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Company Match Giving: How To Double Your Charity Run Fundraising

Training for a marathon, half marathon or another charity running event takes commitment, and so does fundraising. Most runners spend weeks asking friends and family for donations, organising bake sales, holding raffles or approaching local businesses for sponsorship. Every pound raised makes a difference, but many people overlook one of the simplest ways to increase their fundraising total.

Training for a marathon, half marathon or another charity running event takes commitment, and so does fundraising. Most runners spend weeks asking friends and family for donations, organising bake sales, holding raffles or approaching local businesses for sponsorship. Every pound raised makes a difference, but many people overlook one of the simplest ways to increase their fundraising total. Company match giving, sometimes known as employer match funding, allows your employer to make an additional donation to your chosen charity based on the money you raise. In some cases, they will match every pound you raise, effectively doubling your fundraising without you having to ask anyone else for another donation. It can be one of the most valuable fundraising opportunities available, yet many runners never realise their employer offers it. What Is Company Match Giving? Company match giving is a scheme where an employer agrees to contribute towards an employee's fundraising for charity. The business makes its own donation directly to the charity, usually based on the amount the employee has already raised. For example, if you raise £750 through your fundraising page and your employer agrees to match that amount, your chosen charity could receive a total of £1,500. That's a significant increase achieved without selling another raffle ticket or asking another friend for support. Every organisation operates its scheme differently. Some companies will match your fundraising pound for pound, while others may match a percentage or set a maximum amount they are willing to donate each year. Whatever the rules, it is always worth investigating because even partial match funding can make a noticeable difference. Which Employers Offer Match Funding? There isn't a single list of companies that provide match funding because policies change regularly and every employer decides how their scheme works. However, company match giving has become increasingly common among larger organisations that actively support charities and community projects. You are more likely to find match funding schemes within: Banks and financial institutions. Supermarkets and retailers. Insurance companies. Technology businesses. Utility providers. Manufacturing companies. Professional services firms. Businesses with corporate social responsibility programmes. That doesn't mean smaller employers won't help. Many local businesses are happy to support employees raising money for charity, even if they don't have a formal match funding policy. The only way to know for certain is to ask. How Do You Find Out If Your Employer Offers Match Giving? Many runners assume they would already know if match funding existed at their workplace, but that's often not the case. Plenty of employees only discover these schemes after speaking to colleagues or contacting their HR department. The best place to start is by asking your manager or someone within Human Resources. They should be able to explain whether a scheme exists and outline the application process. You can also check your employee handbook, browse your company intranet or look through any staff benefits information, as match funding is often listed alongside other employee benefits. If your workplace has a community engagement or corporate social responsibility team, they are also likely to know what support is available. Applying Is Usually Straightforward Although every employer has its own process, most applications follow a similar pattern. You'll normally need to confirm that you're fundraising for a registered charity and provide details of the running event you're taking part in. Once your fundraising is complete, you'll usually submit evidence of the amount you've raised before your employer makes its donation directly to the charity. Some companies ask employees to register their fundraising before the event takes place, while others allow applications afterwards, so it's important to check the requirements well in advance. Leaving it until after race day could mean missing an application deadline and losing out on valuable funding. Combine Match Giving With Workplace Fundraising One of the best ways to maximise company match giving is to make your workplace part of your fundraising campaign. Colleagues are often keen to support someone taking on a marathon or other endurance challenge, particularly if they can join in with fun fundraising activities. Bake sales, coffee mornings, charity breakfasts, dress-down days, sweepstakes and office quizzes can all raise worthwhile amounts of money. If your employer agrees to match the funds raised through these activities, the impact can be substantial. For example, imagine your office raises £600 through a series of fundraising events. If your employer matches that amount, your charity immediately receives £1,200. That demonstrates why workplace fundraising and company match giving work so well together and why it's worth planning both as part of your overall fundraising strategy. Read more on bake sales here. Workplace bake sales are always a winner! Combine It With Local Business Support Company match giving shouldn't replace other fundraising ideas. Instead, it works best when combined with them. You might already be approaching local businesses for sponsorship or asking them to donate prizes for a raffle or quiz night. Some businesses may be happy to sponsor your running vest or training T-shirt, while others may allow you to display fundraising posters in their premises or promote your event on their social media channels. When local businesses, colleagues, friends, family and your employer all contribute in different ways, your fundraising total can grow far more quickly than relying on a single fundraising activity. Understand The Rules Before You Start While company match giving can be extremely generous, most employers do set certain conditions. There may be limits on the maximum amount they'll donate each year or restrictions on which charities qualify for support. Some employers only match fundraising completed by employees, while others include family members or workplace fundraising events. There may also be deadlines for submitting your application or requirements for providing evidence of the money you've raised. Taking a little time to understand these rules before you begin fundraising will help you avoid disappointment later. Thank Your Employer Properly If your employer agrees to support your fundraising, make sure you acknowledge their generosity. A simple thank-you message is always appreciated, but there are plenty of other ways to recognise their contribution if they're happy for you to do so. You could thank them on your fundraising page, mention their support in social media updates or include their logo alongside any business sponsors on your fundraising materials or training T-shirt. After your event, sharing photos and updating colleagues on how much was raised also demonstrates the difference their support has made. Showing genuine appreciation strengthens relationships and may encourage employers to continue supporting future charity fundraisers within the business. Start Planning Early One of the biggest mistakes runners make is assuming they can organise fundraising during the final few weeks before their event. In reality, the earlier you begin, the more opportunities you'll have to maximise your fundraising. By asking about company match giving early, you'll have plenty of time to complete any paperwork, organise workplace fundraising activities and promote the fact that your employer is matching donations. Supporters are often encouraged to give more generously when they know their donation could effectively be doubled. Like your running training plan, successful fundraising is usually built over time rather than rushed at the last minute. Final Thoughts Company match giving is one of the simplest and most effective ways to raise more money for your chosen charity, yet it's still something many runners never think to investigate. A single conversation with your employer could unlock hundreds of pounds in additional donations without placing any extra pressure on your friends, family or colleagues. When combined with workplace fundraising, local business sponsorship and a well-planned fundraising campaign, employer match funding can have a huge impact on your final total. Before you start organising your next fundraiser, take a few minutes to ask whether your employer offers a match giving scheme. It might turn out to be the most valuable fundraising activity you never knew existed.

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