WORKPLACE GIVING

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Workplace Giving Campaigns

EarthShare partners with hundreds of corporate, federal and public workplaces across the country to give employees the chance to support a healthy environment one paycheck at a time.

EarthShare workplace giving campaigns support and enhance employee engagement and sustainability programs, bolster employee morale, help establish companies as environmental leaders, and provide critical funding needed to protect our natural resources. EarthShare protects the privacy of its donors and never sells donor information to third parties. Learn more about EarthShare's donor privacy policy.

We maintain a set of frequently asked questions about workplace giving but if you don't see your question here or would like to request a brochure, please contact us.

RESOURCES

  • Get Started! Help us bring EarthShare to you.
  • Learn about the easiest, greenest way to facilitate employee giving: Give@The Office!
  • Why EarthShare should be a part of every corporate sustainability program [PDF]
  • Benefits Of Workplace Giving
  • How EarthShare protects its donors' privacy
  • Workplaces that partner with EarthShare
  • How To Run A Successful Workplace Campaign [PDF]
  • EarthShare in the CFC (Combined Federal Campaign)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • What is a workplace giving campaign?
  • How does an EarthShare workplace giving campaign work?
  • Who does EarthShare support?
  • How do I know I can trust EarthShare and its member charities?
  • Do I have to give to EarthShare, or can a pick my charities?
  • How does my contribution get to you?
  • How much of my donation goes directly to the charity?
  • Will my gift be used to support political work?
  • Can I give to EarthShare through our United Way campaign?
  • Doesn't my company's United Way campaign cover all these environmental charities?
  • How do I give as a federal employee?
  • Is my donation tax deductible?
  • I can’t give that much; should I even bother?
  • How often can I change which charities receive my contribution?
  • Will EarthShare come talk to me or my employer about workplace giving?
  • Is this a lot of work? I’m the only HR person at our company.
  • Will my workplace donation qualify for employer contribution matches?
  • Is there a charge to my employer for running a workplace campaign with EarthShare?
What is a workplace giving campaign? 

Workplace giving is a means by which employees donate to the charities they care about, primarily through payroll pledges. Once a year, donors decide which issues are most important to them and contribute a few dollars per paycheck. It's that easy. And with EarthShare, YOU decide where your donation goes; we don't make that decision for you.

Donations through workplace giving enable EarthShare's member organizations to spend less time fundraising and more time working toward a healthier environment!

How does an EarthShare workplace giving campaign work?

Employees are presented with charitable giving options, typically once a year, and they may then pledge any amount they wish to be automatically sent to the charities of their choice.  It’s that easy.

Our experienced staff will :

  • Assist your workplace with launching a new campaign or adding EarthShare to an existing one;
  • Provide brochures, pledge forms, videos, posters, speakers and all other elements necessary for running a successful campaign, as desired;
  • Supply electronic lists, graphics and other elements for an online campaign; and
  • Assist in creating campaign pledge and financial reports, and more.
Who does EarthShare support?

EarthShare distributes your gifts to America’s most respected environmental and conservation charities.  You can view our full list of national member organizations here.

How do I know I can trust EarthShare and its member charities?

EarthShare requires current and prospective nonprofit members to meet numerous eligibility criteria before they're considered for membership in the federation. We review and evaluate all of our member organizations annually based on these criteria, to protect our donors' investments. EarthShare is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance and is a Guidestar Exchange Partner in Trust.

Do I have to give to EarthShare, or can a pick my charities?

EarthShare offers three ways to give:

  • Our unique One-Gift option: EarthShare will share your gift among all the member charities listed in your campaign.
  • One Charity: You may give directly to your favorite charity through EarthShare.
  • Multi-gift option: You may choose any combination of our charities to share your gift!
How does my contribution get to the charities I gave to?

Your employer's payroll department sends the campaign results to EarthShare. EarthShare then reports to its members the amount of the donations they will receive, allowing them to budget with confidence. As the funds are remitted by your employer, they are distributed out to the appropriate charities.

How much of my donation goes directly to the charity?

EarthShare has one of the lowest overheads of any comparable federation. Only 4.9% of our budget goes to administrative and fundraising costs; the remainder, 95.1%, goes directly to support our member charities. Overhead rates vary for EarthShare state affiliates.

Raising funds through payroll contributions in workplace giving campaigns is many times cheaper than direct mail. With lower fundraising costs, more money can go directly to programs and services!

Will my gift be used to support political work?

No. EarthShare member charity eligibility guidelines prohibit this, and federal law requires that our benefiting members not engage in political activity as it applies to 501(c)(3) charities.  Though these organizations may engage in public advocacy work, they must raise other funds to support political work.

Can I give to EarthShare through our United Way campaign?

*** If you live in the Metro D.C. area, you can give to EarthShare through the United Way of the National Capital Area (NCA) through 2010. Our designation number is 0900. As of 2011, the United Way NCA will no longer provide donors with the opportunity to give to EarthShare, its member charities, and to several other federations previously offered through these campaigns.. ***

If your local United Way campaign doesn’t include EarthShare in its list of eligible charities, find out if your campaign has a write-in option. Many campaigns allow you to designate your donation to any eligible, tax-exempt charity. If yours does, write “EarthShare” in the space provided on your pledge card, along with our address: 7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 900, Bethesda, MD 20814. ** Please be sure to ask your campaign manager about any minimum gift amount requirements imposed by United Way; some United Ways won't honor your designations unless you give at a certain level. **

 EarthShare still not available to you?  Ask your employer about adding choice to your campaign. EarthShare runs side-by-side with United Way and many other federations in hundreds of campaigns across the country – contact us to learn how easy it is to add choice.

Doesn't my company's United Way campaign cover all these environmental charities?

No, it doesn't.

Health, environment, diversity, international development and relief, and social justice issues affect companies, communities, and families.  But did you know that these concerns are not fully addressed through the traditional United Way-only campaign?

Because most employee groups include a diversity of race, culture, gender, age, interests and beliefs, employees should be able to choose from a variety of charities that reflect their own interests. If your workplace would like to add new options to your campaign in addition to EarthShare's charities, we're happy to recommend Charities @ Work, a unified, combined campaign program featuring a number of federations that cover a broad range of issues.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help set up an EarthShare / Charities @ Work campaign at your workplace.

How do I give as a federal employee?

Every year, EarthShare participates in the largest workplace giving campaign in the world: The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), a campaign tailored to meet the needs of federal employees, including U.S. postal workers and the U.S. military at home and overseas. To give to EarthShare through the CFC, simply enter CFC code #10252 on your pledge card during the next fund drive. If you would like to donate specifically to our member organizations through the CFC, please enter the appropriate charity code(s) on your pledge card, which you can find on our Combined Federal Campaign page.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Yes! All contributions to EarthShare and EarthShare organizations are tax-deductible.

I can’t give that much; should I even bother?

You’d be surprised just how far a dollar goes. For example, giving two dollars per pay period could help to protect one acre of tropical rainforest, provide a day of support for a crew of students volunteering in our national parks. Regardless of your budget, you WILL make a difference.

How often can I change which charities receive my contribution?

You have the option every year during your workplace campaign to renew your support and change your gift recipients.  You can also call us if you wish to stop a gift or switch an allocation.

Will EarthShare come talk to me or my employer about workplace giving?

Yes! You’re always welcome to contact EarthShare (info@earthshare.org or 800-875-3863) to talk, have your questions answered or arrange an in-person meeting.

Is this a lot of work? I’m the only HR person at our company.

We understand! You’ll be surprised just how easy an EarthShare campaign is to maintain and monitor -- and now it's even easier thanks to our online Give @ the Office solution -- the most affordable and simple online pledging solution on the market!

We give you all the tools and materials you need to implement payroll contributions, and we'll advise you about campaign best practices and online giving options that can help streamline the pledging and record-keeping process.

Please get in touch to learn more.

Will my workplace donation qualify for employer contribution matches?

Employer matches are left up to the discretion of the workplace. To encourage your employer to match employee donations, we recommend showing them the benefits that come with carrying out a successful EarthShare workplace giving campaign. You can also contact us (info@earthshare.org / 800.875.3863) to receive complimentary brochures and fact sheets.

Is there a charge to my employer for running a workplace campaign with EarthShare?

No, there is no fee involved in offering the EarthShare program.

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