25 Top Matching Gift Companies to Have On Your Radar
Your nonprofit’s donors are essential for propelling your mission forward. What if you could double their donations and raise even more revenue from their support?
Thanks to corporate matching gift programs, you can do exactly that! As a part of their corporate philanthropy initiatives, many companies match the donations their employees make to nonprofit organizations. The key to success lies in ensuring that your staff and donors understand the matching gift opportunities available.
In this guide, we’ll discuss some matching gift basics and walk through the top 25 matching gift companies you should know. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Top Matching Gift Companies: FAQs
- 25 Best Matching Gift Companies
- How to Earn More Matching Gift Revenue
According to 360MatchPro, “an estimated $2-$3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually.” Is your nonprofit ready to tap into more of these valuable opportunities? Let’s get started!
Top Matching Gift Companies: FAQs
First, let’s take a look at a few frequently asked questions about matching gift companies so you can better understand how to leverage the opportunities they offer.
Why do companies have matching gift programs?
There are many reasons why businesses launch corporate philanthropy initiatives, such as matching gift programs. The following statistics illustrate the importance of corporate social responsibility among today’s companies, as well as explain why so many employers are dedicated to exemplifying CSR:
- 75% of Americans indicate that companies should not just make money, but positively impact society as well.
- Around 50% of employees in the U.K. and the U.S. would resign from their roles if the company’s values did not align with their own.
- Employees prefer matching gift programs over any other corporate giving program.
- 90% of companies believe that partnering with reputable nonprofits enhances their brand.
- Employees who participate in corporate giving programs have a 75% longer tenure with their company.
From boosting their reputation to increasing employee engagement, companies receive a wide range of benefits from creating matching gift programs. This leads to more support for nonprofits like yours, allowing you to make an even greater difference in the community.
How do matching gift programs work?
Matching gift programs differ from company to company. Typically, the matching gift process looks something like this:
- A donor gives to your nonprofit.
- The donor checks their eligibility using a matching gift database.
- Upon confirming eligibility, the donor submits a matching gift request.
- The employer reviews and verifies the request.
- The company matches the donation.
With the right tools and understanding of this process, you can better inform donors of this opportunity and encourage them to submit matching gift requests.
We recommend investing in matching gift software that offers auto-submission via integrations with popular workplace giving platforms. With this technology, your donors can automatically have their matching gift requests submitted to their employers. There’s no need for them to fill out a form manually, and this tool ensures all necessary information is provided to the employer.
What are the key characteristics of a top matching gift company?
More and more businesses are launching matching gift programs, with 51% of Russell 1000 companies publicly disclosing that they offer these opportunities to their employees. To single out the top matching gift companies from the crowd, however, it’s necessary to take a closer look at these differentiating elements:
- Low minimum match amount. Often, companies will only match an employee’s gift if it is higher than a pre-specified amount. This amount can range from $1 to over $100. The best matching gift companies have a low minimum match amount that makes it easier for employees to participate no matter their budget for charitable giving.
- High maximum match amount. Many businesses specify a maximum annual match amount as well, typically between $1,000 and $15,000. This means that they’ll contribute no more than the maximum amount stipulated, regardless of how much an employee donates in a given year. Many of the top matching gift companies have a matching gift cap on the upper end of that range, allowing participants to create a larger impact on nonprofits they care about.
- High match ratio. Match ratios determine how much a company contributes to a nonprofit based on the donor’s gift amount. While many choose to match donations dollar for dollar (1:1), match ratios can range anywhere from .5:1 to 4:1. The higher the ratio, the more revenue your nonprofit can receive from a single donation.
- Employee eligibility. While some companies limit their matching gift program participation to full-time employees, others allow part-time and retired employees to take part as well. This allows them to provide more support to the causes that their employees care about.
Keep these matching gift company characteristics in mind as you begin researching and promoting opportunities to your organization’s supporters. This way, you’ll get a better idea of how much you can expect to benefit from each program. Furthermore, many of the top matching gift companies also have volunteer grant programs that encourage their employees to dedicate their time and provide even more funding opportunities to nonprofits.
To set your nonprofit up for success, download Double the Donation’s free matching gifts checklist and share it with your team. This detailed resource will walk you through all the steps to making the most of matching gift opportunities.
25 Best Matching Gift Companies
Now that we’ve covered the essentials, let’s explore the 25 top matching gift companies your nonprofit should keep an eye on:
1. Soros Fund Management
Soros Fund Management stands out as a notable matching gift company due to its generous maximum match amount. The details of its program include:
- Match ratio: Up to 2:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $100,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time
In addition to matching employee donations to most nonprofits, including educational institutions, Soros Fund Management offers a volunteer grant program. When an employee volunteers 20 hours or more with an organization, this company offers the organization a grant of $1,000 to $4,000, depending on the number of hours volunteered.
2. The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company matches gifts to nonprofits focusing on education, the environment, and arts and culture. The details of its program include:
- Match ratio: 2:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $20,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and retired
To ensure that their donations are matched, employees must submit their matching gift requests by February 28th of the year following when the gift was made.
3. Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is another notable matching gift company, with program details such as:
- Match ratio: Up to 2:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $20,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired
While retired employees are eligible for this company’s impactful program, Johnson & Johnson matches their donations at a 1:1 ratio, with a maximum contribution of $10,000 per year.
4. ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil dedicates itself to significant corporate philanthropy initiatives, including its matching gifts program. The details include:
- Match ratio: Up to 2:1
- Minimum match amount: $50
- Maximum match amount: $7,500 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired
Similar to Johnson & Johnson, this company allows retired employees to participate in its matching gifts program, but matches their contributions at a 1:1 ratio. Furthermore, ExxonMobil offers two volunteer grant programs for its employees, one for individuals and one for teams, that empower them to further their impact on causes they care about.
5. Merck & Co.
Through its Partnership for Giving (P4G) program, Merck matches employee donations to organizations that support those in need, promote education, focus on environmental conservation, and more.
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $30,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
In addition to its matching gifts program, Merck provides a $500 cash contribution to nonprofits that their employees spend at least 40 hours volunteering with each year.
6. The Walt Disney Corporation
Over the past decade, Disney has matched over $104 million through its employee giving programs. Its matching gift program details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $25,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Additionally, Disney has a “VoluntEARS” grant program that allows employees to direct up to $2,000 in funds toward organizations with which they’ve spent time volunteering.
7. Amgen
The Amgen Matching Gift program allows employees based in the United States and Puerto Rico to amplify the impact of their donations by matching them dollar for dollar. The details of this program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $50
- Maximum match amount: $20,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Like many other top matching gift companies, Amgen also encourages its employees to get involved in the community through its volunteer grant program. Once an employee volunteers for at least 15 hours with an organization, they can request a $500 grant. Depending on hours volunteered, a full-time employee can request up to $2,000 in volunteer grants per year, while part-time employees can request up to $1,000 per year.
8. Microsoft
Microsoft matches employee donations to most nonprofits, including educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, and more. Its matching gift program details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $1
- Maximum match amount: $15,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Through the company’s volunteer grant program, employees can also request a $25 grant for every hour they volunteer with an organization. In just 2022, Microsoft employees donated $255 million, including company matches, and volunteered over 720,000 hours with nonprofits.
9. Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. offers numerous environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs to engage its employees and generate a lasting impact on the community. Its matching gift program details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $10
- Maximum match amount: $15,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired
Beyond matching gifts, Gap Inc. has programs such as Money for Time, which involves donating $150 to a nonprofit for every 15 hours an employee volunteers with the organization. The company also encourages employees to spend five “on-the-clock” hours volunteering for causes close to their hearts.
10. Apple
Through its matching gifts program, Apple matches employee donations to most nonprofits dollar for dollar. The program’s specific details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: None
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Apple employees can log in to access the company’s giving portal and view all of the complete matching gift guidelines for free. The company also offers a volunteer grant program, donating $25 for every hour an Apple employee volunteers with an organization.
11. Google
Google matches both personal employee donations made to nonprofits and donations made toward disaster relief or international relief. The specific details of its matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: None
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Like many of the best matching gift companies, Google offers a volunteer program and contributes $10 for every hour an employee volunteers with a nonprofit. Furthermore, the company matches funds raised by employees who participate in fundraising events such as marathons or bike rides.
12. Dell
Dell matches employee donations to most nonprofit organizations, including civic and community organizations, educational institutions, environmental causes, and more.
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $10
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
The company matches both individual donations from employees around the world and a portion of funds raised by employees during charitable events, such as walks and bike rides. Additionally, each quarter, Dell awards $150 donations to employees who volunteered more than 10 hours with a nonprofit. Since the inception of its volunteer program, Dell’s employees have spent more than 7.8 million hours volunteering with their nonprofit of choice.
13. Chevron
Chevron’s matching gift program, Chevron Humankind, matches employee contributions of both money and time to nonprofits. The program’s details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $20
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and retired
Most nonprofits are eligible to receive matching gifts from this company, including educational institutions and arts and cultural organizations. While current full-time employees can request matched donations for up to $10,000 per year, retired employees can request up to $3,000 each year.
14. Boeing
Boeing’s matching gift program includes all current employees, in addition to retirees, spouses, and domestic partners. Additional details of this program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $20
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and retired
Active employees receive a 1:1 match, while retirees, spouses, and domestic partners receive a .5:1 match. Additionally, Boeing offers a volunteer grant program, providing $100 grants for every 10 hours of volunteering, once an employee has contributed at least 25 hours to a nonprofit. The company also offers team volunteer grants, which increase depending on the number of employees who participate in a group volunteer opportunity.
15. State Street Corporation
State Street Foundation is the charitable arm of State Street Corporation that aims to engage employees and make a difference in the community. Its matching gift program details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $10,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
In the past year, State Street Foundation has contributed $20.2 million to nonprofits, including matching gifts and grants. In addition to donating to organizations, employees can request a $500 grant from the company after volunteering 16 hours with a nonprofit.
16. American Express
American Express has both a generous cap on matching donations and increases its matching gift ratio for certain employees. The details of its matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: Up to 2:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $8,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
While the standard match ratio is 1:1, employees who either serve on a nonprofit’s board or volunteer more than 50 hours a year can receive a 2:1 match for the first $1,000 donated to that organization.
17. Verizon
Verizon, through the Verizon Matching Incentive Program, matches employee donations on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The details of its matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $6,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired
The company matches financial contributions to most nonprofits, as long as they have 501(c)(3) status or an international equivalent. Specifically, Verizon matches individual donations of up to $5,000 to higher education organizations and up to $1,000 to other nonprofits.
18. General Electric
In 1954, General Electric created the first-ever matching gift program. The details of this program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $5,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
To date, this company’s matching gift program has raised over $1.5 billion in nonprofit donations. Additionally, General Electric offers a generous deadline for employees to submit their matching gift request (April 15th of the year following the donation).
19. Bank of America
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Matching Gifts program matches employee donations to most verified nonprofits. The details of this program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $24
- Maximum match amount: $5,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
While retired employees cannot participate in the matching gift program, they can request a $500 volunteer grant for every 50 hours volunteered with a nonprofit, for up to $1,000 per year. Current employees can take advantage of this impactful opportunity as well.
20. CarMax
The CarMax Foundation matches individual employee donations dollar for dollar. The specifics of its matching gift program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $5,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time, part-time, and retired
The maximum match amount factors in volunteer grants as well. For every hour a CarMax employee or an eligible family member volunteers, the company awards $15 to the nonprofit.
21. Pfizer, Inc.
Pfizer is another matching gift company that matches employee donations to recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Its matching gift program details include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $5,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
In addition to matching gifts, the company has a volunteer grant program that can award up to $1,000 each year depending on the number of hours an employee volunteers. The Pfizer Foundation also offers disaster matches when humanitarian disasters occur, identifying organizations for which it will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for all contributions.
22. Salesforce
Salesforce encourages its employees to give back to the community through its matching gifts program. The specifics of this program are:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $50
- Maximum match amount: $5,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Furthermore, Salesforce employees receive seven paid days off each year to spend volunteering in their communities.
23. State Farm
State Farm is a matching gift company that matches employee donations to specific nonprofits that focus on education, safety, and community development. The details of its matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $4,500 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time
Additionally, the company’s Good Neighbor Grant awards eligible nonprofits with a $500 grant whenever current or retired employees volunteer a minimum of 40 hours with that organization in a year.
24. The Home Depot
The Home Depot matches individual donations and funds raised by employees for charitable purposes, such as a 5K run. The details of its matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $3,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Employees must register their gifts by January 31st of the year following their donation. Once they’ve registered their gift, they can easily and conveniently track their matching gift status online.
25. Starbucks
Starbucks matches donations made by current U.S. and Canada-based employees to nearly all nonprofit organizations. The specifics of this matching gifts program include:
- Match ratio: 1:1
- Minimum match amount: $25
- Maximum match amount: $1,000 per year
- Eligible employees: Full-time and part-time
Starbucks employees are also eligible for volunteer grants up to $1,000, depending on the number of hours they serve with a nonprofit.
How to Earn More Matching Gift Revenue
Since each matching gift company has differing guidelines, it’s important to have a way to effectively keep track of all of this information. Fortunately, there are tools made exclusively for nonprofits that will empower your team to identify these matching gift programs and boost your overall matching gift revenue.
Let’s explore some essential matching gift best practices for your nonprofit.
Use a Matching Gift Database
A matching gift database contains all the information your nonprofit and donors need to know about corporate matching gift programs. After considerable research and comparisons, our top recommended matching gift database to optimize your results is 360MatchPro by Double the Donation.
Double the Donation’s database houses up-to-date information on over 20,000 matching gift companies. This service allows you to embed a company search tool anywhere on your website, such as your donation page. When a donor makes a gift, the widget will automatically populate with their company’s matching gift forms and guidelines.
360MatchPro scans the information donors provide during the giving process, such as their employer information, and triggers branded follow-up emails depending on their matching gift eligibility. If it’s determined that your donor works for a company with a matching gift program, 360MatchPro will automatically send out matching gift request instructions on your behalf. This ensures that you can identify more eligible donors and boost your fundraising revenue.
Leverage Auto-Submission
Historically, donors manually fill out a matching gift request to ask their employer to match their donations. These forms require a bunch of information the supporter already provided in their initial donation or likely needs to look up, such as the nonprofit’s tax ID number, donation amount, date of the gift, and more. Luckily, nonprofits can now eliminate this step.
Make submitting matching gift requests on your nonprofit’s behalf even more convenient with auto-submission. With this functionality, all they need to do is use their corporate email address when donating. Then, the tool will complete and send the form on their behalf.
To take advantage of auto-submission, the donor must work for a company that utilizes a corporate social responsibility (CSR) management platform that integrates with Double the Donation, like Millie or Selflessly. Furthermore, the benefiting nonprofit must use Double the Donation’s matching gift tools.
So far, auto-submission functionality is projected to yield an 80% increase in matching gift revenue for nonprofits. As availability becomes increasingly widespread, more nonprofits and companies will experience the convenience of auto-submission.
Promote Matching Gifts to Supporters
Finally, ensure that all of your organization’s current and prospective donors are aware of matching gift opportunities by spreading the word about these programs online. In addition to using 360MatchPro to send automated emails to supporters, you can promote more matching gifts by:
- Creating informative social media posts.
- Writing blog posts on matching gifts.
- Advertising your matching gift page.
Your nonprofit doesn’t need an extensive marketing budget to boost awareness of matching gifts. By making the most of opportunities such as the Google Ad Grant program, your organization can claim $10,000 a month to direct users to your matching gift page. As with any grant opportunity, be sure to conduct your research ahead of time to determine your eligibility and maximize your chances of success.
Wrapping Up
Over 26 million people around the world work for companies with matching gift programs. While these 25 matching gift companies may be some of the most notable among nonprofits, there’s an abundance of opportunities for your organization to earn more revenue for its mission.
If you’re looking for more information on promoting and optimizing matching gifts for your nonprofit, check out these helpful resources:
- Matching Gift Best Practices: Raise More for Your Nonprofit. Discover more tips and tricks for raising matching gifts revenue for your nonprofit in this guide.
- Matching Gift Videos | Examples and Best Practices. Take your matching gift marketing to the next level by learning how to create a compelling matching gift video for your nonprofit.
- How to Apply for Google Grants: Get Approved in 5 Easy Steps. Ready to apply for Google Ad Grants and start advertising your matching gifts page? Follow these five easy steps.
