Matching Gifts Strengthen Your Dollars

Sea Power, Feb 2005 by Fallon, Susan K

Smart. Savvy. Sophisticated. In-the-know. These words readily describe the acumen with which so many of you manage your investments.

Over the years, the Navy League has been a fortunate beneficiary of your wise financial decisions, especially when you, in turn, have given so generously to support our mission.

We are honored to receive each and every special gift. Your leadership is inspirational, and your dollars help ensure that the men and women of the sea services, and their families, get the support they deserve.

But did you know that you may be capable of doubling, even tripling the donation amount received by the Navy League with your gift? All it requires is a little homework on your part.

During the past several years, an increasing number of Navy Leaguers have discovered they can maximize their personal contributions and increase the impact of their gift by taking advantage of their employers' matching-gift fund. These programs, established by corporations as an employee benefit, provide a corresponding financial amount to a gift made by one of their employees to a credible charitable organization, such as the Navy League.

Each corporate matching program is different. Some corporations match gifts dollar-for-dollar. Others have special rules regarding the ratio of donation to matching funds. Many corporations will also match gifts made by retirees, spouses of eligible employees, and directors. Taking advantage of this employee benefit is a powerful way to support your most important charitable organizations!

Matching-gift programs began in 1954 at General Electric in part to encourage employees to contribute to worthy charities. Today, more than 7,500 companies in the United States match contributions to charities. To find out if your company participates, check with your personnel director, or contact the Navy League Development Office. We maintain a list of most participating companies.

Making a matching gift is easy. First, determine if your company offers a matching-gift policy. If they do, most will provide you with a gift form to sign and send to us with your donation.

We will then verify your gift, and return the form to your company, which will then issue a matching-gift contribution to the Navy League. You will get credit for the total of both parts of the contribution. It's that simple ... and powerful.

Please look into maximizing your charitable giving today. By doing so, you will benefit the Navy League and the sea service personnel we are dedicated to serving. It is only through your generosity that we are able to continue to fight for the strength of the men and women of the sea services as they put their lives on the line to protect our own.

Questions? Comments? Or to make a donation, please contact the Navy League Office of Development at (800) 356-5760 or by e-mail at development@navyleague.org

By SUSAN K. FALLON, Director of the Navy League Foundation