Nonprofit Basics: Read-a-thon Fundraisers

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Schools require a variety of educational resources and tools to perform their daily operations. Because of this, many schools host fundraisers to ensure that all costs are covered and that students have the best materials possible for their education. Schools need to be creative to find the best fundraisers that are both effective and fun for their students.

What is a read-a-thon?

In the search for a fundraiser that’s both helpful to students and engaging, many schools decide that read-a-thons are the perfect answer. A read-a-thon is an educational fundraiser where schools raise money by encouraging students to read. 

With minimal effort and setup needed from the school itself, read-a-thons simply require that sponsors donate money to your school for every increment (every 30 minutes, for example) that a student reads. 

These fundraisers not only encourage literacy but also are a great way for donors to encourage learning. Their donations will inspire students to read while also allowing schools to purchase supplies or start projects to better students’ overall education.

While read-a-thon fundraisers are especially popular for elementary schools, they can be adapted for other ages as well. For example, read-a-thons work well for middle schools, where students can receive donations for doing their homework or in-class activities—which often require some form of independent reading, anyway. Plus, read-a-thons can inspire older students to foster a sense of independence, as they might take on the responsibility of logging hours on their own.

How does a read-a-thon fundraiser work?

Once you’ve decided that a read-a-thon is a perfect option for your school’s next fundraiser, you’ll want to get set up as efficiently as possible. Use an online fundraising platform to easily accept donations and keep track of students’ progress. Then, once students begin reading, follow these steps:

 

A read-a-thon happens in 3 simple steps: students log their reading hours, friends and family donate, and students earn prizes for their reading.

1. Students log their reading hours

Students can read any time—during class, at home, throughout the year—and count these hours toward the read-a-thon. Whenever and wherever students read, they’ll track their hours in your online platform.

2. Friends and family donate to sponsor their reading

Each student will create their own fundraising page they can share with friends and family, who can agree to sponsor student participation. Then, these donors give money based on how much time that student spent reading, and the funds go to your school. 

3. Students earn prizes

Your school is not the only one who can receive benefits from a read-a-thon fundraiser— students earn a percentage of dollars raised, which can be redeemed for prizes. Prizes serve as another incentive for students to read and participate, and the more engaging the prizes are, the more participation your school will see. Read-A-Thon’s school fundraiser prizes range from cost-effective prizes, such as fidget toys and books, to high-value prizes, such as a classroom pizza party or gift cards.

If you’re looking for a more unique prize, here are some ideas you can try:

  • Pie-a-teacher prize: Students will get a laugh out of this prize and will feel a sense of community by getting their teacher involved in the fundraiser.
  • Dance/music party: After the students have finished reading, they can get moving—a dance party is a great way to reward students for their hard work while also allowing them to get energy out and have fun.
  • Themed costume week: There’s nothing students love more than a dress-up day. Pick a theme that aligns with your students’ current interests, and don’t forget to let teachers participate, too.

Other Resources to Explore

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

10 Best Library Fundraisers to Raise More – Looking for fundraisers that specifically benefit your school’s library? Read on to learn about other fundraisers to improve literacy and engagement at your school.

110+ Incredible School Fundraising Ideas – Check out this guide for other fun and effective fundraising ideas to take advantage of at your school.

Nonprofit Basics: Candy Bar Fundraiser

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Product fundraisers are a common way for schools and smaller organizations to raise the money they need to run smoothly. This type of fundraiser allows schools and organizations to raise money and provide their supporters with a tangible item, such as a candy bar or popcorn, in exchange for the donation they make. 

Selling candy bars, in particular, is an effective school fundraising idea, because students love chocolate. Students can sell candy bars at any time—at sports games, after-school programs, in between classes, or even during lunch! 

What is a candy bar fundraiser?

A candy bar fundraiser is a fundraising campaign where a school or organization sells candy bars to the community to raise money. It is a popular choice for sports teams, schools, and even churches due to its convenience. 

Candy bars can be bought in bulk at a low price from a product fundraising partner, then sold by students or volunteers. These fundraisers are a great way to keep your investment costs low and your profit high. 

How do you start a candy bar fundraiser?

Product fundraisers are perfect fundraisers for schools because they are fairly easy to organize and promote student involvement. Whether you start it online, in person, or using a hybrid format, the main objective is to sell a product in return for a donation. 

Follow these steps to launch your next candy bar fundraiser: 

  • Research and choose a product fundraising partner. The product fundraiser partner you choose will provide the chocolate bars to your organization in bulk at a wholesale price, and they’ll allow you to create a custom web store for online sales. Choose a partner that fits your organization’s budget and preferences.
  • Decide who will sell the candy bars. Will it be students, sports team members, or even volunteers? 
  • Start selling to your community! Be sure to provide your students or volunteers with advice and support throughout the fundraiser. 

Students or volunteers can sell door-to-door, at events, or online by sharing your fundraising page. Run the campaign for a few weeks, then collect the money you’ve raised and thank your volunteers. 

Candy bar fundraiser tips

When it comes to having a successful fundraiser, planning is not the only element involved. You also want to think about additional factors that can help strengthen the potential of your current efforts.  

Consider the following options to maximize the effectiveness of your next candy bar fundraiser: 

  • Run a candy fundraiser alongside another easy fundraiser, or sell candy bars at other fundraising events.
  • Promote your fundraiser both online and using promotional flyers sent home with students or posted throughout the community.
  • Choose a product fundraising partner that offers a variety of flavors.

Tailor your product fundraiser to your organization’s unique needs and goals using these tips, and you’ll be set up for success!

Other Resources to Explore

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

110+ Incredible School Fundraising Ideas – Choose your next school fundraiser from a variety of ideas. 

Unique (And Easy!) Fundraising Ideas – Look over hundreds of fundraising ideas to choose what your next fundraiser will be.

Text donations can amp up your fundraising strategy.

Nonprofit Basics: Text donations

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Text donations offer supporters a convenient, simple way to donate, fueling your nonprofit’s fundraising growth and taking your mission to the next level. Explore how you can supplement your existing fundraising efforts by tapping into the power of text-to-give.

What are text donations?

Text donations are monetary contributions that donors give to your organization through text-to-give. In a text-to-give fundraising campaign, nonprofits send supporters donation appeals with a link to their mobile-friendly donation page, allowing donors to easily give from their phones.

There are many benefits to text-to-donate:

  • It’s convenient for your donors. Supporters are already spending time on their phones, making text-to-give immediately accessible. Texting has the highest open and read rate of any platform, with a 99% open rate and 90% read rate within just three minutes of sending.
  • It establishes a reliable donation pipeline. Your organization can repeatedly reach out to supporters via text, using emotionally compelling messages to connect with donors and encourage recurring donations.
  • It’s effective for time-sensitive appeals. Text messages have a 99% open rate and 90% read rate within just three minutes of sending, allowing your organization to push forward donation requests with high urgency and meet deadlines ahead of Giving Tuesday, end-of-year campaigns, and any other campaign or event.
  • It’s easy for your nonprofit to do. By choosing an effective software solution for text-to-give, your organization can access a full suite of useful tools. For example, you should be able to leverage automation, segmentation, schedule-send, and other intuitive features to propel your text-to-donate campaign forward.

Text donations offer another revenue stream for your nonprofit, allowing you to more effectively use your fundraising budget and focus on long-term goals. However, your text fundraising campaign won’t be successful if you don’t put time and energy into creating a text messaging strategy tailored to your nonprofit. Read on to see how you can kickstart your campaign.

How does a text donation campaign work?

Let’s break down how a text-to-give campaign works:

  1. Your nonprofit will partner with a text messaging platform, receive a designated long code or shortcode, and set up a simple keyword related to the purpose of your campaign. Launching your campaign is simple with the right software.
  2. Supporters will text the keyword to your code to opt into your campaign.
  3. Your organization sends donation appeals. Drawing on nonprofit marketing best practices, your texts should tell a story and include a strong call to action that creates urgency, motivating donors to immediately give.
  4. Donors give to your nonprofit by clicking on your mobile-friendly donation link and filling out their name and billing information.

Do your research to find a text messaging provider that will support you throughout the entire process. In addition to giving your organization a comprehensive toolkit, your provider should help you stay compliant with the Telephone Communication Protection Act (TCPA) so you can avoid paying any unnecessary fees.

How can my nonprofit increase text donations?

To help your organization exceed your fundraising goals, use these best practices.

Create compelling text message appeals.

Your donation appeals should explain why you’re raising money and how donors can be the hero in your cause. Use a strong call to action in each text message that outlines the specific next action donors should take and challenges them to take it.

Supporters can complete text donations with ease.

Emotional imagery can also strengthen supporters’ connection to your cause, so consider sharing visuals of your nonprofit’s beneficiaries or volunteers hard at work completing a project made possible because of donor support.

Personalize your text messages.

Leverage segmentation tools to send supporters highly relevant messages. For example, segment your contact list based on donation frequency, recency, and amount so your donation appeals are pertinent to recipients’ past involvement in your organization.

Additionally, use automation to text supporters with their first names, as this can create a more authentic messaging experience. Messages that are specific and relevant to the recipients increase the likelihood that they’ll complete your request.

Diversify your texts beyond donation appeals.

Refrain from only sending your supporters donation appeals, as this can lead to burnout and frustration. Connect with donors throughout the year by updating supporters on your fundraising progress, recent projects, and other news related to your mission. You’ll also want to thank donors after they give and explain the impact of their contribution.

Determine the frequency of your text messages

Pay attention to unsubscribe rate, open rate, click-through rate, and donor conversion rate to understand donor behavior. These data points can inform the frequency with which you text donors, helping you optimize your text donation campaign strategy.

Avoid sending messages too often, as this can quickly overwhelm donors and cause them to abandon your text messaging campaign altogether. On the other hand, sending messages too infrequently can cause supporters to become disengaged. Experiment with different schedules and use your text messaging platform to generate real-time data reports for each message so you can modify your campaign as needed to promote more engagement.

Text donations are an easy way for your nonprofit to skyrocket its fundraising potential. To optimize your campaign, make sure you work with a leading text-to-donate provider so you can send off text messages with ease and encourage donors to give.

Other Resources to Explore

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

Higher Education Texting: 8 Tips to Boost Alumni Fundraising – Explore these examples of alumni text donation appeals.

A Complete Guide to Nonprofit Text Messaging Campaigns – Compare nonprofit text messaging platforms and learn more about the benefits of text donations.

Learn how to write a nonprofit marketing plan.

Nonprofit Basics: Nonprofit Marketing Plan

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While marketing is typically associated with for-profit companies, nonprofits have just as much to gain from having a strong marketing strategy. After all, spreading the word about your cause is essentially marketing your nonprofit as a thought leader and service provider in your community. Marketing also attracts prospective donors and opens the door to developing a relationship with them. 

That being said, optimizing your marketing campaign is essential to expand your organization’s reach, and you need a solid plan to do so. Using a nonprofit marketing plan provides a source of truth for your staff and eliminates the guesswork when it comes to executing campaigns. If you’re new to marketing and aren’t sure where to begin, we’ll walk you through the basics of crafting a winning nonprofit marketing plan. 

What is a nonprofit marketing plan?

According to Fifty & Fifty, a nonprofit marketing plan is a document that denotes your nonprofit’s marketing and outreach strategies. Your nonprofit marketing plan can encompass a specific campaign or general initiatives to promote your organization and its programs. Whenever you have an idea for a marketing campaign in mind, you should thoroughly plan it out with a nonprofit marketing plan. 

What makes nonprofit marketing different from for-profit marketing?

Essentially, marketing for all organizations has a common purpose: attracting attention to your products or services. The main difference for nonprofit marketing is that your marketing should be purely mission-oriented and focus on your charitable activities. A good way to integrate your purpose is by featuring your beneficiaries in your marketing materials and highlighting how the campaign will improve their quality of life. 

What are the components of a nonprofit marketing plan?

There are numerous sections that you should include in your nonprofit marketing plan, such as:

Goals

Answer the following questions that help guide your thinking for setting goals:

  • What worked in past campaigns? What didn’t?
  • What’s our budget?
  • What programs/campaigns are we trying to market?
  • Which channels do our target audiences prefer?
  • How will we brand the campaign?
  • Will we work with a nonprofit marketing firm?

Based on your answers to these questions, you can decide which key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to gauge your performance. For instance, your KPIs might be to boost donations or signups for your fundraising event. Ensure you have the infrastructure to track this data so you can determine how successful you were.

Audience research debrief

Effective marketers must have a clear understanding of their target audience’s psyche. In order to analyze your audience’s motivation, priorities, and attitudes, consider conducting audience research. This involves gathering a focus group of people that has similar demographics or interests as your target audience and gauging their responses to your marketing materials. You might use a focus group to decide which branding is more appealing or which communication channel they prefer to use. 

If you conduct audience research, include your findings in your nonprofit marketing plan and how the data will impact your strategy. 

SWOT analysis

A SWOT, or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, is a method of identifying growth opportunities and potential challenges for your nonprofit. Tailor your strategy to complement your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. Furthermore, identify any marketing opportunities to pursue and threats to prepare for. Outline your findings in your nonprofit marketing plan and how they shape your strategy.

Marketing channels

One of the most important parts of your nonprofit marketing plan is where you delineate which channels you will use to spread your message. You can market your campaign via:

  • Direct mail
  • Email
  • Social media
  • Texts
  • Online ads
  • Search engine-optimized content
  • Google Ad Grants
  • Your website 
  • Partnerships with related brands or nonprofits

Use your focus group to determine which marketing channels have the most potential for your audience. Then, leverage these channels to engage your supporters and gain more visibility. 

Projected timeline

Next, ensure that your nonprofit marketing plan has a calendar for your campaign rollout. Include which channels you’ll use at what time and the frequency of messaging. For example, you might choose to send email appeals out before posting your marketing content on social media. Include your intended dates and be as specific as possible (exact dates are preferable).  

Campaign reflection

Once the campaign has finished, your work isn’t done yet! Take time to reflect on your nonprofit marketing efforts and examine if you’ve achieved your goals. Make note of any successful tactics that you’d like to use in the future and which strategies missed the mark. Also, examine if you satisfied your goals by analyzing your KPI data. This will help you set new objectives for the future. 

Other Resources to Explore

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

A Guide to Nonprofit Marketing – Learn more about the ins and outs of nonprofit marketing in this ultimate guide.

Nonprofit Marketing Agency: Share Your “Why” – Looking for help launching your marketing efforts? Check out this guide to nonprofit marketing agencies.

A strong fundraising strategy can help your nonprofit create a sustainable fundraising program and lead successful fundraising campaigns.

Nonprofit Basics: Fundraising Strategy

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Your nonprofit needs a strong fundraising strategy to drive revenue and deepen its impact. By clearly outlining your goals and creating a coherent map for the future, you can tailor your fundraising approach to your nonprofit’s unique needs, goals, and audience.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

What is a Fundraising Strategy?

A fundraising strategy outlines your nonprofit’s approach to ensuring your fundraising campaigns are effective and sustainable. To effectively raise money and cultivate donor relationships, it’s essential that you create a comprehensive fundraising strategy that covers your finances, events, and marketing.

A thorough yet flexible fundraising strategy can help your nonprofit in the following key ways:

  • Improves your team’s time management. When everyone on your fundraising team understands your organization’s plan and how their work relates to overarching goals, productivity will increase.
  • Drives fundraising success. Creating a well-defined plan helps your organization take concrete steps towards achieving its fundraising goals. A strong fundraising strategy helps you play to your strengths and appeal to donors’ preferences, which in turn creates a reliable donation pipeline to power your organization’s work.
  • Economizes resource allocation. Efficiency is a top priority for any nonprofit. The right fundraising strategy helps you determine your biggest areas of need and allocate the appropriate time, energy, and resources accordingly.
  • Builds relationships with supporters. When your organization articulates clear goals and demonstrates its investment in supporters’ needs, expectations, preferences, and priorities, your donors will take notice. Creating a fundraising strategy aids donor retention and engagement, stitching you and your donors closer together.
  • Establishes clear direction for the future. A fundraising strategy allows you to set goals, define key performance indicators, and evaluate metrics that measure the success of your initiatives.

A fundraising strategy involves multiple moving parts, so it’s important that you invite key stakeholders like your board members, employees, and prominent volunteers to collaborate and develop a plan tailored to your nonprofit’s unique circumstances.

How to Build a Fundraising Strategy

Let’s examine how your organization can revamp its existing fundraising strategy or develop a new roadmap for fundraising success.

1. Reflect on your existing fundraising strategy.

Take a look at your previous fundraising efforts and their outcomes, focusing on metrics like donor retention rate and total amount raised. What did your organization do well? Where do you have room for improvement?

If your nonprofit has grown since you last revisited your fundraising strategy, evaluate how your strategy should change to work for a larger organization. Working with a nonprofit consulting firm is a great way to determine your organization’s needs and establish a plan.

2. Create concrete fundraising goals and a gift range chart.

A fundraising goal defines the amount of money your nonprofit seeks to raise during a specific initiative or throughout the year. Analyze previous fundraising data or conduct a capital campaign feasibility study to set informed goals. Or, use a gift range chart, which outlines gift amount, number of gifts, number of prospects, and cumulative gift totals to help you assess your goal’s viability.

Financial goals aren’t the only ones worth measuring, though; you should also set goals related to engagement, attendance, corporate partnerships, and marketing performance.

3. Identify donor prospects.

Conduct prospect research to determine which prospective donors have the most giving potential and are most likely to give to your organization. You can leverage your nonprofit’s constituent relationship management (CRM) system, such as EveryAction, to identify your top donors.

After determining which donors and segments you’d like to focus on, you can allocate your resources towards them accordingly.

4. Clean your database.

Clean donor data is essential to maintaining strong relationships. Ensure that your donor database is up-to-date with accurate contact information for your donors and remove any duplicate or incorrect entries. Good data hygiene ensures that your donor outreach and marketing efforts go to the right individuals.

5. Develop a strong case for support.

A case for support outlines your fundraising goals, how you’ll achieve them, and what you plan to do with the money you raise. Articulating what you’ll do once you reach your fundraising goal is crucial to communicating the value of supporting your organization to potential donors.

Incorporate your case for support into your donor outreach strategy. For instance, when writing donation request letters, explain how a donation will support your nonprofit’s work.

6. Build an action plan.

Based on the information you gathered previously, create an actionable list of steps. Your team can follow these steps to achieve your fundraising goals. These might include donor cultivation efforts, fundraising campaigns, or corporate partnership initiatives.

A detailed plan is key. Include who is responsible for each activity, the estimated cost, and how you’ll measure success.

7. Strengthen your internal operations.

Everyone at your organization should understand how their work relates to your fundraising strategy. Leadership should delegate tasks, establish priorities, and support staff in meeting goal timelines. Open channels of communication within your organization support strong internal operations.

8. Optimize your marketing strategy.

Reach supporters with an impactful nonprofit marketing strategy. Analyze which channels, types of messaging, and forms of social proof have been historically successful. Consider a multichannel approach, incorporating social media, direct mail, and other platforms in order to reach more potential supporters. Customize your messaging on each platform to target specific audiences, but make sure your branding is consistent across channels.

9. Engage and build relationships with donors.

Retaining existing donors is a cost-effective way to fundraise. Continue building relationships with your current donors by updating them on your fundraising progress and thanking them for their contributions. For instance, consider sending heartfelt letters and acknowledging supporters on a donor recognition wall.

10. Determine how you’ll measure success.

Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) allows your organization to quantify the success of different initiatives and organizational growth over time. Choose metrics closely related to your goals.

You might measure event attendance, donor retention percentage, or donor acquisition rate. Over time, these data points allow you to see what works well for your nonprofit and where you should change your strategy.

An effective fundraising strategy helps your organization lead successful fundraising campaigns and develop a sustainable revenue stream. By clearly outlining your goals and how you’ll achieve them, your nonprofit will be well-prepared to maximize donor support, even in the most turbulent fundraising landscapes.

Working with a Fundraising Consultant

About 1 in 6 nonprofits hire at least one fundraising consultant to help them create or fine-tune their fundraising strategy. Consultants provide an outside perspective and specialized expertise to help organizations set realistic goals, diversify revenue streams, and implement sustainable fundraising practices.

Depending on your needs, your consultant can:

  • Create or refine strategic fundraising plans to determine your organization’s goals based on its mission, vision, current financial situation, and past performance.
  • Improve donor engagement through stewardship systems tailored to specific donor segments, automated thank-yous, and personalized outreach messages.
  • Design and execute campaigns and appeals byadvising on what type of campaign will best serve your goals and helping you hone in on the messaging that will best appeal to your target audience.
  • Provide event support, including aid with planning, structure, and promotion.
  • Offer platform-specific expertise with tools like Salesforce or Blackbaud to optimize your data tracking and reporting capabilities.

A consultant is most valuable when you’re launching a major initiative, facing stalled revenue growth, or in need of skills your team doesn’t currently have. If your needs are short-term or highly specialized, hiring a consultant can be more cost-effective than adding permanent staff. You can also hire specific consultants instead of a general fundraising consultant—for example, if you need help migrating to a new CRM, a dedicated nonprofit tech consultant is more qualified to provide the assistance you need.

Look for someone with experience in your mission area, proven results with organizations of your size and sector, and fluency in your existing technology. Ask for references and examples of measurable impact. The right consultant will offer not only a plan, but the tools and training your team needs to sustain success long after their work is done.

Other Resources to Explore

  • Nonprofit Basics – Learn more nonprofit management essentials by exploring other expert resources.
  • How to Start a Fundraiser – Discover effective strategies for planning your next fundraiser and driving amazing fundraising results.
  • The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning – With a strong strategic plan, your nonprofit will have a strong sense of what it needs to accomplish to advance its mission. Explore the basics of crafting a powerful nonprofit strategic plan for the future.
Discover your nonprofit’s matching gift eligibility in this guide to increase fundraising potential.

Matching Gift Eligibility: Which Nonprofits Qualify?

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As a nonprofit professional, you likely know that matching gifts can increase the impact of donations to your organization. However, not all nonprofits are eligible to participate in matching gifts programs.

To maximize your nonprofit’s matching gift revenue, you need to know where your organization stands in terms of eligibility. To gain a better understanding of common nonprofit eligibility standards, let’s take a look at the following:

Ready to learn about typical nonprofit eligibility standards to boost your matching gift potential? Let’s get started! Click to get a demo of Double the Donation’s software solution to help determine your nonprofit’s matching gift eligibility.

Matching Gift Eligibility: A Consideration

When it comes to matching gift eligibility, what matters most is taking a close look at the programs and campaigns offered by your donors’ employers. Since matching gift standards vary from company to company, there aren’t universal guidelines. In other words, you cannot know your eligibility for all matching gift programs (unless you enlist the help of a matching gift database).

Although there’s no way to know for certain if your organization is match-eligible for all of your donors’ employee matching gifts programs, you can get a good grasp of your situation by understanding common criteria.

Types of Nonprofits Eligible for Matching Gifts

Corporate giving programs match the donations employees make to various types of nonprofits. For U.S.-based companies, the nonprofits are usually required to be 501(c)(3) organizations. Not only does this designation mean that an organization is exempt from federal income tax, but it also means that donors who make gifts can deduct those gifts from their taxes.

When reviewing a company’s matching gift guidelines, you may come across a list that outright states what types of nonprofits an employer will match donations to. Organizations that are most commonly eligible for matching gifts include:

This image displays a few types of nonprofits that are eligible for matching gifts, also discussed in the text below.

  • Educational institutions include public K-12 schools, private K-12 schools,  foundations established by school districts, college-level schools that offer at least a two-year program, seminaries schools, theological schools, alumni funds, and schools or colleges within a university that conduct their own fundraising.
  • Arts and cultural organizations refer to nonprofits that are focused on cultivating the arts and cultural experiences. This includes aquariums, libraries, museums, orchestras, public broadcasting stations, and more.
  • Civic and community organizations are typically any community-based nonprofit, such as animal shelters, child welfare centers, homeless shelters, low-income assistance programs, and so on.
  • Health and human services include organizations such as hospitals or other health-oriented nonprofits, substance abuse programs, mental health services, and domestic violence support.
  • Environmental organizations refer to groups dedicated to conservation, wildlife preservation, environmental justice, green energy and sustainable development, and so on.

Most companies with matching gift programs will match employee donations to an organization that fits into one of the above categories, while others are more selective. Generally, companies choose specific causes to support because they align with their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives or the causes that best reflect the company’s interests.

For example, ExxonMobil focuses its matching gift efforts on two types of nonprofits: the “Educational Matching Gift Program” and the “Cultural Matching Gift Program.” While the maximum match amount for cultural organizations is $2,000, the maximum match amount for educational institutions is $22,500. This shows where this company’s main philanthropy interest lies: in education.

In other cases, employers may be unspecific about the types of nonprofits they match gifts to and handle it on a case-by-case basis. Regardless of the situation, it falls on nonprofits to determine their eligibility status with various local employers.

Types of Nonprofits Not Eligible for Matching Gifts

This image displays a few types of nonprofits that are not eligible for matching gifts, also covered in the text below.

While most 501(c)(3) organizations and educational nonprofits are eligible for matching gifts from a vast array of companies, companies do place restrictions on the organizations they will match for. Usually, these restrictions help them direct their giving budget to organizations that align with both their views and their employees’ views. However, note that corporations do make religious and political donations—they simply exempt them from matching gift programs to promote equity among employee beliefs.

Common organizations that are not eligible for matching gifts include:

  • Religious organizations include houses of worship, such as churches, synagogues, mosques, or temples as well as other religious groups. Generally, an organization that is nondenominational or interdenominational and aims to advance religion is considered a religious organization.
  • Political organizations include political parties, committees, associations, funds, and any other organization that influences or attempts to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of an individual to a political office. Organizations explicitly involved in trying to elect candidates can’t be 501(c)(3)s, and thus are ineligible for matching gift programs specifically for nonprofits.

Although restrictions for these groups are common, there are some exceptions. For example, service-oriented community outreach programs offered by religious or political organizations, such as food banks and homeless shelters, are sometimes eligible for matching gifts.

Matching Gift Eligibility for Employees

Aside from considering whether your organization is eligible for most types of matching gift programs, you should also take into account eligibility requirements for employees to guide your matching gifts marketing strategy.

Employees Eligible for Matching

This image outlines the matching gift eligibility of a few types of employees, also detailed in the text below.

Some companies place restrictions on which employees are eligible for matching gifts. These limitations usually depend on one of the following:

  • Duration of employment. Some corporations only offer matching donations after a worker has been employed for a certain amount of time, such as three months.
  • Employee level. While most businesses offer matching gifts to all employees, some have restrictions based on the employee’s position at the company. For example, Acuity Brands only matches donations from directors and executives.
  • Employment status. Businesses often have different matching gift policies for part-time and full-time employees. Some corporations, such as Sherwin-Williams, will match gifts made by retirees as well as current employees.
  • Employee family. Particularly generous businesses will extend their matching gifts program to employee family members. This benefit usually only applies to spouses, but in some cases, if the employee passes away, the surviving spouse’s gifts will still be matched.

Target your promotional efforts toward individuals who are the most likely to be eligible for matching gifts. You’ll not only increase your conversion rates but also avoid frustrating supporters who aren’t eligible for matching gifts.

For example, if many of your donors work at Acuity Brands, you may be tempted to send them emails appealing for matching gifts. However, once you know that this business only matches donations from directors and executives, it’s clear this is not the best strategy. Instead, engage relevant employees in other ways, such as with volunteer grants or event invitations.

Click to get a demo of Double the Donation’s matching gift database solution to make managing matching gift eligibility easier.

Common Matching Gift Program Rules

Aside from employee eligibility, your nonprofit should also pay attention to the following common matching gift guidelines:

This image illustrates a few common topics that matching gift eligibility rules focus on, also outlined in the text below.

  • Minimum match amount. Some organizations establish a minimum donation amount employees must hit to be eligible for matches. The average minimum donation match amount is $34, which means donations smaller than this amount may not be eligible for matching depending on the employer’s guidelines.
  • Maximum match amount. Since companies have a limited budget, they usually place a cap on the maximum donation amount they’ll match. This ceiling can either refer to the maximum amount of a single donation, a cumulative maximum for donations made in a fiscal year, or both.
  • Match ratios. Most companies offer a 1:1 matching ratio, meaning that the company will directly match the employee’s donation amount. For example, if an employee donates $20 then the employer will also contribute $20. However, particularly generous companies will match at a higher ratio, such as 2:1 or even 3:1!

As you research matching gift guidelines, take a good look at the employers many of your donors share. By doing so, you’ll gain a better understanding of their programs and provide more specific advice to match eligible donors.

How Matching Gift Software Can Help

When properly handled, matching gifts can bring in substantial revenue without placing additional financial obligations on donors. However, determining your nonprofit’s eligibility and staying up-to-date on your employers’ guidelines is a long, arduous process. That’s where a matching gift database comes in handy, regardless of your nonprofit’s size or mission!

If you’re looking to invest in a matching gift database, check out Double the Donation’s industry-leading solution. With data on more than 20,000 companies, it’s the most comprehensive source of matching gift forms and instructions. Here’s how it works:

  1. Your nonprofit embeds the matching gift search tool into your online fundraising channels, such as your donation form or a dedicated matching gifts page.
  2. Donors search for their employers.
  3. They receive all available forms and guidelines on their company’s giving programs.
  4. Eligible donors who have yet to complete their matching gift application forms receive reminder emails with their employer’s guidelines.
  5. Your nonprofit maximizes its matching gift potential!

If you’re interested in learning more about Double the Donation and their matching gift automation software, check out this quick summary video:

With a matching gifts tool, your nonprofit receives the most up-to-date guidelines and eligibility requirements for your donors’ corporate giving programs. This way, you don’t miss out on any corporate philanthropy opportunities.

Additional Resources

By learning about typical requirements and restrictions on matching gift programs, you’ll be more prepared to leverage these workplace giving initiatives to boost your nonprofit’s fundraising. Keep in mind that there’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to matching gifts eligibility, and there are bound to be exceptions to general guidelines.

If you’re interested in learning more about matching gifts, check out the following resources:

Click to get a demo of Double the Donation’s software to check matching gift eligibility and capture all available opportunities.