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Sample Newsletter or Blog Articles
Purpose:
Newsletter and blog articles are effective advertising mediums to promote matching gifts and volunteer grants to your
donors and volunteers. They provide a platform for more in depth appeals which show your organization is focused on
maximizing fundraising from every source.
Your organization's articles should:
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Provide an overview of employee matching gift and volunteer grant programs
Share an example or two of companies that offer employee giving programs
Explain the positive impact these additional funds will have on your organization's work
Request that donors and volunteers search your website to find information on their employer
We anticipate that your organization will want to modify these posts to meet the standard structure of your articles and
blog posts. Your organization is free to leverage and modify the content.
Sample Articles:
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3.
Explaining and promoting volunteer grants
Explaining and promoting matching gifts
Combined volunteer grant and matching gift post with the history of corporate giving programs
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589
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Sample Article Explaining and Promoting Volunteer Grants
Title: Corporate employee volunteer grant programs: What are they and how do they benefit <your organization’s
name>?
What do Verizon, CarMax, and State Farm all have in common? They all offer volunteer grant programs.
Volunteer grant programs, also known as “Dollars for Doers” programs, are charitable giving programs set up by
corporations. Companies provide monetary donations to eligible nonprofits such as <your organization’s name> as a way
to recognize employees who volunteer. These grants enable corporations to give back to their communities and support
organizations that employees are already passionate about.
Although volunteer grants are a relatively new form of corporate giving, they’re widely offered among Fortune 500
companies and are catching on at smaller firms. For instance:
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Verizon’s Volunteer Program provides $750 grants for 50 volunteer hours.
State Farm’s Good Neighbor Grant Program recognizes employees with a $500 grant for 40 volunteer hours.
CarMax’s Matching Hours Program awards $10 for every hour volunteered.
In fact, hundreds of companies offer volunteer grant programs with donations generally ranging from $10-$15 per hour
volunteered.
How Do Volunteer Grant Programs Work?
Volunteer grant programs are an easy way for volunteers to provide an additional monetary contribution without having
to take out their checkbooks. If you’re already volunteering with <your organization’s name>, please take a few minutes
to check if your employer <link to your Double the Donation URL> or your spouse’s employer offers grants for
volunteering – grants that could equal hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars for us.
Volunteer grant programs consist of five steps:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Individual volunteers.
Volunteer determines if their company offers volunteer grants – You can search our database located at <Link
to your Double the Donation URL> to find specific company program details, requirements, and forms.
Volunteer submits the grant request – Either electronically or using a paper form.
We validate the grant request – We verify with the individual’s employer that the individual is in fact a volunteer
with our organization.
Corporation cuts a check.
Want to help?
Last year, we received <insert number> volunteer grants which helped us raise <insert dollar amount>. We know many of
our volunteers work for companies with volunteer grant programs and we’ve set a goal of raising <insert dollar amount>
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589
Page | 3
from these programs. If we meet our goal, we’ll be able to better <insert organization’s mission and how the organization
would use the additional funding>.
You can immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed corporate giving information about your employer
by searching our database of companies with volunteer grant programs <link to your Double the Donation URL>
We provide you with as much of the following as possible:
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Up-to-date company policies
Minimum volunteer hours required
Printed forms or links to the online submission process
Our nonprofit’s contact information (Tax ID, address, fundraising contact)
If your company isn’t listed, make sure to check with HR as there are many additional companies out there who offer
volunteer grant programs.
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589
Page | 4
Sample Article Explaining and Promoting Matching Gifts
Title: Corporate employee matching gift programs: What are they and how do they benefit <your organization’s name>?
What are corporate matching gift programs?
Corporate matching gift programs are charitable giving programs setup by corporations in which the company matches
donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations. For example, if a donor works for Bank of America and
donates $100 to <your organization’s name>, Bank of America will double the donation by also writing a check for $100.
Thousands of companies offer matching gift programs. A few examples include:
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Johnson & Johnson – Triples donations with $2:$1 matches for current employees while also doubling donations
for retirees.
Bank of America – Matches donations $1:$1 up to $5,000 annually per employee.
Home Depot – Matches donations $1:$1 up to $3,000 annually per employee.
The impact of these programs can be substantial! In 2011, Microsoft matched $48.9 million worth of employee donations
to schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Did you know that more than 15 million employees work for companies with
matching gift programs?
Want to help <your organization’s name>?
Increasing fundraising from matching gifts isn’t rocket science. Last year we received <insert number> matching gifts
which helped us raise <insert dollar amount>. We know many of our donors work for companies with matching gift
programs and we’ve set a goal of raising <insert dollar amount> from these programs. If we meet our goal, we’ll be able
to better <insert organization’s mission and how the organization would use the additional funding>.
You can immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed corporate giving information about your employer
by searching our database of companies with matching gift programs <link to your Double the Donation URL>.
We provide you with as much of the following as possible:
- Up-to-date company policies
- Minimum volunteer hours required
- Printed forms or links to the online submission process
- Our nonprofit’s contact information (Tax ID, address, fundraising contact)
If your company isn’t listed, make sure to check with HR as there are many additional companies out there who offer
volunteer grant programs.
We wish we could submit the required form for you, but unfortunately the employee must submit it. We appreciate you
taking five minutes to double your donation.
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589
Page | 5
Sample Combined Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant Article
Title: Employee giving programs: What are they and how do they benefit <your organization’s name>?
What are corporate matching gift and employee volunteer grant programs?
Corporate matching gift programs are charitable giving programs created by corporations in which the company matches
donations made by employees. You can double the impact of your donation by utilizing the matching gift programs that
are in place at thousands of employers. The standard match is dollar for dollar up to a set limit that normally ranges
between $2,000-10,000 per employee each year.
Volunteer grant programs, also known as "Dollars for Doers" programs, are charitable giving programs setup by
corporations in which the company provides a monetary donation to eligible nonprofits as a way to recognize employees
who volunteer. If you volunteer with <your organization’s name> and work for a company with a volunteer grant
program, you can request a grant for us which normally valued at $10-$15 per hour volunteered.
Last year we received <insert number> matching gifts and volunteer grants which helped us raise <insert dollar amount>.
This year we set a goal of raising <insert dollar amount> from these programs. If we meet our goal, we’ll be able to better
<insert organization’s mission and how the organization would use the additional funding>.
You can immediately assess your eligibility and gain access to detailed corporate giving information about your employer
by searching our database of companies with matching gift programs <link to your Double the Donation URL>.
We provide you with as much of the following as possible:
 Up-to-date company policies
 Minimum volunteer hours required
 Printed forms or links to the online submission process
 Our nonprofit’s contact information (Tax ID, address, fundraising contact)
What is the history of employee giving programs?
Employee giving programs have been around since 1954, when the GE Foundation created the Corporate Alumni
Program, the first employer gift-matching program. Today, the GE Foundation matches over $35 million annually to all
501(c)(3) organizations and accredited educational institutions (including K-12). Since then, thousands of companies have
created similar employee giving programs.
How prevalent are corporate giving programs?
More than 65% of Fortune 500 companies and countless smaller employers offer matching gift or volunteer grant
programs. Some even match funds raised for fundraising walks and go as far as providing each employee with a yearly
unrestricted grant to allocate to a nonprofit of their choice. For instance:

Verizon provides $750 grants for 50 volunteer hours and matches up to $5,000 annually
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589
Page | 6
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IBM provides $1,000 grants for 40 volunteer hours and matches up to $5,000 annually from current employees
or retirees to schools and up to $1,000 annually to all other nonprofits. <Only display figures on your
organization>
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BP, in addition to similarly generous matching gift and volunteer grant programs, allows every employee to
allocate a $300 grant annually to any organization as well as matches funds raised for nonprofit walks, runs, etc.
Thousands of companies, representing more than 15 million people, offer matching gift or volunteer grant programs.
We hope you’ll take a few extra minutes to see if your company <link to your Double the Donation URL> offers employee
giving grants – grants that could equal hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars for us.
Matching gift and volunteer grant marketing kit
Prepared by Double the Donation
http://www.doublethedonation.com
739 San Antonio Dr. NE, Suite L
Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 913-0589