This article explores the top trends in corporate philanthropy and how nonprofits can tap in.

10 Top Trends in Corporate Philanthropy: How to Tap In

With overall corporate giving up by more than 9.1% year over year (and reaching a record high of $44.4 billion, according to the recent Giving USA report), tapping into companies’ philanthropy programs is more important than ever before. Corporate programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, and even sponsorship agreements are evolving constantly to meet the shifting needs of companies, nonprofits, and supporters alike. But there are external factors at play that impact trends in corporate philanthropy, too.

When the economy starts to appear rocky, for instance, many might worry that corporate matching gifts will be negatively impacted. Luckily, that’s not been the case so far. Instead, many corporations have historically expanded their giving programs in the face of economic downturns to help combat the negative effects on nonprofits. And that’s what we’ve continued to see!

In this guide, we’ll dive into this year’s leading CSR trends, focusing on workplace and corporate giving, and provide a closer look at what we’re currently seeing (and what we expect to continue into the future). This includes:

If you’re looking for the Too Long; Didn’t Read version, it’s this⁠: corporate philanthropy programs are thriving, and we don’t expect them to go away anytime soon. For a more in-depth look, keep reading to find the latest industry developments and what they mean for your nonprofit, or watch this short clip to learn more! ☝️

10 Corporate Philanthropy Trends To Pay Attention To

As corporate philanthropy continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, the explosive rise of giving initiatives is driving companies to rethink how they contribute to their communities, engage employees, and build stronger relationships with customers. In this dynamic landscape, several new trends and patterns are emerging that every nonprofit and corporate entity should be aware of.

Why? These findings are reshaping how organizations approach philanthropy, influencing everything from how they structure their programs to how they measure their social impact. Companies of all sizes, from startups to global enterprises, are exploring innovative ways to give back, creating new opportunities for nonprofit collaboration and community involvement.

Here’s a closer look at the top 10 corporate philanthropy trends currently shaping the landscape and driving the future of workplace giving for organizations like yours.

This infographic and the text below explore eight trends in corporate philanthropy for 2024.

1. More small and mid-sized companies are participating.

In the past, it’s been primarily enterprise-level corporations that have offered corporate giving programs like matching gifts and more. This is likely because companies needed a bigger budget to get started⁠, not to mention the time and energy required to run the initiative. And that was simply not accessible for a lot of smaller businesses.

Today, our analysis shows that over 65% of Fortune 500 companies still provide matching gifts⁠. But the real trend is surrounding the number of small and mid-sized businesses following suit. Hint: it’s in the thousands.

So, what’s changing? For one thing, the introduction of dedicated yet affordable corporate giving platforms designed for smaller teams has made this possibility available to organizations with limited budgets. Now, just about any employer can hop on the corporate giving trend, get started with matching gifts (or volunteer grants, etc.), and see a substantial return on their investment.

All in all, that means nonprofit organizations are seeing more match-eligible donors⁠, with more than 26 million individuals working for companies that match employee donations thanks to this CSR trend.

2. Year-round giving programs are becoming mainstream.

In the last few years, an increasing number of companies have expanded their corporate philanthropy programs, going from one-off annual fundraising campaigns to year-round employee-directed giving programs.

This is due in part to an increased focus on corporate social responsibility from both employees and consumers. U.S.-based consumers have realized the need for philanthropy and want the companies they work for and buy from to take part on a regular basis. Additionally, businesses realize that the benefits of year-round philanthropy on their bottom line are significant!

That said, we can expect to see continued growth in year-round and recurring corporate giving. In fact, according to recent studies, an estimated 94% of major U.S. corporations plan to heighten or maintain their current level of giving in the next few years. With the workplace philanthropy trends we’re seeing, we can predict that a notable portion of that increased giving will be contributed through employee-driven initiatives, such as matching gifts and volunteer grants. This means your donors (and volunteers) will be in the driver’s seat, so it’s important to keep up your outreach!

3. Nonprofits are proactively seeking matching gifts.

Historically, many fundraising organizations have treated corporate matching as a “nice-to-have” bonus, rather than a core component of their efforts, resulting in a passive approach to matching gifts and a significant gap in collected funding.

Why? Even with an increasing number of companies offering matching gifts, eligible employees remain unaware of the programs available to them, which is a significant roadblock. Research even shows that less than 19% of companies include adequate information on matching gift programs in easily accessible employee-facing materials. As a result, over 78% of donors do not know whether their company matches gifts.

That means available matches are going to go unclaimed⁠.

However, in order to combat this issue, nonprofits of today are taking it upon themselves to promote matching gifts to their audiences proactively more and more. This way, they can grow awareness and be on the positive side of this workplace giving trend.

For the best results, matching gift education can take many forms, but often consists of…

  • Internal matching gift training (ensuring your full team is on board)
  • Efforts to incorporate matching gifts directly into the giving process through donation form integrations
  • Sending personalized follow-ups post-donation, including company-specific instructions and forms
  • Using matching gift software to uncover available opportunities and take action to increase revenue

One trend in corporate philanthropy is proactive matching gift promotions from nonprofits.

With these efforts, along with other strategic matching gift outreach, nonprofits can increase the number of donors who are aware of their employers’ corporate philanthropy programs, therefore boosting the amount of matched donations they receive.

4. Companies are being more generous with matching gifts.

Today’s businesses recognize that matching gift programs incentivize employees to be charitable, and being as generous as possible can inspire greater participation in workplace philanthropy. That’s why participation in matching gifts has gradually become a key trend in corporate philanthropy.

More specifically, we’ve noticed that a growing number of companies are experimenting with the following strategies:

  • Offering open-choice programs (i.e., matching to any nonprofit rather than exclusively health-focused causes)
  • Matching donations at higher ratios (i.e., 2:1 rather than 1:1)
  • Decreasing minimum donation amounts (i.e., $1 rather than $100)
  • Increasing maximum donation amounts (i.e., $10,000 rather than $1,000)
  • Opening eligibility to additional team members (i.e., part-time staff, retirees, board members, or even spouses)
  • Lengthening the amount of time allotted for matching gift submissions (i.e., year-end deadlines rather than 30 days from the gift being made)

By promising to match donations at higher rates, for example, companies can grow employees’ impact and make it more worthwhile for individuals to submit their match requests. At the same time, minimum donation amounts play a critical role in matching gift accessibility. Currently, our CSR research shows that around 93% of companies have a minimum match requirement of less than or equal to $50. Maintaining affordable match requirements lowers barriers to participation since even modest donations will likely be eligible for matching.

The same goes for increasing maximum donation amounts. Our studies indicate that when companies match larger donations, more employees will be inclined to engage. In fact, while programs with $1,000 maximums see a 12% employee engagement rate, those with maximums between $1,001 and $10,000 have an 18% engagement rate, and maximums beyond $10,000 see an engagement rate of up to 40%.

5. Companies are prioritizing disaster relief and crisis response.

In today’s philanthropic landscape, many companies are placing a strong emphasis on disaster relief and crisis response through their corporate giving initiatives. With the rise in climate-related emergencies such as hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, there is a clear and urgent need for this type of philanthropy. As a result, companies, along with their employees, are increasingly participating in crowdfunding, volunteering, matching gifts, and other giving initiatives to provide relief in the aftermath of these disasters.

According to the 2024 Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy report, philanthropic disaster giving reached $1.7 billion within the year. Despite this significant figure, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy states, “there is still a critical need for increased philanthropic involvement as disasters are growing in size, frequency, and complexity, resulting in more needs, especially for long-term recovery.” This idea underscores the growing commitment of companies to contribute charitably while highlighting the ongoing challenges and the need for continued support.

As these emergencies become more relevant and severe, companies are stepping up to ensure that their support for disaster relief remains a top priority in their CSR strategies.

6. More companies and nonprofits are forming partnerships.

Another growing trend in corporate philanthropy is the increasing number and strength of partnerships between companies and nonprofits, aimed at creating more meaningful, long-term social impact. More and more, these collaborations are going beyond financial donations and encompassing in-kind support, volunteering initiatives, and joint campaigns that align both parties’ missions.

One standout example of this trend is Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality, which allows companies and nonprofits to work together to streamline the matching gift process. By enabling employees to submit matching gift requests directly through their favorite nonprofits’ websites, forward-thinking companies like Checkr, Innovative Discovery, and beyond are able to reduce administrative barriers and increase the efficiency of corporate giving. Nonprofits benefit from a more seamless donation process, while companies enhance their CSR efforts by simplifying employee engagement in philanthropy.

Check out this overview to see how the feature works:

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s all handled behind the scenes⁠. Thus, it minimizes complications for nonprofits, companies, and donors alike, driving more matching gifts to completion and contributing to this workplace giving trend.

Click here to explore how matching gift auto-submission enables you to tap into these corporate philanthropy trends.

7. Employees want greater value, flexibility, and transparency in workplace giving.

Flexibility and support are emerging as essential for employee engagement in workplace giving, as demonstrated by an employee giving study from Fidelity Charitable that uncovered this trend.

In other words, employees who are active in workplace giving programs enjoy participating, but cited the following as ways to improve these programs:

Trends in workplace giving point to employees' rising expectations for companies.

  • 40% of employees want an increase in the value of the benefit (e.g., higher corporate match)
  • 39% of employees prefer their employers to offer a wider variety of workplace giving programs (matching gifts, volunteer grants, payroll giving, etc.)
  • 39% of employees wish companies would allow greater flexibility in when employees can participate (increasing year-round giving over limited-time campaigns)
  • 36% of employees want greater flexibility in the organizations and types of causes they can support
  • 30% of employees want greater transparency about how donations are used by the nonprofits they support
  • 34% of employees wish employers would provide more information about their workplace giving programs and how they can get involved

Now more than ever, employees desire more than just a paycheck from their employers. They want to feel like they’re making a difference. At the same time, employees are also juggling many responsibilities, both in and out of the workplace. To inspire participation in workplace giving, companies need to be flexible with the opportunities they offer, ensure those workplace giving options are valuable, and regularly report on their impact.

8. Businesses are using volunteering to grow employee skills and satisfaction.

Corporate volunteering is a wonderful way to grow workplace satisfaction and lower turnover rates for companies. In fact, 87% of employees who engage in corporate volunteering reported an improved perception of their employer. And this isn’t all for nothing! According to that same source, 92% of HR executives encourage volunteering since it can improve employees’ professional skills.

To better examine this trend, let’s take a look at a real-world example: Bombas is a comfort-focused apparel brand and a wonderful example of a socially responsible company. In fact, Bombas is so committed to using workplace philanthropy to increase employee satisfaction that it was actually named one of the best places to work in the U.S. And it doesn’t stop there, either! 100% of its surveyed employees reported feeling good about how the company contributes to the community. One of the top ways the company gives back is by organizing 10 to 15 volunteering opportunities for employees each month. That’s a great way to foster a sense of purpose and community within the workplace, while also enhancing employees’ professional development.

9. Companies and employees are increasingly participating in payroll giving.

Payroll giving programs are currently experiencing a surge in popularity as more companies (and their employees!) recognize the benefits of this simple, automated method for charitable contributions. In payroll giving, employees can choose to have a portion of their paycheck automatically donated to a charity of their choice, with many employers even going so far as to match these contributions. This growing trend aligns with the broader movement toward more accessible, year-round corporate philanthropy, where employees play an integral role in giving back to their communities.

For companies, payroll giving programs offer a streamlined approach to engage employees in philanthropy without requiring significant administrative effort. These programs are often seen as a win-win, as they make giving easy for employees while fostering a sense of corporate responsibility for their brand. Employees benefit from the convenience of automatic deductions, associated tax advantages, and the ability to support their favorite causes with minimal effort.

As payroll giving continues to expand, we expect more companies to offer this option, providing employees with additional ways to contribute and making it easier for nonprofits to benefit from ongoing donations.

10. Businesses are expanding philanthropy to encompass in-kind donations, too.

When it comes to corporate generosity, it’s important to remember that not all giving is monetary in nature. In fact, in-kind donations are gaining significant traction as a core part of corporate philanthropy, with companies increasingly recognizing the value of donating goods, services, and expertise in addition to financial contributions.

The growing emphasis on in-kind giving offers multiple benefits for both companies and the communities they serve. For businesses, in-kind donations offer an opportunity to give back without affecting cash flow and can also promote their brand by showcasing their products and services in meaningful ways. For nonprofits, in-kind donations help reduce operational costs, making it possible to stretch their resources further and support their missions more effectively.

Companies in the tech industry, for example, may donate software, hardware, or employee time to help organizations achieve their goals more efficiently. Meanwhile, businesses in the food and beverage industry might opt to supply refreshments for an upcoming fundraising event.

Recent Industry Developments in Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are the most widely available form of corporate giving. In fact, our corporate giving database contains records for more than 24,000 companies’ program guidelines and forms. And as the above trends in corporate philanthropy continue to expand, the number of companies in our database is growing as well.

After all, Double the Donation works hard to provide the most comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date source of information on the topic, and we can recently attest that the potential of these programs is continuously trending upward⁠. Specifically, the development of new, expanding, and reinstated matching gift initiatives is driving growth.

Let’s take a closer look at these findings.

New matching gift programs

These are the logos of two companies, discussed below, that started new matching gift programs this year to participate in corporate philanthropy trends.

New companies are rolling out matching gift programs every day! Check out these examples of businesses that have recently incorporated matching gifts into their ongoing corporate giving strategies:

  • AppFolio: AppFolio launched its matching gift program in 2025, marking a significant step in its CSR strategy. The company recognizes the importance of supporting charitable causes and empowering its employees to contribute to the community. Its newly introduced matching gift initiative is a prime example of this commitment.
  • Hallmark Media: Hallmark Media has recently rolled out a new matching gift program as part of its continued commitment to corporate social responsibility. This program encourages Hallmark employees to support the causes they care about by matching their donations, reflecting Hallmark’s longstanding dedication to community involvement.
  • USAble Life: USAble Life has recently introduced a matching gift program designed to encourage employees to contribute to nonprofits that are meaningful to them. Through this program, USAble Life matches employee donations up to a specific amount, increasing the impact of their philanthropic efforts.
  • Russell Reynolds Associates: The management consulting firm recently established RRA Gives Back, a philanthropic program that encourages Russell Reynolds Associates colleagues to support charitable causes and have their contributions matched by the company.
  • Kraft Group: The Kraft Group and its subsidiaries have long participated in various philanthropic activities. However, one of their newest initiatives involves matching employee donations, thus doubling team members’ impact when they give.

Another trend in corporate philanthropy we’re seeing more and more of? Employees advocating for matching gift programs to their employers. So if a number of your donors are not eligible for matching gifts, don’t fret! Instead, provide resources (such as customizable templates or industry research) that can help them champion gift-matching on your behalf.

Knowing their employees want a matching gift program can be a significant motivator for rolling out such an initiative. In exchange, companies can look forward to increased employee engagement, productivity, and retention.

Expanding matching gift programs

These are the logos of the three companies discussed below that contributed to current corporate philanthropy trends by expanding matching gift programs.

We’re also seeing companies with existing matching gift programs that are expanding their efforts⁠ by increasing their matching gift ratio, upping their maximum match amount per year, or making other program enhancements.

Here are a few examples of businesses recently implementing these changes:

  • Fairfax Financial: Significantly raised its maximum match amount, increasing it from $100 to $10,000 per employee per year. This change reflects the company’s commitment to encouraging employee charitable giving by dramatically expanding the scale at which it matches contributions.
  • PennyMac Loan Services, LLC: Raised the maximum match amount for charitable donations from $2,000 to $5,000 per employee per year, demonstrating the importance of encouraging employees to engage in philanthropic efforts.
  • American Eagle Outfitters: Quadrupling their maximum match amount (from $500 to $2,000 per team member per year), American Eagle continues to offer a best-in-class matching gift program! They also upgraded from a paper request form to an online submission portal⁠, making it simpler than ever for employees to get involved.
  • The Hartford: With an increasing match ratio from 0.5:1 to a dollar-for-dollar match, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. empowers employees to give by doubling individual donations.
  • Chicago Community Trust: Not only did the Chicago Community Trust increase its matching gift ratio from 2:1 to 3:1⁠ (effectively quadrupling individual donations⁠), but it also heightened the maximum gift amount to $7,500.
  • Mission Wealth: Enhanced its donation matching program, which now offers more robust support for employee charitable contributions. This shows a clear commitment to supporting employee-driven philanthropy.

Another overall trend we’re seeing is the adoption of open choice programming. In other words, the number of matching gift programs that will match to any nonprofit continues to grow, while programs that only match to a particular mission type have severely declined. This corporate giving trend continues to reflect a broader shift toward more inclusive philanthropy as companies empower their employees to support causes that matter to them.

Reinstated matching gift programs

These are the logos of the four companies discussed below, which reinstated matching gift programs and influenced current CSR trends.

While some companies choose to retire their matching gift programs for a myriad of reasons, it’s important to recognize that most ultimately reinstate them soon. For example, thanks to the significant value that companies see in their corporate social responsibility efforts, many businesses have recently reinstated their matching gift programs, recognizing philanthropy as an integral aspect of their operations.

For example, here are a few companies that are matching gifts again after a brief intermission in their programming:

  • Solventum: After spinning off from its parent company, Solventum resumed its matching gift program in 2025. Though the company had temporarily suspended its philanthropic efforts during the transition, employees are once again encouraged to donate to eligible causes, with the company offering matching donations.
  • International Business Machines (IBM): IBM paused its matching gift operations while switching to a new workplace giving system. However, the program is now live, and IBM employees are able to request matching gifts of up to $10,000 per year!
  • United Parcel Service (UPS): Though it stopped matching employee gifts for a brief period of time, UPS is now back to matching. Facilitated through the UPS Foundation, UPS’s matching gift program is designed to empower team members to make a difference through workplace giving.
  • Kimray Inc.: Kimray Inc. resumed matching donations of up to $2,000 per team member per year to eligible nonprofit causes. Though they’ll match many organizations and educational institutions, Kimray places a special emphasis on missions related to youth programming, culture, and their local communities.
  • Booz Allen Hamilton: Previously suspended in 2021, Booz Allen Hamilton’s matching gift program has since been reinstated. Today, both full-time and part-time team members are encouraged to join the company in supporting their favorite charitable causes.

But what exactly made these companies reinstate their matching gift programming? While it may have to do with them being in a better financial position overall, it’s also likely that they recognized matching gifts as a long-term investment in their communities. Regardless of the reasoning, we’re glad these companies are back at it!

How Nonprofits Can Tap Into These Corporate Philanthropy Trends

Now that you’re up to date on all the latest trends in corporate philanthropy and matching gifts, let’s dive deeper into what they mean for your nonprofit. Ultimately, these workplace giving trends are positive, meaning your nonprofit can continue to see the benefits of corporate philanthropy. But there’s more you can do to tap in!

Our number one piece of advice for leveraging these trends in corporate philanthropy is to take an active approach to marketing matching gifts to your audience.

Remember, your donors may not be aware of their companies’ matching initiatives. To maximize funding and engagement from these programs, it’s crucial to spread the word across your marketing channels. Inform donors about how to check their eligibility, why they should submit match requests, and the impact they can make with matching gifts.

Check out this video for more tips on how to promote matching gifts to your donors:

On top of increasing your matching gift marketing, use these additional tips to tap into corporate philanthropy trends:

  • Invest in workplace fundraising software. With a comprehensive workplace giving solution like Double the Donation, you can greatly simplify the matching gift request process for donors, pursue payroll donations, grow volunteer grant revenue, and uncover corporate sponsorship opportunities with ease. Not to mention, when you employ functionalities like matching gift auto-submission, your team can sit back and enjoy as your workplace giving revenue trends upward.
  • Seek out corporate partnerships. Companies want to partner with organizations like yours! Take advantage of this corporate philanthropy trend by developing relationships with specific businesses, seeking out sponsorships, and tracking companies that frequently match your donors’ gifts.
  • Expand your promotion of disaster relief campaigns. If your nonprofit participates in crisis response or disaster relief efforts, promote these campaigns directly to corporate audiences. Reach out to businesses and let your donors know how their employers can magnify their impact on disaster response aid.

By actively embracing these trends and taking a proactive approach, you’ll be well-positioned to harness the full potential of corporate philanthropy and drive greater support for your mission.

What These CSR Trends Mean For Companies

Staying on top of trends in workplace giving isn’t only essential for nonprofits. Companies should also monitor the landscape and pay special attention to their employees’ engagement with their programs. That way, they can stay connected with increased expectations from their employees, prospective workers, investors, and customers.

Based on the corporate giving trends we’re currently seeing, here’s what we suggest companies do to make a genuine impact:

  • Be generous with workplace giving programs. It’s not enough to simply engage in corporate giving. Instead, businesses should provide a wide variety of employee giving opportunities, including everything from matching gifts to volunteer opportunities to charitable giving stipends.
  • Put special emphasis on matching gifts. Corporate matches are one of the most convenient yet powerful ways to give back. In order to increase their impact, companies should develop generous programs with low minimum donation requirements, high maximum donation requirements, and generous ratios. Then, they should ensure employees are aware of the opportunity by marketing it internally to their workforce.
  • Form direct partnerships with nonprofits. Consistently supporting one or more specific organizations can help grow your impact while also reflecting the company’s values. For optimal results, businesses should select reputable nonprofit partners that align with their overall missions.
  • Work with a dedicated CSR vendor: Partnering with a specialized CSR vendor can streamline the process of engaging with corporate giving programs. These platforms offer expertise in managing matching gifts, volunteer programs, and other employee giving initiatives, helping nonprofits maximize their potential for corporate support. Interested? Fill out this contact form, and we’ll connect you with one of our preferred, auto-submission-enabled CSR platforms.

All in all, being serious about corporate giving is a great way for businesses to demonstrate their duty to give back to the communities that support them. While these tips reflect current CSR trends, we don’t expect these standards to change anytime soon.

Trending Onward & Upward

Corporate philanthropy remains a key priority for businesses and their employees, creating valuable opportunities for nonprofits to tap into. As the landscape of corporate giving continues to evolve, nonprofits have a unique chance to engage with a growing range of impactful and inclusive corporate social responsibility programs.

The future of corporate philanthropy is promising, with companies increasingly investing in programs that not only engage their employees but also make a positive impact on the communities they serve. By staying ahead of these trends and seizing emerging opportunities, your nonprofit can benefit from these initiatives while forging long-term partnerships that support and advance your mission.

Interested in learning more about corporate philanthropy trends to be aware of? Check out these additional Double the Donation resources:

Start leveraging these trends in corporate philanthropy with Double the Donation