Many businesses offer corporate matching gift programs that match donations made by their employees to charitable causes. In fact, research shows that more than 65% of Fortune 500 companies are participating in this type of charitable workplace giving in 2022.
More and more corporations are offering matching gifts each year. While it can be difficult to keep track of them all, keep an eye out for these top programs as your nonprofit considers future corporate partners.
1. General Electric
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $5,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time employees
The GE Foundation matches gifts to most approved nonprofit causes. That includes K-12 schools, higher education institutions, health and human services, art and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental organizations, and more.
Employees looking to participate must submit their matching gift request by April 15 of the following calendar year after a donation is made.
Fun fact: General Electric launched the first known example of a corporate matching gift program to its employees in 1954. Since then, the corporation has matched more than $1 billion in donation revenue.
Takeaway: Because GE offers a generous grace period for its request deadline, consider sending start-of-year reminders to eligible donors who have yet to submit their match from the previous year.
2. Disney
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $25,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time employees
The Walt Disney Corporation offers a generous matching gift program for all current employees, managed by its Enterprise Social Responsibility division. The company contributes to most 501(c)(3) organizations, along with the equivalent for registered nonprofits across the globe.
Interested employees must use the company’s online matching gift portal to register their donations and request associated corporate matches.
Takeaway: Don’t worry if your organization is not based in the U.S. Disney matches gifts to qualifying organizations worldwide based on the IRS’s Reliance Standards for Making Good Faith Determinations and Expenditure Responsibility guidelines.
3. Coca-Cola
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $20,000
Match ratio: 2:1
Eligible employees: Full-time and retired employees
The Coca-Cola Company matches employee donations to educational institutions, arts and culture organizations, environmental nonprofits, and other select charities.
One component of its program that makes Coca-Cola stand out is its generous 2:1 gift ratio. The company will match $10,000 worth of employee donations per year per employee (or retiree). At a 2:1 rate, that means up to $20,000 of employee matches annually.
To secure a company match, eligible donors should complete their matching gift request by February 28 of the following calendar year after the donation was made.
Takeaway: Be sure to emphasize that a matching gift enables Coca-Cola employees to triple their donations for your cause. This can be an even better motivator than the typical 1:1 donation match ratio.
4. Soros Fund Management
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $100,000
Match ratio: Up to 2:1
Eligible employees: Full-time employees
Soros Fund Management LLC offers one of the highest maximum-matching gift amounts at $100,000 per employee each year to qualifying organizations. This, fortunately, includes most registered nonprofits.
In order to qualify for a match, requests for corporate funds should be submitted within a year of the initial donation via the company’s online matching gift portal.
Takeaway: With such a lofty maximum match, make sure you identify any of your mid-size or major donors that work for the company. This is a great way to quickly double some already-large donations.
5. Johnson & Johnson
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $20,000
Match ratio: Up to 2:1
Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired employees
Johnson & Johnson generously matches gifts made to nearly all nonprofits by full-time employees, part-time team members, and even retirees. However, retired individuals are matched at a different rate—the standard 1:1 donation ratio with a $10,000 limit on their company contribution. On the other hand, current full- and part-time employees are eligible for a 2:1 match, bringing their maximum employer match contribution to $20,000.
Participating donors have up to 12 months from the date they make their gift to submit a corporate matching donation request to Johnson & Johnson.
Takeaway: Because the guidelines differ by an employee versus retiree, segment your matching gift outreach between the groups to provide the most relevant information to each individual.
6. Google
Minimum match amount: None
Maximum match amount: $10,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time employees
In addition to matching charitable donations made by current staff and board members, Google Inc. offers a few additional matching opportunities for employees. These include an additional $10,000 in disaster or international relief each year beyond general nonprofit donations, charitable event fundraising matches (such as walk-a-thons or fun runs), and more.
Employees participating in any of these giving programs should submit their match requests by January 31 of the following year after making a donation.
Takeaway: Google employees supporting your organization may be eligible for multiple matching gift programs. Be sure to promote the opportunity to both individual donors and peer-to-peer fundraisers.
7. Apple
Minimum match amount: $1
Maximum match amount: $10,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time employees
Apple Inc. matches donations made by current employees to the majority of registered nonprofit organizations. These registered organizations include educational institutions, health, humanities, arts, cultural, community, environmental organizations, and more.
To participate, Apple employees must submit their matching gift requests to its online matching gift management portal within one month of the initial donation.
Takeaway: Begin your matching gift follow-ups early and establish a sense of urgency to encourage donors to complete their match requests prior to the rapid deadline.
8. ExxonMobil
Minimum match amount: $20
Maximum match amount: $7,500
Match ratio: Up to 2:1
Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired employees
ExxonMobil utilizes its employee matching gift program to support a variety of educational institutions (excluding athletics). Not only are all current employees and retirees eligible to participate, but employee spouses are as well.
In their matching gift program, donations made by current employees and spouses will be matched at a 2:1 ratio. In contrast, gifts made by former employees and surviving spouses are matched at a 1:1 rate. Individuals have until December 31 of the year when their donations were made to submit match requests.
Takeaway: If your organization is considered an educational institution, donations made by these employees will likely be eligible for a match—despite many other types of nonprofits not qualifying.
9. IBM
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $10,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: All active employees
IBM, or International Business Machines, offers a matching gift program that supports both U.S. and Canadian-based organizations. These include Pre-K and K-12 schools, higher education institutions, hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and many cultural and environmental organizations.
Active employees looking to partake in the company’s matching program must complete their electronic submission requests within a year of the initial donation date.
Takeaway:Streamline the request and disbursement processes for you and your donors by pre-registering with top matching gift portals and CSR platforms.
10. Intel
Minimum match amount: $25
Maximum match amount: $10,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired employees
Intel Corporation matches up to $5,000 per employee per year at a 1:1 match. They’ll match an additional $5,000 for schools and educational institutions, bringing the total employee match potential to $10,000 per year.
Eligible nonprofit charities include arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental nonprofits, health and human services, and more. Educational institutions include K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and technical schools.
Takeaway: Managed by the Intel Foundation, the company aims to be a significant powerhouse behind social change, global crises, and more, with a large percentage of their efforts devoted to amplifying employee contributions.
Elevate your organization’s mission to the companies offering matching gift programs by inspiring employee giving and capturing all available corporate revenue.
When you empower your nonprofit team with best-in-class matching gift technology, you can raise more for your cause without requiring additional time and effort. Double the Donation and Classy can help you do it. Through this partnership, organizations can automate the matching gift process to inform more donors about available opportunities, follow up on match-eligible donations, and leverage a robust database with details on thousands of companies just like these.