Most people have a fixed amount they can give each year. You cannot always increase that amount, but you can often increase what it accomplishes. Employer programs, the timing of gifts and the assets you give can all change how much reaches the organizations you care about.
This guide covers the most common tools: matching gifts, volunteer grants, donor-advised funds, gifts of appreciated stock, recurring donations and a few others. Tax rules change and depend heavily on individual circumstances, so treat the tax notes here as general background, not advice. Check current IRS guidance and consult a qualified tax professional before making decisions.
Start with the foundation: give to verified charities
Every strategy below depends on giving to a legitimate, eligible organization. Employer matches and donor-advised fund grants generally require that the recipient be a qualifying charity, so confirming status first saves time. Our checklist on how to verify a charity before you donate walks through the IRS lookup and other checks.
Employer matching gifts
Many employers match some or all of their employees' charitable donations. It is one of the simplest ways to multiply a gift, and also one of the most frequently overlooked: matching funds often go unclaimed simply because employees do not know the program exists or forget to submit a request.
How to make the most of a match
- Read the policy. Note the match ratio, the annual cap per employee and the minimum gift size.
- Check eligible organizations. Some programs exclude certain types of nonprofits, such as religious congregations or political organizations.
- Watch deadlines. Many programs require submission within a set window, often by early in the following year.
- Keep your receipt. You will usually need to upload proof of your donation.
- Ask about retirees and spouses. Some companies extend matching to them as well.
Volunteer grants
Some employers also offer volunteer grants, sometimes called "dollars for doers." After you volunteer a certain number of hours with an eligible nonprofit, the company makes a donation to that organization. If you already volunteer regularly, logging your hours can turn your time into additional funding.
If you are deciding where to volunteer, our ethical guide to volunteering abroad and at home can help you find roles that genuinely help.
Workplace giving campaigns
Workplace giving programs let employees donate through payroll deduction. Federal employees, for example, can give through the Combined Federal Campaign, and many private employers run similar programs. Benefits include:
- Small, automatic contributions that are easy to budget
- Consolidated records for tax time
- Frequent integration with employer matching
Donor-advised funds (DAFs)
A donor-advised fund is a charitable giving account held by a sponsoring organization, such as a community foundation or a charity affiliated with a financial firm. You contribute cash, securities or sometimes other assets to the fund, and you can later recommend grants from it to eligible charities.
How a DAF works in practice
- You make an irrevocable contribution to the DAF. The sponsor legally controls the assets from that point.
- For donors who itemize, the contribution is generally deductible in the year it is made, subject to limits.
- The money may be invested while it sits in the account, depending on the sponsor's options.
- You recommend grants to charities over time. The sponsor reviews and sends them.
Things to know before opening one
- Fees and minimums vary between sponsors. Compare them.
- No personal benefit. Grants generally cannot pay for event tickets, memberships with perks or other items that benefit you.
- Do not let money sit idle indefinitely. A DAF is most useful as a tool for planned, ongoing giving, not as a place to park funds.
- Rules can change. DAF regulations have been the subject of ongoing policy discussion, so check current guidance.
Giving appreciated stock and other assets
If you own stocks, mutual funds or other securities that have increased in value and that you have held for more than a year, donating them directly to a charity (or to a DAF) can be more tax-efficient than selling them first. In general, donors who itemize may deduct the fair market value and avoid realizing the capital gain. Deduction limits apply, and the treatment differs for assets held a year or less.
Practical steps:
- Ask the charity whether it accepts stock transfers and request its brokerage instructions.
- Have your broker transfer the shares directly; do not sell them yourself first.
- Notify the charity so it can identify your gift and send a receipt.
- Consult a tax professional, especially for large gifts or unusual assets.
Tip: If you are 70½ or older and have a traditional IRA, ask a tax advisor about qualified charitable distributions, which let eligible donors give directly from an IRA. Age thresholds and limits are set by law and can change, so confirm the current rules.
Bunching donations
Many taxpayers take the standard deduction, which means their charitable gifts may not reduce their taxes. "Bunching" means combining several years of planned giving into a single year so that itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction in that year, then taking the standard deduction in the following years. A DAF can help: you contribute a larger amount once, then recommend grants to charities on your normal schedule. Whether bunching helps depends on your full tax picture, so run the numbers with a professional.
Recurring gifts
Not every strategy is about taxes. A modest monthly donation gives a charity predictable income, which helps it plan staffing, keep programs running and avoid emergency appeals. Recurring giving is especially valuable for core operating costs, which, as we explain in understanding nonprofit overhead, are essential to effective programs.
- Choose an amount you can maintain comfortably.
- Give unrestricted support to organizations you trust, so they can direct funds where they are most needed.
- Review your recurring gifts once a year and update your card details to avoid lapses.
A simple annual giving plan
- Choose a yearly giving budget.
- Pick a small number of verified charities to support consistently.
- Check your employer's matching and volunteer grant programs.
- Decide whether cash, stock or a DAF makes sense, with professional advice where needed.
- Set up recurring gifts for your core charities.
- Keep a folder of receipts and match confirmations.
- Review results and adjust each year.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if my employer matches donations?
Check your employee benefits portal or handbook, or ask human resources. Many companies run matching programs through an online giving platform where you submit a request after donating. Note the deadline, the eligible types of organizations and any annual cap per employee.
Can I use a donor-advised fund to pay for a charity event ticket or fulfill a pledge?
Generally, DAF grants cannot be used for anything that gives you a personal benefit, such as event tickets, meals or membership perks. Rules on pledges and other situations can be technical and may change, so check with your DAF sponsor and current IRS guidance before recommending a grant.
Is donating stock better than donating cash?
For many donors who itemize, giving long-term appreciated stock directly to a charity can be more tax-efficient than selling it and donating the proceeds, because the capital gain is generally not realized. Whether it helps you depends on your situation, holding period and deduction limits, so talk to a tax professional first.
Are monthly donations really better for charities than one-time gifts?
Recurring gifts give charities a more predictable income stream, which makes it easier to plan programs and staff. A one-time gift is still valuable. If you can commit to a modest amount each month, it is often one of the most practical ways to support an organization you trust.
Conclusion
Multiplying your giving rarely requires more money. It usually requires a little planning: claiming the match your employer already offers, choosing the right asset to give, timing gifts thoughtfully and committing steady support to organizations you have verified. Start with one change this year, perhaps submitting a matching request or setting up a monthly gift, and build from there. The charities you support will feel the difference, and you will have a clearer picture of where your generosity goes.