Donating to nonprofits or charities is not just a part of being a good corporate citizen. For many companies, especially those with younger employees, philanthropic programs contribute to employee engagement and company culture. People like working for companies that make a positive impact on the world.
Companies That Donate to Nonprofits
- Microsoft
- Patagonia
- GE
- Airbnb
- Salesforce
- Amazon
- Samsung
- Instacart
- Cisco
In a 2020 Fidelity Investments survey of 1,200 workers, 66 percent of respondents said it was important for companies to be philanthropic, and 42 percent said it was important for their employers to match their charitable contributions.
To give you a better sense of who’s giving back to their communities, we rounded up a list of companies that donate to nonprofits.
29 Companies That Donate to Nonprofits
Liberty Mutual is one of the oldest U.S. insurance companies, offering coverage to individuals, businesses and corporations. The Liberty Mutual Foundation, which was established in 2003, provides grants to nonprofit organizations that empower families and individuals. The foundation’s grant opportunities focus on the greater Boston and Puget Sound areas, as well as certain counties in Washington state.
Healthtech company PatientPoint makes patient engagement solutions. Mission-driven and committed to philanthropy, PatientPoint partners with a variety of local and national nonprofits, including Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, YMCA, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Cincinnati Animal Cares and the Children’s Dream Fund, to run creative fundraisers and support employee volunteerism.
Hot Topic is a U.S. retail chain that has been in operation since the late 1980s. It’s known for rock music apparel as well as trend-driven clothing and accessories that are branded for alternative youth culture. The company proudly donates to nonprofit organizations congruent with its branding, including Mental Health America, Music Will and Notes for Note.
Microsoft employees, combined with the company’s charitable match program, donated $255 million to more than 32,000 nonprofits in 2022, according to the company’s 2022 impact report. The company also provided $3.2 billion in donated and discounted technology to 302,000 nonprofits. Microsoft has also committed $257 million in financial and technological assistance for the war in Ukraine and $414 million in money, technology and other resources for continued Covid-19 response efforts. Additionally, the company pledged to donate $750 million toward affordable housing in the Puget Sound region of Washington state. As of January 2022, it had already allocated $583 million.
Google’s charitable division, Google.org, donates $200 million every year to nonprofits and social enterprises. Since 2015, the organization has donated more than $45 million to organizations that support refugees and $40 million in cash grants to support organizations in the fight for racial justice. Google.org has also committed $100 million to the global Covid-19 response. Google also allows employees to work pro bono for nonprofits and civic entities through the Google.org Fellowship.
The outdoor clothing retailer has donated 1 percent of its sales to environmental causes since 1985, totaling more than $140 million in donations to environmental organizations. In 2022, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard made headlines when he announced that he was transferring ownership of the company to a trust and a nonprofit dedicated to combating climate change. That means the company’s profits — roughly $100 million per year — would be donated to environmental causes.
GE states on its website that it created the concept of a corporate matching gift program in 1954. Since then, the GE Foundation’s Matching Gifts Program has donated more than $1.5 billion. GE businesses and the GE Foundation are generous in other areas, as well, donating $34.9 million in 2021.
Through its Open Homes initiative, Airbnb partners with its host community to provide housing for individuals during emergencies such as natural disasters and large-scale conflicts. Airbnb also established a community fund in 2021 with a pledge to $10 million per year to local and national organizations for at least the next 10 years — a total donation of $100 million. Local hosts from around the world get to vote on which organizations they believe will have the greatest impact in their area.
Salesforce has pledged to donate 1 percent of its time, product and financial resources to nonprofits doing good deeds. According to its website, Salesforce has donated more than $614 million in grants, more than 7.8 million hours of employee time and technology to more than 50,000 schools and nonprofits since the company was founded in 1999.
In 2021, Amazon established a $2 billion housing equity fund that promised to create more than 20,000 affordable homes. The company also donates funds for disaster relief, donates to local food banks and helps deliver those meals to those in need. Up until 2023, Amazon donated 0.5 percent of Amazon purchases to an eligible charity of a customer’s choice through its now-discontinued Amazon Smile Program.
Samsung is perhaps best known for its star-studded charity gala, but the company is also giving back in other ways. During the pandemic, Samsung donated $4 million to community organizations in New Jersey, California and Texas. The company also donated $1 million to charitable organizations in Taylor, Texas, where it plans to build a $17 billion semiconductor factory. The company also runs an annual STEM contest, called Solve For Tomorrow, that awards cash and technology resources to schools in 33 countries.
As of December 2021, Instacart has donated more than $1.4 million to community organizations, according to the company website. Instacart has also donated more than 7 million meals through a partnership with Feeding America and its #GiveFromTheCart initiative.
Cisco and the Cisco Foundation have donated $494 million in cash and in-kind contributions to community programs, including $377 million in in-kind contributions for Cisco Networking Academy, the company’s career training platform. The company distributes cash grants to nonprofits in India, and its community impact grant program supports organizations within a 50-mile radius of its San Jose headquarters.
The John Deere Foundation has committed to donating $200 million over the next 10 years. The foundation supports organizations that specialize in farming, food banks and education, to name a few causes. Some of the organizations it has donated to include Habitat for Humanity, Share The Meal, United Way and World Food Programme.
In 2022, IBM employees donated $20 million and volunteered 860,000 hours of their time. The company also hosts the Call for Code program, which challenges developers, startups and universities from around the world to address social and humanitarian issues with technology. IBM plans to distribute $1.4 million in total funding to those that come up with the best solutions.
HP has a long history of charitable giving. According to its 2021 impact report, HP donated $13.5 million in cash and products that year, including $3 million in computer supplies for schools, businesses and healthcare organizations in underprivileged communities. In 2016, the HP Foundation and HP employees pledged to give $100 million to community organizations by 2025. As of 2021, they had donated $73.4 million.
Each Dell employee can have up to $10,000 in nonprofit donations matched by the company every year. Additionally, employees who log at least 10 hours of volunteer service can receive a $150 voucher that they can donate to the vetted charity of their choice. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to nonprofits working to improve education, health and family economic stability.
The Verizon Foundation has a matching incentive program for employees. The foundation will match up to $1,000 per year for eligible organizations and schools, as well as an additional $5,000 to eligible higher education organizations.
The Coca-Cola Foundation has donated more than $1.5 billion since its inception in 1984. The foundation has provided more than $69 million in scholarships to first-generation college students in the past 20 years. In 2023 alone, the foundation has donated $2 million to the American Red Cross and CARE and $1.4 million for disaster relief efforts around the world.
Apple launched its employee giving program in 2011, and has since raised more than $880 million dollars for almost 44,000 organizations. For every hour an Apple employee volunteers – or for every dollar they donate — Apple matches with a monetary amount. Apple also contributes millions of dollars through corporate grants, according to its website.
Toms launched its direct-to-consumer shoe brand in 2006, promising to donate one pair of shoes for every pair of shoes sold. After celebrating the donation of 100 million shoes in 2020, the company announced in 2021 that it would discontinue its one-to-one model and instead donate one-third of its profits to nonprofit organizations promoting mental health awareness and anti-gun violence. Toms also works with Save the Children.
Chewy, the online retailer that sells pet food and pet supplies, takes its commitment to animal well-being seriously. Since 2012, Chewy has donated more than $100 million in pet supplies to animal shelters across the country.
Since 2012, the Northrop Grumman Foundation has donated $138 million for STEM education, humanitarian response and other causes. In 2022 alone, the company donated $16.5 million, including $7.2 million for K-12 education, $6.5 million for higher education and $1.8 for humanitarian causes. Employees who volunteer at least 40 hours per year with a nonprofit are eligible to receive a $500 community service grant for that nonprofit organization or school.
Asana is one of several companies that have pledged to contribute 1 percent of profit, product, equity or time to charity. Additionally, Asana’s co-founders have pledged to use all of the value of their company equity for philanthropic purposes. The company also provides product discounts to nonprofits and higher education students.
Target has partnered with Feeding America since 2001 to send millions of pounds of food every year to families in need. The Target Foundation also reallocates the company’s resources to various organizations. In 2022, its grant recipients included the Latino Economic Development Center, the American Indian Community Housing Organization and the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. Target places a special emphasis on local groups, with over 94 percent of its 2020 donations going to local communities and programs.
Warby Parker expanded its philanthropy efforts in 2019 by creating the Warby Parker Foundation, and the company has since doubled down on its push for racial equity. According to its 2021 Impact Report, Warby Parker partnered with the New England College of Optometry to provide scholarships to Black eye doctors with the goal of diversifying the optometry field. And beginning in 2020, the company committed to matching up to $1,000 in individual contributions per employee per calendar year to groups addressing systemic racism.
Intuit sustains many corporate responsibility initiatives and programs through the Intuit Foundation. One of these initiatives is an employee matching program, where the company matches up to $5,000 in individual contributions that each employee makes per year to approved 501(c)(3) nonprofits. The company also demonstrated its support for the LGBTQ+ community by donating $500,000 to the National Center for Transgender Equality in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
CVS Health dedicated resources during the pandemic to supporting healthcare access in local communities. In 2022, the company donated hundreds of portable buildings it used for Covid-19 testing to nonprofits and community groups and distributed over $260 million in grants, employee giving and other forms of support. The CVS Health foundation also runs a Volunteer Challenge Grant program, which delivered over $600,000 in grants to nonprofits in 2022.
Allstate has developed an extensive social impact through the Allstate Foundation, which supports organizations that empower youth, push for racial equity and address domestic violence. Through corporate giving efforts, Allstate donated over $8.4 million to nonprofits in 2022, and 44 percent of these funds went to nonprofits led by people of color. The company has also remained committed to assisting survivors of abusive relationships, sending $8.2 million in grants to organizations that aid survivors and encourage healthier relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions
What companies donate 100 percent of their profits?
No company donates 100 percent of its profits, but some donate millions and even billions in U.S. dollars to nonprofits and other organizations.
What percentage of profits do companies donate?
Larger companies may set aside one percent of their profits for donations, but some organizations may allocate as much as three percent for charitable causes. Of course, this amount ultimately depends on the company.