Communicating the Value & Impact of Workplace Giving Programs

If your organization is looking to up your fundraising efforts in 2022 and beyond, optimizing your use of workplace giving is a fantastic way to go. To do so, making the most of these corporate offerings is necessary.

In this guide, we will share tips and tricks for increasing participation in workplace giving programs by covering the following topics:

• What is workplace giving?
• Communicating workplace giving value
• Understanding who benefits from workplace giving
• Providing donors with ample resources on workplace giving
• Sharing the impact of workplace giving on donors
• Showing appreciation for workplace giving participation

Nonprofits can increase their fundraising results by leveraging the additional support that is available through organized workplace giving programs. When you inform donors about these opportunities and encourage them to participate, you can begin collecting more for your mission in no time.

If you’re looking to better understand and communicate the basics of corporate philanthropy and why workplace giving matters to donors, let’s jump right in!

What is workplace giving?

Workplace giving initiatives are a unique form of corporate philanthropy in which the companies offering the programs provide their employees with a hands-on role.

Here are a few of the most common examples of workplace giving programs to note:

• Matching gifts
• Volunteer grants
• Donation stipends
• Annual giving campaigns
• Paycheck deductions

In many cases, a corporate employee will support a nonprofit on their own (such as with volunteer grants and gift matching), followed by the company providing their own financial contributions to the organization as a result. In other scenarios, employees choose to participate in giving initiatives organized and promoted by their employing companies, while the funding involved comes directly from employees’ generous wallets.

Tens of thousands of companies across the globe offer some form of these workplace giving programs. However, matching gifts and volunteer grants are likely the two types you’ll see most often in your corporate fundraising efforts.

Communicating workplace giving value

One of the best ways to ensure your donors are highly engaged with their workplace giving initiatives is by communicating the value of these programs early and often. Follow these four best practices to ensure your team is able to do so!

Understand who benefits from workplace giving

Before you can explain to others who benefits from workplace giving opportunities, it helps to first comprehend the programs and their advantages fully yourself.

To better illustrate this idea, let’s discuss the three main beneficiaries of matching gift initiatives and how they are impacted by the programs:

• Donors: Donors get the benefit of seeing their nonprofit contributions stretched farther for charitable causes that they care about⁠—whether through donation matches, volunteer hour grants, or another workplace giving program.
  
  
• Nonprofits: Nonprofit organizations receive additional charitable funding that they may not have had access to without workplace giving initiatives at play. Participation in these programs also leads organizations to see greater levels of donor engagement and retention as well as ongoing corporate partnerships.
• Corporations: Companies organizing workplace giving programs often see increased levels of employee engagement, improved reputation among consumers, and the ability to make a positive impact on the world⁠—not to mention the tax incentives!

We like to refer to workplace giving as a win-win-win situation because each party greatly benefits from their participation. Though donors may be particularly drawn in due to the most direct advantages to themselves, understanding and communicating why these programs matter to the companies and nonprofit causes involved is critical as well.

Provide donors with ample resources on workplace giving

Since workplace giving is likely a new concept for many supporters, ensuring this group has easy access to a range of informational materials is essential. Once they have a solid understanding of what these initiatives are (such as matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more), they’ll be more open to the value of the opportunities.

• Create a dedicated workplace giving page on your nonprofit website. This online hub should include ample information about the importance of workplace giving, the benefits to donors who participate, and explain how to find out more. If your organization has access to a matching gift database (by partnering with a matching gift software provider), make sure to embed that tool directly into your matching gift web page along with any online giving forms as well.
• Share social media posts that inform donors about workplace giving programs. Perhaps you have a decently sized following on your favorite social media sites—such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Those can be fantastic platforms for informing your nonprofit’s existing supporters about workplace giving opportunities. Then, be sure to link to your aforementioned workplace giving web page to provide even more educational resources!
• Enlist personalized emails with targeted information on workplace giving opportunities. For donors whose employment information you have on file, one of the most effective ways to drive workplace giving participation is by equipping them with company-specific details, guidelines, and instructions for getting involved. Consider sending targeted communications directly to their email inbox to learn more about the programs offered by their specific employer.

We recommend utilizing a combination of the above strategies. The more familiar your donors become with the available workplace giving programs in place, the more likely they are to participate when applicable!

Share the impact of workplace giving on donors

Participating in workplace giving helps nonprofit supporters improve their donor journey with an organization they care about. At the same time, they also help employees feel more connected to the companies they work for.

These are a few specific benefits to highlight in your communications surrounding employee giving initiatives. Workplace giving programs provide donors with:

• An easy way to give
• The ability to support reputable organizations
• Increased nonprofit impact
• Participation in CSR initiatives

Highlighting these key donor advantages and more enables organizations to better engage with their donors while securing additional individual and corporate support. When donors clearly understand who exactly benefits from the offerings, they’ll be significantly more eager to get involved.

Show appreciation for workplace giving participation

Showing appreciation for any donor is essential. Here are two examples of what your team can do to emphasize your gratitude for workplace giving donors:

• Thank your donors at multiple points throughout the workplace giving process. Keep in touch with donors as they go through the workplace giving process, being sure to show your thanks at every step along the way. If they participate in a matching gift program, for example, ensure you thank them upon receiving their initial donation, once they indicate that they requested a company match, and after receiving the matching gift from their employer.
• Communicate the increased impact that workplace giving participation brings. Nonprofit supporters love participating in programs such as matching gifts and volunteer grants because these initiatives enable their initial gifts (whether of time or money) to be stretched significantly further. Be sure to highlight this fact in your communications with these individuals. If their initial donation had provided ten impoverished families with nutritious meals, emphasize that after receiving their employer’s match, you were able to feed twenty families!

When a supporter takes part in a workplace giving initiative, communicating your gratitude is of even greater importance. After all, their participation and engagement are what allowed your organization to leverage additional corporate dollars and better pursue your fundraising goals.

The better your donors understand workplace giving and its importance to nonprofit fundraising, the more likely they are to participate—and as a result, the more funding that goes toward your cause.

Get started by ensuring your team first understands the value of these programs. Then, work to provide donors with educational resources, highlight increased mission impact, and show above and beyond appreciation to supporters who participate. Good luck!

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