AP Perspectives—Empowering Philanthropy From Within: The Case for Employee Giving Programs

Employee giving is an incredible opportunity for any organization’s philanthropic strategy, and giving employees should be treated like any other benefactors. Just because someone wears an employee badge doesn’t mean their engagement in charitable giving should be different. For many years, hospitals and health systems have found value in engaging their employees—the people who get up each day to deliver the mission—to provide philanthropic support. Employee giving is not actively part of annual fundraising plans for most nonprofits. I believe it should be.

Employees, like our external constituents, care about the mission and want to see the direct impact of their contributions. To cultivate long-term support and participation, it is crucial to demonstrate the value and significance of philanthropic support. They need to experience the personalized recognition, stewardship, and impact-focused communication that external donors receive.

Like all things, launching an employee-giving program successfully requires planning. Employees must understand the opportunities available, and the program should feel inclusive and meaningful. Personalizing engagement is key—whether it’s offering payroll deduction, matching gift programs, face-to-face solicitations, or options for one-time or recurring contributions.

Just like volunteers, employees have a strong affinity for our organizations. I have found that employees are more likely to participate if they see leadership actively involved and if they understand how their gifts make a tangible difference. Showcasing specific programs or initiatives funded through employee giving can inspire a deeper connection to the mission and encourage participation.

Ways to Launch Employee Giving:

• Leadership-driven campaign: Invite key leaders to lead by example by making the first contributions and sharing their stories of why giving matters.
• Clear communication and education: Provide educational materials about the employee giving program, such as brochures, mailers to homes of employees, internal emails, and FAQ sessions and handouts, explaining how employees can participate and the impact of their gifts. I would also recommend determining priority area(s) or funds to present to employees.
• Flexible giving options: Offer multiple giving options, such as payroll deductions, one-time gifts, or recurring donations, to make it easy and convenient for employees to contribute.
• Incentives and matching programs: Encourage participation by offering matching gift programs or incentives, such as a “give-to-win” raffle, where employees who contribute are entered into a drawing for prizes.
• Campaign kickoff event: Host an internal event or town hall to officially launch the employee giving campaign. The event should include testimonials from past participants and beneficiaries.
• Incorporate hybrid capital campaign practices: Incorporate successful practices, such as face-to-face solicitation visits, a campaign budget, a plan to determine how gifts will be counted, the ability to accept multi-year gifts, a gift pyramid, and clear goals to ensure campaign success.

Ways to Engage Employees in Charitable Giving:

1.  In-person and face-to-face: Develop a face-to-face strategy for prospective mid- and major gift-level supporters. 
2. Regular impact updates: Share stories and updates about the impact of employee donations, such as how their contributions support specific programs through newsletters or digital platforms. Additionally, share stories of prior initiatives made possible through philanthropic support. I would recommend projects of varying sizes to demonstrate impact. 
3. Recognition and stewardship: Acknowledge employee contributions publicly, whether through campaign displays, internal awards, or personalized thank-you notes from leadership, development committee members, or board members. 
4. Employee-led committees: Empower employees to form committees to lead and plan fundraising initiatives.
5. Volunteer opportunities: Incorporate hands-on volunteer activities where employees can see the direct impact of their giving, building stronger emotional connections to the cause.
6. Ambassadors: Consider campaign chairs or ambassadors who can share why they give through internal communications or at staff meetings. This will inspire others to get involved.
7. Celebrate: Take time to celebrate first-time employee support, or those who have reached milestones, and also host a campaign celebration—or a series of smaller celebrations.

Organizations can increase their philanthropic revenue, deepen employees' connection to the mission, and strengthen organizational culture by thoughtfully engaging employees in charitable giving.