Matching Gifts
There are currently hundreds of companies in existence that will match the financial contributions their employees make to institutions of higher education.
Matching gifts continue to be a vitally important source of funds for colleges and universities, not to mention numerous additional nonprofit charitable organizations. They also are an increasingly important way for companies to allow employees to direct a portion of the monies for charitable contributions.
The Michigan Tech Fund oversees an annual matching gift program to capitalize on the generosity of these companies, and of our alumni and friends.
Nearly 9,000 Michigan Tech alumni, including retirees, have the opportunity to participate in their employer's matching gift programs. You can view a complete list of matching gift companies where we know at least one Tech alumnus is employed. If you work for a matching gift company and it is not included on this list, please contact the Annual Giving department at 906-487-3324, or through our contact page, and we will update our records.
View the list of Matching Gift Companies
Our current records indicate that Tech alumni work at 677 companies with matching gift programs, which have proven to be an invaluable resource for the University for many years. In 2006-2007, 211 companies matched 1,135 employee gifts allowing Michigan Tech to receive more than $401,532 in matching gifts.
Employees' gift values double and even triple with corporate matches, which contribute additional funds for student scholarships, academic programs, and classroom equipment. Unrestricted matching monies provide additional support for these projects, as well as for other urgent needs.
The procedure for ensuring a gift is matched varies from company to company. Currently, most companies require that the employee pick up a matching gift form (usually from the company's HR office), fill out the required portion, and mail it to the institution receiving the gift. However, several companies have instituted telephone procedures, while others have moved to an online method.
All in all, matching gifts are extremely important. They are an exceptional benefit for Michigan Tech, and they maximize the gift potential for alumni and friends. Efforts to increase matching gift dollars is an ongoing undertaking for the Michigan Tech Fund's Annual Giving Department. If you have any questions or comments regarding matching gifts, please contact Lorrie Graff, matching gifts coordinator, at 906-487-1925 or lgraff@mtu.edu.
Matching Gift Competition
One way the Michigan Tech Fund helps to promote and encourage matching gifts is by conducting the annual Corporate Matching Gift Competition. Since 1981, the Fund has enlisted alumni volunteers to contact fellow employees who are also Tech alumni and encourage their support. Michigan Tech keeps track of the success of the volunteers (called corporate agents) with an informal, friendly competition based on the percent of participation received.
2006-2007 Competition Results and Corporate Agents
| Division One (200+ Alumni) | |
| 1. Dow Corning Corp. | Kevin H. Lamb ‘77 |
| 2. Dow Chemical | Carrie M. Schaller ‘87 |
| 3. DaimlerChrysler | Kevin C. Ohlrogge ‘83 |
| Boeing Company | |
| General Motors | |
| IBM | |
| Division Two (100-199 Alumni) | |
| 1. General Electric Co. | Richard A. Miller ‘66 |
| 2. Consumers Energy | Jay P. Andreini ‘79 |
| 3. Pfizer Inc. | John E. Wright ‘79 |
| Caterpillar, Inc | |
| Johnson Controls | |
| Kimberly-Clark Corp. | |
| Lockheed-Martin | |
| Pfizer Corp | |
| Rockwell | |
| 3M | |
| Division Three (60-99 Alumni) | |
| 1. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. | Peter J. Suardini ‘81 |
| 2. Motorola | Jeffrey D. Bonta ‘77 |
| 3. DTE Energy | Louis H. Pomerville ‘75 |
| Alcoa | |
| BP | |
| Eaton Corporation | |
| Northrop Grumman Corp | |
| Raytheon | |
| Whirlpool | |
| Division Four (40-59 Alumni) | |
| 1. Wisconsin Energy Corp. | Anthony A. Militello ‘85 |
| 2. Procter & Gamble Co. | Susan K. Wendt ‘86 |
| 3. Texas Instruments | Todd T. Hahn ‘97 |
| Abbott Laboratories | |
| American Electric Power | |
| Chevron Corporation | |
| ExxonMobil | |
| Steelcase | |
| U.P. Engineers & Architects | |
| Verizon | |
| Division Five (1-39 Alumni) | |
| 1. Shell Oil Co. | Neil H. Lander ‘68 |
| 2. Xerox | Joseph H. Rowe ‘70 |
| 3. S.C. Johnson | Paul G. Szczesny ‘82 |
| Accenture | |
| AT&T | |
| Invensys | |
| MeadWestvaco Corp. | |
| Microsoft | |
| MTS Systems | |
| Sun Microsystems, Inc. | |