Matching gifts are a powerful tool to engage your company in causes that matter the most to you.
While many companies have predetermined core values to guide their philanthropy, matching gift programs are often driven by employees. You get to choose how your company spends its money!
In fact, approximately $2-$3 billion is donated through matching gift programs each year. That’s millions of people telling their companies about causes they are passionate about and taking action to encourage their company to also provide support.
As a nonprofit, Catie’s Closet’s mission benefits greatly from matching gift programs.
- Matching gifts enable us to support our programs and have a greater impact on the communities we serve.
- Matching gifts enable us to get to know you, the donor, and explore opportunities to connect with you about what inspires your gift.
- Matching gifts can lead to subsequent corporate volunteering events and larger corporate-level donations.
Matching gifts truly unlock a world of possibilities.
With all these amazing benefits, it is shocking to know that $4-$7 billion in matching gift funds go unclaimed per year.
Why? Simply because they are under-advertised. When someone makes a donation to a nonprofit, they may not realize their donation is eligible for a match, and they can double their impact.
The Cycle of the Matching Gift: A Step-By-Step Guide for Doubling Your Donation
First, it is best to familiarize yourself with your company’s specific matching gift program.
At Catie’s Closet, we partner with Double the Donation to provide a search tool on our website, enabling you to easily find your company’s matching gift policy and procedures.
You can learn more about the eligible minimum and maximum gift requirements, as well as deadlines for submitting matching gift requests.
Companies will inform you of their matching gift ratio, which may be 1:1 (matching every dollar) or a multiple of two or three dollars for every dollar you donate.
Once you make your generous monetary donation, either through your company or on our donation page, inform your HR representative or log into your company portal to submit the necessary receipts and information to request a match.
After you submit your donation for a match, you’re done! Your company will then use the information you provided to send its matching gift to us.
With a few clicks, you have helped double, maybe even triple, your original donation!
Matching gifts are mututally beneficial, helping companies gain business and acquire talent.
As corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs take on a more important role in companies, and the urgency to increase hiring across all industries continues, companies are tapping into what attracts both candidates and consumers to their business.
According to Aflac, 77% of consumers prefer to purchase from companies with corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Employees share a similar sentiment, with 71% finding it important to work at a company that gives back through philanthropy and volunteering, including having a matching gift program.
A flexible giving program that allows employees to invest in causes that matter to them the most will not only help retain employees but also attract consumers to the business.
Make your first matching gift today!
With over 26 million people working for companies with matching gift programs, there’s a chance you can double your donation right now.
To make a matching gift, donate today and type your company in the matching field. You can also use this tool to search for your company’s matching gift policy. If you don’t see your company listed in the tool, reach out to your HR Department to inquire about your company’s matching gift policy.
We are happy to help you with any additional paperwork or information needed to complete your matching gift request. Reach out to bethany@catiescloset.org for assistance.
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