Donations of stocks, mutual funds, and other securities are increasing in popularity as a way for individuals to support their favorite causes. After all, these gifts offer exclusive financial benefits both to the donor contributing the gift and the nonprofit receiving it. But what about nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts? Are gifts of securities typically eligible to be matched by donors’ employers?
These are good questions—and they’re cropping up more around nonprofits and donors alike. As a nonprofit fundraising professional, you surely understand the value of corporate matching gifts and are seeking to get as many company matches flowing into your mission as possible.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide that will cover everything your team should know about stock donations and matching gifts by exploring the following topics:
Ready to dive into the world of securities and gift matches? Let’s begin with a brief overview of nonprofit stock donations.
Donating Stock to Nonprofits: FAQ
Just getting started with nonprofit stock donations? These are some frequently asked questions—and answers—on the topic.
What are stock donations?
Stock donations are a unique method of giving in which individual donors can support nonprofit causes by transferring ownership of stock shares from themselves to the organization in question.
Stock donations are also referred to as gifts of securities, which typically encompasses transfers of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.
In order to secure the full financial benefits of a stock donation, the donor should have held the stock for at least one year from the time of the gift. The organization then has the option to sell the stock immediately upon receiving the donation or allow its shares to continue to appreciate in value. Nonprofits typically outline their generally accepted types of donations and liquidation procedures in their gift acceptance policies.
Other Key Terms to Know:
Mutual fund donations
While stock donations typically involve the transfer of shares within a single company, mutual funds can include a portfolio of thousands of stocks, bonds, and other securities compiled as a single entity.
But when it comes to donating assets to charity, mutual fund donations function similarly to stock donations—and similar rules apply regarding mutual fund and stock donations and matching gifts. Most companies that match gifts of stock will also match mutual fund donations and vice versa.
One thing to note, however, is that the mutual fund transfer process can be a bit more complicated than that of single stocks and may require a more hands-on process by the organization receiving the securities.
Marketable securities
Another term you might see in the realm of nonprofit stock giving is marketable securities. These are a specific category or type of investment, and most publicly traded stocks, and those most likely to be donated to a nonprofit, will fall under this umbrella.
Also known as marketable equity or marketable investments, these are essentially financial assets that are easily liquidated or readily convertible into cash. These are typically considered short-term investments and can be sold with minimal impact on their market value.
Why do individuals donate stocks to nonprofit causes?
Nonprofit stock donations are becoming a favorite giving method among donors for multiple reasons. For one, gifts of securities such as stocks enable donors to contribute more to an organization and its mission than they might be able to on their own.
If an individual purchases $100 in stock from a company that has since appreciated to double in value, they will be able to funnel $200 toward a cause that they care about—despite having only paid $100 for the initial stock shares! (And if the donor’s employer will match their stock donation, the end value can reach higher than $400—but more on that later.)
Additionally, when donating stocks that have been appreciating for more than a year, donors actually contribute 20% more to the nonprofit than if they had first sold their stocks and made a cash donation with the proceeds. That’s because when an individual sells their stock, they’re subject to pay significant capital gains taxes, which are not applicable should they transfer the stock to the receiving organization.
Are all stocks able to be donated to nonprofit organizations?
Most stocks will be eligible for donation purposes to most nonprofit causes. However, some organizations may place certain stipulations on the types of companies whose stocks they will and will not accept.
For example, the American Heart Association refuses donations of stock or other interests in companies relating to tobacco, nicotine delivery, or cannabis. In the case that an individual attempts a stock donation that is not accepted by the organization to which they gave, the securities will ultimately be returned to the donor.
Nonprofits That Accept Stock Donations
Many nonprofit organizations accept charitable gifts of stocks and mutual funds, and the trend is continuing to grow. In the next few years, we can expect more and more charitable causes to collect and incorporate gifts of securities into their overall fundraising strategies.
Donors interested in contributing stock to a particular cause are encouraged to explore their website, as the information regarding stock donation acceptance is often included within the organization’s “ways to give” page.
As of now, we’ve pulled a list of ten well-known causes and their current guidelines for donating stock.
1. American Heart Association
The American Heart Association (or AHA) gladly accepts gifts of stocks (and mutual funds) from generous donors and provides easily accessible guidelines and instructions for multiple methods of doing so.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“You can use stock to support the organization through:
- Electronic transfer – Your broker can transfer shares using the AHA’s Depository Trust Company (DTC) number and account number to ensure delivery.
- Mail – You can mail paper certificates to the AHA.
Electronic Delivery of mutual fund shares is the most secure and practical delivery process available. If you would like to donate a gift of mutual funds to the American Heart Association, please contact us to confirm AHA’s brokers can accept the funds.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
2. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, also known as LLS, encourages charitable donations of stock and mutual fund assets as well. They even provide a brief overview of the tax benefits offered to stock donors who are considering the option!
Here’s what their website had to say:
“If you own stock or a mutual fund that has appreciated in price since you purchased it, consider using that asset for your charitable giving. You get an income tax deduction for the full market value of donated securities that you have owned more than one year and you will avoid the capital gains tax on the appreciated value.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
3. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The ASPCA is another organization that accepts stock transfer donations as a way for donors to support their cause. Within their plethora of suggested giving methods, gifts of security are highlighted along with detailed instructions on how to conduct the transfer process.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“For credit to ASPCA – American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Prior to transfer, please call the organization with the name of stock and number of shares to be transferred.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
4. Syracuse University
Syracuse University provides donors and prospects with information regarding multiple kinds of stock donations—including marketable securities, closely-held securities, electronic stock transfers via DTC, and mutual fund transfers. Their site also prominently displays contact information for the university’s advancement department which will help facilitate the transfer!
Here’s what their website had to say:
“When planning to make a gift of securities to Syracuse University, please notify Advancement Services. Gifts of publicly traded securities that have appreciated in value allow you to claim a charitable deduction for the full market value of the securities on the date the gift is made. You pay no capital gains tax on the appreciation.
Gifts of stock in closely held corporations may result in substantial tax benefits in the form of charitable deductions and avoidance of capital gains taxes. Closely held securities can be especially attractive in funding charitable remainder trusts or charitable remainder lead trusts. Because special regulations apply to gifts of this kind, we encourage you to consult your tax adviser and the University’s development staff when considering such a gift.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
5. Piedmont Healthcare
Piedmont Healthcare utilizes its website to encourage stock donations by interested supporters. One way they do so is by briefly highlighting the benefits to both their institution as well as to the donor contributing the appreciated securities (of both stocks and mutual funds).
Here’s what their website had to say:
“Gifts of appreciated securities, such as stocks or mutual funds, that have been held for over a year are a wonderful way to support Piedmont while potentially realizing important benefits for yourself.
Instruct your broker to transfer shares to Piedmont Healthcare Foundation by contacting Truist Bank via phone or email.
Contact your mutual fund company about the process of transferring mutual fund shares. A special form and signature guarantee will likely be required by them to initiate a charitable transfer.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
6. Florida State University
Florida State University provides stock donors (and prospective donors) with detailed instructions that outline the securities transfer process. The FSU Foundation incorporates tips and tricks for donors aiming to contribute stock to the university, whether electronically or with physical certificates.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“When donors’ securities are held in a brokerage account, the donor instructs their broker to transfer the securities to the university’s account.
Donors should also request that their brokers send confirmation of transfer to the FSU Foundation, Inc. The confirmation should indicate the donor’s name, the security being transferred, the Foundation account which should be used, and the date of transfer. Donors should then follow up with a letter to the FSU Foundation with instructions regarding their gift designation so that the gift can be properly credited.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
7. National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation includes stock donations as one of their suggested ways to support the institution—along with other giving ideas such as cryptocurrency, vehicle donations, fundraising events, and more.
This organization provides interested stock donors with a downloadable PDF made available through their “Get Involved” web page.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“Please complete and email the included form to Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management prior to transfer.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
8. Lazarex Cancer Foundation
The Lazarex Cancer Foundation also encourages stock donations within their “How You Can Help” page. This section quickly highlights the significant tax benefits to the organization and the subsequently increased impact a supporter’s gift can make.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“Did you know that your gift could go further by donating stock directly? Direct stock gifts let us use 100% of your donation, rather than losing up to 37% of it to capital gains tax. Thus, you can make a bigger impact at zero additional cost to you. If you would like to make a stock donation, please contact the Lazarex team.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
9. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
One of the largest youth-focused research hospitals in the nation, St. Jude receives support from a widespread supporter base. Under its “Ways to Give” page, the organization provides a detailed guide on the benefits of stock donations with a step-by-step walkthrough of the process.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“Donating stock directly to a charitable organization, like St. Jude, can increase the amount of money received by the charity while reducing the tax burden for the donor. When you donate appreciated securities (investments that have increased in value from the time they were purchased), some individuals and households may be able to take advantage of IRS tax provisions to claim a charitable tax deduction for the full, fair market value of the securities.
- Step 1: Choose what type of stock and how many shares you want to donate.
- Step 2: Contact your financial institution to request the transfer.
- Step 3: Contact us to inform us of your gift.
- Step 4: Look for a tax receipt and acknowledgment letter for St. Jude.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
10. American Cancer Society
For individuals looking to support the American Cancer Society, gifts of security are marketed as a key form of philanthropy under the “Ways to Give” umbrella on the organization’s website. Upon navigating to the “Stock Gifts” page, donors are met with information on various ways to donate stock in support of ACS—including online, physical delivery, and electronic transfer authorization.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“A gift of appreciated securities held for more than one year may provide significant benefits to you as a contributor, such as:
- Entitling you to a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the gifted securities as of the date of the gift.
- Eliminating capital gains tax that would ordinarily become due if you had sold the appreciated securities on the open market and donated the proceeds from the sale to charity
- Claiming your charitable deduction against up to 30% of your adjusted gross income. Any unused deductions can be carried forward over the next five years.
- Providing a way to help you achieve your long-term financial objective of reducing your income and estate taxes.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
Matching Stock Donations: The Basics
Clearly, stock donations are a great stream of additional fundraising revenue for nonprofits, and they’re becoming an increasingly sought after resource. At the same time, organizations are looking to get their charitable donations matched by donors’ employing companies.
So, do the two ideas coincide at all? Here’s what your fundraising team needs to know about the relationship between nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts.
Are stock donations typically eligible for corporate matching gift programs?
The #1 factor that determines whether an individual’s stock donation is eligible for a match through their employer is who their employer is and what that company has established in its matching gift program guidelines.
For example, some companies consider gifts of securities a particular form of in-kind donation (which the company chooses whether or not to match based on their program guidelines). In that case, stock donations made by employees of these companies will be eligible as long as that company matches in-kind gifts.
On the other hand, many businesses have classified stock donations as a form of monetary gift (in the likes of cash, debit/credit payments, or bank transfers) or a common exception to the in-kind donation rule. Donors employed by these companies are typically able to secure a gift match on behalf of your organization—so long as the value of the stock falls between the businesses’ predetermined thresholds.
All of that to say, many corporations choose to match the tax-deductible value of a contribution regardless of how it was given to a nonprofit organization – yet, this does vary based on company, so make sure you’re aware of your match-eligible donors’ company parameters.
Additionally, you’ll want to keep in mind that, as gifts of securities continue to grow in popularity among donors, we can expect many companies to begin adopting stock-inclusive matching gift program criteria for employee gifts in the near future.
How can I know if an individual’s stock donation qualifies for a match?
Let’s say your organization has just received a generous stock donation from a supporter of your cause. You may already know that their employer offers a matching gift program, and you’re looking to determine whether the stock gift is eligible for a match as well. Or, perhaps you’re unaware of whether the employing company matches any sort of employee donations to begin with. In either case, the answer should be located within the corporation’s matching gift program guidelines.
Nonprofits looking for this information may decide to conduct an online search for a company’s publicly-facing matching gift program guidelines to determine whether stock donations are mentioned. Donors seeking the information on their employers’ giving program can do a similar search of online resources, or they may look to internal documentation in an office policy handbook, workplace giving portal, etc.
However, the easiest way to uncover match-eligibility status for any donation—stock or otherwise—is by utilizing a matching gift company database.
Luckily, Double the Donation offers the most comprehensive database available, with detailed listings for tens of thousands of companies. Nonprofits and donors alike can begin typing a company’s name within the embedded autocompleting search tool and be instantaneously met with match qualifications, types of eligible donations, and more.
If the provided guidelines mention stock donations as a viable option for matching donations, you have your answer—the gift of stock is likely matchable for your cause!
If available documentation fails to reference gifts of securities at all, we recommend encouraging donors to inquire about the possibility with their companies to find the most definitive answer to the question at hand. Sometimes corporations might not list specific contribution methods, yet those gifts will still qualify for a match!
What are corporate stock donation matches worth?
When a stock donation (that has previously been identified as eligible for a corporate matching gift) is requested by a donor, the employer typically agrees to match the value of the stock on the day on which the stock transfer was made.
Thus, nonprofit donors are able to secure a match by their employer equal to the purchase price plus the appreciated value of the stock—which is typically greater than the individual’s initial financial investment!
What trends are expected regarding stock donations and matching gifts?
As of 2024, it’s estimated that many companies are willing to match the tax deductible value of a charitable gift, regardless of how that gift was made – the gift just has to benefit a charity and provide tax deductible value. With that being said, this can vary by company-specific program guidelines. As more and more companies match stocks and mutual fund contributions, it’s important for donors to check with their employer to know which types of gifts might qualify for a match.
The more popular stock grows as a form of nonprofit giving, the more companies will adopt stock-inclusive matching gift program guidelines.
And when you take a look at the financial benefits to parties on both sides of the transaction (one research study reported fundraising growth of up to 55% for organizations that allowed non-cash donations such as stock as viable donation options!), and the ease with which gifts of securities are becoming, this form of gift matching will likely continue to grow.
Examples of Companies That Match Stock Donations
Companies that match employee stock donations do so for the same reason as to why they match cash donations. These typically include corporate tax benefits, increased employee engagement, and positive public relations efforts.
Here are a few examples of companies that match stock donations made by their employees to qualifying charities!
1. Chevron
Chevron is well-regarded as having a generous corporate matching gift program, agreeing to match up to $10,000 in charitable donations per employee on an annual basis. And the best part is that they do match the market value of stock donations that their employees transfer to nearly all nonprofit organizations.
Here’s a glimpse at what Chevron says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Gifts can be given to nonprofits on the Chevron Humankind site via a payroll deduction or credit card payment, or given directly to the nonprofit offline (e.g. check, cash, stock, etc.).”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
2. Google
Google offers both full and part-time employees the opportunity to participate in its corporate gift-matching initiative! Gifts worth up to $10,000 (including stock donations) will be matched to many nonprofit causes, including educational institutions, health and human services, cultural and community organizations, environmental nonprofits, and more.
Here’s a glimpse at what Google says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Your gift must be in the form of check, credit card or marketable securities with a quoted market value. Gifts of securities will be matched with cash. The value of the stock will be calculated using the price at the close of the market on the day of transfer of the security.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
3. General Electric
General Electric has matched a wide range of employee donations since 1954. In fact, it was the first corporation to roll out a corporate gift-matching program, though it was a fairly limited offering compared to what we see now!
Since then, GE has expanded its employee giving program to encompass new methods of giving—including contributing securities such as stocks—as well as more nonprofits being eligible to receive funding.
Here’s a glimpse at what General Electric says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Gifts may be made via cash, check, debit/credit card, or stock. Gifts may also be made by current payment from an entity such as a personal foundation or donor advised fund if that entity has been funded solely by the eligible GE participant.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
4. Merck
Merck & Co. matches numerous types of employee donations to charitable organizations. Within the company’s matching program criteria, they include a fairly detailed account of stock donations—including the process for requesting a corporate match and the benefits employees receive from giving this way.
Here’s a glimpse at what Merck says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Matching funds can be requested for one-time cash, check, credit card, or stock donations, via the Merck Gives Back (MGB) website.
When making a stock donation, enter the market value of the stock on the day you issued the stock to the nonprofit organization. The organization will be asked to confirm the realized value of the stock donation and the Merck Foundation P4G program will match funds equal to the realized value of donated stock.
You can deduct the full current value of the stock (regardless of purchase price) and avoid the capital gains taxes associated with selling the stock for profit; therefore, you pay no taxes on the appreciated value of the stock and take the full deduction for the current value of the stock.
You may not donate Merck stock options; however, you may donate Merck stock after you exercise your options.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
5. State Farm
State Farm Insurance matches donations made by current full-time employees, part-time team members, and retired workers alike—in any way they give to nonprofits. This includes gifts of securities and mutual funds, for which they detail a few stipulations of match eligibility.
Here’s a glimpse at what State Farm says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Donations of Mutual Funds Units and Securities traded on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or NASDAQ National Market meeting the following requirements:
- The eligible donor must be the sole owner or have final authority to transfer ownership of the security or mutual fund unit to the eligible organization.
- Ownership must be signed over to the eligible organization.
Please note: The exact value of the donated securities or mutual fund units will be based on the closing market price the date the transfer is complete.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
6. Verizon
Verizon offers its employees multiple matching gift program options, the individual matching grants program being the one in which stock donations are considered match-eligible contributions. The company matches to nearly all 501(c)(3) organizations (or an equivalent internationally), with schools being eligible for a $5,000 donation or stock match and other nonprofits for a $1,000 donation or stock match.
Here’s a glimpse at what Verizon says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Donations must be in one of the following forms: Personal check, Paypal, money order, payroll deduction, credit/debit card payment, wire/bank transfer, transfer of stock certificate.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
7. Apple
Apple offers a slightly different type of corporate stock donation-matching program but will match certain gifts of securities nonetheless. Apple matches any type of stock donations as well as donations of just Apple stock.
Here’s a glimpse at what Apple says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Visit the Employee Giving portal to request a matching donation for your volunteer time or to make a one-time or repeating monetary donation to the charitable organization (or cause) of your choice using a credit card or PayPal account. You can also request a match for a monetary or stock donation you’ve already made.
To be eligible, your monetary donations must be paid in full — not pledged — via cash, personal check, credit card, PayPal, or Apple stock.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
8. Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences, a leading medical technology company based in Irvine, California, matches donations up to $5,000 per full-time employee per year.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Edwards Foundation will match the tax-deductible portion of employee’s gifts made by cash, check and credit card. The Foundation will also match stock donations, as well as gifts coming out of an employee’s donor-advised fund (DAF).”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
9. Bank of America
With a matching gift program that doubles team member gifts of between $24 and $5,000 per person per year, Bank of America reports contributing more than $25 million in matching gifts per year!
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Gifts must be personal contributions paid directly to organizations (cash, check, credit card, securities, etc.) or paid through Bank of America’s employee giving platform via payroll deduction or credit card.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
10. PNC Financial Services
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. incentivizes its employees to give back to the causes they care about. And it does so with a matching gift ratio of up to 4:1—and a program that’s inclusive of gifts of stock.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Gifts must be in the form of a check, credit card, or marketable securities with a quoted market value. You may be asked to provide proof of your contribution in the form of a canceled check, bank statement, credit card statement, or a transfer of stock certificate. Gifts of securities are valued based on the date of the gift.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
11. EOG Resources
EOG Resources encourages giving among its workforce with a particularly generous matching gift program. In fact, its matching gift annual maximum of $75,000 is one of the highest program caps available, inspiring team members to give bountifully as well.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“Employee must attach a copy of the 1) check, 2) debit/credit card receipt, 3) brokerage statement for a stock donation, or 4) check issued by my personal or family foundation or donor-advised fund.”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
12. Eli Lilly and Company
Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly invites its current full-time, part-time, and retired employees to get involved with its philanthropic efforts! Matching up to $30,000 for current team members and $7,500 for retirees on an annual basis, the company demonstrates its commitment to doing good by giving back to the organizations its staff supports.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
“A contribution must be in the form of a check, credit card, or marketable securities (with an established market value determined by the average price on the day the contribution is made).”
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts. Some companies will match employee gifts of securities, while others will not.
But the good news is that more and more corporations are beginning to be inclusive of stock and mutual fund donations within their employee matching programs. That means you’ll want to keep an eye out for new programs being established and existing matching gift companies expanding their eligibility criteria.
Interested in learning more about matching gifts and other nonprofit fundraising opportunities? Check out these other Double the Donation resources:
Nonprofit Basics: Fundraising Video
/in Nonprofit Basics /by Adam WeingerTo drive donations for your nonprofit or community organization, you need to reach your audience in compelling ways. One creative way to get the word out is by creating a fundraising video for your next campaign.
Sharing your nonprofit’s work with a fundraising video is a unique and engaging way to connect with your supporters. Video can also be a valuable tool for expanding your audience reach and finding new donors to support your cause.
What is a fundraising video?
A fundraising video is a video created to promote a specific fundraising campaign and inspire viewers to donate. Videos can be a valuable tool for nonprofit marketing or for any organization raising money for a cause. In addition to promoting a specific fundraiser, your video can also increase awareness of your nonprofit’s work.
Background information about your organization, including your mission statement and communities served, can be a valuable addition to your video. This information introduces people unfamiliar with your nonprofit to your work in a creative way.
Fundraising videos may include footage from previous fundraising events, highlighting the success of past initiatives. Including video demonstrating the impact of previous fundraisers, such as interviews with people served by your nonprofit or footage of volunteering efforts, demonstrates to potential donors that their support will have tangible benefits.
How to make a fundraising video
To create an effective fundraising video for your organization, start by defining goals for the video. How many supporters do you want to reach? What do you want the video to communicate to viewers? What actions do you want viewers to take after watching your video?
Once you’ve established your goals, go through the steps of the video production process:.
Remember to always center your organization’s mission and the cause your campaign supports. Be specific, demonstrating what sets your organization apart. For example, if you want to highlight your matching gift program, focus your video on that offering to avoid overwhelming viewers.
Once your video is ready, share it across multiple different platforms to reach as many supporters as possible. Use the video in your website banner, share snippets and links on social media, and include it in your email outreach.
Best fundraising videos
Get inspired by these successful nonprofit video examples! Take note of how they tell their organization’s stories, the type of visuals and messaging they use, and what elements of the videos appeal to you. Watching other nonprofit videos is a great way to discover new ideas for your fundraising videos.
A successful nonprofit video will leave viewers with a clear understanding of your organization, an impactful message that inspires them to support your work, and actionable next steps. Raise more money and grow your supporter base with powerful fundraising videos.
Other Resources to Explore
Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
The Ultimate Guide to Nonprofit Video Storytelling – Create impactful nonprofit videos with these storytelling principles.
Nonprofit Marketing: Ultimate Guide and Best Practices – Explore tips and actionable strategies for sharing your nonprofit’s mission.
Marketing Matching Gifts To Your Internal Team
/in Learning Center, Marketing Strategies /by Adam WeingerEmployees (or volunteers, for that matter) of any nonprofit should believe in their mission wholeheartedly. At the same time, team members across all roles and departments should be encouraged to further their good work in any way they can.
Why else would a person dedicate their life to any profession? Sure, some people might work for money alone, but in the nonprofit sector, the ultimate goal is often not a personal or financial one.
Rather, key objectives include delivering a positive effect on the world by helping solve problems and overcoming community roadblocks. This often involves providing a solution via goods or services where there once was a gap. The problem is that these solutions typically require a decent amount of funding to establish.
If you’re looking for new methods that your organization can use to collect increased funds, matching gifts are one of the best ways to go. And the first logical step in driving matching revenue is beginning with your nonprofit itself—by marketing matching gifts to your internal team.
By incorporating the following matching gift marketing strategies into your overall nonprofit fundraising plan, you can ensure your team is doing the best job possible in acquiring matching gift funds. This should include prioritizing your:
Remember, internal outreach encompasses all areas of your nonprofit’s “behind the scenes” efforts—including paid staff members, volunteer teams, dedicated fundraisers, and so on.
Let’s dive in with key ways to market matching gifts to these critical teams!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Internal Awareness
One of the first steps you’ll want to take in order to market matching gifts to your nonprofit’s internal team is to increase awareness of the opportunities within your organization. Make sure that every team member is familiar with the concepts involved with employee gift-matching so that they can be better prepared to pass on the information to interested supporters.
When your team has a solid foundation of knowledge about matching gifts, your staff and supporters will naturally spread the word about the opportunities. Informing your internal staff about matching gifts reminds them to prioritize and elevate matching gifts every chance they get.
Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by increasing internal awareness:
Internal promotion may be the most essential strategy for promoting matching gifts. Of course, you’ll want your fundraising team to understand and communicate the value of matching gifts. But don’t stop there! Make sure every person within your organization is trained on matching gift fundraising strategies—from the board president to your custodial staff!
This can be as simple as informing your staff about matching gifts at your next organization-wide meeting. Then, implore your team to be mindful of these programs when speaking to both donors and prospects. Once the word about matching gifts is out, it can spread like wildfire from one trusted voice to another.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Matching Gift Teams
Strategies for marketing matching gifts to your internal team typically begins with establishing a dedicated matching gift coordinator and team. Once ready and equipped, these individuals will work to spread the word and prioritize the opportunity for everyone else involved with your nonprofit.
Sure, everyone should have basic knowledge when it comes to corporate gift-matching. But in order to fully implement the funding source in your overall nonprofit fundraising strategy, it’s important to form a dedicated matching gift team that goes above and beyond in pursuit of matching gifts.
Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by forming a matching gifts team:
For the greatest results, a matching gift fundraising team should address specific roles in the matching gift process. This group of dedicated individuals is designed to get all of your matching gift efforts streamlined and bring in more corporate-matched donations than ever before.
Specifically, hiring a matching gift expert (or forming a team of matching gift fundraisers) will ensure that you have a point of contact for everything matching-gift-related. This can lead to better outreach and marketing strategies for matching gifts. There’s a real science to maximizing matching gifts, and it takes foundation in proper execution from a dedicated matching gift team.
Marketing Matching Gifts With A Matching Gift Fundraising Plan
With your matching gift team in place, it’s time to execute your efforts with a detailed fundraising plan. With determination and proper strategy on your side, your organization as a whole can benefit from a substantial increase in doubled donations.
To do so, be sure to first identify to whom you plan on marketing matching gifts—and how you aim to do so. This step also involves determining exactly what information you’d like to share with donors. Consider the following questions:
Do you simply want to inform donors that matching gift programs exist? Shall you educate them on how to get involved? Would you like donors to know how matching gifts provide necessary additional funds for specific mission initiatives? Are you aiming to direct eligible donors directly to their companies’ matching gift program guidelines and instructions?
More than likely, your answer will involve a combination of each key topic. But don’t forget—before you can craft your plan to communicate the above information to donors, you’ll need to ensure your nonprofit team is up to speed as well.
Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts to your internal team by developing a detailed matching gift fundraising plan:
When you inform your staff about matching gifts, it essentially launches the domino effect, and, before you know it, soon, word has spread throughout your entire network about the power of matching gifts.
Be sure to articulate that submitting a matching gift will allow people to go the extra mile and do even more for your mission—all without having to reach back into their own wallets. That should be the foundation of your matching gift fundraising plan!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Key Metrics
As you dive into marketing matching gifts to your nonprofit’s team by forming a marketing plan, sharing corporate giving content with donors, and incorporating matching gift training into ongoing staff management, don’t forget to also measure your results.
Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by tracking and recording key fundraising metrics:
By tracking, recording, and analyzing key fundraising metrics, you can easily evaluate your data. From there, you’ll be able to continuously improve your matching gift promotion strategies both internally and beyond your own team.
Remember—there’s always room for improvement when it comes to optimizing your fundraising efforts. As you learn from past initiatives and aim for increasingly improved results, keep in mind that key updates can be made to better engage with your audience (not to mention your own internal team) at any time.
Getting your nonprofit’s team on board with matching gifts is an essential prerequisite for effective matching gifts fundraising. Before you can market the opportunity to external supporters, it’s vital that your fundraisers are up to speed with all things matching gifts and ready to communicate the impact and importance of these programs to donors and supporters.
It all starts with marketing matching gifts to your internal team! Be sure to increase awareness of the programs, form a dedicated department devoted to amplifying matching gifts, and track and report key fundraising metrics throughout the process.
Ready to learn more about matching gift opportunities? Read up on these additional resources—and be sure to share your findings with the rest of your internal team:
Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail Outreach
/in Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerWhile electronic communication is a speedy and efficient outreach strategy, some donors prefer communication via direct mail. That’s why we recommend taking a multi-channel approach to marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach and online engagement efforts.
This way, you’re able to reach a significantly wider audience while offering additional touchpoints to make your materials stand out. And in the end, that means more matching gifts for your cause.
Now, you might be asking yourself (or your team): “Is paper marketing out of date?” The simple answer is that no, it’s not. In fact, there are a number of donors who still prefer the personal touch of tangible mail.
When people read direct mail, as opposed to email or other online communications, the interaction between ink and paper does something to help people better remember what they’re reading. Common sense would advise that you don’t just want people to read about matching gift programs; you want people to remember them.
Though digital giving methods are en vogue as of late, some donors don’t respond to internet-based outreach. Whether your donors are less technologically savvy or simply prefer a good, old-fashioned letter, some donors are best contacted through the (still lively) snail mail process.
This may include a combination of:
The debate between paper communication and technological communication has raged on for years. Nonetheless, employing both types of marketing works best.
Every type of direct mail has its place in the matching gift donation cycle, and each one will help you better reach that vital segment of donors who prefer to interact via direct mail communications.
In this guide, we’ll learn more about marketing matching gifts with direct mail using each of these strategies. Let’s begin!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Letters
Use letters to remind donors to check if their employers offer matching gifts. Make sure the wording doesn’t read like a sale but rather feels like a personal communication between your nonprofit and the donor.
You want people to know that, by applying for a matching gift, they’re doing a great service to your nonprofit—above and beyond their initial contribution. If you have the time and resources, consider writing your letters by hand. If not, you may decide to opt for printed matching gift letters.
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with direct mail letters:
Just be sure to write to your donors like they’re human beings and share personal stories to get them increasingly invested in your cause. This will encourage individuals to want to go the extra mile to seek out and participate in their employers’ matching gift programs.
And when you receive a matching gift, remember to say “thank you!” Even if you communicate with a donor primarily via email, a paper thank you in the mail can be a great way to show how much you appreciate the additional dollars (and the steps the donor took to secure the funding).
Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail Inserts
If you don’t want to edit all of your existing marketing materials to mention matching gifts, or if you want to call added attention to such programs, paper mailing inserts may be the offline marketing technique for you.
Paper inserts are typically slips of paper included in additional donor mailings that call special attention to matching gifts. And they come in a variety of forms, as well. Sometimes they’re as simple as small pieces of paper, though you could even get creative and turn your paper insert into a bookmark or another longer-lasting material.
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with direct mail inserts:
Direct mail is more likely to be noticed by less tech-savvy donors and members who aren’t exploring your website on a regular basis. Including a matching gift insert in new members’ or donors’ welcome packets, membership renewal materials, or annual update communications can bring additional attention to matching gifts.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Postcards
People love receiving personalized mail, and postcards can be a great way to make your materials stand out. After all, you get to immediately surpass the issue of donors who never get past the first obstacle—the envelope.
As a result, postcards can be an especially effective way to encourage donors to submit matching gifts.
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with postcards:
Just as with the solicitation letters, the more personalized you can make your postcards, the better. Handwritten cards are great, but at the very least, you’ll want to have your postcards signed by hand. Knowing that a real person cared enough to write (or sign) your mailing can go a long way toward connecting with recipients on an individual level.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Thank-You Notes
It’s likely that your nonprofit is receiving matching gift checks several months after the original donations. Sending thank-you notes is a great way to notify your donors that the matching contributions were received.
Thanking donors is not only the right thing to do, but it also instills a positive impression in donors’ minds and ultimately closes the loop. As a result, donors will be more likely to make future contributions with matching gifts.
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with thank-you notes:
For large institutions, the chances are that you’ll be sending notes to more people than hand cramps you care to endure. Printed materials are a speedy and efficient alternative to handwritten letters, but if you want that personal touch, pick up a pen and scribble a quick message. Even just signing at the bottom can show an extra level of dedication that donors will respond to!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Physical Newsletters
Physical newsletters as a marketing medium offer a unique opportunity for organizations to share content that goes in-depth about the details of matching gifts. After all, this method typically encompasses an increased amount of space to articulate why matching gifts are important—and their specific benefits to your nonprofit—as compared to some other direct mail or even online marketing tactics.
This, in turn, brings them closer to your nonprofit in a way that makes them feel more in touch with (and thus more included) in your community.
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with physical newsletters:
Chances are, you have an online newsletter to share current events and updates surrounding your nonprofit organization and its mission. But have you noticed that some people still prefer the physical newspaper to the digital edition?
As a result, a physical newsletter gives you a better chance of reaching donors who you might otherwise miss.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Return Envelopes
If your nonprofit is like other organizations using direct mail to solicit donations, you probably include a pre-addressed, pre-paid return envelope. This is a common practice, the purpose of which is to make it easy for donors to send in their donations.
But did you know that the return envelope is also a prime spot to remind donors to look into their employers’ matching gift programs?
Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with return envelopes:
If a donor is submitting a gift to your organization via return envelope, there’s no better time to inform them of the power of matching gifts.
Why?
These already-philanthropic donors can increase the impact of their donations to your organization without spending any more on their initial donation. Right when they’re already in the giving spirit is the perfect opportunity to inform them about the opportunity!
A lot of the time, scoring matching gifts is about increasing awareness about these programs. Marketing matching gift with direct mail outreach offers a bevy of ways to connect to donors—and some donors even respond better to paper mail than they do digital methods.
From letters to postcards to newsletters, you have a ton of options to raise more fundraising revenue than ever (both matching gift and otherwise).
And remember—the question is hardly ever whether to market matching gifts with direct mail or with digital outreach. Instead, a multi-channel approach is nearly always the best solution for communicating with donors, sharing information in effective and memorable ways, and ultimately driving more donation matches to completion.
Interested in increasing matching gift marketing for your cause? Check out our other educational resources to raise more:
Nonprofit Stock Donations and Matching Gifts | What to Know
/in Fundraising Ideas, Matching Gift Companies, Lists and Rankings /by Adam WeingerDonations of stocks, mutual funds, and other securities are increasing in popularity as a way for individuals to support their favorite causes. After all, these gifts offer exclusive financial benefits both to the donor contributing the gift and the nonprofit receiving it. But what about nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts? Are gifts of securities typically eligible to be matched by donors’ employers?
These are good questions—and they’re cropping up more around nonprofits and donors alike. As a nonprofit fundraising professional, you surely understand the value of corporate matching gifts and are seeking to get as many company matches flowing into your mission as possible.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide that will cover everything your team should know about stock donations and matching gifts by exploring the following topics:
Ready to dive into the world of securities and gift matches? Let’s begin with a brief overview of nonprofit stock donations.
Donating Stock to Nonprofits: FAQ
Just getting started with nonprofit stock donations? These are some frequently asked questions—and answers—on the topic.
What are stock donations?
Stock donations are also referred to as gifts of securities, which typically encompasses transfers of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.
In order to secure the full financial benefits of a stock donation, the donor should have held the stock for at least one year from the time of the gift. The organization then has the option to sell the stock immediately upon receiving the donation or allow its shares to continue to appreciate in value. Nonprofits typically outline their generally accepted types of donations and liquidation procedures in their gift acceptance policies.
Other Key Terms to Know:
Mutual fund donations
While stock donations typically involve the transfer of shares within a single company, mutual funds can include a portfolio of thousands of stocks, bonds, and other securities compiled as a single entity.
But when it comes to donating assets to charity, mutual fund donations function similarly to stock donations—and similar rules apply regarding mutual fund and stock donations and matching gifts. Most companies that match gifts of stock will also match mutual fund donations and vice versa.
One thing to note, however, is that the mutual fund transfer process can be a bit more complicated than that of single stocks and may require a more hands-on process by the organization receiving the securities.
Marketable securities
Another term you might see in the realm of nonprofit stock giving is marketable securities. These are a specific category or type of investment, and most publicly traded stocks, and those most likely to be donated to a nonprofit, will fall under this umbrella.
Also known as marketable equity or marketable investments, these are essentially financial assets that are easily liquidated or readily convertible into cash. These are typically considered short-term investments and can be sold with minimal impact on their market value.
Why do individuals donate stocks to nonprofit causes?
Nonprofit stock donations are becoming a favorite giving method among donors for multiple reasons. For one, gifts of securities such as stocks enable donors to contribute more to an organization and its mission than they might be able to on their own.
If an individual purchases $100 in stock from a company that has since appreciated to double in value, they will be able to funnel $200 toward a cause that they care about—despite having only paid $100 for the initial stock shares! (And if the donor’s employer will match their stock donation, the end value can reach higher than $400—but more on that later.)
Additionally, when donating stocks that have been appreciating for more than a year, donors actually contribute 20% more to the nonprofit than if they had first sold their stocks and made a cash donation with the proceeds. That’s because when an individual sells their stock, they’re subject to pay significant capital gains taxes, which are not applicable should they transfer the stock to the receiving organization.
Are all stocks able to be donated to nonprofit organizations?
Most stocks will be eligible for donation purposes to most nonprofit causes. However, some organizations may place certain stipulations on the types of companies whose stocks they will and will not accept.
For example, the American Heart Association refuses donations of stock or other interests in companies relating to tobacco, nicotine delivery, or cannabis. In the case that an individual attempts a stock donation that is not accepted by the organization to which they gave, the securities will ultimately be returned to the donor.
Nonprofits That Accept Stock Donations
Many nonprofit organizations accept charitable gifts of stocks and mutual funds, and the trend is continuing to grow. In the next few years, we can expect more and more charitable causes to collect and incorporate gifts of securities into their overall fundraising strategies.
Donors interested in contributing stock to a particular cause are encouraged to explore their website, as the information regarding stock donation acceptance is often included within the organization’s “ways to give” page.
As of now, we’ve pulled a list of ten well-known causes and their current guidelines for donating stock.
1. American Heart Association
The American Heart Association (or AHA) gladly accepts gifts of stocks (and mutual funds) from generous donors and provides easily accessible guidelines and instructions for multiple methods of doing so.
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
2. Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, also known as LLS, encourages charitable donations of stock and mutual fund assets as well. They even provide a brief overview of the tax benefits offered to stock donors who are considering the option!
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
3. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The ASPCA is another organization that accepts stock transfer donations as a way for donors to support their cause. Within their plethora of suggested giving methods, gifts of security are highlighted along with detailed instructions on how to conduct the transfer process.
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
4. Syracuse University
Syracuse University provides donors and prospects with information regarding multiple kinds of stock donations—including marketable securities, closely-held securities, electronic stock transfers via DTC, and mutual fund transfers. Their site also prominently displays contact information for the university’s advancement department which will help facilitate the transfer!
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
5. Piedmont Healthcare
Piedmont Healthcare utilizes its website to encourage stock donations by interested supporters. One way they do so is by briefly highlighting the benefits to both their institution as well as to the donor contributing the appreciated securities (of both stocks and mutual funds).
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
6. Florida State University
Florida State University provides stock donors (and prospective donors) with detailed instructions that outline the securities transfer process. The FSU Foundation incorporates tips and tricks for donors aiming to contribute stock to the university, whether electronically or with physical certificates.
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
7. National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation includes stock donations as one of their suggested ways to support the institution—along with other giving ideas such as cryptocurrency, vehicle donations, fundraising events, and more.
This organization provides interested stock donors with a downloadable PDF made available through their “Get Involved” web page.
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
8. Lazarex Cancer Foundation
The Lazarex Cancer Foundation also encourages stock donations within their “How You Can Help” page. This section quickly highlights the significant tax benefits to the organization and the subsequently increased impact a supporter’s gift can make.
Here’s what their website had to say:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
9. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
One of the largest youth-focused research hospitals in the nation, St. Jude receives support from a widespread supporter base. Under its “Ways to Give” page, the organization provides a detailed guide on the benefits of stock donations with a step-by-step walkthrough of the process.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“Donating stock directly to a charitable organization, like St. Jude, can increase the amount of money received by the charity while reducing the tax burden for the donor. When you donate appreciated securities (investments that have increased in value from the time they were purchased), some individuals and households may be able to take advantage of IRS tax provisions to claim a charitable tax deduction for the full, fair market value of the securities.
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
10. American Cancer Society
For individuals looking to support the American Cancer Society, gifts of security are marketed as a key form of philanthropy under the “Ways to Give” umbrella on the organization’s website. Upon navigating to the “Stock Gifts” page, donors are met with information on various ways to donate stock in support of ACS—including online, physical delivery, and electronic transfer authorization.
Here’s what their website had to say:
“A gift of appreciated securities held for more than one year may provide significant benefits to you as a contributor, such as:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
Matching Stock Donations: The Basics
Clearly, stock donations are a great stream of additional fundraising revenue for nonprofits, and they’re becoming an increasingly sought after resource. At the same time, organizations are looking to get their charitable donations matched by donors’ employing companies.
So, do the two ideas coincide at all? Here’s what your fundraising team needs to know about the relationship between nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts.
Are stock donations typically eligible for corporate matching gift programs?
The #1 factor that determines whether an individual’s stock donation is eligible for a match through their employer is who their employer is and what that company has established in its matching gift program guidelines.
For example, some companies consider gifts of securities a particular form of in-kind donation (which the company chooses whether or not to match based on their program guidelines). In that case, stock donations made by employees of these companies will be eligible as long as that company matches in-kind gifts.
On the other hand, many businesses have classified stock donations as a form of monetary gift (in the likes of cash, debit/credit payments, or bank transfers) or a common exception to the in-kind donation rule. Donors employed by these companies are typically able to secure a gift match on behalf of your organization—so long as the value of the stock falls between the businesses’ predetermined thresholds.
All of that to say, many corporations choose to match the tax-deductible value of a contribution regardless of how it was given to a nonprofit organization – yet, this does vary based on company, so make sure you’re aware of your match-eligible donors’ company parameters.
Additionally, you’ll want to keep in mind that, as gifts of securities continue to grow in popularity among donors, we can expect many companies to begin adopting stock-inclusive matching gift program criteria for employee gifts in the near future.
How can I know if an individual’s stock donation qualifies for a match?
Let’s say your organization has just received a generous stock donation from a supporter of your cause. You may already know that their employer offers a matching gift program, and you’re looking to determine whether the stock gift is eligible for a match as well. Or, perhaps you’re unaware of whether the employing company matches any sort of employee donations to begin with. In either case, the answer should be located within the corporation’s matching gift program guidelines.
Nonprofits looking for this information may decide to conduct an online search for a company’s publicly-facing matching gift program guidelines to determine whether stock donations are mentioned. Donors seeking the information on their employers’ giving program can do a similar search of online resources, or they may look to internal documentation in an office policy handbook, workplace giving portal, etc.
However, the easiest way to uncover match-eligibility status for any donation—stock or otherwise—is by utilizing a matching gift company database.
Luckily, Double the Donation offers the most comprehensive database available, with detailed listings for tens of thousands of companies. Nonprofits and donors alike can begin typing a company’s name within the embedded autocompleting search tool and be instantaneously met with match qualifications, types of eligible donations, and more.
If the provided guidelines mention stock donations as a viable option for matching donations, you have your answer—the gift of stock is likely matchable for your cause!
If available documentation fails to reference gifts of securities at all, we recommend encouraging donors to inquire about the possibility with their companies to find the most definitive answer to the question at hand. Sometimes corporations might not list specific contribution methods, yet those gifts will still qualify for a match!
What are corporate stock donation matches worth?
When a stock donation (that has previously been identified as eligible for a corporate matching gift) is requested by a donor, the employer typically agrees to match the value of the stock on the day on which the stock transfer was made.
Thus, nonprofit donors are able to secure a match by their employer equal to the purchase price plus the appreciated value of the stock—which is typically greater than the individual’s initial financial investment!
What trends are expected regarding stock donations and matching gifts?
As of 2024, it’s estimated that many companies are willing to match the tax deductible value of a charitable gift, regardless of how that gift was made – the gift just has to benefit a charity and provide tax deductible value. With that being said, this can vary by company-specific program guidelines. As more and more companies match stocks and mutual fund contributions, it’s important for donors to check with their employer to know which types of gifts might qualify for a match.
The more popular stock grows as a form of nonprofit giving, the more companies will adopt stock-inclusive matching gift program guidelines.
And when you take a look at the financial benefits to parties on both sides of the transaction (one research study reported fundraising growth of up to 55% for organizations that allowed non-cash donations such as stock as viable donation options!), and the ease with which gifts of securities are becoming, this form of gift matching will likely continue to grow.
Examples of Companies That Match Stock Donations
Companies that match employee stock donations do so for the same reason as to why they match cash donations. These typically include corporate tax benefits, increased employee engagement, and positive public relations efforts.
Here are a few examples of companies that match stock donations made by their employees to qualifying charities!
1. Chevron
Chevron is well-regarded as having a generous corporate matching gift program, agreeing to match up to $10,000 in charitable donations per employee on an annual basis. And the best part is that they do match the market value of stock donations that their employees transfer to nearly all nonprofit organizations.
Here’s a glimpse at what Chevron says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
2. Google
Google offers both full and part-time employees the opportunity to participate in its corporate gift-matching initiative! Gifts worth up to $10,000 (including stock donations) will be matched to many nonprofit causes, including educational institutions, health and human services, cultural and community organizations, environmental nonprofits, and more.
Here’s a glimpse at what Google says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
3. General Electric
General Electric has matched a wide range of employee donations since 1954. In fact, it was the first corporation to roll out a corporate gift-matching program, though it was a fairly limited offering compared to what we see now!
Since then, GE has expanded its employee giving program to encompass new methods of giving—including contributing securities such as stocks—as well as more nonprofits being eligible to receive funding.
Here’s a glimpse at what General Electric says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
4. Merck
Merck & Co. matches numerous types of employee donations to charitable organizations. Within the company’s matching program criteria, they include a fairly detailed account of stock donations—including the process for requesting a corporate match and the benefits employees receive from giving this way.
Here’s a glimpse at what Merck says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
5. State Farm
State Farm Insurance matches donations made by current full-time employees, part-time team members, and retired workers alike—in any way they give to nonprofits. This includes gifts of securities and mutual funds, for which they detail a few stipulations of match eligibility.
Here’s a glimpse at what State Farm says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
6. Verizon
Verizon offers its employees multiple matching gift program options, the individual matching grants program being the one in which stock donations are considered match-eligible contributions. The company matches to nearly all 501(c)(3) organizations (or an equivalent internationally), with schools being eligible for a $5,000 donation or stock match and other nonprofits for a $1,000 donation or stock match.
Here’s a glimpse at what Verizon says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
7. Apple
Apple offers a slightly different type of corporate stock donation-matching program but will match certain gifts of securities nonetheless. Apple matches any type of stock donations as well as donations of just Apple stock.
Here’s a glimpse at what Apple says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
8. Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences, a leading medical technology company based in Irvine, California, matches donations up to $5,000 per full-time employee per year.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
9. Bank of America
With a matching gift program that doubles team member gifts of between $24 and $5,000 per person per year, Bank of America reports contributing more than $25 million in matching gifts per year!
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
10. PNC Financial Services
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. incentivizes its employees to give back to the causes they care about. And it does so with a matching gift ratio of up to 4:1—and a program that’s inclusive of gifts of stock.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
11. EOG Resources
EOG Resources encourages giving among its workforce with a particularly generous matching gift program. In fact, its matching gift annual maximum of $75,000 is one of the highest program caps available, inspiring team members to give bountifully as well.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
12. Eli Lilly and Company
Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly invites its current full-time, part-time, and retired employees to get involved with its philanthropic efforts! Matching up to $30,000 for current team members and $7,500 for retirees on an annual basis, the company demonstrates its commitment to doing good by giving back to the organizations its staff supports.
Here’s a glimpse at what the company says about stock donations and matching gifts:
Read up on the full program guidelines here.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to nonprofit stock donations and matching gifts. Some companies will match employee gifts of securities, while others will not.
But the good news is that more and more corporations are beginning to be inclusive of stock and mutual fund donations within their employee matching programs. That means you’ll want to keep an eye out for new programs being established and existing matching gift companies expanding their eligibility criteria.
Interested in learning more about matching gifts and other nonprofit fundraising opportunities? Check out these other Double the Donation resources:
Nonprofit Basics: The Google for Nonprofits Program
/in Nonprofit Basics /by Adam WeingerGoogle is one of the most profitable companies in the world, so it may come as a surprise that they have a program dedicated entirely to nonprofits. With Google for Nonprofits, Google does its part to give back to the community and support mission-driven organizations that are creating change in the world.
Since nonprofits often operate on limited budgets, they frequently don’t have enough to spend on productivity or marketing tools. Google aspires to change that with its charitable giving program, streamlining nonprofit communications and putting a world of prospects at nonprofits’ fingertips.
By applying for a Google for Nonprofits account, your nonprofit can leverage useful tools to streamline internal productivity and boost mission awareness. This quick start guide will cover what you need to know about Google for Nonprofits, including what it is, which tools are included, who’s eligible, and how to apply.
What Is Google For Nonprofits?
Google for Nonprofits is a program that gives eligible organizations free access to premium Google products, like Ad Grants and Workspace. Through the program, Google empowers nonprofits to increase internal productivity and connect with new supporters.
Currently available in 65+ countries, Google for Nonprofits is a powerful resource that enables nonprofits everywhere to use valuable tools without having to bear the brunt of the cost. All your nonprofit needs to do is meet the basic eligibility requirements and apply. Within a few weeks, you’ll gain instant access to the free tools, and you can activate whichever ones will empower your team to achieve greater outcomes.
What’s Included In Google for Nonprofits?
No matter if you want to streamline team collaboration or increase your website’s visibility on Google Search, Google for Nonprofits provides products that can easily amplify your work! Let’s dig into some of the tools you can look forward to leveraging.
Google Ad Grants
This is one of the most popular features in Google for Nonprofits! Through this program, eligible nonprofits receive up to $10,000 each month to spend on marketing their web content on Google Search.
Registering for Google for Nonprofits gives you access to the Ad Grants application, which you’ll need to fill out separately. From here, you can bid on keywords that your prospects are searching for online and write text-based ads that inspire people to visit your website and get involved in your work.
Here’s what you can expect from participating:
Bear in mind that Google Ads comes with a strict learning curve, especially considering that Ad Grants accounts have to follow strict guidelines in order to stay eligible. Luckily, there are Google Ad Grants experts that can help you set up and maintain your account.
We recommend working with the Google-certified professionals at Getting Attention. They’ve undergone a vetting process conducted by the leaders of the Google Ad Grant program, so you can rely on this agency’s insights into the program.
In turn, you’ll strengthen your digital presence, drive valuable traffic to your site, and raise more awareness for your mission.
Potential Impact
Your nonprofit’s website is your biggest digital marketing asset. With the Google Ad Grant, you can drive more traffic to your site and increase visibility for mission-critical activities via paid advertising for nonprofits.
However, you won’t be promoting content to just any users. With careful keyword research, you can drive qualified leads to your website and give them the opportunities they’ll find most enticing. Share your donation form with likely donors, volunteer opportunities with likely volunteers, matching gift opportunities with likely participants, events with likely registrants, and so on.
Squeeze even more out of your Ad Grant budget by testing out these strategies:
All of these useful features make this Google for Nonprofits resource a must for any organization that wants to grow its digital presence! In fact, Getting Attention’s Google Ad Grant Impact report explains that search ads have the highest ROI among all nonprofit advertising platforms. That’s why more and more organizations are turning to this resource. After all, who wouldn’t want to add $10,000 to their marketing budget each month?
Google Workspace for Nonprofits
Also known as G Suite, Google Workspace for nonprofits is a collection of Google’s online productivity and collaboration tools. Gain free access to everyday apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar, Meet, and more. Empower your team to increase collaboration, securely store documents, and ultimately streamline your internal operations.
Here’s what you have to look forward to with Google Workspace for nonprofits:
Best of all, each app within Google Workspace works seamlessly together. For instance, Getting Attention’s guide to G Suite explains that you can create Calendar invites that go directly to invitees’ Gmail inboxes. Then, you can add a Meet link for virtual meetings and create a new Google Doc to take meeting notes.
Potential Impact
Collaboration is a must for any nonprofit organization to run efficiently. Having free access to Google Workspace allows you to streamline productivity and communication between each of your teams.
Here are some easy ways you can make the most of Google Workspace for nonprofits:
As you get up and running with Google for Nonprofits, we highly recommend leveraging G Suite. Not only is it essential for collaboration, but their pricing plans can save your nonprofit a pretty penny.
The base plan for Google Workspace for nonprofits is free, while businesses have to pay $6 per month per user. For more cloud storage, you’ll need to choose the upgraded plan that offers 2 TB of cloud storage per user. You’ll only pay $3 per month per user, while businesses must pay $12 for the same plan.
Larger organizations might look into the Business Plan, which offers 5 TB of cloud storage per user, upgraded security controls, and the capacity to hold larger video meetings. You’ll only pay $5.04 per user per month, while for-profits are expected to pay $18 for the same package.
YouTube Nonprofit Program
Elevate your organization’s YouTube channel through the YouTube Nonprofit program. With more than 2.1 billion active users each month, YouTube is the largest video hosting platform in the world, making it a great opportunity to connect with supporters across the globe.
Using your Google for Nonprofits account, here’s what to expect from marketing your cause with this program:
Even if your nonprofit doesn’t already have a YouTube channel, now’s a great time to get started since you’ll have access to all these features that’ll take your videos to the next level.
Potential Impact
Video storytelling is an incredibly engaging way to inspire supporters. The YouTube Nonprofit Program seeks to empower nonprofits to get more out of their videos with extra features.
When tapping into this resource through Google for Nonprofits, maximize your results by taking extra steps like the following:
Video marketing is an increasingly popular way to promote your cause, and for good reason! Video marketers get 66% more qualified leads per year and achieve a 54% increase in brand awareness, according to video marketing research. This is primarily thanks to the quality of education video provides and the fact that it’s an easy form of content consumption for users.
As the most popular video-sharing platform, YouTube allows you to tap into these benefits, especially when you leverage its extra tools for nonprofits.
Google Earth and Maps
Google Earth and Maps is another tool that Google for Nonprofits offers to help organizations creatively share resources and connect with nearby community members. The program provides you with free credits for the Google Maps platform, so you can gain a stronger understanding of your service area, plan your work more efficiently, and share programs and resources with your community.
With unrestricted access to Google Earth and Maps, your nonprofit can:
While this platform might seem like an unusual resource, it’s actually incredibly useful for connecting with local audiences! Plus, there’s no harm in using it since it’s free through Google for Nonprofits.
Potential Impact
This resource won’t be quite as valuable for some organizations, but for some, it can really enhance how you carry out your work. To inspire your own use of this Google for Nonprofits product, let’s look at an example.
As a well-respected organization, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) strives to preserve African great apes and their habitats. Conservation projects like these require data-rich information to create, measure, and monitor success. They also depend on engaging stakeholders in transparent and engaging ways. Google Earth’s tools emerged as a unique way for JGI to capture stakeholders’ attention and push their conservation efforts forward.
Google for Nonprofits’ JGI case study explains that since 2009, JGI has been able to capture and share information about deforestation in visually-stimulating ways. Backed by mapping tools, they’ve been able to:
It may take some brainstorming to figure out how this Google for Nonprofits product plays into your efforts. It can be as simple as using Google Maps to help nearby beneficiaries locate your services. Or, you might use the platform to showcase interactive images of your locations using Google Street View. Get creative, and you can make real progress for your cause!
Who Is Eligible for Google for Nonprofits?
If you’re registered as a charitable organization in your country, you’re likely eligible for Google for Nonprofits. For U.S.-based nonprofits, that means you need to be a registered 501(c)(3) organization.
However, some organizations are automatically ineligible, regardless of their charitable status. Ineligible organizations include:
If you’re not sure if you’re eligible, it doesn’t hurt to apply for Google for Nonprofits! The worst that can happen is your application gets rejected.
Know that during the application process, Google for Nonprofits works with Percent to verify applicants’ legitimacy. This group serves as a bridge between nonprofits, businesses, and donors. It works to validate nonprofits, so companies can offer their products for free or discounted rates without concern.
How Do I Activate Google for Nonprofits?
If you’re looking to increase team productivity or amplify your mission online, applying for Google for Nonprofits should be a no-brainer! Luckily, Google makes it incredibly easy to get started.
They break the process down into 4 easy steps, including:
That’s all it takes! From here, you’re free to dive straight into using your free tools from Google and take your mission to new heights!
Final Thoughts on Google for Nonprofits
Google for Nonprofits can be an incredibly valuable resource for any nonprofit. Depending on your nonprofit’s work, some tools will naturally be more valuable than others. Like we mentioned, Google Earth and Maps isn’t suited for every nonprofit.
However, every organization can benefit from Google Workspace and Google Ad Grants. Google Workspace for nonprofits allows you to strengthen team collaboration and securely store your documents. Whether you’re communicating via email or editing extensive documents, these tools are a must-have on a daily basis.
As for Google Ad Grants, what organization would turn down free advertising money? The program requires some commitment to learning, though. You’ll want to choose the right keywords and create inspiring ads that persuade searchers to click through to your site. We recommend working with a Google Grants manager to make the most of this opportunity. Plus, the right ones will also help you get set up with Google for Nonprofits. For the best results, work with a Google certified partner, like Getting Attention.
No matter how you envision leveraging Google for Nonprofits, it’s not something you want to miss out on. After all, it’s completely free. Between Workspace, Google Grants, the YouTube Nonprofit Program, and Google Maps, you can make some serious strides for your cause.
Other Resources to Explore
Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
Google Grants Eligibility: Is Your Nonprofit Eligible? – The Google Ad Grant is a huge asset to your marketing efforts. Figure out if you meet the criteria outlined in this guide.
How to Apply for Google Grants: A Comprehensive Guide – Follow these steps to get your Google for Nonprofits account and Google Ad Grants account up and running.
Matching Gifts With ActBlue + Double the Donation
/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerImagine you run an organization working to promote social good in your community. You’ve been tasked with planning an upcoming fundraising campaign for your group, and you’ll need to collect as much revenue as you can in a short amount of time.
But there’s one problem—the majority of your organization’s support network are low and mid-size donors who often don’t have the capacity to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for your cause. And that’s where matching gifts come in!
Corporate matching gift programs enable donors to double the impact of their donations by requesting gift matches from participating employers. As a result, donations go twice as far, and these donors see their support being stretched to do even greater things.
So, how do you get started leveraging this widely available yet continually underutilized form of funding? For this example, let’s say your team is already equipped with ActBlue’s online donation platform. All you need to do to get the ball rolling with matching gifts is integrate Double the Donation’s workplace giving software into your existing ActBlue donation process!
This guide will provide you with an overview of the ActBlue + Double the Donation integration, what that means for organizations like yours, and how to make the most of matching gifts with the right tools. Then, we’ll share a quick story of an organization that leverages ActBlue and Double the Donation to successfully raise more with matching gifts.
Let’s dive in!
What is ActBlue?
ActBlue is a leading nonprofit technology provider that works to equip left-leaning organizations, Democratic candidates, and more with the tools they need to fund their efforts. Founded in 2004, ActBlue has helped progressive groups raise nearly $10 billion with their free online fundraising solution.
As a nonprofit itself, ActBlue targets “small-dollar” donors in order to make big changes—including its own supporters!
ActBlue + Double the Donation: What Does the Integration Offer?
With an integration between ActBlue and Double the Donation, both platforms aim to empower more donors to make a greater impact on their favorite causes. Here’s what they have to offer:
And if you’re not sure how to get set up or are looking to troubleshoot a concern, ActBlue and Double the Donation each prioritizes friendly, responsive, and trustworthy client support teams to help guide your way. You’ll receive timely and effective solutions that empower you to utilize your software to the greatest extent.
Client Case Study: How Rideshare2Vote Aware Matches Gifts With ActBlue + Double the Donation
Rideshare2Vote Aware is a nonprofit organization dedicated to training mission-driven leaders, transporting voters to get to the polls during elections, and elevating community and civic engagement overall.
In order to fund their efforts, R2V Aware relies on generous donations from like-minded supporters. Now, the organization has partnered with ActBlue and Double the Donation to raise more through matching gifts by leveraging the comprehensive fundraising solution (and incorporating many of the tips shared above).
Since getting up and running with their software integration, Rideshare2Vote Aware has established a fantastic matching gifts page on their website, as you can see here.
These are some things that R2V Aware’s matching gift web page does well:
With these matching gift best practices in place, the Rideshare2Vote Aware team is able to inform their donors about available matching gift opportunities and encourage individuals to pursue matches through their employers. Increased exposure to matching gifts through online promotion and targeted email follow-ups leads to increased matches submitted, which ultimately leads to increased matching funding for their cause.
3 Tips for Driving More Matches with ActBlue and Double the Donation
Matching gifts enable small-dollar donors to make a larger impact on the organizations and campaigns they support and to do so at a level they might have been unable to reach on their own.
If you’re looking to leverage the software integration between ActBlue and Double the Donation as described above, consider implementing these best practices in your strategy:
1. Create a dedicated matching gift web page.
Your website is one of your organization’s most valuable marketing assets for all sorts of purposes—from sharing information about your services to the funds you need to power your mission. It makes sense that matching gifts should be promoted heavily across your website! This should include a mention in your navigation menu, a brief overview on your “ways to give” page, and a solid description on a dedicated matching gift web page.
This page should be quick to locate from any other area on your website, incorporate the information donors need to be inspired by the impact of matching gifts and provide easy ways for users to determine their next steps for getting involved.
2. Highlight matching gifts on your donation confirmation page.
When a donor clicks “submit” on their donation, they’re typically redirected to the organization’s confirmation page, where the organization provides a brief thank-you message. However, your donation confirmation screens offer one of the best and most impactful ways to promote matching gifts to your donors.
At this stage in the giving experience, many donors are still riding their post-donation high. Make the most of this giving momentum by encouraging individuals to take the next step in order to acquire a matching gift for your cause.
To do so, we recommend embedding a matching gift search tool directly into your confirmation screen! Donors are prompted to complete a quick search of their employer’s name, which provides ample information about the company’s matching gift process (and what to do next).
Bonus tip: This practice is really simple to incorporate if your organization utilizes ActBlue’s embeddable donation forms alongside Double the Donation’s tools!
3. Incorporate personalized matching gift donation follow-ups.
Not everyone will complete their matching gift request from your confirmation screen. And for those individuals, sending customized reminder messaging after the fact can be a great way to get supporters back in the giving mood—especially when it doesn’t require them to reach back into their own pockets.
If you have donor employer data on record, you can even provide company-specific matching gift program guidelines and submission forms without lifting a finger. Armed with this information, donors are more likely to complete their matching gift request process.
Your organization receives additional funding, and your donor knows they were able to impact your cause in an even greater way!
ActBlue and Double the Donation each function to provide organizations like yours with best-in-class technology for raising more. When you utilize the two solutions together, the results can show significantly elevated matching gifts and overall fundraising efforts.
Interested in getting started with ActBlue and Double the Donation? Learn more about the partnership with our detailed integration guide or request a personalized demo of Double the Donation here!
Corporate Philanthropy + Employee Retention: The Connection
/in Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerDid you know that 71% of surveyed employees stated that it’s very important to work at a company that supports giving to and volunteering with nonprofit causes?
Or that 77% of millennials reported a sense of purpose as part of the reason they selected their current employer?
Or that employees who engage with corporate giving programs tend to have 75% longer tenures with the company?
Or that 55% of employees would even take a lower salary in order to work for a socially responsible company?
These facts—and more—help demonstrate the powerful internal benefits that corporate philanthropy and CSR can have on a business. And when it comes to corporate philanthropy and employee retention, the impact is substantial.
In this guide, we’ll provide companies with everything there is to know about corporate giving, staff retention, and the overlap of the two key concepts. If you’re looking to better engage your employees and keep them around for as long as possible, let’s dive in with the following topics:
Effective corporate philanthropy initiatives and high levels of employee retention year over year can each play significant roles in a company’s overall success. But many business owners fail to realize that the two ideas actually go hand in hand!
Let’s see how it works.
An Overview of Corporate Philanthropy
Corporate philanthropy is a key component of CSR (or corporate social responsibility), in which businesses dedicate time, money, and resources to promote the welfare of others. This often occurs through charitable donations to nonprofit organizations looking to drive a particular mission forward. Some of the most common examples of corporate philanthropy offerings are community grants, matching gifts, team volunteerism, event sponsorships, and more.
Thousands of businesses opt to partake in corporate philanthropy in one form or another, in no small part due to the substantial benefits that participating companies see. These advantages include—but are not limited to—an improved brand image, increased marketing opportunities and sales, heightened levels of team member engagement, attraction of new candidates, and (of course) elevated rates of employee retention.
What To Know About Employee Retention
Every company wants to have high levels of employee retention. Not only is it more cost-effective to maintain the same high-performing team members year after year, but it also demonstrates a positive work environment that will be attractive to new potential employees as well. This will enable your business to onboard more top team members who will, ideally, also stay at the job for years to come.
And it all comes down to this: employees who are highly engaged in their roles are more likely to be retained at a business for longer periods. Not to mention, you’ll require less time and energy devoted to hiring and onboarding new individuals, develop an inviting employee culture, and see higher levels of productivity among team members.
The Overlap Between Philanthropy + Staff Retention
Companies tend to see a significant positive correlation between investments in corporate philanthropy and employee retention results.
But why? It’s simple: corporate philanthropy initiatives lead to higher levels of employee engagement. High levels of engagement lead to lengthened employee tenures at the business.
This is because people (especially those of younger generations) like working for companies that promote social good. In fact, 54% of employees who are proud of their company’s contributions to society report being engaged in the workplace. As a result, these individuals are significantly less likely to leave their employers.
Tips for Driving Corporate Philanthropy + Employee Retention
Ready to see these benefits for your own team? Check out our top three tried-and-true practices for companies looking to increase philanthropy and retention:
1. Enable employees to play a significant role in your company’s giving.
Giving to any nonprofit will have a number of benefits to your business and its team. But when you allow employees to play a hands-on role in your corporate philanthropy initiatives and decisions, you’ll receive multiple times the impact on your engagement and retention strategies.
And that’s where workplace giving comes in!
Workplace giving is a particular form of corporate philanthropy where individual employees are encouraged to take the driver’s seat in their employers’ philanthropic initiatives. In these programs, team members are able to direct the company’s dollars toward their favorite nonprofit causes. For example, matching gifts and volunteer grants are offered when a company provides additional support to organizations that their employees are already supporting, whether through time or dollars.
With workplace giving and other employee-led programs, employees have a larger say in the businesses’ overall CSR and can feel the impacts of their employers’ giving on a more personal scale.
2. Provide many ways for employees to participate in philanthropic efforts.
Corporate philanthropy—and even workplace giving—is not a one-size-fits-all solution for employee retention or overall CSR. There are tons of powerful ideas for companies and their employees to get involved.
A few of our favorite ways for companies and their employees to participate in philanthropy include:
In addition, the more you simplify involvement with your company’s giving programs, the higher levels of participation, engagement, and retention you’ll likely see. For example, one of the most important factors for providing employees with an optimized giving experience is the requirements of eligible contributions.
If you’re matching employee donations, it’s a good idea to match all kinds of donations—such as website, in-person, direct mail, text, and peer-to-peer gifts. The more involvement options you provide, the more likely an individual is to get their gift matched.
Keep in mind that not every employee will want to engage with nonprofit causes in the same way. For some, matching gifts are an amazing opportunity—especially if an individual already gives to a qualifying organization.
On the other hand, some employees will prefer to assist nonprofits with their time instead. For these team members, volunteerism-based initiatives such as group volunteer events and dollars for doers grants will have a larger impact on their likelihood of participating and overall engagement levels.
3. Effectively communicate the impact of your philanthropy to employees.
Beyond simplifying the process, one of the best ways to drive employee participation (and increase the benefits of your efforts) is to focus on the positive impact that your philanthropy has on the world.
Here are a few common ways that companies can do so:
And these don’t have to be solely internal strategies, either. Prioritizing your company’s philanthropic impact can be a great way to drive team-wide engagement in the programs and, thus, increase retention rates. But these same ideas can also be used to elevate your brand in the public eye as well.
Without an effective strategy in place to communicate the value of your company’s giving initiatives, on the other hand, your team is not likely to receive the greatest benefits possible. Your philanthropy won’t keep employees at your company if nobody—team members included—know about the efforts.
The more a company participates in corporate giving initiatives, the higher the level of pride employees have in the business, and the more its employees will be engaged in their role. Each of these ultimately leads to significantly higher rates of retention, which, in turn, enables the corporation to invest more into its philanthropic efforts.
So if you’ve been looking for new ways to keep your high-performing employees with the business for longer, getting started with corporate philanthropy might be just what you’re looking for. Good luck!
Learn more about the benefits of corporate philanthropy and how to get involved with these other company-specific educational resources:
EIN Numbers for Matching Gift Programs: A Basic Guide
/in Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAs a nonprofit fundraiser, you should hopefully know all about the enormous impact that corporate matching gifts bring to strategic fundraising efforts.
(If you’d like a matching gifts refresher before diving into what you should know about EIN numbers for matching gifts, we recommend checking out our comprehensive guide on matching gift fundamentals.)
Here’s a brief recap: matching gifts enable organizations to double existing donations when qualifying donors request corporate matches from their employers on your behalf. Yet unfortunately, millions of dollars of available matching gift revenue are left on the table each year. Two significant roadblocks to matching gift success are a lack of awareness of these programs and a lack of understanding of how eligible donors request their company matches.
And there’s one little piece of information that plays a huge role in just about any donor’s matching gift employer submission: the nonprofit’s EIN or employer identification number.
In this resource, we’ll dive deep into the world of EINs by covering the following key topics:
Ready to learn more about nonprofit EIN numbers—including what they are and their critical role in maximizing matching gifts? Let’s jump in with the basics.
1. EIN Numbers: The Definition
According to the Internal Revenue Service (commonly referred to as the IRS),
But don’t think that’s referring to for-profit businesses only!
In regards to nonprofits, an EIN is critical for identifying the organization as being an officially registered 501(c)(3) cause. By extension, this nine-digit number (formatted as XX-XXXXXXX) verifies an institution as a tax-exempt nonprofit, to which charitable donations are considered tax-deductible by the U.S. government.
You might even think of an organization’s EIN as the nonprofit (or business) version of a social security number.
This is the unique identifier belonging solely to the entity in question. No two groups share the same tax ID number, which allows the figure to pinpoint a particular organization and track all sorts of critical financial data. For nonprofits, this includes donations, tax receipts, and more.
2. Where Should a Nonprofit’s EIN Number Be?
Whether you’re a donor attempting to locate your favorite charity’s EIN number for a matching gift program or a nonprofit aiming to ensure your EIN is easily accessible to your audience, understanding the prime location for this information is essential.
So, where should an organization’s EIN number be found?
On the organization’s website
A nonprofit’s website is one of its most valuable assets for driving fundraising, improving donor engagement, and providing educational resources to viewers. As such, it’s critical that an organization incorporates its EIN number in multiple prominent locations across its site.
That’s why we recommend nonprofits include this information on their:
Keep in mind that if donors have to search particularly hard or click through a whole trail of breadcrumbs to locate your tax ID, they’re likely to call it quits before reaching the intended destination.
And if they need your EIN to submit their matching gift request, you might just miss out on that possible match. That’s why it’s essential to keep this information as openly accessible as possible.
Within donor communication materials
Beyond your nonprofit website, it’s also a good idea to include your EIN within a number of donor-facing communications. This typically includes:
Not only does providing your tax ID number in communication materials ensure donors have access to the information they need for their matching gift requests, but it can also help when it comes time to report their charitable contributions as tax-deductible!
Through third-party resources
There’s also a good chance that an organization’s tax ID number is available online through a third-party resource such as Charity Navigator, GuideStar, or the IRS itself. These sites can be useful for donors and prospects looking to learn more about nonprofit causes they support.
As a nonprofit, however, you should not rely on this being the case—let alone the available resources providing accurate and up-to-date information. Thus, make sure to prioritize getting your organization’s EIN number out via your own website and communication materials.
3. The Importance of EIN Numbers for Matching Gift Programs
Most companies that offer matching gift programs will require the receiving organization’s EIN number to successfully process the matching gift request and ultimately disburse the funding.
The EIN requirement will typically be in addition to other information about their employee’s donation, such as:
Without the organization’s ID number, the donor will likely be unable to submit their online match request—or if they do submit it without an EIN included, the request may be denied.
The purpose of the above information is so that the matching gift company can verify that the initial donation was made, along with it having been contributed to a qualifying nonprofit cause. Not to mention, having access to the organization’s official tax ID number also ensures that the employer is able to give to the same organization its employee did.
4. The Role of EIN Numbers With CSR Platforms
Thousands of companies with workplace giving programs utilize CSR platforms (sometimes referred to as corporate giving platforms, matching gift software vendors, etc.). These solutions were developed to help businesses manage their philanthropic initiatives. For many, that means matching gifts.
If your donors work for those companies (which it’s fairly likely that they do), participating individuals are often required to submit corporate matching gift requests through their employer’s CSR software portal.
And to complete their request, they’ll need the EIN number of the organization to which they gave.
Many companies even choose to automate their matching gift facilitation through the use of corporate giving software. When this occurs, donors simply fill out an online form provided by the CSR platform. The donation information entered (including EIN) is then quickly scanned against the business’s pre-determined matching gift criteria. This typically includes minimum and maximum donation amounts, types of qualifying nonprofits, and more.
The request is then approved or denied, and, if approved, the funding moves toward the distribution process. So as you work to drive as many matching gifts as possible—with as few roadblocks as possible—it’s essential that you provide individuals with the information they require.
5. How to Simplify EIN Numbers for Donors
So you understand why your organization’s EIN is essential to matching gift fundraising. But what can you do to make this information easily accessible and simplify the process of obtaining the figure for donors?
Leveraging matching gift automation software like Double the Donation can help in two keys ways:
For example, check out how two leading nonprofit organizations display their EINs on their dedicated matching gifts pages for supporters:
American Heart Association
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Sometimes the process of identifying the right EIN number can be particularly difficult for nonprofit supporters. For example, some large schools, universities, and multi-chapter organizations may have multiple tax ID numbers—often a different EIN for each component of the overall cause.
In that case, you might want to include brief instructions within your matching gift follow-up emails that direct donors to the correct information. This can be as simple as incorporating a note near your matching gift company instructions. For example: “Kindly visit our dedicated matching gift page and look for the correct EIN for your matching gift request.”
If your organization has a single EIN number, you might still choose to include a reminder that the information is available on your matching gift web page. Alternatively, you could insert the number directly into your matching gift follow-up email for even easier access.
The more your organization simplifies the matching gift process for its donors, the more individuals are likely to participate—namely, following their matching gift request from beginning to end.
By highlighting EIN numbers for matching gift programs, your team can ensure your match-eligible supporters have the information they need to complete their employer’s submission process. You’ll receive additional corporate funding, and your donors are able to make an even more significant impact on a cause they care about. That’s what we like to call a win-win!
Want to learn more? Make the most of matching gifts with our other top fundraising and corporate giving resources here:
Nonprofit Basics: Education Management Solutions
/in Nonprofit Basics /by Adam WeingerFinding the right software to manage your educational institution and programs is essential to the successful functioning of your business. Ideally, one technology can address multiple processes you have in your organization, including registration and student enrollment, one-time and recurring payments, and student reporting.
What Are Education Management Solutions?
Education management solutions are software programs that help school administrators and teachers manage the day-to-day of running a school. All of the top education management solutions on the market today are cloud-based. Education software should include robust data gathering and management tools that allow students and families to input, edit, and access their information as well as provide a database for you to filter, search, and run reports for you and your team.
Solutions should be definition integration via API or built-in integration to Student information systems, CRMs, and more.
User experience for your solutions should factor in the experiences of your team, your parents, students, and faculty.
Features To Look For in an Education Management Solution
It’s important that whatever system you put in place to manage your programs has all the features needed to ensure your team’s success. Here are a few features that we’d recommend looking for while evaluating your options:
Student Enrollment Options
Ease of student enrollment is crucial for your software stack. Create customized forms and fields to gather the information you need, as well as an easy way for families to pay.
The data generated by these processes can be managed by you and your team easily including generating reporting and statistics from this data, managing day-to-day tasks like recording notes, tagging students by where they are in the application process, and automatic tools like email communication and payment plans.
School Registration Software
Ensuring you have all the necessary data on students registering for your classes and programs is crucial to your success.
A good software can replace manpower that can otherwise be focused on marketing, growing your offerings, and improving customer service.
A good registration software should allow you to:
These features will ensure that your registration software will work seamlessly for your team and audience and integrate well with your other education management solutions.
Online Payments
Making it easy for students and families to pay will make or break the profitability of your programs. Streamline the checkout process by offering payment plans to lower the barrier of payment entry, increase enrollment, and ensure you have consistent cash flow.
Look for a software tool that integrates payments into the registration process and embeds on your website. You’ll see a 27%+ increase in on-time payments when your students can pay on your website, as they trust your business and won’t hesitate to make a payment.
Payment plans allow families to commit to purchasing your classes and programs, without the hassle of remembering to pay each cycle. You’ll save time not managing open invoices or manually billing families each month.
Reporting
The ability to extract the information you need to answer business questions is crucial. Whether it’s creating a roster report with custom information each teacher needs about their students, or you’d like to see a sales report for specific classes and registration data – your technology partner should provide a multitude of reports to meet all of your business needs.
Crucial reports for schools include:
Your education management solution should be able to run these reports for you, saving your team valuable time and energy.
Other Resources to Explore
Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
Increasing Student Enrollment – If you’re among school professionals tasked with increasing student enrollment, here are nine practical tips that will help you increase student enrollment.
Class Registration Software: Top Providers to Explore – Have you been pulling your hair out trying to decide which online class registration software to choose for your business? With so many good options out there, selecting the right software for your business can be really challenging. Lucky for you, we’ve narrowed down your options to just a few!
Matching Gift Disbursement FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered
/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerMatching gift disbursement plays a considerable role in nonprofits’ matching gift fundraising success. This is essentially the go-between for companies that offer matching gift programs and the organizations that receive their matching gift funds.
Yet the matching gift disbursement process remains a mystery for many nonprofits and their donors (and even some companies, too). Unfortunately, groups that don’t understand what goes into corporate matching gifts are unlikely to use these programs to their greatest advantage—which is where this comprehensive Q&A guide comes in!
In the next eight sections, we’ll answer some of the most common questions asked about matching gift fundraising—particularly the behind-the-scenes processes that go into these corporate giving programs.
1. What is matching gift disbursement?
Matching gift disbursement is the process that takes place between corporations and nonprofits in which matching donation funding is requested, approved, and transferred from a matching gift company to its nonprofit recipient. The process is sparked by an individual donor, having been identified as matching gift eligible, who submits a matching gift request through their employer.
The particular steps can vary from company to company, with the basic premise being the same. Employers want to verify that their employees are making charitable donations to legitimate causes. After doing so, they authorize the match request and submit their matching donation to the nonprofit cause.
2. What are CSR vendors?
CSR vendors are known by many names, such as corporate social responsibility software, corporate giving software, matching gift management software, and more. This type of tool is used by thousands of companies with matching gift programs to manage their corporate philanthropy initiatives.
CSR software providers equip companies with powerful resources to manage and automate their workplace giving programs. Overall, they create a better user experience for the businesses, their employees, and the nonprofits they partner with.
Some of the most common examples of these providers include:
Each of the above-listed CSR platforms works with different companies, small and large, to facilitate matching gifts and manage the matching gift disbursement process from beginning to end. The software typically utilizes automation practices in order to speed things up and require less on the part of the donors, nonprofits, and companies alike.
A CSR giving provider such as these will likely provide their corporate clients with an online portal from which employees can complete their match requests. From there, the platform may screen requested donations according to predetermined matching criteria (such as minimums, maximums, nonprofit types, etc.) and approve or deny submissions accordingly.
Some of these CSR vendors even facilitate employee donations themselves, functioning as an online giving tool where individual donations are then passed along to the receiving organization, along with the qualifying corporate match.
3. What’s the difference between CSR and matching gift software?
See also: If CSR platforms manage and automate matching gifts, how does that compare to nonprofit matching gift software (like Double the Donation)?
There are two overarching categories of matching gift software. These are matching gift software for companies and matching gift software for nonprofits. And the main difference is just that: the primary buyer and user of the platform, which then dictates the functionality of the software. Here’s a brief overview:
As donors walk through the giving process with their favorite charities, they are often first met with the nonprofit’s matching gift software. This may be while browsing the organization’s “ways to give” page, directly within their online giving form, or through a post-transaction follow-up email.
The majority of match-eligible donors remain unaware of their employers’ programs, so the nonprofit’s matching gift software aims to inform each individual about the widespread availability of company gift-matching and provide a simple way for donors to determine their own eligibility status. For many companies, this includes incorporating direct links to matching gift request forms—which, again, are often managed by a CSR platform.
When a donor clicks to navigate to their employer’s online matching gift portal, this is typically where they cross over into the territory of matching gift software for companies. Now, the donor is prompted to complete their match request by providing donation information through the online portal.
4. How are matching gifts disbursed with a CSR platform?
Although each CSR vendor has its own matching gift disbursement process, these four essential steps are typically involved:
Step #1: A donor submits a request through their company’s CSR platform.
Once a nonprofit supporter makes their donation, they should (hopefully) be directed to their employer’s online match request portal. Oftentimes, the instructions and links for doing so will be made available through the organization’s matching gift widget, which pulls information from thousands of companies listed in a comprehensive matching gift database. In other scenarios, the donor will not be automatically provided with their employer’s giving program information but is encouraged to seek it out and begin the process on their own.
Upon landing at their company’s corporate giving portal, the employee donor is ready to make their request. This typically involves completing an online form with basic information about the initial donation. The details required in the form can vary from one business to the next. However, these often include the name and contact information of the nonprofit (including their tax ID number), along with a copy of the donor’s charitable gift receipt.
The donor then clicks “submit” and pats themself on the back for completing their portion of the matching gift process.
Step #2: The employing companies review the request.
Next, the company reviews employees’ matching gift requests and makes a decision as to whether the initial donation is matching gift eligible. Most companies will choose to go either the automatic or the manual approval routes:
Step #3: The company authorizes match funds to be sent through the CSR platform.
Once the donation match request is approved (either through automated or manual review processes), the matching gift funding is ready to be transferred from the contributing business to the receiving organization. When a company utilizes a CSR platform, this step involves authorizing the corporate giving vendor to disperse the funds on the company’s behalf.
Keep in mind that if an employer sees multiple donors giving to the same fundraising organization, the employer might end up batching multiple matching donations together within their CSR platform before releasing the funds.
Step #4: The organization receives a donation from the CSR platform.
At this last stage in the matching gift disbursement process, the nonprofit simply sits back and waits for the match funding to come through. Unfortunately, fundraisers should not be holding their breath, as it can take a while for matching gifts to travel throughout each step along the way.
Eventually, the nonprofit will receive a matching donation from a donor’s employing company, which should be entered in the CRM alongside the initial gift. Keep in mind, though, that a matching gift from the Home Depot may be unknowingly processed and recorded under the name of the CSR platform rather than the company itself—so keep an eye out for incoming checks from those service providers as well.
If a company does not work with a CSR management platform, the match request process may look a bit different, while the matching gift disbursement should be largely the same. For example, some companies still collect paper submissions, while others utilize downloadable PDF documents or simple online forms (which can still be made available through a nonprofit’s matching gift solution).
From there, the company will manually review the request to compare against their matching criteria, determine an outcome, and make their matching gift.
5. How do I know if a donation is from a matching gift?
Because matching gifts are often processed through a company’s CSR platform, the donation record in an organization’s database may not contain the contributing company’s name, let alone the donor who had initially requested the match. As such, it can be difficult for organizations to locate matching gifts in their CRM and track them effectively.
To better track your nonprofit’s matches, the first thing you can do is keep an eye out for any corporate donations flowing into your donor database.
Now, these might come in a few ways. Take a look at these examples, based on the way a company manages its gift-matching initiatives:
Identifying incoming matches is critical for effective tracking and reporting purposes. And without correctly associating matching gifts with the donors who requested them, an organization can hardly optimize its engagement and follow-up strategies.
When a nonprofit lacks this information, they likely won’t be able to close the loop with the donor and mark their matching gift disbursement cycle as completed. Additionally, they can’t communicate their appreciation for the individual going above and beyond to submit a company match, which can lead to a missing piece of the donor engagement puzzle. Not to mention, unorganized corporate matches can clutter your donor database without proper maintenance.
6. What happens after a match is received?
What an organization does after receiving a matching donation has a significant impact on its matching gift fundraising success overall. But unfortunately, many nonprofits’ honest answers to the above question would be — nothing.
So let’s rephrase: “What should happen after a match is received?”
When you determine that an individual has secured a matching gift for your organization, we recommend including a note on their donor profile. The donor tag should list the matching gift and initial donation amount, along with the employing company. This enables your nonprofit to optimize your communications with the donor as well as keep their matching gift eligibility status in mind for future fundraising efforts.
Then, be sure to follow up with the individual after receiving their employer’s donation as well. Although the matching funds didn’t come directly from their wallet, it’s important to recognize that the individual’s initial gift and follow-up participation is what made the corporate match possible. Doing so will construct a positive impression of the matching gift process for donors and increase the likelihood that they request a matching gift for the next donation they contribute to your organization.
7. What data results from matching gift disbursement?
The most effectively and efficiently run nonprofits are being driven by the power of fundraising data. Knowing how your organization’s existing fundraising strategies are operating, as well as your current and historical measurements of success, can provide you with the insights you need to move forward into greater results.
Luckily, strategic matching gift fundraising can result in loads of valuable data points for any nonprofit. We recommend prioritizing the following key matching metrics:
And on a more personal scale, the #1 most important detail to know is the companies your donors work for. Having a record of (at least the majority of) your donors’ employment information will allow you to adjust your matching gift promotion strategies accordingly, providing each individual with company-specific program information to their employer. This enables your team to drive more matching gifts to completion with targeted communication, tracking, and forecasting.
8. What role do nonprofit CRMs play in matching gift disbursement?
Based on the above suggested key performance indicators, you can probably tell there’s a lot to track when it comes to matching gift fundraising. This is especially true if you’re looking to maximize your efforts and scale up your matching gift initiatives (which, if you don’t want to miss out on free and unrestricted funding for your cause, you should be).
And the best tool for tracking fundraising data is your nonprofit’s CRM.
But how exactly does your donor database fit into the matching gift disbursement procedure? It essentially comes into play at the very end of the process. As your organization receives matching gift funding—whether through the company itself or via a secondary CSR platform—those donations flow into your CRM as any other contribution would. The way your team organizes the gifts and to whom the donations are attributed can impact the effectiveness of the matching gift follow-up steps highlighted above.
For example, we recommend asking match-eligible donors to keep you informed throughout the match request process with their employer. Have they submitted their match? Determined their gift did not qualify for a corporate match? Verified the donation with the company?
The easiest way to do this is by automating donor messaging while leveraging your CRM’s communication tracking functionality. And this can be an especially seamless procedure if your database integrates with top matching gift software such as Double the Donation.
If you’re looking to locate previously made matching gifts, you may want to take the time to comb through your nonprofit CRM. As you do so, keep an eye out for CSR platforms that may have disbursed company matches yet flown under your organization’s radar.
Conclusion
Matching gift revenue can make a significant impact on your nonprofit. Having the knowledge surrounding every step of the matching gift disbursement process will allow you to better manage, track, and improve your organization’s efforts.
It all comes down to effectively enacting your team’s role in the disbursement procedure while simultaneously understanding the tasks being carried out by the other parties involved (i.e., your donors and their employers) to get from start to finish.
Once you’ve established this foundation of strengthened know-how, it will result in powerful matching gift benefits for your organization and its beneficiaries, your donors, and the corporations you’ve partnered with.