BNSF News

Want to Support Your Favorite Charity?

2010-02-25

Interested in doubling your donation to your favorite nonprofit or organization?

If you would like the foundation to contribute to your cause, you should use the BNSF Employee Matching Gift program. The BNSF Foundation's Matching Gift Program can match your donation dollar for dollar -- from $100 up to $20,000 per year, per employee - to eligible organizations.

The Matching Gift Program was established to help employees support causes important to them. In 2009, more than $1.48 million was distributed, representing more than 1,300 matching gifts. That's about $500,000 more than 2008 matching gift donations.

The program encourages employees to contribute to qualified educational institutions, cultural organizations or private hospitals. BNSF employees start the process by downloading and filling out portions of the Matching Gift form. To download the contribution form and see program guidelines, go to employee.bnsf.com > Quicklinks > Employee Services > BNSF Services > Matching Gifts. Or go to www.bnsf.com/assets/matching_gifts.pdf.

Follow the instructions to fill out your portion of the form, then send it, along with your donation, to the recipient. The receiving organization, in turn, completes the form and submits it to the BNSF Foundation. Once the paperwork is complete, and if the organization is eligible, the matching gift will be sent in approximately three to four months.

What's new

The matching program now allows contributions to U.S.-based organizations that benefit international aid programs, such as Save the Children.

Also starting last year, faith-based matching gifts are allowed if the 501(c) 3 organization is nonsectarian, and if the gift is for health and human or educational services provided by the organization and does not directly benefit a church, synagogue or mosque. The foundation reserves the right to decline any matching gift that it has determined falls outside the guidelines.

What the foundation doesn't match

• United Way
• Any athletic activities (programs, scholarships or facilities)
• Walk-a-thons or pledge-driven fundraisers
• Chamber of commerce activities
• Community foundations
• Alumni or class dues
• Subscriptions
• Tuition
• Employee tithes or church-related commitments
• Bequests
• Fraternities or sororities
• Any in-kind contribution based on cash value of an item
• Contributions that provide any benefit to the employee.

The application and complete instructions on qualifying organizations can also be found at employee.bnsf.com > Company > In the Community > Charity > Matching Gifts.

BNSF Headquarters
BNSF Railway Company
2650 Lou Menk Dr. 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 961057
Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Phone: (817) 352-1000

For more information on the company and its transportation solutions, visit the BNSF Web site at www.bnsf.com