (e.g., a company usually matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio but raises the rate to 2:1 for a cancer research organization during Breast Cancer Awareness Month)
Decreased donation minimums (for example, let’s say a company generally requires donations of least $50 to qualify for a matching gift. During Pride month, it removes the minimum gift size for an LGBTQ+ nonprofit as a way to incentivize employee giving to the cause)
Increased donation maximums (a company typically instills a $500 cap on matching gifts per employee but raises the maximum threshold to $5,000 for a local food bank during Matching Gift Month)
Fundraising matches (a company generally matches gifts that employees donate personally but opts to match all gifts collected for a peer-to-peer fundraiser on behalf of a particular mission organization)
Top tip: One-off matching gift programs can offer an excellent opportunity to highlight giving days, awareness and affinity months, and more. Consider which celebrations best align with your nonprofit and its mission, then begin seeking corporate matching gift partners to amplify such efforts.
Creating a “one-off matching gift” interest page on your website.
Your nonprofit’s website is one of its most valuable assets. And, just like you can leverage this resource to share general matching gift program information, you can also use it to drum up interest for one-off matching gifts. The key difference, however, is that you’ll be targeting prospective companies rather than individual donors!
As you build a one-off matching gifts page on your site, we recommend the following best practices for success:
Make it easy to locate. You won’t reap many benefits from a web page that’s nearly impossible to find!
Review your mission. Don’t assume any prospective partners are already familiar with your organization. Provide a brief summary of your vision and your team’s work toward it. Pictures help, too!
Define the “one-off match” opportunity. Make sure to clearly define a one-off matching gift program and clarify how it differs from a standard matching gift.
Focus on the benefits. Companies want to know what advantages are being offered in any potential partnership. State the ways a one-off matching gift program will aid the employer in reaching its goals. The more specific you can be, the better!
Embed a contact form. It should be quick and easy for corporate donors to enter the information you’ll need to be in touch. When initiating contact is as simple as filling out an online form, more companies will be willing to do so!
Top tip: Be sure to follow up regarding companies’ one-off matching gift partnership interest in a timely manner. Though there’s no universally agreed-upon timetable, reaching out within one business day of the form being submitted tends to be an accepted practice. Plus, following up quickly allows your team to make the most of a corporate contact’s heightened engagement level before it dwindles.
Making the pitch and communicating one-off matching gift partnership value.
At this point, you should have narrowed down potential partnerships and produced a short list of prospects that may be willing to offer a one-off match. Now, it’s time to make your pitch. And don’t forget to mention the vast benefits to participating companies as well! These include heightened employee engagement, improved corporate social responsibility (CSR), tax benefits, and more.
If you have metrics available from previous one-off matching gift partners, this information can help demonstrate tangible value through prior successful engagements. For example, you might inform your corporate contact that a previous one-off match program led to a 40% increase in corporate giving or a 65% employee satisfaction rating.
Top tip: Throughout your search, keep an eye out for companies with similar missions and visions as your own. This will help ensure your values align with one another and can maintain a mutually beneficial partnership in the long term. Not to mention, their employees may be increasingly likely to support your cause.
Establishing one-off matching gift program guidelines in conjunction with your corporate partner.
Once you’ve identified a corporate partner, you’ll need to determine specific program guidelines to define the opportunity. Like traditional matching gifts, these criteria are ultimately determined by the company offering the program. However, your organization may play a role in advising the creation of a matching gift policy. You’ll also need to ensure that the new program’s guidelines do not conflict with any of your pre-existing gift acceptance policies.
Policies for special matching gift programs typically include:
Minimum and maximum donation amounts;
Matching gift ratios;
Types of qualifying employees (i.e., full-time, part-time, retired);
Submission deadlines;
Forms and request processes;
And any other relevant information!
In this regard, the only difference between a one-off and a standard match program is the types of nonprofits eligible for funding. And that question is easy—the receiving organization is yours!
Still, it’s a good idea to discuss associated criteria with your matching gift partner before rolling out your program. This enables your team to better communicate eligibility standards and ensure match requests have the information required for approval. Plus, your organization can provide access to helpful resources that simplify the experience for you and your partners.
Top tip: If you’ve invested in Double the Donation’s matching gift platform, enabling the one-off matching gift management feature allows a company (and its employees) to benefit from a streamlined submission process.
Made possible with the standard matching gift form, this request method is quick and easy for donors to complete, minimizing additional steps and reducing roadblocks in participation. The result? More matches!
Key benefits of one-off matching gift programs for nonprofits
Though narrower in scope, one-off matching gift programs offer many of the same benefits that traditional matching gift programs do. Plus, this unique offering can unleash a number of exclusive advantages just for your cause.
These include:
Building deeper connections with charitable-minded corporations.
Whereas a typical matching gift program may lead to a company contributing to hundreds or thousands of nonprofits, a one-off matching gift program is just between you and your corporate partner. Therefore, it provides enhanced opportunities for strengthening your relationship. You might even be able to turn it into a recurring program!
Widening your fundraising reach to encompass new supporters.
When promoted effectively, one-off matching gift programs have the potential to direct first-time donors to your organization. A company’s employees may otherwise never have been made aware of your cause. But when their employer highlights the giving opportunity, your nonprofit is at the forefront of their minds. You might even uncover some new, long-term supporters this way!
Elevating donor engagement with unique match opportunities.
Perhaps your one-off matching partner employs individuals who are already involved with your cause. You have the chance to further their engagement through the program, too! In fact, studies show that simply mentioning matching gifts in donation appeals results in more than a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.
Best practices | Top tips for successful one-off matching programs
Want to take your organization’s unique matching gift program to the next level? Consider these smart tips and tricks to better engage your donors and your corporate partners.
1. Encourage your corporate partner to promote the program to employees.
A matching gift program is only as good as the employees who know about it. Uninformed team members, after all, are not going to take the steps required to initiate a matching gift if they’ve never been informed of the opportunity. Thus, they’re not sending additional corporate revenue your way.
One of the best things a company can do to drive corporate giving participation—and, as a result, get the most out of its program offerings—is to make its employees aware of the opportunity in the first place. From the nonprofit’s end, it’s a good idea to encourage proactive employee outreach in order to aid your partner in doing so.
And when the employer incorporates the program in its public-facing marketing efforts, the philanthropic efforts also go a long way in building the company’s reputation as a charitable and socially responsible institution. Your team can even help drive promotions by sending co-branded graphics, social sharing templates, sample communications, and more!
2. Market the opportunity to your audience.
Just like you expect your matching gift partner to promote your one-off program to their employees, you’ll want to market the opportunity to your nonprofit’s audience as well. Marketing efforts from your organization might include:
A social media post highlighting the program and recognizing your matching gift company for their generosity;
A blog post on your organization’s website sharing program information and how to get involved, if applicable;
Personalized outreach (phone calls, emails, letters, etc.) to existing and prospective donors who work for the company hosting the one-off match program;
Your matching gift search tool—loaded with your one-off matching gift program—embedded in your donation forms and confirmation screen;
Post-donation email reminders that encourage the company’s employees to complete the matching gift request process if they haven’t already.
The more information that gets out regarding the one-off matching gift opportunity, the better!
Remember also that by sharing co-marketing materials with your own network of support, you can help provide additional benefits to the matching gift company. When the employer recognizes significant value from the partnership, they’ll be more likely to offer corporate and workplace giving initiatives alongside your organization in the future.
3. Enable auto-submission functionality to streamline participation.
You want your donors to be able to take part in your matching program as easily as possible. One of the best ways to simplify participation is to implement Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality—essentially removing obstacles within the submission process and driving more requests to completion.
Why does this matter? Unfortunately, custom matching gift programs can suffer from many of the same roadblocks that traditional programs face. And one of the most common hindrances is a lack of understanding surrounding the matching gift request process from the donor’s perspective.
With auto-submission enabled, however, eligible donors can complete their match submissions right from your donation forms with no redirects, separate logins, or paper forms required! All donors typically have to do is enter their corporate email address on your gift confirmation page. Then, voilà—Double the Donation handles the rest of the submission process using our standard request form behind the scenes.
Here’s what the request process can look like with auto-submission:
Step 1) An employee of your corporate matching company makes a donation on your organization’s website and enters the company name.
Step 2) The donor enters their email on the confirmation screen, authorizing Double the Donation to auto-submit their match request.
By incorporating this innovative functionality for your unique matching gift program, everybody benefits. This includes:
Your organization, which receives increased matching gift revenue and elevated donor engagement.
Your donors, who save time with one-click matching gift requests, enabling them to make the most of their nonprofit contributions without dedicating more time and resources.
Your corporate match partner, who sees maximal program usage, more satisfied employees, and a positive brand image.
And don’t forget about your mission beneficiaries, who receive more extensive and better-funded programs and services from your organization, too!
4. Pitch an annually recurring one-off or custom match program.
Most one-off matching gift programs are going to be organized as short-term campaign initiatives (for example, a company supporting a breast cancer research nonprofit during the month of October or an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in June). However, that doesn’t mean that the partnership has to be a one-and-done experience!
Instead, pitching your one-off match as an annually recurring event is a great way to grow your relationship with a corporate donor and its employees for the long term. You can even position the initial campaign as a “trial run,” allowing both your organization and the company to fine-tune the program and ensure it aligns well with your shared goals and values over time.
Alternatively, your one-off matching gift efforts might inspire the corporate partner to dive in fully with matching gifts—rolling out an evergreen program in conjunction with a dedicated CSR platform to simplify ongoing management. Either way, your organization is able to benefit from the company’s philanthropy on an ongoing basis!
Helpful templates to streamline corporate outreach
Effective communications—with individual and corporate donors alike—are integral to successful one-off matching gift partnerships. But knowing how to ask a company to match donations can seem nerve-wracking!
If you’re not sure how to get started, check out these sample messages for various scenarios, and adjust the provided templates to reflect your own outreach strategy.
Template #1: Pitching One-Off Matching Gifts to a Company Without an Existing Matching Gift Program
One-off matching gifts are an easy way for companies to explore donation-matching for the first time. Use this template to propose such a program to a company that does not currently offer a matching gift program for its employees.
Subject: Will you support [nonprofit] with a one-off matching gift program?
Dear [HR or CSR department head],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing on behalf of [nonprofit], an organization deeply committed to [mission or cause]. In the past year, we’ve been fortunate to receive support from donors who share our passion for creating positive change—and many of these generous individuals are employed by [company].
As a result, we wanted to reach out and see if [company] would be interested in implementing a one-off matching gift program as a way to encourage employee giving and grow your own social responsibility efforts. This special initiative allows your company to make a meaningful difference in the community by matching your employees’ donations to [nonprofit] during a designated campaign.
I would love the opportunity to discuss this further and explore how we can tailor a one-off matching gift program to align seamlessly with [company]’s values and objectives.
Template #2: Pitching One-Off Matching Gifts to a Company With an Existing Matching Gift Program
You can also implement a one-off matching gift program to elevate an existing matching gift company’s support for your organization. Use this template to pitch an above-and-beyond program to a company that already matches gifts but has room for improvement in its efforts.
Subject: Make [company]’s matching gifts to [nonprofit] go further with a one-off matching gift partnership!
Dear [HR or CSR department head],
I am reaching out on behalf of [nonprofit], expressing our most sincere appreciation for [company]’s ongoing support through its employee matching gift program. Your commitment to philanthropy has undoubtedly made a positive difference for [mission or program], and our generous donors love having the ability to double their impact on the cause.
As we continue to work towards our shared goals, I would like to present an exciting opportunity to enhance the impact of [company]’s giving. We would love to introduce a special one-off matching gift program in partnership with your company. Specifically, we are proposing a designated campaign that offers [increased donation maximums, matching gift ratios, types of eligible employees, etc.] as a way to grow your corporate giving and bring our fundraising to new heights.
I would be delighted to discuss this proposal further and explore how we can tailor the upgraded one-off matching gift program to align seamlessly with [company]’s objectives and abilities.
Template #3: Responding to a Company’s One-Off Matching Gift Program Interest
Once you launch a custom matching gift program interest page on your nonprofit’s website, you’ll likely receive submissions from interested corporate prospects. This template can help guide your responses as you enter important partnership conversations.
Subject: Thank you for your interest in supporting [nonprofit] with a one-off match program!
Dear [company] Team OR [point of contact specified in contact form],
I hope this message finds you well. On behalf of [nonprofit], I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your inquiry to support our cause through a one-off matching gift program. As you may know, our mission at [nonprofit] is to [mission or vision] by [project or program], [project or program], and [project or program].
As we embark on this journey together, it’s important to first clarify what the partnership would entail for each of our teams. Simply put, a one-off matching gift program is an employee giving initiative that benefits a specific nonprofit organization—in this case, ours! Through this program, your company agrees to match donations made by your staff members to our organization, effectively doubling the impact of their contributions on our cause.
To help kickstart the process of setting up a matching gift program, here are some recommended next steps to get our partnership off the ground:
▶ Specify the types of employees that qualify to participate in the matching gift initiative.
▶ Define the minimum and maximum matchable gifts per employee.
▶ Establish your matching gift ratio.
▶ Determine the program’s start and end dates.
▶ Develop a clear submission process for employees to follow. (We recommend Double the Donation’s auto-submission process, which we can implement from our end)
We’re also pleased to provide you with templates and other helpful resources that may aid in the development and promotion of the program to your employees. Once again, thank you for considering this partnership, and please reach out if you have any additional questions or are ready to move forward with the next steps.
Template #4: Empowering a Donor to Facilitate an Introduction to their Employer
A warm introduction from a donor who works for a prospective corporate partner goes a long way. It can help get your team’s foot in the door for one-off matching gift conversations and demonstrate value in terms of shared audiences for the company in question.
Use this sample message to initiate outreach with a supporter and encourage them to connect your team with their HR or CSR department!
Subject: Double your donation impact by connecting us with [company]!
[Donor],
On behalf of the [nonprofit] team, we wanted to express our sincere gratitude for your continuous support and the invaluable contributions you’ve made towards [mission or cause]. Recently, an avenue that has shown great potential is one-off matching gift programs, designed to amplify the impact of charitable donations by employees of forward-thinking companies.
We believe that your employer, [company], could play a pivotal role in strengthening our impact through such a one-off matching gift partnership. In order to aid us in our outreach, we kindly request your assistance in making a warm introduction to the appropriate contacts at the business. Your endorsement and personal connection would undoubtedly add weight to our proposal and highlight the positive social impact that can be achieved through corporate philanthropy.
We understand that your time is valuable, and any support you can provide in facilitating this introduction would be immensely appreciated. If you have any questions or if there’s additional information you may need, please feel free to reach out.
Template #5: Advocating for a One-Off Matching Gift Program [For Donors]
Your donors may be willing to champion your cause even further by pitching a matching gift program to their employers themselves. But your team can play a crucial role in encouraging such advocates in their endeavors! Share this helpful template to empower individual donors to advocate for matching gifts on your behalf.
Subject: Request for a corporate matching gift program
Hi [manager or HR representative name],
I am writing to request the addition of a “one-off” corporate matching gift program at [company] on behalf of [nonprofit].
If you weren’t aware, thousands of companies match employee donations as a way to support their staff and the nonprofit causes they contribute to. However, I understand the limitations in budget and resources that could hinder a company from participating. That’s why, in this case, I am requesting that [company] implement a specific program in which it matches donations to [nonprofit] for a limited time.
Companies that match gifts tend to see substantial advantages in terms of employee engagement and retention, opportunities to attract competitive candidates, improved brand image, and even increased sales. And on the employee’s end, team members love knowing that their employer is willing to contribute to their favorite causes.
If you’d like to take steps to establish a matching gift program for the company, Double the Donation has provided a detailed guide that walks corporate leaders through the process.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Your name]
[Job position]
[Contact information]
Looking for more templates and other resources? 360MatchPro users can locate additional materials under Settings → Manage Programs.
Not a 360MatchPro client yet? Click here to get a demo and see how our complete matching gift automation platform can
transform your fundraising efforts.
Bonus | “The Power of a One-Off Match” Case Study: LLS & Danaher
If you’re wondering what kind of impact a one-off matching gift program can have for your organization, check out this example of a successful partnership that resulted in a unique initiative engaging employee donors at new heights.
As you read, consider which elements of this strategy you can implement in your own team’s efforts.
“Danaher Corporation’s long-standing partnership with LLS enables the team to support active research projects and help patients afford treatments.”
—Danaher Corporation Annual Report
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (also known as LLS) is a key player in the fight against blood cancers, dedicating its mission to medical research, education, advocacy, and more. As one of the world’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising organizations, the LLS team has always been at the forefront of innovation to further its cause—including with a particularly well-established approach to corporate matching gifts. Ergo, LLS was also one of the first nonprofits to build a strategy targeting custom matching gift programs.
Armed with 360MatchPro’s automation tools since 2017, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has continued to develop its one-off matching gifts plan, providing corporate partners with customized resources to aid in program facilitation.
Meanwhile, Danaher Corporation, which comprises some of the world’s most groundbreaking science and technology companies, expresses a forward-looking mission of “making things better for our customers, our company, and the world.” Its focus on diagnostics, life sciences, and biotechnology—in addition to its desire to support organizations working to advance healthcare innovation—makes its decades-long partnership with LLS a natural fit.
According to a 2023 sustainability report, commitment to continuous improvement is at the heart of everything Danaher Corporation does. That’s why, in 2022 alone, the company invested more than $1.7 billion into research that funded breakthrough cancer diagnostics, innovative bioprocessing, gene sequencing, and more.
When the Danaher Corporation team sought new and innovative ways to give back to its community and increasingly engage its workforce in philanthropy, the company settled on a one-off matching gift initiative. After establishing the program, Danaher employees were invited to support LLS through an upcoming fundraising event, Light the Night. With an employee count of over 70,000, the company got on board to give back to their communities in a substantial way.
The result? In offering a one-off matching gift program in partnership with LLS, Danaher Corporation was able to increase its total giving by more than 150%, surpassing its initial fundraising goal and elevating its impact greatly.
And in the end, the company continued to grow its matching gift initiatives! Facilitated through the company-sponsored Danaher Foundation, the team continues to demonstrate a holistic and ongoing approach to corporate giving. In addition to taking its matching gift program global, Danaher also reports plans to venture into skills-based volunteerism, nonprofit board service support, and Volunteer Time Off (VTO).
Sourcing a one-off matching gift program may be one of the best ways to set your organization apart. In addition to the matching gifts ultimately paid out through the program, a one-off match will enable you to grow mutually advantageous corporate relationships that last long beyond the matching gift period itself.
And you don’t want to overlook the benefits to individual supporter engagement, either. An employer-sponsored one-off match program empowers existing donors to stretch their support even further for your cause. Not to mention, it funnels new, first-time donors to your cause in the first place!
Luckily, with the right tips, tricks, and tools, getting started has never been easier.
Interested in learning more about matching gift programs and best practices for elevating corporate fundraising at your organization? Check out our recommended resources:
How to Identify Corporate Partners
Matching gifts aren’t the only type of corporate giving program available! Find out how to identify top corporate sponsorships and potential one-off matching gift companies with this guide.
New auto-submission streamlines the matching gift process for one-off and general corporate programming. Dive deep into this innovative functionality and the providers that support it.
Thousands of companies match employee donations, but these programs stand out. Browse this list of particularly impactful matching gift companies from Double the Donation.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/What-to-Know-About-One-Off-Matching-Gift-Programs.png7201920Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-01-19 05:00:532024-05-08 16:04:25One-Off Matching Gift Programs | What to Know For Your Org
The list of matching gift companies is endless—and not exclusive to one region, business size, or corporate sector. Instead, employers all over the world opt to match their employees’ charitable donations. Doing so results in elevated corporate philanthropy, team-wide engagement, and even positive brand image.
So what makes one company’s program stand out over another? There are a lot of factors that go into a top matching gift company, including donation (low) minimums and (high) maximums, open eligibility, seamless donor experiences, and more.
One that stands out in all areas is legal services company Innovative Discovery. And we’ll tell you why!
Ready to get started? Dive in and see what makes Innovative Discovery’s matching gift program top-tier.
Fun Fact: By working with a CLMA-certified matching gift platform, Innovative Discovery has become a Certified Leader in Matching Automation. That means it’s recognized for its dedication to providing the best possible experience for its employees participating in the program.
What to Know About Innovative Discovery
Founded in 2005 in Arlington, Virginia, Innovative Discovery is a strategic consulting firm and legal services provider to a wide range of corporations and groups. The company partners with government agencies, construction and manufacturing businesses, energy and utility companies, financial services, healthcare and life sciences providers, and more.
Innovative Discovery employees—a combination of technologists, lawyers, and cybersecurity experts—work as strategic consultants to provide authoritative guidance throughout the litigation processes and information lifecycles. Specifically, the consulting group aims to offer unique insights into cybersecurity, data breaches, digital forensics, and high-stakes litigations to set their clients up for maximal success.
This corporation also places a significant emphasis on giving back to the communities in which they operate, including offering community service, nonprofit sponsorships, and more. Plus, they support nonprofit organizations of all shapes and sizes through their generous matching program.
Current Matching Gift Program Guidelines
Innovative Discovery employees have the opportunity to double their charitable giving impact by participating in the company’s matching initiative. Personal gifts made by Innovative Discovery team members of between $25 and $2,500 are eligible to be matched at a 1:1 rate.
Even better, nearly all nonprofits qualify for the program. This includes K-12 and higher education institutions, arts and cultural institutions, environmental nonprofits, and other registered 501(c)(3) organizations.
And the company makes it as easy as possible for employees to take part, driving participation and overall program usage with auto-submission, a new solution from Double the Donation.
Here’s a quick overview of the Innovative Discovery corporate matching gift program eligibility requirements:
Matching gift ratio – 1:1 (or dollar for dollar)
Qualifying employees – Current full-time and part-time Innovative Discovery team members qualify to request corporate matching donations.
Eligible nonprofit recipients – Most nonprofit mission types qualify for Innovative Discovery matching, which includes:
Educational institutions (K-12 included)
Health and human services
Arts and cultural organizations
Civic and community groups
Environmental nonprofits
And most other 501 (c)(3) organizations
Submission process – Employees may complete their match request directly following their initial donation on the organization’s giving form using auto-submission or navigate to Selflessly’s online matching gift portal to fill out a brief application.
Standing Out With Matching Gift Auto-Submission Through Selflessly and Double the Donation
The #1 thing that makes Innovative Discovery’s matching gift program so innovative is its participation in newly developed matching gift auto-submission. By partnering with Double the Donation and corporate giving platform Selflessly, ID is streamlining the process for employees getting involved.
Enabling the solution, which recently came out of beta, significantly reduces the time and effort involved in completing a matching gift request. And it can all be done directly from a nonprofit’s website—driving more ID employees to participate. With increased program participation, more funding goes to the nonprofit causes their employees care about. Not to mention, the company itself receives elevated benefits from its corporate giving offerings. It’s a win-win-win—and it’s easier than ever before!
Here’s how the matching process works for Innovative Discovery team members using auto-submission:
An ID employee makes a donation directly on their favorite nonprofit’s website and enters their company name—Innovative Discovery—in a donation form field.
On the confirmation screen, the employee enters their corporate email address. They then check a box and authorize Double the Donation to submit the match request on their behalf.
Innovative Discovery facilitates its matching gifts and other corporate giving initiatives by leveraging a CSR management software company, Selflessly. Selflessly is framed as an “all-in-one giving platform for CSR,” offering both corporate giving and volunteerism features.
Through this software solution, companies like Innovative Discovery are able to:
Elevate corporate giving and employee matching with ease;
Simplify corporate volunteering and organize team and individual volunteer opportunities;
Increase employee engagement by participating in social good;
Make the most of purposeful reporting and impact assessments.
Recently, Selflessly was also one of the first providers to participate in the beta program for auto-submission functionality with Double the Donation, making corporate matching gifts easier than ever before.
Other Innovative Giving Initiatives
Innovative Discovery’s website shares that “the primary focus of ID’s corporate philanthropic efforts are nonprofit organizations valued by our employees.” This idea is reflected in the company’s matching gift program as well as additional team-wide efforts for various charitable causes.
This includes:
ID Civic Day — Innovative Discovery’s Civic Day offers an annual opportunity for team members to engage in their communities. Beyond typical PTO, the company offers an additional paid day off work for employees to volunteer with community service projects.
Employee volunteer grants — ID states that the company supports team member philanthropy through matching donations and investments of their time with corporate volunteer grants. When employees volunteer with various causes, the company pays out grants to the organizations to which they dedicate their time and efforts.
Steps for Autism team challenge — Every April, Innovative Discovery employees take part in a workplace giving campaign on behalf of the Autism Society. During World Autism Month, team members compete by department to see who can get the most steps. At the end of the month, ID makes a donation to the Autism Society on behalf of the winning group.
Sponsorship for Climbing Blind: Tibet Expedition — In 2004, Innovative Discovery aided groundbreaking Climbing Blind’s Tibet Expedition. The company sponsored the event by building essential technical infrastructure. With their newly developed interactive website and intuitive web content management system, Climbing Blind had access to the tools they needed to connect climbers with their growing online community.
Innovative Discovery leadership has made it a point time and time again to invest in giving back to their communities. We’re excited to see what they roll out next!
Wrapping Up
Companies like Innovative Discovery are paving the way for more businesses—and the nonprofits, donors, and communities they support—to benefit from groundbreaking matching gift programs with ease. As more and more corporations roll out innovative auto-submission functionality by leveraging partnerships between corporate giving and matching gift-specific technology, the results will continue growing to new heights.
Ready to learn more about standout matching gift companies and practices? Explore other Double the Donation resources here:
Matching Gift Auto-Submission + CSR Platforms | What to Know. Auto-submission functionality enables companies like Innovative Discovery to streamline the experience for employees and ultimately get more out of their giving programs. And the nonprofits involved benefit as well! Learn more with this comprehensive guide.
Selflessly Launches Auto-Submit Match Requests. Companies can bring their philanthropic programming to the next level thanks to the integration between Selflessly and Double the Donation. Find out how auto-submission helps improve programs and how your company can benefit here.
How to Start a Matching Gift Program [For Companies]. Are you a corporate executive looking to launch an employee matching gift program at your company? This step-by-step walkthrough provides unique insights into how your team can develop the most impactful initiative possible.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DTD_Company-Spotlight-Article-Selflessly-Innovative-Discovery_Feature-1.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-11-10 15:48:382024-08-02 21:24:56Company Spotlight: Maximizing Matching Gift Innovation with Innovative Discovery
With a whopping 85% of employees actively disengaged at the workplace, implementing intentional engagement programs is crucial for ensuring your company’s success. By implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs into your company culture you can access benefits on multiple sides—workforce productivity, community impact, and customer satisfaction.
One of the top workplace giving program ideas is matching gifts. Starting a matching gift program boosts engagement by allowing you to invest in your employees’ passions. However, if you’re new to CSR or don’t know where to start with matching gifts, it can be difficult to know where to start. Don’t worry—this guide will provide you with everything you need to cultivate a more engaged and effective workforce by covering these topics:
Without further ado, let’s explore the valuable relationship between matching gift programs and employee engagement.
Matching Gift FAQs
Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned pro, you likely have some questions about the vast world of matching gifts. Let’s get you the answers you need before we move into our engagement strategies.
What are the key terms to know regarding matching gifts?
If you’re new to matching gifts, there are a lot of important terms that you might not be aware of. Here are some definitions to keep in mind:
A matching gift program is a corporate giving initiative that enables employees to get their donation to a nonprofit matched by their employer.
A match ratio is a company’s ratio of how much of an employee’s donation they’ll match. For example, most companies match $1 for each dollar contributed by the employee, but some even pledge $2 for each dollar given by the employee.
Matching gift program eligibility requirements are a company’s rules for which employees can leverage matching gifts and to what extent. For instance, some companies allow retirees and part-time employees to submit matching gift requests, where others only allow full-time employees to participate.
A maximum and minimum match amount are the upper and lower limits of an eligible matching gift. Most companies set the minimum amount around $25 and the maximum at several hundred dollars per year.
A CSR platform is a software solution that companies leverage to manage their matching gift programs. The best CSR platforms can integrate with matching gift processing software solutions like Double the Donation, which has auto-submission capabilities.
All of these terms (and a few more) will eventually be fully fleshed out in your corporate giving policy. If you’d like to more clarity on how other organizations define them, research companies that donate to nonprofits to get a more informed perspective on how you can tailor these ideas to your employee engagement goals.
What are the primary benefits of matching gift programs?
Matching gift programs offer a plethora of advantages for both companies and nonprofits alike. Besides feeling fulfilled after committing a good deed, companies who embrace matching gifts can boost:
Customer loyalty. Customers increasingly favor supporting companies who give back to their communities. In fact, corporate social responsibility can give your company an edge over competitors—70% of consumers want to know that the brands they support are socially responsible.
Brand reputation. With increased customer loyalty comes a stronger brand reputation. Not only will giving back to nonprofits boost customer retention but it can improve acquisition as well.
Employee productivity and loyalty. Employees want to feel supported in their professional and personal passions by their employer, and it shows in their job performance and loyalty. Matching gifts provide a perfect opportunity to invest in each employees’ interests, make a widespread impact on the community, and cultivate a more dedicated workforce.
Talent acquisition efforts. The same principles that boost employee productivity through corporate giving apply to talent acquisition. You can leverage your matching gift offerings to attract and acquire the talented applicants that your competitors want.
Tax breaks. Depending on where your company is based, you can get tax reductions from the IRS for your matching gift contributions.
Community relationships. A matching gift can open the door for your company to form valuable relationships with organizations in your community, especially with nonprofits. For instance, if you notice a high volume of donations going to one nonprofit, you might decide to officially sponsor them and reap even more benefits of corporate social responsibility.
That said, you can’t harness these benefits without putting a sincere effort towards making philanthropy a core value of your company. That means actively promoting your program to employees and iterating on it.
What can affect employee engagement with matching gift programs?
Numerous factors can impact a company’s employee matching gift engagement, such as:
Employee awareness. According to Double the Donation’s guide to matching gift statistics, 78% of donors are unaware if their company offers a matching gift program, and 1 in 3 donors indicate that they’d give more if a match was available. The more employees know about your program, the better participation metrics you’ll see.
Ease of submission. The easier it is to submit a matching gift request, the more employees will participate in your program. Leverage a platform that integrates with an auto-submission provider to keep the process straightforward.
Program guidelines. The stipulations that determine who can participate in the matching gift program and how they can get involved influences the participation rate.
Leadership support. Employees look to leadership to embody company culture and values. If there’s a lack of support or acknowledgment of matching gifts, employees might feel discouraged from participating.
Flexibility in gift types. Some employees might prefer giving all at once, but others might prefer to donate smaller gifts over time. Accommodating multiple giving preferences allows you to interest more employees in getting their gifts matched. After all, our corporate philanthropy trends research found that 39% of surveyed employees wish their companies would allow greater flexibility in when and how they can participate in workplace giving.
Quality of feedback mechanisms. Adapting your matching gift program over time is crucial for keeping it effective as your company changes. Leveraging comprehensive and accessible feedback mechanisms is how you can tailor your programs to be more suited to your employees’ preferences.
To gauge what influences your own company’s matching gift participation rate, survey your employees and ask what aspects are beneficial and where improvements can be made. These answers usually directly correlate with your program’s effectiveness and appeal to your employee community.
Tips for Maximizing Employee Engagement through Matching Gift Programs
Now that your initial questions are answered, you might be wondering how to launch your own matching gift program. Before we go over the details, let’s review the big-picture ways that you can increase engagement.
Create a culture of giving and volunteerism. Whether you ask potential hires about their interest in social responsibility or offer paid time off for company volunteering, you should integrate giving back into your regular schedule. You’ll attract passionate advocates to join your team and cultivate a community that values your CSR efforts, making implementing a matching gift program simple.
Leverage technology and software solutions. As mentioned above, using employee-facing CSR platforms streamlines program management and participation. For instance, using a CSR platform that integrates with an auto-submission platform can cut at least half of the steps in a matching gift submission process.
Sharing the program’s impact with participants. As donors, your employees are entitled to information about your corporate giving activities and progress. Ensure you report on your matching gift program’s metrics, such as the number of participants and the total amount donated by the company, so your employees stay informed about your progress.
Your company needs to do more than simply start a matching gift program to get employees excited about getting involved. Implementing these large-scale atmospheric and program shifts will make it easier for your matching gift program to make a lasting impact.
How to Start an Employee Matching Gift Program
These simple steps can help you start your matching gift program on the right foot:
Develop a corporate giving policy
Before you lay out your specific matching gift policies, you should create a framework for your overall approach to corporate social responsibility and giving. Ensure you cover the following aspects in your policy:
Goals of your program
Bundle options, such as making a higher match ratio available when the employee have volunteered a certain amount
Match ratio
Minimum and maximum match amounts
Eligibility requirements
Types of gifts accepted
Affinity causes that you contribute more to
Tax deductibility information
Submission deadlines
Contact information for the program administrator
Feedback devices
Record all of these stipulations in a visible location, such as the employee handbook or in your employee-facing CSR platform, so your staff has the most essential information at their fingertips. If you make changes to your policy, communicate them to your entire team to keep your program running smoothly.
Pick a CSR platform
If you haven’t already settled on a CSR platform that supports matching gifts, now is the time to research your options and pick the best fit. Keep these important considerations in mind while you choose your platform:
Supports matching gifts and any other corporate giving initiatives you decide to take on
Robust reporting capabilities
Once you’ve narrowed down your prospective providers based on these criteria, schedule demos, consultations, and any other meetings to help you make your decision. Also, remember to include all relevant parties in your research and trial processes, such as your software experts, company leadership, and CSR program chairs, so you get a diverse array of perspectives on the available options.
Communicate the program’s impact to employees
As previously mentioned, one of the biggest barriers to employee participation in matching gift programs is a lack of awareness. To achieve maximum visibility, you should:
Create a matching gifts information page. Many companies have shared drives or Intranet pages where employees can share internal information. Create an internal information hub for your matching gift program where you can post updates and answer questions.
Leverage multiple channels. Whether you’re spreading the word about your program via email or in person at your all-hands meeting, pick company-wide channels to inform your employees about your program.
Host recognition and appreciation events. Leveraging peer feedback is a great way to get employees interested in your new program. Ask employees who have had their gifts matched before to speak to the program’s effectiveness in spreading social good. You could also ask nonprofit representatives from causes related to your company’s focus to speak about how matched donations impact their missions.
Similar to your external marketing efforts, your program will only be as popular as your communications are effective. Use marketing tools such as powerful calls to action and branded images to make your communications stand out.
Celebrate successes and recognize employee participation
Once the matching gift requests start rolling in, you should take the time to thank those who made the program successful—your employees. Showing your heartfelt gratitude can help employees feel more engaged and inspired to renew their involvement going forward. Share your thanks by:
Sending appreciation eCards. Make your thank-you message more memorable than a passing comment in the hallway by leveraging custom employee appreciation eCards. Take it a step further by giving peers the ability to recognize each other for their charitable activity so everyone has a chance to support each other.
Awarding prizes to participants. Creating a competitive, yet fun gamified atmosphere with prizes on the line helps employees get more absorbed in your program and allows you to show your thanks. For instance, let’s say you’re running a matching gift day coinciding with Giving Tuesday. Consider offering all participants a small prize as a thank-you gift and award the top five donors with more valuable gifts.
Creating a yearly award. You might already have a yearly awards ceremony where high performers are recognized for their contributions to the company. You could add an award for “biggest community contributor” or “advocate of the year” to show thanks to the most influential participants.
A little recognition can go a long way in securing long-term support for your matching gift program. As long as your sincerity comes through, your employees will feel the love and keep giving!
Wrapping Up + Additional Resources
Now that you know how and why matching gift programs can influence your employee engagement, it’s time to launch your own efforts! By keeping your employees at the center of your strategy and leveraging the right technology, you can achieve remarkable results for your company, both internally and externally.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/the-impact-of-matching-gifts-on-employee-engagement_feature.jpg10001800Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-11-01 05:00:002024-07-09 12:34:51The Impact of Matching Gift Programs on Employee Engagement
Companies participate in corporate giving for a number of reasons. A corporate executive might be inspired to give back to a particular cause that resonates with them and their values. A different company might do so in order to engage with its employees on a deeper level, fostering a positive workplace culture and driving satisfaction and retention. Another yet may choose to give in order to receive tax benefits or boost their public image.
Tons of businesses partake in matching employee gifts, and most intend to reap all of the benefits listed above. But there are a few that truly stand out in their efforts—specifically when it comes to corporate matching gifts.
Want to find out how? We’ve compiled information to provide you with a solid understanding of the Checkr corporation, its philanthropy and matching gift endeavors, and what makes it stand out from the crowd.
Fun Fact: By working with a CLMA-certified matching gift platform, Checkr has become a Certified Leader in Matching Automation. That means it’s recognized for its dedication to providing the best possible experience for its employees participating in the program.
Company Background: About Checkr
Checkr, Inc. was founded in 2014 with a unique idea to modernize and advance the traditional background check process—while removing common obstacles and enabling a fairer hiring process for all.
Today, this background check screening company aims to aid other businesses with the right technology to make the right recruitment and hiring choices. Checkr is built on the idea of fair chance hiring that works to make the hiring process as even as it can be for all candidates—including those with criminal backgrounds.
And Checkr understands the importance of corporate philanthropy in an overall business plan—especially pertaining to strategic recruitment and retention practices. They’ve even written several blog posts citing matching gifts and overall corporate giving programs as key components for How to Recruit Talented Leaders and How to Increase Employee Retention at Your Small Business. Not to mention, the Checkr team offers its own corporate giving initiatives—including, but not limited to, matching employee donations to charitable causes.
Current Matching Gift Program Guidelines
Checkr matches charitable gifts made by all full and part-time employees at a 1:1 rate. With no minimum donation amount and open match availability to nearly all nonprofit causes, Checkr aims to make its employee matching gift program as accessible as possible.
Not to mention, they utilize matching gift auto-submission functionality to enable one-click matching gift requests, which ensures the process is quick and easy for employee participants.
Let’s take a quick look at Checkr’s employee matching donation guidelines:
Minimum employee donation matched – None!
Matching gift ratio – 1:1, or dollar for dollar
Qualifying employees – Current full-time and part-time Checkr employees
Eligible nonprofit recipients – Nearly all nonprofit causes qualify to receive Checkr matches. This includes:
K-12 schools
Higher education institutions
Health and human services
Arts and cultural organizations
Civic and community organizations
Environmental nonprofits
And many more 501 (c)(3) organizations
Submission process – Checkr employees can leverage auto-submission to complete the matching gift process in seconds from their favorite organizations’ donation forms or submit their match requests manually by logging into the company’s CSR portal, Millie.
New Feature! Auto-Submission With Millie and Double the Donation
Checkr’s employee donation-matching program has many admirable features that make it one of our top matching gift companies. But what really makes this employer stand out in its offering is its matching gift auto-submission functionality.
Checkr employs corporate giving platform Millie to facilitate its matching gift program. Historically, that meant providing an employee-facing portal with which team members can log in, provide basic information about their recent donations, and submit their matching gift requests.
Now, thanks to a successfully implemented beta integration between Millie and industry-leading matching gift software provider Double the Donation, the process for employee donors is easier than ever before.
In fact, all an individual has to do is enter their corporate email address from the confirmation screen of their favorite organization’s donation page. They won’t be rerouted to a separate submission platform or be required to reenter donation details. The software ecosystem handles it all seamlessly behind the scenes!
What to Know About Checkr’s CSR Partner, Millie
In order to bring their philanthropy to the next level, the Checkr team chooses to leverage a social impact platform called Millie. Millie describes itself as offering a simple and flexible matching gift solution that’s budget-friendly for all companies. And for Checkr, Millie is able to help simplify the facilitation of their matching gifts and other corporate giving programs!
Here’s a look at Millie’s key offerings:
Essential matching donation management of programs that encourage both corporate and individual giving;
Campaign-hosting capabilities that enable companies to support and fundraise for various causes;
Remote and in-person corporate volunteer management tools;
Charitable gift cards, affinity groups, gamification campaigns, and more.
Plus, Millie has been at the forefront of corporate giving innovation with its new auto-submission partnership with Double the Donation, which is in its final stages of testing and refinement. This allows businesses like Checkr and more to streamline and elevate philanthropy, ultimately bringing advantages to every party involved. We’re excited to see what they do next, and how they bring forward-thinking companies along with them.
Other Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives
In addition to Checkr’s standout matching gift program, here are a few other CSR efforts that the background check company pursues:
Bounce Back program — Bounce Back is a unique program developed by Checkr with the help of its dedicated employees. By providing tools and resources to post-incarcerated applicants and companies looking to establish fair hiring practices, Bounce Back aids in securing a more optimal workforce for everyone involved.
Free reentry simulation — In order to provide insight into the various challenges involved with employment post-incarceration, Checkr has invested in developing an interactive virtual reentry simulator. This free and accessible tool aims to share perspective and understanding of those looking to reenter society after a criminal record.
Expungement assistance services — Checkr believes that a criminal record should not put an end to an individual’s employment potential. And when it’s possible to clear a candidate’s record and reopen opportunities, the company is dedicated to helping with a fast and affordable solution.
The Checkr website states that “Checkr has committed to the Pledge 1% corporate philanthropy movement, pledging to donate one percent of its employees’ time, one percent of its product, one percent of the equity, and one percent of the profits every year to the mission of enabling fair chances.”
But they often go farther than just one percent! In fact, much of Checkr’s corporate offerings revolve around its overall mission of fair chance hiring.
Concluding Thoughts
Matching gift programs continue to expand in terms of both prevalence and potential. And companies like Checkr are leading the pack. By enabling innovative auto-submission, Checkr is demonstrating matching gift programs of the future.
And while bringing inspiration to other corporate leaders, they’re also benefiting their employees by offering next-level engagement experiences, the nonprofits receiving increased funding through the matching programs, and even their own bottom line.
Dive deeper into corporate matching gifts! Learn more with these additional corporate giving resources from Double the Donation:
Matching Gifts: Your Guide to Growing Your Revenue with Automation. When leveraged effectively, corporate matching gifts have the potential to bring a nonprofit’s fundraising revenue to the next level. And the right tools and strategies can help—learn more in this comprehensive guide.
Corporate Philanthropy Examples: 15 Companies Doing It Right. Looking for more inspiration from charitable-minded businesses? Check out our list of fifteen companies across multiple sectors that are doing corporate giving right. See what your team can learn from these examples!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DTD_Company-Spotlight-Article-Millie-Checkr_Feature-1.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-10-19 15:43:042024-10-02 18:57:41Company Spotlight: Get Inspired by Checkr’s Groundbreaking Matching Gift Program
At Double the Donation, we maintain the industry’s most comprehensive and up-to-date matching gift database—with records for more than 24,000 companies with matching gift programs. Since each company that offers matching gifts is able to determine its own minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit types, and more, we end up with a ton of innovative and unique matching gift programs.
And truthfully, all matching gift programs are great. But there are a few that really stand out to us as offering something particularly special for their employees and the nonprofits they support.
Corporate giving engages employees’ passions and provides additional funding for nonprofits, which in turn helps entire communities. And offering creative programming and unique incentives for getting involved is a great way to drive participation and, therefore, impact.
Let’s look at a few employers with unique programs and what makes them stick out from the crowd. In this guide, we’ll explore the following companies’ initiatives:
There are a number of creative ways that businesses get their employees more involved in charitable giving. The ideas differ, but they all do a great job of helping charitable organizations increase fundraising revenue and better support their overall missions.
And when nonprofit fundraisers like yourself keep these companies at top of mind, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of such opportunities as they arise.
Let’s jump in!
Microsoft — Highest Employee Participation
This major company is well-represented in the philanthropic world. Since 1983, it’s hosted an annual Giving Campaign that makes a considerable impact on eligible nonprofits. It also hosts another program called Hack for Good, which tackles pressing societal problems.
But one of its most impressive successes is its matching gift program. In fact, Microsoft is currently the largest contributor of matching gift and volunteer grant funds, and it also boasts the highest level of employee participation at over 65% involvement.
Our matching gift statistics indicate that, inclusive of the corporate match, Microsoft employees have donated more than $1 billion to nonprofit causes.
When it comes to matching gift innovation, General Electric is likely going to top every list. That’s because GE pioneered the first matching gift program in 1954, and its 60+ years of matching gift history and generous donation limits continue to lead the way for other businesses to follow.
Since the inception of its matching program, the company has donated over $1 billion in employee matching gifts. That means that GE is a matching gift leader not only for being first but also for staying at the top of the pack for all this time.
Today, employees may request matching gifts up to $5,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio through the GE matching gift program.
Each year, BP (formerly British Petroleum) gives employees $300 to donate to nonprofits of their choosing. That’s it—no strings attached. BP is committed to helping local communities, and they let employees feel more involved by letting them choose where the money goes. This program, known as the Fabric of America Program, is open to every current BP employee.
In addition to its charitable grant initiative, BP also offers a traditional matching gift program that matches up to $5,000 worth of donations per employee at a 1:1 ratio.
CVS Health — Incorporates Fundraising Event Matches
Some companies, such as CVS, want to prioritize certain forms of giving. CVS incentivizes its employees to raise money for nonprofit events, like the popular run/walk/ride, which is also known as peer-to-peer fundraising. To encourage participation, the company matches the donations raised by employees between $250 and $1,000 per year.
For teams of volunteers, they offer even high fundraising grant donation caps. When five or more CVS employees fundraise for an eligible organization together, CVS will match up to $5,000 worth of fulfilled pledges, with a minimum of $500 raised across the team.
Matching gifts aren’t just for American companies, either. For example, Expedia and its subsidiaries have employees in over 30 countries. But for a long time, they did not match donations to nonprofits in all of those locations.
Now, Expedia offers matching gifts to eligible nonprofits across the globe! Donations are matched at a 1:1 ratio, and employees can request matches on as much as $4,000 worth of charitable gifts per year.
Through the Expedia Cares Program, employees can give back to their communities in a number of ways, such as through matching gifts, a global ambassador program, and more.
Employing more than 58,000 people, HP is a leader in the information technology sector. It’s also a leader in the matching gift world, specifically through its Good Cards program.
Each quarter, any employee who volunteers for at least 10 hours (and tracks their time through the company’s innovative internal volunteer system) receives a $50 grant which they can donate to a charity of their choosing. Plus, HP also offers a generous matching gift program where it’ll match philanthropic employees’ donations of up to $2,500 per year.
RealNetworks matches employee donations at a 1:1 ratio up to $10,000 per team member per year. That’s a whole lot of good—but RealNetworks doesn’t stop there.
After five years with the business, employees receive a $500 grant that can be contributed to any eligible nonprofit. This unique corporate giving offering helps increase staff retention with the company, rewards long-term employees with a significant, mission-focused incentive, and ultimately benefits the nonprofits their employees support.
Soros Fund Management — Highest Maximum Match Amount
Because this successful company encompasses fewer than 500 people, it can afford to offer generous donation maximums and matching ratios that are significantly higher than the typical employer.
Today, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 ratio for gifts up to $100,000 per year, with partners being eligible to request donation matches at a 1:1 ratio. Most nonprofits qualify to receive funding through the matching program, with an additional volunteer grant initiative available as well.
Pew Charitable Trusts — Religiously Inclusive Program
The Pew Charitable Trusts is a generous matching gift provider for all sorts of nonprofit causes. In fact, full-time and part-time employees qualify to request matches at a 2:1 rate for personal gifts made up to $10,000 on an annual basis. That makes the company cap per employee a bountiful $20,000 per year!
But one thing that really makes this company’s matching initiative stand out is the fact that the program is inclusive of just about all kinds of religious organizations. This encompasses places of worship like churches, synagogues, mosques, and more—which are generally excluded from many companies’ match offerings.
So if your nonprofit group is religious in nature, the Pew Charitable Trusts is a top matching gift company to be aware of!
Nike is another company that matches employee donations to most nonprofit causes, including educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and environmental groups, and more.
Then, in order to further amplify impact for the causes most closely aligned with the company’s athletics-focused mission, Nike offers a unique triple match for employees giving to community sports-related organizations. For qualifying nonprofits, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 rate, ultimately tripling the initial donor contribution up to $25,000 per team member per year.
Blue Shield of California — Special Board Member Match
Some companies also want to incentivize employee participation with nonprofits on a deeper level—such as by volunteering on the organization’s board of directors. That’s exactly what Blue Shield of California does!
This company offers a traditional matching gift program open to all current employees who support qualifying California-based nonprofits and select national organizations. Then, they offer an additional matching initiative for employees who serve as board members of nonprofit causes. This unique board member match goes above and beyond the typical match program, offering elevated match rates and increased maximum donation amounts.
Speaking of innovation, legal services provider Innovative Discovery offers a particularly standout matching gift program in the way that employees can get involved. By introducing matching gift auto-submission through their corporate giving platform in partnership with Double the Donation, ID team members can complete their part of the matching gift request process more easily than ever before.
Now, with just a few clicks from their favorite nonprofits’ donation confirmation screens, employees can authorize Double the Donation to submit the matching gift request on their behalf—no separate forms or redirected pages required!
While these programs are certainly unique, there are tens of thousands of other companies that match gifts, too. It’s too many to keep up with on your own! Thus, to effectively uncover available opportunities and identify your organization’s eligibility, you’ll likely need the help of a matching gift database like Double the Donation.
Double the Donation is the industry’s leading provider of matching gift software, and we work with some of the largest organizations across the globe. We also boast the most accurate and up-to-date database of information regarding these programs. As such, we work to equip nonprofits and their donors with the tools they need to implement matching gift efforts in their overall fundraising strategies with ease.
The matching gift tool, which can be integrated across your organization’s website, donation form, email communications, and more, allows fundraisers to maximize corporate giving revenue by…
Enabling donors to search for their employers with an auto-completing company information field to identify and flag match-eligible donors;
Providing users with company information and matching gift eligibility criteria in real-time;
Guiding donors to request their matches with direct links to their employers’ online submission portals;
Tracking donors’ progress throughout the matching gift request and fulfillment processes.
Not to mention, it’s all automated—allowing your team to reallocate more time and effort to your highest-value priorities!
Next Steps
Plenty of companies offer matching gift programs, so it’s important for nonprofits to promote corporate giving to donors. After all, one of the biggest roadblocks facing matching gift success is a lack of awareness of corporate giving. According to our research, that results in more than $4 to $7 billion dollars worth of potential matching gift funds going unclaimed each year.
Don’t let your nonprofit add to that statistic. Now that you know how to pinpoint available matching gifts, get started boosting your corporate fundraising efforts.
Stay up-to-date with your donors’ employers and keep your eyes peeled for top matching gift opportunities. You’ll be sure to come across even more unique programs!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DTD_Companies-with-Unique-and-Innovative-Matching-Gift-Programs_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-10-15 13:44:342024-08-02 21:16:37Companies with Innovative and Unique Matching Gift Programs
When the Danaher Corporation team sought new and innovative ways to give back to its community and increasingly engage its workforce in philanthropy, the company settled on a one-off matching gift initiative. After establishing the program, Danaher employees were invited to support LLS through an upcoming fundraising event, Light the Night. With an employee count of over 70,000, the company got on board to give back to their communities in a substantial way.
Fun Fact: By working with a CLMA-certified matching gift platform, Innovative Discovery has become a 
Matching gift ratio – 1:1 (or dollar for dollar)
