Employee matching gift programs are corporate giving programs.

Here's an example: Let's say you work for General Electric and donate $100 to the Serra Center. General Electric's matching gift policy has a minimum gift requirement of $25 and matches at a 1:1 ratio. After you submit your matching gift form, GE will double your donation by also writing a check for $100.

Gifts from employees' spouses and retirees may also qualify for a match.

Requesting a matching gift is normally a five minute process which must be initiated by the donor. You can do this by filling out and submitting a paper form provided by your employer or through an electronic submission process.

There are typically 3 steps:

Donate: Make your personal donation and save your tax receipt. Many matching programs will allow for up to one year after you've made your donation to request a corporate match.

Search: Using the Double the Donation search, find out if your company offers a matching gift program and review the guidelines. No results? Contact your HR department directly to ask if they offer a matching gift program.

Match: There are two common ways to submit the matching gift request:

Click on your company's intranet link provided in the search results. Log-in and submit your request electronically.

Download your company's matching gift verification form using the link provided in the search results. Print it, fill it out and send it to us.

We will take care of the rest!

Yes! It's not too late to apply for a matching gift! Many companies allow employees to submit match requests for 1 year following the date of the donation.

Volunteer grant programs (also referred to as volunteer matching programs or Dollars for Doer's) are corporate giving programs in which companies provide monetary donations to organizations where employees volunteer regularly.

For example: If you volunteered your time at the center, your employer may donate cash for your volunteer time.

Each company has specific guidelines for their volunteer grant programs — using the Double the Donation search, see if your company offers this benefit and find everything you need to submit your volunteer time. You can always contact your company's HR department for more information.

If you volunteer with us, it's an easy way to provide us with additional financial support!

It's still possible that your employer will match your donation, even if you don't find your company on our list. Check with your company's HR manager and ask if your donation can be matched.

We partner with a company called Double the Donation. If you see anything that should be changed, please email Double the Donation's team at data@doublethedonation.com.

For questions regarding your company's program policies, please contact your employer's HR department. Much of the necessary information is also available on your company intranet.

For questions regarding obtaining a tax receipt, submitting and verifying a matching gift request or a volunteer grant please contact us at (510) 477-1000