Corporate Philanthropy

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

Corporate philanthropy refers to the actions a company takes and the investments it makes to support nonprofits. Also known as “corporate philanthropy,” corporate giving includes all of the ways in which companies create positive social impact through generous financial donations, employee time, or their products and services. Common types of corporate giving programs include matching gifts, volunteerism, and in-kind donations.

Why Does Corporate Giving Exist?

Corporate giving provides nonprofits with the monetary and moral support they need to thrive. Whether they need financial support, in-kind services, or extra volunteers, companies can swoop in to fill the gaps.

Nonprofits aren’t the only ones who can benefit, though. Companies can position their organizations as desirable places to work by creating a culture where employees feel supported. Employees and customers alike are always on the lookout for philanthropic companies. Nonprofits Source’s online giving statistics page shows that:

71% of employees indicate that it’s very important to work at a company that partakes in philanthropy.
87% of human resource executives believe their employees expect their companies to support causes and issues that matter to those employees.
88% of millennials find their job more fulfilling when they have opportunities to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
Approximately two-thirds of young employees won’t take a job at a company with poor corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices.

Matching Gifts

As the most popular type of corporate giving, matching gifts have the power to multiply donations at no extra cost to donors. A business that offers this type of corporate giving will match the donations their employees make to charity, most often at a dollar-for-dollar rate.

So, if someone donates $100 to a nonprofit, their company might match that donation and send an additional $100, totaling $200.

Here’s how the process works:

An individual donates to a nonprofit.
The donor researches their eligibility for their employer’s program using a matching gift database.
If eligible, they visit their company’s giving portal or use the form the matching gift database provides them.
After receiving the request, the employer confirms the initial donation with the nonprofit.
If everything’s in order, the company will send a check to the nonprofit.

As of February 2023, Nature Bloomers is recognized on Benevity and GuideStar for matching gifts.

Volunteer Support

Corporate volunteering simplifies volunteer recruitment for nonprofits. It gives nonprofits the hands-on support they need while allowing employees to gain new skills like problem-solving and customer service outside of the workplace. Corporate volunteerism comes in a few different forms, such as:

Dollars for Doers. Also called “volunteer grants,” Dollars for Doers programs require companies to donate to nonprofits where their employees regularly volunteer. When someone puts in a certain number of hours at a nonprofit, the company will typically donate a set amount. For instance, a company might donate $500 once someone spends 25 volunteer hours at a nonprofit within a year.
Team volunteer grants. These are similar to Dollars for Doers programs. The difference is that these require multiple employees to volunteer at a nonprofit together. For example, Stantec offers this type of corporate giving program. When a group of four or more employees accumulates 25 hours at a nonprofit, Stantec will donate $1,000.
Volunteer days. A company might choose a nearby nonprofit and set aside a day for employees to volunteer there together. These are great team-building opportunities!

There are a few other types of corporate giving through volunteering, but these are the most common examples. Some companies even provide volunteer paid time off (VTO), so employees can volunteer at their favorite organizations during the workday without giving up their paychecks.

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