According to OneCause’s Fundraising Outlook Report, the percentage of organizations that identify donor retention as a critical priority has decreased from 57% to 51%. While it’s concerning that fewer nonprofits are trying to reduce costs and form lasting relationships by focusing on donor retention, this insight reveals an opportunity to get ahead and stand out from other organizations vying for attention in your sector.
While the average donor retention rate hovers around 40%, there are strategies your organization can implement to increase this number and secure more long-term support. The top way to keep donors coming back is to create a donor stewardship plan.
We’ll help you dive into donor stewardship by reviewing the following topics:
With a better understanding of donor stewardship and a dedicated plan, you can make stewardship an ongoing, iterative process at your organization and consistently build enduring donor relationships.
What is donor stewardship?
Donor stewardship is the process of extending a relationship beyond the donor’s gift. The ultimate goal of donor stewardship is to encourage them to give again by building a deeper connection with them. Developing that sense of loyalty will make your fundraising efforts more seamless in the future because you’ll have a strong supporter base to tap into.
For stewardship to be effective, nonprofits must form mutually beneficial relationships with their donors. While nonprofits receive financial support, donors get to feel good about the impact they’ve made and join a community of people passionate about your cause. To create these relationships, nonprofits implement stewardship strategies that keep donors updated on the impact of their gifts and provide them with additional engagement opportunities.
What is the relationship between donor stewardship and retention?
Donor retention is a measure of how many donors come back to contribute to your organization after their initial gift. You can calculate your donor retention rate by dividing the number of donors who gave again this year by the number of donors who contributed last year, then multiplying that number by 100.
In recent years, donor retention has been on the decline, with an overall donor retention rate of 42.6% in 2022, which was 3.5% less than the previous year. There are costs associated with acquiring new donors, and when your donor retention rate is low, your organization has to continuously maximize the time, effort, and resources it pours into donor acquisition.
Donor stewardship helps your organization conserve resources and build a more reliable donor pool. You need regular communication to remind donors of your cause and how vital their support is, and with a dedicated donor stewardship plan, you can keep in contact with donors and ultimately retain them.
Additionally, retained donors are more valuable to your organization because they give more, more often, and are more likely to engage with your nonprofit in other ways. Considering 94% of recurring donors prefer to give to their causes of choice monthly, stewarding these donors enables you to build a consistent community of supporters rather than a sporadic, constantly shifting list of one-time donors.
Lastly, you already have data stored for previous donors in your database or constituent relationship management platform (CRM). You can use this information to reengage and steward these relationships because you know more about their interests and preferences. With a data-driven stewardship approach, you can meet donors where they are and personalize your communications to retain their support.
The donor pyramid is a visual representation of different donor giving levels. Since first-time donors are likely your largest donor group, they occupy the bottom of the pyramid whereas the few major donors you have reside at the top. When you understand which category of the pyramid each donor fits into, you can better steward them up the pyramid and increase their support.
The main categories of the donor pyramid include:
Prospective donors. Some organizations include prospective donors at the bottom of the pyramid to represent all potential giving opportunities. You may omit this group or narrow it down to those who have shown interest in your cause but haven’t yet contributed monetarily, such as volunteers, social media followers, or newsletter subscribers.
First-time donors. Most nonprofits place first-time donors at the bottom of the pyramid. While these supporters have demonstrated interest in your mission, it’s crucial to follow up with them immediately after their initial gift to show your appreciation and share the impact of their contribution.
Recurring donors. Recurring donors may give on a monthly, quarterly, annual, or varying basis. You may create different segments for each of these groups and develop stewardship strategies depending on giving frequency.
Planned donors. Planned donors pledge gifts to be contributed to nonprofits once they pass away. These bequests are typically sizable donations, so it’s important to show your appreciation for planned donors’ contributions.
Major donors. The top of the pyramid is comprised of major donors who give the largest gifts to your organization. Depending on your nonprofit’s size and typical donation amounts, you may define your major gift threshold differently than other organizations do.
To form your nonprofit’s own donor pyramid, draw supporter insights from your donor database. This information will help you determine which categories to include, roughly how many donors are in each tier, and how to best steward each group to higher levels of the pyramid or larger commitments at their current tier.
How does donor stewardship fit into donor cultivation?
Donor cultivation is the process of acquiring new donors and strengthening relationships with them. While donor stewardship is the last step in the cultivation cycle, it’s important to understand each step in the process and how it informs your stewardship efforts:
1. Identification
The first step in the donor cultivation cycle is to identify potential donors. This step may involve reviewing your CRM for supporters who may be interested in donating, identifying previous or lapsed donors, or conducting outreach to those who are completely new to your organization and mission.
Some strategies for identifying prospective donors include:
Prospect research. When you’re looking for potential major donors, conducting prospect research can help you determine supporters’ giving capacity and willingness to contribute. That way, you can focus your outreach on those who are most likely to make a major contribution.
Existing connections. Current supporters and stakeholders in your organization can help you identify people in their networks who may be interested in contributing to your cause. Ask your board members, major donors, and staff if they have any connections they can leverage.
Surveys. Sometimes the best way to identify if someone would be interested in giving is to simply ask them. Send surveys to your supporter base asking them if they’re open to making a monetary contribution and what type of gift they would like to make.
In this stage, it’s important to emphasize your nonprofit’s mission and let potential donors know the impact their contributions could make.
2. Qualification
Now that you’ve identified potential donors, it’s time to narrow down that list further to prioritize those with the highest giving likelihood. Some factors you may assess to determine the most qualified potential donors are:
Previous engagement. Potential donors may have interacted with your organization in ways other than donating, such as attending an event, volunteering, following your social media accounts, or signing up for your newsletter. These interactions demonstrate potential donors’ interest in your nonprofit and may indicate their likelihood to donate.
Wealth markers. Identifying potential donors’ capacity to give is especially useful for determining who may become a major donor. These wealth indicators may include real estate ownership, stock holdings, and business affiliations.
Affinity markers. Just because someone has the capacity to give doesn’t mean they’re interested in contributing. Affinity markers such as political involvement and previous support for other charitable causes allow you to assess the alignment between a potential donor’s values and your organization’s mission.
While some of this information may be stored in your CRM or found in public records, it can be helpful to work with a fundraising consultant or data provider who can acquire this data for you.
3. Cultivation
The cultivation step involves laying the foundation for a long-term relationship with prospects. Before soliciting a donation, introduce potential donors to your organization and invite them to get involved with:
Educational materials. Allow prospects to learn more about your mission and work by providing them with educational materials. Send them introductory pamphlets, videos of your beneficiaries, and summaries of your services so they can become more familiar with your organization.
Volunteer opportunities. When prospects volunteer with your nonprofit, they’ll receive hands-on experience with your cause. As a result, they may develop a connection to your mission and be more open to donating.
Events. An event is a perfect opportunity for prospects to meet current donors and find out why they support your cause. Consider inviting prospects to your next fundraising or advocacy event so they can become immersed in your community and determine if they’d like to become more involved.
Personalizing your communications with prospects is also a powerful strategy for developing relationships with them. Use data from your CRM to learn more about your prospects and tailor your communications accordingly. For example, if a prospect recently volunteered with your nonprofit, thank them for their support and follow up with additional volunteer opportunities they may be interested in.
4. Solicitation
After getting to know potential donors and informing them about your organization, you can begin soliciting donations. When making your initial asks, keep these tips in mind:
Be specific. Using the data you’ve gathered about your prospects, suggest a specific donation amount that aligns with their giving capacity. You should also be clear about what that amount of money will allow your nonprofit to accomplish. For example, an animal shelter might specify that a $100 donation allows it to restock its pet food supply for one week.
Appeal to prospects’ emotions. Don’t be afraid to use emotionally charged language to show prospects why they should care about your cause and how they have the power to make an impact. Including a testimonial from a beneficiary or current donor can help make a prospect’s potential impact more tangible.
Mention matching gift opportunities. Did you know that 84% of people say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered, and 1 in 3 donors claim they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation? Informing prospects about matching gift opportunities in your ask can motivate them to donate and allow you to gain even more for your cause. Matching gifts occur when a company matches their employees’ donations to a nonprofit, usually at a 1:1 ratio. As a result, your nonprofit can double its donation revenue. Learn best practices for promoting matching gifts in the video below:
As the video states, raising awareness for matching gifts is key. Once potential donors know about the power of matching gifts, you can make the process easier by researching their eligibility for them or providing them with a matching gift database where they can easily find their employer’s matching gift policies.
If a prospect says “no” to your first ask, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed to garner their support. Continue cultivating a relationship with this individual until it’s appropriate to make another donation request. Even if they don’t end up contributing monetarily, they can still become an active member of your community by volunteering, attending events, and engaging with your content online.
5. Stewardship
You should begin the donor stewardship process immediately after a prospect becomes a donor. Follow these steps to kick off your stewardship efforts:
Thank donors for their support. Show donors your appreciation for their contributions. To quickly and efficiently thank donors, automate a thank-you eCard to be sent to each donor right after they submit their donation. For larger gifts, you may send a handwritten thank-you note or call major donors to demonstrate your appreciation.
Recognize your donors. Larger gifts may also warrant public recognition of your donors through plaques, donor appreciation events, or invitations to your nonprofit’s giving society. You can also recognize mid-level donors by creating social media or newsletter spotlights.
Report on their impact. No matter the size of their donation, donors want to know that your organization is using their funds responsibly. Update donors on the specific initiatives you’ve allocated their donations toward, whether that’s a new program, supplies, a fundraising event, or something else entirely.
While these steps are a great start to donor stewardship, you’ll need a dedicated stewardship plan to effectively sustain your relationships with donors.
Creating a Donor Stewardship Plan: 5 Steps
A systematic approach to donor stewardship ensures no donor gets left behind and that your team knows exactly how to uphold donor relationships. To create a donor stewardship plan, follow these essential steps:
1. Determine your donor stewardship goals.
The beginning of any plan should start with goal creation, and donor stewardship is no different. Goals developed using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goal framework allow you to measure the success of your stewardship plan more easily.
For example, your nonprofit may want to grow its recurring donor program. Here’s how your team could incorporate each element of the SMART goal framework into your objectives:
Specific. Our fundraising team will reach out to first-time donors to introduce them to the recurring donor program and demonstrate how recurring gifts will maximize their impact.
Measurable. Our goal is to convert 20% of first-time donors into recurring donors.
Achievable. Considering 57% of donors are enrolled in a recurring giving program, and we had 10% of last year’s first-time donors become recurring donors, this is a challenging yet realistic goal.
Relevant. Growing our recurring donor program will allow us to develop a more consistent revenue stream for our nonprofit, empowering us to better serve our beneficiaries and fulfill our mission.
Time-Bound. Our goal is to convert these donors to recurring donors by the end of the year. We will start communicating with first-time donors next week and track monthly progress.
Other common goals may include increasing your donor retention rate, bolstering your major gift fundraising, or improving your post-event outreach. No matter what your goals are, setting clear objectives allows your team to stay on track and create progress benchmarks so you can make adjustments as needed.
2. Segment your donors.
While reaching out to each donor individually would be ideal for stewardship, it’s often unfeasible. When you segment your donors into relevant groups, you can personalize the donor stewardship process more efficiently.
Common ways to segment donors include grouping by:
Donation amount
Donation frequency
Donation recency
Engagement level
Communication preferences
Demographics
Then, you can reach out to each group with communications and engagement opportunities that they’ll resonate with. For example, you may create a special newsletter for monthly donors that lets them know about upcoming events and volunteer outings happening each month.
3. Develop an outreach cadence.
Using your segments, create an automated outreach cadence that keeps donors’ shared characteristics in mind. New donors should receive more in-depth information about your organization and mission that they may not have received in the initial cultivation process. Then, you can automate more specific communications to your segments to streamline your donor stewardship.
By integrating your email marketing software and your donor database, you can create personalized campaigns depending on donors’ interests and current stages in the stewardship process. For instance, during the cultivation stage, you may send prospects within a ten-mile radius of your organization’s headquarters information about in-person events and engagement opportunities in their community.
4. Offer additional engagement opportunities.
To maintain relationships with donors, you’ll need to offer engagement opportunities other than simply donating. While you may already have general fundraising events and volunteer opportunities planned, take the time to develop additional opportunities for donors to engage with your cause, such as:
Cause-related workshops and speaker sessions
Meetings with beneficiaries
Tours of your facility
Exclusive major donor events
Fundraising event planning committees
When you share activities with your donors that are unaccompanied by a donation ask, you prove to donors that you’re committed to providing them with a positive experience with your nonprofit. Through a variety of engagement opportunities, you can build a strong community of supporters and advocates for your cause.
5. Collect feedback.
You can (and should) measure progress using the key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals you identified early on in the stewardship process. However, qualitative data in the form of donor feedback can give you insight into what your donors enjoy about your stewardship efforts and what your team could improve.
Send regular surveys to your donors to gather feedback about your donor stewardship plan. The questions you may ask include:
How often would you like our nonprofit to communicate with you?
Is our current communication frequency too little, too much, or the right amount?
What engagement opportunities have you most enjoyed?
What additional engagement opportunities would you like to see offered?
Is there anything else our nonprofit can do to improve your experience with us?
Analyze donors’ responses with your team to glean any insights you can apply to your donor stewardship plan. For donors with multiple ideas or many points of feedback, consider calling them to hear more about their experience and gain an even more in-depth understanding of your stewardship efforts’ efficacy.
Wrapping Up
With a comprehensive donor stewardship plan, your nonprofit can build strong donor relationships, increase donor retention, and earn more for your cause. Whether you’re trying to grow your recurring donor program, acquire more major donors, or follow up with event attendees more effectively, a dedicated plan will assist you in reaching your goals and stewarding donors to higher levels of the donor pyramid.
To learn more about elements of the donor stewardship process, check out these resources:
Nonprofit Basics: The Donor Pyramid. When you develop a donor pyramid, you can more easily steward donors to higher engagement levels. This guide presents tips for how to personalize your donor pyramid to your organization.
Donor Recognition: When & How to Acknowledge Supporters. Recognizing your donors allows you to show your appreciation and strengthen your relationships with them. Dive deeper into donor recognition strategies with this guide.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Donor-Stewardship_Feature.jpg7502000Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-01-24 21:15:242024-01-24 21:15:24Donor Stewardship: How to Retain Support Effectively
Mandatory Volunteering: Unique Tips for Boosting Impact
Whether it’s a sorority, a food bank, or a socially responsible business, some organizations require their members to volunteer to build their skill sets and give back to their communities. Many nonprofits benefit from the temporary extra hands that mandatory volunteering provides, but there are many ways that you can convert these short-term volunteers into committed supporters, even after they’ve hit their hourly quota.
In this guide, we’ll go over the basics of mandatory volunteering programs and how your nonprofit can leverage them. Specifically, we’ll cover:
Let’s explore how your nonprofit can help your mandatory volunteering program reach its full potential.
Mandatory Volunteering FAQ
What is mandatory volunteering?
Mandatory volunteering is when an organization requires individuals to volunteer for a certain amount of time to receive benefits. Some examples of mandatory volunteering in practice include:
Educational institutions require students to volunteer as a graduation requirement.
Membership-based organizations require individuals to volunteer as a membership requirement.
Social service organizations require individuals to volunteer to receive social services, such as food banks where beneficiaries contribute volunteer hours for meals.
Judicial systems require individuals to volunteer in the form of community service as rehabilitation or restitution for minor offenses.
Businesses require their employees to volunteer as a team-building exercise.
Chances are, your nonprofit has an organization in your area that mandates volunteering. Volunteers for these organizations can make great additions to your program—we’ll explore the benefits in-depth in a later section.
How does mandatory volunteering work?
Before you add mandatory volunteering outreach into your nonprofit’s recruitment strategy, you should understand how it works. While each organization is different, most mandatory volunteering programs function like this:
The organization providing volunteers defines the objectives, rules, and structure of its mandatory volunteering program to complement its overall goals. Program guidelines might include the number of required volunteer hours or the type of volunteering the participant must complete.
Often, the organization providing volunteers reaches out to a nonprofit and establishes a partnership. While a partnership isn’t required, it ensures that the nonprofit has a steady stream of volunteers while guaranteeing placements for those who are required to volunteer.
The nonprofit provides custom onboarding and training for mandated volunteers based on their skill set, experience, and motivation for volunteering.
Once the volunteers have hit their required hours, the nonprofit thanks them for their work and gives them an exit survey to see how it can improve their program.
As you can see, mandatory volunteer programs benefit from open communication and mutual understanding between nonprofits and the organizations that mandate volunteering.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of mandatory volunteering for nonprofits?
Recruiting mandated volunteers isn’t the best solution for every nonprofit. Before deciding to add it to your outreach strategy, take these pros and cons into account:
Pros:
Expanded volunteer base. Mandated volunteers can improve your recruitment efforts and fill out your work schedule.
Consistent availability. Mandated volunteers will make a greater effort to schedule and attend volunteer shifts so they can hit their hourly quota.
Enhanced donation potential. Showing the importance of your mission through mandatory volunteering can inspire them to donate to your cause.
Improved community engagement. Forming partnerships with volunteer providers can help you make connections with other organizations in your community.
Potential for a long-term commitment. By being exposed to your nonprofit and mission, mandated volunteers might genuinely appreciate your staff, beneficiaries, and other aspects of your nonprofit and become long-term supporters even after they’ve hit their hours.
Cons:
Lack of connection to your cause. Since mandated volunteers come to your nonprofit to fulfill a requirement, they might not have a strong affiliation with your cause, which can lead to burnout.
Capacity challenges. Depending on the size of your mandated volunteer base, you might have to turn people away to avoid overwhelming your team or depleting your resources.
Mismatch of skills and needs. Since your mandated volunteers might have specific hour requirements and limited choices in their placements, it’s possible that their skills won’t be a good match for your nonprofit’s needs.
Various reasons for participating. Some of your volunteers might feel more or less enthusiastic about volunteering with you depending on their reasons for being there, which can impact their productivity and your overall performance.
High turnover rate. Since many mandated volunteers are motivated by their hourly benchmark, they’re more likely to move on after they’re done working with your organization.
How can you gauge if recruiting mandated volunteers is right for your nonprofit?
Adding mandatory volunteering to your recruitment strategy can be a big decision. Use this decision tree to evaluate whether your nonprofit would benefit from recruiting mandated volunteers. Any “no” answers mean it might not be right for your nonprofit currently and any “yes” answers mean you should proceed to the next decision.
Do you have a consistent need for volunteers?
Can you accept the costs of training mandatory volunteers knowing that they may not stay engaged long-term?
Can you provide meaningful and varied volunteer opportunities?
Do you have the capacity to manage and train a large number of volunteers?
Are there businesses, educational institutions, or social services organizations nearby to partner with?
Can you ensure a positive experience for volunteers?
Can your nonprofit accept the increased liability of working with mandated volunteers, including those fulfilling volunteer hours as part of court-ordered community service?
Please note that this is only a baseline decision tree. Each nonprofit is unique, so you should incorporate your own needs, goals, and preferences into account and adjust accordingly. Also, work with your legal team to review any potential legal issues or risks.
How to Turn Mandatory Volunteers into Lifelong [or Long-Term] Supporters
Accepting mandated volunteers into your program provides new opportunities to convert casual audience members into passionate donors and volunteers. You can convert them, boost fundraising, and secure your long-term success with these tips.
1. Spread awareness of volunteer grants and other CSR programs.
Many companies that mandate or highly encourage volunteering also offer other corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, like volunteer grants and matching gifts. Mandated volunteers can amplify their positive impact by contributing volunteer grants to your nonprofit
Volunteer grants are a CSR program in which corporations promise monetary donations if an employee volunteers for a certain amount of hours with a nonprofit. Here’s how your nonprofit can promote and collect volunteer grants from mandated volunteers:
An individual volunteers extensively at your nonprofit
Your team identifies volunteer-grant-eligible participants with a CSR database like Double the Donation
Your nonprofit reaches out to them, promoting volunteer grants and providing instructions for researching their policy
The volunteer researches their company policy
If the volunteer has met the policy requirements, they submit volunteer grant forms
The company reviews the volunteer grant application
If the application is approved, the company donates funds to the nonprofit
Besides volunteer grants, you can also promote other CSR programs to boost support for your mission. For instance, you can spread awareness of matching gifts, a CSR program in which employees can get their charitable contributions matched by their employer if they meet the program’s criteria. Research the types of CSR programs that your mandatory volunteers might respond well to and spread the word at an upcoming shift.
2. Focus on making lasting connections.
While their reasons for supporting your nonprofit may differ, mandated volunteers should be treated the same as other volunteers, which means you should strive to forge a personal relationship with them. Furthermore, mandated volunteers who feel welcomed and valued are more likely to continue working with your nonprofit. Here are some ways you can make mandated volunteers feel like part of the team:
Get to know them personally. Simply learning all of your new volunteers’ names when they show up for their first shift demonstrates that you put effort into getting to know them as people. You can take it a step further by asking about your volunteers’ hobbies, experiences, and other personal information on their intake form.
Offer social activities. Facilitate a welcoming community by allowing your volunteers to get to know each other outside of their shifts. For instance, you could organize a dinner at the end of a shift so mandated volunteers can make connections while bonding over great food.
Invite them to fundraisers and other events. Introduce volunteers to new aspects of your organization by inviting them to fundraisers and other events. This can help them feel more connected to their work and gives you the chance to strike up a conversation with them.
Provide progress updates. Show your volunteers the real impact of their work by updating them on your nonprofit’s progress. For example, you could let food bank volunteers know that a week’s worth of work yields an additional three hundred meals.
Genuinely showing that you care about your mandated volunteers as people is the most important component of motivating them to stick around after they’ve hit their quota. Take every opportunity to talk to them, compliment them on a job well done, and integrate them into your volunteer community.
3. Show your appreciation.
Your nonprofit relies on the help of your volunteers to execute your programs and give back to your beneficiaries at a high caliber. Showing your appreciation for their efforts isn’t just a nice thing to do—it also improves volunteer satisfaction and retention. Try these strategies for showing your gratitude to mandated volunteers:
Create custom awards. Whether they’re performance-based or superlative, invite your volunteers to an awards ceremony where you recognize them for their accomplishments. Just make sure you get permission from each attendee to be recognized publicly.
Take extra steps to improve your program. Go above and beyond to make your program stellar so mandated volunteers will want to stay. Ask them for feedback once they’ve completed a few shifts with your nonprofit and keep them updated on which items you plan to implement. For instance, you might start offering snacks for shifts that occur around a meal or adjusting your shift times so more people can attend.
Offer volunteer development days. Skill development is a valuable perk that you can provide to show your thanks for their hard work and help them advance to a higher role within your program. For example, a food bank might offer training in floor management and more hours to high-performing individuals, giving them skills that they can add to their resumes.
Send personalized thank-you messages. No matter how long they work with your nonprofit, you should thank each volunteer for their time. A handwritten note adds a unique personal touch that can feel more authentic than an email, so try to send those when you can. If you can only send emails, make sure each one is addressed to the recipient by name and mentions the specific project they worked on.
Involve beneficiaries. Getting a thank-you message from a beneficiary can be an unexpected, yet welcome surprise for your mandated volunteers. Ask beneficiaries if they’d like to be part of a thank-you email or video. Your volunteers will feel more emotionally connected to your nonprofit when you match a face to the cause.
Thanking volunteers is a simple gesture that makes their work feel valued by your team and beneficiaries. Also, remember that not everything has to be a planned gesture—simply thanking volunteers verbally at the end of a shift can go a long way.
Wrapping Up + Additional Resources
Now that you know the details of mandatory volunteering, it’s time for your nonprofit to decide if adding it to your volunteer offerings is worthwhile. Once you’ve reviewed the pros and cons and conducted a needs assessment, evaluate your current community connections to gauge if you could easily forge any partnerships.
If you decide to integrate mandatory volunteers into your nonprofit’s ecosystem, personalize your stewardship approach and focus on providing a rewarding experience.
Looking for more information about how to incorporate corporate volunteerism into your nonprofit’s volunteer strategy? Start with these additional resources:
Through the Google Ad Grants program, nonprofits have the potential to amplify their marketing and connect with prospects searching for causes like theirs. The program empowers nonprofits to share their missions with people around the globe, but only if they’re strategic about how they allocate their funds.
Google Ad Grant agencies dedicate their time to helping nonprofits make the most of the opportunity. From applying for the program to pinpointing the right keywords, they cover every aspect of the process and eliminate the learning curve that comes with this opportunity. That way, you can focus on pursuing your mission and engaging the new constituents you connect with through your ad campaigns.
Whether you’re just now learning about Google Ad Grants or you’re looking to refresh your account management strategies, a Google Grants agency knows what it takes to keep your account compliant and make your ad campaigns excel. To help you effectively leverage your grant money, we’ll cover everything you need to know, from the basics of the program to our recommended Google Grants agencies that will help you make the most of your $10,000 every month. Here’s what we’ll cover:
Here at Double the Donation, we spend plenty of time working with nonprofits to maximize their fundraising revenue and make a greater impact on their causes. We’ve seen organizations do some pretty incredible things for their missions when they put thought behind their fundraising strategies and leverage corporate giving programs like Google’s. While we work exclusively with matching gifts, other powerful funding opportunities like Google Ad Grants impact the difference an organization can make, so let’s explore how specialized agencies can streamline that.
An Overview of Google Ad Grants Management
Before researching specific Google Grants agencies, make sure you know what Google is offering eligible nonprofits through the program. This will help you understand whether outsourcing the work to a professional is the right move. If you’re already well-versed in Google Ad Grants, feel free to jump ahead to learn how an agency fits into your strategies.
What is the Google Ad Grant?
The Google Ad Grants program is a corporate giving initiative that gives 501(c)(3) organizations $10,000 every month to spend on amplifying their pages in Google search results. That adds up to $120,000 every year that qualifying nonprofits can invest directly into marketing their missions.
Nonprofits pick the landing pages they’d like to amplify, then build ad campaigns that target different keywords related to their mission. The goal of the program is to help nonprofits scale their impact by getting in touch with more donors, volunteers, and advocates online.
So long as your nonprofit complies with the program’s guidelines, the grant will automatically renew each month. The program has pretty strict guidelines for eligibility and ongoing compliance. That’s why organizations typically outsource account management to Google Ad Grant agencies who will oversee their campaigns and ensure their accounts remain compliant.
Are Google Ad Grants worth it?
While it can be challenging to create winning ad campaigns, any organization can (and should) apply for the program. It’s $10,000 of free funding every month that can really amplify your cause if you allocate it strategically. With proper Google Ad Grants management, the program empowers all sorts of nonprofits to:
Increase online conversions such as event signups, donations, and volunteer registrations
Connect with lifelong supporters who are motivated by their cause
Bid on competitor’s keywords so their ads can show up alongside their listings
Build brand awareness and spread awareness for worthwhile causes
To really make the most of the program, the best approach you can take is to have someone at your organization spend at least a few hours each week learning about Google Ad Grants management once you receive your funding. If you face limited staff bandwidth and can’t invest the time you want into creating your campaigns, you might want to outsource the work to a dedicated Google Ad Grant management agency.
Either way, $10,000 a month is a good chunk of change that will pale in comparison to the amount of staff time you spend or the money you pay an expert to manage your campaigns actively.
Why should I invest in Google Ad Grants management?
This Google Ad Grants impact report explains that the return nonprofits see can be incredible with proper Google Ad Grants management. In fact, search ads have the highest ROI for nonprofits using paid advertising among any other paid advertising platform.
With billions of search queries processed per day, Google is the world’s most popular search engine. Advertising your cause on Google can put you in touch with a world of prospects, and properly managing the grant means you can deliver the right content to these individuals.
When you first get started, there’s a huge learning curve you’ll have to overcome. Between conducting keyword research and keeping up with Google’s compliance standards, newcomers have a lot to learn! And with an already-busy schedule, your team might not have enough time to devote to managing your Google Ad Grant.
Investing in professional Google Ad Grants management can help you overcome the learning curve, so you can make the most of your grant money from the start. Especially when you work with a Google-certified agency, you’ll have access to the best advice possible and have a direct line line to Google in case something goes wrong with your account.
Bonus! If you want to learn more about the basics of the program, explore our beginner’s guide to Google Ad Grants. It breaks down the essentials of the program, so you can determine if it’s a smart move for your nonprofit.
How A Google Grants Agency Can Help
From determining your eligibility to finding the right keywords, there’s a lot that goes into effective Google Ad Grants management. That’s where a dedicated Google Grants agency comes into play.
Agencies will take the guesswork out of account management and help you develop winning campaigns that supercharge your marketing efforts. They spend all of their time understanding the program’s requirements and learning how to leverage relevant tools that will maximize their clients’ results. Specifically, they help nonprofits with the following:
Google Grant application. If you’ve yet to apply for the program, a dedicated agency will help you do so by creating your Google For Nonprofits account, getting verified by Percent, ensuring your website has promotable content, and submitting your application for review.
Keyword research. A Google Grants agency will help you develop ad campaigns that target the right keywords. They’ll spend plenty of time researching the keywords associated with your cause and pinpointing the ones that qualified prospects are searching online.
Campaign management. A healthy account will have anywhere from 3-5 campaigns going at once to drive results. An agency will actively track these campaigns, report on performance, and make adjustments to your online content to maximize results. Through Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, they can create live dashboards and reports that keep you looped into your campaigns’ performance whenever you want.
Monthly compliance. The program’s guidelines are pretty extensive, and by not complying, your account will potentially be deactivated. One of the main priorities of your Google Ad Grants agency is to make sure you’re complying with the program’s guidelines at any given point. Some of these include maintaining a 5% clickthrough rate, avoiding single-word or generic keywords, and responding to the annual program survey. When you use a Google-certified agency, you’ll have access to the program’s latest guidelines, even if they haven’t been formally announced.
Landing page optimization. Your grant money will go to waste if the pages you’re promoting don’t inspire users to convert. Some agencies provide tips for improving your landing pages for campaigns to help boost traffic and conversions.
Reactivation if needed. Ideally, your Google Grants agency will help keep your account in good standing. However, things happen, especially considering the program has pretty strict guidelines. If your account ever lapses or gets suspended, your agency will help reactivate it. Better yet, an agency certified by Google will give you direct access to the Google Grants team, making it easier to resolve any issues.
If you’re curious about any of these common services, Getting Attention’s Google Grant agency guide explores how agencies help nonprofits in-depth. That way, you can understand if investing in an agency is the right move for you.
It’s best not to leave it up to chance. A Google Grants agency knows what it takes to create winning campaigns that inspire users to click through to your website. And like we mentioned, the money you spend on hiring a professional will be well worth it compared to the $10,000 in marketing money you’ll receive every month.
Getting Started With A Google Ad Grant Agency
At this point, you’re almost ready to kickstart your buying journey and explore different agencies. As you explore your options, bear in mind that you should walk through a few steps to make sure you find a Google Grants agency that you can fully depend on to make the most of this CSR opportunity.
For instance, you’ll want to:
Find Google Ad Grants agencies that meet your criteria. For one, many nonprofits look specifically for partners who are certified by Google. That’s because these professional Google Grants agencies have been vetted by the Google Grants team. When exploring these agencies, look for partners that offer services for the specific areas you need help with. For instance, if you want full transparency into your campaigns’ performance, double-check that your Google Ad Grant agency will provide comprehensive reports to your team. If you’re seeking help because your account’s been deactivated, make sure you find agencies that offer account reactivation services.
Explore their website and offerings. An agency’s website is the first resource you can leverage to understand their approach and specializations. Read through their offerings thoroughly to make sure you agree with their approach. Oftentimes, an established agency might also include testimonials or case studies that display the work they’ve completed for their clients.
Reach out to learn more about their approach to Google Ad Grant management. Before you decide to work with an agency, reach out to them to make sure they’re a good fit. This gives you the opportunity to ask any lingering questions and see if their team will mesh well with yours. Many agencies start with a complimentary audit of your account, so you can get a feel for what working with them will look like.
By walking through these steps, you’ll be able to narrow down your options in no time. Remember, the right Google Ad Grants agency will act as an extension of your team and do everything it can to champion your cause. We recommend going with a Google-certified agency since these agencies demonstrate a clear understanding of the program. For reference, becoming a Google Partner involves requirements such as meeting a minimum optimization score of 70%, maintaining a 90-day ad spend of $10,000 USD across managed accounts, and being certified in Google Ads.
Whoever you choose, spending time to find a good fit up front will pay off in the long run as you’ll be able to fully rely on them to make the most of your grant money.
5 Recommended Google Ad Grants Agencies
To help simplify the extensive vetting process, we’ve put together a list of recommendations, so you can get an idea of which ones might be a good fit for your team. Each of these partners works with nonprofits to enhance their Google Ad Grants management and displays in-depth knowledge of the program’s requirements and opportunities. Use this list to narrow down your options and request their support as soon as you’re ready.
Getting Attention
Getting Attention specializes solely in Google Ad Grants management. They’re committed to maximizing your grant money, keeping your account compliant, and connecting you with lifelong prospects through powerful marketing campaigns. Backed by a team of seasoned professionals, they’ll act as an extension of your team and work with you to make sure you’re experiencing the results you expect. By managing every aspect of your Google Ad campaigns, they’ll help get your cause in front of qualified prospects who want to make an impact on your cause.
This agency is also a certified Google Partner, meaning the Google Ads team has personally reviewed their team’s abilities to manage Google Ad accounts properly. Their core services include:
Google Ad Grant Application. If you haven’t already applied for the program, let Getting Attention’s experts handle your application. They’ll check your eligibility for the program and walk you through every step necessary to get your account reviewed and accepted.
Campaign Management. They’ll maintain up to 5 active ad campaigns per month, do ample keyword research, consistently monitor ad performance, and make adjustments as needed. Not to mention, they’ll stay on top of reporting and pinpoint the most useful opportunities and goals for your team.
Ongoing Compliance. Proper Google Ad Grants management means staying on top of the latest rules. As Google Partners, Getting Attention is one of the first ones to hear about compliance rule updates, so you can keep your account in good standing.
Account Reactivation. Their team has extensive knowledge of the program’s compliance requirements. Plus, they have a direct line to the Google Grants team thanks to their certification. If your account is currently lapsed or ever gets suspended, they’ll get everything up to code, so you can continue amplifying your mission.
Getting Started With This Google Grants Agency
Getting Attention strives to be fully transparent with its clients, which is why they don’t charge any upfront fees and instead only charge a monthly fee of $500. Compared to the $10,000 in grant money they’ll secure for you, that’s a small price to pay for expert Google Ad Grants management, especially from a certified agency!
If you require additional services beyond what’s included in their pricing package, they’re open to discussing their experience with you to find a plan that will work. Reach out to discuss your needs with their team today.
DNL OmniMedia is a nonprofit technology consultant. Their mission is to help your nonprofit leverage technology in ways that amplify your cause and focus on goals rather than getting bogged down with code and data. While they don’t specialize solely in Google Grants, they do offer services that will help enhance your Google Ad Grants management.
Their Google Ad Grants services include:
Google Grant strategy. DNL OmniMedia can make sure that your Google Ad Grant strategy aligns with other aspects of your nonprofit’s strategy. They’ll help you create a keyword strategy that makes sense for your cause and connects you with the right prospects.
Ad copy development. Their digital marketing experts will write and test ads that are designed for optimum impressions and clicks. That way, you can inspire readers to click through to your site.
Website development. Backed by a team of skilled developers, DNL OmniMedia will help you create your website and amplify your online presence. That way, you can create valuable landing pages for your Google Ad Grant campaigns that drive users to get involved.
Reporting. With Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, DNL OmniMedia will report back to your team on campaign performance and interpret the data for your team. That way, you can improve your site and campaign’s content.
Getting Started With This Google Grants Agency
DNL OmniMedia makes it easy to learn about their services and contact their team. Whether you’re looking to improve your Google Ad landing pages or better understand campaign data, this Google Grants agency is a reliable choice!
Formerly known as Beaconfire RED, Allegiance Group works with nonprofits and associations to transform their digital strategies and grow their impact. Whether you’re focused on fundraising, advocacy, stewardship, or content marketing, they’ll tailor your digital marketing plan to do more good for your cause. One of their primary digital marketing offerings is Google Ad Grants management.
Their core Google Ad services include:
Website content optimization. They’ll leverage data to evaluate your website’s existing content and teach you how to create valuable content that you can then amplify through your ad campaigns. The Allegiance team has plenty of experience with A/B testing, too, so they can pinpoint what elements drive users to complete your online forms that you want to promote as well.
Keyword research. This Google Grants agency will help you find the keywords that your supporters are searching online and develop campaigns that target those terms. Aside from your Google Ad campaigns, they’ll also monitor your organic traffic and rankings to help create a more holistic SEM strategy.
Reporting. Allegiance Group takes data seriously. With custom implementations of Google Analytics using Google Tag Manager, they deliver reports and real-time dashboards that display your marketing performance, like page views, entrances, and goal assists. That way, you can continuously refine your campaigns.
Getting Started With This Google Grants Agency
Allegiance Group empowers you to create a more holistic approach to your nonprofit’s digital marketing. Explore their site to get a sense of whether their offerings align with your Google Ad Grant needs.
RKD Digital is a certified Google Grants agency that empowers nonprofits to get the most out of their grant money. They understand that nonprofits often have trouble making the most of their free advertising money without professional help and aim to eliminate those obstacles for them. They were the first full-service direct-response company to be added to the Ad Grants Certified Professional Community, so you know you’re in good hands if you choose them to handle your Ad Grant needs.
Their team of experts will work closely to manage all aspects of your account through services such as:
Account Activation. Between filling out applications and securing validation tokens, RKD Digital will help you get your account up and running, so you can secure your free grant money.
Ad Creation. Their professional Google Ad Grants team will build high-level campaigns with ad groups and keywords. They’ll even write the ad copy for you.
Campaign Optimization. Once your campaigns go live, the work doesn’t stop there! Their Google Ad Grant agency will monitor your campaigns’ performance and make adjustments to boost conversions.
Getting Started With This Google Grants Agency
RKD Digital makes it easy to amplify your work and take advantage of the opportunities available to your nonprofit. Before lining up a consultation with their team, check out their services to make sure they offer what you need.
As a certified professional Google Ad Grant agency, TrueSense Marketing is a smart addition to your marketing efforts. They’re made up of a team of more than 200 professionals who have extensive search engine marketing (SEM) experience that can take your Google Ad Grants management to the next level. They’ll handle everything from application to ongoing maintenance, so you can focus on other aspects of your mission.
Their core services include:
Google Analytics. Their team will implement tracking to view how users interact with your site, so you can pinpoint and optimize your most important content.
Hands-On Management. TrueSense Marketing will actively manage your account to ensure it stays compliant, edit your campaigns to maximize ad performance, and collaborate closely with your team to highlight the most valuable opportunities for your nonprofit.
Comprehensive Campaigns. With help from this Google Grants agency, you won’t be confined to only donor-based ad campaigns. They’ll help you leverage your grant money to reach an entire community of prospective clients, volunteers, advocates, and other supporters.
Getting Started With This Google Grants Agency
TrueSense Marketing is devoted to helping you make the most of your $10,000 each month. You can explore their full list of services on their website and determine if they’d be a good fit for your nonprofit.
The Google Ad Grant program offers an immensely valuable marketing opportunity for your team. You can amplify your work and expedite your mission, but only if you choose the right keywords and deliver optimized landing pages to prospects.
A professional Google Grants agency eliminates the guesswork and makes it incredibly easy to get your content in front of the right audiences.
Plus, agencies that are fully devoted to Google Ad Grants management spend their time learning the ins and outs of the program. They fully understand everything from compliance requirements to keyword research best practices. That way, you can rest assured that you’re creating winning campaigns and that your account will stay compliant. In turn, you can keep receiving your free $10,000 grant every month.
As the only agency fully dedicated to Google Ad Grants on our list, we highly recommend you check out Getting Attention. They offer everything you need to get your account activated and create optimized campaigns. Plus, they’re a certified Google Partner, so you know you’re receiving professional guidance.
Looking to learn more about the program? As you start researching different agencies, check out these educational resources:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Google-Grants-Agency_Feature-1.png270725Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-01-20 14:48:002024-01-24 21:14:55Hiring a Google Grants Agency in 2024: A Guide & 5 Agencies
Tons of companies (from Fortune 500 enterprises to the local law firm down the street) offer generous employee gift-matching programs. When such a program is available, the business essentially agrees to match donations made by their staff to a wide range of charitable causes. These opportunities are great—and relatively well-known in the nonprofit space. However, there’s another type of corporate matching program that’s less widely understood, and that is one-off matching gift programs.
One-off (or custom) matching gift programs generally involve specific partnerships between one corporation and one nonprofit organization. And the results can be grand!
If you’re interested in making the most of corporate matching opportunities for your mission, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know as you begin crafting a plan to source and leverage one-off matching initiatives. This includes:
Ready to dive in? One-off matching gifts have the potential to bring your organization’s corporate fundraising to the next level. You just need a plan that outlines how your team can do so. And for that, let’s start with the basics.
The basics of one-off matching gift programs
One-off matching gift programs are those that are unique to a single organization. In this case, it’s yours! In the matching gift sector, you may hear this type of partnership described in a few ways—including custom, one-off, exclusive, or even unique matching gift programs.
Regardless of the term used, the bottom line is the same: a company works with an organization to facilitate a matching gift program with narrower criteria than a standard match program would have.
Specifically, donations to your nonprofit are the only ones being matched.
This illustration depicts how such a partnership differs from a standard matching gift program (i.e., a company matching gifts to any nonprofit):
You might wonder why a company would offer this particular type of donation-matching initiative.
Picture this: let’s say you run an organization dedicated to breast cancer research and treatment services. Now, imagine a corporate CEO has a soft spot for missions like yours. They come to your nonprofit team with a proposal: They’d like to match employee donations to your organization throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
While the company may not typically have the bandwidth to match all team member donations, a one-off matching gift program can serve as an excellent jumping-off point for corporate philanthropy. Alternatively, a business might offer a traditional matching gift initiative with a 1:1 ratio year-round. During particular times (or to particular causes), however, the employer might elevate its program by offering a temporary 2, 3, or even 4:1 match through a one-off program.
Check out the clip below to get a two-minute overview of one-off matching gifts.
Interested in a more in-depth examination of the programs? Register to get the webinar replay here!
Double the Donation’s one-off match program functionality [with auto-submission]
If you’ve made an effort to elevate corporate fundraising at your organization, you’ve likely invested in a matching gift automation software like Double the Donation. This tool makes it quick and easy for you and your donors to locate information regarding thousands of matching gift companies.
If a company doesn’t offer a widely available matching gift program, though, they likely won’t show up in a search of the database tool. And that confusion can cause a disruption in the number of matching gift requests actually submitted—and secured—for your cause.
When you’ve organized a one-off matching gift program with a corporate partner, you want your donors to seamlessly locate the information they need to initiate the match process.
Luckily, Double the Donation has the solution: we’re offering built-in functionality for managing unique matching gift programs in 360MatchPro. That means you can add matching gift programs specific to your cause to your matching gift search tool—without it populating in other organizations’ databases as well. This way, donors can access the policy and forms they need to complete their matching gift requests on your nonprofit’s behalf.
While this functionality has previously been available exclusively for 360MatchPro Enterprise clients, we’re excited to announce that all 360MatchPro Standard accounts now have access to our unique program management tools!
*As a note, this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers looking to manage custom matching gift initiatives—360MatchPro does not work directly with corporations. If you’re a company interested in creating a matching gift program, contact us, and we’ll share information about our corporate vendor partners.
Adding a One-Off Program in 360MatchPro
Already have a corporate partner offering a one-off matching gift program for your organization? To add your unique campaign to your nonprofit’s matching gift database, log into your 360MatchPro portal and fill out a brief form regarding the offered program. (This can be located under the settings tab → Manage Programs.)
To save the program in your database, you’ll be asked for a few key details regarding the agreed-upon guidelines and parameters. This includes:
Company name
Point of contact information (e.g., the workplace giving coordinator or HR department), email address, and phone number
Types of eligible employees (full-time, part-time, retired team members, and/or spouses)
Minimum and maximum donations matched
Matching gift ratio
Submission form URL or PDF upload (and an overview of the request process)
Program start and end dates
And from there, the custom matching gift initiative will begin populating within eligible donors’ queries! All they need to do is begin typing their employer’s name in your organization’s search tool and select the company from the populating options. Once they’re redirected to your confirmation screen (or afterwards in an email), donors should find the easy-to-access program details and instructions as usual.
Enabling Auto-Submission for Your One-Off Program
In the same form, your team will also be asked whether you’d like to enable optional auto-submission functionality for the one-off matching gift program. This essentially enables Double the Donation to pre-fill a request form on the donor’s behalf, thus streamlining their experience and enhancing participation and engagement rates.
In order to see the best results from auto-submission forms, be sure to also fill out your comprehensive Organization Profile within 360MatchPro. (This can be located under the settings tab → Organization Profile.)
This resource should include vital and up-to-date information about your nonprofit that will ultimately be used for your matching gift company to review and approve requests. When qualifying donors initiate the auto-submission process from your giving page, Double the Donation has the necessary details to complete the request behind the scenes, thus automating and streamlining donors’ efforts.
The details in your nonprofit’s profile should include:
Your organization’s name
Phone number
Tax ID number (EIN)
Website URL
Full mailing address
Form W-9
501(c)(3) IRS affirmation letter
In the end, proactively sharing this information increases the likelihood that matches are completed without a hitch. And, as a result, you can expect more matching gift funds flowing into your cause in a timely manner.
(Hint: Your Organization Profile helps streamline auto-submission for other companies’ general matching gift programs as well!)
Locating a one-off corporate matching gift partner
One-off or unique matching gift programs are, by definition, developed on an ad hoc basis. Luckily, that opens up a world of possibilities—because just about any company could offer such an initiative.
As you begin seeking the right partner for your one-off matching gift program, we recommend taking a similar approach to the pursuit of a traditional corporate sponsorship. Following these steps can help organize your efforts and make the most of every avenue of support available to you!
Identifying companies your donors work for that don’t have existing matching gift programs.
Reach out to non-paricipating employers and share that you have a lot in common with them and their key stakeholders (your donors and their employees) already. Then, let your point of contact know you’d like to launch a one-off donation-matching initiative. Point out that it can be a great way to get into matching gifts for the first time, and be sure to share that your organization has helpful tools and resources for streamlining the facilitation of such a program.
Top tip: If your team uses 360MatchPro, the “Leading Companies” feature allows you to isolate the employers most often searched by donors in your database tool. It even flags top companies according to whether they have an existing match program or not!
Encouraging donors to advocate for a one-off matching program on your behalf.
Your donors can be some of your greatest assets. If they work for companies without existing programs, see if your supporters would be willing to pitch the idea to their employer on your behalf. When you provide a handy template supporters can use to propose a program (such as one included below), they’ll be increasingly likely to take such steps. And a company is going to be more open to considering the opportunity when the proposal is coming from a member of their own team.
Top tip: We recommend implementing 360MatchPro’s custom redirect functionality to inform ineligible donors about the ways they can get involved regardless. When a donor is marked as likely ineligible for a matching gift, send them to a page on your website that shares a myriad of opportunities for increased support: including championing a one-off matching gift program to their employer!
Suggesting unique opportunities for amplifying existing matching gift programs.
One-off matching gift programs are sometimes built off of companies’ existing match initiatives, too! That means you might not be starting from ground zero when it comes to communicating the matching gift opportunity and how a company can get involved.
Instead, there may be a business that contributes a number of matching gifts to your organization already. But in the company’s giving, you see an opportunity for growth, or additional, untapped potential. In this case, you might consider proposing the idea of an “above and beyond” matching gift opportunity to set your prospective one-off program apart.
Here are a few examples of ways a company can scale up its matching gift program for your organization:
Increased matching gift ratios (e.g., a company usually matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio but raises the rate to 2:1 for a cancer research organization during Breast Cancer Awareness Month)
Decreased donation minimums (for example, let’s say a company generally requires donations of least $50 to qualify for a matching gift. During Pride month, it removes the minimum gift size for an LGBTQ+ nonprofit as a way to incentivize employee giving to the cause)
Increased donation maximums (a company typically instills a $500 cap on matching gifts per employee, but raises the maximum threshold to $5,000 for a local food bank during Matching Gift Month)
Fundraising matches (a company generally matches gifts that employees donate personally, but opts to match all gifts collected for a peer-to-peer fundraiser on behalf of a particular mission organization)
Top tip: One-off matching gift programs can offer an excellent opportunity to highlight giving days, awareness and affinity months, and more. Consider which celebrations best align with your nonprofit and its mission, then begin seeking corporate matching gift partners to amplify such efforts.
Creating a “one-off matching gift” interest page on your website.
Your nonprofit’s website is one of its most valuable assets. And, just like you can leverage this resource to share general matching gift program information, you can also use it to drum up interest for one-off matching gifts. The key difference, however, is that you’ll be targeting prospective companies rather than individual donors!
As you build a one-off matching gifts page on your site, we recommend the following best practices for success:
Make it easy to locate. You won’t reap many benefits from a web page that’s nearly impossible to find!
Review your mission. Don’t assume any prospective partners are already familiar with your organization. Provide a brief summary of your vision and your team’s work toward it. Pictures help, too!
Define the “one-off match” opportunity. Make sure to clearly define a one-off matching gift program, and clarify how it differs from a standard matching gift.
Focus on the benefits. Companies want to know what advantages are being offered in any potential partnership. State the ways a one-off matching gift program will aid the employer in reaching its goals. The more specific you can be, the better!
Embed a contact form. It should be quick and easy for corporate donors to enter the information you’ll need to be in touch. When initiating contact is as simple as filling out an online form, more companies will be willing to do so!
Top tip: Be sure to follow up regarding companies’ one-off matching gift partnership interest in a timely manner. Though there’s no universally agreed-upon timetable, reaching out within one business day of the form being submitted tends to be an accepted practice. Plus, following up quickly allows your team to make the most of a corporate contact’s heightened engagement level before it dwindles.
Making the pitch and communicating one-off matching gift partnership value.
At this point, you should have narrowed down potential partnerships and produced a short list of prospects that may be willing to offer a one-off match. Now, it’s time to make your pitch. And don’t forget to mention the vast benefits to participating companies as well! These include heightened employee engagement, improved corporate social responsibility (CSR), tax benefits, and more.
If you have metrics available from previous one-off matching gift partners, this information can help demonstrate tangible value through prior successful engagements. For example, you might inform your corporate contact that a previous one-off match program led to a 40% increase in corporate giving or a 65% employee satisfaction rating.
Top tip: Throughout your search, keep an eye out for companies with similar missions and visions as your own. This will help ensure your values align with one another and can maintain a mutually beneficial partnership in the long-term. Not to mention, their employees may be increasingly likely to support your cause.
Establishing one-off matching gift program guidelines in conjunction with your corporate partner.
Once you’ve identified a corporate partner, you’ll need to determine specific program guidelines to define the opportunity. Like traditional matching gifts, these criteria are ultimately determined by the company offering the program. However, your organization may play a role in advising the creation of a matching gift policy.
Such a policy typically includes:
Minimum and maximum donation amounts;
Matching gift ratios;
Types of qualifying employees (i.e., full-time, part-time, retired);
Submission deadlines;
Forms and request processes;
And any other relevant information!
In this regard, the only difference between a one-off and a standard match program is the types of nonprofits eligible for funding. And that question is easy—the receiving organization is yours!
Still, it’s a good idea to discuss associated criteria with your matching gift partner before rolling out your program. This enables your team to better communicate eligibility standards and ensure match requests have the information required for approval. Plus, your organization can provide access to helpful resources that simplify the experience for you and your partners.
Top tip: If you’ve invested in Double the Donation’s matching gift platform, enabling the one-off matching gift management feature allows a company (and its employees) to benefit from a streamlined submission process.
Made possible with the standard matching gift form, this request method is quick and easy for donors to complete, minimizing additional steps and reducing roadblocks in participation. The result? More matches!
Key benefits of one-off matching gift programs for nonprofits
Though narrower in scope, one-off matching gift programs offer many of the same benefits that traditional matching gift programs do. Plus, this unique offering can unleash a number of exclusive advantages just for your cause.
These include:
Building deeper connections with charitable-minded corporations.
Whereas a typical matching gift program may lead to a company contributing to hundreds or thousands of nonprofits, a one-off matching gift program is just between you and your corporate partner. Therefore, it provides enhanced opportunities for strengthening your relationship. You might even be able to turn it into a recurring program!
Widening your fundraising reach to encompass new supporters.
When promoted effectively, one-off matching gift programs have the potential to direct first-time donors to your organization. A company’s employees may otherwise never have been made aware of your cause. But when their employer highlights the giving opportunity, your nonprofit is at the forefront of their minds. You might even uncover some new, long-term supporters this way!
Elevating donor engagement with unique match opportunities.
Perhaps your one-off matching partner employs individuals who are already involved with your cause. You have the chance to further their engagement through the program, too! In fact, studies show that simply mentioning matching gifts in donation appeals results in more than a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.
Best practices | Top tips for successful one-off matching programs
Want to take your organization’s unique matching gift program to the next level? Consider these smart tips and tricks to better engage your donors and your corporate partners.
1. Encourage your corporate partner to promote the program to employees.
A matching gift program is only as good as the employees who know about it. Uninformed team members, after all, are not going to take the steps required to initiate a matching gift if they’ve never been informed of the opportunity. Thus, they’re not sending additional corporate revenue your way.
One of the best things a company can do to drive corporate giving participation—and, as a result, get the most out of its program offerings—is to make its employees aware of the opportunity in the first place. From the nonprofit’s end, it’s a good idea to encourage proactive employee outreach in order to aid your partner in doing so.
And when the employer incorporates the program in its public-facing marketing efforts, the philanthropic efforts also go a long way in building the company’s reputation as a charitable and socially responsible institution. Your team can even help drive promotions by sending co-branded graphics, social sharing templates, sample communications, and more!
2. Market the opportunity to your audience.
Just like you expect your matching gift partner to promote your one-off program to their employees, you’ll want to market the opportunity to your nonprofit’s audience as well. Marketing efforts from your organization might include:
A social media post highlighting the program and recognizing your matching gift company for their generosity;
A blog post on your organization’s website sharing program information and how to get involved, if applicable;
Personalized outreach (phone calls, emails, letters, etc.) to existing and prospective donors who work for the company hosting the one-off match program;
Your matching gift search tool—loaded with your one-off matching gift program—embedded in your donation forms and confirmation screen;
Post-donation email reminders that encourage the company’s employees to complete the matching gift request process if they haven’t already.
The more information that gets out regarding the one-off matching gift opportunity, the better!
Remember also that by sharing co-marketing materials with your own network of support, you can help provide additional benefits to the matching gift company. When the employer recognizes significant value from the partnership, they’ll be more likely to offer corporate and workplace giving initiatives alongside your organization in the future.
3. Enable auto-submission functionality to streamline participation.
You want your donors to be able to take part in your matching program as easily as possible. One of the best ways to simplify participation is to implement Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality—essentially removing obstacles within the submission process and driving more requests to completion.
Why does this matter? Unfortunately, custom matching gift programs can suffer from many of the same roadblocks that traditional programs face. And one of the most common hindrances is a lack of understanding surrounding the matching gift request process from the donor’s perspective.
With auto-submission enabled, however, eligible donors can complete their match submissions right from your donation forms with no redirects, separate logins, or paper forms required! All donors typically have to do is enter their corporate email address on your gift confirmation page. Then, voilà—Double the Donation handles the rest of the submission process using our standard request form behind the scenes.
Here’s what the request process can look like with auto-submission:
Step 1) An employee of your corporate matching company makes a donation on your organization’s website and enters the company name.
Step 2) The donor enters their email on the confirmation screen, authorizing Double the Donation to auto-submit their match request.
By incorporating this innovative functionality for your unique matching gift program, everybody benefits. This includes:
Your organization, which receives increased matching gift revenue and elevated donor engagement.
Your donors, who save time with one-click matching gift requests, enabling them to make the most of their nonprofit contributions without dedicating more time and resources.
Your corporate match partner, who sees maximal program usage, more satisfied employees, and a positive brand image.
And don’t forget about your mission beneficiaries, who receive more extensive and better-funded programs and services from your organization, either!
4. Pitch an annually recurring one-off or custom match program.
Most one-off matching gift programs are going to be organized as short-term campaign initiatives (for example, a company supporting a breast cancer research nonprofit during the month of October or an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in June). However, that doesn’t mean that the partnership has to be a one-and-done experience!
Instead, pitching your one-off match as an annually recurring event is a great way to grow your relationship with a corporate donor and its employees for the long term. You can even position the initial campaign as a “trial run,” allowing both your organization and the company to fine-tune the program and ensure it aligns well with your shared goals and values over time.
Alternatively, your one-off matching gift efforts might inspire the corporate partner to dive in fully with matching gifts—rolling out an evergreen program in conjunction with a dedicated CSR platform to simplify ongoing management. Either way, your organization is able to benefit from the company’s philanthropy on an ongoing basis!
Helpful templates to streamline corporate outreach
Effective communications—with individual and corporate donors alike—are integral to successful one-off matching gift partnerships. But knowing how to ask a company to match donations can seem nerve-wracking!
If you’re not sure how to get started, check out these sample messages for various scenarios, and adjust the provided templates to reflect your own outreach strategy.
Template #1: Pitching One-Off Matching Gifts to a Company Without an Existing Matching Gift Program
One-off matching gifts are an easy way for companies to explore donation-matching for the first time. Use this template to propose such a program to a company that does not currenly offer a matching gift program for its employees.
Subject: Will you support [nonprofit] with a one-off matching gift program?
Dear [HR or CSR department head],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing on behalf of [nonprofit], an organization deeply committed to [mission or cause]. In the past year, we’ve been fortunate to receive support from donors who share our passion for creating positive change—and many of these generous individuals are employed by [company].
As a result, we wanted to reach out and see if [company] would be interested in implementing a one-off matching gift program as a way to encourage employee giving and grow your own social responsibility efforts. This special initiative allows your company to make a meaningful difference in the community by matching your employees’ donations to [nonprofit] during a designated campaign.
I would love the opportunity to discuss this further and explore how we can tailor a one-off matching gift program to align seamlessly with [company]’s values and objectives.
Template #2: Pitching One-Off Matching Gifts to a Company With an Existing Matching Gift Program
You can also implement a one-off matching gift program to elevate an existing matching gift company’s support for your organization. Use this template to pitch an above-and-beyond program to a company that already matches gifts, but has room for improvement in its efforts.
Subject: Make [company]’s matching gifts to [nonprofit] go further with a one-off matching gift partnership!
Dear [HR or CSR department head],
I am reaching out on behalf of [nonprofit], expressing our most sincere appreciation for [company]’s ongoing support through its employee matching gift program. Your commitment to philanthropy has undoubtedly made a positive difference for [mission or program], and our generous donors love having the ability to double their impact on the cause.
As we continue to work towards our shared goals, I would like to present an exciting opportunity to enhance the impact of [company]’s giving. We would love to introduce a special one-off matching gift program in partnership with your company. Specifically, we are proposing a designated campaign that offers [increased donation maximums, matching gift ratios, types of eligible employees, etc.] as a way to grow your corporate giving and bring our fundraising to new heights.
I would be delighted to discuss this proposal further and explore how we can tailor the upgraded one-off matching gift program to align seamlessly with [company]’s objectives and abilities.
Template #3: Responding to a Company’s One-Off Matching Gift Program Interest
Once you launch a custom matching gift program interest page on your nonprofit’s website, you’ll likely receive submissions from interested corporate prospects. This template can help guide your responses as you enter important partnership conversations.
Subject: Thank you for your interest in supporting [nonprofit] with a one-off match program!
Dear [company] Team OR [point of contact specified in contact form],
I hope this message finds you well. On behalf of [nonprofit], I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your inquiry to support our cause through a one-off matching gift program. As you may know, our mission at [nonprofit] is to [mission or vision] by [project or program], [project or program], and [project or program].
As we embark on this journey together, it’s important to first clarify what the partnership would entail for each of our teams. Simply put, a one-off matching gift program is an employee giving initiative that benefits a specific nonprofit organization—in this case, ours! Through this program, your company agrees to match donations made by your staff members to our organization, effectively doubling the impact of their contributions on our cause.
To help kickstart the process of setting up a matching gift program, here are some recommended next steps to get our partnership off the ground:
▶ Specify the types of employees that qualify to participate in the matching gift initiative.
▶ Define the minimum and maximum matchable gifts per employee.
▶ Establish your matching gift ratio.
▶ Determine the program’s start and end dates.
▶ Develop a clear submission process for employees to follow. (We recommend Double the Donation’s auto-submission process, which we can implement from our end)
We’re also pleased to provide you with templates and other helpful resources that may aid in the development and promotion of the program to your employees. Once again, thank you for considering this partnership, and please reach out if you have any additional questions or are ready to move forward with the next steps.
Template #4: Empowering a Donor to Facilitate an Introduction to their Employer
A warm introduction from a donor who works for a prospective corporate partner goes a long way. It can help get your team’s foot in the door for one-off matching gift conversations and demonstrate value in terms of shared audiences for the company in question.
Use this sample message to initiate outreach with a supporter and encourage them to connect your team with their HR or CSR department!
Subject: Double your donation impact by connecting us with [company]!
[Donor],
On behalf of the [nonprofit] team, we wanted to express our sincere gratitude for your continuous support and the invaluable contributions you’ve made towards [mission or cause]. Recently, an avenue that has shown great potential is one-off matching gift programs, designed to amplify the impact of charitable donations by employees of forward-thinking companies.
We believe that your employer, [company], could play a pivotal role in strengthening our impact through such a one-off matching gift partnership. In order to aid us in our outreach, we kindly request your assistance in making a warm introduction to the appropriate contacts at the business. Your endorsement and personal connection would undoubtedly add weight to our proposal and highlight the positive social impact that can be achieved through corporate philanthropy.
We understand that your time is valuable, and any support you can provide in facilitating this introduction would be immensely appreciated. If you have any questions or if there’s additional information you may need, please feel free to reach out.
Template #5: Advocating for a One-Off Matching Gift Program [For Donors]
Your donors may be willing to champion your cause even further by pitching a matching gift program to their employer themselves. But your team can play a crucial role in encouraging such advocates in their endeavors! Share this helpful template to empower individual donors to advocate for matching gifts on your behalf.
Subject: Request for a corporate matching gift program
Hi [manager or HR representative name],
I am writing to request the addition of a “one-off” corporate matching gift program at [company] on behalf of [nonprofit].
If you weren’t aware, thousands of companies match employee donations as a way to support their staffs and the nonprofit causes they contribute to. However, I understand the limitations in budget and resources that could hinder a company from participating. That’s why, in this case, I am requesting that [company] implement a specific program in which it matches donations to [nonprofit] for a limited time.
Companies that match gifts tend to see substantial advantages in terms of employee engagement and retention, opportunities to attract competitive candidates, improved brand image, and even increasing sales. And on the employee’s end, team members love knowing that their employer is willing to contribute to their favorite causes.
If you’d like to take steps to establish a matching gift program for the company, Double the Donation has provided a detailed guide that walks corporate leaders through the process.
Thank you for your consideration,
[Your name]
[Job position]
[Contact information]
Looking for more templates and other resources? 360MatchPro users can locate additional materials under Settings → Manage Programs.
Not a 360MatchPro client yet? Click here to get a demo and see how our complete matching gift automation platform can
transform your fundraising efforts.
Bonus | “The Power of a One-Off Match” Case Study: LLS & Danaher
If you’re wondering what kind of impact a one-off matching gift program can have for your organization, check out this example of a successful partnership that resulted in a unique initiative engaging employee donors at new heights.
As you read, consider which elements of this strategy you can implement in your own team’s efforts.
“Danaher Corporation’s long-standing partnership with LLS enables the team to support active research projects and help patients afford treatments.”
—Danaher Corporation Annual Report
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (also known as LLS) is a key player in the fight against blood cancers, dedicating its mission to medical research, education, advocacy, and more. As one of the world’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising organizations, the LLS team has always been at the forefront of innovation to further its cause—including with a particularly well-established approach to corporate matching gifts. Ergo, LLS was also one of the first nonprofits to build a strategy targeting custom matching gift programs.
Armed with 360MatchPro’s automation tools since 2017, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has continued to develop its one-off matching gifts plan, providing corporate partners with customized resources to aid in program facilitation.
Meanwhile, Danaher Corporation, which comprises some of the world’s most groundbreaking science and technology companies, expresses a forward-looking mission of “making things better for our customers, our company, and the world.” Its focus on diagnostics, life sciences, and biotechnology—in addition to its desire to support organizations working to advance healthcare innovation—make its decades-long partnership with LLS a natural fit.
According to a 2023 sustainability report, commitment to continuous improvement is at the heart of everything Danaher Corporation does. That’s why, in 2022 alone, the company invested more than $1.7 billion into research that funded breakthrough cancer diagnostics, innovative bioprocessing, gene sequencing, and more.
When the Danaher Corporation team sought new and innovative ways to give back to its community and increasingly engage its workforce in philanthropy, the company settled on a one-off matching gift initiative. After establishing the program, Danaher employees were invited to support LLS through an upcoming fundraising event, Light the Night. With an employee count of over 70,000, the company got on board to give back to their communities in a substantial way.
The result? In offering a one-off matching gift program in partnership with LLS, Danaher Corporation was able to increase its total giving by more than 150%, surpassing its initial fundraising goal and elevating its impact greatly.
And in the end, the company continued to grow its matching gift initiatives! Facilitated through the company-sponsored Danaher Foundation, the team continues to demonstrate a holistic and ongoing approach to corporate giving. In addition to taking its matching gift program global, Danaher also reports plans to venture into skills-based volunteerism, nonprofit board service support, and Volunteer Time Off (VTO).
Sourcing a one-off matching gift program may be one of the best ways to set your organization apart. In addition to the matching gifts ultimately paid out through the program, a one-off match will enable you to grow mutually advantageous corporate relationships that last long beyond the matching gift period itself.
And you don’t want to overlook the benefits to individual supporter engagement, either. An employer-sponsored one-off match program empowers existing donors to stretch their support even further for your cause. Not to mention, it funnels new, first-time donors to your cause in the first place!
Luckily, with the right tips, tricks, and tools, getting started has never been easier. Interested in learning more about matching gift programs and best practices for elevating corporate fundraising at your organization? Check out our recommended resources:
Matching Gift Auto-Submission + CSR Platforms | What to Know. New auto-submission streamlines the matching gift process for one-off and general corporate programming. Dive deep into this innovative functionality and the providers that support it.
How to Identify Corporate Sponsorships [With 360MatchPro]. Matching gifts aren’t the only type of corporate giving program available! Find out how to identify top corporate sponsorships and potential one-off matching gift companies with this guide.
Top 24 Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Philanthropy. Thousands of companies match employee donations, but these programs stand out. Browse this list of particularly impactful matching gift companies from Double the Donation.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/What-to-Know-About-One-Off-Matching-Gift-Programs.png9002400Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-01-19 05:00:532024-01-24 01:27:17One-Off Matching Gift Programs | What to Know For Your Org
Picture two imaginary employees who are both employed by the same company.
Employee A is an enthusiastic, hard worker who loves driving results in their role. They make an effort to contribute in meetings, bring creative ideas to the table, encourage their coworkers, attend company events, and more.
Employee B is also a hard worker and typically performs at a high level, but they seem to have lost some of their enthusiasm for their role. Over time, they’ve become less invested in the company’s goals and stopped actively participating in its internal culture.
The difference between Employee A and Employee B is that Employee A is fully engaged at work. This means Employee A is finding personal fulfillment and happiness in their job and feels good about what their company does and how it contributes to its community.
(Note: This doesn’t mean that Employee B is a “bad” worker by any means, just that their work experience could be improved, leading to better results for both them and the company.)
So, if Employee B was your employee, how could you encourage them to be more engaged at work? Or, thinking more broadly, how can your company hone its approach to employee engagement?
Here’s your answer: By tapping into the right employee engagement ideas!
There are dozens of ways to promote employee engagement in your workplace, all of which can help you take your productivity, profitability, and retention efforts to the next level. It’s a lot to sort through, which is why we’ve created this guide to help you explore your options. Here’s what we’ll cover:
As you learn more about employee engagement and the many ideas and programs you can launch to improve it at your company, remember to take into consideration your company’s specific needs and culture. This way, you’ll implement the engagement initiatives that will most resonate with your current and future employees and drive real results for your organization. Let’s begin!
Employee Engagement: A Quick Overview
Before we get into the specifics of effective employee engagement ideas your company can try, let’s go over some fundamentals.
What is employee engagement?
Employee engagement refers to the commitment employees show to their work, their team, and their employer. In practice, employee engagement looks a little different at every organization, depending on your company culture and the unique personalities on your team. In general, you can expect that an engaged employee will be:
Passionate and enthusiastic about their day-to-day tasks and how they contribute to the organization’s overall success
Loyal to the company
Consistently taking on additional responsibilities and strengthening their skills
Productive and delivering high-quality work
Adept at communicating
Resilient in the face of changes and challenges
Note that when an employee is fully engaged in their work, they are not sacrificing their mental, emotional, or physical health or their personal lives for your company. Engaged employees take a healthy approach to work-life balance and set clear boundaries so they can give their best efforts while at work.
Why is employee engagement so important?
Employee engagement is important for companies to pay attention to, as it can affect all facets of your business operations, not just individual employees’ experiences working for your company. Specifically, high levels of employee engagement can help your company in the following areas:
Retention. When your team members are satisfied with their jobs and feel loyal to your organization, you’ll be able to retain them for longer periods of time, saving your company time and money. Plus, when you need to recruit new employees, you’ll be better prepared to welcome them into a positive and productive culture backed by strong engagement strategies.
Productivity. As your organization takes steps to proactively engage its team members, you’ll find that your employees will be more committed to your company’s goals, enthusiastic about their roles, and more focused on not just their day-to-day responsibilities but also how they can drive the most value for your company. As a result, engaged employees will be more likely to go above and beyond and do their best work, resulting in higher productivity levels, better deliverables, and more efficiency.
Profitability. When your company isn’t worried about hemorrhaging talent and everyone feels empowered to do their best work, you’ll see higher revenue and decreased expenses all around. Plus, you’ll have the time and talent available to pursue new initiatives and offerings.
Any organization that employs people has a responsibility to its employees (and even its stakeholders) to ensure that it’s providing the best employment experience possible, as boosted retention, productivity, and profitability are wins for everyone involved.
The Current State of Employee Engagement
In recent years, employee engagement has been trending downward, according to Gallup. Engagement levels were at 36% in 2020 but dipped to 34% in 2021 and then 32% in 2022. Gallup notes employees’ reports of the following engagement elements declined during this period:
Clarity of expectations
Connection to the mission/purpose of the company
Opportunities to learn and grow
Opportunities to do what employees do best
Feeling cared about at work
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, employee expectations have shifted. For instance, Forbes reports that employees now expect more trust, more flexibility, and more work-life balance. And if the Great Resignation of 2021 and 2022 is any indication, employees are willing to leave their current employers to have these expectations fulfilled at other organizations.
In order to see some positive trends in employee engagement numbers, employers everywhere have to be willing to be open-minded and communicative, and those efforts will include implementing winning employee engagement initiatives.
The Special Role of Corporate Philanthropy in Employee Engagement Initiatives
One of the best ways to effectively engage your employees is to involve them in your organization’s corporate philanthropy efforts. Because corporate philanthropy is how your organization gives back to its community and works to leave a positive impact on the world, it can benefit your employees by:
Giving them a heightened sense of purpose. Though your company’s goals and mission likely already inspire your employees, furthering a charitable cause will give them a stronger sense of purpose in their day-to-day duties. Plus, they’ll feel good about what your company is doing to make a positive difference for others, strengthening their relationship with your organization as an employer.
Connecting with their personal values. Many of your employees likely have an affinity for a charitable cause, whether it’s animal welfare or protecting the environment. By showing them your organization also cares about charitable causes and can empower them to give to causes they support, you’ll connect with their personal values and interests, further strengthening your relationship with them.
Empowering them to connect with others. Many companies facilitate volunteer opportunities for their employees as part of their corporate philanthropy and employee engagement work. Volunteering allows employees to get to know their coworkers in different ways as they work together and provides them the chance to meet other people who are connected to your nonprofit partners.
Giving them the chance to develop new skills. Similarly, volunteering can help your employees strengthen their existing skills or develop entirely new skill sets. For example, a graphic designer may find they have a knack for helping plan nonprofit events, or a customer service representative may find they enjoy tutoring young children in reading.
Improving their health and wellbeing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, charitable giving can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, boost self-esteem, combat depression, and even help increase your lifespan.
If you’re looking for a way to help your employees make a positive difference in the world while simultaneously increasing their job satisfaction, involving them in corporate philanthropy is the answer!
In the spirit of getting your employees involved in your philanthropic efforts, let’s kick off our exploration of employee engagement ideas by exploring some of our favorite philanthropy-centered initiatives!
1. Matching Gift Programs
One of the most common ways to engage your employees in corporate philanthropy is to start a matching gift program.
Corporate matching gift programs are a type of philanthropy in which companies financially match donations that their employees make to nonprofits.
Many companies match at a 1:1 ratio (dollar for dollar), but these ratios range anywhere from 1:1 to 4:1. That means nonprofits have the opportunity to receive at least double the amount of an initial gift.
Why are matching gift programs a great employee engagement idea?
Matching gift programs are essential for employee engagement because they demonstrate to employees that your company cares about the same organizations and causes they do.
While most matching gift companies organize unrestricted programs (where the employer will match donations to any nonprofit its employees support), a custom or “one-off” match initiative is a great way to ease into the engagement opportunity. In this case, your company would select a single nonprofit to which you’d match donations, thus rallying your staff around a particular cause!
Although matching gifts are common in terms of workplace giving programs, many employees don’t know their companies even offer a program.
That’s why your company should take the initiative to promote these programs to your employees. Whether it’s done through onboarding or regular employee communications, alerting employees to the fact that they can double their donations to their favorite charities can go a long way in terms of participation.
Taking this initiative is also great for the nonprofits your matching gift program benefits, because the more you encourage employees to use these programs, the more nonprofits will raise for their causes. It’s a win-win!
*While Double the Donation’s tool, 360MatchPro, offers custom matching gift program management functionality, this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers looking to manage custom matching gift initiatives—360MatchPro does not work directly with corporations. If you’re a company interested in creating a matching gift program, contact us, and we’ll share information about our corporate vendor partners.
2. Corporate Volunteerism
Just as matching gifts are one of the most common types of corporate philanthropy programs out there, another common corporate philanthropy initiative is corporate volunteerism.
Through corporate volunteerism, companies encourage their employees to volunteer their time with local nonprofits.
Companies incentivize volunteerism in a number of ways, one of which is through offering paid time off during the year to volunteer (also known as volunteer time off or VTO). This is an extra incentive for employees because they get to support a charitable cause while still getting paid.
Many companies also offer volunteer days, such as a day of service, to promote team-building and give back to the community. This opportunity encourages coworkers to get to know one another and work as a team to help an organization.
Corporate volunteerism also benefits nonprofits because of the skills corporate employees bring to the table—which are often skills and expertise that the nonprofits may not otherwise be able to afford. Plus, employees may pick up new skills from their time volunteering with a nonprofit!
Why is corporate volunteerism a great employee engagement idea?
Companies that promote volunteer opportunities and actively encourage their employees to participate show that they care about giving back to the community, and some are even willing to offer paid time off to do so, demonstrating that they see volunteering as a priority. This initiative reflects well on companies and even encourages consumers to continue purchasing products and services from them.
When employees see the good their companies are doing in their communities, they are more likely to participate, think positively about their roles in the company, and be happier as a result.
3. Volunteer Grants
Corporate volunteerism doesn’t end with the time and effort that your employees offer nonprofits. There’s another type of workplace giving program directly related to volunteerism that can benefit nonprofits, reflect well on your company, and boost employee engagement.
Corporate volunteer grantsturn non-monetary contributions—volunteer hours—into revenue for your nonprofit. When employees at a company devote a specific number of hours to volunteering with a nonprofit, participating companies provide a set dollar amount for those hours to the nonprofit.
For example, this could look like:
$25 for every hour an employee volunteers
$15 per hour an employee volunteers, with a minimum of 20 hours
$500 after volunteering 20 hours with a nonprofit
Corporate volunteer grants essentially help nonprofits meet their fundraising and volunteer needs at the same time.
Why are volunteer grants a great employee engagement idea?
The more you encourage volunteerism and promote volunteer grant opportunities, the more employees will feel engaged with your company and its values. Plus, volunteer grants are a great way for an employee to secure a donation for a nonprofit they care about without reaching into their own wallets.
As is the case with matching gifts, volunteers and nonprofits are often unaware that the volunteer’s employer even offers a volunteer grant program. That’s why it’s essential to actively promote these opportunities to employees—especially those who volunteer with nonprofits on a regular basis.
Additionally, the easier you make it to participate in your volunteer grant program, the more you’ll get out of the program you’ve invested in. One way to make participation easier and more streamlined is by investing in employee engagement software. (More on this below.)
4. Automatic Payroll Deductions
Another form of workplace giving that can lead to high employee engagement is automatic payroll deductions.
An automatic payroll deduction allows employees to set aside a small portion of each paycheck to donate to a charity.
Automatic payroll deductions are great options for employees because they can give to nonprofits in smaller increments—especially if they’re unable to donate a large sum at once. If their employer also offers a matching gift program, those donations can even be doubled.
Companies typically vet charitable organizations beforehand to ensure their employees’ automatic payroll contributions are going to reputable nonprofits. This measure will reassure employees that their donations are going to a good cause.
Why are automatic payroll deductions a great employee engagement idea?
By making it easy for employees to give to reputable organizations, your company accomplishes a few things:
Employees get to make a difference for the causes they care about.
The donations have no extra fees for the nonprofits (like credit card processing fees) and are still tax deductible for employees.
Employees will continue to participate in automatic payroll deductions long-term because of the ease and security associated with these programs.
The more options you offer as part of your workplace giving programs, the more likely employees will be to engage with and participate in those programs. Automatic payroll deductions are an excellent option to consider as a company.
5. Annual Giving Campaigns
The year-end giving season (generally October through December) is the most popular time for nonprofit donations. During this time, donation numbers are higher than all year round as people lean into the generosity they feel around the holidays and wrap up their charitable giving that will be deducted from their taxes in the spring.
Companies can use this time to encourage their employees to donate to important causes, either through monetary or time donations. When paired with matching gifts and corporate volunteer grants, the impact goes even further.
Many nonprofits run annual giving campaigns around this time of year to raise a large portion of the funds they need to continue serving their missions, especially on GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. Encouraging your employees to give during these campaigns is especially important for the nonprofits they support but also for your company’s image.
Why are annual giving campaigns a great employee engagement idea?
If your company wants to boost engagement among its employees, be sure to encourage them to participate in annual giving. Promote specific opportunities to donate to nonprofits whose missions align with your company values. This practice reflects well on your company in the public eye, while also showing your employees that giving to worthy causes is an important component of your business practices.
6. Cause Marketing Campaigns
As a big part of corporate philanthropy, companies will often launch a cause marketing campaign in conjunction with a nonprofit cause. During a cause marketing campaign, a company increases its own profitability while also doing good in the communities in which it operates.
Here are some examples of cause marketing:
Businesses encourage customers to round up their purchases to donate to a specific charity or cause.
Businesses donate a portion of their profits to a specific charity or cause.
Businesses accept donated goods to provide to specific charities.
Both the for-profit and nonprofit sides benefit from cause marketing. For-profit businesses can see an increase in sales and exposure, while nonprofits receive more funding and goods that help them serve their constituents.
Why are cause marketing campaigns a great employee engagement idea?
Cause marketing is a great employee engagement idea because it actively encourages employee participation in promoting a nonprofit’s cause to the customers or clients they interact with. Remember that cause marketing works best if your company is helping a cause that your employees believe in. If your staff supports the idea, they’ll work harder and be more invested in helping drive results for both you and your nonprofit partner!
The Key to Making These Engagement Ideas Work: Corporate Giving Software
For all of these philanthropy-centered employee engagement ideas, you’ll want to have an organized system in place to facilitate your initiatives. With so many moving parts and workplace giving options, it can be challenging to consolidate donations, volunteer opportunities and hours, and matching gift requests in one place.
Track and review employee donations, including automatic payroll deductions.
View and approve employee matching gift requests.
Allow employees to log their volunteer hours.
View and approve volunteer grant requests.
Post and coordinate volunteer opportunities for your employees.
Organize team volunteer events.
These are just some of the ways corporate giving software can help keep your company on track.
A Must-Have Feature in Corporate Giving Software: Matching Gift Auto-Submission
The best corporate giving software will offer matching gift auto-submission that allows you to streamline the matching gift process for your employees and ensure that your matched donations get to nonprofits quickly.
Check out how our auto-submission feature works by watching the video below:
As explained in the video, when your company uses a corporate giving tool that offers auto-submission, donors can simply enter their corporate email address and have their match request submitted for them, with no extra steps required on their end.
Be sure to invest in the right software that will allow your company to benefit the most from the workplace giving programs you’ve already put so much effort into, and make sure your platform offers auto-submission capabilities.
Examples of These Employee Engagement Initiatives in Action
As you build out your own corporate philanthropy-centered engagement program, it will be helpful to get inspired by other companies’ programs so that you can ensure yours is poised to be as effective as possible. Here are two examples of companies that are doing good in their communities and getting their employees involved in their efforts!
Google: Matching Gifts
Google offers a matching gift program that its full-time and part-time employees, as well as its board members, are eligible for. It matches gifts up to $10,000 per year per employee at a 1:1 ratio.
In addition, Google also offers donation matching for any funds contributed for disaster or international relief and matches funds that employees personally raise for charitable events (such as walk-a-thons).
Walmart: Volunteer Grants
Walmart offers a volunteer grants program called Volunteerism Always Pays (VAP) that individuals or groups can participate in.
For the individual VAP grants initiative, Walmart gives $10 per hour to the nonprofit an employee volunteers with, up to $1,000.
For the group VAP grants initiative, Walmart offers groups that volunteer together or participate in fundraising runs or walks together grants for $500-$5,000 dollars, depending on the number of employees in the group.
Remember, your company’s own program will likely look a little different than any example you’re inspired by because you have your own values, priorities, and budget to keep in mind. Still, it’s handy to get an idea of what these programs look like at successful companies!
Want to dive into more examples of real-world corporate philanthropy-centered engagement programs?
Other Top Employee Engagement Ideas
Although corporate philanthropy initiatives are an excellent way to engage your employees, there are lots of other employee engagement ideas you can tap into, as well. Let’s explore some other options, all of which we’ve sorted into a few different categories:
You may decide to choose one or even several ideas from this list. Whatever you choose, remember to customize these ideas to fit your specific employees’ needs and expectations!
Team-Building Employee Engagement Ideas
For your employees to enjoy their work experience at your organization, they need to feel connected to the people they’re working with. It’s great if your organization can facilitate healthy working relationships between coworkers, but employees will also benefit from building genuine friendships. In fact, Gallup has found that employees who have a best friend at work are more likely to get more done in less time, innovate and share ideas, and have fun while working. These team-building ideas can help you create an environment where strong relationships can grow between team members.
1. Group Activities or Outings
Try hosting activities during or outside of work hours that allow your team members to get to know each other. These might include:
Sporting events
Museum, art gallery, or theater outings
Cooking classes
Art or craft workshops
Picnics, barbecues, or potlucks
To engage your employees in these activities even more, hand the brainstorming and planning over to them. Create an “extracurriculars” budget (i.e., $20-$30 per participant) and allow employees to plan company- or team-wide outings of their choice once per quarter or once per year. This way, you’ll get many activities on the calendar quickly as well as a variety of different activities for employees to choose from to attend.
2. Team-Building Exercises
Team-building exercises are fun activities that groups of employees participate in to strengthen their collaboration and communication skills and to build trust with each other. You’re likely familiar with some popular team building exercises, like The Human Knot or trust falls.
However, there are a number of other exercises to consider, such as playing Two Truths and a Lie, working through an escape room together, completing a ropes course, creating a collaborative art piece, or playing the Blind Obstacle course game, where everyone helps blindfolded team members navigate obstacles and make it to the finish line.
Each of these exercises encourages your employees to unite, talk to each other, and work through problems and challenges together, strengthening their connections to one another.
3. Company Retreat
A company retreat is more of a large-scale employee engagement idea that will require some planning. A retreat gives you the opportunity to get your team together all in one place to enjoy work- and non-work-related activities alike. The best thing about a company retreat is that it sets aside some time for all of your team members to focus on their work relationships and create a collective memory together.
You don’t even have to go far to have a successful company retreat—even a day-long retreat at a local park or events center can give you plenty of time to ensure all of your employees are forming strong connections with each other.
4. Office Competitions
An office competition allows you to tap into your employees’ competitive spirits and encourage them to work toward a common goal. Here’s how to set one up:
Divide your employees into groups. For example, you might make each department its own team or create groups at random to encourage employees to interact with coworkers they don’t usually work with on a daily basis.
Choose the type of competition. There are many different types of competitions you could run, from a desk decorating contest to a trivia contest. One of the most popular types of office competition is a fitness challenge, where team members work toward a goal related to fitness or exercise. For instance, you might challenge your employees to see which team can walk the most steps in a month.
Select a reward. Motivate your employees to participate in the challenge by offering some sort of reward or prize to the winning team, like a trophy, an extra vacation day, or a catered lunch at the office.
Once you’ve set up your competition, you’ll need to get your employees on board. Don’t forget to continue encouraging participation and spreading enthusiasm for the competition even after it starts so they stay engaged for the duration of the competition.
5. Office-Wide One-Off Projects
No matter what your company does, whether you’re a consulting firm or a retailer (or something else entirely!), you and your employees are used to working together toward a common goal. But there are likely projects or initiatives you wish you could get to that are frequently put on the back burner for the sake of day-to-day priorities.
Why not put your team’s regular synergy to good use on a one-off project to try to accomplish something out of the ordinary? For instance, you could choose one project or initiative each quarter that team members will contribute to outside of their usual tasks.
Not only does a one-off project change things up for your team, but it also allows them to work more closely with team members they don’t usually collaborate with.
6. Team Member Spotlights
It’s important to consistently build a strong internal community at your company. However, this is especially tricky at large organizations, where team members might not always have the opportunity to interact with each other often or get to know new hires right away.
Help your employees get to know each other by creating and sending out team member spotlights. A spotlight should walk through some simple get-to-know-you information for each employee, like their name, background, hobbies or personal interests, and a fun fact about them. It will also be helpful to include their professional headshot and a link to their LinkedIn profile.
You can easily incorporate employee spotlights into company-wide meetings or emails.
7. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives
How diverse is your team, and is your organization welcoming to all different types of people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences?
You can prioritize DEI in several ways, from adopting diverse hiring practices and establishing policies on gender- or race-based discrimination to conducting regular pay audits to ensure pay equity or making your office space more accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Each organization will have different DEI needs, so take into consideration where your own organization is starting from and how you can improve your efforts.
8. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
Many employees may benefit from joining an ERG, which are groups employees form over a shared characteristic, whether that is gender, lifestyle, ethnicity, or something else. For instance, employees at your organization might be interested in creating a working mothers ERG, or a group for veterans.
ERGs allow employees to come together and support each other in workplace. They may also advocate for the development of new policies related to their ERG’s needs, help each other develop professionally, or host social outings for individuals in the group to get to know each other better.
9. Sports and Recreation Clubs
Many of your employees may enjoy getting together to participate in a sports or recreation activity, whether it’s soccer or rock climbing. Encourage employees to start clubs that meet outside of work hours where they can pursue these interests.
These types of clubs also ensure employees stay active, which is especially important if their jobs require them to remain stationary or sit at a desk for most of the day.
10. Book and Film Clubs
Similarly, employees may enjoy getting together to discuss literature or film. These are also activities that can be held after work or during a lunch break.
The important thing with clubs is to make sure that you let your employees know that you fully support them in getting to know each other over shared interests. You can even go the extra mile by joining or creating a club yourself!
11. International Day Celebrations
International Days like International Women’s Day or Human Rights Day can be great opportunities to recognize and celebrate people within your organization. On international days you choose to recognize, send out an educational email, and incorporate some sort of related activity into your workday.
For instance, on International Women’s Day, you might start your morning meeting by highlighting a few women who have made a big impact on your field or industry.
In some cases, you might also celebrate important holidays from a variety of cultures. For instance, you might recognize both Hanukkah and Christmas in December by putting up a variety of holiday decor around your office.
12. Birthday Celebrations
It’s important to celebrate individuals, too. In addition to celebrating workaversaries or personal milestones, don’t forget that celebrating birthdays can be a great way to help individual employees feel valued and seen.
Keep these celebrations simple by providing the employee’s favorite treat during lunch and giving them a birthday card signed by their peers.
Skill Development Employee Engagement Ideas
Some employee engagement programs can simultaneously increase your employees’ job satisfaction and help them further develop their professional skill sets.
It’s critical for your company to offer opportunities like these because most employees want to learn and grow at their jobs. According to Zippia, 49% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development, and 68% of employees say that training and development are the most important company policy.
Let’s look at some employee engagement ideas that will promote professional growth and skill development.
1. Strong Onboarding Process
You might be thinking, “Onboarding is already something we do. In fact, we have to do it every time we hire someone.”
That may be true, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think of onboarding as an opportunity to engage your employees, both old and new.
As you train new team members, involve long-time team members where you can. For instance, you might have current team members give presentations about their roles or departments to help orient the new team member.
This way, not only is the new team member learning from their manager, but they’re also getting the chance to interact with individuals from other areas of the company, growing their network and giving them a more expansive understanding of how the company works as a whole.
2. Job Shadowing
Job shadowing offers an opportunity for an employee to observe an employee in a different role and get an understanding of their responsibilities and daily tasks. This is a great way for a team member to explore different roles and consider their own options for their progression at your company.
For example, say an employee decides to shadow a manager on another team. They could observe the manager balancing their regular duties with management responsibilities, see how they communicate with their direct reports, and ask questions about why they decided to take a management path. With that information in their hands, the employee could then make informed decisions about the trajectory of their own career.
3. Mentorship Program
Try starting a mentorship program at your company, where senior team members mentor team members who are early on in their careers or new to your organization.
Through mentoring, your employees can learn new skills, get advice about their career paths, build friendships, and receive feedback on their performance. A mentoring relationship can also be a safe space for employees to voice ideas, concerns, and needs.
To identify team members who can serve as mentors in your program, look for individuals who:
Have substantial experience at your organization and in their field
Have the availability for regular meetings with their mentees
Are effective communicators
Are committed to your organization and its values
Though not every mentor needs to have management aspirations, it can be a great plus for those seeking management opportunities to be able to mentor other employees.
4. Skill or Knowledge Sharing
There’s likely a wealth of knowledge and skills in your company already. So, why not facilitate opportunities for employees to share their knowledge and skills?
Skill- or knowledge-sharing opportunities are presentations where an employee shares a skill they’ve learned in their role with the rest of your team. This is a great chance for employees to see what their coworkers’ roles are like and swap useful skills that make their work experience better.
For example, one employee might present their strategy for managing their email inbox. Another employee might discuss the sales process. No matter what your employees have to share, your entire team can learn something new.
These presentations are great to host as informal Lunch and Learn meetings.
5. Personal Training Budget
Every employee is different and will have unique professional development and training wants and needs. Empower your employees to pursue the professional development opportunities they’re most interested in by designating a personal training budget for each employee. For instance, you might cover $100 worth of training materials, conference registration fees, or online course costs for each employee each year.
As employees can choose which training opportunities they want to take advantage of, they’ll not only sharpen their skill sets but also learn skills that provide more value for your company. Don’t forget to encourage employees to share what they learn with the rest of your team.
6. Resource Library
Building and maintaining a resource library is an effective strategy for not only helping employees develop professionally but also preserving all the knowledge and skills that your team brings to the table.
Your resource library can include things like your employee handbook, online training courses, ebooks, podcasts, videos and webinars, training and safety manuals, and more.
To make sure your resource library is useful to your company, consistently direct your employees toward it when they have questions or when they express interest in professional development.
7. Personal Career Development Plans
Encourage your employees to work with their managers to develop a personal career development plan. These plans help employees visualize their professional futures and the steps they’ll need to take to achieve their long-term goals at your organization.
For instance, an employee may set a goal to become a manager, outlining the skills and attributes they’ll need to develop over a set amount of time to be eligible for a management position when the opportunity arises. Or, another employee may be interested in becoming a subject matter expert (SME) in a certain area, and, working with their manager, identify the online courses they need to take or conferences they need to attend to learn about a certain topic and become your organization’s go-to person for that subject.
8. Educational Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Some employers pay for employees’ education expenses through educational assistance programs. For instance, companies like McDonald’s and Walmart offer tuition assistance for eligible employees who want to pursue a college degree.
In addition to covering educational expenses like tuition, books, or online learning subscriptions, you can also provide flexible scheduling that allows employees to attend classes or study without sacrificing their work hours.
9. Leadership Training
Your employees may have aspirations to become managers or leaders themselves one day. Share your knowledge by hosting optional leadership training meetings consistently. You can cover topics like:
Delegation
Active listening
Problem-solving
Playing to your strengths
Strategic thinking
Influence and persuasion
You can also invite leaders from across the company to present on these and other topics. Make sure to provide plenty of personal experiences and anecdotes as you share how you’ve developed these skills over the years.
Health and Wellbeing Employee Engagement Ideas
Are your employees happy and healthy? Your employees’ physical, mental, and emotional health can all impact how they feel about their jobs and also affect other aspects of their lives (such as their relationships).
This next set of employee engagement ideas focuses on ways you can engage your team members through health and wellbeing initiatives and stresses the importance of the connection between employees feeling cared for at work and how engaged they are.
1. Stress Management Workshop
According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of U.S. workers are stressed out by work, with 25% saying that their job is their number one stressor in life.
Even the best jobs and workplace situations can still leave employees feeling stressed out. This fact is important for you to acknowledge as an employer, and you can mitigate its negative impact by hosting a stress management workshop.
To host a workshop that will be useful to your employees, consider inviting someone with stress management experience (such as a therapist or psychologist) to lead the discussion. You’ll likely want your expert to cover the different types of stress, potential workplace stressors, how to gauge personal stress levels, and useful coping techniques.
Drive home the importance of stress management by following up with your employees after the workshop. For example, a few weeks after the workshop, you might invite people to report back on how their stress management efforts are playing out. Or, you might share a coping mechanism that recently worked for you.
2. Yoga or Meditation Sessions
Yoga and meditation are effective ways for people to focus on their mind and body connection and practice mindfulness.
Try hosting monthly, weekly, or even daily meditation or yoga sessions at your office. Thanks to technology like YouTube or mindfulness apps like Calm or Headspace, you don’t need to be a yoga or meditation expert to lead an effective session.
These sessions can be quick, giving you and your team just enough time to take a deep breath and center yourselves before diving back into your daily tasks.
3. Mental Health Support
A recent study by One Medical found that 64% of workers struggle with mental health issues. There are many ways your company can offer mental health support as part of its employee engagement efforts.
These include:
Launching an employee assistance program (EAP) focused on mental health
Providing mental health awareness training to managers
Offering a mental health stipend to help employees cover mental health costs like counseling
Developing policies that address mental health, such as a mental health day policy
Providing access to mental health resources like online self-help tools
Creating an inclusive, supportive culture and encouraging a healthy work-life balance
Though these methods can make a big difference to your employees, remember to emphasize the importance of working with a licensed mental health professional as needed.
4. Healthy Break Room Snacks
Who doesn’t enjoy a good snack during their workday?
Encourage your employees to stay on top of their physical health and eat a balanced diet by stocking your break room with healthy snacks. Granola bars, nuts, fruit and vegetable trays, and protein packs are all great options.
5. Field Day
A field day is a fun event where you and your employees can participate in fun field games and enjoy a day outside. You can host a field day at a local park, featuring activities like:
Three-legged races
Sack races
Egg and spoon races
Tug-of-War
Volleyball
Kickball
Your employees will enjoy spending time outdoors and working together to win each field game. Don’t forget to motivate your participants by offering fun prizes!
6. Stretching Sessions
Stretching relieves tension and stress built up throughout the work day.
Try scheduling a regular stretching session in the morning or afternoon and encourage employees to get up and stretch their arms and legs. This is also a great opportunity for employees to give their eyes, necks, and wrists a break from using a computer!
Work-Life Balance Employee Engagement Ideas
As an employer, it’s important to acknowledge that employees need balance in all areas of their life, especially when it comes to work and everything outside of work. You can do your part as an employer to encourage healthy boundaries between your employees and their jobs by employing the following engagement ideas.
1. Flexible Work Arrangements
Though a majority of workers still work in an office, 12.7% work from home and 28.2% work a hybrid model, according to Forbes. It’s clear that remote and hybrid work aren’t going anywhere, and there’s good reason for that.
Forbes also points out that a whopping 98% of employees want to work from home at least part of the time. Working from home offers a level of autonomy and flexibility that in-office workers just don’t experience.
Consider making your current work arrangements more flexible by offering more work-from-home time to your employees. However, remember that there is still value in having employees gather in an office.
You might help your employees get the best of both worlds by letting them choose which days of the week they’d like to work from home or requiring employees to come to the office on meeting-heavy days. This way, they can still socialize with their coworkers and work together face-to-face while also getting plenty of independent work time in at home on the other days of the week.
2. Paid Time Off (PTO)
PTO is likely a benefit you offer to your full-time employees, but what is your company’s culture like when it comes to actually using that PTO?
Make sure your employees feel comfortable taking advantage of their PTO and vacation days. Lead by example by using your own vacation time well, and make sure to discuss how time away from work can benefit employees both personally and professionally.
3. Family-Friendly or Plus-One Activities
If you choose to schedule fun activities for your employees to participate in outside of work hours, consider making some of those activities family-friendly or encourage employees to bring a plus one. This will encourage more people to attend, whether they feel more comfortable attending with a friend or partner, or aren’t able to attend regular activities due to childcare constraints.
Outdoor activities like field days or big events like your company’s holiday parties are great options for taking a family-friendly or plus-one approach.
4. Compressed Work Week
You’ve probably heard about the new trend in work scheduling, the four-day work week. This approach can look different depending on a company’s needs, whether employers choose to give employees one day off a week or just ask that employees work an average of 32 hours per week instead of 40.
A four-day work week trial in the U.K. resulted in increased revenue for participating companies and boosted employee well-being. If you’ve considered a compressed work week in the past, now may be the time to give it a try!
5. Encourage Breaks
We’ve all been there—feeling so busy at work that you opt to avoid conversations around the coffee pot, skip lunch, and hurry home just to work more after dinner. After all, it seems logical that more time spent on a task equals better results, but that’s not really the case.
In fact, working long hours on tasks without any breaks can leave employees feeling burnt out and frustrated with their jobs. Instead, research shows that planning and taking full advantage of breaks can help employees feel more energized and even boost their performance.
Make sure to encourage breaks in your workplace. You can do this in a number of different ways, from leading by example to encouraging employees to schedule regular breaks on their calendars. You can even ask managers to check in with their direct reports on a frequent basis to ensure they’re taking the breaks they need to do their best work.
6. Encourage Disconnecting After Work Hours
Especially in the day and age of smartphones, work can easily follow your employees home, making some feel like they have to respond to emails, calls, and text messages even when they’re not on the clock.
Boost engagement and encourage a healthy work-life balance by creating a workplace policy that encourages employees to disconnect after the work day. This practice can allow your employees to focus more fully on their friends, family, and hobbies outside of work.
Even if you expect your employees to keep up with their inboxes or answer the occasional call when on vacation, make it clear that you don’t expect them to be constantly available.
Employee Engagement Ideas for Recognition and Awards
Many employers make the mistake of assuming their gratitude for their employees is simply implied. However, the truth is that employees need consistent and genuine recognition to feel motivated and encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities.
In fact, according to Nectar HR, nearly 84% feel that recognition impacts their motivation to succeed in their jobs. In this section, we’ll look closely at some employee engagement ideas that involve recognition and awards.
1. Incentive Bonuses
Depending on the nature of your organization, giving an incentive bonus might be a natural extension of your employees’ work. For example, if your organization is a store that sells musical instruments, you might offer a commission system that incentivizes salespeople to work toward ambitious sales goals.
In other contexts, you may have to get creative with how you offer incentive bonuses. One popular way is to offer an annual holiday bonus, given at the end of the calendar year before the winter holidays, or as a retention award during performance reviews.
However you decide to offer bonuses, make sure you’re clear with your employees about who is eligible to receive a bonus, how much the bonus is worth, and how and when that bonus is paid out.
2. Employee of the Month Program
An employee of the month program is a popular way to thank your top performers for all of their hard work and show them just how much your organization benefits from their efforts. To set up a fair and sustainable program, follow these steps:
Define the criteria for becoming Employee of the Month.
Create a nomination process that managers or peers can use to nominate employees for the award.
Form a committee to choose the winner of the award.
Select rewards the Employee of the Month will receive, such as bonuses, gift cards, special parking privileges, etc.
Promote the program to your employees.
The key to a successful employee of the month program is consistency. Be consistent in how you administer the program and in how you incorporate it into your internal culture. If your employees are excited about the program, it will be a great motivator for solid performance!
3. Pass a Post-It
This recognition idea is a simple one but goes a long way. Simply hand out some Post-its and pens to your employees, and encourage them to write words of encouragement or kind messages to their coworkers, sticking the Post-its on their desks or cubicle walls.
This is a quick and easy way to foster a spirit of appreciation within your organization and to get employees involved in recognizing each others’ contributions.
4. Workaversary Celebrations
Work anniversaries (also known as “workaversaries”) are exciting professional milestones and represent an employee’s loyalty and dedication to your organization. Consider celebrating individuals’ workaversaries in small and meaningful ways. For example, you might post about an employee’s achievements in the last year on LinkedIn, or write them a thoughtful card.
You can also celebrate large lengths of tenure, like a 5-year or 10-year anniversary at your organization. Consider making these celebrations a bit bigger, like a catered lunch or an after-hours work party. This can be an excellent way to demonstrate to all of your employees just how important retention is to your organization and its goals.
5. Personal Milestone Celebrations
In addition to workaversaries, there are plenty of personal milestones that your employees might experience, including:
Getting married
Buying a house
Having a baby
Adopting a new pet
Educational achievements
Show your employees that you care about their personal achievements by celebrating these memorable milestones. For instance, if an employee adopts a dog, you might gift them a bag of dog treats. Or, if they have a baby, you might send them a custom baby blanket featuring their child’s name.
6. eCards
Sometimes, your employee recognition efforts don’t need to be as flashy as setting up an entirely new program or hosting a large one-off event. You can still help your employees feel seen and appreciated by doing something simple, like sending an eCard.
eCards are greeting cards’ virtual counterparts, making them easy to send and even easier to create. Plus, when you work with the right eCard company, you can customize your eCards to reflect your organization’s branding or the achievement that you’re writing to your employees about.
If you’re interested in getting started with eCards, check out our recommended eCard software, eCardWidget!
Communication and Feedback Employee Engagement Ideas
For your employees to feel truly involved and invested in your organization’s goals and overall success, you need to prioritize effective communication and feedback. The right strategies can help your team be more efficient and encourage individuals to grow and develop their skill sets. Check out the following employee engagement ideas related to communication and feedback.
1. Open-Door Communication Policy
When your employees know that you’re open to hearing their questions, suggestions, comments, and more, you’ll experience benefits like:
Better employee morale
Faster problem-solving and decision-making
More effective collaboration
Enhanced trust in leadership
To make your open-door policy efficient, let employees know when you’re available for discussions. You might even consider holding “office hours” once a week and encouraging team members to hold comments or questions until that time.
2. Frequent Surveys
Surveys are a great way to gauge how your employees are feeling about certain topics or to source new ideas for your organization to run with. For example, you might send out a quarterly survey that asks your employees to identify any inefficiencies they see in their workflow or ideas they have for increasing revenue or decreasing costs.
Surveys work well because they allow everyone the time and space to communicate their ideas in writing. Plus, if you make some of your surveys anonymous, you’ll get more candid responses that will give you an accurate view of what’s going on in your workplace.
3. Suggestion Box Program
Suggestion boxes encourage team members to share any time they have a great idea for improving a process or making your organization a better place to work.
Depending on the nature of your workplace, your suggestion box may be a physical box or an online spreadsheet where people can leave their ideas. Either way, make sure to check the “box” regularly.
It will also be important to respond to each idea so that individual contributors feel heard. Even if your organization won’t be running with an idea, it can be helpful to provide feedback on the idea and thank them for the suggestion.
4. Regular One-on-One Meetings
One-on-one meetings between managers and their direct reports can be an effective way to encourage consistent communication between employees and company leadership.
Harvard Business Review recommends managers have one-on-one meetings with each employee for 30 minutes each week and that managers prioritize listening over speaking. This meeting is an employee’s opportunity to talk about what is going well in their role and seek guidance about how to improve or overcome challenges, so letting them lead the charge on what they want to talk about is crucial.
5. Performance Reviews
Chances are, your organization already holds regular performance reviews at least once each fiscal year. However, your performance review process is worth revisiting if you’re looking for ways to improve employee engagement. Follow these tips from RealHR Solutions to improve how you conduct reviews:
Identify what you want to accomplish by holding performance reviews.
Have managers share self-assessments with employees, as well as instructions for completing them.
Have employees complete and share their self-assessments.
Ask managers to gather feedback on each individual’s performance from their peers, clients, and others who work with them.
Have managers review employees’ self-assessments and complete performance review forms.
Hold performance reviews to cover key accomplishments and improvement opportunities, as well as any compensation changes.
Have managers and their direct reports consistently revisit goals set in the most recent round of reviews.
Remember, you can always improve your performance review process down the road. You might even ask your employees what they see as the most valuable parts of the process and what needs to be optimized further.
6. Internal Newsletters
Keep your employees in the loop by sending out a monthly internal newsletter. This is a great place to provide company-wide updates and celebrate things like birthdays, workaversaries, and more.
To ensure that your newsletters don’t go straight to your employees’ email trash bins, make them interesting to read. Include visuals like photos from your last company party or links to a recent TedTalk your organization’s leadership highly recommends.
Wrapping Up: Inspire Your Employees With a Solid Engagement Strategy
Fully engaging your employees is key to long-term organizational success, and there are dozens of ways to do so, from engaging in corporate philanthropy to starting a company book club or implementing an open-door communication policy.
In this guide, we’ve covered the ins and outs of employee engagement, as well as some of our favorite ideas for your organization to try. Consider your own organization’s engagement levels and culture, and pick a few ideas that you want to implement.
Don’t worry if there’s a bit of a learning curve as you get started—the best employee engagement strategies will take some tweaking to get right! However, your efforts will pay off down the road as you strengthen your workplace and retain your employees for the long term. You’ve got this!
Ready to keep learning about employee engagement opportunities? We recommend these resources:
The Ultimate Guide to Employee Engagement. Take a deep dive into employee engagement and its importance, as well as how you can measure employee engagement at your organization.
Top 20+ Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Corporate Giving. If you’re interested in starting a matching gift program as part of your engagement efforts, it may be helpful to get inspired by other companies and their programs. Explore this list of 20+ leaders in corporate giving!
List of Top Volunteer Grant Companies. Similarly, you may want to model a volunteer grant program after an existing program. Check out our list of companies with great volunteer grant programs!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/employee-engagement-ideas_Feature.png7562000Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2024-01-04 17:14:342024-01-04 17:14:3452+ Employee Engagement Ideas for Productivity and Retention
Corporate philanthropy programs like matching gifts, volunteer grants, employee giving campaigns, and corporate sponsorships evolve constantly to meet the needs of companies, nonprofits, and supporters. But external factors are at play that impact trends in corporate philanthropy, too.
For instance, when the economy seems rocky, many worry that corporate matching gifts will be negatively impacted. But luckily, that’s not been the case this year. Instead, many corporations have historically expanded their giving programs in the face of economic downturns to help combat the negative effects on nonprofits.
In this guide, we’ll dive into this year’s CSR trends—particularly those pertaining to workplace giving. We’ll take a close look at what we’re currently seeing and what we expect to continue into the future. Specifically, we’ll cover:
If you’re looking for the Too Long; Didn’t Read version, it’s this: corporate philanthropy programs like matching gifts are thriving, and we don’t expect them to go away anytime soon. For a more in-depth look, however, keep reading to find the latest industry developments and what they mean for your nonprofit.
8 Trends in Corporate Philanthropy To Pay Attention To
With the explosive growth of giving initiatives comes a number of new patterns and trends in corporate philanthropy worth exploring. Here’s what’s currently shaping the corporate philanthropy landscape:
1. More small and mid-sized companies are participating.
Historically, primarily enterprise-level corporations have offered programs like matching gifts. Companies needed a big budget to get started, not to mention the time and energy required to run the program.
Today, our analysis shows that over 65% of Fortune 500 companies still provide matching gifts, but the number of small and mid-sized businesses following suit is also growing rapidly. The introduction of a number of dedicated corporate giving platforms designed for smaller teams has made this change possible for organizations with limited budgets.
Now, just about any employer can hop in on this corporate giving trend, get started with matching gifts, and see a substantial return on their investment! All in all, that means organizations are seeing more match-eligible donors, with 26+ million individuals working for companies that match employee gifts thanks to this CSR trend.
2. Year-round giving programs are becoming mainstream.
In the last few years, an increasing number of companies have expanded their corporate philanthropy programs—going from one-off annual giving campaigns to year-round employee-matching programs.
This is due in part to an increased focus on corporate social responsibility from both employees and consumers. U.S.-based consumers have realized the need for philanthropy and want the companies the work for and buy from to take part. Additionally, businesses realize that the benefits of year-round corporate philanthropy on their bottom line are significant!
That said, we can expect to see continued growth in year-round and recurring corporate giving. In fact, according to studies, 94% of major U.S. corporations plan to heighten or maintain their current level of philanthropy in the next few years. With the workplace giving trends we’re seeing, we estimate that a notable portion of that increased giving will be contributed through employee-driven initiatives, like matching gifts. This means your donors will be in the driver’s seat—so keep up your outreach!
3. Nonprofits are proactively seeking matching gifts.
Even with an increasing number of companies offering matching gifts, eligible employees being unaware of the programs available to them remains a significant roadblock. Research even shows that less than 19% of companies include adequate information on matching gift programs in easily accessible employee-facing materials.
The result? 78% of donors do not know whether their company matches gifts. Thus, available matches are going unclaimed—so nonprofits are taking it upon themselves to promote matching gifts to their audiences proactively. That way, they can grow awareness and be on the positive side of this workplace giving trend. Education can take many forms but often consists of:
Using matching gift software to uncover available opportunities
Sending personalized follow-ups post-donation
With these efforts and other strategic matching gift outreach, nonprofits can increase the number of donors who are aware of their employers’ corporate philanthropy programs—therefore boosting the amount of matched donations they receive.
4. Companies are being more generous with matching gifts.
Today’s businesses recognize that matching gift programs incentivize employees to be charitable, and being as generous as possible can inspire greater participation in workplace philanthropy. That’s why generosity in matching gifts has gradually become a corporate philanthropy trend.
We’ve noticed that more companies are experimenting with these strategies:
Matching donations at higher ratios
Lowering minimum donation amounts
Increasing maximum donation amounts
By simply promising to match donations at higher rates, companies can grow employees’ impact and make it more worthwhile for employees to submit a match request. Currently, our CSR research shows that around 93% of companies have a minimum match requirement of less than or equal to $50. Having fairly cheap match requirements lowers barriers to participation since even modest donations will be eligible for matching.
The same goes for increasing maximum donation amounts. Our corporate giving statistics page explains that when companies match larger employee donations, more employees will engage. In fact, programs with $1,000 maximums see a 12% employee engagement rate, those with maximums between $1,001 and $10,000 have an 18% engagement rate, and any maximum beyond $10,000 sees an engagement rate of up to 40%.
5. Companies are prioritizing disaster relief and crisis response.
With this year’s increase in climate-related emergencies like hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, there’s clearly a need for this kind of philanthropy. Companies and their employees alike are making an effort to provide relief by participating in crowdfunding, volunteering, and matching gift initiatives.
6. More companies and nonprofits are forming partnerships.
Corporate philanthropy initiatives like matching gifts involve a few key stakeholders—namely, the companies offering the programs and the nonprofits receiving associated funds. To make the process as simple and direct as possible, the two parties are forming tighter partnerships.
One example of this corporate philanthropy trend is our innovative matching gift auto-submission functionality. Auto-submission within 360MatchPro enables employees at forward-thinking companies like Checkr, Innovative Discovery, and more to submit their matching gift requests right from their favorite organizations’ giving pages. Check out this overview of how this feature works for nonprofits:
It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s all handled behind the scenes. Thus, it minimizes complications for nonprofits, companies, and donors alike, driving more matching gifts to completion and contributing to this workplace giving trend.
7. Employees want greater value, flexibility, and transparency in workplace giving.
Flexibility and support are emerging as essential for employee engagement in workplace giving. An employee giving study from Fidelity Charitable uncovered this trend in workplace giving. Employees who are active in workplace giving programs enjoy participating but cited the following as ways to improve these programs:
40% want an increase in the value of the benefit (e.g., higher corporate match)
39% prefer their employers to offer a wider variety of programs
39% wish companies would allow greater flexibility in when employees can participate
36% want greater flexibility in the causes they can support
34% wish employers would provide more information about their programs and how to get involved
30% want greater transparency about how donations are used
Employees want more than a paycheck from their employers. They want to feel like they’re making a difference. Meanwhile, employees are also balancing a lot, both in and out of the workplace. To inspire participation in workplace giving, companies need to be flexible with the opportunities they offer, ensure those workplace giving options are valuable, and regularly report on impact. That way, they can hop in on this trend in workplace giving expectations among employees.
8. Businesses are using volunteering to grow employee skills and satisfaction.
Corporate volunteering is a wonderful way to grow workplace satisfaction and lower turnover rates for companies. In fact, 87% of employees who engage in corporate volunteering reported an improved perception of their employer. And this isn’t all for nothing! According to that same resource, 92% of HR executives encourage volunteering since it can improve employees’ professional skills.
For this CSR trend, let’s take a look at a real-world example. Bombas is a comfort-focused premium basics brand and a wonderful example of a socially responsible company. Their company is so committed to using workplace philanthropy as a way to increase employee satisfaction that it was actually named one of the best places to work in the U.S.
100% of its employees reported feeling good about how the company contributes to the community. One of the top ways the company gives back is by organizing 10 to 15 volunteering opportunities for employees each month.
For companies, follow in Bombas’ footsteps if you want to get in on this trend in corporate philanthropy. Nonprofits can tap in by looking for companies like this and forming partnerships when their missions align with the business’s CSR initiatives.
Recent Industry Developments in Matching Gifts
Tons of companies contribute to these corporate philanthropy trends by matching employee gifts. Our matching gift database contains records of over 24,000 companies’ program guidelines.
We work to provide the most comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date source of information on the topic, and recently, we can attest that programs’ potential is continuously trending upward. Specifically, new, reinstated, and expanding matching gift initiatives are driving growth. Let’s take a closer look at these developments.
New programs
New companies are rolling out matching gift programs every day! Check out these examples of businesses that have recently incorporated matching gifts into their ongoing corporate giving strategies:
Russell Reynolds Associates: In 2022, Russell Reynolds Associates established RRA Gives Back, a philanthropic program that encourages RRA colleagues to support charitable causes and get their contributions matched by the company.
Kraft Group: The Kraft Group and its subsidiaries have long participated in various philanthropic activities. One of their newest initiatives is matching employee donations, doubling employees’ impact when they donate.
Another trend in corporate philanthropy we’re seeing more and more of is employees advocating for matching gift programs to their employers. So if a number of your donors are not eligible for matching gifts, don’t fret! Instead, provide resources that can help them champion gift-matching on your behalf.
Knowing their employees want a matching gift program can be a significant motivator for rolling out such an initiative. In exchange, companies can look forward to increased employee engagement, productivity, and retention.
Reinstated programs
Thanks to the significant value that companies see in their corporate social responsibility efforts, many businesses have recently reinstated their matching gift programs. Companies recognize philanthropy as an integral aspect of their businesses.
For example, here are a few companies that are matching gifts again after a brief intermission in their programming:
Booz Allen Hamilton: Previously suspended in 2021, Booz Allen Hamilton’s matching gift program is once again live as of 2023. Both full-time and part-time team members are encouraged to join the company in supporting their favorite charitable causes.
Kimray Inc.: Kimray Inc. resumed matching donations of up to $2,000 per team member per year to eligible nonprofit causes. Though they’ll match many organizations and educational institutions, Kimray places a special emphasis on missions related to youth programming, culture, and their local communities.
International Business Machines (IBM): IBM paused match operations while switching to a new system. However, the program is now live, and IBM employees are able to request matching gifts of up to $10,000 per year!
United Parcel Service (UPS): Though it stopped matching employee gifts for a period, UPS has been back and matching since late 2022. Facilitated through the UPS Foundation, UPS’s matching gift program is designed to empower team members to make a difference through workplace giving.
These companies may have reinstated their programs because they’re in a better place financially, but it’s also likely that they recognized that matching gifts are a long-term investment in their communities. Regardless of the reasoning, we’re glad these companies are back!
Expanding programs
Companies with existing matching gift programs are also expanding their efforts by increasing their matching gift ratio and/or upping their maximum match amount per year. Here are a few examples of companies recently making these changes:
American Eagle Outfitters: Quadrupling their maximum match amount (from $500 to $2,000 per team member per year), American Eagle continues to offer a best-in-class matching gift program! They also upgraded from a paper request form to an online submission portal, making it simpler than ever for employees to get involved.
The Hartford: With an increasing match ratio from 0.5:1 to matching on a dollar-for-dollar basis, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. empowers employees to give by doubling individual donations.
Chicago Community Trust: Not only did the Chicago Community Trust increase its matching gift ratio from 2:1 to 3:1 (effectively quadrupling individual donations), but it also heightened the maximum gift amount to $7,500.
Not to mention, the number of matching gift programs that will match to any nonprofit continues to grow, while programs that only match to a particular mission type have severely declined. This CSR trend continues to reflect a broader shift toward more inclusive corporate philanthropy as companies empower their employees to support causes that matter to them.
How Nonprofits Can Tap Into These Corporate Philanthropy Trends
Now that you’re up to date on all the latest trends, let’s dive deeper into what they mean for your nonprofit. Ultimately, these workplace giving trends are positive and mean that your nonprofit can continue to see the benefits of corporate philanthropy. But there’s more you can do to tap in!
Our number one piece of advice for leveraging these trends in corporate philanthropy is to take a proactive approach in marketing matching gifts to your audience.
Remember, your donors may not be aware of their companies’ matching initiatives. To maximize funding and engagement from these programs, it’s crucial to spread the word across your marketing channels. Let donors know how to check their eligibility, why they should submit match requests, and how much impact they can make with matching gifts. Check out this video for more tips on how to promote matching gifts to your donors:
On top of increasing your matching gift marketing, use these additional tips to tap into corporate philanthropy trends:
Invest in matching gift software. With software like 360MatchPro, you can greatly simplify the matching gift request process for donors. When you employ functionalities like matching gift auto-submission, your team can sit back and enjoy matching gift revenue trending upward.
Expand your promotion of disaster relief campaigns. If your nonprofit participates in crisis response or disaster relief efforts, promote these campaigns directly to corporate audiences. Reach out to businesses and let your donors know their employers can magnify their impact on aiding disasters.
Seek out corporate partnerships. Companies want to partner with organizations like yours! Take advantage of this corporate philanthropy trend by continuing to develop relationships with specific businesses, seeking out sponsorship opportunities, and tracking companies that frequently match your donors’ gifts.
Taking these steps will help your organization get the most out of corporate philanthropy and raise more funds for your mission.
What These CSR Trends Mean For Companies
Staying on top of trends in workplace giving isn’t only essential for nonprofits. Companies should also monitor the landscape and pay special attention to their employees’ engagement with their programs. That way, they can stay connected with increased expectations from their employees, prospective workers, investors, and customers.
Based on the corporate giving trends we’re currently seeing, this is what we suggest companies do to make a genuine impact:
Be generous with workplace giving programs. It’s not enough to simply engage in corporate giving. Instead, businesses should provide a wide variety employee giving opportunities, including everything from matching gifts to volunteer opportunities to charitable giving stipends.
Form partnerships with nonprofits. Consistently supporting one nonprofit can help grow impact while also indicating the company’s values. Companies should select reputable nonprofit partners that align with their missions.
Put special emphasis on matching gifts. Corporate matches are one of the most convenient yet powerful ways to give back. Companies should develop a generous program with low minimum donation requirements, high maximum donation requirements, and generous ratios. Then, they should make sure employees know about the opportunity.
Being serious about corporate giving is a great way for businesses to show they recognize their duty to give back to the communities that support them. While these tips reflect current CSR trends, we don’t expect these standards to change anytime soon.
Trending Onward & Upward
Corporate philanthropy continues to be a priority for businesses and employees everywhere. Thus, we encourage nonprofits to make the most of the opportunities at hand.
Interested in learning more about corporate philanthropy trends to be aware of? Check out these additional Double the Donation resources:
Corporate Giving and Matching Gift Statistics. Dive deeper into the research behind the current matching gift industry. Browse successful match totals, unclaimed funding, donor awareness statistics, and more.
Interested in learning more about how to continue fundraising through difficult times? Check out our immersive webinar on the topic!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Trends-in-Corporate-Philanthropy_Feature.png3751000Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-12-13 08:00:132023-12-13 16:18:518 Trends in Corporate Philanthropy for 2024: How to Tap In
Nonprofits are all about bringing people together to fight for positive societal change and make their communities better places to live. Nonprofit conferences aim to achieve the same goals by bringing together professionals from all types of organizations to learn from each other and identify ways to better work toward common and individual goals.
Attending a nonprofit conference is one of the best ways to grow professionally, make powerful personal and professional connections, and learn how to keep your organization on the cutting edge of the latest fundraising techniques and tools.
In this guide, we’ll cover the benefits of nonprofit conferences, along with our top recommendations for conferences to add to your calendar. Here’s what to expect:
When considering which conferences to attend, take your nonprofit’s goals and your personal development goals into account. For example, are you looking to improve your approach to working with corporate giving, using nonprofit technology, or engaging with your major donors? Keep your goals in mind when browsing the conferences in this list to find opportunities that match your interests.
Benefits of Nonprofit Conferences
Attending a nonprofit conference will require a chunk of your time and your organization’s resources to attend. You may have to block out a work day to participate, pay a registration fee, and travel to the conference location (if it isn’t a virtual event). Considering all of those requirements, is attending a nonprofit conference really worth it for you and your organization?
To help answer this question, consider a few of the benefits of attending a nonprofit conference:
Stay up to date with trends and innovations. Targeted advertising, artificial intelligence, social media trends, and livestreaming are just a few of the innovative technological considerations that nonprofit professionals are talking about now. By attending nonprofit conferences, you can stay on the cutting edge of these new technologies and trends to ensure your organization is using technology to its full potential.
Network with fellow nonprofit professionals. The networking aspect of most nonprofit conferences allows you to make professional connections that can help your organization down the road. You can learn about other organizations’ successes and failures and ask questions about how other nonprofits have tackled specific issues that you’re also facing. The relationships you build with other nonprofit professionals can help your organization well into the future as you continue collaborating and sharing resources.
Learn fundraising best practices. Whether the conference topics include the benefits of corporate philanthropy for businesses and nonprofits, innovative marketing strategies, or insightful tips on engaging with different generations of donors, you’re bound to leave with new knowledge in your pocket. You can apply what you learn to your organization’s ongoing activities, programs, projects, and outreach strategies.
Many nonprofit professionals find that the value of attending conferences often makes up for the time and resources required to attend. Nevertheless, be sure to carefully consider whether conference attendance is something that you can fit into your organization’s budget.
The Best Nonprofit Conferences in 2024
Nonprofit conferences happen throughout the year at different locations across the country (and virtually). Here are 12 of the best conferences to consider adding to your 2024 calendars:
Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Summit
About this nonprofit conference:
Matching gifts can be an incredible, yet often untapped source of fundraising support for nonprofits, universities, and other fundraising organizations. In matching gift programs, corporations match donations that their employees make to charitable organizations. According to recent matching gift statistics, $2-3 billion is donated annually through matching gift programs, but an estimated $4-$7 billion is left unclaimed.
Double the Donation’s goal is to assist organizations in securing the matching gift revenue available to them. This includes through resources provided in our Matching Gift Summit, matching gift automation platform, and more.
Specifically, the Summit is an exclusive, invite-only conference dedicated to sharing matching gift best practices, resources, success stories, and more to help the largest national nonprofits manage this fundraising channel more effectively. Attendees will learn about forming strong business partnerships and earning valuable corporate sponsorships to support their projects, events, programs, and more. Plus, have the opportunity to engage with fundraising peers in round
Can’t wait? Check out Double the Donation’s online Matching Gift Academy to explore powerful matching gift insights in the meantime.
Nonprofit Marketing Summit
About this nonprofit conference:
There are several marketing conferences on this list, and for good reason. Digital tools and strategies evolve constantly, making it imperative for nonprofit professionals to stay updated on the latest trends.
That’s where the Nonprofit Marketing Summit comes in. This virtual conference brings together nonprofit marketing professionals and experts to share information about new digital marketing strategies and hear directly from the most influential thought leaders in the space. Plus, although this event is virtual, there are plenty of networking opportunities to take advantage of, including getting connected on social media and joining a text community.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Virtual
Collaborative
About this nonprofit conference:
Collaborative is a virtual and in-person conference run by Classy, an online fundraising software platform. The conference is focused on helping nonprofit professionals understand fundraising best practices and how to leverage nonprofit technology effectively.
As the conference’s name suggests, the event is focused on bringing nonprofit professionals together in collaborative sessions and workshops. Plus, speakers include leaders from some of the most prominent nonprofit organizations across the country, connecting attendees directly with experienced leaders and influencers.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Virtual and in-person
Nonprofit Technology Conference
About this nonprofit conference:
Nonprofit technology, from matching gift software to constituent relationship management systems (CRMs), is what keeps the nonprofit sector in motion.
The Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC) is an annual gathering hosted by NTEN, an organization that unites nonprofit professionals to discuss using technology for social good. This conference educates attendees on nonprofit tech best practices and how to use technology to promote change in your community.
Attendees include everyone from nonprofit staff members and volunteers to board members, consultants, and tech vendors. By attending, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions, share resources with fellow attendees, and make long-lasting connections. Plus, the NTC is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment, with racial affinity spaces, a dedication to accessibility for all, and more.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Denver, Colorado
AFP ICON
About this nonprofit conference:
AFP ICON is often considered the largest fundraising conference in the world. Hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), ICON features dozens of speakers covering a wide range of topics. Past sessions include topics like using donor data to improve future fundraising efforts and ending mental health stigma in the nonprofit workplace.
Attending AFP ICON can help you set yourself and your organization up to effectively tackle the biggest fundraising challenges and opportunities for the year ahead.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Cause Camp
About this nonprofit conference:
Designated a “must-attend” nonprofit conference by Forbes, Cause Camp is an annual gathering of nonprofit leaders, professionals, and industry experts to share resources and discuss every aspect of the nonprofit sector. Cause Camp’s breakout sessions go beyond simple discussions to equip attendees with actionable insights and training materials.
Additionally, participants can browse a comprehensive exhibit hall to connect with vendors and learn more about other nonprofit organizations in attendance. Plus, the conference’s fun evening gatherings allow attendees to get to know one another in a more relaxed environment.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Greater Sandusky, Ohio
Engage for Good
About this nonprofit conference:
Engage for Good links nonprofit professionals with leaders from the corporate world whose organizations are dedicated to furthering positive social change. Attendees can participate in targeted workshops and networking sessions that bring together individuals who face similar issues or focus on similar topic areas.
As a nonprofit professional, attending this conference can allow you to understand corporate philanthropy from a business perspective and make connections with prospective corporate partners. Then, you can return to your organization with deeper insights that can optimize your corporate partnership strategy.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Upswell Summit
About this nonprofit conference:
The Upswell Summit is an annual virtual event for community change-makers who are focused on making their communities stronger and more equitable. The event builds on discussions from previous Upswell events and will include discussions about the impact of the current political landscape on local communities. More information on speakers and panel topics is to come, so keep an eye on the Upswell website.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Virtual
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit
About this nonprofit conference:
The Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit ensures all attendees leave with strategies and advice for growing their online fundraising. Speakers include the leading experts in fundraising and marketing innovation, meaning attendees can receive insights into cutting-edge outreach techniques to better engage their audiences.
In addition, nonprofit leaders can browse new technology solutions in a sales-free environment to see which tools might work best for their organizations.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Nonprofit Storytelling Conference
About this nonprofit conference:
The foundation of any powerful fundraising or marketing initiative is compelling storytelling. A story can help build a strong emotional connection with your nonprofit’s supporters, inspiring them to lend a hand and support your cause.
The Nonprofit Storytelling Conference is designed to help nonprofit professionals tell better stories to raise more donations. The conference offers three types of sessions. The “Raise Money Today” sessions will help participants choose the right story to tell. The “Get it Done” sessions focus on crafting fundraising communications, such as fundraising appeal letters and new donor welcome messages. Lastly, the “Need to Know” sessions help participants tackle common fundraising challenges.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Good Tech Fest
About this nonprofit conference:
Good Tech Fest focuses on how to use technology and data to make a positive difference in the world. Sessions are led by data scientists, product managers, and fundraising and tech professionals. Attendees have the opportunity to learn about everything from machine learning tools and equity issues in the tech world to crypto philanthropy.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: Virtual
Bridge Conference
About this nonprofit conference:
The Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, also known as the Bridge Conference, is an annual gathering of nonprofit fundraising professionals and nonprofit leaders along with consultants, agencies, and other marketing professionals. The conference covers both innovative fundraising and marketing strategies along with common issues nonprofits have traditionally faced, like how to keep donors engaged and transform them into recurring givers.
Date: The 2023 conference has concluded, but be sure to check the website for upcoming dates.
Location: National Harbor, Maryland
Tips for Making the Most of Your Conference Attendance
Your conference preparation shouldn’t end after you complete the registration form. Conferences are concentrated, action-packed events that seem to fly by once you’re there. That’s why it’s important to go in with an action plan of who you want to speak with and what you want to do while at the conference.
Here are a few tips for making the most of your conference attendance:
Do your research beforehand. Who will be at the conference? Who do you absolutely want to talk to before the event concludes? How can you start a natural conversation with those individuals that builds on things you have in common? Make a list of individuals you’d like to connect with and a few facts you already know about them.
Decide who will attend the conference. Should a group of staff members from your nonprofit attend the conference or just one or two individuals? Determine who will be the best representatives for your cause and who will benefit the most from attending.
Participate in everything you can. You probably won’t be able to attend every single session or panel. However, make an effort to attend a wide array of presentations and discussions based on the topics that interest you the most or that you think will be most beneficial for your organization. This allows you to get the most value out of the event.
Seek out presentations that are outside of your purview. Consider attending one or two sessions or panels that don’t directly relate to what you do daily. These sessions could end up being the most valuable because they show you a different perspective or share information about something that you aren’t very familiar with.
Collect business cards. Gather business cards for organizations and individuals that you interact with and follow up with them after the conference. In these messages, thank them for their conversation or presentation and ask any follow-up questions you may have thought of since. If the individual lives nearby, see if you can schedule an in-person meeting or lunch with them to maintain the connection you’ve built.
Share the information you’ve learned with your team. Create a short presentation for your nonprofit’s other team members who didn’t attend the conference. Summarize the key takeaways you received from the conference and any changes or strategies you think the team should implement going forward. Let team members chime in with their thoughts and feedback on any proposed changes.
We also recommend carrying a folder and/or notebook with you during the conference to take notes and store business cards, handouts, and other printed materials.
Wrapping Up
Conferences can be valuable learning experiences that help you enrich your nonprofit with the best practices and strategies you learn about. They also offer the opportunity to engage with your fellow nonprofit professionals and make powerful, mutually-beneficial partnerships.
For more information about nonprofit conferences, bookmark the Double the Donation and NXUnite websites. These sites offer ongoing updates on nonprofit webinars, panels, and conferences that any nonprofit professional can join to expand their skill set and fundraising knowledge.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Nonprofit-Conferences-Updated-Feature-Image.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-12-07 15:01:382023-12-08 17:00:5812 of the Best Nonprofit Conferences in 2024 and Beyond
As companies like yours strive to meet their sustainability goals, track their environmental impact, and demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), the need for efficient and effective reporting software has never been more crucial. That’s where CSR reporting software comes in.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about CSR reporting software, including:
Whether you’re a small business looking to get started with CSR reporting or a multinational corporation seeking to enhance transparency and accountability for your existing programs, these insights will help you maximize the value of your chosen software.
Understanding CSR Reporting Software: 3 FAQs
Before we dive into the specifics of CSR reporting software, explore these frequently asked questions to ensure you have all the foundational knowledge you need:
What is CSR reporting software, and why do companies use it?
CSR reporting software refers to a set of specialized tools designed to help organizations track, manage, and report on their philanthropic initiatives.
Companies of all sizes use CSR software and reporting features to streamline the process of collecting and analyzing data related to these efforts. It enables them to generate comprehensive reports that showcase their commitment to responsible business practices, transparency, and accountability.
Is CSR reporting mandatory?
In most countries, companies are not legally obligated to produce reports related to their philanthropic, ethical, and environmental initiatives. However, many organizations still choose to engage in CSR reporting to demonstrate their commitment to becoming a more socially conscious organization.
Keep in mind that regulatory landscapes can change over time, so it’s important for companies to stay informed on CSR standards in their jurisdictions and industries.
How can CSR reporting software benefit my organization?
CSR reporting software offers several benefits, including:
Enhanced efficiency: These tools streamline data tracking, management, and analysis, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors.
Data-driven insights: The software provides valuable insights into CSR performance, helping your business identify areas for improvement.
Stakeholder engagement: CSR reports can be shared with stakeholders, including investors, customers, and employees, to demonstrate responsible business practices and build trust.
While implementing new software requires an investment of time and resources on your company’s part, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
4 Features to Look for in CSR Reporting Software
Prioritize these four features in your search for the best CSR reporting software:
1. Customization
Every organization’s CSR initiatives, objectives, and data requirements are unique. Customizability allows your company to tailor the software to align with your specific sustainability goals, industry standards, and regulatory compliance needs.
Work with developers to ensure that the software can accommodate your operational nuances. For example, if your organization decides to focus on environmental sustainability, you might require custom fields to track greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and water usage to assess and reduce your environmental impact.
2. Integration
Integration allows for a seamless exchange of data between CSR reporting software and other systems. Combining financial, operational, and sustainability data can provide a more complete picture of your CSR performance and facilitate improved decision-making.
Prioritize integrations that are relevant to your CSR-related goals. For instance, businesses that have robust matching gift programs should ensure that their CSR software integrates with a nonprofit-facing matching gift platform with auto-submission capabilities, such as 360MatchPro. Auto-submission streamlines the process of requesting, submitting, and reporting on matching gifts. As a result, you can increase your company’s philanthropic impact in less time.
For more information on matching gift auto-submission, watch this video:
3. Automation
Prioritize automation in your search for CSR reporting software, as it can significantly streamline the reporting process, enhance data accuracy, and save valuable time and resources. This makes it easier to meet reporting deadlines and focus on strategic sustainability initiatives.
Consider investing in software that has AI-driven analytics and reporting tools that can identify trends and insights automatically, reducing the need for manual data analysis. It’s also important to seek references or testimonials from current users who can attest to the software’s automation capabilities and its effectiveness in simplifying their CSR reporting processes.
4. Scalability
As your business evolves and expands, your CSR reporting needs may increase. Scalable software can handle large data volumes, accommodate additional users, and adapt to changing reporting requirements without compromising performance or data integrity.
Start by clearly defining your current and future reporting needs. Consider factors like the number of data sources, the volume of data, the complexity of reporting, and any potential growth projections.
Then, review the software’s architecture. Scalable software should be designed to handle increased loads by distributing resources efficiently. Prioritize cloud-based solutions as they can often handle large amounts of data without significant performance degradation.
How to Make the Most of CSR Reporting Software
If CSR reporting software seems like it would be a positive investment for your organization, follow these tips to ensure that its implemented correctly.
Define Clear Objectives and Metrics
Before using CSR reporting software, define clear objectives for your reporting efforts. Determine what you want to achieve through CSR reporting, whether it’s improved transparency, compliance with reporting standards, or better stakeholder engagement.
Then, identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that are relevant to your organization’s CSR goals. These may include:
Number of volunteer hours: Track the total number of hours volunteered by employees to understand their level of commitment to your corporate volunteerism initiatives.
Donations raised: Determine how much money has been raised through your CSR initiatives, whether that be through fundraising events, donation drives, or employee matching gifts.
Organizations or causes supported: Keep track of the number of organizations or causes supported through volunteering efforts to demonstrate the full extent of your impact.
Employee engagement: Measure employee satisfaction with and participation in CSR initiatives to understand how these initiatives have affected your work environment and morale.
When measuring the impact of CSR initiatives, a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics can provide a comprehensive understanding of your programs’ outcomes.
Leverage Data Visualization Tools
Most CSR reporting solutions come with data visualization tools that allow you to create visually appealing charts, graphs, and dashboards. These visuals can help stakeholders understand your performance at a glance.
Keep these tips in mind as you visualize data:
Choose the right visualization type. Selecting the appropriate visualization type is crucial for effectively conveying information. Consider the nature of the data and the story you want to tell. Common visualization types for CSR reporting include bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, maps, and infographics. Each type has its strengths and is suitable for different types of data.
Keep it simple and clear. Avoid cluttering the visualizations with excessive information or unnecessary design elements in your reports. Keep the visuals clean, uncluttered, and easy to understand.
Add context and storytelling. Use visualizations to tell a compelling story about your CSR initiatives. Incorporate narratives or descriptions to provide additional context and explanations for the data being presented. Use annotations, titles, and captions to guide the viewer’s attention and highlight key insights.
Remember that your choice of visualization techniques should align with the specific data and objectives of your CSR reporting.
Provide Comprehensive Training
Take these steps to ensure that your company’s staff members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively use your CSR reporting software:
Provide comprehensive training materials. Develop training materials that cover all aspects of using the CSR reporting software. Consider providing both written and visual resources to accommodate diverse learning preferences, such as user manuals, video tutorials, step-by-step guides, and FAQs.
Hands-on training and practice. Offer hands-on training sessions where employees can actively engage with your CSR reporting software. Provide opportunities to practice inputting data, generating reports, and navigating different features. Address any questions or challenges that arise during the training sessions.
Ongoing support and resources. Establish a support system to assist employees after the initial training. This can include a dedicated help desk or support team that they can reach out to for assistance or troubleshooting.
Effective training is a continuous process. Regularly assess staff needs, gather feedback, and refine training materials and sessions accordingly.
A Final Note About CSR Reporting Software
As you embark on your journey toward effective CSR reporting, remember that the right software is not just a tool—it’s a strategic asset that can drive positive change and elevate your organization’s reputation in an increasingly socially conscious world. Use this foundational knowledge to guide your search and invest in the right solution for your organization.
For more information on CSR, check out these additional resources:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CSR-reporting-software_Feature.png6001600shannon.moranhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgshannon.moran2023-11-28 17:04:252023-11-28 17:04:25CSR Reporting Software: An Introductory Guide for Businesses
Thanks to the growing movement toward increased corporate citizenship, combined with innovative new technology, many companies are stepping up their employee-giving game like never before.
Businesses interested in creating or improving their workplace giving programs—as well as nonprofits eager to engage donors and corporate partners in new ways—will find inspiration in these versatile employee giving campaign ideas.
Before we dive into ideas your business can use for employee giving, let’s explore the basics.
The Importance of Employee Giving
The framework of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly popular across many sectors. It’s even inspiring employers to provide a variety of ways for their company to give back to the community in the form of philanthropic donations, volunteerism, and proactive policies that put people and the environment first.
Take a look at these statistics to understand the power of CSR:
77% of consumers aim to support socially responsible companies.
93% of employees believe companies must lead with purpose.
92% of consumers would buy a product that supports a good cause.
A welcome shift from the “greed is good” mindset of past generations, corporate citizenship promotes commitment to sustainability both inside and outside corporate office walls.
Employee giving (also called workplace giving) is one of the most popular CSR strategies. It creates opportunities for everyone in a corporate environment to support charitable organizations and causes in a collective effort, making a much greater impact than what most individuals can do alone. From annual fundraisers and donation drives to giving days and volunteer programs, employee giving campaigns will (and should!) look different in every workplace, depending on your unique company culture and values.
However, there is one aspect of employee giving every workplace campaign should include: matching donations.
When individual employees give from their own pockets to eligible nonprofits, their companies should match those donations. Through matching gift programs, companies can double their employees’ impact on the causes they care about. This kind of support and commitment builds buy-in, signals to employees that their company is just as committed to this work as they are, and affirms that their participation is seen and celebrated.
The Benefits of Workplace Giving Campaigns
Employee giving initiatives backed by matching donations can do a whole lot of good—and not just for your nonprofit beneficiaries and the communities they serve.
A company’s public image, for example, can undoubtedly improve with well-documented charitable contributions. Plus, the tax incentives for large philanthropic gifts are nothing to shrug at. Still, it’s the impact that workplace giving campaigns have on employee morale that cannot be understated.
Generosity, science tells us, is tied to human happiness. Creating meaningful opportunities for employees to build relationships and contribute to good causes alongside their peers leads to a greater sense of belonging, stronger engagement in future activities and projects, and higher staff retention. It’s a win-win-win!
With the help of automated systems, giving can become an integral part of the culture of your workplace. Imagine an environment where giving is as much a part of your work week as logging into your email in the morning—not just once a year, but throughout! That’s achievable by implementing matching gift programs and hosting regular employee giving campaigns.
9 Employee Giving Campaign Ideas to Try Throughout the Year
We’ve gathered some of our favorite workplace giving campaign ideas you can implement year-round at your office. Plus, each idea features an example from a real nonprofit that nailed it.
Every workplace is different, so think creatively about how you can customize and adjust these ideas based on your company’s size, time constraints, interests, and areas of specialty. The possibilities are endless—just like your potential for making a positive impact in your community.
1. Prepare for winter with in-kind donations.
Winter is a particularly difficult time of year for many nonprofit beneficiaries, especially if they’re individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty. Encourage your employees to make in-kind donations, which are any non-monetary gift, to organizations that need them. This is an especially great idea for employees with tighter budgets who may not be able to justify a monetary donation.
To make the donation process easier for your employees, partner up with one or a few specific nonprofits. Ask them what donations would be most helpful to them, and then provide your employees with that list of items. Organizations might be searching for items that directly help their beneficiaries, such as canned food or winter clothing, or they might be searching for items to empower them to more effectively help their beneficiaries, such as computers, printers, or fundraising event decorations.
Real-world example: Second Helpings Atlanta is a nonprofit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the Metro Atlanta area. It rescues healthy, nutritious, surplus food and distributes it to those in need.
They’ve created a network with over 75 food donor organizations across Atlanta, including businesses such as Chick-Fil-A, Mercedes Benz, Pizza Hut, and Publix. These businesses work with Second Helpings Atlanta as part of their CSR and employee giving initiatives to use food for good in the local community.
2. Lean into the competitive spirit for Giving Tuesday.
Year-end is a popular time of year for nonprofit fundraising, and it all begins with Giving Tuesday. This global day of generosity happens the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is meant to channel the shopping madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday toward a worthy cause instead.
A virtual peer-to-peer or team fundraising Giving Tuesday campaign is an easy and fun way to foster friendly competition as individuals or staff teams try to out-raise one another for their cause.
The secret to a successful peer-to-peer fundraiser? Keep spirits high and be a cheerleader for your fundraisers! Celebrate everyone’s hard work by shouting out teams at various times throughout the campaign and offering prizes for the teams with the most donations, the highest amount raised, or even the most team spirit.
Real-world example: For the Together Housed campaign, participants created personal or team fundraising pages to raise money over three weeks for women in Los Angeles experiencing homelessness.
This virtual effort raised over $155K for the Downtown Women’s Center and culminated in a live-streamed celebration to thank individual fundraisers and corporate sponsors.
3. Turn your holiday party into an opportunity to give back.
The holidays bring out the giving spirit in even the Grinchiest among us—especially if the food and drinks are free. If you’ve already budgeted for a staff gathering or outing for the holidays, think about adding on a party-worthy fundraising element like a silent auction to benefit a local nonprofit. This is also an excellent time to celebrate your Giving Tuesday teams or winners with silly prizes or awards!
Depending on the size of your staff, a team can volunteer to source auction items or request that everyone (CEO included) contribute an item, experience, or basket to auction off during the party.
Sourcing items can be work-intensive, so make the rest of the process easy on your team by using an online silent auction platform that partygoers can use to bid right from their smartphones. Mobile bidding also makes it easy to create a hybrid or virtual auction experience if your remote employees want to start a bidding war for a good cause.
Real-world example: The Ultimutt Auction fundraiser for the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation offered bidders a range of fun experiences and items from local businesses. To reach a wider audience and build momentum to raise more funds, the organizers had the online auction open for a week, enabling them to raise over $21K!
4. Kick off the new year with a monthly giving program.
With everyone energized by your Giving Tuesday and holiday party success (and hopefully some time off), build on this momentum to get employees excited about giving back regularly.
A great place to start is by hosting a casual “Lunch and Learn” once a month, where a guest speaker or representative from a local nonprofit gives an informal presentation about their impact and need.
The actual giving part can happen in a few different ways:
A monthly stipend from the company that employees can donate
Informal monthly contributions matched by the company
Automated payroll deductions (also matched by the company)
Build buy-in by providing incentives like a catered lunch for those who attend and asking staff to nominate organizations or community groups that are meaningful to them. National celebrations like Black History Month (February), Women’s History Month (March), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), etc., can be a great guidepost for causes to highlight if you’re not sure where to start.
Be sure that your company’s matching gift program is set up before you begin your new monthly giving program. That way, you’ll be able to engage your employees through philanthropy and increase the impact of gifts to your local nonprofits.
Real-world example: Clothing retailer rue21’s annual giving campaign organizes staff fundraising teams by department (Marketing, Merchandising, Human Resources, and so on). Each year, they have raised more funds for their nonprofit partner organization, Foster Love Project, which serves youth in foster care.
5. Spring into volunteering.
Financial contributions aren’t the only way to make a difference in your place of work. Harness the power of your team’s talents to give back through volunteer hours or pro bono projects in partnership with a local nonprofit, school, or other community organization.
Volunteering can be skill-based work (graphic design, tutoring, or even accounting!) or just helping with whatever is needed (envelope stuffing, serving meals, or checking people in). It’s all about meeting the needs of your particular community partner.
The key to success here is to incentivize volunteering, which can happen in many ways.
Some companies, including 40% of the Fortune 500 list, give volunteer grants to employees who put in a certain number of hours, and others offer perks like additional vacation time. You can even liven things up by making it a competition to see who can give the highest number of hours by a specific date.
Real-world example: Chicago-based software company Sprout Social organized Philanthropy Week, which combined volunteering and team-based fundraising for local nonprofits.
Teams of employees chose an organization in their community, created fundraising pages, and volunteered on-site to foster deeper connections with their partners.
6. Create your own workplace giving day in May.
Aside from being a great help to nonprofits, volunteering is also one of the most effective team-building activities. Hosting a workplace giving day can empower your company to build connection and belonging amongst your staff—and contribute to a good cause at the same time.
As the weather warms up, partner with a local nonprofit that needs a lot of hands for a park cleanup, meal prep, material assembly, mural painting, or other beautification projects. Make sure everyone on your staff is able and incentivized to attend, get t-shirts made for the occasion, and cap it all off with a celebration and big group photo.
If all goes well, try to make it an annual event that employees look forward to, your nonprofit partners can plan around, and the entire community can feel proud of.
Real-world example: When pandemic restrictions made in-person activities impossible, Presence Marketing organized a virtual 5k and complementary fundraiser in partnership with a charitable foundation to help build a Kindergarten in the West African nation of Togo.
The event was so successful that they organized a second annual day of giving the following year to benefit another charity project!
7. Celebrate summer with sponsorship.
June is the start of summer and Pride Month, a great time to support organizations that serve the LGBTQ+ community. Give your coworkers a special night out together and raise some serious money by sponsoring a fun fundraising event, like a standup comedy, drag show, or a combination of the two!
Planning events is a lot of work, so if that’s not something you can take on, seek out a nonprofit partner already planning a benefit event that you can sponsor. Or enlist the help of a local venue that can help match you with a good cause. If a virtual or hybrid event can help you reach your community better, livestream it!
Real-world example:Platinum Top 50, an industry organization for real estate professionals in Texas, organized a comedy show fundraiser featuring standup and improv from some talented local realtors. In addition to ticket sales, extra donations from individuals and corporate sponsorships helped them to raise over 200% of their original goal for their hunger-fighting nonprofit partner.
8. Go virtual with a back-to-school drive.
Drives for essential items like jackets, toys, and perishable goods are popular for workplace giving campaigns for many reasons. For one, those who are making donations can immediately see the real-life impact of their gifts, which is sometimes harder to communicate with solely monetary asks.
With a virtual drive, donors can still understand exactly where their money is going and, at the same time, give the nonprofit beneficiary more oversight and flexibility to order the items they need and get them directly to the people who need them.
This campaign idea is also great for remote office teams, as virtual drives open up donations to a broader pool of people and save the time and energy it can take a team of employees to collect, organize, and transport items.
Real-world example: With several businesses participating, Teachers’ Treasures organized the Gr8 Paper Push Virtual School Supply Drive and enabled donors to select specific classroom items or just make a flat donation to the campaign.
This campaign also had an added team fundraising element. Local businesses competed with one another to raise the most, which created a lively, fun atmosphere.
9. Make a No Shave November everyone can join in on.
Movember and No Shave November, popular social challenges to see who can grow the most facial hair, were created to raise awareness and funds for men’s health and cancer prevention. Anyone can play on this idea for a good cause of their choosing—just make sure to take lots of photos!
Real-world example: For their annual Let It Grow! campaign, Vermont-based victims’ services agency Windham County Safe Place engaged teams from the police departments, hospitals, and legal groups that they work with for a light-hearted competition. Each team was encouraged to grow facial hair or rock colorful hair extensions and bright nails for the month. Inclusivity for the win!
Every participant received a special pin for joining the campaign. They created their own individual or team fundraising page, donated $25 or more, and encouraged their friends and family to help them reach their goal. The top three earners even won a special prize at the end of the competition! The novelty of this campaign drew attention to their cause from local media and helped them to raise thousands of dollars.
Additional Resources
From selling tickets and making donations to administering payroll deductions and matching contributions, automating as much of your workplace giving campaigns as possible will save you a lot of time and energy. CSR platforms can free you up to focus on what really matters—engaging your workplace community and creating meaningful ways to give back together.
Looking for more inspiration? Dive deeper into these additional resources:
Your company accomplishes great things through the combined efforts of its leadership, managers, and employees. To stand out in today’s world, however, you need to harness this power to achieve more than just profits. One way to do this is through corporate volunteerism.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a rising priority among modern companies due to its profound influence on reputation, employee engagement, and the welfare of society as a whole. By incorporating volunteerism into your company’s CSR strategy, you can directly involve employees in your philanthropic efforts and connect with local communities.
To set your corporate volunteer program up for success, we’ll cover everything you need to know in the following sections:
Ready to build meaningful, lasting relationships with employees, customers, nonprofit partners, and other community members? Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve an existing corporate volunteer program, having a thoughtful strategy will maximize your results.
Corporate Volunteerism: FAQs
Before we delve into specific tips and tactics, let’s set the stage by walking through some frequently asked questions about corporate volunteerism:
What is corporate volunteerism?
Corporate volunteerism is an aspect of corporate philanthropy that involves encouraging employees to commit their time and skills to charitable causes in their communities. To do this, companies establish corporate volunteer programs that formalize these activities and track their overall impact.
While each company’s volunteer program differs depending on its goals, resources, and employees, having one in place is a first step toward demonstrating your commitment to bettering the world around you.
What are the benefits of employee volunteer programs?
Corporate volunteerism brings a host of benefits to everyone involved—your company, employees, and nonprofits. By opening up more opportunities for employees to volunteer for charitable causes, you contribute more resources to the community and empower nonprofits to better serve their beneficiaries.
For business-specific benefits, creating a corporate volunteer program allows you to:
Engage more employees. Many employees need more than just a regular paycheck to feel invested and fulfilled in their roles. Corporate volunteering initiatives allow them to develop a sense of pride in working for your company since they’re able to contribute to positive change within their communities.
Attract more top talent. According to PwC, 65% of people around the globe want to work for an organization with a powerful social conscience. Creating and publicizing your company’s employee volunteer program guidelines is an excellent way to catch the attention of socially conscious job seekers.
Enhance your reputation. These days, customers expect more from companies than just stellar products or services. They want to know that your business strategy involves more than making profits. Through corporate volunteerism, your company can prove its commitment to social good and bring in more customers as a result.
Develop employee skills. Through volunteering, employees can gain experience and develop abilities they can later apply on the job. This can be anything from leadership skills to technical expertise, like coding. Plus, by organizing team-wide volunteering events, you can foster improved collaboration and communication within the workplace.
Improve employee well-being. According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, volunteering can improve a person’s physical and mental health, reducing stress and decreasing the risk of general illness. By encouraging employee volunteering, your company can ensure that they report to work each day feeling ready and eager to put in their best efforts.
However, it takes more than just starting a corporate volunteer program to secure these benefits. First, you need to get your employees excited to participate. To do so, create initiatives that resonate with their specific preferences and interests. At the same time, avoid placing pressure on employees to get involved—employee volunteering should be an option at your company, rather than a requirement.
What are the different types of corporate volunteering?
Corporate volunteerism comes in several shapes and sizes. Consider these popular types of employee volunteering to include in your program:
Direct Service Volunteering. Through this type of volunteering, employees directly interact with nonprofit beneficiaries and community members. For example, they may provide tutoring sessions to local students, walk dogs at an animal shelter, or serve meals to people without permanent housing.
Indirect Service Volunteering. Indirect service volunteering does not involve interactions with beneficiaries. Instead, employees can support their community by assembling care packages, participating in a beautification project, or creating marketing materials online.
Skills-Based Volunteering. Also called SBV, this type of volunteering allows employees to make use of their professional skills to advance nonprofit missions. For instance, employees at a law office may provide pro bono legal services to a charitable organization, while those at a web development company may revamp a nonprofit’s website for free.
Volunteer Grants. A volunteer grant program rewards employees for committing their time and skills to causes they care about. Typically, once they’ve volunteered a minimum number of hours with a nonprofit, they can submit a volunteer grant request to your company. Then, you donate a certain amount of money to that nonprofit, depending on how many hours the employee volunteered.
Team Volunteering. These volunteer opportunities double as team-building events for your company. Many nonprofits need larger teams of corporate volunteers to assist them with projects, from constructing houses to participating in a local cleanup activity.
Mentorships. Through mentorships, employees can make a direct impact on an individual community member’s life. This may involve supporting a student’s personal goals and academic performance or helping a young professional along their career path.
Employee Internships. Some companies lend their employees to nonprofit organizations by allowing them to participate in internships, enabling employees to provide their skills to the nonprofit long-term. During these internships, your business will continue paying employees’ salaries. Patagonia, for example, permits any employee within the company to spend up to two months working for an environmental group of their choosing.
Each type of corporate volunteering varies in the level of commitment expected from your employees. Micro-volunteering opportunities, like translating a single document or drafting a letter, can take only an hour or so, while initiatives such as employee internships can last several months. Be sure to offer several options that appeal to different employees at your company.
7 Corporate Volunteering Statistics You Should Know
If your company is ready to become a leader in corporate volunteerism, explore the following statistics to inform your approach:
71% of employees believe it’s important to work at a company that gives back through philanthropy and volunteering.
96% of companies find that employees who volunteer are more engaged than those who don’t.
Companies see 52% less turnover among employees who participate in workplace giving programs, like volunteer days.
60% of companies offer paid volunteer time off (VTO) to employees.
80% of companies with volunteer grant programs contribute between $8-$15 per hour volunteered.
Virtual volunteering was the most offered volunteer program by companies to both domestic and international employees.
Staying up to date on the latest corporate volunteerism and philanthropy trends ensures that your company is well-equipped to engage its employees in CSR and create a meaningful impact on society.
How to Start a Corporate Volunteer Program
A successful corporate volunteer program differs from company to company. After all, your guidelines and initiatives depend on your industry, business goals, and employees. Follow these seven steps to piece together your program:
1. Define your goals and priorities.
Identify your corporate volunteerism goals to secure support across all areas of your company. Focus on issues or causes that align with your overall mission and values. General Mills, for example, is a global food company that focuses its volunteerism efforts on supporting food banks and anti-hunger organizations such as Feeding America.
Additionally, send out surveys to your employees to find out which causes are close to their hearts, which skills they would like to apply, and which communities they’re most interested in supporting. Use these insights to guide your decision-making as you build your program.
2. Outline your corporate volunteerism program.
Based on your goals and employee feedback, determine which types of corporate volunteering to implement. If you’re hoping to engage and retain remote employees, for instance, you might promote virtual volunteering opportunities.
Formalize your decision-making by creating an official policy for your corporate volunteer program that lets employees know which organizations your program supports. In this document, you should include information such as:
Issues or causes supported by the program
Employee eligibility criteria for participation
Causes or types of nonprofits excluded from the program
Contact information for questions related to employee volunteering
Make this policy available to employees and other stakeholders alike. You can even create several versions depending on the audience. An employee-facing version might include more details about participation, while a public-facing version might feature information on how you’ll report the program’s impact.
3. Invest in CSR software tools.
A comprehensive CSR software solution can facilitate your corporate volunteering initiatives and other philanthropic programs you might launch in tandem. Look for key features that empower your company to:
Share upcoming volunteer opportunities with employees.
Plan and manage company volunteering events.
Track volunteer participation and hours.
Process and follow through with volunteer grant requests.
Measure the impact of employee volunteering.
Beyond managing your corporate volunteerism, this software can streamline other aspects of your CSR strategy and workplace giving, such as matching gifts.
Check with your CSR provider to see whether your platform integrates with the latest matching gift tools, such as auto-submission, to maximize employee participation. With this feature, your employees will be able to automatically submit matching gift requests when donating to a nonprofit. Rather than checking their eligibility and filling out each required field in your application form, all they would need to do is input their company email address to kick off the matching process.
4. Reach out to potential nonprofit partners.
Develop long-term relationships with nonprofits in your community by seeking out partnerships with organizations that align with your mission and values. For instance, a company with a philanthropic goal of improving sustainability might partner with an environmental nonprofit by setting up employee volunteering opportunities with them throughout the year.
Your company can even go beyond corporate volunteering to sponsor the nonprofit’s events or programs. In return, the nonprofit will typically feature your company in its marketing materials to help boost your reputation, turning your support into a mutually beneficial partnership.
5. Promote your corporate volunteer program.
Once you’ve worked out all the details, start engaging employees in your corporate volunteer ideas by spreading the word about your program. Start by walking through your policy in a company-wide meeting, then host follow-up Q&As as necessary. Link to key documents in your employee portal so everyone can access the information they need to get involved.
Furthermore, you can encourage participation by appointing corporate volunteer ambassadors within your company. These individuals act as authoritative resources for employees interested in your program and serve as an example to inspire people to get involved.
6. Measure your corporate volunteering impact.
To ensure the long-term success of your corporate volunteer program, be sure to measure your results. For instance, some basic metrics to keep an eye on include:
Employee participation rate
Total number of volunteer hours contributed
Volunteer event attendance
Average amount of volunteer grants awarded
Share this information with your employees, customers, and nonprofit partners to maintain engagement and morale. Many companies compile their corporate volunteerism data into yearly impact reports containing their CSR progress and publish them on their websites to demonstrate their corporate citizenship.
7. Recognize your employees for participating.
Remember that your CSR impact is only possible thanks to your employees’ participation. With this in mind, develop a strategy for recognizing those who engage with your corporate volunteering activities. Some popular methods of employee recognition include:
Ultimately, having a recognition program in place is beneficial to your company as a whole. Frequent appreciation can go a long way toward reinforcing excellent performance, improving engagement, and cultivating a sense of community in the workplace.
4 Top Corporate Volunteerism Examples
If you need a little more inspiration to create your corporate volunteer program, it’s always helpful to learn from other successful businesses. Take a look at these companies’ top-tier programs and consider how you can incorporate their strategies at your business’s scale:
Disney
The Walt Disney Company’s VoluntEARs program has logged around 13 million volunteer hours since its inception in 1983. Throughout the year, employees have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities, such as:
Helping food banks deliver food to community members.
Creating handmade blankets for children’s hospitals and animal shelters.
Analyzing Great Barrier Reef images to aid conservation efforts.
Planting butterfly-friendly backyard habitats to support the Monarch butterfly population.
Recording Disney bedtime stories for children living in rural areas.
Furthermore, Disney offers volunteer grants to its employees, contributing up to $2,000 a year per employee based on the number of hours they volunteer.
AT&T
By 2030, AT&T plans to engage 50% of its employees worldwide in volunteering and giving. As of last year, it has succeeded in engaging 31% of employees in their communities.
To encourage increased corporate volunteerism, the company:
Recognizes employees with a “Community Impact Award.”
Offers management employees a paid Community Day for volunteering each year.
Organizes regular volunteer projects for environmental stewardship, such as building bee habitats and cleaning up parks.
Providing volunteer grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
AT&T’s volunteers contributed 385,800 hours just in the past year, with employee time valued at $11.6 million.
Verizon
Similar to AT&T, Verizon aims to reach 2.5 million volunteer hours by 2025. The company’s volunteer program focuses on three specific areas:
Digital inclusion by tutoring students online to assisting older adults with technology.
Climate protection by cleaning up rivers to participating in environmental research.
Human prosperity by writing letters to veterans and supporting students with developing career goals.
So far, Verizon has engaged over 95,000 volunteers in over 1.6 million volunteer hours. To invest in its focus areas, the company has partnered with over 39 nonprofits, including the Trevor Project and the American Red Cross.
Salesforce
To facilitate volunteering among employees, Salesforce created a Pro Bono Program called the Impact Exchange, which pairs its skilled volunteers with nonprofit Salesforce customers needing assistance with a particular project. Additionally, the company allows employees to assist schools by leading volunteer programs to support teachers and students.
To provide employees with the freedom and flexibility to contribute to the causes that matter most to them, Salesforce also provides them with seven paid days of VTO every year.
Wrapping Up: Engaging Employees in Making a Difference
Corporate volunteerism is an effective way to boost your CSR program and nurture thriving, collaborative teams within your company. Remember to measure your progress year after year and regularly collect feedback from your employees. Doing so allows you to refine your program for increased participation and greater future results.
For more tips and tools on how to improve your company’s CSR initiatives and boost employee engagement, consider these additional resources:
When the Danaher Corporation team sought new and innovative ways to give back to its community and increasingly engage its workforce in philanthropy, the company settled on a one-off matching gift initiative. After establishing the program, Danaher employees were invited to support LLS through an upcoming fundraising event, Light the Night. With an employee count of over 70,000, the company got on board to give back to their communities in a substantial way.
