Taken from the November/December 2014 issue of The Women's Health Activist Newsletter.

Your gifts to the Network can go even further and help us raise more funds when you leverage your donation through matching gift programs. Through these programs, your employer “matches” its employees’ charitable donations to provide even more support. As many as one in ten corporations and educational institutions offer Matching Gift programs for their employees. By taking advantage of this benefit, you can double — or even triple — the value of your contribution!

How does it work? First, find out if your company or school offers a matching gift program by checking with the Human Resources or Payroll Departments or on the organization’s website. If a program is offered, find out the specifics about donation guidelines, eligible charities, and how to sign up for the process. (Companies may have different guidelines for employees and retirees, spouses, and their survivors.)

Once you’re enrolled, you tell your company that you’d like it to match every donation you make to the Network. Procedures vary, but usually involve just making a personal gift to the Network, then sending our Membership Department the paperwork required by your company to make a match (this form is usually available in hard and/or electronic form). We verify the donation and complete the match form; the company then issues a matching gift contribution to the Network.

Employee matching gift programs are a great way to maximize your personal contributions to the Network and increase your gift’s impact. We are happy to help with this process. If you have questions, please contact Amirah Tyler, Membership Coordinator, at [email protected] or 202.682.2640.