Top 18 Corporate Giving & Philanthropy Statistics [2026]
Corporate giving is a type of philanthropy in which corporations give to nonprofit causes, through both monetary and non-monetary contributions. However, many organizations don’t spend a lot of time pursuing this fundraising channel.
That’s why it’s important to understand the impact that corporate philanthropy and workplace giving can have on nonprofits. Whether a company matches its employees’ donations to a cause or provides a monetary grant for the hours their employees volunteer, their support can make a huge difference.
We’ve compiled some of the top corporate giving statistics to help put this impact in perspective. When organizations actively form relationships with corporations and promote corporate philanthropy opportunities among their donors, their fundraising revenue can skyrocket.
Here are some key statistics below:
Data Source
We collected most of these statistics from the tens of millions of transactions that flow through Double the Donation’s systems each year, as well as from recent corporate philanthropy and fundraising reports such as Giving USA and the Nonprofit Corporate Engagement Report.
1. The top 10 corporations donate over $2 billion annually in cash to nonprofits, and much of this is through employee matching gift programs.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Donors and nonprofits commonly underutilize employee matching gift programs due to a lack of awareness of these opportunities. Many donors don’t know their gifts are eligible for a match from their employer, and nonprofits don’t know whether their donors work for companies with matching gift programs.
That said, the top 10 corporations still donate more than $2 billion to nonprofits each year, which means this number could grow with more matching gift awareness.
Tip: Consider investing in matching gift software to encourage donors to look up their matching gift eligibility as they donate!
2. Corporations gave more than $44.4 billion to nonprofits in 2024.
Source: Giving USA
This statistic represents a 9.1% increase in giving over the previous year (or 6% when adjusted for inflation), indicating that corporate philanthropy is still very much on the rise.
There are many forms of corporate philanthropy that nonprofits and companies alike can leverage. These include:
- Matching gifts. Many companies will match the donations their employees contribute to nonprofits, typically at a 1:1 ratio.
- Volunteer grants. While matching gifts match employee donations, volunteer grants provide funds to nonprofits based on the number of hours employees volunteer.
- Fundraising matches. Businesses that offer fundraising matches will match the funds employees raise for different events and initiatives, such as walkathons and runs.
- Corporate sponsorships. When a company provides monetary support for a nonprofit event or project, that’s considered a corporate sponsorship. In return, nonprofits typically feature their corporate sponsors in event materials to bring them positive publicity.
- Automatic payroll deductions. One of the easiest ways to get employees involved in corporate giving is through automatic payroll deductions. Employees can simply choose how much they’d like to give and which organization they’d like to support on a recurring basis.
Together, these programs generate significant revenue that supports nonprofits and their causes.
3. 93% of companies have a minimum match requirement of less than or equal to $50.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Because most companies have a minimum match amount of less than $50, more donations across the board are eligible for a matching gift. Many companies require a minimum contribution of around $25, which means even smaller donations can be match-eligible across a variety of company programs.
Of course, donors must work for a company that offers a matching program and submit a matching gift request to nonprofits to reap the benefits of low minimum match requirements.
4. 51% of Russell 1000 companies publicly disclose that they offer matching gift programs.
The 1,000 largest publicly held U.S. companies are referred to as the Russell 1000. Of these 1,000 companies, around 51% report offering matching gift programs to employees, with additional programs being offered but not yet publicly disclosed.
Over the last three years, the percentage of Russell 1000 companies disclosing their matching gift programs grew by 11.8%. At the same time, there’s also been a dramatic increase (more than 48%) in the number of companies with unrestricted rather than restricted programs (e.g., matching donations only to higher education). Those offering “restricted” matching programs have decreased by 33% to merely 13.6%. As a result, more nonprofits can earn additional donation revenue from matching gift programs.
5. 91% of companies match donations at a 1:1 ratio.
Source: Double the Donation Data
A 1:1 ratio means a donation is matched dollar for dollar. For example, a $50 employee donation would result in a $50 corporate donation. Meanwhile, 4% of companies match at a lower rate, such as 0.5:1, while 5% match at a higher rate, such as 2:1 or 3:1. That means donations could be tripled, or even quadrupled!
Companies typically outline their donation match rates in their corporate giving policies so employees and nonprofits know exactly how their matching gift programs work.
6. 78% of donors are unaware of whether their company offers a matching gift program and the program specifics.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Despite so many companies offering generous matching gift programs, the majority of donors still don’t know whether their employers have programs of their own. As a result, about $4-$7 billion in matching gift funds go unclaimed each year.
If donors are unaware of matching gift opportunities, how can they maximize their contributions? While businesses have a responsibility to promote their own programs, nonprofits can also take an active role in spreading awareness.
Dedicated matching gift software with a database tool can help donors determine their eligibility by directly searching for their employer. When you embed this tool on your donation page, donors can learn about and pursue matching gift opportunities right after donating. Check out this video to see exactly how matching gift software works:
To simplify the process, you’ll want to leverage a platform with complete automation functionality. For example, Double the Donation Matching’s groundbreaking auto-submission feature allows donors to authorize the platform to auto-submit requests to their employers by simply entering their corporate email address from the confirmation screen!
7. Mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount.
Source: Tech Soup
Not only can learning about matching gifts help donors leverage more of these opportunities, but it can also inspire people to give. More people will be inclined to donate when they hear about matching gift opportunities in fundraising appeals, knowing that their donations will have a bigger impact.
Furthermore, when donors are eligible for matching gifts and are informed of these opportunities, they contribute larger gifts to their favorite nonprofits. Why? Because the more they donate, the more these organizations will get in matching gift revenue.
Tip: If you’re stuck on how to successfully incorporate matching gifts into your fundraising appeals and marketing strategies, check out Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy for helpful matching gift marketing tips.
8. 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Just as many people overlook matching gift programs, many nonprofits and volunteers don’t take full advantage of volunteer grant programs. However, many companies award monetary grants to organizations where their employees regularly volunteer. In fact, 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer these programs, along with many other corporations.
That’s why raising awareness around these programs is so important. The chances that some of your volunteers are eligible for a volunteer grant are high, but they must know to check their eligibility and fill out a volunteer grant request to begin the process.
Tip: Matching gift software can also provide helpful information about corporate volunteer grants. Consider investing in this type of tool so you can identify which of your volunteers are eligible and help them find the information they need to submit a grant request.
9. 80% of companies with volunteer grant programs provide between $8-$15 per hour volunteered.
Source: Double the Donation Data
More than three-quarters of companies that offer volunteer grant programs will pay a nonprofit between $8 and $15 per hour for each employee volunteer hour.
However, it’s important to understand the other guidelines and thresholds surrounding volunteer grants, too. Sometimes there’s a minimum number of hours required before the organization can receive a grant. Make sure your volunteers understand their employer’s guidelines so they can meet the threshold and submit all of the necessary information.
10. 85% of the top matching gift companies also offer volunteer grant programs.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Matching gift programs and volunteer grant programs are two of the most common forms of corporate philanthropy. In fact, 85% of the top matching gift companies also offer volunteer grants.
These programs also take a few other forms. For example, fundraising matches are another type of matching gift program, but these are tied to a fundraising event. Essentially, a participant’s employer will match the money they raise through sponsorships or other donations, such as for a walk or bikeathon.
11. Higher matching gift caps yield higher employee engagement.
Source: Double the Donation Data
The higher the maximum donation amounts for matching gifts, the more employees will engage with the matching gift program. For example, maximums set at $1,000 have a 12% employee engagement rate, while those between $1,001 and $10,000 have an 18% engagement rate. Finally, any amount beyond $10,000 results in an engagement rate of up to 40%.
Companies seeking to increase engagement with their corporate giving programs should experiment by raising the maximum donation amounts for matching gifts. While smaller businesses may not be able to afford this change, corporations can significantly enhance employee engagement and provide more support to nonprofits by adjusting their matching gift policies.
12. 96% of employees strongly prefer that their company matches donations made directly to a nonprofit, rather than only matching donations through a workplace giving platform.
Source: Double the Donation Data
Companies offering matching gift programs can match gifts made directly to an organization or solely match donations processed through their CSR platform. Nearly all donors have a strong or very strong preference for more giving options.
Donors want the flexibility to have their donations matched, whether they’re made directly to the nonprofit or through workplace giving software. Research shows that companies offering multiple ways to participate in matching gifts see significantly higher employee participation!
13. General Electric matches nearly $22.5 million in employee donations in a single year.
Source: The GE Foundation
Companies like General Electric have made a huge impact through their corporate giving programs. The number of gifts GE matched in a single year (to a wide variety of organizations and missions, no less) underscores how important matching gift programs are for nonprofits and how essential it is to identify donors who work for companies like theirs.
The company is also known for launching the world’s first-ever matching gift program in 1954. While the program was initially geared toward universities, it has since expanded to encompass nearly all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. And they’ve continued to pave the way for companies of all shapes, sizes, and sectors to join suit in matching employee gifts!
14. Microsoft is one of the largest contributors of matching gift and volunteer grant funds.
Source: Microsoft Corporate Responsibility
Additionally, they boast the highest program participation rate, with 65% of employees partaking in their annual giving campaign. In the last year alone, Microsoft employees donated $255.6 million to nonprofits, including the company’s matching contributions.
Not to mention, Microsoft employees volunteered more than 790,000 hours with nonprofits through the company’s volunteer grant program.
15. 100% of the leading P2P-based nonprofits incorporate matching gifts in their overall fundraising strategies.
Source: Top Nonprofits’ Matching Gift Research Report
Though the extent of their promotional strategies varies, it’s inspiring to note that each of the organizations on the P2P Top 30 list incorporated some form of matching-gift marketing in their overall fundraising initiatives.
Key components of a multi-channel matching gift plan, according to the study, included a dedicated matching gift web page on the organization’s site or event page, mentions within the online donation form and confirmation screens, and post-donation outreach!
16. 94% of major US corporations plan to heighten or maintain their charitable giving in the next few years.
Source: Survey by The Conference Board ESG Center
Corporate giving isn’t going anywhere. Nonprofits will be happy to hear that the majority of major U.S. corporations plan to maintain or expand their corporate giving programs over the next couple of years. As a result, there will be increasingly more opportunities for charitable organizations to partner with companies and benefit from their philanthropic initiatives.
Being proactive about corporate giving is key. Nonprofits should research the top corporate giving companies and track relevant opportunities to engage with or apply for.
17. Individuals still represent the largest share of total giving, but corporate giving is growing at a faster rate.
Source: National Philanthropic Trust’s Charitable Giving Statistics
This acceleration is largely fueled by strong corporate earnings, which provide companies with more capital to allocate to philanthropic initiatives. Additionally, the rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aligned initiatives has integrated giving into core business strategies, transforming corporate philanthropy into a more permanent and rapidly expanding fixture of the giving landscape.
18. 70% of nonprofits say limited staff capacity and low program awareness are the biggest barriers to corporate giving.
Source: Double the Donation’s Nonprofit Corporate Engagement Report
A recent survey of 5,000+ nonprofits and schools revealed what organizations find to be the biggest barriers to corporate giving success: limited staff capacity (35.1%) and low awareness of program eligibility among donors (34.5%).
Many organizations operate with lean teams where fundraisers and volunteer managers are already stretched thin. As a result, staff often prioritize immediate, traditional appeals because they believe managing workplace giving requires a significant time investment they don’t have.
Tip: Automated workplace giving systems can reduce the need for manual staff time and effort, allowing organizations to grow their corporate revenue without overwhelming their teams. Plus, it makes it easy to identify and follow up with qualifying supporters so you can increase program knowledge without lifting a finger!
Additional Corporate Giving & Philanthropy Resources
Hopefully, these corporate philanthropy statistics have put things in perspective for your organization! When you understand the importance and impact of corporate giving programs, your team can dig deeper into how to leverage these channels to raise even more.
If you’re looking for additional information about corporate philanthropy, check out these resources below:
- 19 Matching Gift Statistics Every Nonprofit Should Know. These are the top matching gift statistics that will help your organization understand why you should pursue this fundraising channel.
- How to Unlock More Social Impact With Corporate Philanthropy. Looking to learn more about corporate philanthropy and how to build relationships with companies? Check out our comprehensive guide.
- Top 45+ Matching Gift Companies: Find Your Match. These are some of the top matching gift companies in the world. Do your donors work for one?
