Matching Gift Programs

With ACE’s Matching Gift Campaign coming to a close, and the global day dedicated to giving back, #GivingTuesday, taking place on December 2nd, we thought that now was a good time to talk about corporate matching gift programs.

A matching gift program is when a corporation matches donations from their employees to (eligible) nonprofits of the employees’ choosing. Employee matching gifts, sometimes referred to as matching grants, are often dollar-for-dollar, but some companies will give double or even triple the original donation. Many companies also have programs that give matching gifts for employees’ volunteer efforts and some even match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses. According to their website, Johnson & Johnson contributes $2 for every $1 current employees donate and contributes $1 for every $1 retirees donate. CarMax, in addition to their Matching Dollars program, has a Matching Hours program that provides a financial contribution for the donation of an employees time. For every hour an employee volunteers with a qualified charity, CarMax will donate $10 to the charity.

According to Double the Donation’s Review of Matching Gift Programs, thousands of companies (representing more than 15 million people) offer matching gift or volunteer grant programs, including 65% of Fortune 500 companies. However, many people are unaware of whether their employer, or their spouse’s employer, offer such programs. Just taking a little time to investigate within your own place of work could multiply your gift to ACE or one of our recommended charities. It’s a simple way for your gifts to make an even bigger difference in the lives of animals.

If you have already made or are planning to make a donation to a nonprofit organization, check with your employer to see if they participate in a matching gift program. Employers’ processes vary, but most companies have matching gift forms available through their human resources office that can be filled out and mailed to the nonprofit along with, or after you have made, a donation.

We’re releasing updates on our top charities on Monday, December 1 – if you work for a corporation, ask about matching programs to make sure that you support their work as much as possible.