Tag Archive for: Chevron

Small Companies Matching Gifts

Have Retirees who Volunteer? Receive Grants from their Former Employers!

Volunteer grants for retirees are one of the most overlooked sources of fundraising for nonprofits. But given that retirees are the most committed volunteers for many organizations, there’s value in promoting volunteer grants to these supporters.

At Double the Donation, we help nonprofits raise more money from employee matching gift and volunteer grant programs. While we’re the first to admit that many company programs are geared exclusively towards current employees, some companies extend their grant programs to retirees who volunteer on a regular basis.

Companies with Volunteer Grant Programs for Retirees

Chevron:chevron-matching-gifts

Like most major oil and gas producers, Chevron has generous employee giving programs. One aspect that differentiates the company from its peers is that its matching gift and volunteer grants are not limited to current employees. Retirees are also eligible to submit grant requests for much of their philanthropic giving.

Each employee or retiree who volunteers for at least 20 hours in a year can request a grant for $500. At $25 per hour, that makes Chevron’s volunteer grant program one of the top ones in the world. And to make it even better, each individual can request up to two grants (either for the same organization or different organizations) for a total of $1,000 annually.

Learn more about Chevron’s Volunteer Grant Program.

PNM Resources:pnm-volunteering

PNM Resources, which stands for Public Service Company of New Mexico, is an energy holding company headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company owns both PNM and Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP). As a long-time employer in both markets, the company has a strong passion for giving back.

In addition to PNM Resources’ matching gift program, the company also encourages employees and retirees to volunteer with nonprofit organizations by providing financial grants to the organizations as a way to recognize volunteerism. There are three tiers of grants:

  • 12 volunteer hours = $100 grant
  • 25 volunteer hours = $200 grant
  • 25 volunteer hours and employee or retiree serves on the board of directors = $500 grant

Learn more about PNM Resources’ Volunteer Grant Program.

Aetna:aetna matching gifts

As one of the nation’s largest insurers, Aetna has a presence in nearly all states. Given its size and scope, it’s great to hear that the company offers multiple employee giving programs.

In addition to Aetna’s matching gift program where the company matches donations to nearly any nonprofit, Aetna also provides grants to nonprofits when active employees and retirees volunteer. Once an individual volunteers for at least 20 hours, Aetna will provide a $300 grant to the nonprofit where the employee or retiree volunteered. Coming out to $15 per hour, Aetna’s program is on the upper end of volunteer grant rates!

Learn more about Aetna’s Volunteer Grant Program.

Pfizer:pfizer volunteer grants

Not many companies provide volunteer grants of $1,000 but Pfizer is one of them. In addition to matching up to $5,000 in employee donations at a 1:1 ratio and matching retiree contributions at a 50% ratio, the company also is a huge advocate for ongoing volunteerism.

At the heart of Pfizer’s volunteer grant program is a goal of encouraging regular and long-term volunteerism. Pfizer provides $1,000 grants to nonprofits where employees and retirees volunteer as long as the following requirements are met:

  • Volunteer for at least 6 month
  • Serve an average of six hours per month for a total of 72 hours in a calendar year

Learn more about Pfizer’s Volunteer Grant Program.

IBM – International Business Machines:ibm-volunteer-grants

As one of the largest and most respected companies in the world, it’s no surprise that IBM also excels in the corporate philanthropy space. In addition to providing matching gifts to thousands of organizations which employees donate to each year, International Business Machines also offers multiple forms of volunteer grants for both current employees and retirees.

Specifics vary, but IBM employees and retirees who volunteer for a minimum of eight hours a month for five months can apply for cash grants of up to $1,000 or technology grants worth up to $3,500 for their favorite nonprofit.

Learn more about IBM’s Volunteer Grant Program.

Additional Resources on Volunteer Grant Programs

Want to learn more about volunteer grant programs and how they benefit your organization? Check out the following resources:

  1. Volunteer grant basics
  2. Team volunteer grants
  3. Top volunteer grant companies
Learn more about whether religious organization are eligible for matching gift programs!

Are Religious Organizations Eligible for Matching Gifts?

Leaders for religious organizations such as churches, synagogues, ministries, and other religious groups often wonder if they’re eligible for matching gift programs. As with any nonprofit, donations are a huge part of any religious organizations’ financial stability, so doubling donors’ contributions can make a significant difference.

To better understand your faith-based organization’s standing with corporate philanthropy, familiarize yourself with:

  1. Typical wording from companies with matching gift programs.
  2. Eligibility for faith-based organizations that provide social services.
  3. Double the Donation’s matching gift database.

When an organization is eligible, matching gifts are an effective component of overall church fundraising strategy, so hopefully, this article provides the clarification that your religious organization needs. In fact, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you were directed to the article by Double the Donation’s customer service team or from a search engine where you were looking for this exact information.

If you’re ready to find out if your religious organization can benefit from matching gifts, let’s get started!

Familiarize yourself with typical matching gift guideline wording regarding religious organizations.

1. Typical Wording from Companies with Matching Gift Programs

While every company’s matching gift guidelines are different, companies typically address the matching gift eligibility of religious-based organizations. Take these large corporations for example:

American Express

American Express matches donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations. In fact, the company will even match select donations at a 2:1 ratio if an employee also serves on the nonprofit’s board or volunteers for over 50 hours in a year. That means your donors who work for American Express can potentially triple their donations.

Here’s what American Express says about houses of worship in their matching gift guidelines:

Question: Are houses of worship eligible organizations?

Answer: No, gifts to houses of worship (churches, synagogues, etc.) will not be matched. However, the program will match a gift to an ongoing and independently-run program affiliated with a religious organization, if the gift is restricted to a nonsectarian project that provides needed social services to the community at large on a nondiscriminatory basis without any religious teaching, directive or requirements to receive services (e.g. a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, a food bank, etc.).

Read more about American Express’s employee giving programs.

General Electric

In 1954, GE became the first company to offer an employee matching gift program. At the time, GE only matched to higher education but has since expanded its matching to encompass most schools and nonprofits.

Here’s what GE’s guidelines have to say about whether churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship are eligible for matching gift funds:

Ineligible recipient organizations include religious organizations (churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship), or other organizations primarily promoting religious purposes. Other faith-based community service organizations or schools may be considered eligible if their programs:

  1. Are open to all individuals in the community regardless of religious belief;
  2. Serve a secular purpose, such as food pantry, homeless shelter, or education;
  3. Do not require participation in prayer, worship, or other religious activities as a condition of receiving service(s) offered; and
  4. Do not use the individual donation or resulting match for religious purposes.

Read more about General Electric’s employee giving programs.

DIRECTV

DIRECTV offers a highly-generous employee giving program. The company matches employee donations up to $20,000 annually and provides a grant of $250 after an employee volunteers for 25 hours in a year. Like most companies, DIRECTV provides a detailed match policy.

Here’s what DIRECTV says about matches to religious organizations:

DIRECTV will match gifts to qualified institutions affiliated with religious organizations but will not match gifts made directly to religious organizations.

DIRECTV will not contribute matching funds to churches and religious organizations which fulfill tithes, pledges, or other church‐related financial commitments.

DIRECTV will not contribute matching funds to institutions that restrict admission or aid due to race or religious beliefs.

Read more about DIRECTV’s employee giving programs.

The Pew Charitable Trusts

The Pew Charitable Trusts program provides a 2:1 match on employee donations up to $10,000 annually (meaning a $20,000 match). In other words, eligible donors can triple their gifts!

Here’s what The Pew Charitable Trusts says about matches to religious organizations:

Yes, Pew will match contributions made to religious organizations, such as houses of worship, schools, hospitals, shelters, etc., just as it would to any other qualifying organization.

Read more about The Pew Charitable Trusts employee giving programs.

Chevron

Chevron matches donations from full-time employees and retirees, and the company offers volunteer grants. When their employees or retirees volunteer 20 hours or more and request a grant, your organization (if eligible) will receive a check!

Here’s what Chevron says about matching to faith-based organizations:

Chevron Humankind will provide matching funds and grants to programs operated by faith-based organizations if those programs: (a) are open to all individuals in the community regardless of religious belief; (b) serve a secular purpose, such as a food pantry or a homeless shelter; and (c) do not require participants to join in religious worship as a condition of receiving the services that the nonprofit offers.

Read more about Chevron’s employee giving programs.

Religious organizations that provide social services are often eligible for matching gifts.

2. Eligibility for Religious Organizations that Provide Social Services

In general, either companies match donations made to all 501(c)(3) nonprofits and schools, or they place certain restrictions on the types of organizations eligible.

Oftentimes, companies don’t match donations to churches, synagogues, temples, and other religious or faith-based organizations unless the organization provides social services to the greater community or is a K-12 school.

Common examples of social services provided by faith-based organizations that make them match-eligible are:

  • Food banks.
  • Homeless shelters.
  • Disaster relief efforts.

If you come across a donor’s company that doesn’t match contributions to religious or faith-based organizations, chances are, they may make exceptions for those that provide social services. Make sure to read all the requirements instead of glancing over them. Otherwise, you may miss out on important revenue opportunities!

Double the Donation's matching gift database can help your religious organization find matching gift opportunities.

3. Matching Gifts: Double the Donation’s Search Tool

While we love to grow our business, we only want to accept customers who can benefit from our service. When you incorporate a tool like our matching gift database, you’ll be able to instantly determine your organization’s eligibility and maximize your revenue.

Donors might double (or even triple!) their contributions with the help of their employers. The key is to determine your organization’s eligibility with employers in your area and to make donors aware of their opportunities.

So how do you know if your organization can benefit from Double the Donation’s service? It’s important to remember many companies exclude religious organizations unless the match goes to support services in the broader community (ex. food banks, homeless shelters, schools, etc.).

The easiest way to determine whether our matching gift service would be beneficial is to look over your donation records. If you’ve received matching gifts from companies in the past, there’s a good chance your organization meets the general eligibility requirements.

How the Database Works

The number one reason donors don’t submit matches is that they simply don’t know about them, let alone how to check their eligibility and submit a request. In fact, the matching gifts application process is straightforward:

The matching gift process is fairly straightforward for religious organizations and other nonprofits.

With Double the Donation’s tool, this process is simplified even more! Supporters will be able to:

  • Search their employer in the database.
  • See any requirements, restrictions, and important deadlines.
  • Access necessary documents and forms.
  • View up-to-date, accurate information.

If you’ve determined that your religious organization typically qualifies for matching gifts, Double the Donation’s tool might be a useful fundraising tool for you. It’s easy to incorporate into your existing fundraising strategy and can help you pinpoint match-eligible donors instead of waiting for them to come to you. Plus, you won’t miss out on any major revenue opportunities.


Religious and faith-based organizations aren’t excluded from matching gifts programs as often as you might think! Becoming more aware of what corporations match gifts to religious organizations like yours will help you understand if promoting matching gifts would be beneficial to your organization.

Remember, check all eligibility requirements, because if there’s a restriction against religious organizations in a company’s matching gift guidelines, chances are, they might make exceptions for those that provide services to their communities. Now that you know the typical eligibility requirements and restrictions, get out there and maximize your matching gift potential!

Discover more matching gift and fundraising advice with our additional resources:

  • Church Fundraising Ideas. Even if your church isn’t eligible for matching gifts, that’s okay! There are plenty of other fundraising ideas available, and we have a list that covers many events, activities, and strategies you can use to raise money.
  • Corporate Matching Gift Programs. Need a refresher on the basics? Our comprehensive guide will give you the rundown on corporate matching gifts.
  • Top Matching Gift Companies. For a list of companies that offer fantastic matching gift programs, check out our list of top matching gift companies.
  • Matching Gift Eligibility. Still have questions about your match eligibility? Check out this guide that breaks down each type of organization to help you figure out typical restrictions.
Learn the definition of Dollars for Doers grants here.

Defining Dollars for Doers Grants: An Overview

Learn more about Dollars for Doers grants with a walkthrough of Double the Donation!

Dollars for Doers grants can substantially boost your fundraising revenue, but first, your organization should understand the basics. In this article, we’ll break down the definition of Dollars for Doers grants and walk you through effective strategies to raise more.

Specifically, we’ll cover:

  1. What are Dollars for Doers Grants?
  2. How Dollars for Doers Programs Work
  3. Key Dollars for Doers Program Statistics
  4. Top Dollars for Doers Companies
  5. How to Get Dollars for Doers Grants

Read on to find out how to maximize this awesome source of funding!

What are Dollars for Doers grants?

1. What are Dollars for Doers Grants?

A Dollars for Doers program can be defined as: a corporate giving program in which a company provides monetary grants to nonprofits where its employees regularly volunteer.

A Dollars for Doers program is a corporate giving program in which a company provides monetary grants to nonprofits where its employees regularly volunteer.

Dollars for Doers grants are also frequently referred to by other names, such as: 

  • Volunteer Grants
  • Matching Time Programs
  • Dollar for Hour Programs
  • Grants for Time Programs

Dollars for Doers programs are often overlooked due to a lack of awareness by both nonprofits and volunteers. Nonprofits don’t always know whether their volunteers work for companies that offer Dollars for Doers grants, and volunteers are often unaware their companies may even offer such a program.

But Dollars for Doers grants are an essential source of funding for organizations. Interested in how they work? Keep reading!

This is how Dollars for Doers programs work.

2. How Dollars for Doers Programs Work

Dollars for Doers programs generally follow the same process across the board. Here’s how they work:

  1. An individual volunteers with a nonprofit.
  2. The individual submits a request for a Dollars for Doers grant to their employer.
  3. The employer verifies the hours volunteered with the nonprofit.
  4. The employer sends a check to the nonprofit.

While the process of Dollar for Doers programs is fairly generic, each company that offers a Dollars for Doers program defines the specific requirements and guidelines differently.

These guidelines typically outline:

  • Types of eligible organizations (e.g., educational institutions, health and human services, environmental organizations, etc.)
  • Minimum number of volunteer hours required to be eligible for a Dollars for Doers grant
  • Grant amounts per volunteer hour or per threshold passed
  • Eligibility of employees (full time vs. part time vs. retirees)

Dollars for Doers grants depend on a few factors, like the above, but it might not be apparent how big of an impact they make. In the next section, we’ll outline some important statistics that demonstrate why your organization should tap into this powerful form of corporate philanthropy!

Here are some key Dollars for Doers program statistics.

3. Key Dollars for Doers Program Statistics

Not convinced that Dollars for Doers programs should be part of your fundraising strategy? Check out these stats:

40% of Fortune 500 companies offer Dollars for Doers programs.

  • 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer Dollars for Doers programs.
  • The average corporate volunteer rate participation rate is 33%.
  • About 63 million Americans volunteer each year, totaling 7.7 billion hours, which equates to approximately $175 billion annually.

Source: Double the Donation Volunteer Grant and Volunteering Statistics

(https://doublethedonation.com/statistics/

These statistics go to show how common Dollars for Doers programs actually are, and how many individuals volunteer annually. It’s essential that your organization puts forth its best effort to tap into this corporate giving program as a way to both boost revenue and cultivate relationships with your supporters.

The amounts of Dollars for Doers grants also vary. While 80% of companies with Dollars for Doers programs provide between $8-$15 per volunteer hour, this differs widely by company. Learn more about some of these top programs next!

These are some of the top Dollars for Doers companies.

4. Top Dollars for Doers Companies

Many companies offer generous Dollars for Doers grants. To get started, here are a few of the top programs!

Google is one of the top Dollars for Doers programs.

Google

Overview of Dollars for Doers Company

Google is a multinational technology company specializing in Internet services and products, including a search engine, online advertising, software, hardware, and more.

Dollars for Doers Grant Information

For every hour of volunteer work a Google employee performs, the company will provide a $10 grant to the nonprofit.

Learn more about Google’s corporate giving programs!


Microsoft is one of the top Dollars for Doers programs.

Microsoft

Overview of Dollars for Doers Company

Microsoft is a multinational technology company that develops computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and more.

Dollars for Doers Grant Information

With no minimum amount of hours required for a grant, Microsoft awards $25 per hour to nonprofits where their employees volunteer.

Learn more about Microsoft’s corporate giving programs!


ConocoPhillips is one of the top Dollars for Doers programs.

ConocoPhillips

Overview of Dollars for Doers Company

ConocoPhillips is a multinational energy corporation that works to safely find and deliver energy to the world. 

Dollars for Doers Grant Information

ConocoPhillips offers two types of Dollars for Doers grants: individual and team grants. For individuals, the company will provide $500 grants after 20 volunteer hours and $1,000 grants after 40 volunteer hours.

When teams of four or more ConocoPhillips employees volunteer together for a total of 40 combined hours, the company will give the nonprofit a Dollars of Doers grant of $1,000.

Learn more about ConocoPhillips’ corporate giving programs!

Here's how you can get Dollars for Doers grants.

5. How to Get Dollars for Doers Grants

You may have a starting point for researching Dollars for Doers programs, but how can you determine if any of your volunteers are linked to a Dollars for Doers company?

In order to ensure the most volunteer hours possible are converted into grants, nonprofits of all sizes can and should invest in intuitive corporate giving software. 

Corporate giving software provides your volunteers with access to an extensive database of corporate giving programs, including Dollars for Doers. The database offers information about guidelines, grant amounts, minimum hours required, and more, so your volunteers have exactly the information they need.

Looking for the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and easy-to-use software solution? Check out Double the Donation.

360MatchPro by Double the Donation

360MatchPro by Double the Donation grabs its information from Double the Donation’s extensive database while taking it a step further by automating the Dollars for Doers process. It’s the ideal solution for all sorts of nonprofits and universities.

When supporters donate on your website, 360MatchPro automatically scans the information they provide, such as their email domain or employer details, to determine their eligibility for corporate giving programs. Depending on their eligibility, the platform triggers customizable emails to the supporter detailing the appropriate next steps to submit either a matching gift request or Dollars for Doers grant request. This is a great way to automate outreach to supporters who volunteer with your nonprofit!

Use Double the Donation to find more Dollars for Doers grant revenue.

Marketing Dollars for Doers Grants

Corporate giving software ensures these opportunities for revenue won’t fall through the cracks, but it’s still important to promote Dollars for Doers grants to your volunteers. By directing your supporters to the search tool on your website, for example, more volunteers will successfully submit grant requests because it’s easy and straightforward to do so!

Here are some helpful ways to market Dollars for Doers grants:

  • On your website. Embed the search tool plugin throughout your website, such as on your donation page, so supporters can search for their company’s guidelines.
  • In your email outreach. Send out newsletters or acknowledgement emails with a link that directs volunteers to the search tool on your website.
  • On social media. Post information about Dollars for Doers grants on a regular basis and feature a link to your search tool.
  • In direct mail outreach. Include an insert in your direct mail outreach that explains Dollars for Doers grants and where volunteers can search for their company’s program guidelines.

Combining the power of corporate giving software with effective marketing will substantially boost your Dollars for Doers grant revenue. Make it easier to secure these opportunities for more funding so you can focus on serving your mission.

Additional Dollars for Doers Resources

Hopefully you’ve learned a lot about Dollars for Doers grants today! Looking to discover even more? Check out the additional resources below:

Get more Dollars for Doers grants by learning about Double the Donation.