Do you work for a company that matches employee charitable contributions? Perhaps your spouse works for a matching gift company? Have you retired from a matching gift company?

If so, your charitable contributions to Esperanto-USA (incorporated as the Esperanto League for North America, Inc.) or the Esperantic Studies Foundation may generate additional funds to support the educational purposes of Esperanto nonprofits in the United States.

What are matching gift companies? Many large companies offer charitable matching gifts to encourage employee generosity and as an enhancement to overall benefit portfolios. IBM, Visa, and many other companies offer this benefit.

How do I find out if my company or the company from which I retired will match my charitable contributions, specifically to Esperanto-USA and the Esperantic Studies Foundation?

1. Contact the Human Resources Office of the company where you work or from which you retired and ask to speak with a benefits specialist.

2. If the company has a matching gifts program, request information about which nonprofit organizations qualify and where you can obtain the matching gift form. Some companies match gifts only for higher education or cultural organizations or math and science education. Many others, however, will match an employee contribution to any qualified IRS 501(c)3 organization. See IRS Publication 78. Because Esperanto-USA was incorporated as the Esperanto League for North America, Inc., you will need to use that name, not Esperanto-USA, on your matching gift form.

3. Complete your company’s matching gift form and send it to Bill Harris at the Central Office (see the address on page 2). If the gift is for the Esperantic Studies Foundation, Bill will forward the form to ESF. If your company matches 1:1, for every $50 or $100 (or more) that you give, Esperanto will receive an additional amount equal to your contribution.

This is a quick and very easy way to generate additional support for Esperanto educational programs in the United States.