Google Donation Matching
Google has never stopped surprising the Googlers because of its active participation in the betterment of the world at a larger scale.
With this motive, it has always remained ultra-active in promoting charities and donations of all kinds. A similar donation program was the Google Donation Gift Matching program that was initiated almost 10 years back. This program went on so well that companies started to make it a permanent revenue-generating system for their employees.
This charity program worked in order to match the donation that the employees of any company donates to non-profit organizations. The matching gifts were a corporate philanthropy in which when a permanent employee of a company made a donation to any non-profit organization, he will request his employer for his matching gift, and if he would be found eligible for the program, the company will pay the same amount for ratio 1:1 to the nonprofit, which will double the amount that the donor actually donated. This was considered the best way of fundraising in the corporate field as the companies who accepted this gift matching programs earned more revenue than others.
This was a great revolutionary change in the history of the USA because people started donating more and the spirit of giving charity grew more in the hearts of the Americans. According to the sources, there were, and still, are many companies who repel the promotion of this program because they are always looking for ways to exploit their employees.
However, rumors are there that some companies registered their names under the Google Donation Matching program, but didn’t inform their employees of this so that they will not claim a matching gift after any donation that they made. This made the beliefs of many loyal employees impaired in their employers that ended up in resignations and lack of productivity. While talking to our representatives, an employee from a well-known company who resigned said:
“I was directly linked with a non-profit organization and made donations on a monthly basis. When I heard that Google has launched the matching gift program, I was more than happy with this initiative. Soon, I realized that my company didn’t ask me or any other employee to fill the application form. I checked just to be sure, and my company was registered with this program. This was unbelievable that a place where I worked for 4 long years were earning revenue on our behalf without donating the matching gift according to the policy. I left!”
On the other hand, many of the companies accepted this program with open hearts and open arms. They got their names registered as willing companies to match the gifts with their employees and made their employees register with the program as well. They seemed to be completely ready for fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities in the right way.
According to the policy, only the permanent members of a corporation or the members of Google Board o Directors were eligible for the program. However, many enthusiastic companies extended the eligibility criteria for their part-time permanent, temporary, and internee staff as well. The spouses of employees were also eligible to contribute to the program in the name or with the reference of the employees’ names.
Google has always encouraged people to promote all the good causes whether it is to save the climate, reduce global warming, or donate for the treatment of sick and needy. With the passage of time, the gift matching program has faded away with all its charm and benefits, and employees who are still donating expect their companies to accept their submissions with the same efficiency as before.
In a recent interview with an employee, we came to know that there are problems occurring. The companies have made the process slow or the gifts matching doesn’t exactly match the amount that should be paid for the fundraising of the non-profitable organizations.
“I requested the gift matching from the HR department of my company, and they said it will be done. After 15 days, no progress was made. I had to force myself to go to the higher management, and they satisfied me that things are in process. Two months have passed, and I still haven’t received the confirmation of my matching gift for my non-profit. I wish Google initiates a similar program for us again.”
People are still hopeful for something good to come. they expect that Google will update the Donation Gift Matching program or announce a new one relevant to the previous one.