Why Your Company Should Be Matching Gifts—And How to Start

Why Your Company Should Be Matching Gifts—And How to Start

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Looking for new ways for your company to give back to its community and support the organizations your employees are devoted to? Ready to increase engagement within your workforce and better position yourself as a company that cares?

Imagine doubling the impact of every dollar your employees donate to charity without asking them to give more. That’s the power of matching gifts. These initiatives allow companies to match their employees’ charitable donations, turning individual acts of generosity into a collective force for good. Yet, despite the clear benefits, billions of dollars in corporate matching funds go unclaimed every year.

If your company isn’t matching gifts yet, you’re missing a huge opportunity to support your employees, strengthen your community, and build a purpose-driven workplace culture. In this post, we’ll explore why offering a matching gift program is a smart move for your business—and how to get started with one that’s effective, sustainable, and impactful. We’ll cover:

  • What are corporate matching gifts?
  • Why your company should offer employee matching gifts
  • How to start a new matching gift program
  • Common challenges⁠ for companies—and how to overcome them

Whether you’re a small, local business or a large-scale corporation, implementing a matching gift program is more achievable than you might think. And the returns can be substantial! From improved employee morale to enhanced brand reputation, the benefits go far beyond the dollars matched.

Keep reading to explore what matching gifts are, why they matter, and how your company can build a program that makes a meaningful difference. Let’s get started with the basics.

What are corporate matching gifts?

Corporate matching gifts are a form of philanthropy where companies financially match charitable donations made by their employees. In a typical matching gift program, when an employee donates to an eligible nonprofit organization, the company matches that contribution, often dollar for dollar, effectively doubling the impact of the original donation.

Understanding the impact of matching gifts

These programs are a powerful way for companies to support the causes their employees care about while reinforcing a culture of giving and community engagement. Match ratios and eligibility criteria vary, but many companies offer a 1:1 (or even 2:1) match up to a certain annual limit per employee. Some even extend their programs to include retirees and spouses, or match volunteer hours with financial contributions as well.

In essence, matching gifts allow companies to invest in both their workforce and the broader community, aligning corporate social responsibility goals with employee values. For employers, it’s a straightforward and scalable way to demonstrate commitment to purpose-driven business practices while enhancing employee satisfaction and public perception.

Why your company should offer employee matching gifts

Offering a matching gift program isn’t just a generous gesture. It’s a smart, strategic move for today’s purpose-driven companies. Here’s why implementing one can benefit both your business and your people, as well as your greater community.

Benefits of matching gifts

Amplify Employee Giving and Community Impact

Matching gifts multiply the charitable contributions of your workforce, increasing the overall impact your company has on causes that matter. It’s a cost-effective way to deepen your commitment to social responsibility and demonstrate meaningful community investment for causes that are making a difference.

Boost Employee Engagement and Retention

Employees want to work for companies that align with their values. Matching gift programs send a clear message: your company cares about what your team cares about. Studies show that employees who feel their employer supports their charitable efforts are more engaged, loyal, and productive.

Strengthen Your Employer Brand

In a competitive market, your reputation matters. A visible commitment to giving back helps position your company as an employer of choice, especially among younger workers who prioritize social impact when evaluating job opportunities.

Enhance Your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy

Matching gifts are a tangible, measurable way to fulfill CSR and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals. They complement broader initiatives and can be tracked to show real-time impact to stakeholders, shareholders, and the general public.

Improve Public Perception and Customer Loyalty

Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that give back. Matching gifts not only benefit nonprofits but also enhance your corporate image, fostering goodwill with customers, investors, and partners.

Enjoy Potential Tax Benefits

Donations made through a corporate matching gift program are typically tax-deductible as charitable contributions, offering potential financial advantages for your business. While the specifics can vary based on your location and tax structure, these deductions can help offset the cost of the program while increasing your philanthropic footprint.

How to start a new matching gift program

Launching a matching gift initiative doesn’t have to be complex. With the right structure, tools, and communication, you can build a program that’s easy to manage and delivers real impact.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you kick off the process:

1. Define Your Program Goals and Budget

Start by determining what you want your program to achieve. Are you looking to increase employee engagement, support specific causes, or enhance your CSR strategy?

Set a clear annual budget for matching contributions and decide on match parameters—such as the match ratio (e.g., 1:1), minimum/maximum match amounts, and total yearly cap per employee.

2. Establish Eligibility Guidelines

Decide which types of donations and organizations will qualify for a match. Will you match donations to any registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or only to select issue areas (e.g., education, environment, health)? You should also clarify which employees are eligible—full-time, part-time, retirees, spouses, etc.

3. Choose a Matching Gift Management System

Efficiency matters. While some smaller companies start with a manual process (e.g., submitting forms via HR), many choose to use a matching gift management platform to automate and streamline the process.

Solutions like Benevity, CyberGrants, and more offer user-friendly tools for both employees and administrators.

Power your matching gift program with the right software

4. Communicate the Program Internally

Even the best-designed program won’t succeed if employees don’t know it exists. Launch with a clear internal communications plan: send an announcement email, post on your intranet, create FAQs, and include information during onboarding and team meetings. Emphasize how easy it is to participate and why it matters.

5. Track Participation and Share Impact

Set up a process to monitor usage and measure the program’s effectiveness. Regularly report on total donations matched, causes supported, and employee participation rates. Sharing success stories and metrics can build momentum and reinforce your company’s commitment to giving, too!

6. Adjust and Improve Over Time

Gather feedback from employees and be open to refining the program. Consider increasing the annual match cap, expanding eligible nonprofits, or integrating volunteer matching to further engage your team.

Common matching gift challenges for companies⁠—and how to overcome them

Even with the best intentions, companies can face a few roadblocks when launching or managing a matching gift program. The good news? Most of these challenges are easy to overcome with the right tools and strategy.

Here, we cover some common issues and how your team can address them.

Low employee awareness

Even the most well-designed matching gift program will fall flat if your employees don’t know it exists. A common reason for low participation is simply a lack of awareness or understanding of how to use the program.

Solution: Prioritize internal communications.

Make consistent, clear communication a core part of your rollout and ongoing strategy. Announce the program through company-wide emails, internal newsletters, team meetings, and your HR portal. Create simple guides or explainer videos, and include program information in onboarding materials for new hires. The easier it is for employees to learn about and access the program, the more likely they are to participate.

Administrative burden

Managing a matching gift program manually—tracking requests, verifying nonprofit eligibility, and processing payments—can be time-consuming and unsustainable, especially as participation in the program grows.

Solution: Invest in a CSR management platform.

To streamline operations, consider implementing a corporate social responsibility platform such as Benevity, YourCause, or CyberGrants (as well as a number of other solutions). These tools handle donation verification, automate matching gift submissions, and provide detailed reporting. By reducing the administrative lift, your team can focus on strategy and impact rather than paperwork.

Failure to follow through with requests

Even when employees are aware of the program, matching gift requests sometimes fall through the cracks, due to delays, unclear steps, or a cumbersome submission process. This can lead to frustration and lost impact.

Solution: Enable auto-submission through Double the Donation.

Simplify the employee experience by enabling auto-submission in your program. All you need to do is choose a CSR platform that integrates with Double the Donation. This feature allows employees to complete a matching gift request directly at the point of donation, with no additional forms or steps. It increases match rates, minimizes errors, and ensures more donations are successfully matched without administrative friction.

Budget uncertainty

Companies sometimes hesitate to launch a matching gift program because they’re unsure how much it will cost or how many employees will participate.

Solution: Get started with a one-off matching gift initiative.

Rather than committing to a full-scale program upfront, start with a limited-time initiative. For example, you may agree to match gifts during a specific giving campaign or around the holidays, usually for gifts made to a specific organization. This allows you to test interest, gather data, and gauge participation without long-term financial risk.

Wrapping up & additional matching gift resources

Launching a matching gift program isn’t just a nice thing to do. Instead, it’s a strategic way to deepen employee engagement, enhance your brand’s reputation, and increase social impact. By empowering your team to give (and backing their contributions when they do), you show that your company cares about more than just its bottom line.

Whether you begin with a limited-scope initiative or roll out a robust platform, the important thing is that you start. After all, matching gifts make a real difference: for nonprofits, for your employees, and for your company culture. Now’s the time to take that first step toward building a more generous and connected workplace through matching gifts.

Ready to learn more about matching gifts for companies like yours? Check out these additional resources to help you get started:

Drive matching gifts with the right software