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Grants, Product Donations, and More: Companies That Donate to Nonprofits

Learn about the philanthropy and community giving programs of brands you love, plus helpful links to over 100 companies that donate to nonprofits.

With a vast number of resources and programs for nonprofits, it can be a challenge to navigate all the types of available funding for your nonprofit. Your search for answers ends here - here’s our comprehensive guide to companies that donate to nonprofits, with whether you’re seeking monetary or in-kind donations.

In this blog post, we’ll explain different types of philanthropic programs, and provide some examples of companies that donate to nonprofits within each category.

In-Kind Donations

In-kind donations are essential for raffle or auction events. These donations can include food, beverages, gift cards, concert or performance tickets, or products like jewelry, clothing, appliances, and more. The possibilities are endless, if you know where to look!

Here’s 5 companies that donate to nonprofits to get started. They donate in all states, and offer an easy online application process:

Or, check out these curated lists of companies that donate to nonprofits:

If you’re in search of even more in-kind donations, check out our free online directory to discover over 1,500 companies that donate to nonprofits. On average, our directory helps nonprofits to secure $2,200 in product value per event.

Grants

Grants are monetary donations to nonprofits, usually offered to support specific programming, a capital project, or to sustain general operations. Many grants come from charitable foundations or state and federal agencies. Applying for grants may require your nonprofit to submit a proposal as well as financial documents like a budget, Form 990, and audited financial statements.

The grant application process can sometimes be lengthy and competitive; however, there is valuable funding available if you align closely with a funder’s priorities.

Here’s 5 companies that donate to nonprofits through grants:

If you’re in search of grants, don't miss our free online directory that features thousands of grant opportunities.

Sponsorships

Companies that donate product or cash to nonprofits may ask to be acknowledged as an event sponsor. With this style of philanthropic giving, the company will request that your nonprofit publicly recognize their support on flyers, your website, or other event materials.

Here’s 5 companies that donate to nonprofits through a sponsorship program:

Fundraising Events

Often hosted by restaurants, some companies give back by hosting a fundraising day. A portion of the day’s sales will be donated to your nonprofit. This type of fundraising is ideal if you have the resources to promote your fundraising day to the community, but don’t want to spend too much time planning and organizing an event.

Local businesses make great partners for these types of events. Other companies that donate to nonprofits through these fundraising programs include:

Shop-For-Good Programs

Customers guide the giving strategy in these types of programs. Larger corporations are more likely to organize these programs; an example is Target Circle Community Giving, where customers cast votes to nominate a local nonprofit for a grant. Walmart’s Spark Good program operates on a similar premise, with customers deciding on who receives funding by rounding up their purchases or by donating items on a nonprofit’s wishlist.

Matching Gifts

Matching gifts refers to when an employee’s monetary donation to a nonprofit is paired or “matched” with another monetary donation from their company of equal or greater value. In other words, matching gift programs are an efficient strategy to secure two donations at once!

Corporate Volunteer Grant Programs

Corporate volunteer programs have a similar structure to matching gifts; in this philanthropic program, companies will provide funding if their employees volunteer for your nonprofit. Many programs will donate a set amount based on the number of volunteer hours their employees contribute.

Double the Donation have put together a list of top companies that donate to nonprofits through a matching gifts program or volunteer grants program. The matching gifts list includes companies like Bank of America, Google, General Mills, and Best Buy. The volunteer grants list includes companies like Chevron, Disney, Starbucks, CVS Health, and more.

How do you ask for donations for a nonprofit organization?

This mostly depends on what type of donation you’re looking for. Grant, in-kind, and sponsorship requests might require that you submit an online or paper application. You might have to reach out to a local business to host a fundraiser, and make connections with large corporations to be included in volunteer grant or matching gifts programs. No matter what type of philanthropic program you’re interested in, you’ll always benefit from having a clear mission statement; it’s important to pitch your purpose to potential charitable donors or partners so that they’re eager to support your organization!

Final Thoughts

Companies give back to nonprofits in a variety of ways, whether through direct donations or assisting with fundraising. Familiarizing yourself with these different types of corporate philanthropy—at a local level or from national businesses—is an important part of securing sustainable funding for your nonprofit. Choose the types of partnerships that work best for you and your organization and start customizing your fundraising strategy!

Cover Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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