Matching Gifts

Matching Gift | Volunteer Grants | Shopping Programs

Thousands of companies, representing more than 15 million people, offer matching gift and/or volunteer grant programs through which their employees can give to their favorite charities. So how do these work?

Matching gifts

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 52,000-10,000 per employee each year.

Employee volunteer grants

Volunteer grant programs, also known as “Dollars for Doers” programs, are charitable giving programs set up by corporations in which the company provides a monetary donation to eligible nonprofits as a way to recognize employees who volunteer. lf you volunteer with Catch-A-Dream and work for a company with a volunteer grant program, you can request a grant for us which normally is valued at $10-$15 per hour volunteered.

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 S35 million annually to all 501(c)(3) organizations. 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
• IBM provides S1,000 grants for 40 volunteer hours and matches up to $5,000 annually from current employees or retirees to schools and up to S1,000 annually to all other nonprofits.
• BP, in addition to simílarly 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 nonprofít walks, runs, etc.

We hope you’ll take a few extra minutes to see if your company offers employee giving grants – grants that could equal hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to support our mission and vision.

Use the Kroger Community Rewards Program If you shop at Kroger, you probably have a Kroger Plus card. With the Kroger Community Rewards Program our friends at KROGER will make a contribution to Catch-A-Dream each time you use your Kroger Rewards card! Every time you use your Kroger Plus card, Kroger will give a portion of your purchase back to Catch-A-Dream. This is a wonderful way for you to help generate revenue that will enable Catch-A-Dream to help support all of the services that we provide to the families we serve. And it costs you NOTHING! Here's How!

Shop the Web using GoodShop Use Goodshop to search the web and designate Catch-A-Dream as your cause. Every time you do, they make a small donation to Catch-A-Dream. Download the Catch-A-Dream search bar and make the process automatic each time you search the web.