Supporting Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) doesn’t always require making a larger donation or volunteering more hours.
In fact, your employer may already offer workplace giving benefits that can increase your impact, often at no additional cost to you.
From matching charitable donations to paid volunteer time, many companies invest in the causes their employees care about. These programs help nonprofits like DUG grow stronger while giving employees meaningful ways to give back to their communities.
If you’ve never explored your workplace’s benefits, you may be surprised by what’s available.
What Is Workplace Giving?
Workplace giving refers to employer-sponsored programs that encourage charitable giving and volunteerism.
Depending on where you work, your employer may offer benefits such as:
- Employee Matching Gifts
- Payroll Giving
- Volunteer Grants (also called Dollars for Doers)
- Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
- Corporate volunteer days
- Community sponsorships or nonprofit grants
These programs make it easier for employees to support organizations they care about while allowing employers to invest in stronger, healthier communities.
Payroll Giving: Small Gifts That Grow Over Time
Payroll giving allows employees to make automatic charitable donations directly from each paycheck.
Rather than making one annual gift, you can contribute smaller recurring amounts throughout the year. Those consistent gifts provide dependable support that helps DUG continue expanding community gardens, increasing access to healthy food, and offering educational programs across Metro Denver.
Even a small contribution each pay period adds up over time.
Getting started is easy:
- Ask your HR or Payroll department if payroll giving is available
- Select Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) as your nonprofit of choice
- Choose an amount that fits comfortably within your budget
- Your donation is automatically deducted with each paycheck
Matching Gifts: Double Your Donation
Did you know many employers will match charitable donations made by their employees?
Matching gift programs can double—or sometimes even triple—your donation to DUG without requiring you to give anything extra.
Here’s how it works:
- Make a donation to Denver Urban Gardens
- Search to see whether your employer offers a matching gift program
- Submit your employer’s matching gift request
- Once approved, your employer sends an additional donation directly to DUG
It’s one of the easiest ways to increase your impact with just a few extra minutes.
Volunteer Grants: Turn Volunteer Hours into Funding
If you already volunteer with DUG, your employer may reward those hours by making a donation to our organization.
Volunteer grant programs provide financial contributions based on employee volunteer service.
For example, your employer may:
- Donate after you reach a certain number of volunteer hours.
- Provide funding based on every hour you volunteer.
- Award annual grants for community service.
You’re already making a difference through your time. Volunteer grants simply help that impact grow even further.
Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Get Paid to Volunteer
Many employers also offer paid Volunteer Time Off, allowing employees to volunteer during work hours while continuing to receive their regular paycheck.
Instead of using vacation time, you can spend a workday:
- Supporting a community garden
- Planting trees or pollinator habitat
- Helping at community events
- Maintaining food forests
- Working alongside fellow volunteers
VTO is a meaningful way to strengthen your community while taking advantage of an employee benefit you may already have.
Beyond Giving: Other Ways Your Workplace Can Help
Many employers support nonprofits in additional ways beyond individual employee giving.
Depending on your workplace, opportunities may include:
Corporate Volunteer Days
Bring your coworkers together for a day of service while supporting community gardens across Metro Denver.
Event Sponsorships
Companies can sponsor DUG events, educational programming, and community initiatives that help expand food access and environmental stewardship.
In-Kind Donations
Businesses often contribute products, services, equipment, printing, technology, landscaping materials, or other resources that help nonprofits maximize their impact.
If your employer is interested in partnering with DUG, we’d love to start a conversation.
Why Workplace Giving Matters
Community gardens thrive because many people contribute in different ways.
Some give financially.
Some volunteer their time.
Others share their skills, advocate for their neighborhoods, or connect DUG with workplace giving opportunities.
Employer-supported giving programs bring all of these efforts together, helping DUG steward more than 180 community gardens and food forests while expanding access to healthy food, environmental education, and welcoming green spaces throughout Metro Denver.
The best part? Many of these opportunities require little more than checking a box, submitting a short form, or asking your HR department a simple question.
Explore Your Workplace Giving Benefits
Your employer may already offer ways to increase your impact.
Whether it’s matching your donation, providing paid volunteer time, rewarding your volunteer service, or offering payroll giving, these programs help your generosity go even further.
Explore DUG’s workplace giving resources to learn more:
- Matching Gifts – Double your donation through your employer.
- Volunteer Grants – Turn volunteer hours into additional funding for DUG.
- Volunteer Time Off – Use paid volunteer hours to support community gardens.
- Volunteer Opportunities – Find your next opportunity to get involved.
- Donate – Support thriving community gardens across Metro Denver.
Together, we can cultivate healthier people, stronger neighborhoods, and a more resilient food system—one workplace, one volunteer, and one garden at a time.
