Time is money. In the nonprofit sector, this old adage takes on a literal meaning through the power of corporate volunteer grants. You already know that your volunteers are the lifeblood of your organization. They staff your events, tutor your students, walk your shelter dogs, and serve on your board. But what if those generous hours of service could also generate a steady stream of unrestricted revenue?

They can. Through the volunteer grant process, corporations monetize the time their employees spend supporting charitable causes. Also known as “Dollars for Doers,” these programs are a form of corporate philanthropy where companies provide monetary grants to nonprofits based on the volunteer hours contributed by their staff. Despite the immense potential, billions of dollars in corporate philanthropy go unclaimed every year simply because organizations and volunteers do not understand how the process works.

If you are looking to diversify your fundraising revenue and maximize the impact of your volunteer program, understanding the mechanics of these grants is essential. This article will demystify the workflow from the initial volunteer sign-up to the moment the check lands in your bank account.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

The path to securing these funds is logical and linear, but it requires proactive management at every stage. Let’s explore how you can turn your volunteer program into a revenue-generating engine.

What Are Volunteer Grants?

Before diving into the specific steps of the process, it is vital to understand what these grants are and why companies offer them. Volunteer grants are corporate giving programs designed to encourage volunteerism in communities where employees live and work. Companies want to support the causes that their employees care about. When an employee donates their time, the company validates that commitment by donating money.

These programs vary significantly from company to company. Some corporations provide a set dollar amount for every hour volunteered, such as $25 per hour. Others offer threshold grants, where a lump sum (for example, $500) is awarded once an employee logs a specific number of hours, such as 20 hours in a calendar year.

For nonprofits, the value is clear. Volunteer grants act as a force multiplier. You receive the labor and expertise of the volunteer, plus a financial contribution that can be used to support your operations. Because these grants are often unrestricted, they are among the most valuable types of funding an organization can receive. They help keep the lights on, fund new initiatives, and support administrative costs that restricted grants often exclude.

Did You Know? According to recent estimates, approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. Despite this high availability, participation rates remain low due to a lack of awareness. By educating your supporters, you can unlock funding from companies like Microsoft, Verizon, Disney, and Starbucks.

Step 1: The Volunteer Registration

The volunteer grant process begins long before the volunteer arrives at your facility. It starts the moment an individual expresses interest in supporting your mission. The registration phase is the most critical data-collection point in the entire lifecycle of the grant.

When a supporter registers for a shift, whether it is through a digital form on your website or a third-party platform, you have a golden opportunity to capture employment information. Many nonprofits ask for name, email, and phone number, but they fail to ask the million-dollar question: “Who is your employer?”

By adding an optional field for employment information, you can immediately identify high-value volunteers. If a volunteer indicates they work for a company known to have a generous grant program, you can tag them in your database for targeted follow-up later.

Furthermore, this is the ideal time to plant the seed about volunteer grants. On your registration confirmation page or in your automated welcome email, include a brief blurb explaining that many companies offer grants for volunteer time. Provide a link to a database or a page on your website where they can check their eligibility. This proactive approach ensures that the volunteer enters their shift knowing that their time has the potential to generate financial support.

Step 2: Completing the Volunteer Shift

The second phase of the process is the execution of the volunteer work itself. This is where your supporter actively engages with your mission. Whether they are packing food boxes, providing pro bono legal services, or helping run a 5K fundraiser, their physical presence is the trigger for the grant.

While the volunteer focuses on the task at hand, your organization must focus on accurate timekeeping. Corporate grant programs require proof of service. If a volunteer claims they worked 20 hours but your records only show 15, the grant could be jeopardized.

Invest in a reliable method for tracking volunteer hours. While paper sign-in sheets are better than nothing, digital volunteer management systems are far superior. These tools allow volunteers to check in and out via mobile devices or kiosks, creating a verifiable digital trail of their service.

Beyond the logistics, the volunteer shift is a prime marketing opportunity. During orientation or the end-of-shift wrap-up, verbally remind your volunteers about the possibility of grants. You might say, “Thank you so much for your hard work today. Please remember to log your hours and check if your employer offers volunteer grants. Your time today could result in a donation that helps us serve even more people.”

Quick Tip: Place signage with QR codes near your volunteer check-in stations. The QR code can link directly to a page explaining volunteer grants or a search tool where they can look up their employer’s guidelines. Catching them while they are on-site and engaged increases the likelihood of action.

Step 3: Determining Eligibility

Once the volunteer shift is complete, the next step in the volunteer grant process is determining eligibility. Not every volunteer will qualify, and not every volunteer activity is eligible for funding. This phase involves a bit of research on the part of the volunteer, though your organization can facilitate it.

Eligibility typically hinges on three factors: the employee’s status, the type of nonprofit, and the number of hours served.

First, the volunteer must check their employment status. Most companies extend eligibility to full-time employees, and many include part-time staff as well. A significant number of large corporations also extend these benefits to retirees. Retirees often have the most time to give, making them incredibly valuable prospects for volunteer grants.

Second, the nonprofit must be eligible. Most 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions qualify. However, some companies restrict grants to specific sectors or exclude religious and political organizations.

Finally, the volunteer must meet the minimum hour requirement. As mentioned earlier, some companies require a specific threshold of hours to be met within a calendar year before a grant is issued. For example, an employee might need to volunteer 15 hours to unlock a $250 grant. It is crucial for volunteers to track their cumulative hours to know when they have crossed that threshold.

To streamline this step, consider subscribing to a matching gift database service. These tools allow you and your volunteers to instantly look up company profiles to see minimum hour requirements, grant ratios, and links to electronic submission forms.

Step 4: Completing the Grant Request

This is the most pivotal step, and it is the one where the ball is firmly in the volunteer’s court. After determining they are eligible and have met the requirements, the volunteer must submit a formal request to their employer.

In the past, this often involved paper forms that had to be signed and mailed. Today, the process is almost entirely digital. Most large companies use corporate social responsibility (CSR) platforms like Benevity, CyberGrants, or YourCause to manage their employee giving programs.

The volunteer will typically log in to their company’s employee portal, navigate to the community or giving section, and find the link to log volunteer hours. They will be asked to provide details such as:

  • The name of the nonprofit organization.
  • The date(s) of service.
  • The total number of hours volunteered.
  • A brief description of the duties performed.
  • Contact information for a verification officer at the nonprofit.

This step generally takes less than five minutes. However, because it happens after the volunteer has left your facility, it is the step most prone to being forgotten. This is why your follow-up communication strategy is critical. You must remind volunteers that the process is not complete until they have logged their request in their employer’s system.

Did You Know? Many companies have submission deadlines. While some allow employees to submit requests at any time, others require requests to be submitted by a specific date shortly after the end of the calendar year (e.g., January 31st or March 31st). Sending end-of-year reminders is a great way to capture grants for hours served months prior.

Step 5: The Nonprofit’s Verification Role

Once the volunteer submits their request, the system triggers a notification to your organization. This moves the volunteer grant process into the verification phase. This is your team’s responsibility.

The corporate giving platform or the company itself will reach out to the contact provided by the volunteer. This is usually done via email. The notification will state that [Volunteer Name] has submitted a request for a grant based on [Number] hours of service.

Your role is to verify that the information is correct. You will check your volunteer logs to confirm the dates and hours align with the volunteer’s claim. If everything matches, you will electronically verify the request.

It is imperative that your organization has a designated point person for these verifications. If the email goes to a general inbox that is rarely checked, or to a staff member who has left the organization, the request may expire, and the funds will be lost. Ensure that your organization’s contact information is up to date on all major CSR platforms like GuideStar and Benevity to prevent communication breakdowns.

Occasionally, you may be asked to provide additional documentation, such as your 501(c)(3) determination letter or a W-9 form, to set up electronic funds transfer. Prompt responses to these administrative requests speed up the payout process.

Step 6: Securing the Funds

After verification is complete, the company approves the grant. The final step in the process is the disbursement of funds.

Unlike individual donations, which might arrive immediately, corporate disbursements often run on a schedule. Companies may bundle their payments and send them out quarterly or biannually. This means there may be a lag between the time you verify the hours and the time the check arrives or the direct deposit hits your account.

When the funds do arrive, they will often come from the third-party disbursement vendor (like the American Online Giving Foundation) rather than the company itself. The remittance advice accompanying the payment should detail which employee volunteers generated the funds.

This is the moment to close the loop. Once the funds are secured, record the revenue in your donor database and soft-credit the volunteer. This ensures that when you run reports on donor value, you are capturing the full scope of that volunteer’s contribution to your organization.

Maximizing Success Through Marketing

Understanding the volunteer grant process is only half the battle. The other half is marketing. Since the primary reason these grants go unclaimed is lack of awareness, your organization must actively promote them.

Integrate volunteer grant messaging into every channel you use to communicate with volunteers.

  • Website: Create a dedicated “Corporate Volunteering” page that explains the process and provides a search tool for eligibility.
  • Email Newsletters: Feature a “Volunteer of the Month” who successfully secured a grant, showing others how easy it is.
  • Social Media: Post reminders about volunteer grants, especially during National Volunteer Week or at the end of the year.
  • In-Person Events: Train your volunteer coordinators to mention grants during pre-shift briefings.

Additionally, consider creating a “How-To” guide or a simple one-pager that walks volunteers through the steps of checking eligibility and submitting a request. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to follow through.

Quick Tip: Don’t overlook the power of “Team Volunteering.” Many companies offer special grants for groups of employees who volunteer together. These grants often have higher dollar values and easier submission processes. Actively pitch group volunteer days to local corporate partners to tap into these funds.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

The volunteer grant process is a powerful tool for sustainable fundraising. It bridges the gap between volunteerism and philanthropy, allowing your most dedicated supporters to increase their impact without opening their own wallets. While the process involves several steps—registration, service, eligibility checks, submission, and verification—each stage is an opportunity to deepen your relationship with the volunteer.

By implementing a structured approach to managing these grants, you can turn your volunteer program into a significant revenue stream. Start by auditing your current volunteer intake forms to ensure you are collecting employment data. Then, verify that you have a responsive process for verifying grant requests. Finally, market the opportunity relentlessly.

Your volunteers are already giving you their time. With a little guidance, they can help you secure the corporate funding you deserve.

  • Review your volunteer registration forms and add an employer field.
  • Designate a specific staff member to handle grant verifications.
  • Create a “Volunteer Grants” page on your website with a searchable database.
  • Send an email to your current volunteer list, educating them about the opportunity.

Unlock the hidden value in your volunteer base today. See how Double the Donation Volunteering can help! Request a personalized demo to see how their platform streamlines the volunteer grant process and more.