Companies With Matching Gift Programs in San Francisco

San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area are home to over 7.7 million people and have a GDP of over $577 billion. The area is a major financial hub for Northern California, the epicenter of the global technology industry, and a region known for its progressive values and community engagement. Consequently, it is the home of some of the nation’s best corporate giving programs.

For nonprofits, this concentration of wealth and corporate social responsibility (CSR) means that San Francisco presents major matching gift potential. Whether you are an arts organization in the Mission District, a food bank in the East Bay, or a university in the South Bay, your donor base is likely populated by employees of companies that want to give you money.

In this comprehensive guide, we are going to examine some of the largest San Francisco-based companies offering standout matching gift programs. From historic banking institutions to the tech giants of Silicon Valley, these companies offer funding that can transform your annual revenue.

The Best Way to Discover Matching Gift Opportunities

The biggest obstacle for a nonprofit trying to increase donations through matching gifts is a lack of knowledge surrounding the programs. Billions of dollars go unclaimed annually simply because donors do not know their employer offers a match. Whether on the nonprofit end or the donor end, it is difficult to capitalize on matching gift programs when either party is unaware that they exist!

The easiest way for your nonprofit to combat this is with the help of matching gift software such as Double the Donation. This matching gift automation tool is well-suited for nonprofits looking to increase their matching gift fundraising efforts without increasing their administrative workload.

With Double the Donation Matching, you can:

Automatically uncover match-eligible donors with four powerful identification methods (donation form search tool, confirmation screen widget, email outreach, and email domain screening).
Trigger automated and personalized follow-up communications informing donors of their match eligibility.
Provide detailed company-specific program guidelines and next steps, including a direct link to their employers’ online matching gift forms.
Access a robust matching gift dashboard that provides detailed and birds-eye analytics, overviews top companies searched, and tracks matches through the process to forecast incoming revenue.

Utilizing a tool like this not only increases the funding your organization receives through corporate matching programs. It also drives donor engagement and allows your fundraising team to save time and reallocate resources to your most valuable priorities, such as major donor cultivation or program delivery.

Top San Francisco & Bay Area Matching Gift Companies to Know

The Bay Area is unique because it hosts a blend of historic American companies and modern tech disruptors. Below, we explore the specific matching gift programs of the region’s top employers.

1. Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo was founded in 1852 in the heart of the budding American West. Initially, the banks’ founding capital was only $300,000. More than 160 years later, the banking giant generates nearly $83 billion in revenue per year and remains a staple of the San Francisco financial district.

The company is dedicated to corporate responsibility and has been recognized for its commitment to philanthropy, sustainability, and diversity. Their “Community Support Campaign” is one of the longest-running workplace giving programs in the nation.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches donations as small as $25 and as large as $2,000 per employee, per year.
Eligibility: Full-time and part-time employees are eligible, as well as retired team members.
Volunteer Grants: The company contributes more than $500,000 in volunteer grants annually to incentivize employees to donate their time.

The inclusion of retirees in the Wells Fargo program is a significant benefit for nonprofits. Retirees often have more disposable time to volunteer and a lifetime of accumulated wealth to donate. Ensuring that your donor research identifies former Wells Fargo employees can unlock a revenue stream that many other nonprofits overlook.

Learn more about Wells Fargo’s corporate matching program.

2. Salesforce

Salesforce is not just a tech giant; it is the pioneer of the “1-1-1” philanthropic model, pledging 1% of equity, 1% of product, and 1% of employee time to the community. Headquartered in the towering Salesforce Tower in downtown San Francisco, the company sets the standard for corporate giving in the cloud computing era.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches up to $5,000 per employee, per year.
Volunteer Grants: Employees who log 56 hours of volunteering receive a $1,000 grant to donate to a nonprofit of their choice.
Champion Grants: Top volunteers can earn even larger grants to direct toward their favorite causes.

Salesforce employees are encouraged to be “Citizen Philanthropists.” Because the culture of giving is so deeply embedded in their workplace DNA, these donors rarely need to be convinced to give; they simply need to be reminded to submit the match. Segmenting your email list to target Salesforce employees specifically can yield high returns.

Learn more about Salesforce’s corporate matching program.

3. The Gap Corporation

The Gap Corporation’s hold on the clothing market expands far beyond its namesake apparel store. The company owns Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Athleta, all of which are headquartered or have significant operations in the Bay Area. In 2021, The Gap funded over $1.3 million of employee-driven community investment and matched donations to more than 3,000 nonprofit groups.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches donations between $10 and $15,000.
Volunteer Grants: Employees who donate at least 15 hours of their time are eligible to receive grants of $150.
Team Grants: Teams of employees volunteering with organizations that serve women or children can earn up to $250 in grants.

The low minimum donation amount of $10 makes The Gap’s program highly accessible. This is excellent for nonprofits that rely on smaller, grassroots donations rather than just major gifts. Even entry-level retail employees can participate in philanthropy, widening your potential donor pool significantly.

Learn more about The Gap’s corporate matching program.

4. Google

While technically headquartered in Mountain View, Google has a massive presence in San Francisco and throughout the entire Bay Area. As one of the world’s most valuable companies, its matching gift program is suitably generous, often cited as one of the best in the corporate world.

Match Ratio: 1:1 is standard, but they often run “special match” campaigns where the ratio increases.
Match Limits: Matches up to $10,000 per employee, per year.
Volunteer Grants: Google matches every hour of volunteering with a $10 donation to the nonprofit.
Peer Matching: Employees can create fundraisers and have their peers’ contributions matched as well.

The “match per hour” volunteer grant is a massive opportunity. If a Google employee volunteers 100 hours a year with your organization, that is an automatic $1,000 check, in addition to any personal donations they make. Nonprofits in the Bay Area should actively recruit Googlers for board positions and regular volunteer shifts to maximize this benefit.

Learn more about Google’s corporate matching program.

5. Visa

Visa Inc. employs over 21,500 individuals and generates over $21.8 billion in revenue annually. The credit-card giant processes billions of transactions every year and maintains a major hub in the Bay Area. Visa has a strong commitment to corporate responsibility and has been a proud sponsor of the Olympics and Paralympics since 1986.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches employee donations as small as $20 and as large as $5,000.
Volunteer Focus: The company encourages employees to volunteer by picking one outstanding member from each region to give a grant of up to $5,000 for the organization to which they have dedicated the most hours.

While their standard cap is $5,000, the competitive nature of their volunteer grant awards can be a great motivator. If you have a highly dedicated volunteer who works at Visa, work with them to track their impact so they can apply for these regional awards, potentially bringing a significant lump sum to your mission.

Learn more about Visa’s corporate matching program.

6. Apple

Cupertino-based Apple is a neighbor to San Francisco and employs thousands of commuters from the city. Under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple has dramatically scaled its employee giving programs, making them one of the most generous philanthropists in the tech sector.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches up to $10,000 per employee, per year.
Volunteer Grants: Apple provides $25 for every hour an employee volunteers.

The $25 per hour volunteer grant is among the highest rates in the industry. This reflects the value Apple places on time. For nonprofits, this means that an Apple employee’s time is quite literally money. Securing Apple volunteers for events or pro-bono consulting projects is a dual-revenue strategy.

Learn more about Apple’s corporate matching program.

7. Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss and Co. has been operating out of San Francisco since its creation in 1873. The jean company now employs over 16,600 individuals and generates more than $2.8 billion in revenue yearly. Committed to social responsibility, Levi Strauss and Co. has hosted a worldwide day of service for the last decade, where employees are given the day off to volunteer with local nonprofits.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches donations as small as $25 and as large as $1,200.
Eligibility: Applies to current employees, retirees, and part-time staff.
Volunteer Grants: If an employee volunteers for a minimum of 10 hours, the company will issue a volunteer grant of up to $2,400 depending on hours served.

Levi’s commitment to social justice and community welfare is historic. Their program is particularly friendly to part-time employees, which is a demographic often excluded from corporate matching. This is vital for community-based organizations in San Francisco to remember when soliciting donations from retail staff.

Learn more about Levi Strauss and Co.’s corporate matching program.

8. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

PG&E has several philanthropic programs in place, including a focus on STEM education, economic and community vitality, and environmental education. In 2021, employees volunteered over 22,000 hours to support communities in Northern and Central California and donated more than $23 million.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches gifts at a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $1,000.
Total Impact: Since the program’s inception, employees and retirees have contributed more than $100 million.

As a utility company, PG&E has a very stable workforce with long tenure. This stability allows nonprofits to build long-term relationships with donors who will remain eligible for matching gifts year after year, unlike high-turnover industries where donors might lose eligibility when they switch jobs.

Learn more about PG&E’s corporate matching program.

9. Genentech

Located in South San Francisco, the birthplace of biotechnology, Genentech is a massive employer in the life sciences sector. Their “Genentech Gives Back” program is designed to support the diverse interests of their scientific and corporate workforce.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches up to $1,000 annually per employee.
Excellence: The company is frequently voted a top employer, and its benefits package reflects a strong emphasis on employee satisfaction and community engagement.

Genentech employees are often highly educated and passionate about science and health. Nonprofits operating in the medical research, patient advocacy, or STEM education spaces will find a particularly receptive audience among this donor base.

Learn more about Genentech’s corporate matching program.

10. LinkedIn

LinkedIn functions as a work-based social network, through which employers and employees in an industry can connect. With offices in San Francisco and headquarters in Sunnyvale, they are a major player in the Bay Area tech scene.

Match Ratio: 1:1
Match Limits: Matches up to $15,000 per employee, per year.
Minimum Gift: $25.
Eligibility: Full-time and part-time employees.

The $15,000 cap is significantly higher than the average corporate cap. This makes LinkedIn employees excellent prospects for major gifts. If you are launching a capital campaign or a major fundraising drive, identifying LinkedIn employees in your database should be a priority due to this high ceiling.

Learn more about LinkedIn’s corporate matching program.

11. Marin Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Therapy

It is not just the giants who match! Marin Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Therapy is one of the leading Child Therapy practices in Marin County and San Francisco. They serve as a great example of how smaller, local businesses also participate in philanthropy.

Match Ratio: 1:1 standard; 2:1 for mental health nonprofits.
Match Limits: Matches donations up to $500.
Spousal Eligibility: The program is accessible to spouses of employees as well.

The 2:1 match for mental health causes is a specific, strategic incentive. If your nonprofit works in mental wellness, counseling, or behavioral health, you should actively seek out partnerships with specialized practices like this one.

Learn more about Marin Center’s corporate matching program.

Strategic Tips for San Francisco Nonprofits Seeking Matching Gifts

Having a list of companies is useful, but having a strategy is profitable. Here are three specific ways San Francisco nonprofits can leverage this list to raise more money.

Leverage the “IPO” Effect

The Bay Area is constantly churning out new public companies. When a company goes public (IPO), its early employees often see a significant increase in personal wealth. Many of these companies subsequently launch or expand their donor matching programs to manage their new corporate tax liabilities and philanthropic image.

Keep an eye on business news. When a local startup announces an IPO, screen your database for employees of that company. They may be looking for tax-deductible ways to manage their new wealth, and a matching gift is the perfect vehicle for them to maximize that impact.

Utilize LinkedIn for Prospect Research

Since you are in the backyard of LinkedIn, use it! If you have a list of mid-level donors (giving $500 to $1,000) but do not know where they work, a quick search on LinkedIn can reveal their employer. If you find they work for Google, Apple, or Salesforce, you know instantly that their $500 gift could be $1,000 or more. This simple prospect research step has one of the highest returns on investment in fundraising.

Target “Giving Season” in the Valley

Many tech companies run specific “Giving Weeks” or “Impact Months,” usually in October or November. During these times, match ratios often increase (sometimes to 2:1) or internal competitions drive higher participation. Reach out to your donors at these companies in September to find out when their internal campaigns are scheduled, and time your appeals to coincide with those dates.

Additional Bay Area Companies with Matching Programs

Eager for more? Check out the generous matching gift initiatives at these additional companies that call the Bay Area home:

(Hint: click on the company names to explore their matching gift guidelines, submission processes, and more!)

However, even this list is not exhaustive! There are always more matching gift opportunities to explore.

Remember, the best place to look for all of the above information and more on companies across the globe is a dedicated matching gift database. By equipping your team with the right data and your donors with the right forms, you can ensure that your nonprofit doesn’t leave money on the table.