Most match-eligible donors rely on some kind of matching gift forms to complete their end of the matching gift process. However, these forms (and the steps taken to submit them) can look wildly different from one company to the next.
In order to best simplify and guide employee donors through the submission process, it’s important that you understand the ins and outs of paper, electronic, and e-submission match forms—plus form alternatives.
From the nonprofit side, giving your supporters the tools they need to complete a match request helps maximize the matching gift revenue you ultimately collect.
On the other hand, as a company, considering all available options for submission forms can make a big difference as you work to develop and finetune your matching gift program.
In this guide, we’ll provide everything you need to know about corporate matching gift forms, including:
As a main source of corporate philanthropy, matching gifts are not an opportunity you want to miss out on. That’s true regardless of whether you’re looking at it from the nonprofit or the business perspective.
The right matching gift forms—and an understanding of how to use them—can bring your team’s strategy to the next level.
Let’s get started!
What are matching gift submission forms?
Matching gift submission forms are a specific type of documentation used within the corporate matching gift process.
When a company launches a matching gift program, it typically provides employees with access to a blank form (note: while some companies may still offer paper options, these forms are most often made available online and hosted within a corporate matching vendor platform). This document typically incorporates a number of fields that share context into the individual donation, the receiving nonprofit, and the team member submitting the request.
The form is then completed by the donor after making their initial nonprofit contribution as a way to formally request a match from their employer.
Then, the application is submitted to the company through the business’s specified channel. From there, the employer reviews the provided materials, verifies the initial donation, ensures the gift meets the company’s matching criteria, and approves the match.
Why matching gift forms matter
From start to finish, the matching gift process encompasses a few key phases. These include the initial donation, the employee request, the match review, and finally, the corporate gift.
Of these stages, the majority of match-eligible gifts drop off before or during the employee request component. For nearly all companies, the request stage involves the employee donor filling out an online matching gift form. And the ease with which an individual can complete their match form directly correlates to fulfilled matching gift success.
In other words, the best matching gift forms result in more matching gifts.
If that’s not enough of an answer, let’s take a closer look at why corporate matching gift forms matter…
To Donors
From the donor’s perspective, a matching gift form comprises the vast majority of the matching gift experience. Without it, there’s no employer donation ultimately secured, thus inhibiting the amplified giving impact an individual is aiming to make.
Not to mention, the donor is the one who actively completes the form to request a match on behalf of their favorite organization. It makes sense that a positive user experience is a priority for this key stakeholder!
To Nonprofits
An estimated $4 to $7 billion in available matching revenue goes unclaimed each year. That’s funding that could be going to nonprofit causes but is ultimately left on the table by qualifying organizations and their donors.
In fact, most fundraising groups see only a fraction of the matching gift dollars available to them. Since one of the most significant roadblocks facing incomplete matches is the submission process, nonprofits understand that optimized matching gift forms can go a long way toward driving matches to completion.
To Companies
Companies invest time and effort into launching their matching gift programs. It goes without saying that they want employees to partake. After all, heightened staff participation levels result in better overall CSR—and, with it, increased employee engagement, improved company culture, unique cause marketing benefits, elevated brand reputation, and more.
However, complicated request processes can be a significant hindrance to team-wide engagement with the offerings. Thus, companies want to establish easy-to-use corporate match forms that provide positive experiences for their employees.
Elements of a corporate matching gift form
Regardless of the type of form a company utilizes, most matching gift submissions request the same pieces of information. And this information generally falls into three overarching categories:
Donor Information
Companies typically request a number of personal data points relating to the individual employee within the matching gift application. Though it can vary greatly from business to business, this information might include:
- The donor’s name
- Employee identification number
- Corporate email address
- Personal mailing address
- Phone number
Providing these details generally certifies that the donor is who they say they are (i.e., an employee of the company from which they’re requesting a match). Plus, it ensures the employer knows who is requesting the matching gift for their own records and to track participation and donation totals over time.
Nonprofit Information
Most match forms also ask specific questions pertaining to the organization an individual has supported. This might include:
Information about the nonprofit can help determine that the organization meets the company’s eligibility requirements (i.e., mission type). Not only that, but it also ensures that the person in charge of the corporate matching program has appropriate contact information for the nonprofit group, should they need to get in touch to verify the initial donation.
Donation Information
This final section is typically where the company asks employees to provide details regarding the original donation. Again, this enables the employer to determine whether the initial gift qualifies for a match (falls within the donation threshold, is submitted prior to the submission deadline, etc.).
Commonly required fields include:
- Gift amount
- Transaction date
- Payment currency
- Donation method
Many companies also request proof of the original donation, which nonprofits often provide in the form of tax-deductible gift receipts. And that’s where the individual donor’s side of the matching gift submission typically ends.
However, some employers require the recipient organization to verify the initial contribution themselves. In those cases, a vital step of the matching process falls into the hands of the nonprofit group.
After an employee completes the matching gift request, the nonprofit is typically notified (whether by mail or within a CSR portal) that an employee has requested a match. At this point, the organization must log into the company’s verification system to confirm that the specified employee made a donation to the cause. They may even be asked to provide a letter verifying the organization’s IRS-sanctioned 501(c)(3) status.
3 types of matching gift submission forms (and alternatives)
There are currently three main types of matching gift forms. These include paper, electronic, and Double the Donation’s standard form. However, innovative corporate giving platforms are developing streamlined submission processes that allow donors to bypass the matching gift form altogether.
Each company that offers a matching program is able to establish its own match request process. This includes selecting one or more matching gift forms and/or alternatives to accept.
Let’s take a closer look at each submission type, and the general process asked of donors to complete it.
Paper Matching Gift Forms
When it comes to matching gift forms, paper documents are where it all started. In fact, the first-ever matching gift program was developed before the internet was even invented!
Today, however, most matching gift donors prefer electronic forms; though some companies continue to accept—or even require—traditional paper documentation.
We don’t recommend companies use this type of outdated match form. After all, it’s a lot of extra work for the donor, the nonprofit, and the company itself. Still, it’s important to understand the process should you run into a situation involving paper submission forms in any case.
And here’s how it typically works. Employees at corporations with paper match forms go through the following steps to submit their match requests:
Match Eligibility Identification
The first step involved in any matching gift process is determining match program eligibility. And there can be quite a few factors at play here, including whether the company matches employee gifts at all, whether the employee in question qualifies for matching, whether the donation amount and recipient organization meet the company’s standards, and more.
This information can be uncovered in a few ways, from the company itself to a third-party tool such as Double the Donation.
Request Form Location
The next phase of the process involves locating the appropriate matching gift form. And unfortunately, this can be a bit trickier with paper forms compared to other types of matching gift submissions.
Double the Donation or the employer may provide access to printable versions of the forms online, or they may be requested in person from the HR department or company leadership.
Paper Matching Gift Form Submission
Once the match request forms have been accessed, donors are prompted to complete and submit the document via the channel established by the company. Some employers may accept the forms in person (again, likely to the HR office or manager), while others may require match forms to be submitted via mail to a provided address. Others yet can offer some sort of fillable PDF option, which may be completed and submitted online.
Electronic Matching Gift Forms
Technology is rapidly progressing, so it makes sense that many companies have transitioned to electronic forms. Doing so not only reduces programming costs and administrative lift but also simplifies participation for employees.
Electronic forms give donors a bit more freedom regarding when, where, and how easily they complete their requests.
Here’s what the process typically looks like:
Employee Sign-In / Registration
To access and complete electronic matching gift forms, employees usually have to log into the company’s CSR platform. This step typically involves creating or signing in with a username and password for the site.
In order to locate the login page, individuals may be directed from their company’s HR department or manager, or they might receive a link through the nonprofit to which they contributed—specifically if the organization uses Double the Donation’s tools.
Match Request Submission
Once in, the employee is prompted to complete the actual request process.
Like paper forms, individuals are asked to register their match requests by providing key data points. Though the exact process can vary based on the CSR portal a company uses, donors generally begin by searching for (or adding) the nonprofit they’ve supported from the portal’s list of verified causes.
From there, individuals typically provide a number of data points pertaining to their recent gifts—such as payment type, domain amount, currency, transaction date, and more.
Then the request is complete, and donors can submit their application with a click of a button!
Double the Donation’s Standard Matching Gift Form
Somewhere between a paper matching gift request and a complete online submission portal is Double the Donation’s intuitive standard match form.
Companies can easily opt into accepting this online form, which then enables streamlined automated electronic submissions for their employees. With this offering, donors can more easily complete their matching gift requests, thus increasing program usage and impact overall.
Double the Donation aims to make matching gifts as simple as possible, and the standard form was designed for just that purpose.
Here’s what the process looks like for eligible donors submitting the standard matching gift form:
Employer Selection
As donors give to nonprofits that use Double the Donation’s matching gift software, they’re prompted to enter their employing company in an auto-completing search tool embedded in the donation form. This is done to uncover match eligibility and determine whether the company accepts the standard matching gift form.
Identity Verification and Authorization
If so, the donor is provided with an opportunity to submit their match automatically, directly from the organization’s gift confirmation screen. Typically, all they are required to do here is verify their identity by providing a corporate email address and check a box that authorizes Double the Donation to submit the match request on their behalf.
Behind-the-Scenes Submission
Once authorized, Double the Donation pulls necessary information from the donation process itself and automatically fills in the blanks on the premade standard matching gift form. Upon completion, the form is sent as a PDF document to the matching gift coordinator designated by the company to review and approve as usual.
Matching Gift Form Alternative — Auto-Submission
Online match portals that facilitate electronic request forms have long been working to streamline and improve the match submission process. And Double the Donation shares the same goal.
Now, Double the Donation is partnering with select CSR software providers to do exactly that. By providing an innovative matching gift form alternative, auto-submission allows qualifying donors to submit match requests without a matching gift form at all.
Auto-submission was recently moved out of beta and is now growing its integrated network with CSR solutions.
All they’re typically asked to do is enter their corporate email address on the gift confirmation screen and authorize Double the Donation to submit a match on their behalf. From there, the integrated software ecosystem collects necessary data points and funnels the information directly to the employer’s corporate giving platform behind the scenes.
Then, the company reviews and approves the match within the software system as usual.
This revolutionary new function benefits donors (with streamlined submission processes and fewer roadblocks), nonprofits (with increased match revenue), and companies (elevated program participation) alike. It’s a win-win-win!
And as more companies and CSR providers begin rolling out the feature in partnership with Double the Donation, an ever-growing number of nonprofit supporters will be able to leverage the matching gift form alternative.
Learn more about matching gift auto-submission here.
How a matching gift database fits in
Double the Donation has compiled the industry’s most in-depth source of matching gift information. Our comprehensive database provides access to details regarding more than 24,000 companies’ (equating to approximately 99.68% of all match-eligible donors) program guidelines and request processes.
By sharing a summary of each company’s matching gift program, we aim to make it increasingly easy for donors to complete their matches on behalf of the organizations they support.
When donors search for their employers using the associated database search tool, they’ll instantly receive any available guidelines for their employers’ programs. If available (which, over 91% of companies’ forms are), a direct link to online match forms and other related documents will be given to them, too!
Here’s an example of what you might see when searching for an employer with Double the Donation’s matching gift database search tool:
Donors will also be provided with other relevant information, such as:
- The company’s match ratio;
- Minimum and maximum match amounts;
- Eligible employee groups (full-time, part-time, retired, spouses, etc.);
- Qualifying nonprofit mission types;
- Match request processes and forms (online or offline);
- Submission deadlines;
- Other available programs (i.e., volunteer grants).
A corporate database can provide powerful insights into thousands of companies’ matching gift programs and next steps. That can go a long way toward maximizing program participation for donors by simplifying the processes involved.
Nonprofits interested in benefiting from our innovative matching gift database and automation software can do so by requesting a demo here.
As for companies, make sure your giving program is included in our comprehensive database of corporate match information. This enables employees to have quick and easy access to program guidelines and forms from their favorite organizations’ giving pages! Click here to add your company to Double the Donation’s matching gift database.
Wrapping Up
Matching gift forms play a crucial role in the overall matching gift process—not to mention strategic corporate match fundraising.
At this point, your team should know all about the different types and components of corporate matching gift forms, the value for nonprofits, companies, and donors, and more. Now, it’s time to get out there and start maximizing your matching gift revenue!
Interested in learning more about matching gift best practices? Check out these additional recommended resources:
Take matching a step further with auto-submission functionality.
The Impact of Matching Gift Programs on Employee Engagement
/in Learning Center, Matching Gift Companies /by Adam WeingerWith a whopping 85% of employees actively disengaged at the workplace, implementing intentional engagement programs is crucial for ensuring your company’s success. By implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs into your company culture you can access benefits on multiple sides—workforce productivity, community impact, and customer satisfaction.
One of the top workplace giving program ideas is matching gifts. Starting a matching gift program boosts engagement by allowing you to invest in your employees’ passions. However, if you’re new to CSR or don’t know where to start with matching gifts, it can be difficult to know where to start. Don’t worry—this guide will provide you with everything you need to cultivate a more engaged and effective workforce by covering these topics:
Without further ado, let’s explore the valuable relationship between matching gift programs and employee engagement.
Matching Gift FAQs
Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned pro, you likely have some questions about the vast world of matching gifts. Let’s get you the answers you need before we move into our engagement strategies.
What are the key terms to know regarding matching gifts?
If you’re new to matching gifts, there are a lot of important terms that you might not be aware of. Here are some definitions to keep in mind:
All of these terms (and a few more) will eventually be fully fleshed out in your corporate giving policy. If you’d like to more clarity on how other organizations define them, research companies that donate to nonprofits to get a more informed perspective on how you can tailor these ideas to your employee engagement goals.
What are the primary benefits of matching gift programs?
Matching gift programs offer a plethora of advantages for both companies and nonprofits alike. Besides feeling fulfilled after committing a good deed, companies who embrace matching gifts can boost:
That said, you can’t harness these benefits without putting a sincere effort towards making philanthropy a core value of your company. That means actively promoting your program to employees and iterating on it.
What can affect employee engagement with matching gift programs?
Numerous factors can impact a company’s employee matching gift engagement, such as:
To gauge what influences your own company’s matching gift participation rate, survey your employees and ask what aspects are beneficial and where improvements can be made. These answers usually directly correlate with your program’s effectiveness and appeal to your employee community.
Tips for Maximizing Employee Engagement through Matching Gift Programs
Now that your initial questions are answered, you might be wondering how to launch your own matching gift program. Before we go over the details, let’s review the big-picture ways that you can increase engagement.
Your company needs to do more than simply start a matching gift program to get employees excited about getting involved. Implementing these large-scale atmospheric and program shifts will make it easier for your matching gift program to make a lasting impact.
How to Start an Employee Matching Gift Program
These simple steps can help you start your matching gift program on the right foot:
Develop a corporate giving policy
Before you lay out your specific matching gift policies, you should create a framework for your overall approach to corporate social responsibility and giving. Ensure you cover the following aspects in your policy:
Record all of these stipulations in a visible location, such as the employee handbook or in your employee-facing CSR platform, so your staff has the most essential information at their fingertips. If you make changes to your policy, communicate them to your entire team to keep your program running smoothly.
Pick a CSR platform
If you haven’t already settled on a CSR platform that supports matching gifts, now is the time to research your options and pick the best fit. Keep these important considerations in mind while you choose your platform:
Once you’ve narrowed down your prospective providers based on these criteria, schedule demos, consultations, and any other meetings to help you make your decision. Also, remember to include all relevant parties in your research and trial processes, such as your software experts, company leadership, and CSR program chairs, so you get a diverse array of perspectives on the available options.
Communicate the program’s impact to employees
As previously mentioned, one of the biggest barriers to employee participation in matching gift programs is a lack of awareness. To achieve maximum visibility, you should:
Similar to your external marketing efforts, your program will only be as popular as your communications are effective. Use marketing tools such as powerful calls to action and branded images to make your communications stand out.
Celebrate successes and recognize employee participation
Once the matching gift requests start rolling in, you should take the time to thank those who made the program successful—your employees. Showing your heartfelt gratitude can help employees feel more engaged and inspired to renew their involvement going forward. Share your thanks by:
A little recognition can go a long way in securing long-term support for your matching gift program. As long as your sincerity comes through, your employees will feel the love and keep giving!
Wrapping Up + Additional Resources
Now that you know how and why matching gift programs can influence your employee engagement, it’s time to launch your own efforts! By keeping your employees at the center of your strategy and leveraging the right technology, you can achieve remarkable results for your company, both internally and externally.
2023 at a Glance | Double the Donation’s Year in Review
/in About Double the Donation, Company Updates, Press Releases /by Adam WeingerAs we near the end of another extraordinary year, the Double the Donation team is thrilled to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve taken in our 2023 Year in Review. Throughout these last twelve months, we’ve seen remarkable growth, exciting developments, and forward-thinking strategies emerge.
And we’re thrilled to review some of our most compelling milestones and updates here! These include:
Now, let’s rewind and see what’s happened in the past year.
Exciting product updates & enhancements
Over the last twelve months, Double the Donation has continued to enhance our flagship product, 360MatchPro. Marked by an exciting array of more than 35 product updates and enhancements in the past year, the consistent developments are designed to bolster our matching gift automation platform and its overall effectiveness for users.
Let’s take a look at some of our standout new features and enhancements here:
Matching gift auto-submission released to improve and simplify the matching experience
As one of our most cutting-edge developments, matching gift auto-submission came out of beta this year! By significantly streamlining the match request process and strengthening relationships between companies and nonprofits, auto-submission functionality remains projected to yield matching gift revenue growth of 200% or more.
Custom matching gift program management to empower deeper corporate partnerships
Custom (or “one-off”) matching gift programs can provide organizations with an additional source of matching gift funding. Initially offered exclusively to 360MatchPro Enterprise clients but now available for all standard users as well, our new custom matching gift program functionality makes managing these opportunities simple and impactful for nonprofits.
*As a note: this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers to manage their end of the matching gift process. If you’re a corporation interested in matching gifts, let us know, and we’ll refer you to a corporate vendor partner that can help.
Improved tracking and reporting functionality to demonstrate the impact of matching gift automation
We want to make match tracking and reporting as easy (and insightful) as possible for our users. In order to do so, recent product updates include a new “Simple Statistics” module, a donor event tracking log, an updated reporting tab that provides quick, pre-built action items and data-informed recommendations, and more.
Renewed VPAT for Revised 508 Standards to verify and increase software accessibility for all users
An accessibility audit and updated Voluntary Product Accessibility Template ensure our platform stays up to date with and adheres to the most current accessibility guidelines. After all, our goal is always to offer a fully inclusive tool for fundraisers and donors alike.
These product updates and more have paved the way for our most powerful solution yet. As a result, our team is better equipped to serve nonprofit fundraisers and aid as they maximize their matching gift potential. And we’ve built a strong foundation for future advancements in 2024 and beyond.
Continually expanding client base
At Double the Donation, we take great pride in our ability to forge meaningful relationships with an ever-growing number of nonprofit and school fundraisers. Over the past year, we’ve been delighted to welcome more than 1,800 new organizations into our ever-growing client family.
Here’s what a few of our newly onboarded clients have had to say:
By collaborating with causes like these across widespread verticals and mission types, our team is honored to support the work our clients are doing to make a positive impact on the world around them.
As we head into 2024, we’re excited to see the upcoming successes that occur as new organizations dive deeper into strategic matching gift fundraising with our tools.
Numerous new & enhanced partnerships
At Double the Donation, successful partnerships are at the core of what we do. We understand that the more extensive our integration offerings, the more effortlessly organizations can incorporate matching gifts into their existing donation processes. This facilitates a streamlined and positive experience for donors, ultimately increasing the impact of their support.
That’s why we continually prioritize partnership network growth by establishing integrations with new donation tools, peer-to-peer fundraising software, CRMs, corporate giving platforms, and more. At the same time, we’re improving and enhancing existing integrations to provide the most seamless, impactful solutions for our clients.
In 2023, we’re happy to report that our team has celebrated more than fourteen new integrations and eighteen partnership enhancements. And that’s in addition to our existing technology network!
Remarkable levels of overall matching gift success
A key recurring highlight of our annual Year in Review report involves examining our clients’ monumental matching gift fundraising outcomes. And this year was no exception!
So far in 2023, Double the Donation software users have boasted impressive metrics like these:
Not only do matching gift strategies identify new opportunities for additional funds, but they also produce greater levels of donor engagement with impactful communications and outreach. And this year, we are glad to say that our clients have reaped the benefits outlined above and more!
Significant matching gift database growth
At Double the Donation, our extensive matching gift and volunteer grant database is one of our most powerful assets. And organizations use this tool every day to power their own corporate giving strategies.
That’s why it’s so crucial that we provide the best, most comprehensive compilation of program information. And why we continue to expand its coverage and scope.
At the time of our 2023 Year in Review, our database consists of more than…
And these figures will only continue to grow—especially as corporate giving trends show more and more companies matching gifts.
Invaluable matching gift resources
A lot of what we do at Double the Donation involves equipping nonprofits with the resources to maximize matching gifts. In addition to our complete automation platform, 360MatchPro, another type of tool we provide is educational content on corporate giving.
This year, the Double the Donation team has significantly grown our resource library. We’re proud to introduce a wealth of readily available materials, such as…
Plus, we can’t forget about our most standout resource this year: the Matching Gift Academy! This online learning system, which is available free of charge to Double the Donation users (a $199 value/year), consists of all new materials with 11 modules, 45 lessons, and 7 hours of video content. It provides a comprehensive, self-paced, and immersive learning experience for nonprofit professionals looking for a complete overview of the matching gift opportunity.
Check out this quick overview of our webinar offerings to learn more:
By equipping fundraisers with a robust array of resources, we empower organizations to make the most of matching gifts to the best of their ability. After all, knowledge is power!
Wrapping Up
As we eagerly step into the new year, we’re filled with excitement and enthusiasm for what’s to come. To our inspiring clients, partners, team members, and more: we greatly appreciate the support you’ve given us this year. We truly couldn’t do it without you!
We look forward to another year of innovation, growth, and development as we continue to seek new ways to empower fundraisers to maximize their matching gift potential.
From all of us at Double the Donation, here’s to a joyful holiday season and a prosperous, promising year ahead. Thank you for being part of our journey, and we can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store!
Corporate Volunteering Platforms: Boost Employee Engagement
/in Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerCompanies that serve their communities stand out to customers and employees. With robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in place, businesses can engage their employees and prove their commitment to bettering the world around them.
With 63 million Americans already volunteering with nonprofits each year, corporate volunteerism is an easy way for companies to get started with CSR. To ensure your program runs smoothly, invest in a corporate volunteering platform. This type of tool facilitates the logistics of corporate volunteerism, making it easy for employees to participate.
In this article, we’ll cover the basics of corporate volunteerism and corporate volunteering platforms, including:
Whether you’re new to corporate volunteerism or want to make your existing program more efficient, corporate volunteering platforms are an excellent investment in your company’s CSR efforts.
What Is Corporate Volunteering?
Through corporate volunteering programs, companies encourage their employees to volunteer their time with charitable causes. These programs typically involve businesses promoting or organizing volunteer opportunities for their team. They may also feature incentives for volunteering, such as volunteer time off or volunteer grants.
What Are the Benefits of Corporate Volunteering?
While corporate volunteering clearly helps nonprofits gain more volunteer support, what about businesses? Why should your company start a corporate volunteering program?
There are so many advantages your company can unlock by starting a corporate volunteering program, including:
From employees to customers to job applicants, corporate volunteerism allows your company to develop stronger, longer-lasting relationships with a variety stakeholders.
What Are Corporate Volunteering Platforms?
Corporate volunteering platforms are a form of volunteer management software. These tools help companies manage their corporate volunteerism programs and streamline communication with volunteers. By investing in a corporate volunteering platform, you can formalize your program and take your CSR efforts to the next level.
What Are the Top Features of Corporate Volunteering Platforms?
Each corporate volunteering platform has its unique features. We’ve compiled a list of some of the top features to look for when choosing your own platform:
Of course, your company may not need all of these features to successfully manage your corporate volunteer program. Take the time to sit down with your team and determine which features are necessary before investing in a platform.
How Do You Select A Corporate Volunteering Platform?
With the different potential features in mind, you may be wondering how you should proceed with choosing a corporate volunteering platform. Follow these steps to make the best decision for your company:
To ensure your corporate volunteering platform is effective, you’ll want to make sure your employees know how to use it. Schedule a meeting to teach your employees the ins and outs of the platform and answer any questions they may have.
Wrapping Up & Additional Resources
Starting a corporate volunteerism program is a great first step in developing your CSR repertoire. With the right corporate volunteering platform, you can take your program to the next level, engaging more employees and helping tons of worthy causes.
If you’re looking for additional ways to enhance your corporate volunteering program, check out the following articles:
Workplace Giving Platforms: 5 Ways You Can Boost CSR Success
/in Learning Center, Corporate Consulting /by Adam WeingerIt’s no secret that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is on the rise. According to Double the Donation’s corporate giving statistics, 39% of companies plan to expand their workplace giving programs in the next two years, and CSR is growing in popularity across companies all over the world.
However, 78% of donors are unaware of their company’s program specifics, which is why workplace giving platforms are crucial to your company’s CSR success. We’ve created this guide to explore everything you need to know about workplace giving platforms, including:
When it’s easy for employees to participate in workplace giving programs, your company will do more than help its community. Employee engagement levels, your CSR reputation, and nonprofit causes will reap the benefits of an organized and streamlined process for managing workplace giving. With that in mind, let’s get started!
What are workplace giving platforms?
Workplace giving is an employer-sponsored program through which employees can donate to charitable causes in various ways, including matching gifts, volunteer grants, and automatic payroll deductions.
Depending on the type of program your company offers, you’ll have to facilitate different donation methods. For example, if you choose to offer volunteer grants, you’ll have to track employees’ volunteer hours. That’s where workplace giving platforms come into play.
Workplace giving platforms are software solutions that streamline a company’s corporate philanthropy efforts by managing giving and volunteering.
Using workplace giving tools, companies can efficiently manage their philanthropy programs, keep their employees engaged through easy participation, and boost the impact of their CSR initiatives. Let’s take a closer look at the ways workplace giving platforms can maximize your company’s CSR success.
5 benefits of workplace giving platforms
The type of workplace giving platform you need depends on the program your company runs, but there are software options for nearly every type of program. Let’s take a look at how specific platforms can benefit your company’s programs.
1. Matching Gift Management
Matching gift programs are one of the most common offerings companies have in terms of workplace giving.
By essentially doubling the donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits (based on the company’s guidelines), companies benefit nonprofits and help their employees make a difference for the causes they care about. However, running a matching gift program takes a lot of organizational power, especially if your company has many participating employees and donations to track.
To make it easy for employees to participate, choose a workplace giving platform that allows you to:
The right workplace giving platform should help your company manage its matching gift program with ease, streamline your overall giving process, and encourage employee participation.
2. Volunteer Management
In addition to matching gift programs, corporate volunteerism is becoming a larger component of workplace giving. Volunteerism can take many forms, and as companies develop or expand their volunteer programs, the right workplace giving platform can keep them on track for success.
To dive deeper into the ways that corporate giving programs can manage volunteerism, we’re going to break it down into three categories: volunteer opportunities, volunteer tracking, and volunteer grants.
Volunteer Opportunities
The first hurdle your company may encounter when developing a corporate volunteering program is actually finding volunteer opportunities for your employees. Using a workplace giving platform that offers a database of both virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities can help you jump that hurdle easily and efficiently.
Workplace giving platforms vet the nonprofits in their databases, meaning your employees can rest assured that they’ll be working with reputable causes and organizations. Beyond sifting through nonprofit organizations for you, workplace giving platforms also help you create custom volunteer events for your employees, offering features such as:
It’s great to get employees involved in your volunteer program, but it’s especially important that volunteers get to have a say in the opportunities available to them. That’s why offering a database of volunteer events is essential. Many companies also offer paid time off for volunteering (known as VTO), which gives employees a direct incentive to participate and increases employee engagement levels.
Volunteer Tracking
Once your volunteer opportunities have been confirmed, workplace giving platforms go further and allow you to track all elements of your employees’ volunteer efforts. This includes:
Employees can easily track their hours for any kind of volunteer event, while you can view all the wonderful work they’re doing from one central location.
Volunteer Grants
Another way to engage employees in corporate volunteerism is by offering volunteer grants, which are monetary grants awarded to nonprofits in response to employees’ volunteer hours with that organization.
Like with matching gift programs, workplace giving platforms help you monitor volunteer grant requests that come through. As employees track their hours and request grants, you can easily approve and process each request in the same central system—much like you would with matching gifts.
All of these components of volunteer programs are important. Whether you’re offering VTO, trying to make it easy for employees to find volunteer opportunities, or processing volunteer grant requests on a regular basis, workplace giving platforms take the extra legwork out of the equation.
3. Additional Workplace Giving Program Management
Of course, workplace giving is made up of more than just matching gifts and volunteer programs. There are tons of different programs that contribute to CSR, and choosing the right workplace giving solutions can help streamline all of them.
Workplace giving platforms can help you manage:
Workplace giving platforms also help companies build a community within their teams by supporting causes that are important to them.
Use a workplace giving platform to set goals, select nonprofits, spotlight volunteer opportunities, and more. These tools allow you to create a sense of urgency and keep your employees engaged in nonprofit causes and events all year long.
4. Employee Engagement
Whether you’re running a grant program, launching an employee giving campaign, offering payroll deductions, or starting other types of workplace giving programs, choosing the right solution to meet your company’s needs will benefit more than just your team and your brand. It will also deeply engage your employees and strengthen your company’s workplace culture.
Here are a few ways your workplace giving platform can engage employees:
It’s clear: Employees are more dedicated to companies that support charitable giving, and workplace giving platforms can help you show your support by simplifying the giving process! Check our list of employee engagement ideas to learn more.
5. Company Reputation
According to NonprofitsSource’s guide to workplace giving, an established giving program can enhance your reputation in the community. And just as your workplace giving platform plays an important role in your program, it also has a large impact on your brand reputation!
Use your solution to:
Workplace giving and improved company reputation are components of a cyclical strategy to increase the impact your company makes. Your efforts to give charitably will enhance your brand reputation, which will recruit more customers and supporters for your company. In turn, you’ll receive more resources to invest back into your workplace giving program, making a greater impact overall.
How to start using workplace giving platforms
1. Determine your needs
To start using workplace giving platforms, you’ll first need to decide which solution makes the most sense for your company. When researching platforms, consider the following:
Don’t shy away from any questions you have for the software provider or during the demo. After conducting thorough research, choose a platform and get started!
2. Educate employees
Your employees are a key part of your workplace giving efforts—after all, their giving is often the first step in your company taking action to give charitably.
Create training materials to go over the platform (and your giving program) with employees. Teach them how to use the platform and how to make the most of your workplace giving programs.
Be sure to incorporate informative materials about workplace giving in new employee onboarding, as well. This ensures that every employee learns about workplace giving from the very beginning of their tenure with your company, maximizing the potential of their giving.
3. Promote your program
Leverage your company’s most frequently used communication channels to promote your workplace giving program, including social media, your website, email newsletters, and any other messaging platforms you use. This not only puts your program in front of employees but also garners the attention of nonprofits, which may partner with you after seeing your commitment to workplace giving.
Workplace giving trends
Interested in exploring new and upcoming trends surrounding workplace giving and the technology that empowers it? Staying on top of changes in the industry can help you ensure your team is equipped with the best tools possible.
Here’s what we’ve seen recently:
1. More mid-sized and small businesses are rolling out CSR programs.
Historically, workplace giving programs such as matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more have been primarily offered only by the largest businesses.
Now, these types of programs are becoming more accessible than ever for mid-sized and small businesses as well! Why? For one thing, the sector’s been seeing increasingly flexible pricing scales for workplace giving platforms, making streamlined management more attainable for companies of all shapes and sizes.
Not only that, but new corporate giving vendors are entering the game with a specific focus on targeting mid-level businesses. This takes a lot of the administrative burden away from company leadership itself, meaning more corporations are willing and eager to roll out the programming.
If you’d like to be inspired by some small and mid-sized businesses with big workplace giving programs, take a look at these examples of CLMA-certified companies:
We love seeing new companies establishing and growing their workplace giving—whether through matching gifts, volunteer grants, or other engaging initiatives for employees. In the end, it means more nonprofit funding, more workplace engagement, and more socially responsible businesses powering good in our communities. We’re excited to find out which companies are next!
2. Workplace giving platforms offer tighter integrations with nonprofits.
Corporate philanthropy programs essentially form partnerships between companies and nonprofits. Workplace giving programs take things a step further, empowering companies to directly support the organizations that their employees are already giving to.
Workplace giving platforms know this, and that’s why they’re aiming to make the process of using their software as quick and easy as possible for both their corporate clients and, particularly, for their clients’ end users: employees. A huge part of that involves developing tighter relationships with the nonprofits on the receiving end of the programs.
For example, though software providers are focused on selling their tools to corporations offering workplace giving programs, most have built out separate nonprofit management portals with which organizations can facilitate their end of the workplace giving process. Within these nonprofit-specific portals, organizations can easily go in and verify individual donations, volunteer hours, etc., in order to move the requests to the next step. And this end of the platform is typically free for nonprofit causes, helping to further build those relationships through streamlined and accessible technology.
Plus, offering tighter integrations with nonprofits helps make the employee and donor experience more optimal as well. When an organization has already established an account with the workplace giving platforms their supporters use, individuals can typically complete their request process more easily—for instance, having the ability to select from a search of pre-approved organizations rather than having to input all the information for the cause from scratch.
3. Vendors can now offer auto-submission, which fully streamlines match requests for donors.
In order to provide workplace giving technology that truly streamlines and simplifies matching gift programs for donors, nonprofits, companies, and employees, some providers have rolled out brand-new auto-submission functionality, which recently completed its beta testing.
Individuals can now submit their matching gift requests to their employers with a single click directly from the donation confirmation pages of the organizations they support. All they have to do is enter their corporate email address and check, “Yes, submit my matching gift request!”
This video explains how it works.
Now, this helps in a few key ways. For one, it enables organizations to capitalize on donors’ giving momentum right when they’re at their highest level of engagement with the cause: while giving. It minimizes the risk of them saying, “Oh, I’ll do that later,” and then never coming back to it.
Not to mention, it also significantly decreases the amount of time and effort required of a donor to complete the process. Whereas a donor may have previously been asked to provide information about themselves, their donations, and the organizations to which they give, now all they need is an email address. The software ecosystem handles the rest of the data behind the scenes!
This simplicity helps in a few key ways:
At this time, auto-submission functionality is made available through workplace giving platforms that integrate with Double the Donation’s matching gift tools. Currently, this includes these corporate giving software providers:
That means that when an employee works for a company outsourcing their workplace program management to a CSR vendor like Millie, Selflessly, or POINT, they are already eligible to participate in auto-submission. That is, as long as the organizations they’re giving to also employ Double the Donation’s software.
But auto-submission remains a rapidly growing innovation; with the solution now out of beta, it will will soon incorporate many more corporate vendors (and their clients), companies (and their employees), and nonprofits (and their donors). And we can’t wait to watch all the matching gift requests being processed when they do!
Additional Resources on Workplace Giving Platforms
If you’re looking for more information about workplace giving and the platforms that can help you be successful, check out the additional resources below:
Top Corporate Giving Software to Drive Employee Engagement
/in Learning Center, Corporate Consulting /by Adam WeingerWhen it comes to engaging employees in your company’s workplace giving programs, finding tools that promote participation can be challenging. However, it’s well worth the effort since the easier it is for employees to take part in workplace giving, the more likely they are to do so—and the more nonprofits benefit as well.
To help your search, we’ve compiled a list of the top corporate giving software to drive employee engagement, create an organized giving process, help your company promote corporate philanthropy, and fine-tune your corporate giving strategy.
Here are some top popular options:
Use this list to find the best corporate giving software for your company and start boosting employee participation in your workplace giving programs. Plus, we’ll also explore top trends seen in modern corporate giving software platforms and how they impact companies, employees, nonprofits, and donors.
One term you might see as you set off in search of the perfect corporate giving software is the CLMA. This designation, which refers to Certified Leaders in Matching Automation, recognizes corporate giving software solutions that go above and beyond in ensuring a seamless and accessible matching gift experience for the programs it facilitates.
Keep an eye out for the following badge to locate CLMA-certified providers.
Millie
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
Millie is one of the top corporate giving platforms, offering features that support corporate matching gifts, volunteer management, campaign management, and more.
Using Millie, your company can create volunteer events, search for volunteer opportunities, match employee donations according to your budget, and build campaigns around an event or cause.
Millie allows your company to create a social impact program that’s easy to use, flexible, and budget-friendly.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
Millie enables companies to give charitable dollars—funds specifically marked to be donations—to their employees and customers. Recognize outstanding employees and develop deeper relationships with customers and prospects by sending charitable gift cards that can be donated to nonprofit organizations.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
Yes! This corporate giving software can be integrated with Double the Donation, the industry’s leading matching gift tool with auto-submission functionality. Employees of companies that use Millie will be prompted to enter their corporate email addresses from the nonprofit gift confirmation page to automatically submit their matching gift requests, making it easier than ever for team members to participate in employee giving.
Yes! Millie is a Certified Leader in Matching Automation, meaning the platform is known to offer the most accessible, streamlined, and transparent matching gift experience in the industry.
Pricing
Millie charges monthly fees based on the number of employees you have.
POINT
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
POINT is a collaborative volunteer platform that provides local nonprofit leaders with the tech tools they need for free, while companies can use the platform to engage employees and boost their CSR programs.
Using the POINT app, companies can manage volunteerism, giving, and partnerships all in one platform that’s easy for employees to use.
When local nonprofits post volunteer opportunities, your company can easily reserve spots for team members or send the information to employees for them to sign up themselves. You can also easily send gifts through a donation tool, strengthen nonprofit partnerships, and leverage automatic reporting.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
When a company buys a subscription to POINT, a registered 501(c)(3) organization gets access to POINT’s platform for free. This allows nonprofits to easily find and manage volunteers, saving them time so they can focus their efforts elsewhere.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
Yes! POINT integrates with Double the Donation to enable auto-submission functionality. Corporate employees using POINT can enter their email addresses. Then, they’ll receive a list of organizations associated with their app profile which they can submit their match request to. From there, the request is processed automatically!
CLMA-Certified?
Yes! POINT is a Certified Leader in Matching Automation, meaning the platform is known to offer the most accessible, streamlined, and transparent matching gift experience in the industry.
Pricing
Pricing for POINT depends on the number of employees in your company. Visit their website to book a demo.
Selflessly
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software,
Selflessly is an all-in-one giving platform for corporate social responsibility designed to empower small and medium-sized businesses’ corporate philanthropy efforts.
This tool offers a range of solutions, including workplace giving, volunteering, gift matching, and reporting.
With Selflessly’s corporate giving software solution, businesses can better engage employees, improve their image with consumers, and support the philanthropic efforts they care about.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
Corporate gift matching is a key component of many companies’ giving efforts, making Selflessly’s donation matching tools one of its greatest assets. Plus, their partnership with Double the Donation allows Selflessly to streamline the giving process for businesses and their employees continually!
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
Yes! Selflessly features innovative auto-submission technology made available through a seamless integration with Double the Donation Matching. All employees have to do is provide their corporate email address on the nonprofit’s donation confirmation screen, and the rest of the process will be completed automatically.
CLMA-Certified?
Yes! Selflessly is a Certified Leader in Matching Automation, meaning the platform is known to offer the most accessible, streamlined, and transparent matching gift experience in the industry.
Pricing
Selflessly’s dedicated team works with each customer to make sure pricing fits their needs. Visit their website to request a demo or custom pricing.
Field Day
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
Field Day is an all-in-one social impact platform that helps companies facilitate corporate volunteering, donation matching, impact reporting, and professional services programs.
Using Field Day, companies can manage their entire social impact program under one roof to maximize their corporate giving efforts.
With their central hub for donation management and matching along with their volunteer event management system, Field Day makes it simple for corporate employees to give back to the causes they care about.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
In addition to their corporate giving platform, Field Day also helps companies run impact campaigns that drive employee connection. Their help with the curation, execution, and reporting of impact campaigns ensures companies can create one of a kind campaigns.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
Yes! Field Day offers auto-submission functionality through their seamless integration with Double the Donation. Companies who use Field Day to facilitate their donation matching program enable their employees to submit matching gift requests directly from the confirmation page of a nonprofit’s donation form. This makes for a seamless employee experience and boosts engagement!
CLMA-Certified?
Yes! Field Day is a Certified Leader in Matching Automation, meaning the platform is known to offer the most accessible, streamlined, and transparent matching gift experience in the industry.
Pricing
Field Day offers a Sandard Plan and an Enterprise Plan for companies of different sizes. Visit their website to book a demo.
Uncommon Giving
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
Uncommon Giving is a comprehensive corporate giving software solution that empowers businesses to manage and amplify their philanthropic efforts. Designed to streamline the process of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the platform enables companies to facilitate employee giving, manage charitable contributions, and track the impact of their donations.
With features like customizable giving options, automated payroll deductions, and detailed reporting, Uncommon Giving makes it easy for companies to integrate philanthropy into their workplace culture. Additionally, the platform fosters employee engagement by offering a wide array of giving opportunities, including matching gifts, volunteer grants, and fundraising initiatives, helping businesses align their charitable activities with their corporate values and goals.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
What makes Uncommon Giving stand out is its lightweight, intuitive solution for companies and their employees, making it easier than ever to get involved with company-sponsored philanthropy. With an easy-to-use mobile app, portable giving wallet, and powerful reporting tools, the platform streamlines the entire giving process, enhances employee engagement, and allows companies to effectively track and maximize the impact of their philanthropic efforts.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
Yes! Uncommon Giving integrates with Double the Donation’s industry-leading matching gift software to offer groundbreaking auto-submission functionality. This means employees using the tools can benefit from one-click matching gift submissions straight from their favorite charities’ giving forms.
Yes! Uncommon Giving has earned the CLMA designation for corporate giving software thanks to its dedication to providing seamless and accessible matching gift experiences for its users.
Pricing
Uncommon Giving has pricing that begins at $1,999/year. The platform encourages companies to get a demo to learn more and see the tools in action!
America’s Charities
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
America’s Charities offers a variety of CSR tools for companies looking to grow their philanthropy programs.
Companies can choose from several software options, including three workplace giving technology solutions, special funds management (like employee assistance funds and disaster relief), and standalone services like charitable funds management and payment processing.
One of the most popular solutions, America’s Charities Engage, is an end-to-end giving and CSR solution that lets businesses manage grantmaking, donation matching, workplace giving, employee engagement, and volunteers.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
One size does not fit all, which is why America’s Charities offers a broad range of workplace giving-related services and software solutions. They have also had 40 years of experience in this field and have raised more than a half-billion dollars for tens of thousands of charities through various workplace giving programs.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Contact America’s Charities for specific pricing information and to request a demo.
Benevity
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
Benevity is one of the leading providers of corporate giving software, offering companies employee engagement tools.
Benevity’s platform helps companies find volunteer opportunities, set up and run volunteer grant programs, manage matching gifts, enable payroll donations, and more.
Using Benevity, your company can create a purpose-driven culture for employees, engage employees in current issues, and make participating in your social good programs easy with a mobile app.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
Benevity automates every part of your employee engagement program. This provider also offers integrations with Workday, VolunteerMatch, and Okta to provide employees with better, more convenient access.
Through the Benevity Causes portal, nonprofits gain access to corporate and individual donors and volunteers, leading to even more support from companies.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Contact Benevity to learn more about their services and pricing.
Bright Funds
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
Bright Funds is a leading provider of corporate giving software as a service for workplace giving,
volunteering, and grants management.
With a personalized, intuitive experience, Bright Funds makes it easy for your employees to do good.
Companies can set up their Bright Funds’s platform in less than a day with all the features they need to get their CSR program going. That includes matching gifts, volunteer events, custom campaigns, real-time reporting, and more. The fund model allows companies to create funds for disbursement to one or more nonprofits for maximum flexibility.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
With nearly a decade of experience, Bright Funds helps companies of all sizes multiply their impact through a comprehensive CSR platform. In addition to a seamless user experience, the platform supports global giving and helps companies save time with simple program administration, employee engagement tools, and managed donations disbursement.
Bright Funds’ integrations with other popular workplace management systems such as ADP, Okta, Workday, Zenefits, and VolunteerMatch provide a better experience while simplifying implementation.
Plus, the Bright Network is a free portal for nonprofits, allowing them to optimize workplace fundraising with digital tools such as electronic payments and donor reports.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Bright Funds supports companies of all sizes. Fees start at $2 per month per employee for companies under 300 employees and scale based on employee count. Contact Bright Funds for more details and register for a free 30-day trial.
CyberGrants
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
CyberGrants, soon to be Bonterra, is another top corporate giving software solution that offers fully integrated tools for grants management, employee giving, volunteerism, disbursement, disaster relief, and more.
Using CyberGrants, you can create several innovative CSR programs from matching gifts and political action campaigns to charitable spending accounts.
Their real-time reporting, automated payroll, and rules-based approvals make it easy for companies to roll out social good programs and manage them efficiently.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
CyberGrants specializes in two areas: employee giving and grants management. That means if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for managing grant applications, disbursements, matching gifts, employee donations, and volunteer programs, CyberGrants is a great option.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Contact CyberGrants for a demo and to learn more about pricing.
SmartSimple
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
SmartSimple is a robust corporate giving solution that offers grant management, employee giving, matching gifts, volunteer management, volunteer grants, and more.
Using SmartSimple’s tools, you can streamline every step of your workplace giving programs, manage volunteering, administer your matching gift programs, and focus on in-kind giving.
Beyond their many corporate giving tools, SmartSimple offers detailed reports, dashboards, and maps using real-time data.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
Beyond its many robust corporate giving solutions, SmartSimple also offers a goals-tracking feature, which allows companies to track goals for each CSR and giving initiative. Define and measure your goals for all of your efforts. Then, share them with the rest of your company and its stakeholders to showcase your philanthropic impact.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Visit SmartSimple’s website for pricing information and to request a demo.
YourCause
Overview of This Corporate Giving Software
YourCause is a top corporate giving software solution for managing workplace giving, employee volunteering, grants, and more.
Boost participation and employee engagement using their CSRconnect solution, which allows companies to manage disaster relief, seasonal campaigns, year-round matching, peer-to-peer fundraising, and volunteer events.
In addition to tracking donations and hours, YourCause provides robust reporting features that allow teams to track data and recognize outstanding employee participants.
Why This Corporate Giving Software Stands Out
YourCause offers a free portal that allows verified nonprofit organizations to create and manage volunteer events, access donor information, and engage with companies and their employees. In turn, this can help your company form stronger relationships with nonprofits.
Offers Matching Gift Auto-Submission?
No, this platform does not yet offer matching gift auto-submission functionality.
CLMA-Certified?
No, this platform is not yet a certified leader in matching automation.
Pricing
Contact YourCause to request a demo and get more information about pricing.
Corporate Giving Software Trends | What We’re Seeing
Corporate giving software has become increasingly important in powering companies’ giving programs. In recent years, it’s evolved and come a long way in terms of user experience, accessibility, and functionality. And we’re still seeing and expecting big shifts as innovation continues.
Let’s walk through a few key trends that pertain to corporate giving software and how they impact the industry.
Increasing ease of use for companies, employees, and more
As corporate giving technology continues to develop, both the corporations and the nonprofit organizations they support can benefit exponentially. Meanwhile, continuously updated platforms make staying current with the latest advances in technology even easier.
Recently, corporate giving software providers have focused on elevating the UX for the backend users (i.e., the companies purchasing the tools) as well as the front-end users (i.e., corporate employees) to optimize program participation.
The best platforms are even becoming Certified Leaders in Matching Automation to further demonstrate their commitment to providing an optimal experience for employees and the nonprofits they support.
More programs and tools catering to small and mid-size businesses
Corporate giving has historically been primarily exclusive to the largest corporations. There are many reasons for this. Most prominently, the technology infrastructure used to manage CSR programs was designed with Fortune 500 and other mega companies in mind.
Now, however, more and more providers are prioritizing tools that are both accessible and affordable for smaller and mid-level companies as well. In turn, corporate giving participation has opened up to businesses of all shapes and sizes, enabling more employers to take part with ease.
Additional Corporate Giving Resources
If you’re looking to learn more about corporate giving, employee engagement, or the tools that can help you expand your CSR program, check out these resources below!
Corporate Matching Gift Forms | The Ultimate Guide
/in Learning Center, Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerMost match-eligible donors rely on some kind of matching gift forms to complete their end of the matching gift process. However, these forms (and the steps taken to submit them) can look wildly different from one company to the next.
In order to best simplify and guide employee donors through the submission process, it’s important that you understand the ins and outs of paper, electronic, and e-submission match forms—plus form alternatives.
From the nonprofit side, giving your supporters the tools they need to complete a match request helps maximize the matching gift revenue you ultimately collect.
On the other hand, as a company, considering all available options for submission forms can make a big difference as you work to develop and finetune your matching gift program.
In this guide, we’ll provide everything you need to know about corporate matching gift forms, including:
As a main source of corporate philanthropy, matching gifts are not an opportunity you want to miss out on. That’s true regardless of whether you’re looking at it from the nonprofit or the business perspective.
The right matching gift forms—and an understanding of how to use them—can bring your team’s strategy to the next level.
Let’s get started!
What are matching gift submission forms?
Matching gift submission forms are a specific type of documentation used within the corporate matching gift process.
When a company launches a matching gift program, it typically provides employees with access to a blank form (note: while some companies may still offer paper options, these forms are most often made available online and hosted within a corporate matching vendor platform). This document typically incorporates a number of fields that share context into the individual donation, the receiving nonprofit, and the team member submitting the request.
The form is then completed by the donor after making their initial nonprofit contribution as a way to formally request a match from their employer.
Then, the application is submitted to the company through the business’s specified channel. From there, the employer reviews the provided materials, verifies the initial donation, ensures the gift meets the company’s matching criteria, and approves the match.
Why matching gift forms matter
From start to finish, the matching gift process encompasses a few key phases. These include the initial donation, the employee request, the match review, and finally, the corporate gift.
Of these stages, the majority of match-eligible gifts drop off before or during the employee request component. For nearly all companies, the request stage involves the employee donor filling out an online matching gift form. And the ease with which an individual can complete their match form directly correlates to fulfilled matching gift success.
In other words, the best matching gift forms result in more matching gifts.
If that’s not enough of an answer, let’s take a closer look at why corporate matching gift forms matter…
To Donors
From the donor’s perspective, a matching gift form comprises the vast majority of the matching gift experience. Without it, there’s no employer donation ultimately secured, thus inhibiting the amplified giving impact an individual is aiming to make.
Not to mention, the donor is the one who actively completes the form to request a match on behalf of their favorite organization. It makes sense that a positive user experience is a priority for this key stakeholder!
To Nonprofits
An estimated $4 to $7 billion in available matching revenue goes unclaimed each year. That’s funding that could be going to nonprofit causes but is ultimately left on the table by qualifying organizations and their donors.
In fact, most fundraising groups see only a fraction of the matching gift dollars available to them. Since one of the most significant roadblocks facing incomplete matches is the submission process, nonprofits understand that optimized matching gift forms can go a long way toward driving matches to completion.
To Companies
Companies invest time and effort into launching their matching gift programs. It goes without saying that they want employees to partake. After all, heightened staff participation levels result in better overall CSR—and, with it, increased employee engagement, improved company culture, unique cause marketing benefits, elevated brand reputation, and more.
However, complicated request processes can be a significant hindrance to team-wide engagement with the offerings. Thus, companies want to establish easy-to-use corporate match forms that provide positive experiences for their employees.
Elements of a corporate matching gift form
Regardless of the type of form a company utilizes, most matching gift submissions request the same pieces of information. And this information generally falls into three overarching categories:
Donor Information
Companies typically request a number of personal data points relating to the individual employee within the matching gift application. Though it can vary greatly from business to business, this information might include:
Providing these details generally certifies that the donor is who they say they are (i.e., an employee of the company from which they’re requesting a match). Plus, it ensures the employer knows who is requesting the matching gift for their own records and to track participation and donation totals over time.
Nonprofit Information
Most match forms also ask specific questions pertaining to the organization an individual has supported. This might include:
Information about the nonprofit can help determine that the organization meets the company’s eligibility requirements (i.e., mission type). Not only that, but it also ensures that the person in charge of the corporate matching program has appropriate contact information for the nonprofit group, should they need to get in touch to verify the initial donation.
Donation Information
This final section is typically where the company asks employees to provide details regarding the original donation. Again, this enables the employer to determine whether the initial gift qualifies for a match (falls within the donation threshold, is submitted prior to the submission deadline, etc.).
Commonly required fields include:
Many companies also request proof of the original donation, which nonprofits often provide in the form of tax-deductible gift receipts. And that’s where the individual donor’s side of the matching gift submission typically ends.
However, some employers require the recipient organization to verify the initial contribution themselves. In those cases, a vital step of the matching process falls into the hands of the nonprofit group.
After an employee completes the matching gift request, the nonprofit is typically notified (whether by mail or within a CSR portal) that an employee has requested a match. At this point, the organization must log into the company’s verification system to confirm that the specified employee made a donation to the cause. They may even be asked to provide a letter verifying the organization’s IRS-sanctioned 501(c)(3) status.
3 types of matching gift submission forms (and alternatives)
There are currently three main types of matching gift forms. These include paper, electronic, and Double the Donation’s standard form. However, innovative corporate giving platforms are developing streamlined submission processes that allow donors to bypass the matching gift form altogether.
Each company that offers a matching program is able to establish its own match request process. This includes selecting one or more matching gift forms and/or alternatives to accept.
Let’s take a closer look at each submission type, and the general process asked of donors to complete it.
Paper Matching Gift Forms
When it comes to matching gift forms, paper documents are where it all started. In fact, the first-ever matching gift program was developed before the internet was even invented!
Today, however, most matching gift donors prefer electronic forms; though some companies continue to accept—or even require—traditional paper documentation.
We don’t recommend companies use this type of outdated match form. After all, it’s a lot of extra work for the donor, the nonprofit, and the company itself. Still, it’s important to understand the process should you run into a situation involving paper submission forms in any case.
And here’s how it typically works. Employees at corporations with paper match forms go through the following steps to submit their match requests:
Match Eligibility Identification
The first step involved in any matching gift process is determining match program eligibility. And there can be quite a few factors at play here, including whether the company matches employee gifts at all, whether the employee in question qualifies for matching, whether the donation amount and recipient organization meet the company’s standards, and more.
This information can be uncovered in a few ways, from the company itself to a third-party tool such as Double the Donation.
Request Form Location
The next phase of the process involves locating the appropriate matching gift form. And unfortunately, this can be a bit trickier with paper forms compared to other types of matching gift submissions.
Double the Donation or the employer may provide access to printable versions of the forms online, or they may be requested in person from the HR department or company leadership.
Paper Matching Gift Form Submission
Once the match request forms have been accessed, donors are prompted to complete and submit the document via the channel established by the company. Some employers may accept the forms in person (again, likely to the HR office or manager), while others may require match forms to be submitted via mail to a provided address. Others yet can offer some sort of fillable PDF option, which may be completed and submitted online.
Electronic Matching Gift Forms
Technology is rapidly progressing, so it makes sense that many companies have transitioned to electronic forms. Doing so not only reduces programming costs and administrative lift but also simplifies participation for employees.
Electronic forms give donors a bit more freedom regarding when, where, and how easily they complete their requests.
Here’s what the process typically looks like:
Employee Sign-In / Registration
To access and complete electronic matching gift forms, employees usually have to log into the company’s CSR platform. This step typically involves creating or signing in with a username and password for the site.
In order to locate the login page, individuals may be directed from their company’s HR department or manager, or they might receive a link through the nonprofit to which they contributed—specifically if the organization uses Double the Donation’s tools.
Match Request Submission
Once in, the employee is prompted to complete the actual request process.
Like paper forms, individuals are asked to register their match requests by providing key data points. Though the exact process can vary based on the CSR portal a company uses, donors generally begin by searching for (or adding) the nonprofit they’ve supported from the portal’s list of verified causes.
From there, individuals typically provide a number of data points pertaining to their recent gifts—such as payment type, domain amount, currency, transaction date, and more.
Double the Donation’s Standard Matching Gift Form
Somewhere between a paper matching gift request and a complete online submission portal is Double the Donation’s intuitive standard match form.
Companies can easily opt into accepting this online form, which then enables streamlined automated electronic submissions for their employees. With this offering, donors can more easily complete their matching gift requests, thus increasing program usage and impact overall.
Double the Donation aims to make matching gifts as simple as possible, and the standard form was designed for just that purpose.
Here’s what the process looks like for eligible donors submitting the standard matching gift form:
Employer Selection
As donors give to nonprofits that use Double the Donation’s matching gift software, they’re prompted to enter their employing company in an auto-completing search tool embedded in the donation form. This is done to uncover match eligibility and determine whether the company accepts the standard matching gift form.
Identity Verification and Authorization
If so, the donor is provided with an opportunity to submit their match automatically, directly from the organization’s gift confirmation screen. Typically, all they are required to do here is verify their identity by providing a corporate email address and check a box that authorizes Double the Donation to submit the match request on their behalf.
Behind-the-Scenes Submission
Once authorized, Double the Donation pulls necessary information from the donation process itself and automatically fills in the blanks on the premade standard matching gift form. Upon completion, the form is sent as a PDF document to the matching gift coordinator designated by the company to review and approve as usual.
Matching Gift Form Alternative — Auto-Submission
Online match portals that facilitate electronic request forms have long been working to streamline and improve the match submission process. And Double the Donation shares the same goal.
Now, Double the Donation is partnering with select CSR software providers to do exactly that. By providing an innovative matching gift form alternative, auto-submission allows qualifying donors to submit match requests without a matching gift form at all.
Auto-submission was recently moved out of beta and is now growing its integrated network with CSR solutions.
All they’re typically asked to do is enter their corporate email address on the gift confirmation screen and authorize Double the Donation to submit a match on their behalf. From there, the integrated software ecosystem collects necessary data points and funnels the information directly to the employer’s corporate giving platform behind the scenes.
Then, the company reviews and approves the match within the software system as usual.
This revolutionary new function benefits donors (with streamlined submission processes and fewer roadblocks), nonprofits (with increased match revenue), and companies (elevated program participation) alike. It’s a win-win-win!
And as more companies and CSR providers begin rolling out the feature in partnership with Double the Donation, an ever-growing number of nonprofit supporters will be able to leverage the matching gift form alternative.
Learn more about matching gift auto-submission here.
How a matching gift database fits in
Double the Donation has compiled the industry’s most in-depth source of matching gift information. Our comprehensive database provides access to details regarding more than 24,000 companies’ (equating to approximately 99.68% of all match-eligible donors) program guidelines and request processes.
By sharing a summary of each company’s matching gift program, we aim to make it increasingly easy for donors to complete their matches on behalf of the organizations they support.
When donors search for their employers using the associated database search tool, they’ll instantly receive any available guidelines for their employers’ programs. If available (which, over 91% of companies’ forms are), a direct link to online match forms and other related documents will be given to them, too!
Here’s an example of what you might see when searching for an employer with Double the Donation’s matching gift database search tool:
Donors will also be provided with other relevant information, such as:
A corporate database can provide powerful insights into thousands of companies’ matching gift programs and next steps. That can go a long way toward maximizing program participation for donors by simplifying the processes involved.
Nonprofits interested in benefiting from our innovative matching gift database and automation software can do so by requesting a demo here.
As for companies, make sure your giving program is included in our comprehensive database of corporate match information. This enables employees to have quick and easy access to program guidelines and forms from their favorite organizations’ giving pages! Click here to add your company to Double the Donation’s matching gift database.
Wrapping Up
Matching gift forms play a crucial role in the overall matching gift process—not to mention strategic corporate match fundraising.
At this point, your team should know all about the different types and components of corporate matching gift forms, the value for nonprofits, companies, and donors, and more. Now, it’s time to get out there and start maximizing your matching gift revenue!
Interested in learning more about matching gift best practices? Check out these additional recommended resources:
Take matching a step further with auto-submission functionality.
How to Craft a Complete Corporate Charitable Giving Policy
/in Learning Center, Corporate Consulting /by Adam WeingerAs a corporate leader, you know that achieving your company’s goals depends on the collective efforts of your executive team, employees, and other stakeholders. The same goes for your corporate giving initiatives. As philanthropy becomes an expanding priority for companies and consumers around the world, it’s more important than ever to rally everyone in your company to make a combined difference in the community.
While corporate giving programs are appealing to many socially conscious employees, many of them may not participate simply because they aren’t aware of the opportunities. That’s why creating a corporate charitable giving policy is vital to the long-term success of your program.
If your company needs a corporate giving policy, we’ve got you covered. We’ll walk through all the basics and best practices in the following sections:
More than 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs, but over 78% of them are unaware that their company offers this program or know any program specifics. Crafting a comprehensive corporate charitable donations policy is an easy and necessary solution to this lack of awareness.
What is a Corporate Charitable Giving Policy?
Corporate giving is one aspect of a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), or its role in promoting social good within the community. According to the CSR pyramid, businesses should promote social good in all economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic areas of their operations. Philanthropic activities like contributing funds, services, and other resources to charitable causes demonstrate that companies are interested in more than just making a profit.
A corporate charitable giving policy outlines your company’s approach, guidelines, and processes for corporate giving. It serves as a source of truth for administrators and participants alike, spelling out essential details such as eligibility criteria and deadlines.
Only 19% of companies include more than a single paragraph on matching gift programs in accessible employee handbook materials or their website. Rather than leaving your employees in the dark, encourage them to embrace your corporate giving efforts by enlightening them about your programs. The more information you provide upfront, the easier it will be for employees to get involved.
Benefits of Corporate Giving
An official corporate charitable donations policy allows your company to tap into the full benefits of corporate giving. By demonstrating a more serious investment in philanthropy, you’ll be able to:
To access these benefits, you’ll need to set up an effective corporate giving program that employees are enthusiastic to get involved in.
At the same time, corporate giving affects more than just your company. Thanks to these initiatives, nonprofits can raise more funds, find more volunteers, and acquire more resources for their causes. Mutually beneficial nonprofit-corporate partnerships allow both parties to expand their audiences and achieve more.
Main Types of Corporate Giving Programs
In your company’s corporate giving policy, you’ll specify all of the various corporate giving opportunities that you offer. While these will differ from company to company, let’s explore some of the main types you might include in your policy:
Matching Gifts
A matching gift program allows employees to double the impact of their donations to nonprofits. After they make a gift to a cause they care about, they can submit a matching gift request to their employer. As long as they meet all the criteria, the company will typically match that gift amount and make a contribution of its own to the nonprofit.
Whether or not your company already has a matching gift program, staying up-to-date on popular program guidelines ensures that you design a rewarding experience for your employees. Consider these common matching gift guidelines and trends to inform your corporate charitable giving policy:
If your company is looking to increase participation in its matching gift program, think about lowering your minimum match requirement and increasing your match ratio. This way, you’ll inspire employees to make a difference by giving however much they’re comfortable with.
Volunteer Grants
Corporate volunteer grants are another popular type of philanthropy similar to matching gifts. However, instead of matching donation amounts, companies award monetary grants to nonprofits after their employees volunteer a certain number of hours there.
In your corporate charitable donations policy, you’ll explain parameters such as eligibility criteria, restrictions, minimum volunteer hours required, and deadlines. Additionally, you’ll need to include how much funding you’ll award for every hour volunteered.
Beyond volunteer grants, there are a few other ways your company can encourage volunteerism among employees. For example, you can provide volunteer time off (VTO) to empower more employees to get involved in their community or organize corporate volunteer events to promote team-building.
Community Grants
Through community grants, companies dispense financial support directly to nonprofits, usually to address a local need or priority within their communities. To obtain this funding, nonprofits must meet the qualifications for the grant and complete an application process, which involves explaining what they’ll use the money for.
A community grant will typically align with your company’s overall mission and values. For instance, a healthcare company may offer grants for nonprofit programs related to improving the health of community members. You can also engage employees by asking for their input in the community grants you provide, such as by giving them the opportunity to nominate nonprofits or vote on causes to support.
Sponsorships
With sponsorships, companies can construct mutually beneficial partnerships with nonprofits as part of their corporate philanthropy strategy. You’ll fund a nonprofit’s event or project, and as thanks for your support, the nonprofit will recognize your company in its promotional materials. This leads to a win-win for both parties, as the nonprofit receives essential funds to conduct its activities and your company benefits from extra marketing.
In-Kind Donations
Your company can supply nonprofits with more than just monetary resources through in-kind donations. These gifts include various goods or services that can power a nonprofit’s mission. For example, you may contribute office equipment, gift baskets for an upcoming auction, or venue space for an event. Additionally, you could involve more employees by having them volunteer to provide free services to a nonprofit, such as graphic design or legal consulting.
Scholarships
Many companies choose to invest in next-generation talent by starting corporate scholarship programs. High school and college students can apply for these opportunities and secure significant funds to cover expenses such as tuition, educational materials, and other school-related needs. You can even focus your scholarships on areas relevant to your company’s sector to cultivate a talent pool of promising candidates in the future.
What to Include in a Corporate Charitable Donations Policy
Regardless of the corporate giving opportunities your company offers, the key to a successful program lies in communicating them effectively to your employees, nonprofits, and other stakeholders. A corporate charitable giving policy should be detailed yet concise, so readers can easily access all the information they need.
These are the main elements you should include in your corporate giving policy:
Overview
At the beginning, include a brief overview explaining the purpose of your corporate giving program. Connect these goals to your company’s larger mission and values. This will ensure that employees understand how their participation contributes to the overall success of your company and inspire them to get involved. Additionally, include a point of contact that employees can reach out to with questions.
Focus Area
If your corporate giving program centers on specific causes or areas of focus, specify these in your employee charitable giving policy. This way, your employees will know which types of nonprofits you prioritize supporting. For example, an education software company may primarily direct its corporate philanthropy efforts toward nonprofits with education-related causes.
Eligibility
Outline the requirements that organizations must meet to be eligible for your support. One common condition among U.S. companies is that only 501(c)(3) entities can benefit from their philanthropic initiatives.
Also, clarify which employees are eligible to participate in your program. Some companies limit engagement in their programs to full-time employees, while others allow part-time and even retired employees to get involved.
Restrictions
List any restrictions or exclusions in your corporate giving program. For instance, your company might have geographical limitations on the nonprofits you support. Or, you might opt not to include political or religious organizations, even if they have 501(c)(3) status.
However, it’s important to note that the percentage of Russell 1000 companies offering “unrestricted matching gifts” grew over 48% over the past three years. This means that more businesses are shifting their programs to broaden their support and create a more significant impact in their communities.
Giving Programs
Include all of your company’s corporate giving opportunities in this section, from matching gifts to scholarships. Be specific about details such as:
In the case of volunteer grants, be sure to mention if there is a minimum number of hours an employee must volunteer before they’re eligible to submit a request.
Request Guidelines
In this section of your corporate charitable giving policy, walk through the exact steps an employee should take to submit a matching gift or volunteer grant request. The easier the process, the more likely employees will actually participate in your program.
For instance, 96% of employees prefer that their employer matches donations they make directly to a nonprofit, rather than only those made on the company’s corporate giving platform. Having flexible giving options and eligibility criteria allows you to better accommodate varying employee preferences and interests.
5 Steps to Create a Corporate Charitable Giving Policy
Ready to put together your company’s charitable giving policy and start powering change within your community? Use these basic steps as a jumping-off point:
Consider creating multiple versions of your corporate giving policy. In doing so, you can share an external, public-facing document that focuses on showcasing your company’s values, devotion to philanthropy, desired impact, and commitment to transparency. Then, you can circulate an internal, employee-facing policy that includes more specific details on eligibility and participation.
Furthermore, once you’ve prepared your corporate charitable giving policy, make sure your company is equipped with all the tools to carry out its program.
For example, workplace giving software that integrates with matching gift tools like auto-submission simplifies the process for employees by automatically submitting requests on their behalf after they donate. This can significantly elevate your corporate giving program’s participation rates and help your company generate more of an impact.
3 Stellar Examples of Corporate Charitable Giving Policies
To set your company’s corporate giving policy and program up for success, it’s best to stay informed about the latest philanthropy trends and best practices. Let’s take a look at well-designed policies produced by other charitable companies.
IBM
As a multinational technology company, IBM considers itself a leader in CSR, detailing numerous charitable giving initiatives in its Benefits Summary. In a dedicated section for CSR, it lists the following opportunities for employees to get involved in, such as:
IBM’s policy stands out due to the variety of engagement options the company provides to employees. This encourages more employees to participate according to their preferences and interests.
Verizon
On Verizon’s corporate philanthropy page, the company shares two separate corporate giving policies for matching gifts and volunteer grants. This allows them to go into more detail about each opportunity.
The matching gifts program policy delves into eligibility criteria, request deadlines, and exclusions. It even includes administrative notes, including when to expect matching payments and where to go for more questions about the program.
Similarly, the volunteer grants program policy covers eligibility criteria and other specifics such as the maximum amount that Verizon will contribute to a nonprofit per employee each year.
General Electric
The GE Foundation offers a comprehensive matching gift policy for employees, featuring General Electric’s logo on every page and even reports when it was last updated.
The company lists everything in clear sections, including:
Under each section, General Electric goes into specifics about which types of organizations are ineligible, such as religious organizations, and how the foundation confirms gifts made to nonprofits.
Enhancing Philanthropy with a Corporate Giving Policy
A corporate charitable giving policy sets all of your company’s philanthropy efforts in stone. However, this doesn’t mean that everything is permanent. After you’ve shared the policy with employees and other stakeholders, be sure to collect feedback on both your giving program and the policy itself. Doing so enables you to identify areas to improve, details to clarify, and ways to engage more employees in corporate giving in the long term.
If you’re looking for tips and best practices for embracing corporate philanthropy and building a better workplace at your company, check out these additional resources:
Company Spotlight: Get Inspired by Checkr’s Groundbreaking Matching Gift Program
/in Learning Center, Corporate Consulting, Learning Center, Matching Gift Companies, Company Spotlights /by Adam WeingerCompanies participate in corporate giving for a number of reasons. A corporate executive might be inspired to give back to a particular cause that resonates with them and their values. A different company might do so in order to engage with its employees on a deeper level, fostering a positive workplace culture and driving satisfaction and retention. Another yet may choose to give in order to receive tax benefits or boost their public image.
Tons of businesses partake in matching employee gifts, and most intend to reap all of the benefits listed above. But there are a few that truly stand out in their efforts—specifically when it comes to corporate matching gifts.
One such company? Checkr!
Want to find out how? We’ve compiled information to provide you with a solid understanding of the Checkr corporation, its philanthropy and matching gift endeavors, and what makes it stand out from the crowd.
This includes:
Let’s begin with the basics.
Company Background: About Checkr
Checkr, Inc. was founded in 2014 with a unique idea to modernize and advance the traditional background check process—while removing common obstacles and enabling a fairer hiring process for all.
Today, this background check screening company aims to aid other businesses with the right technology to make the right recruitment and hiring choices. Checkr is built on the idea of fair chance hiring that works to make the hiring process as even as it can be for all candidates—including those with criminal backgrounds.
And Checkr understands the importance of corporate philanthropy in an overall business plan—especially pertaining to strategic recruitment and retention practices. They’ve even written several blog posts citing matching gifts and overall corporate giving programs as key components for How to Recruit Talented Leaders and How to Increase Employee Retention at Your Small Business. Not to mention, the Checkr team offers its own corporate giving initiatives—including, but not limited to, matching employee donations to charitable causes.
Current Matching Gift Program Guidelines
Checkr matches charitable gifts made by all full and part-time employees at a 1:1 rate. With no minimum donation amount and open match availability to nearly all nonprofit causes, Checkr aims to make its employee matching gift program as accessible as possible.
Not to mention, they utilize matching gift auto-submission functionality to enable one-click matching gift requests, which ensures the process is quick and easy for employee participants.
Let’s take a quick look at Checkr’s employee matching donation guidelines:
New Feature! Auto-Submission With Millie and Double the Donation
Checkr’s employee donation-matching program has many admirable features that make it one of our top matching gift companies. But what really makes this employer stand out in its offering is its matching gift auto-submission functionality.
Checkr employs corporate giving platform Millie to facilitate its matching gift program. Historically, that meant providing an employee-facing portal with which team members can log in, provide basic information about their recent donations, and submit their matching gift requests.
In fact, all an individual has to do is enter their corporate email address from the confirmation screen of their favorite organization’s donation page. They won’t be rerouted to a separate submission platform or be required to reenter donation details. The software ecosystem handles it all seamlessly behind the scenes!
What to Know About Checkr’s CSR Partner, Millie
In order to bring their philanthropy to the next level, the Checkr team chooses to leverage a social impact platform called Millie. Millie describes itself as offering a simple and flexible matching gift solution that’s budget-friendly for all companies. And for Checkr, Millie is able to help simplify the facilitation of their matching gifts and other corporate giving programs!
Here’s a look at Millie’s key offerings:
Plus, Millie has been at the forefront of corporate giving innovation with its new auto-submission partnership with Double the Donation, which is in its final stages of testing and refinement. This allows businesses like Checkr and more to streamline and elevate philanthropy, ultimately bringing advantages to every party involved. We’re excited to see what they do next, and how they bring forward-thinking companies along with them.
Other Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives
In addition to Checkr’s standout matching gift program, here are a few other CSR efforts that the background check company pursues:
The Checkr website states that “Checkr has committed to the Pledge 1% corporate philanthropy movement, pledging to donate one percent of its employees’ time, one percent of its product, one percent of the equity, and one percent of the profits every year to the mission of enabling fair chances.”
But they often go farther than just one percent! In fact, much of Checkr’s corporate offerings revolve around its overall mission of fair chance hiring.
Concluding Thoughts
Matching gift programs continue to expand in terms of both prevalence and potential. And companies like Checkr are leading the pack. By enabling innovative auto-submission, Checkr is demonstrating matching gift programs of the future.
And while bringing inspiration to other corporate leaders, they’re also benefiting their employees by offering next-level engagement experiences, the nonprofits receiving increased funding through the matching programs, and even their own bottom line.
Dive deeper into corporate matching gifts! Learn more with these additional corporate giving resources from Double the Donation:
What Matching Grants for Nonprofits Are and How to Find Them
/in Learning Center, About Double the Donation, Fundraising Ideas /by Adam WeingerCorporate Citizenship: Creating Meaningful Community Impact
/in Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerWith 77% of consumers aiming to support socially responsible companies and 93% of employees believing that companies must lead with purpose, it’s increasingly important for businesses to give back to their communities to set themselves apart from the competition. That’s where corporate citizenship comes in—by centering this concept at your organization, you’ll be able to reap a variety of benefits and see even greater success.
To help you embrace corporate citizenship at your company, we’ll cover the following topics:
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of corporate citizenship and the steps you can take to prioritize it in your business. Let’s get started!
Definition of Corporate Citizenship
Corporate citizenship is defined as a company’s contribution to the community it operates in. This concept covers how the company exercises its rights, responsibilities, obligations, and privileges within the local environment to meet its legal, ethical, and economic responsibilities. Organizations that prioritize corporate citizenship measure their success not just with return on investment (ROI) but also their social impact.
Focusing on corporate citizenship also brings a variety of benefits, empowering businesses to:
As expectations for businesses grow higher, your company must rise to meet them to stay competitive. From employees to customers to society at large, these groups all care about your company’s purpose and how you’re giving back to the community. Great corporate citizenship goes beyond surface-level issues. Instead, it requires you to establish practices and initiatives that address a variety of challenges using your unique resources.
Corporate Citizenship versus Corporate Social Responsibility
You may be thinking: Wait a minute! This sounds familiar. Isn’t corporate citizenship just a synonym for corporate social responsibility?
While there are varying definitions of corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility (CSR), according to the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship (BCCCC), corporate citizenship is a larger umbrella term that encompasses CSR. Corporate citizenship refers to the impact a business has on society. CSR refers to the specific activities that are happening within a company that will further its corporate citizenship. This includes projects, campaigns, and initiatives.
Additionally, another term that is associated with corporate citizenship and CSR is environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). This term helps us to categorize corporate citizenship efforts as environmental, social, or governance-related.
So, for example, let’s say a restaurant has decided to focus more on corporate citizenship. They start by considering the amount of food waste they produce. To reduce that waste, they then decide to donate any leftover food to local food pantries. In this situation, the food donation program would be considered CSR that aids in environmental and social causes. Add this program to the restaurant’s other rights and responsibilities in society, and you get a greater picture of their corporate citizenship.
Developing Corporate Citizenship: The 5 Stages
According to the BCCCC, there are five stages to corporate citizenship. In this section, we’ll go over each stage to help you determine which stage your organization is in and how you can become a better corporate citizen. Let’s dive in!
1. Elementary
At the elementary stage of corporate citizenship, an organization is more concerned about complying with existing laws than it is about creating a positive impact on its community. There’s little to no actual interest in corporate citizenship from leadership. Any CSR programs are undefined, underdeveloped, or even nonexistent. Any efforts made are mostly to protect the organization’s reputation, and these efforts are often viewed as performative.
That’s not to say that all organizations in the elementary stage of corporate citizenship are only doing the bare minimum because they don’t care about social or environmental good. For example, some small businesses may be at this stage simply because they do not have the resources for further community involvement.
2. Engaged
In this stage, company leaders begin to take an interest in society’s expectations and corporate citizenship. They experience the beginnings of a mindset shift for their organization’s role and responsibilities. Corporate citizenship in this stage is policy-focused—leaders create programs or initiatives that encourage employees and managers to take part in social and environmental good. Plus, they begin to have more discussions with shareholders and stakeholders who are interested in more innovative corporate citizenship practices.
Although organization leaders and employees are engaged with corporate citizenship, at this stage they’re still reactive in their policies rather than proactive. This is still only the start of corporate citizenship, and companies still have lots of room for improvement.
3. Innovative
As companies move through the stages of development, they gradually become more involved and proactive about corporate citizenship. In this stage, policies become more defined as business leaders discover methods that work for their organizations. This leads to an increase in program launches to support corporate citizenship, such as corporate philanthropy initiatives.
During this time, there may be some internal restructuring to make it more convenient for the company to fulfill its responsibilities. Additionally, there are usually increased discussions with stakeholders, experts, and leading companies.
4. Integrated
By the end of the innovative stage of corporate citizenship, a company’s biggest challenge will be to create a cohesive citizenship strategy. In the integrated stage, leaders are constantly setting new standards and monitoring performance in all areas, including social, environmental, and financial.
At the end of this stage, a company’s corporate citizenship efforts will be fully integrated into its core values, everyday activities, and lines of business. Plus, they’ll determine exactly how deep their commitment to citizenship is.
5. Transforming
A company in the transforming stage is often viewed as a leader in corporate citizenship. These organizations take their citizenship extremely seriously, and many aspire to make the world a better place. They partner extensively with other organizations to address problems socially and environmentally. Businesses in this stage are the ones everyone else looks up to as an example of great corporate citizenship.
Getting Started with Corporate Citizenship
If you’re unsure how your organization approaches corporate citizenship, then it’s likely that your company is in one of the first few stages of developing a corporate citizenship strategy. If you’re ready to begin your journey, consider these jumping-off points:
As you develop programs and make changes to become a better corporate citizen, share them with stakeholders and your customer base. Inform them of your intention to focus on corporate citizenship and ask them if they have any feedback for your company. By doing so, you’ll not only be including your community in the discussion, but you’ll also be crowdsourcing suggestions and getting a read on how your organization is perceived from the outside.
Examples of Corporate Citizenship
To help you understand how you can center corporate citizenship in your organization, here are a few examples of organizations with great corporate citizenship programs:
Becoming a good corporate citizen requires you to go above and beyond compliance on social and environmental matters. While that may seem overwhelming to an organization that’s just starting, keep in mind that it’s extremely difficult to jump straight to the transforming stage from the elementary stage of corporate citizenship. Start small and slowly grow your efforts to become a leader in the corporate citizenship space.
Additional Resources
Being a good corporate citizen comes with many benefits for your business, but above all, it allows your organization to be a responsible member of society. As you begin making adjustments to focus on corporate citizenship, don’t be afraid of making large operational changes. By doing so, you’ll better engage your employees, enhance your reputation, and make a greater difference in your community.
If you’re interested in more resources about corporate citizenship, check out the ones below: