Volunteer Grant Ultimate Guide: Free Funding for Schools

Your school’s volunteers are its heartbeat. From the parents running the concession stand on Friday nights to the grandparents reading in the classroom, their time drives your community forward. But did you know that those same volunteer hours could also be a source of significant financial revenue for your school?

Volunteer grants (often called “dollars for doers“) are corporate giving programs where companies donate money to nonprofits and schools as a reward for their employees’ volunteer work. Essentially, companies pay your school for the time parents and community members spend helping out.

Despite being one of the easiest fundraising sources to tap into, volunteer grants are often overlooked by PTAs and school administrators. In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down exactly how these programs work, which companies love to fund education, and how your school can capture this “free money” to upgrade your classrooms and facilities.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What Are Volunteer Grants for Schools?
• Why Your PTA/PTO Should Prioritize Them
• The Volunteer Grant Submission Process
• Top Companies with Volunteer Grants for Education
• Volunteer Grants vs. Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Strategies to Market Volunteer Grants to Parents
• Leveraging Technology to Capture Grants
• Best Practices for School Success

Ready to turn chaperone hours into checkbook deposits? Let’s dive in.

What Are Volunteer Grants for Schools?

Volunteer grants are a form of corporate philanthropy where businesses provide monetary grants to eligible nonprofits—including K-12 schools and universities—to recognize their employees’ volunteerism.

Think of it as a “corporate match” for time instead of money. When a parent volunteers at your school, their employer might cut you a check just for them showing up.

While program specifics vary, the basic structure is simple: An employee volunteers for a minimum number of hours (e.g., 10 hours a year). Once they hit that milestone, their company donates a set amount (e.g., $500) or an hourly rate (e.g., $25/hour) to the school.

Did You Know? 80% of companies with volunteer grant programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour volunteered. For a school with 50 active parent volunteers, that could mean thousands of dollars in unrestricted funding.

Why Your PTA/PTO Should Prioritize Them

For schools, volunteer grants are essentially free money. They allow you to drastically increase the return on investment (ROI) of your existing volunteer programs without asking parents for another cent.

Consider this: Billions of dollars in corporate philanthropy go unclaimed every year simply because schools don’t ask for it, and parents don’t know it exists.

Boost Budgets without Sales: Unlike selling wrapping paper or cookie dough, volunteer grants have zero overhead cost.

Engage Working Parents: Parents who work at major corporations often feel disconnected from school volunteering due to their schedules. Volunteer grant programs (especially those with low hour thresholds) give them a powerful way to contribute meaningful financial support through just a few hours of service.

Double the Impact: If a parent volunteers to organize your silent auction and their company offers a grant, your school wins twice.

The Volunteer Grant Submission Process

While every company has its own workflow, the process for a parent to secure a grant for your school typically follows these five steps:

Volunteer: A parent or guardian volunteers at the school (e.g., chaperoning a field trip, helping in the library, or staffing a carnival).

Determine Eligibility: The parent checks if their employer offers a volunteer grant program.

Submit Forms: The parent logs into their company’s employee benefits portal and submits their hours.

Review: The company reviews the request and may contact the school to verify the hours.

Approve & Fund: The company approves the grant and sends a check directly to the school or PTA.

The bottleneck is almost always Step 2. If a parent doesn’t know their company offers this perk, the money stays on the table.

Top Companies with Volunteer Grants for Education

Many major corporations specifically prioritize education in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. Here are a few “school-favorite” companies to look for in your parent database:

Microsoft: One of the most generous programs available, Microsoft provides a grant of $25 per hour volunteered with no minimum hour requirement. This is a huge opportunity for schools in tech hubs.

Disney: Through its “VoluntEARS” program, Disney rewards employees with grants ranging from $100 to $2,000 depending on hours served. They are widely known for supporting schools and youth organizations.

Kohl’s: A champion for local communities, Kohl’s donates $50 for every hour an associate volunteers with a qualifying nonprofit or school. Their “Associates in Action” program is a staple for many PTAs.

Verizon: Verizon provides a $750 grant once an employee volunteers for 50 hours in a year. They have a strong focus on STEM education support.

ExxonMobil: This program offers a $500 grant for every 20 hours an employee volunteers.

State Farm: Through their “Good Neighbor Citizenship” grants, State Farm supports K-12 academic performance and safety initiatives.

Quick Tip: Don’t just look for national brands. Many regional businesses and local banks also have community grant programs. Check your local Chamber of Commerce member list against your parent directory!

Volunteer Grants vs. Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

It is important for schools to distinguish between Volunteer Grants and Volunteer Time Off (VTO), as parents may have access to both.

Volunteer Grants: The company gives money to the school based on hours the employee volunteered (often done on evenings or weekends).

Volunteer Time Off (VTO): The company gives the employee paid time off from work to go volunteer during the school day.

The School Strategy: Encourage parents to “double dip”! A parent can use their VTO benefit to take a Friday off to help with Field Day, and then also submit a volunteer grant request for those same 8 hours, triggering a cash donation to the school.

Strategies to Market Volunteer Grants to Parents

The biggest hurdle is awareness. Most eligible parents simply don’t know they are sitting on a potential donation. Here is how to fix that.

1. Optimize Your “Volunteer” Webpage

Your school or PTA website likely has a page for volunteer sign-ups. Add a section dedicated to “Corporate Matching & Volunteer Grants.” Include a simple search tool (like Double the Donation’s plugin) that allows parents to type in their employer’s name and instantly see if they are eligible.

2. The “After-Event” Email

The best time to ask is right after they’ve volunteered. Send a specific thank-you email to everyone who helped with an event.

Subject: You were amazing! (And you might have earned us an extra $500)

Body: “Thank you for helping with the Fall Festival! Did you know your time could be worth double? Many companies like Microsoft and Kohl’s match volunteer hours with cash grants. Please take 2 minutes to check if your employer participates here: [Link to Search Tool].”

3. Back-to-School Packets

Include a “Double Your Impact” flyer in your digital or physical back-to-school packets. Ask parents to check a box on their volunteer interest form if they work for a matching gift company.

4. Social Media Shout-outs

Post graphics on your school’s Facebook or Instagram page: “Did you know? If you work for [Company Name], your volunteer hours could turn into a $500 grant for our library! Check your eligibility today.”

Leveraging Technology to Capture Grants

Manually asking every parent where they work is impossible for a busy PTA board. Investing in workplace giving software can automate this process.

The Power of a Corporate Giving Database

Tools like Double the Donation provide a comprehensive database of thousands of companies with volunteer grant programs.

By embedding a search tool on your PTA membership form or volunteer sign-up page, you can capture employment data right when parents are most engaged. The system then provides the parent with their specific forms, guidelines, and next steps.

Automation is Key

Advanced platforms can automate the follow-up process. When a parent registers to volunteer and enters their employer (e.g., “Verizon”), the system can automatically send them an email with the direct link to Verizon’s volunteer grant portal. This ensures no money is left on the table.

Best Practices for School Success

To build a robust volunteer grant strategy, follow these best practices:

Collect Employment Data Early: Add an optional “Employer” field to your volunteer sign-up forms and PTA membership applications. You can’t ask for a grant if you don’t know where they work.

Designate a “Matching Chair”: Assign one PTA board member or office staffer to be the “Corporate Grant Lead.” Their job is to verify hours when companies call and remind parents to submit their forms.

Say Thank You: When a volunteer grant comes in, thank both the parent and the company. A handwritten note to a local branch manager can pave the way for future sponsorships.

Track Your Data: Monitor your volunteer grant revenue separately from general donations. Knowing which companies in your community are the most generous allows you to target them for event sponsorships later.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Volunteer grants represent a unique intersection of time and money—a way to double the impact of your most dedicated parents without asking them to open their wallets. By raising awareness, simplifying the submission process, and leveraging the right technology, your school can tap into this underutilized revenue stream and fund better educational experiences for every student.

Ready to uncover more revenue for your school? Check out Double the Donation, the industry-leading provider of matching gift and volunteer grant automation software, to see how easy it is to identify eligible parents and drive more revenue.