Volunteer

Eligibility

Although we encourage everyone in our network to volunteer, we have a number of eligibility requirements to qualify for the Verizon Foundation Volunteer Matching Gift Program. You are eligible to participate if you are a US-based employee on Verizon Communications, Verizon Business, or Verizon Wireless payroll 90-days or more, who works full- or part-time, permanent, or temporary.

Eligible retirees may participate in the “Education Choice” match 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; however, Verizon Wireless and MCI retirees are not eligible to participate.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Eligibility Requirements for the Verizon Volunteer programs:

How is “active” employee defined?
US-based employee on Verizon Communications, Verizon Business, or Verizon Wireless payroll 90-days or more, who works full- or part-time, permanent, or temporary.
Can retirees participate?
Eligible retirees may participate in the “Education Choice” match 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.
If I leave Verizon, am I eligible for the retiree incentive?
Only if you formally retire from Verizon. 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?
You can log into the employee program website (https://foundation.verizon.com/verizonvolunteers), select the program you wish to participate in, and then do an organization search. You can also ask the organization prior to making a donation if they are a 501(c)(3) public charity.
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.
What do I do if it is not qualified as a 501(c)(3)? Can the Verizon Foundation still make a donation?
No. The Verizon Foundation only makes donations to qualified nonprofit public charities with 501(c)(3) status under IRS laws.
If I have any questions about the Verizon volunteers 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?
Active Verizon employees are allocated a total of $ $10,500 per year, per employee, in matching gifts and grants for their contributions of time and money to nonprofit organizations. Employees must register gifts made in the current calendar year in order to be eligible for matching contributions from the Foundation . Eligible retirees are allocated a total of $5,000 per year, per retiree, in matching gifts to accredited colleges and universities. Retirees must register gifts made in the current calendar year in order to be eligible for matching contributions from the Foundation. Verizon Wireless and MCI retirees are not eligible to participate.
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 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 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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