In the nonprofit sector, time is a resource just as precious as capital. Your volunteers dedicate countless hours to your mission, from tutoring students and walking shelter dogs to serving on your board of directors. You value their time immensely, but did you know that their employers might value it financially as well? This is the power of volunteer grants, a form of corporate philanthropy where companies provide monetary donations to organizations where their employees volunteer.

However, accessing this “free money” is not always straightforward. The key to unlocking these funds lies in understanding volunteer grant reporting and, more importantly, volunteer grant eligibility. Just as every donor has a different capacity to give, every corporation has a unique set of guidelines determining who can request a grant, which nonprofits qualify to receive it, and how many hours are required to trigger a donation.

Navigating these rules can feel complex, but the payoff is substantial. By understanding the nuances of eligibility, your organization can identify hidden revenue streams within your existing volunteer base.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Let’s dive in and explore how you can turn volunteer hours into essential funding for your mission.

What Are Volunteer Grants?

Volunteer grants, often known as “Dollars for Doers,” are corporate giving programs designed to encourage volunteerism in communities where employees live and work.

Companies set up these programs to monetize the time their employees spend volunteering. For example, a corporation might donate $20 for every hour an employee volunteers with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. While the concept is simple, the impact is profound. These grants essentially provide “free money” for nonprofits and schools, allowing organizations to drastically increase the ROI of their volunteer programs.

Despite this, a significant amount of funding goes unclaimed. The average employee participation level for volunteer grants sits at just 3%. This is often because volunteers are unaware that these programs exist or assume they do not meet the volunteer grant eligibility requirements.

The Difference Between Volunteer Grants and Matching Gifts

It is important to distinguish these grants from matching gifts.

  • Matching Gifts: A company matches a monetary donation made by an employee.
  • Volunteer Grants: A company makes a monetary donation based on time volunteered by an employee.

Both are invaluable, but they have different eligibility triggers.

Did You Know?

80% of companies with volunteer grant programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour volunteered with a nonprofit. This means a single volunteer engaging in a regular weekly shift could generate thousands of dollars annually for your organization.

Employee Eligibility: Who Can Submit a Request?

The first hurdle in determining volunteer grant eligibility is the employment status of the volunteer. Corporations establish strict guidelines regarding which members of their workforce are eligible to participate in their philanthropy programs. While these criteria vary by company, they generally fall into the following categories:

Full-Time Employees

Full-time employees are the most standard category for eligibility. Almost every company with a corporate giving program extends benefits to their full-time staff. If a volunteer works 40 hours a week for a major corporation like Microsoft, Verizon, or ExxonMobil, there is a very high probability they are eligible to request a grant for their service.

Part-Time Employees

Many companies recognize that the modern workforce is flexible. Consequently, a significant number of corporations extend volunteer grant eligibility to part-time employees. However, the specific benefits might differ. For example, some companies might offer a lower grant amount per hour or a lower maximum annual cap for part-time staff compared to full-time staff.

Retirees

This is a massive, often overlooked opportunity. Retirees often have the most time to dedicate to volunteering, and many legacy corporations continue to support their philanthropic efforts long after they have left the workforce.

  • Example: Companies like Boeing match donations from retirees at a 50% rate, and similar logic often applies to their volunteer grant programs.
  • Strategy: Always ask your older volunteers about their previous employers. A retired teacher or engineer might still be eligible to earn funds for your nonprofit through their former employer’s retiree program.

Spouses and Families

Some generous corporations extend eligibility to the spouses or domestic partners of their employees.

  • Example: CarMax matches donations made by an employee’s dependents until they turn 26. While this specific example refers to matching gifts, many corporate responsibility policies mirror these inclusions for volunteer grants.
  • Why it matters: This effectively doubles or triples the potential pool of eligible individuals within a single household.

Group vs. Individual Eligibility

Some companies have different thresholds for individual volunteering versus team volunteering.

  • Individual: An employee volunteers on their own time.
  • Team: A group of employees volunteers together for a specific event (e.g., a Habitat for Humanity build or a charity 5K). Companies often provide special “Team Grants” that are easier to qualify for or offer higher aggregate donation amounts.

Nonprofit Eligibility: Which Organizations Qualify?

Just as companies screen their employees, they also screen the organizations receiving the funds. Not every nonprofit is eligible for every grant. Companies establish these guidelines to ensure their philanthropic dollars align with their corporate values and tax regulations.

501(c)(3) Status

The baseline requirement for almost all U.S.-based volunteer grant eligibility is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Most payroll giving and grant platforms require your organization to be a registered charity or recognized charitable organization in your jurisdiction. If you are a registered public charity, you will qualify for the vast majority of corporate programs.

Educational Institutions

Schools, colleges, and universities are major beneficiaries of corporate giving.

  • K-12 Schools: Many companies have specific programs to support K-12 education. This often includes Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) or specific school clubs.
  • Higher Education: Colleges and universities are almost universally eligible.
  • Data Insight: In the realm of matching gifts, two-thirds of companies match donations to the majority of 501(c)(3) organizations, while the remainder often match to broadly defined categories like higher education or K-12 institutions. This trend holds true for volunteer grants as well.

Religious Organizations

This is a nuanced category. Houses of worship (churches, synagogues, mosques) are often eligible if the specific program being supported serves the broader community and is non-sectarian.

  • Eligible: A soup kitchen or homeless shelter run by a church that is open to the public regardless of faith.
  • Often Ineligible: Programs that are strictly for religious instruction, proselytizing, or restricted to congregation members.

Common Exclusions

While corporate philanthropy is broad, there are standard exclusions. Most companies will not provide volunteer grants to:

  • Political Organizations: Campaigns, PACs, or partisan advocacy groups are almost always ineligible.
  • Sports Teams: Little league teams or recreational clubs often do not qualify unless they have a distinct charitable or educational status.
  • Discriminatory Groups: Companies will not fund organizations that discriminate based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

Quick Tip:

Always check the specific guidelines of the donor’s company. Some companies prioritize specific causes, such as environmental activism or STEM education, and may have dedicated grant pools for nonprofits in those sectors.

Program Requirements: The “Hours” Threshold

Even if the employee and the nonprofit are eligible, the volunteer must meet specific activity requirements to unlock the funds. The most common metric for volunteer grant eligibility is the number of hours served.

Minimum Hour Requirements

Most companies require a volunteer to serve a minimum number of hours within a calendar year before they will issue a check.

  • Low Threshold: Some companies, like Microsoft, have no minimum hour requirement, meaning every hour counts immediately.
  • Medium Threshold: A common benchmark is 15 to 20 hours per year. For example, ExxonMobil provides a $500 grant for every 20 hours an employee volunteers.
  • High Threshold: Some programs require 40 or 50 hours of service, rewarding only the most dedicated long-term volunteers.

Grant Structures

Companies calculate the payout in different ways:

  1. Per Hour Rate: The company pays a set rate (e.g., $25) for every hour volunteered.
  2. Threshold Grants: The company pays a lump sum (e.g., $500) once a specific milestone (e.g., 20 hours) is reached.

Submission Deadlines

Timing is everything. Even if a volunteer meets the hour requirement, they lose the grant if they miss the submission deadline.

  • Deadlines vary: Some companies require submission within 90 days of the service. Others allow employees to submit until January or March of the following year (e.g., Verizon allows submissions until the end of January following the year the donation/service was made).
  • Actionable Advice: Remind your volunteers to log their hours immediately after an event or at the end of the calendar year to ensure they don’t miss these cut-offs.

Strategies to Identify Eligible Volunteers

You cannot claim funds if you do not know who is eligible. The biggest challenge for nonprofits is often a lack of data. Organizations typically have limited information on the companies their volunteers work for.

Here are three strategies to close that data gap:

1. Collect Employment Data During Registration

The best time to determine volunteer grant eligibility is when a volunteer first signs up.

  • Update Forms: Add an optional field for “Employer” on your volunteer registration forms and event sign-up sheets.
  • Be Transparent: Explain why you are asking. A simple note saying, “Your employer might donate to us for the hours you serve!” encourages volunteers to share this information.

2. Use a Corporate Giving Database

Manual research is time-consuming. Utilizing a dedicated database tool can streamline the process.

  • Search Tools: Embed a search tool (like Double the Donation’s plugin) on your “Ways to Give” or “Volunteer” webpage. This allows volunteers to type in their employer’s name and instantly see if they are eligible for grants.
  • Instant Guidelines: These tools provide the volunteer with immediate access to forms, guidelines, and next steps, removing the friction from the process.

3. Survey Your Existing Database

If you have a list of long-term volunteers but don’t know their employers, ask them!

  • Annual Survey: Send a “Volunteer Impact Survey” that includes questions about employment.
  • Newsletter Appeals: Include a section in your monthly newsletter highlighting a specific company (e.g., “Do you work for Disney? You could earn us a grant!”) to prompt self-identification.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Understanding volunteer grant eligibility is the first step toward unlocking a sustainable, high-growth revenue stream for your nonprofit. By identifying which of your supporters qualify—whether they are full-time employees, part-time staff, or retirees—and ensuring your organization meets the corporate criteria, you can monetize the generous time your volunteers are already giving.

Don’t let these dollars disappear. Billions in corporate philanthropy go unclaimed simply because no one asked. Take control of your data, educate your volunteers, and start claiming the funding you deserve.

Ready to get started?

  1. Audit your volunteer list: identifying the top 10 employers represented in your volunteer base.
  2. Update your website: Add a “Corporate Volunteering” section that explains eligibility and links to your search tool.
  3. Send a reminder: Email your volunteers today reminding them to log their hours before the end of the year.

With the right strategy, you can turn every hour of service into a financial investment in your mission.