Employer Matching Gifts: How to Double Your Donation

A matching gift program is a straightforward employee benefit: you give to an eligible nonprofit, your employer verifies the gift, and the company makes its own donation to the same organization. A common ratio is 1:1, and some employers match at higher ratios for certain causes or for board service.

The money is budgeted whether or not anyone claims it. Every unsubmitted match is simply unspent.

How to find out if you are eligible

• Search your employer's name in a matching-gift database, including the search tool on this site.
• Check your HR or benefits portal for "matching gifts", "workplace giving" or "corporate social responsibility".
• Ask your manager or HR partner directly — part-time employees, retirees and spouses are sometimes eligible too.

What programs usually require

• A minimum gift, often $25, and an annual maximum per employee.
• A submission deadline, frequently the end of the calendar year or a set number of months after the gift.
• Proof of donation: a receipt showing the date, amount, your name and the recipient organization's legal name and EIN.
• An eligible recipient. Most programs exclude political organizations and some exclude houses of worship or organizations whose primary activity is religious.

The submission itself

1. Donate and save the receipt.
2. Open your employer's matching portal and enter the recipient's legal name and EIN.
3. Upload or forward the receipt.
4. The nonprofit confirms the gift, and the employer issues its donation.

The whole process usually takes a few minutes. Verification can take weeks, which is why deadlines matter more than most donors expect.

Volunteer grants

Many of the same employers also run volunteer grant programs, paying a set amount per hour volunteered. If you already serve on a board or volunteer regularly, this is often more money than the matching program.

After donating here

Donation receipts issued by the sponsoring 501(c)(3) include the legal name and EIN that matching portals ask for. If your employer needs additional confirmation, our support team can help.

Where to go next

Check your employer with our matching gifts lookup, then decide where the matched gift should go: a Global Fund, an organization from the nonprofit directory, or a cause you follow year-round.