Volunteer

Eligibility and General Program Overview

All active U.S. based employees are eligible to utilize the foundation's Matching Gifts and Volunteer Incentive programs. Eligible retirees may participate in the "Education Choice" Matching Incentive Program only. Retirees of Verizon, the former Bell Atlantic, GTE and NYNEX can donate to accredited colleges and universities, up to $5,000 per year and receive a 1:1 match on their contributions. Verizon Wireless and MCI retirees are not eligible to participate.

How is "active" employee defined?
A U.S. based Verizon Communications, Verizon Corporate, Verizon Business, Verizon Telecom, Verizon Services, or Verizon Wireless employee on the payroll, who works full- or part-time, permanent, or temporary.
Can retirees participate?
Retirees of Verizon, the former Bell Atlantic, GTE and NYNEX are eligible to utilize the "education choice" matching incentive program. Under education choice, eligible retirees can have their donations to accredited colleges and universities, matched 1:1,up to a total of $5,000 per year. Verizon Wireless and MCI retirees are not eligible to utilize any matching or volunteer incentive programs.
If I leave Verizon, am I eligible for the retiree incentive?
Only if you formally retire from Verizon, the former Bell Atlantic, GTE or NYNEX. Verizon Wireless and MCI retirees are not eligible to participate.
What is my maximum yearly allowance across all employee programs?
Program Name Allowance
Matching Incentive*    $5,000 Education Choice
+ $1,000 Employee Choice
   $6,000 Total
Volunteer Incentive    $1,500
Team Incentive    $1,000
Disaster Relief    $2,000
Total Allowance:   $10,500 (Active Employees)
  $5,000 (Retirees)
* Retirees are only eligible for MIP Education Choice.
How do I know if my favorite organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit?
Charitable organizations or schools, as selected by our employees that have a valid 501(c)(3) or National Center on Educational Statistics (NCES) number as designated by the Internal Revenue Service or U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences, respectively are eligible for matching gifts/volunteer incentive grants. . of the eligibility requirements for funding of the matching gifts.
If my designated nonprofit does not appear when I'm registering a gift after I do a "Search by Organization" on the Foundation's website, what can I do?
Since the Foundation is 100% Web-based, it relies on an electronic data feed from the IRS of eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. You should contact the organization directly and verify that they are an eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Ask them to provide you with their 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt ID number. You can then go back onto the Foundation's website and do a search using their tax ID number.
What should I do if the organization still does not appear after doing a search using its 501(c)(3) tax ID number?
You should use the link on the Foundation's website (Can't find your organization? Click here to submit it for consideration.) and fill out the form with the requested information. Once the Foundation verifies, with the IRS, that the organization is an eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we'll notify you that your gift may be registered.
If I have any questions about the Verizon Matching Gifts Programs, whom may I contact?
You may call the Verizon Foundation's Customer Service Center at 1-866-247-2687 from 8:00AM to 8:00PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday or send an e-mail to vznmail@cybergrants.com. If sending an e-mail, please be sure to specify your question and include your e-mail address for a response.
Does the Verizon Foundation provide retroactive gifts to nonprofits?
To qualify for matching gift /volunteer grant, eligible employees/retirees must make and register donations in the current calendar year. The nonprofit has until March 31 of the following year to confirm/verify your donation. The foundation does not allow for registration of gifts made in prior calendar years.
If I register a gift through one of the programs and decide to leave Verizon, will my gift still be matched by the Verizon Foundation?
As long as your gift is registered and confirmed by the nonprofit prior to your leaving the company, it will be matched by the Foundation.
How often does the Verizon Foundation make payments to the nonprofit organizations on behalf of employee and retiree gifts?
Matching gifts and volunteer grants are made to nonprofits each quarter by the Foundation. For example, if a gift is registered during January, February or March and the gift is verified by the nonprofit before the end of March, it will be paid by the Verizon Foundation in April. If the gift is not verified by the nonprofit until April, it will be paid out the following quarter - - in July.
The only exception is matching gifts for the Team Incentive Program (TIP). The Foundation pays these gifts within 90 days, once the nonprofit verifies the total amount, per team, with the Foundation.

Ready to register your gift? Click Here.

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