Double the Donation and DonorDrive have come together to extend their existing matching gift integration to DonorDriveâs new and improved Embedded Donation Form experience.Â
Double the Donation already integrates with DonorDriveâs dedicated donation pages. Now, organizations can take advantage of this integration using DonorDriveâs Embedded Donation Forms! These pop-up modal forms can be embedded directly into any third-party webpage, so supporters can seamlessly give a donation without ever being redirected. With this latest update, nonprofits can use the combined power of Double the Donation and DonorDrive to pursue more matching gift opportunities and grow their giving.
âNonprofit organizations greatly benefit from corporate matching gifts, and Double the Donation helps them maximize their donorâs impact and increase revenue. As we continue to optimize the donation form experience and increase conversion across our clientâs digital fundraising presence, it was a no-brainer to include Double the Donation directly in the Embedded Donation Form,â says Kasey Cuppoletti, Senior Vice President, Product at DonorDrive. âWe are excited to make matching gifts more accessible by supporting our integration with Double The Donation in more of our giving experiences â helping our clients continue to grow their Individual Giving and Peer-to-Peer programs.â
This integration expands matching gifts across additional DonorDrive forms to increase accessibility and visibility to donors and help nonprofits raise more from corporate matching gift programs.
âDouble the Donation continues to simplify the matching gift process for donors and nonprofits alike, so we are excited to stretch that impact even further with our expanded integration with DonorDriveâ, says Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. âIâm looking forward to seeing our mutual clients using the integration across their new and improved DonorDrive embedded forms.â
DonorDrive and Double the Donationâs available integrations are easy to access and simple to activate. Follow our integration guide for more information on activating the integration and raising more from corporate matching gifts.
Ready to add matching gift automation to your DonorDrive donation forms? Request a demo with Double the Donation today and be sure to share that youâre using DonorDrive.
Want additional resources to help you take your matching gifts strategy to the next level? Enroll today in our Matching Gift Academy for in-depth content about growing your matching gift revenue.
About DonorDrive: Crush your supporter acquisition goals, boost stewardship and engagement, and level up your mission impact with the DonorDrive enterprise fundraising solution. Create meaningful supporter experiences with peer-to-peer fundraising events, tailored Individual Giving campaigns, native mobile apps, Activity Tracking, and live-stream fundraising. To learn more, visit https://www.donordrive.com/contact-us/
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more,e visit https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DonorDrive-Embedded-Forms-Announcement-Feature-Image.png290775Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-07-11 13:49:322025-02-27 21:46:39Double the Donation and DonorDrive Extend Matching Gifts Integration To Embedded Donation Forms
Securing corporate sponsorships involves building relationships with corporate prospects on top of all the other important work youâre doing to raise support for your nonprofit. But these partnerships are well worth it, as corporate giving can be an invaluable source of revenue, positive social image, and ongoing support.
In this article, weâll discuss some corporate sponsorship best practices your organization can leverage to secure the best partnership suited to your cause, as well as some of the top corporate sponsors. Weâll cover the following topics:
Understanding the importance of corporate sponsorships is just the beginning. Securing the right corporate sponsorship is another story entirely. Letâs get started!
What is a Corporate Sponsorship?
A corporate sponsorship is a form of support nonprofits receive from corporations to fund events, nonprofit programs, or specific projects. The benefits are twofold: nonprofits receive the help they need to continue serving their missions, while the company receives tax deductions and a positive reputation for its brand.
Corporate Sponsorship Types
Corporate sponsorships can take many forms. Here are a few examples of the most common types:
Financial
This is when a company donates money to sponsor an event or program. Generally, nonprofits recognize the company through various event materials, such as signage, merchandise, and online advertising, in exchange for its support.
In-Kind
An in-kind sponsorship involves a company donating goods or services to an event or project. For example, a restaurant might provide catering services, or a spa may donate free spa packages as a raffle prize.
Media
Some companies cover the cost of promoting a nonprofit event through media sponsorships. This could include radio promotions, TV ads, or printed advertisements.
Corporate and Employee Giving
Beyond typical corporate sponsorships, other forms of corporate giving can help your nonprofit. These include automatic payroll deductions, volunteer programs, and corporate matching gifts. Read more about these below!
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, Double the Donation.
Corporate sponsorships benefit both companies and nonprofits in the following ways:
Benefits for Nonprofits
Increased awareness. By leveraging a companyâs audience, nonprofits can share their mission with more people.
Acquisition of new supporters. Corporate sponsorships can transform a companyâs customers into their nonprofit partnerâs supporters.
Boosted credibility. If potential supporters see a well-known company supporting your nonprofit, they can be confident theyâre contributing to a legitimate cause and organization.
Benefits for Companies
Positive brand recognition. Helping nonprofits gives companies a chance to live up to their proclaimed values and demonstrate their community involvement.
Attracting new customers. Just as a companyâs customers can turn into a nonprofitâs supporters, a nonprofitâs supporters can also be converted into the corporate sponsorâs customers.
Happy employees. When companies practice social responsibility, their employees can feel good knowing theyâre working somewhere that honors their values and supports worthy causes.
Considerations to Keep In Mind Before Getting Started
Clearly, corporate sponsorships benefit all parties. But before getting started, there are a few things to be aware of to prepare for a sponsorship:
Legal compliance. Depending on what kind of agreement you make with a business, the sponsorship may be qualified as a commercial co-venture. This usually occurs during cause marketing campaigns that involve sharing revenue (e.g., a retailer selling a shirt and giving your organization part of the proceeds). However, itâs best to check with a lawyer to ensure you are complying with the law and meeting your stateâs licensing requirements.
Dependency. Relying too heavily on support from sponsors, particularly just one or two businesses, could leave your nonprofit financially vulnerable if a business cannot or decides not to continue supporting your organization. Build a robust network of corporate connections and diversify your revenue sources to ensure your nonprofit is sustainable.
Potential conflicts. Conflicts are a possibility in any relationship, ranging in seriousness from a misread email to ethical concerns. You can limit conflicts by selecting corporate sponsors with values that align with yours and clearly communicating shared responsibilities and expectations early in the relationship. Ensuring all sponsorship agreements are detailed in writing can be useful for preventing and navigating conflicts that may occur.
Donât let these factors prevent your nonprofit from taking advantage of the benefits of a corporate sponsorship. Proper due diligence, careful documentation, and clear communication can help you manage and even prevent these concerns altogether.
How to Find Corporate Sponsorships
When it comes to asking for corporate sponsorships, be intentional about who you choose to work with. As you research potential partners, consider the following tips to narrow down your search:
Contact Local Businesses
Start local! Approach the businesses in the immediate area of your event. To find candidates, use resources like:
Your local chamber of commerce directory
Networking events
Professional networking sites like LinkedIn
Social media platforms
These businesses are more likely to see the value in sponsoring an event in their own community, which can greatly impact their decision to partner with you.
Seek Out Shared Values
A corporate partner should align with your organizationâs mission. For instance, if youâre an environmental organization, you should work with a corporation that values sustainability, environmental conservation, and other related issues. Your organization could end up losing credibility if you partner with a corporation that substantially harms the environment or has received bad press.
Browse a businessâs website, social media platforms, and other resources to get a feel for its values. Many companies list their values publicly. Then, discuss these values with the companyâs point of contact before confirming the sponsorship to ensure you understand what they mean in practice.
Look Online
Search for lists of companies that donate to nonprofits online. These companies have a reputation for their philanthropic behaviors, so they might be more interested in forming a partnership than a business with no previous interest in charitable giving. You might find one you havenât thought of before.
If your board members, key donors, or other members of your organization have connections or contacts at a particular company, ask them to reach out directly and request a sponsorship. Or, at the very least, see if they’d be willing to make a warm introduction for your organization. This is where your donor employment information can really come in handy!
Additionally, companies may be looking to fulfill the ethical and philanthropic obligations laid out in the pyramid of CSR.
Top 10 Companies With Excellent Corporate Sponsorship Programs
Zipsprout’s guide to corporate sponsors shares some interesting corporate sponsorship statistics. Weâve combined these statistics with insights from our robust database of matching gift and volunteer grant programs to highlight the best corporate sponsorship and relationship opportunities.
Wells Fargo has sponsored 2.89% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #1 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWells Fargo is committed to building an inclusive, sustainable future for all through a focus on opening pathways to economic advancement, championing quality, affordable homes, empowering small businesses to thrive, and driving an equity-focused transition to a low-carbon economy.â
State Farm has sponsored 1.07% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #5 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWith more than 19,000 agents around the country, State Farm is a committed member of your community and we welcome any opportunities that build our brand and tie into our marketing strategies on both a local and national level.â
State Farm offers both a matching gift program and volunteer grant opportunities. The company matches up to $4,500 at a 1:1 ratio for full-time employees.
PepsiCo has sponsored 0.98% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #6 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âAt the heart of the PepsiCo Foundation is our belief in the potential possessed by the people and communities we serve. There are far too many communities around the world, however, that are systemically excluded from access to the essential resources they need to grow, prosper and thrive â like nutritious food, safe water and economic opportunity. That is why the PepsiCo Foundationâs work focuses on the creation of sustainable and innovative solutions to these three critical socioeconomic issues.â
U.S. Bank has sponsored 0.97% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #7 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âNonprofit donations and sponsorship are an integral part of our companyâs philanthropic initiatives. In 2022, U.S. Bank contributed more than $32 million in corporate contributions and nonprofit sponsorships.â
U.S. Bank matches up to $3,000 in donations made by active full- and part-time employees at a 1:1 ratio. The company also offers a âDollars for Doingâ volunteer grant program.
Bank of America has sponsored 0.92% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #8 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWe have countless strong nonprofit alliances around the country, which include grants and sponsorships to local organizations that help improve financial lives and entire communities. Some areas we concentrate on are workforce development and education, basic needs like food and housing, and community development.â
Bank of America offers matching gifts and volunteer grant opportunities. The company matches up to $5,000 in donations to most nonprofits at a 1:1 ratio.
Budweiser has sponsored 0.76% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #9 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWe are business partners, collaborators, and community leaders working to make a difference around the corner and around the globe. We create jobs. We help our neighbors when natural disasters strike. We remain unwavering in our advocacy for responsible drinking. We put sustainable innovation at the center of our business by reducing our use of precious natural resources and continuously striving to leave our world a cleaner place for the future.â
Clif Bar has sponsored 0.74% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #10 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âFrom the volunteer work we do locally to the way we source ingredients globally, our commitment to the communities we touch is an important part of who we are.â
The Coca-Cola Company has sponsored 0.72% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #11 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âOur mission is to make a difference in communities around the world by investing in transformative ideas and institutions that address some of our most pressing global challenges.â
The Coca-Cola Company offers a very generous matching gift program. The company contributes up to $20,000 per employee per year, matching at a 2:1 ratio.
Walmart has sponsored 0.68% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #12 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWe seek to create value in the communities around the world where we operate, strengthening them through local grants supporting programs that help them thrive.â
McDonaldâs has sponsored 0.67% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #14 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
âWe show our commitment to helping others by facilitating fundraising and engaging volunteers for Ronald McDonald House CharitiesÂź programs and the McDonaldâsÂź HACERÂź National Scholarships. Through involvement in youth sports, local charities and events that inspire the world, giving back is an essential part of the way we operate every day.â
Once youâve identified corporations you want to partner with, itâs time to plan how youâll approach them. Forming the right ask depends on your goals, who youâre reaching out to, and when you plan to make contact. Hereâs a helpful list of strategies to help you make the ask:
Promote Your Sponsorship Page
Creating a sponsorship page on your nonprofitâs website is a great way to condense the must-know information about sponsoring your organization. Include information like:
Your sponsorship levels
A case for support that explains why you need sponsors
How an interested company can reach out to your team
Then, promote this page across different channels, such as social media and paid advertising platforms like Google Ads. You can tap into paid advertising for free with the Google Ad Grant! If you apply and are approved, you can promote content like your sponsorship page on Google Search Results for relevant keywords.
Finding the right keywords can take some work, but you can always turn to a professional to handle the work for you. A Google Ad Grants expert like Getting Attention can help you optimize your sponsorship landing page and promote it using Google Ads.
Be Creative
You can ask a company to sponsor just about anything. Use aspects of your event that already exist, and turn them into sponsorship perks. Then, be sure to position them as excellent sponsorship opportunities for your potential partners.
Set the Right Sponsorship Levels
Just like you receive a variety of donation amounts from individual supporters, establish multiple levels of sponsorship for corporations to agree to. If you have an event with hundreds or thousands of people, make sure your sponsorship levels are high enough (such as $1,000 and up). You donât want sponsorship to be priced so high that no one will want to participate, but by keeping levels elevated, sponsors will feel like the event is well-run and that you have confidence in what youâre doing.
On the other hand, if youâre planning a smaller event and have difficulty securing a large sponsorship, consider offering a lower sponsorship level with fewer perks. For instance, you could offer a $100 level for smaller businesses not interested in the larger sponsorship opportunity.
Explain Why Youâre a Perfect Fit
As you make your ask, explain how this corporate partnership will contribute to building up the companyâs brand. Do your missions align? What will working with your nonprofit help the company achieve in terms of its own goals? Keep these in mind and communicate them as clearly as possible.
Ask About the Companyâs Objectives
That said, asking the company directly about its objectives and priorities demonstrates that youâre genuinely interested in bringing value to the partnership. Remember, your corporate sponsors have objectives, or âmissions,â of their own. Theyâll want to know theyâre supporting a nonprofit that aligns with these goals and that the sponsorship can help them achieve them.
Tell a Story
Explain to potential sponsors how their sponsorship and support can directly impact someone as part of your mission. For instance, â$1,000 will help us provide meals to 5 families of 4 for a week.â Additionally, share how last yearâs sponsors were able to help your organization accomplish its goals.
Tailor Your Ask
Rather than using one main template and filling in names, make your ask personal and write individualized letters. These should be addressed to a relevant person at the company who is most likely to be receptive to hearing about your cause. Make sure you do your research on who to ask. Go beyond just marketing contacts and speak to anyone who will sympathize with your mission and also be in a position to create a plan of action!
Consider In-Kind Donations
If a business declines to offer a monetary sponsorship, consider asking for a non-monetary sponsorship instead, such as coupons for free services on event day. You can also request that a portion of their proceeds on the event day be donated back to the organization. A business in the area could serve as a location for the kick-off party, packet pick-up, or after-event party.
You can also reach out to companies to provide services youâll need at the event, such as photography, DJ/entertainment, signage, food, portable toilets, and tent/chair rentals. The value of their goods or services can certainly equate to a sponsorship level.
Leverage Your Data
Always back up your corporate sponsorship asks with supporter data. Determine what demographics a sponsor is targeting, and provide them with information about your event that would be relevant. For example, if a company tends to target women aged 50 to 60, let them know how many people or what percentage of participants attending your event fall into that group.
Meanwhile, your donors’ employment information can come in handy here, too! If a company’s staff are already supporting your cause, let the company know how they can get deeper involved while growing employee engagement.
Find the Right Timing
The timing of your sponsorship ask is important. A lot of larger companies earmark a specific amount of money each calendar year for charitable giving, so be sure to ask when is the best time for them to consider a sponsorship.
Oftentimes, you have to get your ask in very early to even be considered. Other times, you have to adjust your strategy to the business youâre reaching out to. For instance, if youâre reaching out to an accounting firm during tax season, youâre most likely not top-of-mind, and your request may go unanswered.
Propose a Plan
Part of crafting an appealing sponsorship ask means outlining your campaign initiatives and success metrics. This means defining your fundraising goal and the impact it will have first and foremost.
As mentioned before, use numbers and data to support your proposal. But also be sure to define your success metrics and use KPI benchmarks that show when youâve achieved your fundraising goals. Be specific about how your organization plans to meet its objectives, and link this process to ongoing projects, as well.
Draft a Sponsorship Agreement
The biggest thing that will demonstrate that youâre professional and committed to the partnership is a sponsorship agreement. It should be written down to outline your goals, expectations, and other deliverables for your organization and the company. Itâs also a good idea to include how youâre going to recognize the company for its support, such as through advertising materials, merchandise, or event printouts.
Follow Up
Havenât heard back? Donât give up! Continue to communicate with companies after youâve reached out with a corporate sponsorship request. Always check back to ensure someone has received your call, email, or letter. If not, ask to speak to the appropriate person at the company, and/or resend your ask to that person.
How to Cultivate Relationships with Corporate Sponsors
Once youâve secured your corporate sponsorship, donât let the relationship fall by the wayside! In addition to presenting your partnership in a professional light, continuing to recognize and work with your sponsor can have a huge impact on your organization.
Here are some effective ways to work with a sponsor after theyâve agreed to support your cause:
Treat Them Like Part of the Team
Treat your corporate sponsors like part of the team, because they are part of the team. Many sponsors will feel more engaged and recognize that theyâre getting more from their sponsorship if they hear from you often. This doesnât mean sending them an email every day, but rather, treating them like a team member.
Use the same engagement tools and approaches you use with participants to connect with your sponsors. For fundraising events, offer them a free team captain registration, help them get their page set up, and provide fundraising coaching. The more a sponsor raises and the larger their team, the more exposure they will get. This will in turn make them feel like theyâre getting more out of the sponsorship.
Pay Attention to the Little Things
Yes, big perks matter, but the little touchpoints make a big difference, too. Send a handwritten thank-you letter or a note from a participant or beneficiary of your causeâs work. If the sponsor also fundraised for your campaign, create a top fundraisers certificate that you send to them by mail.
These little touchpoints show that you acknowledge the importance of their support, yet the cost is minimal, which demonstrates good stewardship by not wasting the sponsorâs money.
Thank Your Sponsors Publicly
Feature sponsor logos and information in your event materials, such as merchandise, pamphlets, and online advertisements and emails. Then, give a shoutout on social media! Tag their company or business page, and publicly thank them in a post.
This will help your sponsor gain exposure as a reward for supporting your event, and it will also help solidify your partnership as beneficial and worthwhile in terms of the companyâs branding. Most likely, the company will then re-post your original post to its full audience to help your event reach new constituents.
Additional Corporate Giving Programs
Corporate sponsorships are a fantastic source of funding and support for your nonprofitâs events and projects. But you should also research other forms of corporate philanthropy. Especially when combined with a corporate partnership, other types of philanthropy can maximize your fundraising revenue and keep your supporters engaged.
Of course, managing different areas of workplace giving like matching gifts, volunteer grants, payroll giving, and more can be tricky if you donât have a centralized platform. Seek out software that can help you identify opportunities, collect data, and share insights for oft-overlooked types of corporate giving. This way, youâll be able to capitalize on more opportunities for support, growing your funding and support through one organized database.
Here are a few of the different types of corporate giving opportunities your nonprofit can seek out and manage with software:
Through these programs, companies match the donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits. Typically, these matching gifts occur at a 1:1 ratio, but some companies will match at a higher rate. This means that your donorsâ gifts could be doubled (or even tripled!) at no additional cost to the supporter.
Additionally, some employers match funds their employees raise on behalf of a nonprofit. For example, if you hold a walk-a-thon and an employee raises $250 in pledged donations, the match would bring it to a grand total of $500!
If youâve already set up a partnership with a company, their employees will be encouraged to donate to your cause. While they are a popular form of corporate giving, matching gifts are still an overlooked revenue source. Thatâs why itâs important to raise awareness among all of your donors and supporters, whether theyâre connected to known sponsors or not.
To help raise awareness among your supporters about matching gifts, consider investing in matching gift software. A solution like Double the Donation offers:
A comprehensive matching gift database that houses information about thousands of companies and their corporate giving programs. Donors can search for their employers using a straightforward search tool, which can be easily embedded into your website.
Email tools that help you identify matching gift opportunities within your existing donor database and trigger emails to relevant donors.
Email address detection tools that can identify opportunities based on a donorâs email domain. For example, Double the Donation can automatically pick up that an email address like donorname@wellsfargo.com means the donor likely works for Wells Fargo.
Follow-up emails that remind donors to check with their employer for matching gift opportunities.
Automatic match request submission for donors whose employers use a CSR software vendor that partners with Double the Donation.
These are just a few of the features that Double the Donation’s matching gift solution offers to spread awareness of matching gifts, remind employees to apply for them, and allow you to take advantage of this key revenue stream.
Corporate Grants
Corporate grants are gifts that businesses make to nonprofit organizations, usually for a specific purpose. Like other grants, these may involve an application process and often require your nonprofit to report how the grant was spent and the impact that funding had.
These grants can vary in size and scope, and they may be given in the form of:
When it comes to finding corporate grants for your nonprofit, start with corporations youâve already worked with during event sponsorships or other partnerships. Additionally, check online grant directories to source new funding opportunities.
Volunteer Grants
When youâre running your mission-relevant programs or any kind of fundraising event, itâs likely that your team will need volunteer assistance. But what if there was a way to turn these already beneficial volunteer hours into another source of fundraising revenue?
Volunteer grants are another common form of corporate philanthropy in which companies provide monetary grants to organizations where their employees regularly volunteer. If you fold this into your already established corporate partnerships, you may very well end up with extra funds for your mission!
Ask corporate sponsors to encourage their employees to volunteer at your eventâespecially if those volunteers offer specific skill sets that can benefit your cause. If the company also offers a volunteer grant program, this means youâll get much-needed help at the event itself and youâll raise more money.
Even if your volunteers donât come from corporate partners, encourage them to look up their eligibility for a volunteer grant. Many matching gift databases also offer information about volunteer grants! Double the Donation Volunteering allows volunteers to find their employersâ volunteer grant program details. Embed the search tool into your volunteer page and volunteer registration forms for easy access.
Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
Volunteer time off (VTO) is paid time off that employees can use to volunteer. VTO hours are designated specifically for volunteer opportunities with registered nonprofit organizations, meaning employees can take time off during the workday to help your organization.
These programs provide employees with flexibility and help them fulfill their desire to better their communities. For your nonprofit, VTO policies can bring significant benefits like:
Providing more volunteers without investing time and resources into recruiting.
Expanding your volunteer pool can lead to more regular volunteers, a boost in volunteer referrals, and additional support for future events, programs, and campaigns.
Attracting volunteers with diverse skill sets (e.g., professional services like graphic design) to help you accomplish more with just the help of your supporters.
Boosting retention by giving these new volunteers an easy way to fit future volunteer shifts into their busy schedules.
Similar to volunteer grants, you can leverage your partner companyâs VTO policy during the sponsorship. For example, employees might take an afternoon off of work to visit your facility the day before an event and help set up. Or, they might return after the event to help you write thank-you notes for donors.
Payroll Giving
Payroll giving, sometimes called automatic payroll deductions, is another perk of building relationships with companies. Employees can arrange to have a certain amount deducted from their paycheck and automatically donated to a nonprofit of their choice.
Some of the top advantages of encouraging employees to engage in payroll giving include:
A lack of transaction fees.
The ability to build long-term relationships (particularly if you provide updates about the impact of these gifts).
Funding you can count on.
These recurring donations can make a huge difference for your organization. Like a monthly giving program, they provide sustainable, reliable funding that you can expect each month. This makes budgeting easier and more accurate, helping you plan projects to fulfill your mission and maximize your funding.
In-Kind Donations
As you probably guessed from reading about in-kind sponsorships above, in-kind donations involve companies donating equipment, products, or services, rather than money. This expands beyond your fundraising events. Maybe your team needs marketing or tax assistance. Many companies are willing to provide these services to nonprofits free of charge!
Educating your organization about the various corporate giving programs out there can help boost your fundraising revenue. Pair that with strong corporate partnerships, and youâll have the resources you need to continue serving your mission!
Developing Mutually Beneficial Partnerships with Auto-Submission
The most successful corporate partnerships are built on a mutually beneficial foundation between charitable organizations and for-profit companies. One of the best ways to improve both partiesâ sponsorship outcomes is to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved. Thatâs why we recommend implementing corporate giving auto-submission!
Double the Donationâs auto-submission functionality is a groundbreaking development in the world of matching gifts and corporate partnerships. And it can aid nonprofit fundraising in a few key ways.
How Auto-Submission Improves Standard Matching Gift Experiences
Auto-submission makes matching gifts easier than ever for nonprofit organizations, their donors, and the companies that support them. Specifically, it enables eligible individuals to complete their match requests in significantly fewer stepsâ âmeaning more matches are ultimately completed and fulfilled.
It also reduces the administrative workload for the nonprofit and business, which allows each group to make a larger impact. Not to mention, auto-submission capabilities include improved reporting practices, complete with new data points that allow organizations to better track matches through the process.
Introducing Custom Matching Gift Partnerships
On the other hand, thereâs a wide range of companies that may not feel prepared to jump into a full-fledged matching gift program for their staff. However, they want to find a way to support nonprofit causes and inspire their employees to do the same.
Our recommendation for these types of partnerships is a custom (or âone-offâ) matching gift programâ âwhere a company will agree to match employee donations to a single organization. These are typically more targeted partnerships than a standard matching gift program, which allows for deepening relationships between a nonprofit and a corporate sponsor. And auto-submission allows these partners to facilitate their offering with minimal lift.
Organizations that use Double the Donation can create custom match programs that are exclusive to their own database tool. And when auto-submission is enabled, employee giving transaction details are automatically passed from the nonprofitâs donation page to the business offering the program.
Additional Resources on Corporate Sponsorships
Corporate sponsorships can have a huge impact on more than just the money your organization brings in. They also affect your organization’s brand recognition, exposure, and credibility. Be sure to choose the right corporate partners for your sponsorships and put in the required research to find the best match.Â
Looking for even more information about corporate philanthropy? Check out these resources below:
Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy. Learn how matching gifts can inform your corporate sponsorship approach! Dive into Course 1, Module 11 of our Matching Gift Academy.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Corporate-Sponsorships_Feature.jpg7602000Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-07-10 13:00:502025-07-16 16:27:49How to Unlock Corporate Sponsorships: Get More Support
Double the Donation, the leader in corporate matching gifts automation for nonprofits, is proud to expand its horizons with their new corporate volunteering functionality, designed to help organizations connect their volunteers with volunteer grant and volunteer PTO opportunities provided by their employers.
Taking advantage of corporate volunteering benefits has never been easier with Double the Donation Volunteering.
This corporate volutneering functionality, now available to existing Double the Donation clients, gives organizations the opportunity to use a plugin specifically designed to surface information about volunteer grants, a.k.a. âdollars for doersâ, and volunteer time off programs from Double the Donationâs extensive database. Now, donors, volunteers, and other supporters can easily find out if their employer offers special incentives for volunteerism.
âDouble the Donation has led the charge helping nonprofits and schools raise more from matching gifts for over a decade now,â said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. âWe felt it was a natural next step for us to help organizations pursue corporate volunteering initiatives for their supporters in the same way.â
Read on to learn more about how your organization can use Double the Donation Volunteering to raise more in volunteer grants or get more supporters through volunteer PTO!
Whatâs Available within Double the Donation Volunteering?
Double the Donation clients can easily access the corporate volunteering functionality through the top navigation in their account. A new dashboard highlights top volunteer grant programs as well as top volunteer PTO programs. Organizations can also see available resources and templates to help their push for volunteer grants, and can also stay up to date on upcoming events hosted by Double the Donation.
Additionally in the volunteering section of their account, organizations have access to a new plugin that puts volunteer grant and volunteer time off information front and center. Nonprofits can both use the plugin directly from within their account, as well as embed the plugin on their website or integrated volunteer registration forms for visitors to use and search from.Â
Keep an eye out for updates as Double the Donation adds more features very soon!
Get Started with Double the Donation Volunteering
Double the Donation Volunteering by Double the Donation empowers fundraisers and corporate philanthropy coordinators to deepen their relationships with supporters by exposing them to the benefits companies make available to them.Â
Ready to learn more about both Double the Donation’s matching gift and corporate volunteer incentive functionality? Request a demo today to learn more about how both can help your organization raise more with every supporter interaction.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at: https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/Â
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Double-the-Donation-Releases-Volunteer-Functionality-1.png5801550Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-07-10 09:00:192025-07-25 15:25:11Double the Donation Releases Volunteer Functionality for Corporate Volunteer Benefits
The nonprofit landscape is continuously changing, and our team at Double the Donation is constantly making improvements to our matching gift solution, Double the Donation Matching, to evolve along with it. To provide users with the best possible software for their fundraising needs, weâre proud to add the latest cutting-edge technology in matching gifts to our platform: auto-submission.Â
This revolutionary feature makes it easier than ever for donors to complete and submit their matching gift requests to employers by turning a multi-step process into a single click.Â
Looking to learn more about the functionality? Youâve come to the right place! In this guide, weâll share everything you need to know to make the most of matching gift auto-submission.
Weâre excited to be the leading provider of matching gift technology, and if you or your team has any questions about auto-submission not answered by this guide, our team is more than happy to help.Â
Traditionally, for donors to participate in their employersâ matching gift programs, they have to take the following steps:
Make a donation. Employees interested in matching gifts start by donating like normal. If the donor uses their workplace email address for their contact information and the nonprofit uses matching gift software like Double the Donation, theyâll automatically be provided with their employerâs matching gift information. If not, they can still complete a matching gift by moving on to step two.Â
Look up matching gift eligibility guidelines. If donors use a personal email address, they can still participate in a matching gift program by using the nonprofitâs matching gift database to look up their employer. For nonprofits that lack matching gift software, the donor will need to be aware of matching gifts and look up their employerâs information on their own.Â
Navigate to their employerâs matching gift management portal. To access the matching gift application, many companies direct their employees to submit a match request form through their CSR software.Â
Search for the organization they contributed to. Employees will use their companyâs CSR software provider to look up the nonprofit they donated to. This is typically done by entering the nonprofitâs name, mailing address, and tax ID number.
Select the correct organization. Upon entering the nonprofitâs name, donors must choose the right organization to give to, which can be especially important for enterprise-size nonprofits that have multiple branches.Â
Complete a matching gift application form. Once the individual has selected the correct listing from the organization search tool, theyâll be prompted to provide information about their donationâ , such as payment type, donation amount, currency, and date of the gift. They might even be asked to upload a copy of their donation receipt.
Confirm the details on the form. To ensure their match request is approved, donors should review the application to double-check that all information is correct.Â
Submit the matching gift request. Finally, the form is sent to the employer for review. If approved, the nonprofit will receive the match donation.Â
When developing a matching gift program, companies should eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible. If a company has a laborious and complex matching gift application submission system, employees might not participate in the program.
In contrast to this lengthy process, when donors can automatically submit their match requests, the process looks like this:
The supporter makes a donation. Supporters who give to nonprofits that use Double the Donation Matching can complete the donation process as normal.Â
The donor enters their corporate email address. If eligible, the donor is asked to provide their corporate email address for the match request. Then, before clicking to submit their email addressâ on the confirmation screenâand, by extension, their matching gift requestâ âthe individual is asked to confirm that they give Double the Donation permission to submit a match request to their company on their behalf.
The match request process is complete. Double the Donation gathers data relevant to the donation and nonprofit organization and transfers the information to the donorâs employerâs matching gift management platform to process the request.
With a user-friendly matching gift process, companies can do more good for their communities, better engage employees, and build strong relationships with nonprofits.Â
Check out the video overview below to learn more and see it in action:
Key benefits of matching gift auto-submission
Streamlining the matching gift process with auto-submission benefits every party involved in the process. Letâs take a look at how auto-submission improves matching gifts for each stakeholder.Â
Benefits for Donors
Donors appreciate knowing their gifts will go further with matching gifts, but complicated request processes can discourage even the most dedicated supporters. Double the Donation has long worked to streamline the matching gift submissions by:
Helping supporters check their eligibility during the donation process
Directing donors to their employersâ matching gift request forms
Giving nonprofits the tools to follow up with matching gift eligible donors to drive their matches through to completionÂ
Now auto-submission functionality brings simplicity to the next level. With auto-submission, corporate employees can give directly to a nonprofit through their website, a peer-to-peer fundraising page, or other donation tool. From there, submitting their match requests to their company is so quick and easy that participating is practically a no-brainer.
Benefits for Nonprofits
The link between an easy matching gift process and greater nonprofit revenue is clear; when more donors successfully submit their matches, more matching gift funds get sent your way.Â
This means nonprofits can tap into additional income streams to pursue their missions. Plus, since matching gift funds are likely to be unrestricted revenue, nonprofits are free to spend these extra donations on important but underfunded overhead costs. When the process is automated from start to finish, your team can focus on programming rather than chasing down donors.Â
Benefits for Companies
Companies offer employee programs like matching gifts to increase employee engagement and better appeal to existing and prospective consumers. The more their employees participate in matching initiatives, the more the companies give to nonprofit causes and the better their reputation becomes. When employees see the ease of matching gift auto-submission, their participation in employee giving programs goes up.Â
Benefits for Corporate Giving Vendors
Corporate giving vendors design software for companies that streamlines and improves workplace giving programs like matching gifts. When vendors offer matching gift auto-submission functionality, they make it easier for companies, employees, and nonprofits to tap into a widespread employee giving program, matching gifts. As a result, these CSR platforms see increased usage and satisfaction among corporate clients who want to optimize their employeesâ giving experiences. In the end, this improves these software vendorsâ SaaS renewal rates, attracts new corporate clients, and drives up long-term revenue.
The quicker and simpler it is to participate in corporate matching gift programs, the more likely individuals are to take the required steps. As a result, nonprofits and companies alike can expect significantly more match-eligible donations driven to completionâ , which is a win-win for everybody!
How new auto-submission functionality works
Auto-submission sounds great, but how does it actually work?
Weâve already gone over the basic process, but letâs hone in on a few key steps. Particularly, weâll look at steps two through four in the following infographic which explains just what the software does with a donorâs employment information.
During the donation process, the individual supplies the name of their employer. This allows the nonprofit to determine whether the individual qualifies for a corporate match. By embedding Double the Donationâs auto-complete company search tool into the donation form, supporters can provide this information straightaway during the giving process.
Matching gift program guidelines are provided. As soon as the donor is redirected to the gift confirmation screen, theyâll be met with matching gift criteria specific to their employerâs matching gift program. This should include minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employee and nonprofit types, submission deadlines, and more. This way, they can easily determine whether their donation is eligible for a corporate match.
The individual is asked to enter their corporate email address. With a donorâs corporate email address and permission to submit their matching gift application on their behalf, Double the Donation utilizes data collected during the donation process to provide the donorâs employerâs corporate giving partner platform with the information it needs to process the request. Data transferred will typically include the donation amount, organization given to, payment date, and more.
In the end, corporate matching gifts are paid out to your organization the same way as if an individual had manually submitted their matching gift request on their own. To learn more about how this technology works, check out this video exploring Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality:
Auto-submission is on the rise, and weâre happy to show off three CSR vendors who have partnered with Double the Donation to bring this cutting-edge technology to donors:
Millie
Millie is a social impact platform designed to make workplace giving and volunteering accessible, fun, and impactful. They are big believers that change comes from everyone, and Millie is on a mission to empower businesses of all sizes to start and grow social impact programs. Whether a company has 100 employees, 5,000 employees, or anything in between, Millie helps engage teams with donation matching, volunteer programming, fundraising campaigns, gifting, ERG tools, and more.
Employees of companies that utilize Milieâs software can leverage matching gift auto-submission to submit match requests to their employers more easily. For nonprofits using Double the Donation, donors will be asked on the gift confirmation page to enter their corporate email address. From there, an email will be sent requesting the donor verify their recently submitted donation and subsequent matching gift requestâ , which will then be completed and processed by Millie.
POINT is known for being a robust yet user-friendly volunteer management app for nonprofits, volunteers, and companies. POINT aims to be an all-in-one solution for corporate social responsibility needsâ , including volunteering, giving, matching, and partneringâ .
To leverage matching gift auto-submission through POINT, qualifying donors enter their email address into the POINT app. The email address is automatically verified with POINT, providing the user with a list of nonprofits associated with their app profile to choose from. They will then be asked to select the organization the donation match should be sent to. From there, the submission is processed behind the scenes.
Selflessly helps HR and company culture leaders increase employee engagement through its corporate giving and volunteering software solution. Selflessly makes it easy to make a social impact by providing companies with all the tools they need in one platform. Employees can donate to nonprofits, coordinate volunteer opportunities, create team campaigns, receive matching gifts, and more. They prioritize inclusive workplaces to support all employees and the causes they care about.
Individuals working for companies that use Selflessly to manage their matching gift programs can log into their employerâs Selflessly portal and request a donation match to their favorite organizations. Now, when those organizations utilize Double the Donationâs auto-submission technology, the request process is as easy as entering their corporate email address when giving. Double the Donation and Selflessly will handle the rest!
Discover even more about matching gift auto-submission
Matching gift auto-submission goes a long way toward increasing the number of completed match donation requests. For organizations like yours, that will mean more corporate revenue and engagement opportunities, with fewer eligible gifts slipping through the cracks. And, best of allâ , your donors are going to love it!
Interested in learning more about matching gifts and best practices your organization can take to increase corporate revenue? Check out these other educational resources:
Corporate Matching Gift Process | A Complete Step-by-Step Guide. Take a deep dive into the matching gift process for your organization and its supporters with this detailed resource. The more you know, the better you can guide donors through the experience.
Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Donation Process. Tons of individuals have no idea their employers offer matching gifts, which is why itâs important to market opportunities to your donors. Hereâs how to do so directly within the donation process!
Museums are centers of cultural curiosity. Their events create a sense of community, belonging, and inspiration. Audiences of all ages from middle schoolers to retirees are invited to pause and reflect on their history. However, museums can run into some serious challenges when it comes to finding reliable funding.Â
With a few exceptions, most museums are privately funded and therefore rely heavily on donations. To keep their doors open, museums must be creative with their revenue streams. Thatâs why promoting museum membership opportunities is essential.Â
On the other side of the coin, museum members are often interested in joining a community full of curious, like-minded people. However, amid hectic schedules, it’s easy for them to miss out on a museumâs latest displays. Museum memberships provide community members with an extra incentive both to visit new exhibits and return to old favorites.Â
Therefore, museum memberships offer a win-win for both museums and members.Â
What is a museum membership?
To put it simply, a museum membership is a monetized, tax-deductible pass available for the general public to redeem for free admission. Membership passes typically offer special discounts and privileges as well.Â
Memberships are appealing to frequent museum-goers as they will likely save a couple of ticket payments with the added appeal of a few extra perks. Membership packages can be tailored to specific member needs based on annual or group options.
If youâre a decision-maker at a museum or cultural organization, consider implementing a museum membership program to boost awareness and admission levels. Growing your membership base can increase your donation amounts and promotional efforts, so you can focus on your next exhibition.Â
What are the benefits of a museum membership?Â
Membership benefits vary depending on the museum and its membership packages. Besides free admission, hereâs a list of potential benefits a museum membership might offer:Â
Class discounts
Free workshops
Members-only events
Discounted visitor passes
Previews of special events
Free parking
Regular event or exhibition updates
Global museum access
Virtual events and online community engagement opportunities
Volunteer experiences
If your museum has multiple locations or partners with other museums, global museum access is a great selling point. Travelers and individuals changing addresses will be happy to have consistent benefits, no matter where they are.Â
For instance, a family may have kids intrigued by a local childrenâs museum exhibit while the parents are looking for offerings geared toward adults. By reaching out to your museum network, you can find partnership opportunities that serve both of these audiences, allowing you to advertise a range of experiences to members.
How do members apply?Â
Although membership sign-ups can differ between museums, they usually follow a standard process:
Visit the museumâs website. From there, locate the membership tab, which is usually embedded in a top, bottom, or side menu.Â
Select the membership tab. This page may contain various discountsâsuch as lower prices for students, seniors, and contributing artistsâthat customers can apply to their memberships.
Choose a membership type. Each membership type should include a description of the benefits and price. Many museums offer membership tiers that enable supporters to access greater benefits in exchange for higher monthly or annual dues.Â
When setting up your museumâs membership program, ensure your benefits are worth the price. Compare your offerings to competitors and consider how you can differentiate your organization, whether itâs through programming, events, community, or content.Â
How can museums create a membership program?Â
Are you ready to implement a museum membership program? Managing memberships can be tricky, requiring museums to balance everything from event registration to payment processing to weekly newsletter communication. Fortunately, software can help. Â
A robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform or association management software (AMS) can streamline the museum membership process to help you retain current members while recruiting new ones. An effective management system can level up your membership process in a variety of ways, including:Â
Flexible payment features and automatic renewals. Make it easy for members to sign up by offering a wide range of payment options.Â
Add-on donations. Transform members into donors by analyzing unique visitor and member data profiles.
Mobile sales and digital membership cards. Make your membership cards easy to access so members can scan their phones and breeze through the museum check-in process.Â
Additionally, consider investing in a community engagement platform. This tool provides your members with an online space to connect, allowing you to:
Improve member engagement. Community engagement platforms make memberships more valuable by providing members with access to your greater community. Youâll encourage user-generated content and continual conversations around your museum.Â
Encourage community building. When members can reach out to each other anytime, they are more likely to talk and build connections. If your museumâs members feel connected, they may attend events together, collaborate, and retain their memberships.Â
Centralize communication. An online community engagement platform keeps your members connected on a single platform. Rather than sending them to third-party social media sites, you can keep them on your website and better direct their attention.Â
If you already like your AMS, explore community engagement platforms that integrate with your current software. This expands your programâs value for members while retaining the backend tools your staff appreciates for creating events, collecting dues, and managing communication.
Other Resources to Explore
Nonprofit Basics â Learn more about the nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources
Volunteer grants, also known as “dollars for doers” programs, are a form of corporate giving that rewards employees’ volunteerism by providing monetary donations to the organizations they support.
These programs supply an invaluable source of funding for nonprofits and schoolsâ âhowever, identifying, pursuing, and managing funding through the programs can be challenging without the right tools and strategies in place. So, if youâre looking for new insights to help track volunteer grants effectively for your team, youâve come to the right place.
In this guide, weâll explore the essential tools and metrics needed to track and report on volunteer grant opportunitiesâ âfrom identification through completion. Empowering your organization with the following information will ensure your team maximizes its potential from the programs with ease:
Corporate volunteer grants offer immense potential for nonprofits, but few organizations are making the most of the opportunities before them. Why? A lack of an established volunteer grant tracking process can certainly play a role. Meanwhile, tracking volunteer grants effectively allows fundraisers to supercharge their corporate giving and volunteer engagement efforts alike.
If youâre wondering why your team should invest in revamping its volunteer grant tracking system, our leading reasons include:
Increasing Financial Support: Volunteer grants provide additional funding, which can be significant for nonprofits relying on external support. Tracking volunteer grants through completion allows organizations to increase revenue ultimately collected through the programs. More money = more beneficiaries receiving value from your services!
Enhancing Volunteer Engagement: Encouraging volunteers to apply for grants increases their commitment and engagement with your organization. By tracking volunteer grantsâ âand your volunteersâ involvement in the programsâ âyou can grow stronger relationships with supporters who participate.
Building Corporate Relationships: Strengthening ties with corporations that offer dollars for doers programs can lead to further partnership opportunities as well. Source tailored insights from tracking volunteer grants to demonstrate employeesâ devotion to their causes. For example, you can let a company that has already contributed volunteer grant funding to your organization know that you appreciate their existing supportâ âand that of their staffâ âand recommend additional ways they can get involved.
Powering Tangible Impact Measurement: Tracking volunteer grants helps measure the financial impact of volunteer efforts, ultimately showcasing the value of each contribution. When volunteers see that their efforts are being appreciated and converted into nonprofit funding, theyâll be more likely to remain dedicated to the cause.
Key Volunteer Grant Metrics & KPIs to Monitor
The best way to determine the success of your organizationâs volunteer grant marketing efforts is to track select KPIs (or key performance indicators). The metrics you choose to measure can help your team assess its overall impact, improve outreach efforts, demonstrate value to stakeholders, and more.
Here are a few metrics we recommend tracking within your volunteer grant strategy.
Recommended KPI: Volunteer Grant Eligibility Rate
Why it Matters:Â This metric represents the portion of your volunteer network identified as eligible for a volunteer grant program through their employers. The figure allows your team to better understand and pursue the volunteer grant opportunity.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric: Use a volunteer grant database tool to triage volunteers based on whether their employers offer volunteer grant programs. Then, divide the number of volunteers who work for participating companies by the total number of volunteers in your community.
Recommended KPI: Volunteer Grant Completion Rate
Why it Matters:Â This metric represents the portion of your volunteer-eligible supporter base that ultimately submit in a volunteer grant. Understanding this figure allows you to measure the efficiency of the full volunteer grant process and identifies areas for improvement in your strategy.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Divide the number of volunteer-grant eligible individuals who ultimately produce a volunteer grant for your organization by the total number of volunteer-grant eligible individuals.
Recommended KPI: Total Volunteer Grant Funding Received
Why it Matters: This metric represents the direct financial benefit from companies through volunteer grant programs, indicating the overall level of support.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Add the sum of each volunteer grant you receive in a given time period.
Recommended KPI: Grant Amount per Volunteer
Why it Matters: This metric represents the average value a volunteer grant brings. It also allows you to more accurately forecast incoming grant revenue and aids in tailoring realistic targets and expectations for the results of your implemented strategies.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Add the sum of each volunteer grant you receive in a given time period, then divide the total amount of funds by the number of volunteer grants received.
Recommended KPI: Number of Companies Providing Volunteer Grants
Why it Matters: This metric represents the extent of your organizationâs current corporate volunteer grant contributor network, and demonstrates your potential for future growth.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric: Count each company that contributes one or more volunteer grants to your organization in a given time period. See if these top volunteer grant companies are supporting your efforts!
Top Tools to Track Volunteer Grants Accurately & Efficiently
Equipping your team with the right tools to track volunteer grants is an essential component of the process. After all, doing so allows for increasingly accurate and efficient management of volunteer data. Plus, innovative technology allows you to enhance reporting capabilities and strengthen relationships with individual volunteers and corporate partners alike.
Effective tracking tools will help your organization streamline volunteer grant identification and promotional efforts, too, ultimately leading to increased funding, improved engagement, and better, more-informed decision-making.
Hereâs what we suggest:
A specialized volunteer grant database
For example, Double the Donation can provide exclusive access to forms and guidelines for thousands of companies that provide volunteer grants (and matching gifts, VTO, etc.). This ultimately simplifies the process of securing volunteer grants, making it easier for volunteers to do their part in the request and driving more volunteer grants to completion.
Comprehensive volunteer time-tracking tools
For volunteers to submit grant requests to their employers, theyâll generally need to supply some sort of record of their activities.
For that purpose, youâll want to ensure youâre making it easy for volunteers by equipping them with tools to track and verify the hours they spend with your organization.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portals
Many companies facilitate volunteer grants through their CSR platforms. In that case, your team will need to log in to the portals to verify volunteer hours. (Donât worryâ âwe have a handy guide here on navigating those platforms.)
These portals will also allow you to see how many volunteer grants have made it to this step!
Remember: the right tools can go a long way. Effective tracking tools will help streamline your identification and promotional efforts, too. In the end, it ultimately leads to increased funding, improved engagement, and better, more-informed decision-making.
Next Steps for Tracking More Volunteer Grants
Tracking and reporting on volunteer grant opportunities is a vital component of a successful corporate engagement strategy. With the right tools and key metrics, your team can track volunteer grants more seamlessly than ever before.
As a result, your organization can boost its financial resources, strengthen relationships with corporate partners, and encourage greater volunteer involvement.
Interested in learning more about how you can track volunteer grants and other forms of corporate giving? Check out these recommended resources:
Volunteer grants (also known as dollars for doers programs) present a lucrative opportunity for nonprofits to maximize their available resources and bolster their impact. However, navigating the complex world of research, engagement, eligibility guidelines, and submissions can be daunting. Lucky for you, thatâs where our complete guide to volunteer grant research comes into play.
Designed to demystify volunteer grant research and more, this resource equips nonprofits with the knowledge and tools they need to identify, pursue, and secure more dollars for doers revenue than ever before.
In order to build much-needed familiarity with the programs, weâll walk you through each step of the volunteer grant research process here. These phases include:
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer manager or new to the corporate volunteerism sector, our guide will help you uncover more funding opportunities, allowing your organization to thrive.
Letâs begin!
Understanding the Volunteer Grant Opportunity đ§
Volunteer grants are financial contributions provided by corporations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. These programs are offered by thousands of businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectorsâ âincluding IBM, Google, Home Depot, Starbucks, Microsoft, Disney, and 40% of the Fortune 500.
However, a lack of volunteer grant awareness among teams and supporters alike has resulted in a significant gap in the programs being utilized and funding being secured. Therefore, for the best results, itâs crucial that a nonprofitâs team has a solid understanding of the volunteer grant opportunity before it can maximize its funding potential. After all, a well-informed team can more effectively communicate the benefits to volunteers, encouraging greater participation and maximizing the organizationâs grant earnings.
Familiarity with companies offering these programsâ âand the specific eligibility criteria for eachâ âis also essential for effectively targeting the right opportunities. Since each volunteer grant program is unique, having extensive knowledge of the programs allows nonprofits to tailor their outreach and engagement strategies according to each supporterâs eligibility. Learn how solutions like Double the Donation Volunteering can help you access the information you need to secure more volunteer grants:
Recommended resource to take your corporate volunteer knowledge to the next level: Double the Donationâs free downloadable Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Grants
Identifying Your Organizationâs Needs & Goals đŻ
For a nonprofit to effectively pursue volunteer grants, it should first identify the unique needs and goals related to these grants. What, specifically, is holding your organization back from reaching its volunteer grant potential?
Perhaps you need better data on where your supporters work.
Or, if you do have accurate and up-to-date employment information for your volunteers, perhaps the roadblock is determining which individuals qualify for volunteer grant programs.
Or maybe you experience drop-off getting supporters to complete the request process on your behalf.
Regardless of the reason, once youâve determined whatâs stopping you from fully leveraging the opportunity, make a plan for overcoming the challenge. Clearly defined goals provide a roadmap for targeting volunteer grants in a way that will have the most significant impact on your cause. We recommend establishing goals that are SMARTâ âor Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example: âTo secure $1,000 in volunteer grant funding by the end of the fiscal year.â
A detailed understanding of your objectives allows your team to craft compelling narratives for volunteer grant-related content. As a result, you can better demonstrate how a volunteerâs participation enables your organization to achieve tangible outcomes, thus making a stronger case for engagement.
It also ensures that everyoneâ âstaff, volunteers, and beyondâ âis working toward a common objective: maximizing the potential for volunteer grant success.
Collecting Employment Information from Supporters đŒ
Collecting employment information from supporters is a strategic approach for nonprofits to identify and leverage volunteer grant opportunities to their greatest potential. By understanding which companies their supporters work for, organizations can pinpoint potential sources of volunteer grants.
Fortunately, there are a few ways for fundraisers to source this information. For the best results, we recommend implementing a combination of the following methods:
Ask volunteers to share their employersâ names on volunteer sign-up forms
Conduct email domain screening (or enlist a tool that does!) to scan for corporate email addresses
Once you have this employment information on hand, you can use it to tailor your outreach and engagement efforts. For instance, knowing that a significant number of volunteers are employed by a company with a grant program might lead you to focus on building relationships with the business.
Uncovering Eligible Volunteers in Your Network đ
Volunteer grants are a specific type of grant generally tied to an employee engagement program offered by the company. As a result, an employer donates money to the nonprofit based on the number of volunteer hours contributed by their employees.
Recognizing which volunteers work for participating companies allows nonprofits to strategically identify and pursue the opportunities available to them.
Ultimately, this targeted strategy leverages existing volunteer efforts to generate more substantial funding, enabling the nonprofit to further its mission and enhance its programs and services.
You might want to scan your entire database for opportunities, tooâ âincluding existing volunteers, donors, and prospects. From there, you can alert current volunteers of their eligibility while informing donors and other non-volunteers about how they can provide more comprehensive support for your cause, empowering them to get involved in a new way.
Encouraging Volunteers to Pursue Corporate Grants âïž
Once you know who qualifies for volunteer grants from your network, itâs important to take time to encourage them to actually participate. By motivating eligible supporters to apply for said grant opportunities, nonprofits can unlock significant funding and supercharge their volunteer engagement.
Many volunteers are unaware that their employers offer such programs, so simply providing information on eligibility and involvement can inspire volunteers to take action. Help supporters navigate the submission process and remind them to take advantage of their eligibility before it expires. By encouraging volunteers to pursue corporate grants, your organization can significantly increase its funding, thereby enhancing its ability to fulfill its mission and expand its reach in the community.
Encouraging volunteers to log their hours and apply for grants can lead to substantial financial contributions from their employers. This approach not only boosts the organization’s funding but also strengthens volunteer engagement, as volunteers see a direct impact of their work being amplified through additional resources.
Bonus: Enlisting a Volunteer Grant Database Tool đŠŸ
Our final recommendation is one that is powered by innovative technology: a corporate giving or volunteer grant database.
Enlisting a volunteer grant solution like Double the Donation in your nonprofitâs engagement strategy is an excellent way to efficiently manage and maximize volunteer grants. A database tool can centralize information, provide direct links to online submission forms and eligibility criteria, and streamline the grant application process for volunteers.
By aggregating all the information you need in one place, the tool saves time and effort for both the nonprofit team and its supporters. Volunteers can easily access up-to-date information about available grants, application deadlines, and eligibility requirements, and being equipped with the right information makes them more inclined to complete the process.
Next Steps & More Volunteer Grant Resources
Securing funding through volunteer grants can be transformative for mission-focused organizations. Not only do the programs provide access to new streams of corporate philanthropy revenue, but they also incentivize greater levels of engagement among volunteers in the first place.
By leveraging this guide, nonprofits like yours can systematically approach the grant research and application process with greater confidence and efficiency. Remember, the key to success lies in thorough preparation, a clear understanding of the opportunity before you, and a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.
Let this guide be your roadmap to making a greater difference in the communities you serve. Good luck!
Interested in learning more about volunteer grant research and other workplace giving programs? Check out these recommended resources:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DTD_The-Volunteer-Grant-Research-Guide-Finding-More-Funding_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-06-24 22:20:482025-04-17 16:21:57The Volunteer Grant Research Guide | Finding More Funding
Employee matching gifts are one of the most popular forms of corporate philanthropy. Still, the source is widely untapped, largely due to a lack of knowledge surrounding the programs. If youâre looking to drive participation at your organization (in order to maximize funding and elevate donor engagement), itâs time to get matching gifts trending among supporters.
But how can you go about doing so? Start a buzz around matching gifts at your nonprofit with these helpful tips:
Our hope is that, by incorporating our recommended practices, matching gifts will become a well-known and fully utilized source of support among you and your supporters.
Letâs jump in with our first trick.
1. Share a blog post.
Blog articles are an effective medium for marketing matching gifts and other employee giving forms to your
supporters. A well-written post provides an opportunity to share an in-depth explanation of the philanthropy programs, along with showing donors that your organization is focused on maximizing fundraising from every source.
Not sure where to get started? We’ve written the following article that your team can use to kick off your matching gift blogging strategy. From there, you can send a link to the newly published resource in your newsletters and other communications to ensure donors know about this opportunity to increase their impact.
Corporate Employee Matching Gift Programs: The Secret to Boosting Revenue
For nonprofit organizations, every dollar counts. Corporate employee matching gifts offer the opportunity to turn one dollar donated by a match-eligible employee into two, three, or even four dollars!
Did you know that more than 26 million employees work for companies with matching gift programs? You might be one of them!
In this article, weâre going to explore exactly what to expect when working with matching gifts and how to make the most of this incredible fundraising opportunity.
What are corporate matching gift programs?
Employee matching gift programs are a type of corporate philanthropy set up to encourage employees to give back to their communities. These companies encourage community outreach by making donations to the same nonprofits that their employees have donated to.
These programs have become quite widespread, but many donors have not heard of them or arenât aware of their own match-eligibility. $4-7 billion in matching gift revenue is left on the table each year, and we want to work with our donors to claim as much of it as possible.
While the specifics of these programs vary from company to company, the elements that shape these guidelines are generally the same:
Match ratio: This defines what kind of donation the company will make in relation to the employeeâs initial contribution. A 1:1 ratio indicates that the company will donate the exact same amount, doubling the contribution to the employeeâs chosen nonprofit.
Minimum and maximum: The minimum refers to the amount an employee must donate to qualify for a matching gift. The maximum is the total amount that a company will donate in matching contributions per employee annually.
Employee status: Sometimes, the employeeâs role at the company can affect the match that they qualify for. For example, Gap Inc. offers a $1,000 maximum to part-time employees and a $10,000 maximum to Senior VPâs.
Nonprofit eligibility: Some programs offer different matches based on the mission of the organization being donated to. However, most companies offer “unrestricted” programs where any registered nonprofit can receive funds.
Submission deadline: Every program identifies a deadline when the matching gift request must be submitted by the employee. This deadline can be either a firm date (December 31st is common) or a threshold based on the date of the initial donation (90 days after donation is made).
Here are a few examples:
Johnson & Johnson â Triples donations with a 2:1 match up to $20,000 for current employees, while also doubling donations (1:1 match) for retirees
Bank of America â Matches donations 1:1 between $24 and $5,000 annually per employee
Home Depot â Matches donations 1:1 up to $3,000 annually per employee
The impact of these programs can be substantial! In fact, Microsoft has been known to match over $48 million worth of employee donations to schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in a single year.
Want to help [your organizationâs name]?
Increasing revenue with matching gifts isnât too tricky, but we need our donorsâ help. Last year we received [insert number] matching gifts, which helped us raise [insert dollar amount]. Weâve set a goal of raising [insert dollar amount] from these programs.
If we meet our goal, weâll be able to better [insert organizationâs mission and how the organization would use the additional funding].
You can help us reach these goals by searching for your own match-eligibility. Immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed information about your employerâs corporate giving program by searching our database of companies with matching gift programs [link to your dedicated matching gifts page or Double the Donation hosted URL].
Weâll provide you with as much of the following as possible:
Up-to-date, company-specific program guidelines for your employer
Links to the correct online matching gift request forms or downloadable PDFs
Our contact information (Tax ID, address, fundraising contact), which you may need for your matching gift request
If your company isnât listed, make sure to check with your companyâs HR department. We appreciate you taking a few minutes to double the impact of your donation!
Meanwhile, if you choose to write a blog post from scratch, we recommend:
Providing an overview of employee matching gift and/or volunteer grant programs
Sharing examples of companies that offer employee giving programs
Explaining the positive impact these additional funds will have on your organizationâs work
Requesting that donors and volunteers search for their employerâs matching gift information using your matching gift search tool from Double the Donationa
2. Use hashtags on social media.
Your organization likely relies on social media as a core tenet of your digital marketing strategy. But do you have a plan in place to maximize your reach and engagement on key networking platforms?
Research indicates that incorporating hashtags in your posts goes a long way in terms of visibility, audience engagement, and more. A hashtag, which is essentially an octothorpe symbol followed by a key word or phrase, is a social media tool used to organize posts based on content topic. And including one or more in your postings can drive engagement by up to 100% compared to posts without hashtags.
In your next social media post about matching gifts for your organization, consider utilizing a few related hashtags and see how your audience responds. Here are a few examples you can use:
#match
#matchinggifts
#doubleyourdonation
#donationmatch
#amplifyingimpact
#[nonprofit name]matchinggifts
#getyourgiftmatched
#nonprofitmatching
#matchingdonations
#corporatematching
#doyoumatch
#doublethelove
#corporatephilanthropy
#employeegiving
#makeyourmatch
Itâs also important to note that the way you use hashtags can and should vary depending on the social platforms you use. For example, studies show that Tweets with 1-2 hashtags see more than twice as much engagement as those without hashtags. But Tweets with more than two hashtags actually see a drop in engagement.
Meanwhile, the most-interacted-with Instagram posts typically include 11+ hashtags!
3. Prioritize video content.
According to content marketing research for nonprofits, video content is one of the most essential components of an optimized engagement plan. In fact, 66% of individuals find short-form videos to be the most engaging type of material published on social media.
Not to mention, of an organizationâs audienceâŠ
Over 75% find videos useful when determining whether to give;
57% then go on to donate;
39% purposefully research the nonprofit within 24 hours of watching a video.
In the age of YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Snapchat, and more, video-sharing is becoming an increasingly integral part of nonprofit marketing. And when it comes to matching gifts, producing video content can play a critical role in informing and inspiring action among donors.
For example, check out this exemplary matching gift video that demonstrates the ease with which a donor can complete the process to amplify their impact on behalf of a cause they care about:
Once they had the video created, the organization opted to share the content on both its website and social media channels to further its reach.
Take a look at the Facebook post here:
Want to make your own video? Hereâs a sample script you can use to get started:
âIncreasing revenue with matching gifts isnât too tricky, but we need our donorsâ help. Last year we collected $[total revenue] worth of matching gifts. This year, we’d like to receive even more. Weâve set a goal to raise over $[revenue goal] from these programs by the end of the year. If we meet our goal, weâll be able to [summary of your nonprofit mission and/or specific project or programming].
You can help us reach these goals by searching for your own match eligibility. Immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed information about your employerâs corporate giving program. All you have to do is search our database of companies with matching gift programs. Click the link in the caption [to your organizationâs dedicated matching gift page] to learn more.â
4. Explore artificial intelligence and technology for content creation.
A significant roadblock facing all sorts of nonprofits is a lack of time and effort dedicated to their marketing strategiesâ âespecially when it comes to matching gifts. In fact, Nonprofits Source finds that over 80% of nonprofits report difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources.
One unique and innovative solution? Artificial intelligence and smart technology.
AI-powered tools are currently sweeping the nation, particularly in regard to brands streamlining content creation while putting more time back into the hands of staff members. To provide some examples of how this can impact matching gifts, we tested a few artificial intelligence tools to see what they could come up with.
Hereâs a sample social media caption written by one AI chatbot tool, ChatGPT (from the emojis to the hashtags and everything in between):
“Did you know that matching gifts can double or even triple your impact as a donor? đ°đž Not only does this benefit your favorite nonprofit, but it also shows your employer’s commitment to supporting causes that matter to their employees. đ€ Learn more about the power of matching gifts and how you can get involved to make a difference today!
Not to mention, our very own matching gift solution can help streamline donor communications while maintaining targeted and personalized efforts. With this tool, you can easily collect and track donor employment data, identify match-eligible donations, and trigger automated email follow-ups that drive more matching gifts to completion. And it can all take place without your fundraising team having to lift a finger!
5. Host a real-time Q&A online.
From the perspective of a donor who has never requested a matching gift, the entire process can seem a bit overwhelming. What your team can do, as the nonprofit theyâre supporting, is make an effort to answer any questions your supporters may have.
And what better way to do so than with a real-time Q&A session? According to recent live-streaming research, real-time content generates 27% more watch time per viewer than on-demand video. Users like interacting with their favorite organizations, and doing so as a nonprofit can help facilitate deeper relationships with donors. In fact, 79% of marketers indicate that a more authentic interaction with their audience is a top benefit of live-streamed video.
While youâll likely aim to answer a number of questions in any pre-recorded content you share, it can be hard to predict what exactly your donors will want to know. So let them tell you in real time. We recommend:
Sharing the date and time beforehand so supporters can plan accordingly;
Accepting matching gift Q&A submissions ahead of time through email or an online form on your site;
Encouraging live viewers to ask questions in real-time using the streaming siteâs chat or comment functions;
Preparing your team with a number of in-depth resources on corporate matching gift programs (hint: check out our webinars, blog posts, and free eBooks in our resources hub here);
Posting your live-stream recording to your website and/or social media pages, so those who missed the real-time engagement can still savor the insights shared.
Today, most social media platforms offer some sort of live-streaming optionâ âincluding YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even Twitter. So pick your favorite platform (ideally one that already sees a lot of user engagement with your nonprofit) and go live!
6. Consider influencers and peer advocates.
Influencer marketing and peer-to-peer fundraising are based on a shared principle: social proof. Social proof revolves around the psychological finding that people are more likely to assume the actions of others when making their decisions.
Luckily, you can use this idea in your next matching gifts campaign!
The first step in leveraging social proof for matching gifts involves locating a number of individuals who youâd like to promote matching gifts to your audience. When donors see other supporters participating in matching gift initiatives, it can be the inspiration they need to get involved themselves.
These so-called âinfluencersâ might be someone closely associated with your nonprofit cause, such as:
Major donors to your organization
Well-known board members
Dedicated volunteers
Well-connected P2P fundraisers
Your nonprofitâs executive director, president, or CEO
Or, you might even be able to get a popular influencer (or micro-influencer) on board! For the best results, look for individuals who share a similar target audience to your nonprofit. Plus, existing connections to your organization or its mission can go a long way toward making that connection.
Regardless of who you choose to get involved, encourage these individuals to share information about gift-matching opportunitiesâ âsuch as your new matching gift videosâ âon their personal social media pages. Provide them with pre-made images, suggested captions, video scripts or outlines, and more, empowering champions to advocate for matching gifts and encourage others to get involved.
From there, your nonprofit can typically re-post the content to your own pages (depending on the platform or platforms used), furthering the reach of the posts.
7. Make the most of free advertising with Google Grants.
Another marketing strategy that you wonât want to overlook is paid search engine advertising. And donât be alarmed by the word âpaid,â either. Google offers nonprofits access to a generous in-kind grant in the form of free ad space (the equivalent of up to $10,000 per month), known as the Google Ad Grant.
Now, why should you promote matching gifts to your audience with the Google Grant? First of all, itâs a free marketing opportunity. Of course you want to make the most of it! Not to mention, research indicates that search advertisements (such as Google Ads) have the highest ROI for nonprofit paid advertisingâ âwith an average value of $4.78 for every dollar.
When you participate in the Google Ad Grant, you essentially choose a page (or pages) and the keywords youâd like to advertise for. Then, when a donor or prospect searches the phrase (e.g., matching gifts for Cat Rescue Club), theyâll be met with your relevant sponsored content (i.e., your donation form, dedicated match page, ways to give page, blog article) at the top of the results page.
The Google Grant is a great way to increase visibility and expand the reach of your organizationâs fundraising efforts. And when done well, it can drive more match-eligible donors through the givingâ âand matchingâ âprocesses.
When it comes to getting donation-matching (or just about anything else) âtrendingâ at your organization, itâs important that you have a solid understanding of current trends. After all, trends can change fairly quickly, along with the introduction and development of new technology, changing consumerâ âand supporterâ âpreferences, and more.
And in order to get matching gifts trending effectively, there are a few key types of trends to consider as you craft your strategy. These includeâŠ
Marketing and engagement trends â â Things like new social media platforms emerging, communications best practices (e.g., optimal number of hashtags per post), etc.
It ultimately boils down to this: just because something is a key trend today doesnât mean it will necessarily be the same five years from now. So keep an eye out, make a note of any significant shifts you see, and reconvene with your marketing team on a regular basis.
And if youâre a Double the Donation user, weâll always keep you up to date with the latest trends that our team is seeing! Check back with our blog, attend upcoming webinars, or explore our online Matching Gift Academy to stay at the forefront of matching gift innovation.
Next Steps
Youâve heard the tipsâ . Now, get started by implementing these tried-and-true practices in your own organizationâs strategy.
Just remember: the more familiar your audience is with the idea of matching gifts, the more likely they are to partake in their employersâ programming. And the more funding youâll ultimately receive from corporate philanthropy opportunities available to your cause.
Want to learn more? Explore additional resources and discover how you can double your organizationâs fundraising impact with matching gifts:
Matching Gift Process | A Complete Step-by-Step Guide. Dive into a comprehensive overview of the corporate matching gifts process. Understanding whatâs involved can lead to higher success rates and better outcomes for both donors and recipients.
Top Matching Gift Practices | Actionable Insights & Examples. Learn from and be inspired by some of the leading nonprofitsâ matching gift strategies. Check out these top tips and practices from real-world organizations that you can incorporate into your own matching gift plan.
Winning Workplace Giving Strategies For Nonprofits. Thereâs more to workplace giving than just matching gifts, too! Expand your knowledge of other available workplace giving programsâ âfrom corporate volunteer grants to annual fundraising campaigns and more.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DTD_How-to-Get-Matching-Gifts-Trending-at-Your-Organization_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-06-24 07:53:202025-02-28 21:44:04How to Get Matching Gifts Trending at Your Organization
In the dynamic landscape of nonprofit operations, organizations constantly face the challenges of recruiting and retaining dedicated volunteers, sourcing sufficient funds, and maintaining high levels of engagement. Various strategies have been devised to overcome these challenges, but one opportunity stands out as a potent yet often underutilized resource: corporate volunteer grants.
What are Volunteer Grants?
Volunteer grants, which are also known as âDollars for Doersâ or employer-sponsored volunteer programs, are corporate giving initiatives in which companies provide monetary donations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. These grants can significantly enhance a nonprofit’s funding while also fostering a culture of collaboration between corporations, nonprofits, and their shared teams.
As a result, the approach you take to marketing volunteer grants to supporters is crucial. In order to drive the best results, the marketing process generally includes the following steps:
In this guide, weâll walk you through each item so you can ensure your team is marketing volunteer grants effectively, helping create the greatest positive impact for your cause.
Letâs begin!
Segmenting your volunteer grant marketing approach
In the realm of nonprofit fundraising, a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing rarely yields optimal results. Marketing volunteer grants is no different.
Therefore, understanding your nonprofit’s audience is crucial for effectively promoting the opportunities to your supporter base. By tailoring your communications with a data-driven strategy, you can increase engagement, awareness, and participation in the revenue-generating programs.
For example, existing volunteers could receive one piece of content asking them to see if their employer will match their time. Meanwhile, volunteer prospects might receive another message informing them about the opportunity and encouraging them to sign up for a volunteer shift to get started.
If you know the supporter’s company, you can also segment your marketing based on a recipientâs likely eligibility for a grant. And, if thereâs a history of eligibility forâ âor participation inâ âother forms of workplace giving programs (such as matching gifts or volunteer time off), this can also be helpful information to note.
Creating and sharing useful volunteer grant marketing content
Creating and sharing volunteer grant-related content through your marketing efforts is pivotal for nonprofits aiming to promote the opportunity to their supporters. By providing clear, informative, and engaging materials, you can educate volunteers about the programs, demystify the process, and invite supporters to get involved.
When done well, your content should strengthen the connection with volunteers by highlighting the dual value of their time alongside financial support from their employers. This targeted approach not only raises awareness but also empowers volunteers to take action, leading to increased participation in the programs.
Check out the following content topics and ideas for marketing volunteer grants to your audience:
Highlight examples of top companies with volunteer grant programs, including Microsoft, Disney, Allstate, Dell, Aetna, and more. Then, encourage supporters to look into their employersâ participation.
Offer an interactive volunteer grant database like Double the Donation’s on your nonprofit website, and direct your audience to engage with the tool to locate their volunteer grant eligibility. This allows supporters to access company-specific program criteria to get started!
Share testimonials that demonstrate the positive impact volunteer grants have had on your cause in the past. Invite real volunteers to share their experiences with the programs, too!
Supplement text with multimedia â content such as photos, videos, infographics, and more to attract and retain your audienceâs attention.
đĄ Top tip: Looking to up your workplace giving marketing? Double the Donation supplies its users with pre-made, customizable graphic templates within their system.
Just log into the platform â navigate to the Resources tab â select Marketing Assets â browse our library of free materials for clients to utilize â personalize your selected template to match your organizationâs unique branding style, objectives, and more.
Hereâs an example of an email header graphic we edited to promote volunteer grants:
Not yet a Double the Donation client? Get started with a demo of our complete volunteer grant and matching gift automation tool.
Marketing volunteer grants with multi-channel promotions
Thereâs no one perfect platform through which your organization can market volunteer grants to reach 100% of your audience. Thatâs why we recommend taking a multichannel approach, ensuring your message has a broader reach, and you expose a greater percentage of your audience to the opportunity.
While the specific means you use will vary according to your existing promotional plans and resources, we recommend marketing volunteer grants across the following channels:
1) Your website
Your website can serve as a central hub for providing detailed information about volunteer grants to your supporters. We recommend establishing a dedicated page to explain what these are, how supporters can apply for them, and the impact they have on your missionâ . Youâll also want to embed a volunteer grant database in the page to ensure users have easy access to program guidelines and next steps.
Plus, add a section about the opportunity on your websiteâs Ways to Give hub. However, you may decide to combine your Match Page and Volunteer Grants Page, creating a complete workplace giving resource instead.
2) Social media
Social media platforms are excellent for raising awareness and driving traffic to your website. Regular posts, stories, and updates about grant opportunities, testimonials, and submission tips can reach a wide audience and encourage eligible volunteers to get involved. Meanwhile, interactive content like polls and Q&A sessions can also boost engagement and get supporters excited about the opportunity. Then, link back to your dedicated volunteer grants page so you can supply hyper-personalized information even from your broader marketing efforts.
3) Email
Email campaigns can deliver personalized and targeted information directly to your supporters’ inboxes. Digital newsletters can feature detailed step-by-step walkthroughs, reminders about submission deadlines, and success stories to encourage participation.
At the same time, more segmented emails can ensure each volunteer receives targeted content relevant to them, their engagement history, and their employing company.
4) Text messages
Text marketing offers a powerful opportunity for sharing short, sweet, and to-the-point messages with your audience. When it comes to marketing volunteer grants, itâs a direct, quick, and easy way to remind supporters about volunteer grant opportunities.
For the best results, we recommend prioritizing brief, concise messages linking out to additional information to prompt quick and tangible next steps from supporters.
5) Volunteer sign-up forms
Integrating information about volunteer grants into your organizationâs volunteer sign-up forms ensures that new and existing volunteers are exposed to the programs.
Even better, volunteers expect to share a good amount of information about themselves when they sign up to donate their time to your cause. As each volunteer completes an online sign-up form, your team has a unique opportunity to promote volunteer grant opportunities and source employment data that can help uncover funding in your network.
đĄ Top tip: Embed a company database tool in your sign-up forms by integrating your volunteer registration platform with Double the Donation! Make it easy for supporters to learn about the opportunity and provide invaluable employment insights.
6) Paid advertising
Our final recommendation is what is often referred to as paid advertising. However, donât let the âpaidâ part hold you back. Sites like Google and Microsoft each offer registered nonprofits free access to their platforms, meaning youâll benefit from sponsored search listings at no cost.
In doing so, you can effectively target specific demographics likely to be interested in volunteer grants. Plus, drive new qualified traffic to your website, raise awareness among a broader audience, and attract new supporters to your cause.
đĄ Top tip:Request a free consultation with our recommended paid advertising consultant, Getting Attention, to initiate the Google Grant application process today.
Marketing volunteer grants with one-off corporate partnerships
More than likely, a lot of your supporters already work for companies with volunteer grant programs. For those who donât, however, custom or âone-offâ partnerships can offer an excellent way to begin facilitating relationships with employers in your network.
This targeted approach allows nonprofits to build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with a specific company, fostering a sense of exclusivity and dedicated support. It can even lead to increased volunteer engagement from the companyâs employees, who may feel more connected and committed to the cause due to their employer’s direct involvement.
Check out this example of marketing a custom volunteer grant partnership in action:
The Central Texas Food Bank is the Largest hunger relief agency in the region, serving nearly 46,000 individuals across 21 counties each week. In order to meet the immense needs of its communities, tech giant Oracle has supported the organization for nearly three decades, encouraging its employees to support the cause since 2007.
Recently, the company awarded the Food Bank a $35,000 grant in response to nearly 3,000 volunteer hours its employees contributed toward the inspection, packing, and distribution of food items. An article regarding the partnership even describes the companyâs team as a common and welcome sight at the organization, further demonstrating the deep and ongoing impact it has on the cause.
đĄ Top tip: Reach out to existing supporters’ employers to pitch a volunteer grant partnership. You may even be able to source a warm introduction from a donor or volunteer to help break the ice!
Sourcing inspiration from real-world examples of marketing volunteer grants
Sourcing inspiration from real-world examples of volunteer grant marketing efforts can help nonprofits promote the opportunities to their own audiences more effectively than ever before. Examining case studies, testimonials, and best practices in action from fundraising peers allows nonprofits to identify innovative approaches and avoid common pitfalls.
By adapting and implementing these tested methods, nonprofits can enhance their outreach efforts, increase awareness of volunteer grant programs, and ultimately boost their results.
Check out the following examples of nonprofits marketing volunteer grants well:
Organization A đ¶
In our first example of standout volunteer grant marketing, one animal welfare nonprofit has effectively harnessed the potential of volunteer grants through a multi-faceted and user-friendly online approach. Specifically, this team created a dedicated employee giving page and embedded Double the Donationâs database tool. This way, they can provide real-time information on thousands of companies’ volunteer grant programs with just a few clicks.
But the nonprofit didnât stop there, either! Instead, this team also integrated employment-related questions directly within their volunteer application forms. As an individual completes the sign-up process, they are prompted to supply details such as their company name, role, and knowledge of workplace giving (matching gift) program availability. Thus, by gathering this information upfront, the organization can identify potential grant opportunities and proactively assist volunteers in applying for them.
Our next example is an organization that focuses on health and medical support. This nonprofitâs strategy for marketing volunteer grants is built around detailed guidance and robust information. The organization has built out a dedicated volunteer grants page with an embedded company search tool, making it easy for volunteers to find out if their employers offer grant programs.
The online resource also features a step-by-step walkthrough of the process for requesting a volunteer grant, ensuring that volunteers understand each stage and what is required. Plus, to further underscore the value of volunteer grants, this team highlights statistics that showcase the prevalence of these programs with concrete data.
Another health and medical nonprofit has also developed a multi-channel approach to promoting volunteer grants. This organizationâs dedicated employee giving page includes everything an individual would need to know to get involvedâ âfrom an embedded company search tool with a detailed FAQ section to information about the nonprofit and more.
Additionally, the organization prominently mentions volunteer grants on its “Ways to Give” page, ensuring potential donors and volunteers are aware of this opportunity and encouraged to participate.
Organization D đ„«
For this food bank, promoting volunteer grants begins with visibility on crucial web pagesâ âincluding a prominent mention on the organizationâs âWays to Giveâ page. This ensures visitors are made aware of this opportunity and encouraged to get involved. Theyâve even embedded Double the Donation’s search tool right within the page, providing information on thousands of companiesâ programs and making it easy for volunteers to see if their employers participate.
Organization E đ§Ș
This research foundation leverages a combined approach to marketing volunteer grants with informational content, practical tools, and more. In a detailed blog post, the team illustrates the power of volunteer grants and matching gifts, explaining the process and encouraging supporters to get involved.
From there, the blog links to the organizationâs workplace giving page, which provides extensive information on various companiesâ volunteer grant programs and is complete with a company search widget.
Organization F đł
Organization F, an environmental nonprofit, has used a digital newsletter to educate and motivate its supporters about volunteer grant opportunities amongst other content. This sample newsletter included a section dedicated to the impact of workplace giving and other unique fundraising opportunities and encouraged readers to look into their volunteer grant eligibility to strengthen their impact even further.
Organization G đ§
This organization, which is focused on youth mentorship opportunities, ensures that information about volunteer grants and other workplace giving opportunities is easily accessible by mentioning them directly on its donation page. This strategic placement means that anyone considering a financial contribution is also made aware of the potential for additional support through volunteer grants.
By integrating this information into a key page, the nonprofit increases the likelihood that visitors will explore and take advantage of volunteer grant opportunities, enhancing their overall fundraising efforts.
Organization H đ¶
Another animal welfare nonprofit designed a âpawsitivelyâ adorable employee giving page that overviews the top types of workplace philanthropy. Of course, this includes volunteer grants!
By offering a comprehensive overview complete with eye-catching facts and figures, the team is able to educate its supporters about various ways to contribute through their workplace. This increases participation in volunteer grant programs and maximizes funding potential overall.
Organization I đ§
This youth-focused organizationâs workplace giving page prominently highlights Dollars for Doers as a key opportunity for corporate involvement. In order to foster a complete understanding of the programs, the nonprofitâs online resource includes alternative names for these programs and details how participation can benefit both the organization and its supporters on a personal level.
Organization J đ§
Social media can also be a great tool for marketing volunteer grants, as demonstrated by this youth and community organization. To increase awareness of the opportunity and inspire participation through social proof, the nonprofit took to Facebook to celebrate a successful volunteer grant received. The post thanks the grant-giving institution, thus fostering greater engagement, and outlines the intended use for the funding. Itâs a great way to inspire others to seek volunteer grant funds on your behalf, too!
Organization K đ§
Another Facebook post, this youth and community organization utilizes social media to raise awareness and share informational content regarding volunteer grants. Specifically, the post highlights the growing trend of such grants, details how supporters can get involved, and provides specific next steps to encourage participation.
By using social media to educate and motivate their audience, the fundraiser increases volunteer grant visibility and drives more supporters to take the intended action.
Wrapping up & additional volunteer grant marketing resources
Volunteer grants represent a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to enhance their funding and engagement simultaneously. By educating supporters, partnering with companies in your network, and powering your promotional efforts with the right tools, your organization can optimize its volunteer grant marketing efforts with ease.
Now, itâs time to embrace the potential of volunteer grants for your cause. Incorporate the above tips and tricks in your strategy, then sit back and watch it thrive as you harness the power of corporate partnerships for your nonprofitâs mission.
Interested in learning more about leading employee philanthropy opportunities? We recommend the following resources:
Free Download: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Matching Gifts. Itâs just as crucial to market matching gifts as it is for volunteer grants! Get our free comprehensive guide to see how your team can promote donation-matching opportunities to supporters.
Volunteer Time Off | The Ultimate VTO Guide For Nonprofits. Another way to incentivize volunteers is with paid volunteer time off. Tons of companies offer these programs, and this guide shares how you can increase participation among your supporter base.
Volunteer grants are a vital source of funding for nonprofits, enabling them to maximize their impact and encourage their supporters to do the same. However, navigating the various programs available to your organization can be challenging. Thatâs where volunteer grant databases come in!
If youâre looking to expand your organizationâs fundraising toolkit with a volunteer grant database, youâve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about top volunteer grant databases and how they can benefit your mission.
By incorporating a database tool into your tech stack, your nonprofit can streamline its fundraising, better engage its volunteer base, and support its mission more effectively than ever before.
A volunteer grant database is a specialized tool designed to help nonprofits identify and manage volunteer grant opportunities. These grants, which are also known as “dollars for doers,â are offered by businesses as a way to provide monetary donations to nonprofits based on the volunteer hours their employees contribute.
Tons of companies offer the programs, but keeping track of each oneâs criteria and submissions can quickly become an overwhelming task for nonprofit teams. Supporters often lack knowledge of their companiesâ programs, too, so it often falls on the organization to uncover qualifying opportunities.
Fortunately, volunteer grant databases do it for you!
How? A volunteer grant database tool compiles comprehensive information on thousands of corporate giving programs (including volunteer grants, matching gifts, and volunteer time off). Each listing supplies company-specific eligibility criteria (e.g., qualifying employees, minimum number of hours, grant thresholds, etc.), links to online submission forms, and more.
How Does a Volunteer Grant Database Impact Fundraising?
Incorporating a volunteer grant database into your fundraising strategy can significantly enhance your supporter engagement, financial health, and more.
Here’s how it can do so.
More Identified Dollars for Doers Opportunities đ
By providing access to a centralized repository of grant opportunities, a volunteer grant database can help your team quickly screen for eligible volunteers. Even if supporters are unaware of their grant potential, your team can flag eligible individuals to pursue a more personalized approach and encourage their submissions.
Simplified Request Process for Volunteers âïž
Speaking of submissions, each volunteer is generally required to complete a request form for their employer in order to secure grant funding on your organizationâs behalf. Providing access to a volunteer grant database is one of the best ways to streamline submissions and reduce unnecessary friction in the process. All an individual has to do is enter their employerâs name and navigate to the provided request form.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency âĄ
Manually identifying and researching volunteer grant opportunities requires a lot of organizational bandwidth. By automating the process with a volunteer grant database tool, you can free up your teamâs time for other high-value activities.
Improved Grant Tracking đ
Volunteer grants follow a multi-step process from identification to submission and through the disbursement of funds. A volunteer grant tool like Double the Donation offers tracking functionality that helps monitor the status of available grants and address any issues that may arise.
Increased Funding through Corporate Giving Opportunities đą
The easier it is for volunteers to request funding from their employers, the more likely they are to do so. That means more corporate giving revenue making its way to your organization.
But itâs not just volunteer grants, either. A volunteer grant database will often supply resources on matching gifts and other corporate giving programs, too!
Our Volunteer Grant Database Recommendation: Double the Donation
When selecting a volunteer grant database for your nonprofit, itâs important to consider several key factors. After all, you want to ensure the tool effectively supports your fundraising efforts and organizational needsâ âboth now and in the time to come.
Lucky for you, weâve explored potential database options and would like to supply you with our top recommendation: Double the Donation.
Now, letâs see why this tool stands apart as the leading solution:
Comprehensive Database:Â Double the Donation maintains the industryâs most extensive collection of corporate volunteer grant programs, making it easy to locate accurate and up-to-date information about your supportersâ companies.
User-Friendly Interface: The platform is designed with ease of use in mind, allowing users to quickly search for and access the right information. For this reason, the tool includes auto-completing search functionality and automatically accounts for subsidiaries and spelling variations, too!
Integration Capabilities: Double the Donation integrates seamlessly with a wide array of CRM systems, fundraising tools, and volunteer management platforms. When you add the tool to your website, donation forms, and more, you can also determine an individualâs eligibility for a match as they give!
Support and Resources:Â The platform provides a wealth of resources and support to get your nonprofit up and running. This includes personalized onboarding experiences, educational webinars, and more to help your team maximize its use of the database.
Other Top Tools & Resources For Growing Volunteer Grants
In addition to volunteer grant databases, there are a number of other handy tools and resources that can help supercharge your organizationâs volunteer grant strategy.
These include:
Volunteer grant compilations
If your team has yet to make the leap to a volunteer grant databaseâ âwhich we highly recommend doingâ âfree online resources (such as those offered by Double the Donation) can help identify select opportunities in your database.
For example, this compilation of top volunteer grant programs highlights several generous companiesâ initiatives. It provides an excellent chance to cross-reference your supporter data and see if any existing or prospective volunteers work for these well-known examples.
Volunteer time-trackers
Time-tracking tools are generally software applications that help nonprofits record and manage the hours contributed by their team members. When volunteers are encouraged (or required) to track the time they spend with your cause, youâll find itâs easier than ever to streamline volunteer grant requests.
Keep in mind that these tools can also vary greatly in their level of sophistication. Some organizations manage hour-tracking efforts with paper forms, others employ spreadsheets, and others still invest in dedicated solutions.
Volunteer management tools
You may already have a Volunteer Management System, or VMS, in your nonprofit toolkit. This type of tool is designed to help nonprofits organize, recruit, and manage their volunteer workforce, typically offering features for scheduling, communication, task assignments, and more. When itâs easy for supporters to sign up and partake in volunteer activities, youâll have more eligible individuals to pursue volunteer grants in the first place!
Not to mention, a well-managed volunteer program can typically provide the necessary documentation and proof of volunteer hours needed for grant applications.
CSR platforms
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platforms are comprehensive solutions that assist companies in managing their employee giving and volunteer programs. These platforms also facilitate collaboration between companies and nonprofits, making it easier to coordinate philanthropic efforts for both teams.
As a result, most CSR platforms incorporate a nonprofit-facing portal that organizations can access for free. From there, they can manage their side of the programs (i.e., reviewing and verifying volunteer requests).
Final Thoughts on Volunteer Grant Databases & More
Investing in a volunteer grant database can significantly boost your nonprofit’s fundraising capabilities. By streamlining the volunteer grant discovery and submission processes, dedicated tools like Double the Donation can help maximize the value of volunteer grants for your cause.
Integrating these tools into your tech stack allows you to ensure your nonprofit is well-equipped to leverage the full potential of volunteer grants, ultimately powering organizational growth.
Continue growing your corporate giving knowledge. Read up on these recommended resources to learn more:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DTD_Top-Volunteer-Grant-Databases-to-Grow-Your-Tech-Stack.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-06-19 20:52:372025-02-28 21:41:00Top Volunteer Grant Databases to Grow Your Tech Stack
Double the Donation and DonorDrive Extend Matching Gifts Integration To Embedded Donation Forms
/in Press Releases /by Adam WeingerDouble the Donation and DonorDrive have come together to extend their existing matching gift integration to DonorDriveâs new and improved Embedded Donation Form experience.Â
Double the Donation already integrates with DonorDriveâs dedicated donation pages. Now, organizations can take advantage of this integration using DonorDriveâs Embedded Donation Forms! These pop-up modal forms can be embedded directly into any third-party webpage, so supporters can seamlessly give a donation without ever being redirected. With this latest update, nonprofits can use the combined power of Double the Donation and DonorDrive to pursue more matching gift opportunities and grow their giving.
This integration expands matching gifts across additional DonorDrive forms to increase accessibility and visibility to donors and help nonprofits raise more from corporate matching gift programs.
âDouble the Donation continues to simplify the matching gift process for donors and nonprofits alike, so we are excited to stretch that impact even further with our expanded integration with DonorDriveâ, says Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. âIâm looking forward to seeing our mutual clients using the integration across their new and improved DonorDrive embedded forms.â
DonorDrive and Double the Donationâs available integrations are easy to access and simple to activate. Follow our integration guide for more information on activating the integration and raising more from corporate matching gifts.
Ready to add matching gift automation to your DonorDrive donation forms? Request a demo with Double the Donation today and be sure to share that youâre using DonorDrive.
Want additional resources to help you take your matching gifts strategy to the next level? Enroll today in our Matching Gift Academy for in-depth content about growing your matching gift revenue.
About DonorDrive: Crush your supporter acquisition goals, boost stewardship and engagement, and level up your mission impact with the DonorDrive enterprise fundraising solution. Create meaningful supporter experiences with peer-to-peer fundraising events, tailored Individual Giving campaigns, native mobile apps, Activity Tracking, and live-stream fundraising. To learn more, visit https://www.donordrive.com/contact-us/
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more,e visit https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/
How to Unlock Corporate Sponsorships: Get More Support
/in Learning Center, Corporate Sponsorships /by Adam WeingerSecuring corporate sponsorships involves building relationships with corporate prospects on top of all the other important work youâre doing to raise support for your nonprofit. But these partnerships are well worth it, as corporate giving can be an invaluable source of revenue, positive social image, and ongoing support.
In this article, weâll discuss some corporate sponsorship best practices your organization can leverage to secure the best partnership suited to your cause, as well as some of the top corporate sponsors. Weâll cover the following topics:
Understanding the importance of corporate sponsorships is just the beginning. Securing the right corporate sponsorship is another story entirely. Letâs get started!
What is a Corporate Sponsorship?
A corporate sponsorship is a form of support nonprofits receive from corporations to fund events, nonprofit programs, or specific projects. The benefits are twofold: nonprofits receive the help they need to continue serving their missions, while the company receives tax deductions and a positive reputation for its brand.
Corporate Sponsorship Types
Corporate sponsorships can take many forms. Here are a few examples of the most common types:
Financial
This is when a company donates money to sponsor an event or program. Generally, nonprofits recognize the company through various event materials, such as signage, merchandise, and online advertising, in exchange for its support.
In-Kind
An in-kind sponsorship involves a company donating goods or services to an event or project. For example, a restaurant might provide catering services, or a spa may donate free spa packages as a raffle prize.
Media
Some companies cover the cost of promoting a nonprofit event through media sponsorships. This could include radio promotions, TV ads, or printed advertisements.
Corporate and Employee Giving
Beyond typical corporate sponsorships, other forms of corporate giving can help your nonprofit. These include automatic payroll deductions, volunteer programs, and corporate matching gifts. Read more about these below!
Match More Gifts With Double the Donation
Get a sneak peek of the industry-leading matching gift automation solution, Double the Donation.
Benefits of Corporate Sponsorships
Corporate sponsorships benefit both companies and nonprofits in the following ways:
Benefits for Nonprofits
Benefits for Companies
Considerations to Keep In Mind Before Getting Started
Clearly, corporate sponsorships benefit all parties. But before getting started, there are a few things to be aware of to prepare for a sponsorship:
Donât let these factors prevent your nonprofit from taking advantage of the benefits of a corporate sponsorship. Proper due diligence, careful documentation, and clear communication can help you manage and even prevent these concerns altogether.
How to Find Corporate Sponsorships
When it comes to asking for corporate sponsorships, be intentional about who you choose to work with. As you research potential partners, consider the following tips to narrow down your search:
Contact Local Businesses
Start local! Approach the businesses in the immediate area of your event. To find candidates, use resources like:
These businesses are more likely to see the value in sponsoring an event in their own community, which can greatly impact their decision to partner with you.
Seek Out Shared Values
A corporate partner should align with your organizationâs mission. For instance, if youâre an environmental organization, you should work with a corporation that values sustainability, environmental conservation, and other related issues. Your organization could end up losing credibility if you partner with a corporation that substantially harms the environment or has received bad press.
Browse a businessâs website, social media platforms, and other resources to get a feel for its values. Many companies list their values publicly. Then, discuss these values with the companyâs point of contact before confirming the sponsorship to ensure you understand what they mean in practice.
Look Online
Search for lists of companies that donate to nonprofits online. These companies have a reputation for their philanthropic behaviors, so they might be more interested in forming a partnership than a business with no previous interest in charitable giving. You might find one you havenât thought of before.
Not to mention, corporate giving databases like Double the Donation can provide detailed information about available corporate sponsorships, grants, and more.
Leverage Points of Contact
If your board members, key donors, or other members of your organization have connections or contacts at a particular company, ask them to reach out directly and request a sponsorship. Or, at the very least, see if they’d be willing to make a warm introduction for your organization. This is where your donor employment information can really come in handy!
Additionally, companies may be looking to fulfill the ethical and philanthropic obligations laid out in the pyramid of CSR.
Top 10 Companies With Excellent Corporate Sponsorship Programs
Zipsprout’s guide to corporate sponsors shares some interesting corporate sponsorship statistics. Weâve combined these statistics with insights from our robust database of matching gift and volunteer grant programs to highlight the best corporate sponsorship and relationship opportunities.
Check out these top corporate sponsors!
1. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo has sponsored 2.89% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #1 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
Wells Fargo offers both matching gifts and volunteer grants. The company matches up to $2,000 per employee at a 1:1 ratio.
2. State Farm
State Farm has sponsored 1.07% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #5 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
State Farm offers both a matching gift program and volunteer grant opportunities. The company matches up to $4,500 at a 1:1 ratio for full-time employees.
3. PepsiCo
PepsiCo has sponsored 0.98% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #6 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
PepsiCo matches employee donations up to $10,000, with a minimum donation amount of $25. The company also offers a volunteer grant program.
4. U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank has sponsored 0.97% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #7 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
U.S. Bank matches up to $3,000 in donations made by active full- and part-time employees at a 1:1 ratio. The company also offers a âDollars for Doingâ volunteer grant program.
5. Bank of America
Bank of America has sponsored 0.92% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #8 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
Bank of America offers matching gifts and volunteer grant opportunities. The company matches up to $5,000 in donations to most nonprofits at a 1:1 ratio.
6. Budweiser/Bud Light (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser has sponsored 0.76% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #9 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
Anheuser-Buschâs matching gift program matches donations up to $5,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio.
7. Clif Bar
Clif Bar has sponsored 0.74% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #10 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
Clif Bar offers a matching gift program to active employees, matching up to $2,500 in donations at a 1:1 ratio.
8. The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company has sponsored 0.72% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #11 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
The Coca-Cola Company offers a very generous matching gift program. The company contributes up to $20,000 per employee per year, matching at a 2:1 ratio.
9. Walmart
Walmart has sponsored 0.68% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #12 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
Walmart matches up to $25,000 in donations made by executive-level employees at a 3:1 ratio. The company also offers a volunteer grant program.
10. McDonaldâs
McDonaldâs has sponsored 0.67% of nonprofits in a database of nonprofits that publicly list their sponsors, placing them at #14 on the list of top corporate sponsors.
Corporate Giving Information
McDonaldâs offers a very generous matching gift program, matching up to $10,000 in employee donations (depending on role) per year at a 1:1 ratio.
How to Ask for a Corporate Sponsorship
Once youâve identified corporations you want to partner with, itâs time to plan how youâll approach them. Forming the right ask depends on your goals, who youâre reaching out to, and when you plan to make contact. Hereâs a helpful list of strategies to help you make the ask:
Promote Your Sponsorship Page
Creating a sponsorship page on your nonprofitâs website is a great way to condense the must-know information about sponsoring your organization. Include information like:
Then, promote this page across different channels, such as social media and paid advertising platforms like Google Ads. You can tap into paid advertising for free with the Google Ad Grant! If you apply and are approved, you can promote content like your sponsorship page on Google Search Results for relevant keywords.
Finding the right keywords can take some work, but you can always turn to a professional to handle the work for you. A Google Ad Grants expert like Getting Attention can help you optimize your sponsorship landing page and promote it using Google Ads.
Be Creative
You can ask a company to sponsor just about anything. Use aspects of your event that already exist, and turn them into sponsorship perks. Then, be sure to position them as excellent sponsorship opportunities for your potential partners.
Set the Right Sponsorship Levels
Just like you receive a variety of donation amounts from individual supporters, establish multiple levels of sponsorship for corporations to agree to. If you have an event with hundreds or thousands of people, make sure your sponsorship levels are high enough (such as $1,000 and up). You donât want sponsorship to be priced so high that no one will want to participate, but by keeping levels elevated, sponsors will feel like the event is well-run and that you have confidence in what youâre doing.
On the other hand, if youâre planning a smaller event and have difficulty securing a large sponsorship, consider offering a lower sponsorship level with fewer perks. For instance, you could offer a $100 level for smaller businesses not interested in the larger sponsorship opportunity.
Explain Why Youâre a Perfect Fit
As you make your ask, explain how this corporate partnership will contribute to building up the companyâs brand. Do your missions align? What will working with your nonprofit help the company achieve in terms of its own goals? Keep these in mind and communicate them as clearly as possible.
Ask About the Companyâs Objectives
That said, asking the company directly about its objectives and priorities demonstrates that youâre genuinely interested in bringing value to the partnership. Remember, your corporate sponsors have objectives, or âmissions,â of their own. Theyâll want to know theyâre supporting a nonprofit that aligns with these goals and that the sponsorship can help them achieve them.
Tell a Story
Explain to potential sponsors how their sponsorship and support can directly impact someone as part of your mission. For instance, â$1,000 will help us provide meals to 5 families of 4 for a week.â Additionally, share how last yearâs sponsors were able to help your organization accomplish its goals.
Tailor Your Ask
Rather than using one main template and filling in names, make your ask personal and write individualized letters. These should be addressed to a relevant person at the company who is most likely to be receptive to hearing about your cause. Make sure you do your research on who to ask. Go beyond just marketing contacts and speak to anyone who will sympathize with your mission and also be in a position to create a plan of action!
Consider In-Kind Donations
If a business declines to offer a monetary sponsorship, consider asking for a non-monetary sponsorship instead, such as coupons for free services on event day. You can also request that a portion of their proceeds on the event day be donated back to the organization. A business in the area could serve as a location for the kick-off party, packet pick-up, or after-event party.
You can also reach out to companies to provide services youâll need at the event, such as photography, DJ/entertainment, signage, food, portable toilets, and tent/chair rentals. The value of their goods or services can certainly equate to a sponsorship level.
Leverage Your Data
Always back up your corporate sponsorship asks with supporter data. Determine what demographics a sponsor is targeting, and provide them with information about your event that would be relevant. For example, if a company tends to target women aged 50 to 60, let them know how many people or what percentage of participants attending your event fall into that group.
Meanwhile, your donors’ employment information can come in handy here, too! If a company’s staff are already supporting your cause, let the company know how they can get deeper involved while growing employee engagement.
Find the Right Timing
The timing of your sponsorship ask is important. A lot of larger companies earmark a specific amount of money each calendar year for charitable giving, so be sure to ask when is the best time for them to consider a sponsorship.
Oftentimes, you have to get your ask in very early to even be considered. Other times, you have to adjust your strategy to the business youâre reaching out to. For instance, if youâre reaching out to an accounting firm during tax season, youâre most likely not top-of-mind, and your request may go unanswered.
Propose a Plan
Part of crafting an appealing sponsorship ask means outlining your campaign initiatives and success metrics. This means defining your fundraising goal and the impact it will have first and foremost.
As mentioned before, use numbers and data to support your proposal. But also be sure to define your success metrics and use KPI benchmarks that show when youâve achieved your fundraising goals. Be specific about how your organization plans to meet its objectives, and link this process to ongoing projects, as well.
Draft a Sponsorship Agreement
The biggest thing that will demonstrate that youâre professional and committed to the partnership is a sponsorship agreement. It should be written down to outline your goals, expectations, and other deliverables for your organization and the company. Itâs also a good idea to include how youâre going to recognize the company for its support, such as through advertising materials, merchandise, or event printouts.
Follow Up
Havenât heard back? Donât give up! Continue to communicate with companies after youâve reached out with a corporate sponsorship request. Always check back to ensure someone has received your call, email, or letter. If not, ask to speak to the appropriate person at the company, and/or resend your ask to that person.
How to Cultivate Relationships with Corporate Sponsors
Once youâve secured your corporate sponsorship, donât let the relationship fall by the wayside! In addition to presenting your partnership in a professional light, continuing to recognize and work with your sponsor can have a huge impact on your organization.
Here are some effective ways to work with a sponsor after theyâve agreed to support your cause:
Treat Them Like Part of the Team
Treat your corporate sponsors like part of the team, because they are part of the team. Many sponsors will feel more engaged and recognize that theyâre getting more from their sponsorship if they hear from you often. This doesnât mean sending them an email every day, but rather, treating them like a team member.
Use the same engagement tools and approaches you use with participants to connect with your sponsors. For fundraising events, offer them a free team captain registration, help them get their page set up, and provide fundraising coaching. The more a sponsor raises and the larger their team, the more exposure they will get. This will in turn make them feel like theyâre getting more out of the sponsorship.
Pay Attention to the Little Things
Yes, big perks matter, but the little touchpoints make a big difference, too. Send a handwritten thank-you letter or a note from a participant or beneficiary of your causeâs work. If the sponsor also fundraised for your campaign, create a top fundraisers certificate that you send to them by mail.
These little touchpoints show that you acknowledge the importance of their support, yet the cost is minimal, which demonstrates good stewardship by not wasting the sponsorâs money.
Thank Your Sponsors Publicly
Feature sponsor logos and information in your event materials, such as merchandise, pamphlets, and online advertisements and emails. Then, give a shoutout on social media! Tag their company or business page, and publicly thank them in a post.
This will help your sponsor gain exposure as a reward for supporting your event, and it will also help solidify your partnership as beneficial and worthwhile in terms of the companyâs branding. Most likely, the company will then re-post your original post to its full audience to help your event reach new constituents.
Additional Corporate Giving Programs
Corporate sponsorships are a fantastic source of funding and support for your nonprofitâs events and projects. But you should also research other forms of corporate philanthropy. Especially when combined with a corporate partnership, other types of philanthropy can maximize your fundraising revenue and keep your supporters engaged.
Of course, managing different areas of workplace giving like matching gifts, volunteer grants, payroll giving, and more can be tricky if you donât have a centralized platform. Seek out software that can help you identify opportunities, collect data, and share insights for oft-overlooked types of corporate giving. This way, youâll be able to capitalize on more opportunities for support, growing your funding and support through one organized database.
Here are a few of the different types of corporate giving opportunities your nonprofit can seek out and manage with software:
Matching Gifts and Fundraising Matches
Corporate matching gifts are the most popular type of corporate giving program with more than 26 million individuals working for companies with matching gift programs.
Through these programs, companies match the donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits. Typically, these matching gifts occur at a 1:1 ratio, but some companies will match at a higher rate. This means that your donorsâ gifts could be doubled (or even tripled!) at no additional cost to the supporter.
Additionally, some employers match funds their employees raise on behalf of a nonprofit. For example, if you hold a walk-a-thon and an employee raises $250 in pledged donations, the match would bring it to a grand total of $500!
If youâve already set up a partnership with a company, their employees will be encouraged to donate to your cause. While they are a popular form of corporate giving, matching gifts are still an overlooked revenue source. Thatâs why itâs important to raise awareness among all of your donors and supporters, whether theyâre connected to known sponsors or not.
To help raise awareness among your supporters about matching gifts, consider investing in matching gift software. A solution like Double the Donation offers:
These are just a few of the features that Double the Donation’s matching gift solution offers to spread awareness of matching gifts, remind employees to apply for them, and allow you to take advantage of this key revenue stream.
Corporate Grants
Corporate grants are gifts that businesses make to nonprofit organizations, usually for a specific purpose. Like other grants, these may involve an application process and often require your nonprofit to report how the grant was spent and the impact that funding had.
These grants can vary in size and scope, and they may be given in the form of:
When it comes to finding corporate grants for your nonprofit, start with corporations youâve already worked with during event sponsorships or other partnerships. Additionally, check online grant directories to source new funding opportunities.
Volunteer Grants
When youâre running your mission-relevant programs or any kind of fundraising event, itâs likely that your team will need volunteer assistance. But what if there was a way to turn these already beneficial volunteer hours into another source of fundraising revenue?
Volunteer grants are another common form of corporate philanthropy in which companies provide monetary grants to organizations where their employees regularly volunteer. If you fold this into your already established corporate partnerships, you may very well end up with extra funds for your mission!
Ask corporate sponsors to encourage their employees to volunteer at your eventâespecially if those volunteers offer specific skill sets that can benefit your cause. If the company also offers a volunteer grant program, this means youâll get much-needed help at the event itself and youâll raise more money.
Even if your volunteers donât come from corporate partners, encourage them to look up their eligibility for a volunteer grant. Many matching gift databases also offer information about volunteer grants! Double the Donation Volunteering allows volunteers to find their employersâ volunteer grant program details. Embed the search tool into your volunteer page and volunteer registration forms for easy access.
Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
Volunteer time off (VTO) is paid time off that employees can use to volunteer. VTO hours are designated specifically for volunteer opportunities with registered nonprofit organizations, meaning employees can take time off during the workday to help your organization.
These programs provide employees with flexibility and help them fulfill their desire to better their communities. For your nonprofit, VTO policies can bring significant benefits like:
Similar to volunteer grants, you can leverage your partner companyâs VTO policy during the sponsorship. For example, employees might take an afternoon off of work to visit your facility the day before an event and help set up. Or, they might return after the event to help you write thank-you notes for donors.
Payroll Giving
Payroll giving, sometimes called automatic payroll deductions, is another perk of building relationships with companies. Employees can arrange to have a certain amount deducted from their paycheck and automatically donated to a nonprofit of their choice.
Some of the top advantages of encouraging employees to engage in payroll giving include:
These recurring donations can make a huge difference for your organization. Like a monthly giving program, they provide sustainable, reliable funding that you can expect each month. This makes budgeting easier and more accurate, helping you plan projects to fulfill your mission and maximize your funding.
In-Kind Donations
As you probably guessed from reading about in-kind sponsorships above, in-kind donations involve companies donating equipment, products, or services, rather than money. This expands beyond your fundraising events. Maybe your team needs marketing or tax assistance. Many companies are willing to provide these services to nonprofits free of charge!
Educating your organization about the various corporate giving programs out there can help boost your fundraising revenue. Pair that with strong corporate partnerships, and youâll have the resources you need to continue serving your mission!
Developing Mutually Beneficial Partnerships with Auto-Submission
The most successful corporate partnerships are built on a mutually beneficial foundation between charitable organizations and for-profit companies. One of the best ways to improve both partiesâ sponsorship outcomes is to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved. Thatâs why we recommend implementing corporate giving auto-submission!
Double the Donationâs auto-submission functionality is a groundbreaking development in the world of matching gifts and corporate partnerships. And it can aid nonprofit fundraising in a few key ways.
How Auto-Submission Improves Standard Matching Gift Experiences
Auto-submission makes matching gifts easier than ever for nonprofit organizations, their donors, and the companies that support them. Specifically, it enables eligible individuals to complete their match requests in significantly fewer stepsâ âmeaning more matches are ultimately completed and fulfilled.
It also reduces the administrative workload for the nonprofit and business, which allows each group to make a larger impact. Not to mention, auto-submission capabilities include improved reporting practices, complete with new data points that allow organizations to better track matches through the process.
Introducing Custom Matching Gift Partnerships
On the other hand, thereâs a wide range of companies that may not feel prepared to jump into a full-fledged matching gift program for their staff. However, they want to find a way to support nonprofit causes and inspire their employees to do the same.
Our recommendation for these types of partnerships is a custom (or âone-offâ) matching gift programâ âwhere a company will agree to match employee donations to a single organization. These are typically more targeted partnerships than a standard matching gift program, which allows for deepening relationships between a nonprofit and a corporate sponsor. And auto-submission allows these partners to facilitate their offering with minimal lift.
Organizations that use Double the Donation can create custom match programs that are exclusive to their own database tool. And when auto-submission is enabled, employee giving transaction details are automatically passed from the nonprofitâs donation page to the business offering the program.
Additional Resources on Corporate Sponsorships
Corporate sponsorships can have a huge impact on more than just the money your organization brings in. They also affect your organization’s brand recognition, exposure, and credibility. Be sure to choose the right corporate partners for your sponsorships and put in the required research to find the best match.Â
Looking for even more information about corporate philanthropy? Check out these resources below:
Double the Donation Releases Volunteer Functionality for Corporate Volunteer Benefits
/in Company Updates, About Double the Donation /by Adam WeingerDouble the Donation, the leader in corporate matching gifts automation for nonprofits, is proud to expand its horizons with their new corporate volunteering functionality, designed to help organizations connect their volunteers with volunteer grant and volunteer PTO opportunities provided by their employers.
This corporate volutneering functionality, now available to existing Double the Donation clients, gives organizations the opportunity to use a plugin specifically designed to surface information about volunteer grants, a.k.a. âdollars for doersâ, and volunteer time off programs from Double the Donationâs extensive database. Now, donors, volunteers, and other supporters can easily find out if their employer offers special incentives for volunteerism.
Read on to learn more about how your organization can use Double the Donation Volunteering to raise more in volunteer grants or get more supporters through volunteer PTO!
Whatâs Available within Double the Donation Volunteering?
Double the Donation clients can easily access the corporate volunteering functionality through the top navigation in their account. A new dashboard highlights top volunteer grant programs as well as top volunteer PTO programs. Organizations can also see available resources and templates to help their push for volunteer grants, and can also stay up to date on upcoming events hosted by Double the Donation.
Additionally in the volunteering section of their account, organizations have access to a new plugin that puts volunteer grant and volunteer time off information front and center. Nonprofits can both use the plugin directly from within their account, as well as embed the plugin on their website or integrated volunteer registration forms for visitors to use and search from.Â
Keep an eye out for updates as Double the Donation adds more features very soon!
Get Started with Double the Donation Volunteering
Double the Donation Volunteering by Double the Donation empowers fundraisers and corporate philanthropy coordinators to deepen their relationships with supporters by exposing them to the benefits companies make available to them.Â
Ready to learn more about both Double the Donation’s matching gift and corporate volunteer incentive functionality? Request a demo today to learn more about how both can help your organization raise more with every supporter interaction.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at: https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/Â
The Future of Matching Gifts: Auto-Submission Functionality
/in About Double the Donation /by Adam WeingerThe nonprofit landscape is continuously changing, and our team at Double the Donation is constantly making improvements to our matching gift solution, Double the Donation Matching, to evolve along with it. To provide users with the best possible software for their fundraising needs, weâre proud to add the latest cutting-edge technology in matching gifts to our platform: auto-submission.Â
This revolutionary feature makes it easier than ever for donors to complete and submit their matching gift requests to employers by turning a multi-step process into a single click.Â
Looking to learn more about the functionality? Youâve come to the right place! In this guide, weâll share everything you need to know to make the most of matching gift auto-submission.
Weâre excited to be the leading provider of matching gift technology, and if you or your team has any questions about auto-submission not answered by this guide, our team is more than happy to help.Â
What is matching gift auto-submission?
Matching gift auto-submission is essentially the automation of the corporate matching gift request process.
Traditionally, for donors to participate in their employersâ matching gift programs, they have to take the following steps:
When developing a matching gift program, companies should eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible. If a company has a laborious and complex matching gift application submission system, employees might not participate in the program.
In contrast to this lengthy process, when donors can automatically submit their match requests, the process looks like this:
With a user-friendly matching gift process, companies can do more good for their communities, better engage employees, and build strong relationships with nonprofits.Â
Check out the video overview below to learn more and see it in action:
Key benefits of matching gift auto-submission
Streamlining the matching gift process with auto-submission benefits every party involved in the process. Letâs take a look at how auto-submission improves matching gifts for each stakeholder.Â
Benefits for Donors
Donors appreciate knowing their gifts will go further with matching gifts, but complicated request processes can discourage even the most dedicated supporters. Double the Donation has long worked to streamline the matching gift submissions by:
Now auto-submission functionality brings simplicity to the next level. With auto-submission, corporate employees can give directly to a nonprofit through their website, a peer-to-peer fundraising page, or other donation tool. From there, submitting their match requests to their company is so quick and easy that participating is practically a no-brainer.
Benefits for Nonprofits
The link between an easy matching gift process and greater nonprofit revenue is clear; when more donors successfully submit their matches, more matching gift funds get sent your way.Â
This means nonprofits can tap into additional income streams to pursue their missions. Plus, since matching gift funds are likely to be unrestricted revenue, nonprofits are free to spend these extra donations on important but underfunded overhead costs. When the process is automated from start to finish, your team can focus on programming rather than chasing down donors.Â
Benefits for Companies
Companies offer employee programs like matching gifts to increase employee engagement and better appeal to existing and prospective consumers. The more their employees participate in matching initiatives, the more the companies give to nonprofit causes and the better their reputation becomes. When employees see the ease of matching gift auto-submission, their participation in employee giving programs goes up.Â
Benefits for Corporate Giving Vendors
Corporate giving vendors design software for companies that streamlines and improves workplace giving programs like matching gifts. When vendors offer matching gift auto-submission functionality, they make it easier for companies, employees, and nonprofits to tap into a widespread employee giving program, matching gifts. As a result, these CSR platforms see increased usage and satisfaction among corporate clients who want to optimize their employeesâ giving experiences. In the end, this improves these software vendorsâ SaaS renewal rates, attracts new corporate clients, and drives up long-term revenue.
The quicker and simpler it is to participate in corporate matching gift programs, the more likely individuals are to take the required steps. As a result, nonprofits and companies alike can expect significantly more match-eligible donations driven to completionâ , which is a win-win for everybody!
How new auto-submission functionality works
Auto-submission sounds great, but how does it actually work?
Weâve already gone over the basic process, but letâs hone in on a few key steps. Particularly, weâll look at steps two through four in the following infographic which explains just what the software does with a donorâs employment information.
In the end, corporate matching gifts are paid out to your organization the same way as if an individual had manually submitted their matching gift request on their own. To learn more about how this technology works, check out this video exploring Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality:
Our trailblazing auto-submission partners
Double the Donation leverages partnerships with other innovative technology providers to expand its services and functionality. Matching gift auto-submission is no different.
Auto-submission is on the rise, and weâre happy to show off three CSR vendors who have partnered with Double the Donation to bring this cutting-edge technology to donors:
Millie
Millie is a social impact platform designed to make workplace giving and volunteering accessible, fun, and impactful. They are big believers that change comes from everyone, and Millie is on a mission to empower businesses of all sizes to start and grow social impact programs. Whether a company has 100 employees, 5,000 employees, or anything in between, Millie helps engage teams with donation matching, volunteer programming, fundraising campaigns, gifting, ERG tools, and more.
Employees of companies that utilize Milieâs software can leverage matching gift auto-submission to submit match requests to their employers more easily. For nonprofits using Double the Donation, donors will be asked on the gift confirmation page to enter their corporate email address. From there, an email will be sent requesting the donor verify their recently submitted donation and subsequent matching gift requestâ , which will then be completed and processed by Millie.
â
POINT
POINT is known for being a robust yet user-friendly volunteer management app for nonprofits, volunteers, and companies. POINT aims to be an all-in-one solution for corporate social responsibility needsâ , including volunteering, giving, matching, and partneringâ .
To leverage matching gift auto-submission through POINT, qualifying donors enter their email address into the POINT app. The email address is automatically verified with POINT, providing the user with a list of nonprofits associated with their app profile to choose from. They will then be asked to select the organization the donation match should be sent to. From there, the submission is processed behind the scenes.
Selflessly
Selflessly helps HR and company culture leaders increase employee engagement through its corporate giving and volunteering software solution. Selflessly makes it easy to make a social impact by providing companies with all the tools they need in one platform. Employees can donate to nonprofits, coordinate volunteer opportunities, create team campaigns, receive matching gifts, and more. They prioritize inclusive workplaces to support all employees and the causes they care about.
Individuals working for companies that use Selflessly to manage their matching gift programs can log into their employerâs Selflessly portal and request a donation match to their favorite organizations. Now, when those organizations utilize Double the Donationâs auto-submission technology, the request process is as easy as entering their corporate email address when giving. Double the Donation and Selflessly will handle the rest!
Discover even more about matching gift auto-submission
Matching gift auto-submission goes a long way toward increasing the number of completed match donation requests. For organizations like yours, that will mean more corporate revenue and engagement opportunities, with fewer eligible gifts slipping through the cracks. And, best of allâ , your donors are going to love it!
Interested in learning more about matching gifts and best practices your organization can take to increase corporate revenue? Check out these other educational resources:
Nonprofit Basics: Museum Membership
/in Nonprofit Basics /by Adam WeingerMuseums are centers of cultural curiosity. Their events create a sense of community, belonging, and inspiration. Audiences of all ages from middle schoolers to retirees are invited to pause and reflect on their history. However, museums can run into some serious challenges when it comes to finding reliable funding.Â
With a few exceptions, most museums are privately funded and therefore rely heavily on donations. To keep their doors open, museums must be creative with their revenue streams. Thatâs why promoting museum membership opportunities is essential.Â
On the other side of the coin, museum members are often interested in joining a community full of curious, like-minded people. However, amid hectic schedules, it’s easy for them to miss out on a museumâs latest displays. Museum memberships provide community members with an extra incentive both to visit new exhibits and return to old favorites.Â
Therefore, museum memberships offer a win-win for both museums and members.Â
What is a museum membership?
To put it simply, a museum membership is a monetized, tax-deductible pass available for the general public to redeem for free admission. Membership passes typically offer special discounts and privileges as well.Â
Memberships are appealing to frequent museum-goers as they will likely save a couple of ticket payments with the added appeal of a few extra perks. Membership packages can be tailored to specific member needs based on annual or group options.
If youâre a decision-maker at a museum or cultural organization, consider implementing a museum membership program to boost awareness and admission levels. Growing your membership base can increase your donation amounts and promotional efforts, so you can focus on your next exhibition.Â
What are the benefits of a museum membership?Â
Membership benefits vary depending on the museum and its membership packages. Besides free admission, hereâs a list of potential benefits a museum membership might offer:Â
If your museum has multiple locations or partners with other museums, global museum access is a great selling point. Travelers and individuals changing addresses will be happy to have consistent benefits, no matter where they are.Â
For instance, a family may have kids intrigued by a local childrenâs museum exhibit while the parents are looking for offerings geared toward adults. By reaching out to your museum network, you can find partnership opportunities that serve both of these audiences, allowing you to advertise a range of experiences to members.
How do members apply?Â
Although membership sign-ups can differ between museums, they usually follow a standard process:
When setting up your museumâs membership program, ensure your benefits are worth the price. Compare your offerings to competitors and consider how you can differentiate your organization, whether itâs through programming, events, community, or content.Â
How can museums create a membership program?Â
Are you ready to implement a museum membership program? Managing memberships can be tricky, requiring museums to balance everything from event registration to payment processing to weekly newsletter communication. Fortunately, software can help. Â
A robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform or association management software (AMS) can streamline the museum membership process to help you retain current members while recruiting new ones. An effective management system can level up your membership process in a variety of ways, including:Â
Additionally, consider investing in a community engagement platform. This tool provides your members with an online space to connect, allowing you to:
If you already like your AMS, explore community engagement platforms that integrate with your current software. This expands your programâs value for members while retaining the backend tools your staff appreciates for creating events, collecting dues, and managing communication.
Other Resources to Explore
Nonprofit Basics â Learn more about the nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources
40+ Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits to Spread Your Mission â Leverage your resources and increase your revenue with these cutting-edge marketing ideas.
6 Powerful Member Management Features to Build Resilency â Use these six tools to effectively manage your museum memberships.
How to Track Volunteer Grants: Tools, Metrics & More
/in About Double the Donation, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerVolunteer grants, also known as “dollars for doers” programs, are a form of corporate giving that rewards employees’ volunteerism by providing monetary donations to the organizations they support.
These programs supply an invaluable source of funding for nonprofits and schoolsâ âhowever, identifying, pursuing, and managing funding through the programs can be challenging without the right tools and strategies in place. So, if youâre looking for new insights to help track volunteer grants effectively for your team, youâve come to the right place.
In this guide, weâll explore the essential tools and metrics needed to track and report on volunteer grant opportunitiesâ âfrom identification through completion. Empowering your organization with the following information will ensure your team maximizes its potential from the programs with ease:
Ready to get tracking? Letâs dive in.
Why Should Organizations Track Volunteer Grants?
Corporate volunteer grants offer immense potential for nonprofits, but few organizations are making the most of the opportunities before them. Why? A lack of an established volunteer grant tracking process can certainly play a role. Meanwhile, tracking volunteer grants effectively allows fundraisers to supercharge their corporate giving and volunteer engagement efforts alike.
If youâre wondering why your team should invest in revamping its volunteer grant tracking system, our leading reasons include:
Key Volunteer Grant Metrics & KPIs to Monitor
The best way to determine the success of your organizationâs volunteer grant marketing efforts is to track select KPIs (or key performance indicators). The metrics you choose to measure can help your team assess its overall impact, improve outreach efforts, demonstrate value to stakeholders, and more.
Here are a few metrics we recommend tracking within your volunteer grant strategy.
Recommended KPI: Volunteer Grant Eligibility Rate
Why it Matters:Â This metric represents the portion of your volunteer network identified as eligible for a volunteer grant program through their employers. The figure allows your team to better understand and pursue the volunteer grant opportunity.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric: Use a volunteer grant database tool to triage volunteers based on whether their employers offer volunteer grant programs. Then, divide the number of volunteers who work for participating companies by the total number of volunteers in your community.
Recommended KPI: Volunteer Grant Completion Rate
Why it Matters:Â This metric represents the portion of your volunteer-eligible supporter base that ultimately submit in a volunteer grant. Understanding this figure allows you to measure the efficiency of the full volunteer grant process and identifies areas for improvement in your strategy.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Divide the number of volunteer-grant eligible individuals who ultimately produce a volunteer grant for your organization by the total number of volunteer-grant eligible individuals.
Recommended KPI: Total Volunteer Grant Funding Received
Why it Matters: This metric represents the direct financial benefit from companies through volunteer grant programs, indicating the overall level of support.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Add the sum of each volunteer grant you receive in a given time period.
Recommended KPI: Grant Amount per Volunteer
Why it Matters: This metric represents the average value a volunteer grant brings. It also allows you to more accurately forecast incoming grant revenue and aids in tailoring realistic targets and expectations for the results of your implemented strategies.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric:Â Add the sum of each volunteer grant you receive in a given time period, then divide the total amount of funds by the number of volunteer grants received.
Recommended KPI: Number of Companies Providing Volunteer Grants
Why it Matters: This metric represents the extent of your organizationâs current corporate volunteer grant contributor network, and demonstrates your potential for future growth.
How to Track This Volunteer Grant Metric: Count each company that contributes one or more volunteer grants to your organization in a given time period. See if these top volunteer grant companies are supporting your efforts!
Top Tools to Track Volunteer Grants Accurately & Efficiently
Equipping your team with the right tools to track volunteer grants is an essential component of the process. After all, doing so allows for increasingly accurate and efficient management of volunteer data. Plus, innovative technology allows you to enhance reporting capabilities and strengthen relationships with individual volunteers and corporate partners alike.
Effective tracking tools will help your organization streamline volunteer grant identification and promotional efforts, too, ultimately leading to increased funding, improved engagement, and better, more-informed decision-making.
Hereâs what we suggest:
A specialized volunteer grant database
For example, Double the Donation can provide exclusive access to forms and guidelines for thousands of companies that provide volunteer grants (and matching gifts, VTO, etc.). This ultimately simplifies the process of securing volunteer grants, making it easier for volunteers to do their part in the request and driving more volunteer grants to completion.
Comprehensive volunteer time-tracking tools
For volunteers to submit grant requests to their employers, theyâll generally need to supply some sort of record of their activities.
For that purpose, youâll want to ensure youâre making it easy for volunteers by equipping them with tools to track and verify the hours they spend with your organization.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portals
Many companies facilitate volunteer grants through their CSR platforms. In that case, your team will need to log in to the portals to verify volunteer hours. (Donât worryâ âwe have a handy guide here on navigating those platforms.)
These portals will also allow you to see how many volunteer grants have made it to this step!
Remember: the right tools can go a long way. Effective tracking tools will help streamline your identification and promotional efforts, too. In the end, it ultimately leads to increased funding, improved engagement, and better, more-informed decision-making.
Next Steps for Tracking More Volunteer Grants
Tracking and reporting on volunteer grant opportunities is a vital component of a successful corporate engagement strategy. With the right tools and key metrics, your team can track volunteer grants more seamlessly than ever before.
As a result, your organization can boost its financial resources, strengthen relationships with corporate partners, and encourage greater volunteer involvement.
Interested in learning more about how you can track volunteer grants and other forms of corporate giving? Check out these recommended resources:
The Volunteer Grant Research Guide | Finding More Funding
/in About Double the Donation, Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerVolunteer grants (also known as dollars for doers programs) present a lucrative opportunity for nonprofits to maximize their available resources and bolster their impact. However, navigating the complex world of research, engagement, eligibility guidelines, and submissions can be daunting. Lucky for you, thatâs where our complete guide to volunteer grant research comes into play.
Designed to demystify volunteer grant research and more, this resource equips nonprofits with the knowledge and tools they need to identify, pursue, and secure more dollars for doers revenue than ever before.
In order to build much-needed familiarity with the programs, weâll walk you through each step of the volunteer grant research process here. These phases include:
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer manager or new to the corporate volunteerism sector, our guide will help you uncover more funding opportunities, allowing your organization to thrive.
Letâs begin!
Understanding the Volunteer Grant Opportunity đ§
Volunteer grants are financial contributions provided by corporations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. These programs are offered by thousands of businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectorsâ âincluding IBM, Google, Home Depot, Starbucks, Microsoft, Disney, and 40% of the Fortune 500.
However, a lack of volunteer grant awareness among teams and supporters alike has resulted in a significant gap in the programs being utilized and funding being secured. Therefore, for the best results, itâs crucial that a nonprofitâs team has a solid understanding of the volunteer grant opportunity before it can maximize its funding potential. After all, a well-informed team can more effectively communicate the benefits to volunteers, encouraging greater participation and maximizing the organizationâs grant earnings.
Familiarity with companies offering these programsâ âand the specific eligibility criteria for eachâ âis also essential for effectively targeting the right opportunities. Since each volunteer grant program is unique, having extensive knowledge of the programs allows nonprofits to tailor their outreach and engagement strategies according to each supporterâs eligibility. Learn how solutions like Double the Donation Volunteering can help you access the information you need to secure more volunteer grants:
Recommended resource to take your corporate volunteer knowledge to the next level: Double the Donationâs free downloadable Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Grants
Identifying Your Organizationâs Needs & Goals đŻ
For a nonprofit to effectively pursue volunteer grants, it should first identify the unique needs and goals related to these grants. What, specifically, is holding your organization back from reaching its volunteer grant potential?
Perhaps you need better data on where your supporters work.
Or, if you do have accurate and up-to-date employment information for your volunteers, perhaps the roadblock is determining which individuals qualify for volunteer grant programs.
Or maybe you experience drop-off getting supporters to complete the request process on your behalf.
Regardless of the reason, once youâve determined whatâs stopping you from fully leveraging the opportunity, make a plan for overcoming the challenge. Clearly defined goals provide a roadmap for targeting volunteer grants in a way that will have the most significant impact on your cause. We recommend establishing goals that are SMARTâ âor Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example: âTo secure $1,000 in volunteer grant funding by the end of the fiscal year.â
A detailed understanding of your objectives allows your team to craft compelling narratives for volunteer grant-related content. As a result, you can better demonstrate how a volunteerâs participation enables your organization to achieve tangible outcomes, thus making a stronger case for engagement.
It also ensures that everyoneâ âstaff, volunteers, and beyondâ âis working toward a common objective: maximizing the potential for volunteer grant success.
Collecting Employment Information from Supporters đŒ
Collecting employment information from supporters is a strategic approach for nonprofits to identify and leverage volunteer grant opportunities to their greatest potential. By understanding which companies their supporters work for, organizations can pinpoint potential sources of volunteer grants.
Fortunately, there are a few ways for fundraisers to source this information. For the best results, we recommend implementing a combination of the following methods:
Once you have this employment information on hand, you can use it to tailor your outreach and engagement efforts. For instance, knowing that a significant number of volunteers are employed by a company with a grant program might lead you to focus on building relationships with the business.
Uncovering Eligible Volunteers in Your Network đ
Volunteer grants are a specific type of grant generally tied to an employee engagement program offered by the company. As a result, an employer donates money to the nonprofit based on the number of volunteer hours contributed by their employees.
Recognizing which volunteers work for participating companies allows nonprofits to strategically identify and pursue the opportunities available to them.
Ultimately, this targeted strategy leverages existing volunteer efforts to generate more substantial funding, enabling the nonprofit to further its mission and enhance its programs and services.
You might want to scan your entire database for opportunities, tooâ âincluding existing volunteers, donors, and prospects. From there, you can alert current volunteers of their eligibility while informing donors and other non-volunteers about how they can provide more comprehensive support for your cause, empowering them to get involved in a new way.
Top tip:Â Jump to the section on volunteer grant databases below to learn the best way to identify volunteer grant-eligible supporters in your network!
Encouraging Volunteers to Pursue Corporate Grants âïž
Once you know who qualifies for volunteer grants from your network, itâs important to take time to encourage them to actually participate. By motivating eligible supporters to apply for said grant opportunities, nonprofits can unlock significant funding and supercharge their volunteer engagement.
Many volunteers are unaware that their employers offer such programs, so simply providing information on eligibility and involvement can inspire volunteers to take action. Help supporters navigate the submission process and remind them to take advantage of their eligibility before it expires. By encouraging volunteers to pursue corporate grants, your organization can significantly increase its funding, thereby enhancing its ability to fulfill its mission and expand its reach in the community.
Encouraging volunteers to log their hours and apply for grants can lead to substantial financial contributions from their employers. This approach not only boosts the organization’s funding but also strengthens volunteer engagement, as volunteers see a direct impact of their work being amplified through additional resources.
Bonus: Enlisting a Volunteer Grant Database Tool đŠŸ
Our final recommendation is one that is powered by innovative technology: a corporate giving or volunteer grant database.
Enlisting a volunteer grant solution like Double the Donation in your nonprofitâs engagement strategy is an excellent way to efficiently manage and maximize volunteer grants. A database tool can centralize information, provide direct links to online submission forms and eligibility criteria, and streamline the grant application process for volunteers.
By aggregating all the information you need in one place, the tool saves time and effort for both the nonprofit team and its supporters. Volunteers can easily access up-to-date information about available grants, application deadlines, and eligibility requirements, and being equipped with the right information makes them more inclined to complete the process.
Next Steps & More Volunteer Grant Resources
Securing funding through volunteer grants can be transformative for mission-focused organizations. Not only do the programs provide access to new streams of corporate philanthropy revenue, but they also incentivize greater levels of engagement among volunteers in the first place.
By leveraging this guide, nonprofits like yours can systematically approach the grant research and application process with greater confidence and efficiency. Remember, the key to success lies in thorough preparation, a clear understanding of the opportunity before you, and a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.
Let this guide be your roadmap to making a greater difference in the communities you serve. Good luck!
Interested in learning more about volunteer grant research and other workplace giving programs? Check out these recommended resources:
How to Get Matching Gifts Trending at Your Organization
/in Fundraising Ideas, Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerEmployee matching gifts are one of the most popular forms of corporate philanthropy. Still, the source is widely untapped, largely due to a lack of knowledge surrounding the programs. If youâre looking to drive participation at your organization (in order to maximize funding and elevate donor engagement), itâs time to get matching gifts trending among supporters.
But how can you go about doing so? Start a buzz around matching gifts at your nonprofit with these helpful tips:
Our hope is that, by incorporating our recommended practices, matching gifts will become a well-known and fully utilized source of support among you and your supporters.
Letâs jump in with our first trick.
1. Share a blog post.
Blog articles are an effective medium for marketing matching gifts and other employee giving forms to your
supporters. A well-written post provides an opportunity to share an in-depth explanation of the philanthropy programs, along with showing donors that your organization is focused on maximizing fundraising from every source.
Not sure where to get started? We’ve written the following article that your team can use to kick off your matching gift blogging strategy. From there, you can send a link to the newly published resource in your newsletters and other communications to ensure donors know about this opportunity to increase their impact.
Meanwhile, if you choose to write a blog post from scratch, we recommend:
2. Use hashtags on social media.
Your organization likely relies on social media as a core tenet of your digital marketing strategy. But do you have a plan in place to maximize your reach and engagement on key networking platforms?
Research indicates that incorporating hashtags in your posts goes a long way in terms of visibility, audience engagement, and more. A hashtag, which is essentially an octothorpe symbol followed by a key word or phrase, is a social media tool used to organize posts based on content topic. And including one or more in your postings can drive engagement by up to 100% compared to posts without hashtags.
In your next social media post about matching gifts for your organization, consider utilizing a few related hashtags and see how your audience responds. Here are a few examples you can use:
Itâs also important to note that the way you use hashtags can and should vary depending on the social platforms you use. For example, studies show that Tweets with 1-2 hashtags see more than twice as much engagement as those without hashtags. But Tweets with more than two hashtags actually see a drop in engagement.
Meanwhile, the most-interacted-with Instagram posts typically include 11+ hashtags!
3. Prioritize video content.
According to content marketing research for nonprofits, video content is one of the most essential components of an optimized engagement plan. In fact, 66% of individuals find short-form videos to be the most engaging type of material published on social media.
Not to mention, of an organizationâs audienceâŠ
In the age of YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Snapchat, and more, video-sharing is becoming an increasingly integral part of nonprofit marketing. And when it comes to matching gifts, producing video content can play a critical role in informing and inspiring action among donors.
For example, check out this exemplary matching gift video that demonstrates the ease with which a donor can complete the process to amplify their impact on behalf of a cause they care about:
Once they had the video created, the organization opted to share the content on both its website and social media channels to further its reach.
Take a look at the Facebook post here:
Want to make your own video? Hereâs a sample script you can use to get started:
âIncreasing revenue with matching gifts isnât too tricky, but we need our donorsâ help. Last year we collected $[total revenue] worth of matching gifts. This year, we’d like to receive even more. Weâve set a goal to raise over $[revenue goal] from these programs by the end of the year. If we meet our goal, weâll be able to [summary of your nonprofit mission and/or specific project or programming].
You can help us reach these goals by searching for your own match eligibility. Immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed information about your employerâs corporate giving program. All you have to do is search our database of companies with matching gift programs. Click the link in the caption [to your organizationâs dedicated matching gift page] to learn more.â
4. Explore artificial intelligence and technology for content creation.
A significant roadblock facing all sorts of nonprofits is a lack of time and effort dedicated to their marketing strategiesâ âespecially when it comes to matching gifts. In fact, Nonprofits Source finds that over 80% of nonprofits report difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources.
One unique and innovative solution? Artificial intelligence and smart technology.
AI-powered tools are currently sweeping the nation, particularly in regard to brands streamlining content creation while putting more time back into the hands of staff members. To provide some examples of how this can impact matching gifts, we tested a few artificial intelligence tools to see what they could come up with.
Hereâs a sample social media caption written by one AI chatbot tool, ChatGPT (from the emojis to the hashtags and everything in between):
Not to mention, our very own matching gift solution can help streamline donor communications while maintaining targeted and personalized efforts. With this tool, you can easily collect and track donor employment data, identify match-eligible donations, and trigger automated email follow-ups that drive more matching gifts to completion. And it can all take place without your fundraising team having to lift a finger!
5. Host a real-time Q&A online.
From the perspective of a donor who has never requested a matching gift, the entire process can seem a bit overwhelming. What your team can do, as the nonprofit theyâre supporting, is make an effort to answer any questions your supporters may have.
And what better way to do so than with a real-time Q&A session? According to recent live-streaming research, real-time content generates 27% more watch time per viewer than on-demand video. Users like interacting with their favorite organizations, and doing so as a nonprofit can help facilitate deeper relationships with donors. In fact, 79% of marketers indicate that a more authentic interaction with their audience is a top benefit of live-streamed video.
While youâll likely aim to answer a number of questions in any pre-recorded content you share, it can be hard to predict what exactly your donors will want to know. So let them tell you in real time. We recommend:
Today, most social media platforms offer some sort of live-streaming optionâ âincluding YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even Twitter. So pick your favorite platform (ideally one that already sees a lot of user engagement with your nonprofit) and go live!
6. Consider influencers and peer advocates.
Influencer marketing and peer-to-peer fundraising are based on a shared principle: social proof. Social proof revolves around the psychological finding that people are more likely to assume the actions of others when making their decisions.
Luckily, you can use this idea in your next matching gifts campaign!
The first step in leveraging social proof for matching gifts involves locating a number of individuals who youâd like to promote matching gifts to your audience. When donors see other supporters participating in matching gift initiatives, it can be the inspiration they need to get involved themselves.
These so-called âinfluencersâ might be someone closely associated with your nonprofit cause, such as:
Or, you might even be able to get a popular influencer (or micro-influencer) on board! For the best results, look for individuals who share a similar target audience to your nonprofit. Plus, existing connections to your organization or its mission can go a long way toward making that connection.
Regardless of who you choose to get involved, encourage these individuals to share information about gift-matching opportunitiesâ âsuch as your new matching gift videosâ âon their personal social media pages. Provide them with pre-made images, suggested captions, video scripts or outlines, and more, empowering champions to advocate for matching gifts and encourage others to get involved.
From there, your nonprofit can typically re-post the content to your own pages (depending on the platform or platforms used), furthering the reach of the posts.
7. Make the most of free advertising with Google Grants.
Another marketing strategy that you wonât want to overlook is paid search engine advertising. And donât be alarmed by the word âpaid,â either. Google offers nonprofits access to a generous in-kind grant in the form of free ad space (the equivalent of up to $10,000 per month), known as the Google Ad Grant.
Now, why should you promote matching gifts to your audience with the Google Grant? First of all, itâs a free marketing opportunity. Of course you want to make the most of it! Not to mention, research indicates that search advertisements (such as Google Ads) have the highest ROI for nonprofit paid advertisingâ âwith an average value of $4.78 for every dollar.
When you participate in the Google Ad Grant, you essentially choose a page (or pages) and the keywords youâd like to advertise for. Then, when a donor or prospect searches the phrase (e.g., matching gifts for Cat Rescue Club), theyâll be met with your relevant sponsored content (i.e., your donation form, dedicated match page, ways to give page, blog article) at the top of the results page.
The Google Grant is a great way to increase visibility and expand the reach of your organizationâs fundraising efforts. And when done well, it can drive more match-eligible donors through the givingâ âand matchingâ âprocesses.
Ready to apply for the Google Grant? Check out this step-by-step guide from the experts at Getting Attention.
8. Keep up with shifting trends.
When it comes to getting donation-matching (or just about anything else) âtrendingâ at your organization, itâs important that you have a solid understanding of current trends. After all, trends can change fairly quickly, along with the introduction and development of new technology, changing consumerâ âand supporterâ âpreferences, and more.
And in order to get matching gifts trending effectively, there are a few key types of trends to consider as you craft your strategy. These includeâŠ
It ultimately boils down to this: just because something is a key trend today doesnât mean it will necessarily be the same five years from now. So keep an eye out, make a note of any significant shifts you see, and reconvene with your marketing team on a regular basis.
And if youâre a Double the Donation user, weâll always keep you up to date with the latest trends that our team is seeing! Check back with our blog, attend upcoming webinars, or explore our online Matching Gift Academy to stay at the forefront of matching gift innovation.
Next Steps
Youâve heard the tipsâ . Now, get started by implementing these tried-and-true practices in your own organizationâs strategy.
Just remember: the more familiar your audience is with the idea of matching gifts, the more likely they are to partake in their employersâ programming. And the more funding youâll ultimately receive from corporate philanthropy opportunities available to your cause.
Want to learn more? Explore additional resources and discover how you can double your organizationâs fundraising impact with matching gifts:
The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Volunteer Grants [For Nonprofits]
/in About Double the Donation, Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerIn the dynamic landscape of nonprofit operations, organizations constantly face the challenges of recruiting and retaining dedicated volunteers, sourcing sufficient funds, and maintaining high levels of engagement. Various strategies have been devised to overcome these challenges, but one opportunity stands out as a potent yet often underutilized resource: corporate volunteer grants.
What are Volunteer Grants?
Volunteer grants, which are also known as âDollars for Doersâ or employer-sponsored volunteer programs, are corporate giving initiatives in which companies provide monetary donations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. These grants can significantly enhance a nonprofit’s funding while also fostering a culture of collaboration between corporations, nonprofits, and their shared teams.
As a result, the approach you take to marketing volunteer grants to supporters is crucial. In order to drive the best results, the marketing process generally includes the following steps:
In this guide, weâll walk you through each item so you can ensure your team is marketing volunteer grants effectively, helping create the greatest positive impact for your cause.
Letâs begin!
Segmenting your volunteer grant marketing approach
In the realm of nonprofit fundraising, a one-size-fits-all approach to marketing rarely yields optimal results. Marketing volunteer grants is no different.
Therefore, understanding your nonprofit’s audience is crucial for effectively promoting the opportunities to your supporter base. By tailoring your communications with a data-driven strategy, you can increase engagement, awareness, and participation in the revenue-generating programs.
For example, existing volunteers could receive one piece of content asking them to see if their employer will match their time. Meanwhile, volunteer prospects might receive another message informing them about the opportunity and encouraging them to sign up for a volunteer shift to get started.
If you know the supporter’s company, you can also segment your marketing based on a recipientâs likely eligibility for a grant. And, if thereâs a history of eligibility forâ âor participation inâ âother forms of workplace giving programs (such as matching gifts or volunteer time off), this can also be helpful information to note.
Creating and sharing useful volunteer grant marketing content
Creating and sharing volunteer grant-related content through your marketing efforts is pivotal for nonprofits aiming to promote the opportunity to their supporters. By providing clear, informative, and engaging materials, you can educate volunteers about the programs, demystify the process, and invite supporters to get involved.
When done well, your content should strengthen the connection with volunteers by highlighting the dual value of their time alongside financial support from their employers. This targeted approach not only raises awareness but also empowers volunteers to take action, leading to increased participation in the programs.
Check out the following content topics and ideas for marketing volunteer grants to your audience:
Marketing volunteer grants with multi-channel promotions
Thereâs no one perfect platform through which your organization can market volunteer grants to reach 100% of your audience. Thatâs why we recommend taking a multichannel approach, ensuring your message has a broader reach, and you expose a greater percentage of your audience to the opportunity.
While the specific means you use will vary according to your existing promotional plans and resources, we recommend marketing volunteer grants across the following channels:
1) Your website
Your website can serve as a central hub for providing detailed information about volunteer grants to your supporters. We recommend establishing a dedicated page to explain what these are, how supporters can apply for them, and the impact they have on your missionâ . Youâll also want to embed a volunteer grant database in the page to ensure users have easy access to program guidelines and next steps.
Plus, add a section about the opportunity on your websiteâs Ways to Give hub. However, you may decide to combine your Match Page and Volunteer Grants Page, creating a complete workplace giving resource instead.
2) Social media
Social media platforms are excellent for raising awareness and driving traffic to your website. Regular posts, stories, and updates about grant opportunities, testimonials, and submission tips can reach a wide audience and encourage eligible volunteers to get involved. Meanwhile, interactive content like polls and Q&A sessions can also boost engagement and get supporters excited about the opportunity. Then, link back to your dedicated volunteer grants page so you can supply hyper-personalized information even from your broader marketing efforts.
3) Email
Email campaigns can deliver personalized and targeted information directly to your supporters’ inboxes. Digital newsletters can feature detailed step-by-step walkthroughs, reminders about submission deadlines, and success stories to encourage participation.
At the same time, more segmented emails can ensure each volunteer receives targeted content relevant to them, their engagement history, and their employing company.
4) Text messages
Text marketing offers a powerful opportunity for sharing short, sweet, and to-the-point messages with your audience. When it comes to marketing volunteer grants, itâs a direct, quick, and easy way to remind supporters about volunteer grant opportunities.
For the best results, we recommend prioritizing brief, concise messages linking out to additional information to prompt quick and tangible next steps from supporters.
5) Volunteer sign-up forms
Integrating information about volunteer grants into your organizationâs volunteer sign-up forms ensures that new and existing volunteers are exposed to the programs.
Even better, volunteers expect to share a good amount of information about themselves when they sign up to donate their time to your cause. As each volunteer completes an online sign-up form, your team has a unique opportunity to promote volunteer grant opportunities and source employment data that can help uncover funding in your network.
đĄ Top tip: Embed a company database tool in your sign-up forms by integrating your volunteer registration platform with Double the Donation! Make it easy for supporters to learn about the opportunity and provide invaluable employment insights.
6) Paid advertising
Our final recommendation is what is often referred to as paid advertising. However, donât let the âpaidâ part hold you back. Sites like Google and Microsoft each offer registered nonprofits free access to their platforms, meaning youâll benefit from sponsored search listings at no cost.
In doing so, you can effectively target specific demographics likely to be interested in volunteer grants. Plus, drive new qualified traffic to your website, raise awareness among a broader audience, and attract new supporters to your cause.
đĄ Top tip: Request a free consultation with our recommended paid advertising consultant, Getting Attention, to initiate the Google Grant application process today.
Marketing volunteer grants with one-off corporate partnerships
More than likely, a lot of your supporters already work for companies with volunteer grant programs. For those who donât, however, custom or âone-offâ partnerships can offer an excellent way to begin facilitating relationships with employers in your network.
This targeted approach allows nonprofits to build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with a specific company, fostering a sense of exclusivity and dedicated support. It can even lead to increased volunteer engagement from the companyâs employees, who may feel more connected and committed to the cause due to their employer’s direct involvement.
đĄ Top tip: Reach out to existing supporters’ employers to pitch a volunteer grant partnership. You may even be able to source a warm introduction from a donor or volunteer to help break the ice!
Sourcing inspiration from real-world examples of marketing volunteer grants
Sourcing inspiration from real-world examples of volunteer grant marketing efforts can help nonprofits promote the opportunities to their own audiences more effectively than ever before. Examining case studies, testimonials, and best practices in action from fundraising peers allows nonprofits to identify innovative approaches and avoid common pitfalls.
By adapting and implementing these tested methods, nonprofits can enhance their outreach efforts, increase awareness of volunteer grant programs, and ultimately boost their results.
Check out the following examples of nonprofits marketing volunteer grants well:
Organization A đ¶
In our first example of standout volunteer grant marketing, one animal welfare nonprofit has effectively harnessed the potential of volunteer grants through a multi-faceted and user-friendly online approach. Specifically, this team created a dedicated employee giving page and embedded Double the Donationâs database tool. This way, they can provide real-time information on thousands of companies’ volunteer grant programs with just a few clicks.
But the nonprofit didnât stop there, either! Instead, this team also integrated employment-related questions directly within their volunteer application forms. As an individual completes the sign-up process, they are prompted to supply details such as their company name, role, and knowledge of workplace giving (matching gift) program availability. Thus, by gathering this information upfront, the organization can identify potential grant opportunities and proactively assist volunteers in applying for them.
Organization B đ©ș
Our next example is an organization that focuses on health and medical support. This nonprofitâs strategy for marketing volunteer grants is built around detailed guidance and robust information. The organization has built out a dedicated volunteer grants page with an embedded company search tool, making it easy for volunteers to find out if their employers offer grant programs.
The online resource also features a step-by-step walkthrough of the process for requesting a volunteer grant, ensuring that volunteers understand each stage and what is required. Plus, to further underscore the value of volunteer grants, this team highlights statistics that showcase the prevalence of these programs with concrete data.
Organization C đ©ș
Another health and medical nonprofit has also developed a multi-channel approach to promoting volunteer grants. This organizationâs dedicated employee giving page includes everything an individual would need to know to get involvedâ âfrom an embedded company search tool with a detailed FAQ section to information about the nonprofit and more.
Additionally, the organization prominently mentions volunteer grants on its “Ways to Give” page, ensuring potential donors and volunteers are aware of this opportunity and encouraged to participate.
Organization D đ„«
For this food bank, promoting volunteer grants begins with visibility on crucial web pagesâ âincluding a prominent mention on the organizationâs âWays to Giveâ page. This ensures visitors are made aware of this opportunity and encouraged to get involved. Theyâve even embedded Double the Donation’s search tool right within the page, providing information on thousands of companiesâ programs and making it easy for volunteers to see if their employers participate.
Organization E đ§Ș
This research foundation leverages a combined approach to marketing volunteer grants with informational content, practical tools, and more. In a detailed blog post, the team illustrates the power of volunteer grants and matching gifts, explaining the process and encouraging supporters to get involved.
From there, the blog links to the organizationâs workplace giving page, which provides extensive information on various companiesâ volunteer grant programs and is complete with a company search widget.
Organization F đł
Organization F, an environmental nonprofit, has used a digital newsletter to educate and motivate its supporters about volunteer grant opportunities amongst other content. This sample newsletter included a section dedicated to the impact of workplace giving and other unique fundraising opportunities and encouraged readers to look into their volunteer grant eligibility to strengthen their impact even further.
Organization G đ§
This organization, which is focused on youth mentorship opportunities, ensures that information about volunteer grants and other workplace giving opportunities is easily accessible by mentioning them directly on its donation page. This strategic placement means that anyone considering a financial contribution is also made aware of the potential for additional support through volunteer grants.
By integrating this information into a key page, the nonprofit increases the likelihood that visitors will explore and take advantage of volunteer grant opportunities, enhancing their overall fundraising efforts.
Organization H đ¶
Another animal welfare nonprofit designed a âpawsitivelyâ adorable employee giving page that overviews the top types of workplace philanthropy. Of course, this includes volunteer grants!
By offering a comprehensive overview complete with eye-catching facts and figures, the team is able to educate its supporters about various ways to contribute through their workplace. This increases participation in volunteer grant programs and maximizes funding potential overall.
Organization I đ§
This youth-focused organizationâs workplace giving page prominently highlights Dollars for Doers as a key opportunity for corporate involvement. In order to foster a complete understanding of the programs, the nonprofitâs online resource includes alternative names for these programs and details how participation can benefit both the organization and its supporters on a personal level.
Organization J đ§
Social media can also be a great tool for marketing volunteer grants, as demonstrated by this youth and community organization. To increase awareness of the opportunity and inspire participation through social proof, the nonprofit took to Facebook to celebrate a successful volunteer grant received. The post thanks the grant-giving institution, thus fostering greater engagement, and outlines the intended use for the funding. Itâs a great way to inspire others to seek volunteer grant funds on your behalf, too!
Organization K đ§
Another Facebook post, this youth and community organization utilizes social media to raise awareness and share informational content regarding volunteer grants. Specifically, the post highlights the growing trend of such grants, details how supporters can get involved, and provides specific next steps to encourage participation.
By using social media to educate and motivate their audience, the fundraiser increases volunteer grant visibility and drives more supporters to take the intended action.
Wrapping up & additional volunteer grant marketing resources
Volunteer grants represent a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to enhance their funding and engagement simultaneously. By educating supporters, partnering with companies in your network, and powering your promotional efforts with the right tools, your organization can optimize its volunteer grant marketing efforts with ease.
Now, itâs time to embrace the potential of volunteer grants for your cause. Incorporate the above tips and tricks in your strategy, then sit back and watch it thrive as you harness the power of corporate partnerships for your nonprofitâs mission.
Interested in learning more about leading employee philanthropy opportunities? We recommend the following resources:
Top Volunteer Grant Databases to Grow Your Tech Stack
/in About Double the Donation, Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerVolunteer grants are a vital source of funding for nonprofits, enabling them to maximize their impact and encourage their supporters to do the same. However, navigating the various programs available to your organization can be challenging. Thatâs where volunteer grant databases come in!
If youâre looking to expand your organizationâs fundraising toolkit with a volunteer grant database, youâve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about top volunteer grant databases and how they can benefit your mission.
This includes:
By incorporating a database tool into your tech stack, your nonprofit can streamline its fundraising, better engage its volunteer base, and support its mission more effectively than ever before.
What Is a Volunteer Grant Database?
A volunteer grant database is a specialized tool designed to help nonprofits identify and manage volunteer grant opportunities. These grants, which are also known as “dollars for doers,â are offered by businesses as a way to provide monetary donations to nonprofits based on the volunteer hours their employees contribute.
Tons of companies offer the programs, but keeping track of each oneâs criteria and submissions can quickly become an overwhelming task for nonprofit teams. Supporters often lack knowledge of their companiesâ programs, too, so it often falls on the organization to uncover qualifying opportunities.
Fortunately, volunteer grant databases do it for you!
How? A volunteer grant database tool compiles comprehensive information on thousands of corporate giving programs (including volunteer grants, matching gifts, and volunteer time off). Each listing supplies company-specific eligibility criteria (e.g., qualifying employees, minimum number of hours, grant thresholds, etc.), links to online submission forms, and more.
How Does a Volunteer Grant Database Impact Fundraising?
Incorporating a volunteer grant database into your fundraising strategy can significantly enhance your supporter engagement, financial health, and more.
Here’s how it can do so.
More Identified Dollars for Doers Opportunities đ
By providing access to a centralized repository of grant opportunities, a volunteer grant database can help your team quickly screen for eligible volunteers. Even if supporters are unaware of their grant potential, your team can flag eligible individuals to pursue a more personalized approach and encourage their submissions.
Simplified Request Process for Volunteers âïž
Speaking of submissions, each volunteer is generally required to complete a request form for their employer in order to secure grant funding on your organizationâs behalf. Providing access to a volunteer grant database is one of the best ways to streamline submissions and reduce unnecessary friction in the process. All an individual has to do is enter their employerâs name and navigate to the provided request form.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency âĄ
Manually identifying and researching volunteer grant opportunities requires a lot of organizational bandwidth. By automating the process with a volunteer grant database tool, you can free up your teamâs time for other high-value activities.
Improved Grant Tracking đ
Volunteer grants follow a multi-step process from identification to submission and through the disbursement of funds. A volunteer grant tool like Double the Donation offers tracking functionality that helps monitor the status of available grants and address any issues that may arise.
Increased Funding through Corporate Giving Opportunities đą
The easier it is for volunteers to request funding from their employers, the more likely they are to do so. That means more corporate giving revenue making its way to your organization.
But itâs not just volunteer grants, either. A volunteer grant database will often supply resources on matching gifts and other corporate giving programs, too!
Our Volunteer Grant Database Recommendation: Double the Donation
When selecting a volunteer grant database for your nonprofit, itâs important to consider several key factors. After all, you want to ensure the tool effectively supports your fundraising efforts and organizational needsâ âboth now and in the time to come.
Lucky for you, weâve explored potential database options and would like to supply you with our top recommendation: Double the Donation.
Now, letâs see why this tool stands apart as the leading solution:
Other Top Tools & Resources For Growing Volunteer Grants
In addition to volunteer grant databases, there are a number of other handy tools and resources that can help supercharge your organizationâs volunteer grant strategy.
These include:
Volunteer grant compilations
If your team has yet to make the leap to a volunteer grant databaseâ âwhich we highly recommend doingâ âfree online resources (such as those offered by Double the Donation) can help identify select opportunities in your database.
For example, this compilation of top volunteer grant programs highlights several generous companiesâ initiatives. It provides an excellent chance to cross-reference your supporter data and see if any existing or prospective volunteers work for these well-known examples.
Volunteer time-trackers
Time-tracking tools are generally software applications that help nonprofits record and manage the hours contributed by their team members. When volunteers are encouraged (or required) to track the time they spend with your cause, youâll find itâs easier than ever to streamline volunteer grant requests.
Keep in mind that these tools can also vary greatly in their level of sophistication. Some organizations manage hour-tracking efforts with paper forms, others employ spreadsheets, and others still invest in dedicated solutions.
Volunteer management tools
You may already have a Volunteer Management System, or VMS, in your nonprofit toolkit. This type of tool is designed to help nonprofits organize, recruit, and manage their volunteer workforce, typically offering features for scheduling, communication, task assignments, and more. When itâs easy for supporters to sign up and partake in volunteer activities, youâll have more eligible individuals to pursue volunteer grants in the first place!
Not to mention, a well-managed volunteer program can typically provide the necessary documentation and proof of volunteer hours needed for grant applications.
CSR platforms
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platforms are comprehensive solutions that assist companies in managing their employee giving and volunteer programs. These platforms also facilitate collaboration between companies and nonprofits, making it easier to coordinate philanthropic efforts for both teams.
As a result, most CSR platforms incorporate a nonprofit-facing portal that organizations can access for free. From there, they can manage their side of the programs (i.e., reviewing and verifying volunteer requests).
Final Thoughts on Volunteer Grant Databases & More
Investing in a volunteer grant database can significantly boost your nonprofit’s fundraising capabilities. By streamlining the volunteer grant discovery and submission processes, dedicated tools like Double the Donation can help maximize the value of volunteer grants for your cause.
Integrating these tools into your tech stack allows you to ensure your nonprofit is well-equipped to leverage the full potential of volunteer grants, ultimately powering organizational growth.
Continue growing your corporate giving knowledge. Read up on these recommended resources to learn more: