Companies whose employees regularly contribute to nonprofit organizations can show that they also care about the causes that their workers are passionate about.
By implementing corporate giving programs and keeping employees in the loop about those programs, companies can donate money and time to worthy charities that their workers feel strongly about.
Two common ways that companies donate to nonprofits are through
- Matching gift programs
Employees submit forms to their employers requesting that their donation to a nonprofit be matched by the company. - Volunteer grant programs
When employees donate their time to a nonprofit, they submit applications for their employer to donate money to the organization.
While there is a multitude of companies who donate money through matching gifts and volunteer grants, we’ve compiled a top-ten list of the companies who seem to have corporate philanthropy down pat.
a top-ten list of the companies who have corporate philanthropy
Apple
After taking charge as Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook introduced the company’s new corporate giving initiative that included a matching gift program.
Apple matches gifts up to $10,000 a year made by full time employees, and with over 80,000 employees, Apple has the potential to match a huge amount of charitable donations through their matching gift program.
To date, Apple has contributed $78 million to charities through its matching gift program.
Apple offers a volunteer grant program where the company provides grants to nonprofit where employees volunteer on a regular basis.
For every hour that an Apple employee volunteers with a nonprofit organization, the company will donate $25 to that nonprofit. There are no minimums for Apple’s volunteer grant program.
Expedia
Expedia, one of the travel industry’s giants, offers a generous matching gift program that doubles employees’ donations ranging from $25 to $4,000 at a 1:1 ratio.
Both part-time and full-time employees are eligible to have the contributions matched to a whole host of nonprofits. Expedia employees can submit matching gift requests for donations made at any point during the previous 12 months.
Expedia provides grants to nonprofits where employees volunteer on a regular basis.
For every hour that an employee volunteers, he or she is eligible to request a grant of $15 for the nonprofit. Each employee can request up to $1,000 per year.
Employees must volunteer for at least 5 hours with an organization before they can submit a volunteer grant request.
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil has one of the most generous matching gift programs in the corporate world–it’s why they’re on this list!
ExxonMobil offers two different matching gift programs.
- Arts and Cultural:
Donations to arts and cultural organizations are matched at a 1:1 ratio up to $2,000 per employee. - Educational:
Donations to U.S. colleges and universities are matched at a 3:1 ratio up to $7,500 per employee.
Both of these programs are open to current employees, spouses, retirees, and surviving spouses.
Employees have until December 31st of each year to submit matching gift requests.
ExxonMobile offers two types of volunteer grant programs:
- Individual:
After an employee or retiree volunteer for 20 hours at an organization, ExxonMobil provides a grant of $500 to that organization. Each employee can request four of these grants per year. - Team:
ExxonMobile awards a $500 grant to a nonprofit once a team of five or more employees volunteer for a combined total of at least 20 hours.
Employees should log their hours and request grants through the company’s portal.
General Electric
General Electric’s matching gift program was the first of its kind in the United States. They match employee and retiree donations ranging from $25 to $5,000 at a 1:1 ratio.
Surviving spouses of eligible GE retirees are also able to have their donations matched to most US and UK based nonprofits.
Matching gifts must be registered by April 15th of the year following the donation date. GE’s employees volunteer over 1 million hours of community service each year.
During their Global Community Days, they coordinate their efforts company-wide to address urgent global needs.
Additionally, the GE Volunteers Foundation partners with local charities to address community issues such as literacy, underdeveloped neighborhoods, and autism.
Google matches donations made by current part and full-time employees as well as board members.
Donations between $50 and $12,000 are eligible to be matched at a 1:1 ratio.
General donations (up to $6,000) can be matched, and disaster/international relief donations (up to $6,000) can also be doubled.
Google also matches funds that employees raise for charitable events like walks, marathons, and bike rides. Matching gift requests must be submitted within 12 months of the donation date.
Google provides grants to nonprofits where employees volunteer on a regular basis.
For every five hours that an employee volunteers, Google will give a $50 grant to that nonprofit.
Google’s general volunteer program encourages employees to participate in service projects in their communities. Employees are allowed to use up to 20 hours of work time across the year to volunteer.
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson matches full- and part-time employee donations ranging from $25 to $20,000 at a 2:1 ratio.
Retirees are eligible to have their gifts matched at a 1:1 ratio, up to $10,000. Employees have up to twelve months from the donation date to submit matching gift requests.
Johnson & Johnson’s Volunteer Support Program helps employees get involved and connects them with service opportunities in their communities.
The program creates partnerships and relationships with local nonprofits and coordinates volunteer days for employees. J&J also offers volunteer leaves and offers skills-based volunteer hours.
Microsoft
Microsoft will match employee donations as low as a dollar. The maximum they will double is $15,000, and part-time and full-time employees are both eligible.
Donors can submit match requests for donations made at any point in the past year.
Microsoft employees who volunteer can request a grant of $25 per every hour they spend at a nonprofit.
There is no minimum, and employees should log and submit their requests online. Microsoft employees collectively donate over 3 million hours annually.
PepsiCo
The PepsiCo Foundation matches donations to most nonprofits. The standard match is made at a 1:1 ratio, and full- and part-time employees are both eligible.
Individuals must submit matching gift requests to PepsiCo within six months of the donation date.
PepsiCorps is a skills-based volunteer program in which PepsiCo employees from around the world form teams that are sent to help communities.
In the past, PepsiCo employees have helped build water purification towers, provide sanitation and health training, and helped rural families.
Salesforce
Salesforce matches employee donations to most nonprofits at a 1:1 ratio. Donations ranging from $25 to $5,000 are matched for full- and part-time employees.
Salesforce offers a $1,000 Champion Grant to employees who complete 56 hours of volunteering within one fiscal year.
They also offer team volunteer grants when 5 or more employees volunteer together or participate in a fundraising event.
Walmart
Even though Walmart doesn’t offer a matching gift program, they do have a generous volunteer grant program that is available to employees.
Through their Volunteerism Always Pays (VAP) program, the company offers two types of grants:
- Individual:
After an employee volunteers for 25 hours, Walmart provides a grant of $250 to that organization. - Team/Group:
Groups of employees who volunteer together or participate in a fundraising walk/run can receive a VAP grant between $500 and $5,000 (amount depends on the number of employees involved).
Walmart also offers a grant program that reaches from the national level all the way down to community level:
- The National Giving Program awards grants starting at $250,000 to national nonprofits.
- The State Giving Program gives grants starting at $25,000 that can be maxed out at $250,000. Nonprofits who request money from the State Giving Program must fall within the state giving guidelines and be focused on the Walmart Foundation’s five core areas.
- The Community Giving Program awards grants ranging from $250 to $2,500. Local nonprofit organizations can receive a grant if they work within the community giving guidelines and focus on one of the Walmart Foundation’s five values.
Source: Double the donation
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