Matching Gift Process: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Matching Gift Process | A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

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As one of the most popular forms of corporate philanthropy, matching gifts are on the rise. This CSR tactic provides an easy way for organizations like yours to double incoming donations. However, many organizations are not taking full advantage of matching gifts⁠—largely due to a lack of understanding (among donors and staff alike) about the prevalence of the offering and the simplicity of the matching gift process.

Though it can vary based on specific companies and organizations, the basic matching gift process follows these key steps:

Here's what the matching gift process looks like.

Note: In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the traditional matching gift fundraising process. Keep in mind, though, that if a company was not prepared to launch a broadly accessible matching gift program or an organization sought a more personalized partnership with a business in its network, there’s another opportunity: custom matching gifts.

In the case of a custom matching gift program (also referred to as “one-off” or “unique” matching gift initiatives), a corporation commits to matching employee gifts to a single nonprofit cause. However, it’s important to note that the processes involved in establishing, marketing, and disbursing funding through these alternative programs tend to differ. If you’re looking to pursue a custom matching gift partnership, we recommend checking out our complete guide to custom matching gift programs here.

*While Double the Donation offers custom matching gift management functionality, this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers looking to manage custom matching gift initiatives—Double the Donation does not work directly with corporations. If you’re a company interested in creating a matching gift program, contact us, and we’ll share information about our corporate vendor partners.

Now, without further ado, let’s start at the beginning of the standard matching gift process.

Step 1 in the matching gift process

Step 1: An individual donates to a nonprofit.

The first step in the matching gift process occurs when an individual makes a personal donation to an organization. This is a prerequisite for the gift-matching initiative, and it’s essentially what kicks off the rest of the procedure. After all, you can’t match a gift without a gift to match!

Luckily, there are tons of ways for individual donors to support their favorite causes. Depending on the companies the donors work for, different giving types may be eligible for matching gift program participation.

For example, an individual may give via a cash donation, online giving page, peer-to-peer campaign, direct mail, event contribution, and more. Meanwhile, some companies enable employees to give matchable donations through their CSR platform. And others will even match gifts of securities, such as stocks and mutual funds!

 

Here's what making a donation can look like in the matching gift process.

Here’s how the matching gift process can begin using an online donation form.

According to matching gift research on the topic, “The more options an employee has to give and to get their gift matched, the more likely they are to utilize available company matching opportunities.”

Step 2 of the matching gift process

Step 2: Their matching gift eligibility is determined.

Unfortunately, not every donation made to a charitable organization is going to be match-eligible. Not only do donors need to work for participating companies to qualify for corporate gift matches, but the donations themselves must also meet certain criteria in order to be approved. Thus, after a donor submits their personal donation, it’s time to determine whether that gift will be matchable.

In order to do so, you’ll need to compare the recently contributed gift against the donor’s employer’s matching gift guidelines. These should include:

  • Types of qualifying employees
  • Types of qualifying nonprofit causes
  • Minimum and maximum match amounts
  • Match submission deadlines
  • Matching gift ratios

Though some donors may go into the process fully aware of their matching gift eligibility status (for example, if their employer had previously promoted the opportunity to its staff), many will not know whether their company even offers such a program. That’s why more and more organizations are choosing to incorporate matching gift promotions immediately following the giving experience⁠—including on the donation confirmation page, follow-up emails, and more.

Luckily, top matching gift tools (that include access to a comprehensive matching gift database) should provide your donors with access to employers’ matching gift guidelines as well as links to company-specific match request forms. This will enable users to determine matching gift eligibility in just a few clicks.

Here's what determining eligibility can look like in the matching gift process.

A quick search using a matching gift database tool can provide detailed eligibility data.

Step 3 of the matching gift process

Step 3: The individual submits a matching gift request.

Each matching gift an organization receives is the direct result of a matching gift request from a donor to their employer. And though the online submission process can vary by company, the traditional request process typically involves the following steps:

1. An employee logs into the company’s matching gift submission website.

While some employers develop their own matching gift submission process internally, most contract behind-the-scenes facilitation of the program to a matching gift program provider designed specifically for the purpose. Those companies are typically provided with an online portal through which they manage their employer matching gifts programming.

Matching gift submission process step 1 - screenshot

For donors looking to submit their matching gift requests, the first step is to log into their employers’ online portal with their unique username and password. (Hint: Those with difficulty logging in may have access to support assistance through the management provider!)

2. The employee searches for the nonprofit they donated to.

Once logged into their employers’ giving portal, the employer/donor should be prompted to locate the organization to which they gave from within an online database. For example, an individual may be asked to provide the nonprofit’s:

  • City
  • State
  • Country
  • Zip code
  • Name (or keywords)
  • Tax ID number (EIN)

Matching gift submission process step 2 - screenshot

While a donor may not have all of the above information, entering as much of the data as possible will increase the likelihood that they’re able to select the correct organization in the following step.

Top tip! For this reason, we recommend providing your donors with easy access to your organization’s contact information and other essential details, so they have everything they need to submit their matching gift requests.

3. The employee selects the correct nonprofit from the search results.

After an employee provides the requested information about the organization they donated to, the matching gift management platform compares data against thousands of nonprofits in the system. Typically, a number of organizations meeting the search criteria are then compiled, and the employee is encouraged to select the correct listing with which to complete their request.

Matching gift submission process step 3 - screenshot

If the organization is not found, the individual is typically able to add a new organization by manually entering the nonprofit’s information—such as their mailing address and tax ID number⁠—to submit their match request.

4. The employee registers their donation.

After selecting the correct organization from the provided list, the employee donor is then able to provide details about their most recent donation to the nonprofit. Information requested will typically include:

  • Payment type
  • Donation amount
  • Donation currency
  • Date of payment
  • Match amount requested (as calculated using the company’s predetermined matching ratio and maximum match amount)
  • Optional anonymity or memorial status
  • Optional donation program designation

Matching gift submission process step 4 - screenshot

Ultimately, this data will be reviewed by the donor’s employer (or matching gift management provider) to ensure the donation meets the company’s matching gift eligibility criteria.

5. The employee submits their matching gift request.

This final step is the simplest of them all!

After providing detailed information about their nonprofit donation, the donor is asked to review the information for accuracy and submit their gift request to the company for processing and review.

Matching gift submission process step 5 - screenshot

However, Double the Donation has recently rolled out an all-new streamlined way for donors to submit their matching gift requests with matching gift auto-submission.

NEW! Matching Gift Auto-Submission with Double the Donation

With newly out-of-beta auto-submission functionality, Double the Donation enables donors to bypass steps 1-5 highlighted above and complete their matching gift request more quickly than ever before. And it can all be done directly from an organization’s gift confirmation page!

Matching gift request process with auto-submission

Here’s how it works: During the giving process, donors are prompted to enter their employers’ names as usual. If an individual works for a company that has auto-submission enabled through their corporate giving platform, they are flagged as auto-submission-eligible.

Once they are redirected to their thank-you screen, the individual is prompted to enter their corporate email address (or potentially another piece of information to verify their identity) and authorize Double the Donation to submit the match request on their behalf.

From there, Double the Donation processes the matching gift request behind the scenes, passing data pertaining to the initial gift along to the CSR platform used by the individual’s employer to review the submission.

Step 4 of the matching gift process

Step 4: The employer reviews and verifies the match request.

At this point, the donor will have completed their portion of the matching gift process⁠—and the rest will fall on the nonprofit receiving funds and the company contributing funds, respectively.

Now, the employer will typically review the employee’s matching gift request and ultimately determine whether to approve the matching donation. One of the key stages in this process involves the matching company ensuring that the initial donation was actually made. Otherwise, they won’t want to match a nonexistent donation!

While some companies manually verify each donation, many utilize gift receipts as proof of an individual’s personal contribution. In this scenario, the company will simply analyze the provided donation receipt and matching gift request to ensure the donation meets the company’s matching gift standards. If so, the donation match will be approved.

Here's what donation verification can look like in the matching gift process.

A gift receipt, like this, may function as proof of an individual’s personal contribution.

In other cases, however, the organization’s team will be responsible for verifying that the original donation was made as reported to the donor’s employer. When this occurs, the nonprofit will be required to attest to the validity of the original donation in order for the company to issue its matching gift.

(Tip: if you do get a request for donation verification, see to it as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary delays in the matching gift disbursement process!)

Step 5 of the matching gift process

Step 5: The employer matches the donation.

Once the original donation is verified and approved, the actual disbursement process is triggered. As a result, the company offering the matching gift will issue its corporate donation in the amount offered by its matching program (typically at a dollar-for-dollar rate of the employee’s initial gift, but depending on the preset matching gift ratio).

Here are a few things for organizations to consider when it comes to this step in the matching gift process:

Disbursement schedules

Different companies have different disbursement schedules, so it may take a while for companies to process the verification and issue the check. Many businesses opt for a monthly distribution, but more information about a specific company’s timeline can often be found online or by using a matching gift program database.

Grouped donation matches

If a company receives multiple matching gift requests from multiple employees to the same nonprofit, they may decide to combine the matches together in a single donation.

For example, let’s say Ashley requested a donation match for $100 and John requested a match for $500, both to the Cat Rescue Club. Ashley and John’s employer, the Home Depot, may provide the Cat Rescue Club with one check worth $600 rather than two separate donations.

Here's what match disbursement can look like in the matching gift process.

Here’s what a corporate matching gift may look like, once disbursed.

Step 6 of the matching gift process

Bonus Step: The nonprofit thanks its donors!

Though this final step is not technically required for organizations looking to increase corporate revenue with donation-matching, recognizing donors for their participation is a critical component of an optimized matching gift process.

Consider this sample recognition message, which reads:

“Dear Jenny,

Thank you for your generous support of Cat Rescue Club.

We are pleased to inform you that we have just received a corporate matching gift as a result of your recent contribution. We appreciate the time you took to initiate the matching gift process.

Cat Rescue Club greatly appreciates your continuous support.

Sincerely,

Matching Gifts Manager
Cat Rescue Club”

Here's what match recognition can look like in the matching gift process.

Here’s an example of an effective matching gift recognition.

Following up after receiving a match enables your team to close the loop that may otherwise be left open. If a donor is never made aware that their match request was successful, they’re not likely to participate in a matching program again in the future. When you confirm the completion of the match, however, you leave a positive impression of both your organization and the matching gift process for donors to hold onto.

Not to mention, sending out a thank-you message after collecting a matching donation allows you to communicate your appreciation of the donor and their support. Once again, feel free to remind the individual of the increased impact that their matching gift has brought to your cause.

Matching gifts can seem like an immense task for nonprofits and donors who are unfamiliar with the programs and all they entail. When you take a closer look at what’s really involved, however, getting your donations matched is entirely doable⁠—some might even say easy!

Just remember, equipping your team with the right tools for the job is essential, especially for those looking to further streamline and simplify the matching gift process from start to finish.

Interested in learning more about the matching gift process and other strategic corporate fundraising opportunities? Check out our other educational resources:

Learn more about optimizing the matching gift process with Double the Donation.

Discover how a donor pyramid can inform your donor stewardship strategy and help you create fundraising plans.

Nonprofit Basics: The Donor Pyramid

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To strengthen your foundation for fundraising, it’s important to balance donor acquisition with donor stewardship strategies. Acquiring new donors should always be a goal for your nonprofit, but you also need to prioritize creating lasting relationships with donors in order to retain them over time.

One tool to help you steward existing donors is the donor pyramid. Using this model to visualize your donor base can help you understand how different types of donors are supporting your organization’s goals.

What is the donor pyramid?

The donor pyramid, or gift pyramid, is a graphic that nonprofits create to visualize their donor base that involves arranging donors by giving level. Each level of the pyramid represents a different group of donors, going from prospective donors at the bottom all the way to major donors at the top.

A donor pyramid allows you to visualize your donor segments and cultivate relationships.

Within the pyramid, donors are usually ranked by giving and engagement levels. However, the arrangement of donors may differ based on your organization’s goals. Depending on your objectives, you might also organize donors by giving frequency or donor acquisition date.

Why are gift pyramids useful?

The goal of a gift pyramid is to see where donors are currently and create strategies to move them further up the pyramid over time. Understanding who makes up your donor base is essential to creating a fundraising plan that effectively reaches your supporters and encourages them to give more frequently.

Donor pyramids are helpful for improving both your fundraising and donor engagement strategies. Look at your donor pyramid to determine what major groups comprise your donor base, and consider engagement strategies that target these groups specifically.

Use giving pyramids in combination with other tools, like a stewardship matrix, to intentionally cultivate relationships with your donors. As you use the donor pyramid to visualize donor segments, a stewardship matrix tracks how you engage each segment.

How to create a donor pyramid for your nonprofit

Creating a donor pyramid is a powerful way to visualize your nonprofit’s base of supporters. To create your gift pyramid, follow these steps:

  1. Use donor data to determine levels of giving (minor, mid-level, major). Be as specific as you need to, leveraging information from your nonprofit CRM or donor database for up-to-date data. Consider investing in predictive modeling to easily and accurately collect data on your donors’ giving potential.
  2. Divide your donors into segments based on giving history, frequency, and amount. A more basic pyramid might only include amount, whereas you might include multiple data points for a more detailed look at your supporter base. Once you have a clear understanding of your donors’ habits, you can optimize the donor journey for different segments.
  3. Determine specific donors or segments you want to steward, and create a strategy. Are you interested in building your monthly giving program? Look at who your current recurring donors are and evaluate strategies that encourage them to donate regularly.

You can vary the structure of the pyramid to fit your organization’s needs. Add levels, change the order of different segments, and change the model as needed to meet your nonprofit’s goals.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Nonprofit Marketing: Ultimate Guide and Best Practices – Discover impactful ways to promote your campaigns and market your organization.

40+ Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits to Spread Your Mission – Get inspired by these marketing ideas and find creative ways to share your nonprofit’s mission.

Learn the basics of Microsoft Ad Grants with this quick guide.

Nonprofit Basics: Microsoft Ad Grants for Social Impact

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Through the Microsoft Ad Grant program, nonprofits can transform their advertising techniques and venture into the world of search engine marketing (SEM) for free. All you have to do is meet the eligibility requirements, apply, and start creating compelling ads. But before diving straight in and applying, take some time to learn the basics of the program.

What Is The Microsoft Ad Grant?

Also known as Ads for Social Impact, the Microsoft Ad Grants program awards eligible nonprofits $3,000 each month to spend on promoting web content across Microsoft’s digital search and native advertising network. Ads are shown across Bing, Yahoo, AOL, outlook.com, MSN, and Microsoft Edge.

This shows an example of the World Wildlife Fund using Microsoft Ad Grants for nonprofits.

Currently available only to U.S.-based nonprofits, Microsoft Ad Grants expand your marketing budget and empower organizations like yours to accomplish goals such as:

  • Growing mission awareness by promoting educational content
  • Attracting and retaining donors, volunteers, and other supporters by unlocking a new platform
  • Driving more qualified web traffic to your most important landing pages

Plus, access to additional tools through Microsoft for Nonprofits will help you garner a deeper understanding of how users interact with your cause online. That way, you can make sure you’re targeting the right keywords and driving greater mission outcomes through the program.

Note that Microsoft is not taking any more applications at this time while they work on refining the program to support more nonprofits.

Microsoft Ad Grant Eligibility Requirements

If you’re familiar with Google Ad Grants, you know the program’s coordinators have eligibility criteria to limit access to the program. Microsoft takes a similar approach with its nonprofit eligibility guidelines.

Once Microsoft starts accepting applications again, make sure you meet the core requirements that Microsoft breaks down into three categories:

  1. Type of organization: Your organization must be a nonprofit or non-governmental organization with recognized legal status (e.g., 501(c)(3) status for U.S. organizations). Public libraries and museums are also eligible.
  2. Mission: Organizations must operate on a not-for-profit basis and have a mission to benefit their local communities.
  3. Non-discrimination: Organizations must not have a policy or mission of discrimination. This includes (but is not limited to) discrimination in hiring, compensation, training, promotion, termination, services, or any other area.

Note that certain types of organizations are automatically ineligible for the program. Some of these include governmental organizations, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and political organizations.

Use this checklist to determine if your organization is eligible for Microsoft Ad Grants.

As long as your organization meets the program’s requirements, you’ll be accepted into the program! If you’re unsure if you meet the requirements, a dedicated Microsoft Ad Grants manager may be able to step in to confirm your eligibility.

Work with the experts at Getting Attention to make the most of Microsoft Ad Grants for nonprofits.

How to Get Started with Microsoft Ad Grants

So you’ve determined that you’re eligible for the program — fantastic! Now you’re ready to apply. Remember that Microsoft has temporarily paused the program for new applicants, but it’s important to know what to expect.

Let’s walk through the steps you need to take to get started with this marketing opportunity once the program coordinators begin accepting new applications.

Step 1) Bring your website up to code.

While not listed in their official application steps, you should take time to optimize your website before applying. After all, this is where you’ll drive users across your Microsoft Ad Grant campaigns.

Walk through your site, paying special attention to the landing pages you’ll promote through your ads. Here are some elements to consider:

  • Pages with a clear purpose: Each page on your site should have a clear purpose, whether that’s sharing volunteer information, funneling donations, promoting matching gifts, outlining a major initiative like a capital campaign, explaining your mission, or something else. Then, use your CTAs to tell readers exactly what step you want them to take.
  • Mobile usage: Fundraising research estimates half of all nonprofit web traffic comes from mobile users and mobile-friendly donation forms yield 34% more donations. Make sure you use a mobile-responsive web builder that will automatically resize your content to fit any screen size.
  • Effective graphic design: You can have compelling written content, but your graphic design will tie it all together and reel users in. Kwala’s nonprofit graphic design guide explains that you should infuse your brand by featuring your logo, colors, fonts, and other recognizable elements. You should also use timeless images and fonts as well as effective colors and contrasts that make your design pop.

In no time, you’ll develop a trustworthy website that users will want to explore once they click on your Microsoft Ads!

Step 2) Apply for Microsoft for Nonprofits

Microsoft for Nonprofits is the broader program you’ll need to join before you can apply for Microsoft Ad Grants. This program provides additional grants and discounts for various Microsoft products, like Office 365 and Dynamics 365.

To register, you’ll need to do the following:

  • Share role-specific information for your nonprofit’s point of contact.
  • Agree to Microsoft’s program policies.
  • Provide organizational information and documents that prove your organization’s eligibility.

Registration review can take up to 7 days. Bear in mind that Microsoft partners with TechSoup to validate applicants’ information. As you wait, TechSoup may contact you for additional details.

Once approved, you’ll receive an email from Microsoft and can access Microsoft’s Nonprofit Hub to take advantage of the different tools.

Step 3) Complete the Microsoft Ad Grants application.

Access the Nonprofit Hub within Microsoft for Nonprofits, which houses the Microsoft Ad Grants application. As you fill out the application, you’ll provide additional information, such as:

Expect to hear back via email within 10 business days. The timeline for approval may alter if Microsoft requests additional information or documentation from you.

Once accepted, you can start building your campaigns, writing compelling ads, and taking full advantage of this nonprofit marketing opportunity.

In no time, you’ll be a Microsoft Ad Grant wiz! And if at any time you need help, you can always reach out to an SEM grant management specialist to answer your questions.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
Microsoft Ad Grants: A Q&A Guide for Nonprofit Marketers – Dive further into the Ads for Social Impact program with our ultimate guide!
The Microsoft Ad Grant Program: All Your Questions Answered – Keep learning about the benefits of Microsoft Ad Grants along with some grant management best practices in this guide.

Work with the experts at Getting Attention to leverage Microsoft Ad Grants for nonprofits.

Nonprofit Basics: Fun Run Fundraiser

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Fun run fundraisers are a great way to get supporters involved and excited about a particular cause. Fun runs are versatile and can work for all ages. This makes it a successful fundraiser and a popular choice for schools, sports teams, and community groups. 

Fun runs can be especially effective if your school or nonprofit’s community of supporters includes a lot of runners. And while it’s certainly an option, your fun run doesn’t have to be a 5K or a marathon. You can adapt it to any age or interest level, making it accessible to anyone that is eager to participate. 

What is a fun run fundraiser?

A fun run fundraiser is a type of peer-to-peer fundraiser in which participants sign up to run, collect pledges, and earn donations for each mile (or other specified unit of distance) they run. 

Fun runs are very adaptable and cost effective. You can choose a theme, such as a color run or glow run. These fundraisers also build community, making them a popular way to bring people together around the holiday season. 

How does a fun run fundraiser work?

Fun run fundraisers are relatively simple to plan as long as you have the right resources. You’ll need a space to hold the event, volunteers to ensure the event runs smoothly, and an intuitive online platform that provides a smooth donation experience. 

Follow these simple steps to start your next fun run: 

  1. Select an online fundraising platform to host your organization’s donation pages. 
  2. Plan the event, promote it, and find participants.
  3. Create a main campaign page for the fundraiser. 
  4. Participants create individual campaign pages and  send them to their social networks to collect pledges for donations.
  5. Participants run, then your organization collects the donations. 

As you plan out your fun run, don’t forget the importance of marketing your event. You can promote the event by posting flyers throughout your community and online through email, social media, and your website.

Lastly, if you’re looking for additional fundraising opportunities, try combining your fun run with another fundraiser. For example, you could sell branded merchandise like t-shirts or water bottles on the day of the event. 

Other Resources to Explore

How to Organize a Fun Run Fundraiser in 7 Steps – Find out how to organize your next fun run fundraiser with these simple steps. 

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

Best Fundraising Ideas – Explore these ideas to get creative with your next fundraiser.

Learn how fundraising videos can support your nonprofit mission.

Nonprofit Basics: Fundraising Video

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To drive donations for your nonprofit or community organization, you need to reach your audience in compelling ways. One creative way to get the word out is by creating a fundraising video for your next campaign.

Sharing your nonprofit’s work with a fundraising video is a unique and engaging way to connect with your supporters. Video can also be a valuable tool for expanding your audience reach and finding new donors to support your cause.

What is a fundraising video?

A fundraising video is a video created to promote a specific fundraising campaign and inspire viewers to donate. Videos can be a valuable tool for nonprofit marketing or for any organization raising money for a cause. In addition to promoting a specific fundraiser, your video can also increase awareness of your nonprofit’s work.

Background information about your organization, including your mission statement and communities served, can be a valuable addition to your video. This information introduces people unfamiliar with your nonprofit to your work in a creative way.

Fundraising videos may include footage from previous fundraising events, highlighting the success of past initiatives. Including video demonstrating the impact of previous fundraisers, such as interviews with people served by your nonprofit or footage of volunteering efforts, demonstrates to potential donors that their support will have tangible benefits.Fundraising videos have a pre-production, production, and post-production stage.

How to make a fundraising video

To create an effective fundraising video for your organization, start by defining goals for the video. How many supporters do you want to reach? What do you want the video to communicate to viewers? What actions do you want viewers to take after watching your video?

Once you’ve established your goals, go through the steps of the video production process:.

  1. Pre-production: Plan your video. Outline the information you want to include in your video and determine how you’ll feature it. Video content might include interviews, existing footage, new videos, text, or voiceover.
  2. Production: Film your video. This might include filming a fundraising event or interviewing volunteers about their experiences working with your organization.
  3. Post-production: After production, all of your content needs to be edited together. Combine video, text, and music to create an impactful story.

Remember to always center your organization’s mission and the cause your campaign supports. Be specific, demonstrating what sets your organization apart. For example, if you want to highlight your matching gift program, focus your video on that offering to avoid overwhelming viewers.

Once your video is ready, share it across multiple different platforms to reach as many supporters as possible. Use the video in your website banner, share snippets and links on social media, and include it in your email outreach.

Best fundraising videos

Get inspired by these successful nonprofit video examples! Take note of how they tell their organization’s stories, the type of visuals and messaging they use, and what elements of the videos appeal to you. Watching other nonprofit videos is a great way to discover new ideas for your fundraising videos.

A successful nonprofit video will leave viewers with a clear understanding of your organization, an impactful message that inspires them to support your work, and actionable next steps. Raise more money and grow your supporter base with powerful fundraising videos.

Other Resources to Explore

Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.

The Ultimate Guide to Nonprofit Video Storytelling – Create impactful nonprofit videos with these storytelling principles.

Nonprofit Marketing: Ultimate Guide and Best Practices – Explore tips and actionable strategies for sharing your nonprofit’s mission.

Marketing matching gifts to your internal team

Marketing Matching Gifts To Your Internal Team

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Employees (or volunteers, for that matter) of any nonprofit should believe in their mission wholeheartedly. At the same time, team members across all roles and departments should be encouraged to further their good work in any way they can.

Why else would a person dedicate their life to any profession? Sure, some people might work for money alone, but in the nonprofit sector, the ultimate goal is often not a personal or financial one.

Rather, key objectives include delivering a positive effect on the world by helping solve problems and overcoming community roadblocks. This often involves providing a solution via goods or services where there once was a gap. The problem is that these solutions typically require a decent amount of funding to establish.

If you’re looking for new methods that your organization can use to collect increased funds, matching gifts are one of the best ways to go. And the first logical step in driving matching revenue is beginning with your nonprofit itself⁠—by marketing matching gifts to your internal team.

By incorporating the following matching gift marketing strategies into your overall nonprofit fundraising plan, you can ensure your team is doing the best job possible in acquiring matching gift funds. This should include prioritizing your:

Remember, internal outreach encompasses all areas of your nonprofit’s “behind the scenes” efforts⁠—including paid staff members, volunteer teams, dedicated fundraisers, and so on.

Let’s dive in with key ways to market matching gifts to these critical teams!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Internal Awareness

One of the first steps you’ll want to take in order to market matching gifts to your nonprofit’s internal team is to increase awareness of the opportunities within your organization. Make sure that every team member is familiar with the concepts involved with employee gift-matching so that they can be better prepared to pass on the information to interested supporters.

When your team has a solid foundation of knowledge about matching gifts, your staff and supporters will naturally spread the word about the opportunities. Informing your internal staff about matching gifts reminds them to prioritize and elevate matching gifts every chance they get.

Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by increasing internal awareness:

  • Host dedicated training sessions where you inform your nonprofit team about matching gift fundraising.
  • Clarify where team members should turn to seek more information about donation-matching⁠—whether that’s a matching gift team leader, additional resources, etc.
  • Incorporate matching gift training into your organization’s future onboarding initiatives to ensure new team members are being informed about the opportunities as well.

Internal promotion may be the most essential strategy for promoting matching gifts. Of course, you’ll want your fundraising team to understand and communicate the value of matching gifts. But don’t stop there! Make sure every person within your organization is trained on matching gift fundraising strategies⁠—from the board president to your custodial staff!

This can be as simple as informing your staff about matching gifts at your next organization-wide meeting. Then, implore your team to be mindful of these programs when speaking to both donors and prospects. Once the word about matching gifts is out, it can spread like wildfire from one trusted voice to another.

Marketing matching gifts to your internal team with matching gift awareness

Marketing Matching Gifts With Matching Gift Teams

Strategies for marketing matching gifts to your internal team typically begins with establishing a dedicated matching gift coordinator and team. Once ready and equipped, these individuals will work to spread the word and prioritize the opportunity for everyone else involved with your nonprofit.

Sure, everyone should have basic knowledge when it comes to corporate gift-matching. But in order to fully implement the funding source in your overall nonprofit fundraising strategy, it’s important to form a dedicated matching gift team that goes above and beyond in pursuit of matching gifts.

Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by forming a matching gifts team:

  • Identify a leader of your matching gift fundraising team to ensure matching gifts are promoted to donors and be there to answer questions about matching gifts.
  • Pull individuals from your marketing, fundraising, volunteer coordinating, and other relevant departments.
  • Make an effort to streamline your matching gift processes and implement a culture of matching gifts.

For the greatest results, a matching gift fundraising team should address specific roles in the matching gift process. This group of dedicated individuals is designed to get all of your matching gift efforts streamlined and bring in more corporate-matched donations than ever before.

Specifically, hiring a matching gift expert (or forming a team of matching gift fundraisers) will ensure that you have a point of contact for everything matching-gift-related. This can lead to better outreach and marketing strategies for matching gifts. There’s a real science to maximizing matching gifts, and it takes foundation in proper execution from a dedicated matching gift team.

Marketing Matching Gifts With A Matching Gift Fundraising Plan

With your matching gift team in place, it’s time to execute your efforts with a detailed fundraising plan. With determination and proper strategy on your side, your organization as a whole can benefit from a substantial increase in doubled donations.

To do so, be sure to first identify to whom you plan on marketing matching gifts⁠—and how you aim to do so. This step also involves determining exactly what information you’d like to share with donors. Consider the following questions:

Do you simply want to inform donors that matching gift programs exist? Shall you educate them on how to get involved? Would you like donors to know how matching gifts provide necessary additional funds for specific mission initiatives? Are you aiming to direct eligible donors directly to their companies’ matching gift program guidelines and instructions?

More than likely, your answer will involve a combination of each key topic. But don’t forget⁠—before you can craft your plan to communicate the above information to donors, you’ll need to ensure your nonprofit team is up to speed as well.

Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts to your internal team by developing a detailed matching gift fundraising plan:

  • Establish specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals for increasing matching gift awareness and revenue.
  • Discuss matching gift opportunities with the tangible mission impacts in mind. Your team members care about your cause and will be increasingly motivated to seek donation matches when they can better visualize what’s at stake.
  • Evaluate the most effective marketing opportunities for promoting matching gifts. Prioritize the outreach channels that will best serve your nonprofit (such as direct mail, social media, email, etc.) while keeping in mind that a multi-channel plan is typically the most ideal choice.

When you inform your staff about matching gifts, it essentially launches the domino effect, and, before you know it, soon, word has spread throughout your entire network about the power of matching gifts.

Be sure to articulate that submitting a matching gift will allow people to go the extra mile and do even more for your mission⁠—all without having to reach back into their own wallets. That should be the foundation of your matching gift fundraising plan!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Key Metrics

As you dive into marketing matching gifts to your nonprofit’s team by forming a marketing plan, sharing corporate giving content with donors, and incorporating matching gift training into ongoing staff management, don’t forget to also measure your results.

Here are a few best practices to consider when marketing matching gifts by tracking and recording key fundraising metrics:

  • Keep track of the number and value of match-eligible gifts identified.
  • Record the number and value of matching gifts received in a certain time period.
  • Calculate your organization’s matching gift rate (i.e., the number of matching gifts received divided by the total number of individual donations).
  • Make a note of the percentage increase on individual donations (matching gift value divided by the total value of individual donations).

By tracking, recording, and analyzing key fundraising metrics, you can easily evaluate your data. From there, you’ll be able to continuously improve your matching gift promotion strategies both internally and beyond your own team.

Remember⁠—there’s always room for improvement when it comes to optimizing your fundraising efforts. As you learn from past initiatives and aim for increasingly improved results, keep in mind that key updates can be made to better engage with your audience (not to mention your own internal team) at any time.

Marketing matching gifts to your internal team with key metrics

Getting your nonprofit’s team on board with matching gifts is an essential prerequisite for effective matching gifts fundraising. Before you can market the opportunity to external supporters, it’s vital that your fundraisers are up to speed with all things matching gifts and ready to communicate the impact and importance of these programs to donors and supporters.

It all starts with marketing matching gifts to your internal team! Be sure to increase awareness of the programs, form a dedicated department devoted to amplifying matching gifts, and track and report key fundraising metrics throughout the process.

Ready to learn more about matching gift opportunities? Read up on these additional resources⁠—and be sure to share your findings with the rest of your internal team:

Learn more about marketing matching gifts to your internal team with Double the Donation.

Marketing matching gifts on your website with direct mail outreach

Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail Outreach

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While electronic communication is a speedy and efficient outreach strategy, some donors prefer communication via direct mail. That’s why we recommend taking a multi-channel approach to marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach and online engagement efforts.

This way, you’re able to reach a significantly wider audience while offering additional touchpoints to make your materials stand out. And in the end, that means more matching gifts for your cause.

Now, you might be asking yourself (or your team): “Is paper marketing out of date?” The simple answer is that no, it’s not. In fact, there are a number of donors who still prefer the personal touch of tangible mail.

When people read direct mail, as opposed to email or other online communications, the interaction between ink and paper does something to help people better remember what they’re reading. Common sense would advise that you don’t just want people to read about matching gift programs; you want people to remember them.

Though digital giving methods are en vogue as of late, some donors don’t respond to internet-based outreach. Whether your donors are less technologically savvy or simply prefer a good, old-fashioned letter, some donors are best contacted through the (still lively) snail mail process.

This may include a combination of:

The debate between paper communication and technological communication has raged on for years. Nonetheless, employing both types of marketing works best.

Every type of direct mail has its place in the matching gift donation cycle, and each one will help you better reach that vital segment of donors who prefer to interact via direct mail communications.

In this guide, we’ll learn more about marketing matching gifts with direct mail using each of these strategies. Let’s begin!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Letters

Use letters to remind donors to check if their employers offer matching gifts. Make sure the wording doesn’t read like a sale but rather feels like a personal communication between your nonprofit and the donor.

You want people to know that, by applying for a matching gift, they’re doing a great service to your nonprofit⁠—above and beyond their initial contribution. If you have the time and resources, consider writing your letters by hand. If not, you may decide to opt for printed matching gift letters.

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with direct mail letters:

  • Target your direct mailings to active donors who have recently contributed a gift to your organization.
  • Research your donors (and their matching gift eligibility) before sending your letters to ensure you’re not throwing away any postage.
  • Incorporate an easily scannable QR code that directs readers to your matching gifts page for more information.
  • Take a multi-channel approach to communicating with donors, reminding them about matching gift programs via mail, and following up with digital communications.

Just be sure to write to your donors like they’re human beings and share personal stories to get them increasingly invested in your cause. This will encourage individuals to want to go the extra mile to seek out and participate in their employers’ matching gift programs.

And when you receive a matching gift, remember to say “thank you!” Even if you communicate with a donor primarily via email, a paper thank you in the mail can be a great way to show how much you appreciate the additional dollars (and the steps the donor took to secure the funding).

Example Content:

  • “Many employers offer matching gift programs that could double or even triple your contribution. We invite you to seek out matching gifts so that Atlanta University can continue to educate the next generation of changemakers.”
  • “Many corporations offer programs that match employee donations to the Cat Rescue Club. The tax-deductible portion of your membership contribution is often eligible to be matched as well⁠—find out more on our website!”
  • “Visit catrescueclub.org/employer-matching/ or visit https://doublethedonation.com/CRC to find out if your company will match your donation.”

Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail_Letter

Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail Inserts

If you don’t want to edit all of your existing marketing materials to mention matching gifts, or if you want to call added attention to such programs, paper mailing inserts may be the offline marketing technique for you.

Paper inserts are typically slips of paper included in additional donor mailings that call special attention to matching gifts. And they come in a variety of forms, as well. Sometimes they’re as simple as small pieces of paper, though you could even get creative and turn your paper insert into a bookmark or another longer-lasting material.

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with direct mail inserts:

  • To reduce costs, design direct mail inserts smaller than a full page or use a postcard.
  • Rather than creating an additional direct mail insert, incorporate donation-matching information on the back of an existing paper insert material.
  • Consider retaining direct mail marketing strategies for donors or members at higher giving levels (and prioritize digital outreach for small and mid-level donors).
  • Stick to a limited amount of text that gets straight to the point⁠—typically an overview of matching gifts and a call to action to participate.
  • Incorporate eye-catching graphics that elevate the brief message rather than take away from the content at hand.
  • Encourage recipients to visit your website (and, specifically, your dedicated matching gift page) at the provided link. If the URL for your match page is long or complicated to type, consider including a shortened version that automatically redirects to your matching gift page.

Direct mail is more likely to be noticed by less tech-savvy donors and members who aren’t exploring your website on a regular basis. Including a matching gift insert in new members’ or donors’ welcome packets, membership renewal materials, or annual update communications can bring additional attention to matching gifts.

Example Content:

  • “Matching gifts can double your support for our organization. Many corporations offer programs that will match employee donations to our organization. Is your employer one of them? Learn more about available matching gift programs on our website!”
  • “Matching gifts and volunteer grants are important sources of revenue for our organization. Visit our matching gift page to find out if your company will match your donation and to access the appropriate forms and guidelines.”

Marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach using a direct mail insert

Marketing Matching Gifts With Postcards

People love receiving personalized mail, and postcards can be a great way to make your materials stand out. After all, you get to immediately surpass the issue of donors who never get past the first obstacle⁠—the envelope.

As a result, postcards can be an especially effective way to encourage donors to submit matching gifts.

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with postcards:

  • Summarize what matching gifts are and what the financial impact is.
  • Remind donors to submit their matching gift requests to their employers.
  • Directs recipients to a site (or individual’s contact information) where they can access additional information.
  • Determine which segments of donors to which you’ll send postcards⁠—including all recent donors, recent donors above a certain threshold, donors identified as match-eligible, or donors who’ve submitted matching gifts for past donations but haven’t yet for their most recent contributions.

Just as with the solicitation letters, the more personalized you can make your postcards, the better. Handwritten cards are great, but at the very least, you’ll want to have your postcards signed by hand. Knowing that a real person cared enough to write (or sign) your mailing can go a long way toward connecting with recipients on an individual level.

Example Content:

  • “Get your donation matched! Scan this QR code to visit our page on corporate matching gifts and find out if your employer will match your generous donation to our cause.”
  • “Do you match? Visit www.lls.org/matching-gifts/ to search our matching gift database and quickly access your company’s matching gift program guidelines.”

Marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach using a postcard - front

Marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach using a postcard - back

Marketing Matching Gifts With Thank-You Notes

It’s likely that your nonprofit is receiving matching gift checks several months after the original donations. Sending thank-you notes is a great way to notify your donors that the matching contributions were received.

Thanking donors is not only the right thing to do, but it also instills a positive impression in donors’ minds and ultimately closes the loop. As a result, donors will be more likely to make future contributions with matching gifts.

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with thank-you notes:

  • Utilize a “thank-you” card that is both easy to read and eye-appealing while also staying true to your brand’s color scheme.
  • Ask donors to keep your organization in the loop throughout their matching gift request process (i.e., indicating when they’ve submitted their match), which allows you to better track and record incoming matching donations.
  • Provide insights into the tangible impact the individual’s donation match can offer your organization and its beneficiaries.
  • Share gratitude for both the donation match and the individual’s initial donation.

For large institutions, the chances are that you’ll be sending notes to more people than hand cramps you care to endure. Printed materials are a speedy and efficient alternative to handwritten letters, but if you want that personal touch, pick up a pen and scribble a quick message. Even just signing at the bottom can show an extra level of dedication that donors will respond to!

Example Content:

  • “We recently received a matching donation from the Home Depot as a result of your generous donation and subsequent match request on our behalf. Thank you for your constant support of our cause!”
  • “Thank you for submitting your matching donation! Your support goes above and beyond to help us fulfill our mission. Our team, and the beneficiaries we serve, will forever be grateful for your contributions to the campaign.”

Marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach using a thank you note

Marketing Matching Gifts With Physical Newsletters

Physical newsletters as a marketing medium offer a unique opportunity for organizations to share content that goes in-depth about the details of matching gifts. After all, this method typically encompasses an increased amount of space to articulate why matching gifts are important⁠—and their specific benefits to your nonprofit⁠—as compared to some other direct mail or even online marketing tactics.

This, in turn, brings them closer to your nonprofit in a way that makes them feel more in touch with (and thus more included) in your community.

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with physical newsletters:

  • Share compelling statistics about matching gift availability and potential (hint: we’ve compiled a list of impactful corporate giving research to help).
  • Communicate the value of matching gifts using examples of tangible benefits that increased funding can bring your organization and its mission.
  • Direct readers to additional online resources where donors can navigate to learn more about getting involved with donation-matching.
  • Consider creating a matching gift-specific edition of your nonprofit newsletter, chockfull of information about the giving opportunity.

Chances are, you have an online newsletter to share current events and updates surrounding your nonprofit organization and its mission. But have you noticed that some people still prefer the physical newspaper to the digital edition?

As a result, a physical newsletter gives you a better chance of reaching donors who you might otherwise miss.

Example Content:

  • Matching gifts occur when socially responsible companies agree to financially match donations that their employees make to eligible causes. However, millions of eligible donors have no idea whether their companies offer such a program! As a result, more than $4 to $7 billion in available matching gift funding goes unclaimed every year. Are you missing out on potential matches from your employer? Check out our website to learn more about these opportunities and determine whether your most recent donation is eligible for a corporate match.”
  • “In the last year, more than $100,000 worth of donations made to our charity were identified as eligible for corporate matching through donors’ employing companies. However, only a fraction of that amount was actually processed and contributed via corporate matches. Imagine what we could do if every match-eligible donor secures a corporate donation from their employer⁠. Think of all the families in our community who won’t go hungry, thanks to adequate funding for our food pantry! Find out if your employer offers a matching program by visiting www.henrypantry.com/matching.”

Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail_Newsletter

Marketing Matching Gifts With Return Envelopes

If your nonprofit is like other organizations using direct mail to solicit donations, you probably include a pre-addressed, pre-paid return envelope. This is a common practice, the purpose of which is to make it easy for donors to send in their donations.

But did you know that the return envelope is also a prime spot to remind donors to look into their employers’ matching gift programs?

Consider these best practices for marketing matching gifts with return envelopes:

  • Keep your text short and sweet⁠—you’re not going to have a ton of space on the outside of an envelope.
  • Direct recipients to additional resources where they can learn more about matching gift opportunities.

If a donor is submitting a gift to your organization via return envelope, there’s no better time to inform them of the power of matching gifts.

Why?

These already-philanthropic donors can increase the impact of their donations to your organization without spending any more on their initial donation. Right when they’re already in the giving spirit is the perfect opportunity to inform them about the opportunity!

Example Content:

  • “Thanks for donating! Don’t forget to see if your company offers a matching gift program. Visit atlantauniversity.edu/matching-gifts/ to access your company’s matching gift form, guidelines, and instructions.”
  • “Next steps: find out if your donation is matchable! Search your employer’s name in our online matching gift database at www.catrescue.org/employee-matching.”

Marketing Matching Gifts With Direct Mail_Envelope

A lot of the time, scoring matching gifts is about increasing awareness about these programs. Marketing matching gift with direct mail outreach offers a bevy of ways to connect to donors⁠—and some donors even respond better to paper mail than they do digital methods.

From letters to postcards to newsletters, you have a ton of options to raise more fundraising revenue than ever (both matching gift and otherwise).

And remember⁠—the question is hardly ever whether to market matching gifts with direct mail or with digital outreach. Instead, a multi-channel approach is nearly always the best solution for communicating with donors, sharing information in effective and memorable ways, and ultimately driving more donation matches to completion.

Interested in increasing matching gift marketing for your cause? Check out our other educational resources to raise more:

  • Improving the Donor Journey with Matching Gifts. Incorporating matching gift outreach⁠—whether direct mail, digital, or a combination of the two⁠—is one of the best ways to improve the donor journey and provide excellent supporter experiences. Find out how with this guide!
  • Corporate Giving and Matching Gift Statistics [Updated 2022]. These corporate philanthropy, workplace giving, and matching gift statistics are unbelievable but true. Learn more about the current state of corporate giving, the potential that these programs offer for nonprofit causes like yours, and how to close the gap.
  • Corporate Volunteer Grant Programs: Learn the Basics. Thousands of companies provide organizations with which their employees volunteer generous grants corresponding to the number of hours spent with the cause. Like matching gifts, volunteer grants enable supporters to do more for their favorite charities!

Learn more about marketing matching gifts with direct mail outreach with Double the Donation.