However, a sizable portion of the value they generate for your organization (and a significant yet often overlooked revenue stream) may still be locked away in corporate bank accounts.

Thousands of businesses offer corporate philanthropy programs that reward employee volunteer service with financial contributions to eligible nonprofit organizations. In other words, many of the hours your supporters donate to your cause can be converted into funding through volunteer grants.

This process bridges the gap between hands-on service and financial development, allowing existing supporters to multiply their impact without opening their wallets.

What is a volunteer grant?

A volunteer grant is a type of corporate giving in which a company provides monetary support to organizations where its employees volunteer. Most often, a check is issued based on an hourly rate or upon reaching a specific threshold.

Establishing a clear strategy for pursuing these grants creates an environment where every stakeholder wins:

• Companies enhance their corporate social responsibility (CSR) by supporting causes their employees care about. Offering philanthropic perks improves employee engagement and retention, as workers prefer to stay with businesses that invest in their communities.
• Individuals see their employer validating their personal service hours, which provides a major morale boost. Volunteer grants empower individuals to make a greater impact on their favorite causes, even if they lack the funds to make large gifts.
• Nonprofits gain both critical service hours and unrestricted financial contributions. While the volunteer provides hands-on labor, their employer provides flexible funding to sustain and scale operations.

The primary obstacle standing between your organization and this funding source, however, is a widespread lack of awareness. Double the Donation reveals that 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs, and companies frequently provide between $8 and $25 per hour. Despite this availability, the average participation rate is a mere 3% because supporters simply do not know that their employers offer these benefits.

How nonprofits can earn more volunteer grants

Unlocking the full financial potential of your volunteer program does not require a complete restructuring of daily operations. Instead, it relies on implementing scalable marketing strategies to bridge the awareness gap.

1. Build a dedicated volunteer program

Establishing a structured volunteer strategy is the critical first step. When a nonprofit runs a disorganized program, volunteers often feel underutilized or confused, leading to high dropout rates before they reach the hourly thresholds required for corporate rewards.

A successful volunteer program relies on a strong foundation. Implementing these elements ensures supporters feel valued, prepared, and motivated to return:

• Clear role definitions and expectations: Write descriptions for every volunteer position, detailing the necessary skills, time commitment, and daily tasks so they understand exactly what success looks like.
• Comprehensive onboarding and training: Design a structured orientation that introduces new supporters to your mission, protocols, and workflows. It’s a good idea to mention volunteer grant opportunities here, too!
• Thoughtful supervision and support: Assign designated point persons to answer questions, provide feedback, and offer assistance.
• Genuine appreciation: Celebrate your network's dedication through regular thank-you notes, volunteer spotlight features, and recognition events that reinforce their value to your team.

By investing in your internal infrastructure, you lay the groundwork for long-term success. With a well-structured program, you can also make it easy for supporters to log time, moving them closer to unlocking benefits such as volunteer grants, VTO, and more.

2. Educate existing supporters

Unlocking corporate support does not always require finding new connections. Rather, your greatest opportunities often lie in educating the individuals who already support your mission regularly. By actively marketing the opportunities to your network, you can raise awareness and ensure no available funding goes unclaimed.

Here are a few ways you can inform your supporters:

• Send informative emails. Create dedicated email campaigns that clearly explain the basics of corporate volunteer programs and how they work.
• Use a volunteer management system (VMS) to automate checks. Integrate modern VMS software that prompts individuals to enter their employers’ names when they register for service or log their hours.
• Have volunteer supervisors speak directly with volunteers. Encourage shift leaders and coordinators to mention volunteer incentives during huddles.
• Encourage supporters to involve their colleagues. Turning your volunteer base into advocates is one of the fastest ways to spread the word. When supporters realize their service hours can trigger corporate contributions, they are often excited to share that with their peers.

Educating your community shifts the conversation from a financial ask to an invitation for collaboration. When your network understands that employers want to back their dedication, they’ll feel more empowered to help you capture every available dollar.

3. Streamline the tracking and submission process

Even when supporters are aware that their employers offer corporate rewards, complex administrative steps can prevent them from finishing the process. By removing these friction points and simplifying the user journey, your organization can increase the number of completed applications.

Here are a few ideas:

• Send automated email follow-ups containing direct links to the supporter's specific corporate login page as soon as they reach their hourly volunteer milestones.
• Provide step-by-step digital walkthroughs or short video guides that show exactly where to click within common CSR portals.
• Pre-fill organizational details, such as your nonprofit's legal name, tax identification number, and mailing address, so that the volunteer can copy the information without delay.

Leveraging modern workplace giving software is the most effective way to improve engagement and eliminate these hurdles. For example, when an individual types in their employer name, the system identifies their eligibility and populates the guidelines, hourly requirements, and submission links they need. The immediate access to this information transforms a manual research task into an easy, automated process!

About the Author

Adam Weinger is the President of Double the Donation, the leading provider of nonprofit workplace and corporate giving solutions that serves more than 6,000 organizations. With more than 13 years of experience in the mission-driven software sector, Adam is passionate about helping nonprofits raise more from matching gifts, tap into workplace volunteer programs like volunteer grants and volunteer time off, and take full advantage of all kinds of corporate giving opportunities.

Alongside his team, he also oversees Double the Donation’s annual Matching Gift and Workplace Fundraising & Volunteering Summits, which aim to educate nonprofits about these programs.