Employer Matching Gifts

What if you could double your donation without spending more? Thanks to corporate matching gift programs, you can do exactly that. As a part of their corporate philanthropy initiatives, many companies match the donations their employees make to nonprofit organizations.

How do matching gift programs work?
Matching gift programs differ from company to company. Typically, the matching gift process looks something like this:

  • A donor gives to a nonprofit (like Bull City Track Club).
  • The donor checks his/her employer’s matching gift database to determine eligibility.
  • Upon confirming eligibility, the donor submits a matching gift request.
  • The employer reviews and verifies the request.
  • The company matches the donation.

We recommend checking with your employer to see whether it provides matching gifts so that you can make your donation go further to support the Club.

Partial List of Triangle-Area Employers with Matching Gifts

Apple

Through its matching gifts program, Apple matches employee donations to most nonprofits dollar for dollar.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $1
Notes: Apple employees can log in to access the company’s giving portal and view all of the complete matching gift guidelines for free. The company also offers a volunteer grant program, donating $25 for every hour an Apple employee volunteers with an organization.

Bank of America

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Matching Gifts program matches employee donations to most verified nonprofits.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $24
Notes: While retired employees cannot participate in the matching gift program, they can request a $500 volunteer grant for every 50 hours volunteered with a nonprofit, for up to $1,000 per year. 

Cisco Systems

Cisco matches employee donations up to $1000 per year to eligible non-profits.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $10
Notes: Cisco matches employee volunteer hours with a $10 donation to the organization for each hour volunteered.. 

Duke Energy

Duke Energy has a matching gift program called 
Dollars4Good that matches employee donations to eligible nonprofits, up to a cap of $2,500 per employee per year.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: Employees must submit their donation requests electronically, and the company matches gifts to most nonprofits, excluding religious organizations for religious purposes, United Way, and gifts that provide a direct benefit to the donor. 

Google

Google matches both personal employee donations made to nonprofits and donations made toward disaster relief or international relief.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $1
Notes: Google offers a volunteer program and contributes $10 for every hour an employee volunteers with a nonprofit. Furthermore, the company matches funds raised by employees who participate in fundraising events such as marathons or bike rides.

Home Depot

The Home Depot matches individual donations and funds raised by employees for charitable purposes, such as a 5K run. 
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: Employees must register their gifts by January 31st of the year following their donation.

Lenovo

Lenovo employees can participate in matching gift programs by donating to eligible non-profit organizations, which the company will match through its “Employees Care Campaign” and the “Love on” platform.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $100
Notes: Employees can submit donation requests through the Lenovo Benevity portal at lenovo.benevity.org. 

Merck & Co.

Through its Partnership for Giving (P4G) program, Merck matches employee donations to organizations that support those in need, promote education, focus on environmental conservation, and more.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: Merck provides a $500 cash contribution to nonprofits that their employees spend at least 40 hours volunteering with each year.

Microsoft

Microsoft matches employee donations to most nonprofits, including educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, and more.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $1
Notes: Employees can also request a $25 grant for every hour they volunteer with an organization.

Pfizer

Pfizer matches employee donations to recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: In addition to matching gifts, the company has a volunteer grant program that can award up to $1,000 each year depending on the number of hours an employee volunteers.  

Red Hat

Red Hat has an employee matching gift program that matches donations to eligible charities up to $750 per person per fiscal year.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: Red Hat offers matching for volunteer hours, combining the two up to a total annual cap of $1,500 for U.S. employees.  

Starbucks

Starbucks matches donations made by current U.S. and Canada-based employees to nearly all nonprofit organizations. 
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: Starbucks employees are also eligible for volunteer grants up to $1,000, depending on the number of hours they serve with a nonprofit..  

Verizon

Verizon, through the Verizon Matching Incentive Program, matches employee donations on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
Match ratio: 1:1
Minimum match amount: $25
Notes: The company matches financial contributions to most nonprofits, as long as they have 501(c)(3) status or an international equivalent.