FAQs

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• What organizations can receive a matching gift?
  • U.S.:  Most U.S. based 501(C)(3) organizations, U.S. public and private schools and U.S. accredited colleges and universities.
  • APAC, Canada, EMEA, LATAM: Click here for the organizations list
• Which employees can request a matching gift?

  Active full- and part-time employees are eligible; Verizon retirees are eligible for Higher Education matching gifts only.

• How do employees access the Verizon Foundation’s Matching Gifts program system?

  Employees must log-in to the Matching Gifts System using their SSO at: http://verizonfoundation.org/employee-retiree/log-in

  *Note – APAC, Canada, EMEA, LATAM Employees:

  • First-time users outside the U.S. MUST allow the transfer of their Human Resources information records to CyberGrants, the Verizon Foundation’s grant administration vendor.  To allow this transfer:
    • Click on www.verizonfoundation.org/donor
    • Login (using SSO credentials) under first column option "Verizon Employees"
  • Click on the “Verizon Foundation Employee Matching Gifts” checkbox to consent to having your HR records transferred to CyberGrants. You can “opt-out” of the program at any time.
  • Once your HR records have been transferred to CyberGrants, your user account will be created and you will be able to register your matching gift requests and/or volunteer hours.
  • Returning users can register for Matching Gifts through about you or by visiting www.verizonfoundation.org/donor
• What types of donations can be matched by the Verizon Foundation?

  Donations must be in the form of a personal contribution of $25 or more from the employee or retiree's own assets and paid directly to an eligible charitable organization or educational institution. Donations must be made, not merely pledged. Donations of physical items such as clothing, supplies, food, and the like are not eligible for a matching grant.  Donations must be in the form of one of the following:

  • personal check
  • money order
  • credit card payment
  • transfer of stock certificate
• Can I request a matching gift for a U.S. organization that works or runs programs internationally (e.g. Save the Children, Doctors without Borders, American Red Cross, etc.)?

  Most organizations registered with the IRS as a 501(C)(3) organization that operate internationally are eligible to receive a matching grant from the Verizon Foundation.

• Am I permitted to request a matching gift for my donation to a charitable organization or educational institution if I am the founder or paid employee of organization or school?

  No. You may not request a grant for your donation if you are a founder or paid employee of the charitable organization or educational institution.

• Am I permitted to request a matching gift for a personal donation made to a charitable organization or educational institution if my family member or someone with whom I share a close personal relationship with is a founder or employee of the organization?

  Employees are permitted to request a matching gift for their donation as long as Verizon funds are not used to benefit the employee, employee’s family member* or someone with whom the employee shares a close personal relationship.**  If your family member or person with whom you share a close personal relationship works for or is a founder of the recipient charity, you will be required to disclose this information as a potential conflict of interest when you request the grant.

  *Family Member includes members of the employee's immediate and extended family.  (Immediate and extended family includes, but is not limited to, one's spouse, domestic partner, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or any similar half or step-relationship.)

  **Close Personal Relationship refers to anyone in your family or household, someone with whom you have, or had, a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship.

• If I am participating in a charitable event such as a gala or walk-a-thon where I am required to pay a registration fee in order to raise funds for the charity, am I permitted to use Matching Gift funds to offset the cost of my registration or fundraising requirement?

  You are not permitted to use Matching Gifts to offset your registration fee or to reach your donation threshold.  However, if you are participating in a walk-a-thon you may be eligible to receive a Foundation match for your fundraising efforts under the Team Matching Program.

• Are monies raised by an employee through pledges eligible for a match through the Matching Gifts Program?

  No. Monies raised by an employee through pledges are not eligible for funds from the Matching Gifts Program.  The Matching Gifts Program is only applied to donations made from the employee's personal assets that are given directly to the eligible charitable organization or educational institution.

  If you are participating in a walk-a-thon you may be eligible to receive matching funds for your fundraising efforts under the Team Matching Program.

• Am I permitted to request a matching gift from the Verizon Foundation for a donation I make to an organization or educational institution that my child or a member of my family is involved with?

  Yes. Verizon employees are permitted to request a Verizon Foundation grant for donations to eligible charitable organizations and educational institutions in which a family member is involved.  However, the grant from the Verizon Foundation may not be used for any direct or indirect financial benefit to the employee, the employee’s family member* or someone with whom the employee shares a close personal relationship.**

  *Family Member includes members of the employee's immediate and extended family.  (Immediate and extended family includes, but is not limited to, one's spouse, domestic partner, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or any similar half or step-relationship.)

  **Close Personal Relationship refers to anyone in your family or household, someone with whom you have, or had, a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship.

• If I make a donation to my child’s little league team, scout troop, or PTA, can the Verizon Foundation match be used to offset the cost of my child’s uniform, league registration, membership or other costs associated with participation?

  No. Funds from the Verizon Foundation grant may not be used to offset cost or provide any direct or indirect financial benefit to the employee, the employee’s family member* or someone with whom the employee shares a close personal relationship.**  However, Verizon Foundation funds may be used to collectively benefit an entire team, charitable organization or educational institution of which the employee’s family member is a participant (e.g. a grant can be used to offset team uniforms or team registration).

  *Family Member includes members of the employee's immediate and extended family.  (Immediate and extended family includes, but is not limited to, one's spouse, domestic partner, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or any similar half or step-relationship.)

  **Close Personal Relationship refers to anyone in your family or household, someone with whom you have, or had, a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship.

• Who can I contact if I have questions or need assistance in submitting my matching gift request?

  If you would like additional information or need assistance navigating through the grant request process, please contact the Verizon Employee Engagement Program Support Center via email at vznmail@cybergrants.com or by calling (866)247-2687 between 8am and 8pm ET.

• How does the charitable organization or educational institution confirm receipt of my donation?
  • A representative of the charitable organization or educational institution must confirm receipt of your donation on line.  The following are individuals are NOT permitted to confirm on behalf of the organization or school:
    • The employee
    • A member of the employee’s family*
    • Someone with whom the employee  shares  close personal relationship**
    • Any Verizon employee
  • 2012 Matching gift requests must be confirmed by March 31, 2013.

  *Family Member includes members of the employee's immediate and extended family.  (Immediate and extended family includes, but is not limited to, one's spouse, domestic partner, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or any similar half or step-relationship.)

  **Close Personal Relationship refers to anyone in your family or household, someone with whom you have, or had, a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship.

• Who is permitted to confirm my matching gift request?

  To be considered for payout, the employee’s donation must be confirmed online via the Verizon Foundation website by a representative of the charitable organization or educational institution other than the Verizon employee, Verizon co-worker, member of the employee’s family* or someone with whom the employee shares a close personal relationship.**

  *Family Member includes members of the employee's immediate and extended family.  (Immediate and extended family includes, but is not limited to, one's spouse, domestic partner, parents, brothers, sisters, children, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or any similar half or step-relationship.)

  **Close Personal Relationship refers to anyone in your family or household, someone with whom you have, or had, a romantic relationship or other close personal relationship.

• Will my donation be matched if the amount I register is different from the amount confirmed as having been received by the charitable organization?

  No.  The matching grant request will not be awarded if there is any discrepancy between the amount of money registered by the donor and the amount confirmed by the organization, even when the amount confirmed by the organization or school is greater than the amount registered by the employee.  In all cases, the registered donation and the confirmation amount must be identical.

• Who should the charitable organization or educational institution contact if they have questions about the Matching Gifts program?

  If the benefitting organization or educational institution requires additional information or assistance in navigating through the Verizon Foundation confirmation processes, please have them contact the Verizon Employee Engagement Program Support Center via email at vznmail@cybergrants.com or by calling (866)247-2687 between 8am and 8pm ET.

• Is there opportunity to have another nonprofit added to the list of eligible organizations and schools outside the U.S.?

  The list of eligible organizations and schools will evolve over time with organizations being added and removed to the list.  On an ongoing basis, employees will be able to search the eligibility list via the Verizon Foundation website.