What is an Employee Giving Program? How to Start One to Support Charitable Organizations:

An employee giving program is a structured initiative within a company that encourages employees to donate their time, money, or resources to charitable causes. These programs create a positive company culture by fostering community involvement. By supporting charitable organizations, companies can increase employee engagement, build loyalty, and make a lasting impact on their local and global communities.

In this guide, we’ll break down what an employee giving program is and provide actionable steps to start one so that your team can begin making an impact alongside charitable organizations.

What is an Employee Giving Program?

An employee giving program is a company-sponsored initiative designed to facilitate employee charitable donations. These programs often include financial contributions (like payroll deductions or matching gifts) and volunteer opportunities. They can also provide employees with paid time off to volunteer or organize fundraising events for causes they care about.

Types of Employee Giving Programs:

• Payroll Giving: Employees can donate a portion of their salary directly to a charity, often on an ongoing basis.
• Matching Gifts: The company matches an employee's donation to a registered charity, dollar-for-dollar, up to a certain amount.
• Volunteer Grants: Employees who volunteer with an organization may be eligible for a donation from the company, based on the number of hours volunteered.
• Time Off for Volunteering: Companies provide employees with paid or unpaid time off to volunteer for causes of their choice.

Why You Should Offer an Employee Giving Program

• Increase Employee Engagement: When employees feel their company values making an impact in the lives of others, they’re more likely to be engaged and loyal.
• Enhance Corporate Image: Supporting charitable organizations enhances your company’s reputation and demonstrates a commitment to an impact that goes deeper and wider than just their business.
• Create a Positive Workplace Culture: Employee giving programs help build a sense of community and teamwork within the organization, bringing employees together for a bigger purpose.

How to Start an Employee Giving Program That Supports Charitable Organizations

Starting an employee giving program is easier than you might think. Follow these steps to get your program up and running:

1. Define Your Program's Goals

Before you start an employee giving program, it’s important to identify what you hope to achieve. Consider these possible goals:

• Encouraging employees to contribute to specific charitable causes
• Increasing overall employee participation in giving
• Supporting community-building initiatives through volunteering

Clearly defined goals will provide direction for your program and help you and your employees measure and feel a sense of success.

2. Choose the Type of Giving Program Your Business is Focused on Supporting

There are several ways to structure your employee giving program. You can tailor it to your unique team and desires of your employees as well as the resources of your organization. Here are a few options:

• Payroll Giving: Employees can opt to donate a portion of their salary directly to a charity. This is convenient for employees, as the contributions are automatically deducted.
• Corporate Matching Gifts: For every dollar an employee donates to a charitable organization, your company matches the donation. This motivates employees to give more and boosts the impact of their donations.
• Volunteer Grants: Offer employees a donation to the selected charity in exchange for their commitment to volunteer a set number of hours. For example, a company might donate $10 per volunteer hour worked.
• Paid Time Off for Volunteering: Give employees a certain number of hours or days off per year to volunteer at a charity of their choice. This provides employees with time to contribute to causes that matter to them and give them a sense of fulfilment outside of the workplace.

3. Select Your Charitable Organization to Support

Deciding which charitable organizations your program will support is a critical part of the process. You can either choose specific organizations that align with your company’s values or allow employees to choose their own causes. Some options include:

• Allowing Employee Choice: Let employees select their own charity or cause. This is especially effective if your team is passionate about different social issues.
• Partnering with Local or Global Charities: Choose one or more well-established charities that align with your company’s mission. You could partner with organizations focused on education, health, the environment, or other causes.
• Vet Charities: It’s important to vet the charities your company partners with. Look for transparency, financial reporting of dollars spent, and impact to ensure the organization is credible and effective.

4. Set Up a Simple and Accessible Giving Platform

Make it easy for employees to participate in the program by setting up a user-friendly platform. This can be a simple online portal or an app where employees can:

• Choose and donate to charities
• Track their donations and volunteering hours
• Set up recurring donations
• Participate in company fundraising events

Consider using third-party giving platforms such as Benevity, Charity Navigator, or YourCause to simplify the process.

5. Promote the Program Internally

Once your program is ready, you’re ready to bring it to your employees! Here are some ways to spread the word:

• Kickoff Email or Event: Send an email announcing the program and its benefits. You can also host a virtual or in-person event to introduce the program and encourage sign-ups.
• Regular Updates: Share program updates through internal communications like newsletters, intranet posts, or team meetings. Highlight the total donations, volunteer hours, and the impact of employees’ efforts.
• Incentives and Recognition: Recognize employees who participate in the program through shout-outs, awards, or company-wide recognition. Offer incentives like a company-wide volunteer day, gift cards, or additional paid time off!

6. Offer Volunteer Opportunities

In addition to financial contributions, encourage employees to volunteer their time. Some ways to do this include:

• Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Offer employees paid time off to volunteer. This could be a set number of hours or days each year.
• Company-Sponsored Volunteer Events: Organize team volunteer days where employees can work together on a charity project or event.
• Employee Volunteering Incentives: Create friendly competition by offering rewards for employees who log the most volunteer hours or who participate in the most charitable events.

7. Measure and Track Success

It’s important to monitor the success of your employee giving program and make adjustments as needed. Track the following:

• Total Funds Raised: How much money has been donated through payroll deductions, matches, and other sources?
• Employee Participation Rate: What percentage of your employees are actively involved in the program?
• Impact: How much impact has your company’s giving had on charitable organizations and the community? This could include the number of volunteer hours donated, funds raised, or the number of causes supported.

8. Celebrate and Build a Culture of Giving

Once you’ve started your employee giving program, it’s essential to celebrate its success and continue fostering a culture of philanthropy. Regularly highlight the impact of your program, thank employees for their contributions, and share stories about how their efforts have made a difference in the community.

Create an ongoing culture of giving by making philanthropy a key part of your company's identity. Encourage employees to get involved and show them that their efforts matter.

An employee giving program is a powerful tool for businesses that want to support charitable organizations and create a positive, engaged workforce. By providing employees with opportunities to give back—whether through financial donations, volunteer work, or other efforts— improve employee morale, and contribute to causes that matter.

By following these steps, you can successfully launch an employee-giving program that supports charitable organizations and helps create lasting change in your community.

Consider Set Free:

Set Free is on a mission to rescue children from slavery, provide clean water, host medical clinics, and plant churches. Set Free works with in-country partners to accomplish these goals. By choosing Set Free as your employee giving program, your employees are guaranteed to make a tangible impact in the lives of others across India and West Africa.

Learn more about what we do →

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