Top 7 most generous companies that match donations

A popular way for companies to give back to local community organizations and nonprofits, corporate donation matching allows eligible donors to have their charitable contributions doubled, or even tripled, by their employer.

More than 26 million people work for corporations that offer donation matching programs (including two-thirds of the Fortune 500), but only a few nonprofits take advantage of this incredible fundraising opportunity. 

In this article, we’ll cover the top seven most generous donation matching companies that every nonprofit—and their donors—should know about, including all the key details for how to participate.

How do you know if a company matches donations?

If you're starting an employee matching gift program for your nonprofit, knowing which companies already match donations is a great first step. Sometimes, the answer takes a little digging—whether through employee benefits materials you can find on a company's website or by reaching out directly to their HR or community outreach department.

One way to save yourself hours of scrolling through corporate policies for company matching information is through Givebutter's integration with Double Donation, which enables your supporters to find matching opportunities with their employer right from your donation forms and fundraising pages. The software also offers custom automated emails for following up with supporters who qualify.

It's also helpful to know the criteria a company has for their matching program, which ideally includes the following:

• Low minimums: The lowest dollar amount an employee can donate to be eligible for matching. This allow donors of all levels to contribute and have their donations matched.
• High maximums: The highest dollar amount the company will match. Higher thresholds mean donors can make an even bigger impact for the causes they care about.
• Generous ratios: 1-to-1 matching ratios are most common for corporate giving. But some companies offer 2-to-1 or even 3-to-1 ratios, which can help your organization bring in even more critical funds.

More to explore

Set up a successful matching gift program with these 4 steps →

Top 7 most generous companies that match donations 

Companies of all sizes match donations for their employees, but some really stand out for their corporate philanthropy. We've found some of the biggest employers that are also the most generous with their matching, offering low minimum donations, high maximum amounts, wide eligibility, and lucrative ratios.

These seven companies employ a LOT of people, which means a whole lot of potential donors (and doubled or even tripled donations) for your cause.

1. Coca-Cola 🥤 

This corporate matching company has us feeling bubbly. Nonprofits like educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental groups, and a host of other charities are eligible for Coca-Cola’s sweet 2:1 match ratio.

💸 Minimum match amount: $25

💰 Maximum match amount: $20,000

🏆 Match ratio: 2-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time and retired employees

📅 Important info: Coca-Cola employees need to complete and return their gift requests by February 28, following the year in which the gift is made.

2. The Walt Disney Corporation 🎢

Now there’s even more to love about Disney. This matching gift company offers some pretty magical minimums and maximums for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, making their program accessible and generous. 

💸 Minimum match amount: $25

💰Maximum match amount: $25,000

🏆 Match ratio: 1-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time and part-time employees

📅 Important info: To submit a request to process their matching donation, employees must register their donations online and then email the matching gift certificate with the accompanying “gift ID” to the nonprofit.

3. Microsoft 💻 

Microsoft is a massive corporation with some pretty philanthropic interests. In 2022 alone, the organization donated $225 million to over 32,000 nonprofits. Plus, the company offers matching for volunteer time at $25 per hour. Talk about giving! 👏

💸 Minimum match amount: $1

💰Maximum match amount: $15,000

🏆 Match ratio: 1-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time and part-time employees

📅 Important info: Deadlines are flexible. Donors can submit match requests for donations made at any point in the previous 12 months. In order to access Microsoft’s giving program, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and international equivalent organizations must register with Benevity, their giving service provider.

4. Soros Fund Management LLC 💵

For organizations looking for some pretty impressive maximums to make the most of their donations, Soros fits the bill. With a maximum match amount of $100,000 and a pretty affordable minimum of $25, contributors to this matching gift program can make some serious impact.

Plus, Soros offers company matching to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations—whether your organization is educational, arts and culture related, or environmental.

💸 Minimum match amount: $25

💰Maximum match amount: $100,000

🏆 Match ratio: 2-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time employees

📅 Important info: Requests for matching funds must be made within one year of the donation.

5. Johnson and Johnson 🩹 

In the corporate matching world, Johnson and Johnson is another name that stands out. Low, affordable minimums and amazingly high maximums (plus a great ratio) make them a great addition to your list of companies that match donations. 

💸 Minimum match amount: $25

💰Maximum match amount: $20,000

🏆 Match ratio: 2-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time, part-time, and retired employees, but matching gifts differ based on employee status. For current employees, J&J donates $2 for every $1. For retired employees, the company donates $1 for every $1 (with a maximum $10,000 company contribution).

📅 Important info: Employees have up to 12 months from the donation date to submit matching gift requests.

6. Chevron Corporation 🚗

As part of Chevron’s dedication to giving back, their corporate matching gift program happens under their Chevron Humankind program. Not only does this program offer some great options for corporate matching, but they also offer volunteer matching: For every 20 hours of volunteer time served at a single nonprofit, an employee may apply for a $500 grant. 

💸 Minimum match amount: $20

💰Maximum match amount: $10,000

🏆 Match ratio: 1-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full-time and retired employees. Like Johnson and Johnson, Chevron has different criteria for retirees than its full-time employees when it comes to company matching. Current employees can request up to $10,000 in matching donations annually while retirees can request up to $3,000.

📅 Important info: Donors have until January 31st of the year following the donation date to submit match requests

7. Merck & Co. 💊

Merck & Co’s Partnership for Giving offers a generous chance for their employees to give to charity through payroll deduction or direct giving. Though most all nonprofits are eligible for the program, Merck & Co. only offers company matching to those based in the US and Puerto Rico.

💸 Minimum match amount: $24

💰Maximum match amount: $30,000

🏆 Match ratio: 1-to-1

👥 Who's eligible: Full and part-time employees

📅 Important info: Employees must submit their match requests within 180 days of the date of the donation.

How do you ask a company to match donations?

Asking a company to match donations or participate in other forms of corporate sponsorship can feel a little intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. As enticing as the big names in this article may be, you will likely have more success if you start your outreach with local businesses. To really nail your ask, get in touch with the most relevant contact and be specific and persuasive about your request. Companies will be more inclined to help out if you include all of the pertinent details about your program, especially what kind of impact their matching donations will have.

Direct outreach to companies is also great opportunity to take this form of corporate philanthropy beyond the more passive form of individual employee matching and leverage their generosity to engage your entire base of supporters, not just their employees:

‍Givebutter's free matching gifts feature enables nonprofits to showcase a matching individual or corporate sponsor on any fundraising page or donation form. You and your sponsor determine maximum amount or timeframe, and when you enable the match, every donation that comes in is automatically doubled on your campaign progress bar and supporter feed. Donors can immediately see the impact of their contribution as it gets doubled (or tripled or quadrupled!), and your sponsor gets the recognition and thanks right there on your campaign page.

‍Company matching made easy

Nonprofits miss out on billions of dollars in matching gifts every year. That’s a whole lot of money! 😅

Thankfully, it's easier than ever to find companies that match donations and reclaim some major giving opportunities for your nonprofit. With Givebutter's all-in-one fundraising platform, you can integrate the entire donation matching process right into your fundraising forms, campaign pages, and donation process.

Ready to make the most out of matching gifts? Create your free Givebutter account today to get started.