Handbid and Double the Donation Partner with Integrated Matching Gifts Solution

Handbid and Double the Donation are proud to announce a new integration and partnership to benefit nonprofits and their donors through employer matching gifts. The integration places Double the Donation tools on Handbid donation forms for donors to discover their eligibility for matching gifts from their employer. 

“We know from our experience with mobile bidding and auctions that donors love when they can give in unique, scalable ways,” said Jeff Porter, Founder of Handbid. “We consider corporate matching gifts to be one of those key ways donors can deepen their impact again and again.”

An estimated $4-7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. These are funds specifically set aside for nonprofit organizations–and the goal of the Double the Donation and Handbid integration is to help organizations start reaping the benefits of corporate philanthropy programs.

“Every day donors make gifts to the organizations they care about but don’t realize they can make an even bigger difference thanks to their employer,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “Automation through Double the Donation and Handbid guides those donors to the programs that can literally double their donations.”

Handbid and Double the Donation’s new integration with Double the Donation can now be accessed by mutual clients of the solutions. Follow our integration guide for more details on how to get connected. 

Ready to add matching gifts to your Handbid donation experience? Request a demo with us and make sure to share you’re a Handbid user!

Want additional resources to help you take your matching gifts strategy to the next level? Enroll today in our Matching Gift Academy for in-depth content about growing your matching gift revenue.

Matching Gifts Download

[Free Download] The Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts

What is the Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts?

Double the Donation’s Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts is designed to be your go-to resource for understanding, leveraging, and maximizing corporate matching gift opportunities for your organization. Matching gifts, often overlooked, supply an incredible source of funding for nonprofits—offered by companies to financially reward the causes their employees care about. However, many teams aren’t fully aware of how these programs work or how to tap into them effectively.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about matching gifts, from understanding the basics and eligibility requirements to actionable tips on how to increase participation and track results. We provide examples of companies offering generous matching gift programs, best practices for educating and engaging donors, and strategies for fostering relationships with corporate partners.

Whether you’re new to the concept of matching gifts or looking to refine your existing approach, this resource offers detailed insights to help you unlock additional funding and deepen your engagement with both individual and corporate supporters.

Why download the Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts?

Maximize fundraising potential.

Access actionable strategies to significantly boost donation revenue by leveraging corporate matching gift programs. By understanding how to tap into this often underutilized resource, nonprofits can unlock additional funding.

Streamline matching gift processes.

Uncover clear steps for optimizing the management of matching gifts, from identifying eligible donors to simplifying the follow-up process. This helps organizations save time and effort while ensuring they don’t miss out on match-eligible contributions.

Enhance donor engagement.

Donors are more likely to give if they know about matching gifts. Unleash best practices for educating and motivating donors to participate in matching gift programs, strengthening donor relationships and increasing engagement with your cause.

Additional Recommended Resources

What to Know About Volunteer Grants


Download the Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Grants

10 Quick Steps to Matching Gift Success


Matching Gift Checklist Download

Matching Gifts in the Donor Journey


Matching Gifts Donor Journey Download

The title of this article, “10+ Higher Education Fundraising Conferences to Attend”, next to an image of a college graduate.

10+ Higher Education Fundraising Conferences to Attend

Higher education fundraising professionals work hard every day to generate the revenue that keeps their schools running. By doing so, they offer a better educational experience to students, provide scholarships and financial aid, fund research projects, and more.

Since fundraising is so essential, higher education professionals need to stay up-to-date on new trends and best practices. That’s where fundraising conferences come in. These events provide a venue for you to develop your fundraising skills and discover cutting-edge knowledge.

To help you decide on which conferences to attend, we’ve put together a list of the top higher education fundraising conferences. No matter which conference you decide on, you’re sure to come away with a wealth of knowledge you can use to grow the wealth of your higher education organization.

Click to download Double the Donation’s free ultimate guide to matching gifts.

1. Academic Impressions

Date: Year-Round

Location: Varies

Academic Impressions is dedicated to providing leadership, personal development, and skills-based training opportunities to higher education faculty and staff members. As part of their goal, they regularly offer training opportunities and conferences to members and non-members alike. Many of these events occur virtually, making Academic Impressions’ offerings a great choice for higher education professionals who prefer not to travel.

Training sessions and conferences offered by Academic Impressions focus on a range of topics relevant to higher education professionals. Aside from fundraising, they also cover academic leadership, faculty success, academic planning, enrollment management, and more.

2. AFP Icon

Date: April 7-9, 2024

Location: Toronto, Ontario

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is a member-based group that empowers individuals and organizations to practice ethical fundraising. AFP Icon is their annual fundraising conference and one of the biggest around with over 3,000 attendees each year. This conference offers fundraising training to professionals from all types of organizations, providing an opportunity to network and build relationships with other prestigious nonprofits in addition to attending educational workshops.

From executive coaching to affinity group meetings to speed networking, AFP Icon is sure to boost your knowledge of fundraising.

3. CASE District IV Annual Conference

Date: April 14-16, 2024

Location: San Antonio, Texas

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a global nonprofit association dedicated to education advancement professionals. It hosts a variety of annual conferences, including the District IV Annual Conference.

At this conference, higher education fundraising professionals can attend speaker sessions and workshops focused on various topics related to nonprofit education organizations. Regardless of your experience level or the type of higher education institution you belong to, you can find a track that you will benefit from, such as fundraising, alumni relations, development, communications and marketing, professional development, and more.

4. CASE Drive

Date: March 25-27, 2025

Location: Washington, DC

Also hosted by CASEDrive is an annual conference that creates a focused learning and networking experience for higher education institutions and other nonprofits that work with data and analytics. If you wish to improve your knowledge of collecting, managing, and analyzing donor data for fundraising, Drive is a valuable conference to attend.

In today’s constantly developing technological landscape, this conference empowers you to stay ahead of evolving data tools and gain insights into harnessing the power of data to improve fundraising and other aspects of your operations.

5. Elevate: A Conference for Fundraising Events

Date: March 12-13, 2025

Location: Portland, Oregon and online

Elevate is a collaborative community of industry experts and thought leaders dedicated to creating a learning hub for individuals who want to expand their knowledge of fundraising events. Elevate’s annual conference serves as a masterclass in fundraising events, bringing together nonprofit and fundraising professionals from a variety of sectors to network, share resources, and learn about best practices.

By being held in a hybrid format, this conference provides the flexibility of attending at a location of your preference. You can either go in person to the venue in Portland, Oregon or attend virtually from another location. Either way, you’re sure to pick up tips on storytelling and fundraising strategy that will help you elevate the donor experience at your higher education organization’s fundraising events.

Click to download Double the Donation’s free ultimate guide to matching gifts.

6. Fundraising Day in New York

Date: June 14, 2024

Location: New York, New York

Another conference hosted by the AFPFundraising Day in New York is a one-day fundraising conference. Whether you’re a newcomer to the fundraising industry or a seasoned veteran, you’re sure to benefit from this conference’s diverse range of sessions, including ones on the most current trends and developments. Plus, these sessions are presented by respected leaders and experts in the fundraising industry.

At Fundraising Day in New York, you’ll connect with a community of dedicated fundraisers who are eager to share their knowledge, form new connections, and advance their fundraising expertise.

7. NASPA Annual Conference

Date: March 9-13, 2024

Location: Seattle, Washington

NASPA is an association for student affairs administrators in higher education, supporting a network of 15,000 professionals and over 1,200 institutions across the globe. They’re dedicated to helping colleges and universities fulfill the promise of higher education by placing students at the center of their work.

At the NASPA Annual Conference, you’ll participate in professional development workshops that will inspire you and your work. Attend educational sessions and connect with exhibitors to aid in your professional development and your organization’s fundraising efforts. If you’re a first-time attendee, participate in the Mentor Program to connect with experienced professionals who can serve as a resource for networking and conference navigation.

8. One Day Development

Date: June 21, 2024

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Hosted by Academic Advancement Partners, One Day Development is a conference for professionals who work in higher education fundraising. These individuals are encouraged to attend alongside deans and provosts, as the focus of the conference is on major donors.

This conference features speakers who are experts in academic fundraising and storytelling, some of whom currently serve on the fundraising committees of higher education organizations. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other higher education fundraising professionals.

9. Planet Philanthropy

Date: June 3-5, 2024

Location: Orlando, Florida

Planet Philanthropy is a premier fundraising conference in Florida. Hosted by the Florida Caucus of AFP, it attracts fundraising professionals from all over the United States and Puerto Rico. Over 300 nonprofit leaders attend this conference to learn about the latest and greatest fundraising news and strategies.

Planet Philanthropy addresses topics ranging from grant writing to leveraging AI to assessing legacy pipelines. On top of keynote speeches and workshops, Planet Philanthropy also offers a social event that you can attend for fun or to network with other professionals.

Click to download Double the Donation’s free ultimate guide to matching gifts.

10. RNL Advancement Innovation Summit

Date: March 23, 2023

Location: Online

Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) is an organization dedicated to making colleges, universities, and other nonprofit organizations successful and vibrant. RNL does this by helping these organizations learn how to build lifelong relationships with donors at their Advancement Innovation Summit.

Although RNL hosts a plethora of events, including the RNL National Conference, if your focus is on higher education fundraising, the Advancement Innovation Summit is the conference you should attend. At this event, you’ll learn key insights into maximizing donor engagement, increasing fundraising results, and providing a better donor experience. From annual giving to alumni relations to legacy gifts, this conference will help you build a fundraising strategy that works.

11. SEC/ACC Annual Giving Conference

Date: January 24-26, 2024

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

The SEC/ACC Annual Giving Conference brings together annual giving professionals from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to discuss topics related to higher education fundraising. The conference is hosted at a different university each year within the SEC or ACC.

This conference offers two days of learning, networking, and inspiration. At it, you’ll participate in roundtable discussions and presentations focused on advancing and enhancing annual giving operations and solicitations. Their topics range from giving days to CRM conversions to crowdfunding, covering valuable fundraising insights sure to help your annual giving strategy.

Fundraising with Matching Gifts

If you’re looking for a quick way to augment your higher education organization’s fundraising, matching gifts provide a great opportunity for you to double the donations you receive. This is how matching gifts work:

The steps to the matching gift process, also covered in the text below.

  1. An individual, such as an alumni, donates to your organization.
  2. The individual checks if they’re eligible for a gift match from their employer.
  3. This individual submits a matching gift request to their employer.
  4. The employer reviews the request and verifies the donation.
  5. The employer matches the individual’s donation to your organization.

The greatest barrier to obtaining matching gifts funding is awareness. After all, it’s estimated that over $4 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. To leverage this source of funding, promote educational content about matching gifts through your marketing channels.

Additionally, you may want to purchase a dedicated matching gifts software solution. The right tool will allow you to embed a matching gift database that donors can use to check their matching gift eligibility. These platforms also allow you to send automated emails to encourage donors to fill out a matching gift request with their employer and create reports to determine if you are making the most of matching gifts. Plus, some solutions include auto-submission features, simplifying the matching gift process even further for donors through automation.

Additional Resources

If your organization has been looking to improve your fundraising strategy, higher education fundraising conferences are great opportunities for you and the other professionals on your team. Through these events, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the best ways to fundraise, empowering you to generate more fundraising revenue for your organization.

If you’re interested in learning more about higher education fundraising, check out these resources:

Click to download Double the Donation’s free ultimate guide to matching gifts.

Explore this ultimate guide to learn how to find the best eCard websites.

10+ Best eCard Websites for Nonprofits to Raise More

Whether someone is celebrating a birthday or needs a pick-me-up, greeting cards show you care. As technology advances, we can bring this joy into the digital space via eCard websites.

Nonprofits, in particular, can sell branded charity eCards to raise money, encourage supporters to send personalized cards to spread awareness, or send greeting cards directly to supporters to show appreciation.

However, you shouldn’t just pick any eCard software. Your organization needs special features like the ability to embed eCards into your website or bulk discounts to stay within your budget.

To narrow down your options, this guide will help your team make smart buying decisions when selecting an eCard website. We’ll cover the following:

If you’re ready to take advantage of all the great benefits eCards offer, let’s get started on our journey. Alternatively, go ahead and launch your efforts forward with our favorite platform!

Start creating interactive eCards with our recommended eCard site: eCardWidget.

What eCard Websites Are and How They Work

Before getting too deep into your search, learn the fundamentals of these platforms. Simply put, eCard websites are online platforms that enable users to design and send electronic greeting cards. These websites typically offer pre-designed templates, graphics, and customization options, allowing users to personalize digital cards for different occasions.

For nonprofits, you can sell cards to raise money or send them to supporters during key times to let them know you’re thinking about them.

When leveraging eCard software, here’s how the process typically looks:

  1. Select a website: Choose a site that suits your needs based on features and pricing. We’ll explore specific features to keep an eye out for later. For now, consider features like easy design tools and fundraising capabilities.
  2. Design your eCards: To get a jump start on your project, browse through the platform’s eCard templates. These are typically organized into occasions like birthdays, holidays, and appreciation. Alternatively, design from scratch to make the design completely your own.
  3. Customize the eCard: Personalize each eCard with your own text, images, animations, or videos. You can also adjust other visual elements like fonts and colors to match your branding.
  4. Add the eCards to your website or online store: Think through whether you’ll give greeting cards in exchange for donations. If so, Fundraising Letters’ charity eCards guide explains that depending on your platform, you have a few ways to sell them. Use them as integrated donation forms, offer them on your donation confirmation page, or add them to your online store. From here, your supporters can buy your eCards.

That’s the gist of how these platforms work. Now, let’s take a closer look at the nonprofit-specific benefits of these websites.

Why You Should Leverage eCard Sites

For one, eCard websites provide a convenient, eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper greeting cards. Not to mention, they offer more design options, customization features, and delivery tracking options than direct mail.

Beyond convenience and creative control, online greeting cards have so many great uses for nonprofits. Here’s a quick overview of how you can leverage eCard sites to amplify your work:

Your eCard site should offer features like intuitive design tools and integrated fundraising capabilities.

  • Fundraise in a unique way by selling eCards or offering them in exchange for donations.
  • Celebrate holidays and show supporters you’re thinking of them on important occasions.
  • Thank donors and volunteers for their generosity.
  • Announce upcoming events and initiatives to increase participation.
  • Boost peer referrals to spread the word about your cause.

In short, the best eCard websites make it easy for organizations to fundraise, expand brand awareness, or express appreciation for volunteers and donors through digital cards. Think carefully through your approach, and you’ll make up whatever you invest in your platform in the form of fundraising dollars or supporter engagement.

Explore how a nonprofit used an eCard website to create a new revenue stream.

How To Choose The Right eCard Website

Before spending your hard-earned fundraising dollars on a website, make sure you know what you’re looking for. Your chosen platform should equip you with everything you need to design branded eCards that stimulate brand awareness and push your fundraising forward.

Let’s dive into some of the key features nonprofit leaders should prioritize.

Your eCard site should offer features like intuitive design tools and integrated fundraising capabilities.

User-Friendly Design Tools

Chances are, you’re not a nonprofit graphic design pro. With the right nonprofit eCard software, you don’t have to be!

Consider each eCard site’s ease of use and design capabilities when narrowing down your options. Here are some key features that indicate whether a site’s design tools will be intuitive:

  • Templates to kickstart the design process
  • The ability to incorporate custom branding by uploading your own graphics
  • Plenty of colors and fonts to make your design your own
  • Drag-and-drop functionality to simplify the design process
  • A library filled with photos and graphics

Each eCard’s design is imperative, so ensure your nonprofit will have no problem creating ones that capture your brand and its cause.

Integrated Fundraising Capabilities

As a nonprofit leader, you’re constantly thinking about how to raise money to support your work. As we touched on, charity eCards are a fantastic way to do that, so make sure the eCard website you choose has integrated fundraising abilities.

In other words, you should be able to offer online greeting cards in exchange for donations. For this approach, we recommended looking for eCard software that enables you to set suggested giving amounts. Alternatively, you might be able to add them as fundraising products in an online store.

You may even be able to tap into advanced features like tribute donations, where supporters can donate on behalf of a loved one and send an eCard letting them know.

Multi-Language Support

Especially if your work spans multiple countries, you should choose a platform that allows you to change the translation of your eCards.

That way, everyone can enjoy your eCards, no matter where they’re located in the world!

Reporting and Insights

Ensure you can track sender and recipient email addresses to know who’s sending and receiving eCards. This is a fantastic way to measure supporter engagement and build a pipeline of likely supporters.

Senders may also be able to enable read receipts. That way, there’s no question as to whether the recipient opened their eCard.

Fair Pricing and Subscription Models

Nonprofits must be thoughtful about how they spend their money. As with any software you purchase, choose an eCard website within your budget.

These types of sites typically follow one of two pricing models:

  1. Pay for a set number of eCards either all at once for a specific time span or individually.
  2. Purchase unlimited eCards for a certain time span, which is more economical if you want to send several to power fundraising and donor relationships.

Choose the model that’s right for your organization based on how many eCards you’ll send.

The Best eCard Website: eCardWidget

Without further ado, we present our favorite eCard platform: eCardWidget. This highly versatile platform makes it incredibly easy to boost audience engagement, build brand loyalty, and add an interactive element to your online presence.

eCardWidget is the best eCard website for any organization.

Designed for organizational use, eCardWidget comes equipped with all the features you need to fundraise, spread the word about projects, or let donors know you’re thinking about them on important occasions.

Once you’ve perfected your designs with the user-friendly designer, organize your eCards into campaigns like donation eCards for Valentine’s Day or volunteer thank-you eCards. Then, easily embed the widget into your website or fundraising store. From here, your team can send custom greeting cards to supporters or enable supporters to send them to loved ones. Either way, you’ll have plenty of sending options, including email, social media, and text messages.

Use eCardWidget's eCard software to fundraise or send memorable greetings to your supporters.

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Standout Features of This eCard Site

When you get started with eCardWidget, you’ll gain access to plenty of useful features, including:

  • Fundraising capabilities: With eCardWidget, you can turn eCards into a regular part of your fundraising. Sell eCards in your fundraising store or embed the widget into your donation confirmation page to provide an instant give-back with every gift. You can create suggested giving amounts and even enable tribute donations, making a donation to your organization the perfect gift for birthdays and holidays!
  • User-friendly design tools: Gain complete design control with plenty of customization options. Choose from dozens of templates to get started. Then, use the drag-and-drop tools to incorporate different fonts, colors, and your own images.
  • eCard statistics: Get powerful insights into who’s sending and receiving emails with reporting. Get copied on all eCards sent through the widget. This feature is great for kickstarting relationships or seeing which supporters are most engaged.

 

Why We Love This eCard Site

Designing and selling eCards has never been easier. They’ve really thought of everything with this eCard website! Between easy implementation and mobile responsiveness, you’ll have whatever you need to design interactive greeting cards that spark joy and bolster brand awareness.

eCardWidget Pricing: Get started with a free plan, which offers up to 4 eCards and 15 emails per month. All the paid plans offer unlimited eCards and start at just $30 per month.

Start creating interactive eCards with our recommended eCard site: eCardWidget.

Other Top eCard Software for Organizations

While eCardWidget checks off all our boxes, there are some other great platforms out there. To give you a sense of your options, here are 10 other top eCard sites that work for nonprofits.

This graphic shows logos from some of the best eCard websites.

eCard Website 2) Smilebox

If your nonprofit sells fundraising products, this eCard website might be the solution for you.

Smilebox enables users to create animated eCards when they purchase a gift from your online store. At checkout, they’ll be asked if their purchase is a gift. If they select “yes,” they’ll be prompted to create a personalized card to send alongside it. They can also schedule a time to send it, correlating it with the gift’s estimated delivery date.

Smilebox's eCard website is great for nonprofits that sell fundraising products.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Gift recipients can track their package, making it the perfect retargeting strategy for your organization’s marketing efforts.

Smilebox’s Pricing: Request a demo to receive pricing information for this platform.

eCard Website 3) Open Me

Looking for a collaborative approach to eCards? Try out Open Me. This eCard site allows you to send thoughtful digital greeting cards via Facebook and email. You can send them directly to supporters, but our favorite feature is the ability to create group eCards.

With this feature, choose an eCard, sign it with a personal note, and share it with anyone else before it’s sent to the recipient. You’ll be able to select the send date, click the ‘Invite to Sign’ button, and select your delivery method. Thanks to this unique feature, this eCard site is perfect for sending eCards from your team to beneficiaries, supporters, and stakeholders.

Open Me's eCard websites allow you to send group eCards from multiple people at your nonprofit.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

This eCard website features eCards designed by artists around the globe, giving you a hand-curated boutique of different styles. When you explore the site, you’ll notice that each eCard includes the artist’s name, so you can find ones whose styles speak to you.

Open Me’s Pricing: Send unlimited eCards for free via Facebook or email by signing up.

eCard Website 4) Evite

Known for virtual event invitations, Evite now offers eCard templates you can customize with text, images, and other visual elements. Whether you want to get ahead of things or a special occasion sneaks up on you, you can use scheduled sending or instant sharing.

Great for spreading event awareness or sending just-because eCards, Evite makes it easy to design custom cards or choose from its premade selection of cards. Customize each design by adding a message or attaching a photo or video.

This example is from Evite, a site that offers online eCard software.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Your thoughtful words are what will stand out to supporters you send these eCards to. Evite makes it easy to add a message to the front of the card or flip it over to write a longer message on the other side. If you’re at a loss for words, check out the suggested message options that’ll help craft the perfect message. Plus, you can choose from different fonts and adjust the text size to make your eCard look exactly how you want it to.

Evite’s Pricing: Either choose the free version, which includes ads on eCards, or upgrade to a paid account, starting at $15.99 for up to 15 cards. Paid accounts are priced based on how many recipients will receive your cards.

eCard Website 5) Hallmark eCards

We couldn’t leave the company that revolutionized the greeting card business off this list. Since 1910, Hallmark has empowered people to convey their emotions through thoughtful cards. Over a century later, they’re bringing that tradition into the virtual space with its video eCards.

Upload your photos and videos to create a memorable, one-of-a-kind video greeting card. Then, instantly share it via text or email. You also have the option to send a real card, which they can scan with their phone to play your video. How innovative!

With tons of designs to personalize, you can create eCards to send to supporters for any occasion, whether you’re looking for a silly card, a serious design, or something in between.

Hallmark's eCard website offers customizable video eCards.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Hallmark is ideal for nonprofits that want to send highly personalized eCards, making this platform a great source for volunteer or donor appreciation gifts. As explained in re:Charity’s donor appreciation gift guide, greeting cards can be personalized with custom messages, perfect for highlighting an individual supporter’s impact.

Hallmark’s Pricing: Purchase video eCards individually. Most video eCards cost $4.99 and $5.99 depending on whether you purchase a physical card too.

eCard Website 6) Paperless Post

Similar to Evite, Paperless Post is known for its invitation services, but it also offers a selection of greeting cards, too. Featuring world-class brands like Rifle Paper Co. and Kate Spade, Paperless Post has a range of beautifully-designed eCard templates for events and special occasions.

Browse the selection to find your favorite designs. Then, make each eCard your own by customizing everything from the text and images to the virtual envelope lining and stamps. Your supporters will appreciate the extra effort you put into customizing your cards!

The user-friendly interface enables you to easily choose from various themes, styles, and layouts to match your nonprofit’s aesthetics — whether you’re sending event invites or holiday greetings. You can even add animated elements to make your eCards more engaging and memorable. Then, send your eCards to recipients via email, text, or shareable link.

Paperless Post's eCard site offers greeting cards from popular brands like Rifle Paper Co.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Keep an eye on delivery statuses and gather RSVPs for events thanks to Paperless Post’s tracking and RSVP management features. That way, you’ll know whether your eCards are being delivered and can accurately gauge attendance for nonprofit events.

Paperless Post’s Pricing: Most cards are free for up to 50 emails. To send more than that, you’ll pay a flat fee of $20 for up to 15,000 recipients. Purchase eCards with credits called Coins, starting at $0.12 per coin each depending on how many you buy. Each eCard displays a “starting at” number of coins, which indicates the starting pricing. The final price includes any additional Premium elements you opt to include, like the envelope, liner, stamp, or backdrop.

eCard Website 7) Adobe Creative Cloud Express

For a do-it-yourself approach to your charity eCards, check out Adobe Creative Cloud Express. Design custom eCards that feature your organizations branding — even on the go thanks to the mobile app.

If you’re limited on graphic design experience, select from a wide array of online templates to get started. Then, handpick graphics from their libraries or upload your own photos, icons, and graphics. The platform supports high-resolution graphics and offers precise control over your details, so you can create impactful charity eCards.

Once you’ve perfected your design, hit the download button to save your project and instantly share your eCard across virtual platforms.

Nonprofits can create greeting cards with Adobe's user-friendly eCard software.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

You gain complete creative freedom with Adobe’s extensive customization options. Because of its flexible design tools, you can personalize every aspect of your eCards including colors, typography, illustrations, and animations.

Adobe’s Pricing: Adobe is a great free option, but paid premium plans unlock features like the option to auto-apply your nonprofit’s logo, fonts, and colors. Note that verified nonprofits can receive Adobe Express Premium for free as part of the company’s commitment to CSR.

eCard Website 8) Canva

Canva is a well-known graphic design platform that offers a wide range of features, making it well-suited for designing eCards. Its popularity stems from how quickly users can create designs, which applies to designing eCards too.

With this design site, you gain access to a library of more than 420,000 templates, 75 million images, 3.5 million graphic elements, and 3,000 fonts. With countless customizability options, you can create designs perfect for celebrating any occasion with supporters or inviting people to your events.

Note that Canva doesn’t offer an eCard-sending service. Instead, you’ll need to share your eCards directly from the platform or download your designs to use across other channels. Alternatively, go the snail mail route by designing physical cards.

Canva's versatile design tools make it a reliable eCard website.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

If you want to take a collaborative approach to your eCards, Canva is a solid choice. This eCard website enables collaboration among team members, allowing multiple users to pitch in on the design process.

Canva’s Pricing: Canva’s premium design tools are free for verified nonprofits.

eCard Website 9) Jacquie Lawson

If you love the idea of art-inspired eCards, Jacquie Lawson may be the eCard website for you!

Whether you want watercolor creations or colorful celebratory designs, you’ll have plenty of options. Purchase a membership, then send as many eCards as you want for the duration of your membership.

You’ll also get everything you need from a professionally-run eCard site: an address book, birthday reminders, and a helpline on top of the unique, artfully-drawn designs.

Jacquie Lawson's eCard site offers unique, art-inspired greeting cards.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

Break out of the traditional eCard realm with Jacquie Lawson. This eCard website offers beautiful, artful designs you can’t get anywhere else. These visually-compelling cards are ideal for propelling your nonprofit’s relationships forward, especially if the unique look correlates with your brand.

Jacquie Lawson’s Pricing: Become a member for the equivalent of four traditional paper cards per year. Monthly plans are $9, annual plans are $30, and 2-year plans are $45.

eCard Website 10) Acme Ecards

Put plenty of thought into your eCard strategy with Acme Ecards. Formerly known as Ecard Mint, this eCard website works to reimagine your nonprofit marketing ideas with bespoke cards designed to grow your brand

Communicate your strategy and digital marketing goals to their team. Then, let them curate your eCard collection by designing animated eCards based on supporter data and history. They’ll handle your email campaigns for you, making every email feel personal to recipients.

Formerly eCardMint, Acme's eCard website offers branded, bespoke greeting cards.

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Why We Like This eCard Software

For cards fully tailored to your recipients, Acme Ecards is a reliable solution. Humanize your email marketing by letting them take charge of your card designs. They’ll pull from their wide range of pre-designed greeting cards which can be rebranded and worked into any campaign. In no time, you’ll have on-brand bespoke eCards that make your outreach stand out in supporters’ inboxes.

Acme Ecards’ Pricing: Acme’s pricing starts at $90 for first-time customers. Pricing tiers increase primarily based on the number of individuals on your contact list. This site offers discounts for nonprofits, so contact their sales team to learn more.

eCard Website 11) Postable

Postable offers a different take on eCards. While the experience is virtual on your end, recipients will receive a physical card in the mail. Browse their massive collection or create your own unique designs. That means you can fully infuse your nonprofit’s brand. Then, they’ll handwrite the address and eCard’s note for you. They even help curate your online address book, making sending your cards incredibly easy.

If you’re worried about eco-friendliness, it might ease your concerns to know that their cards and envelopes are 100% recycled.

Postable's eCard site allows you to design cards online and then send them via direct mail.

Image Source

Why We Like This eCard Software

Make your greeting cards even more personal by maintaining the traditional feel of direct mail. The design is fully your own, and you can even choose the handwritten font that each note and address uses.

Postable’s Pricing: An account is totally free. The cards vary in pricing depending on how many you send. Generally, 1-19 cards cost $3.99 each plus stamp fees, while 20 or more cards cost $3.29 plus stamp fees. This eCard site also offers discounted volume pricing, making it great for organizations.

Final Thoughts on eCard Websites

When it comes to fundraising and supercharging supporter relations, nothing quite matches up to eCards. Personalized and visually appealing eCards can strengthen your nonprofit communication and engagement in a snap — but only if you use the right eCard platform!

The right website can make eCards a viable fundraising and marketing avenue for your cause. Keep the key features we mentioned in mind, and you’ll be set to choose the site that best fits your organization’s needs.

While you make your decision, check out some of these helpful resources we hand-curated for you to continue learning:

Design greeting cards for your cause with the best eCard website: eCardWidget.

Learn how to develop and use a winning fundraising case for support.

The Art of Persuasion: How to Build a Case for Support

Convincing an audience to take any kind of action requires making an effective pitch. Nonprofits know this all too well. When you rely on people’s donated support to push your work forward, you must be able to confidently explain to your donors what you need, why, and what the benefit will be.

A nonprofit case for support is at the root of how you make a compelling pitch to donors. It’s an essential part of running fundraising campaigns and effectively communicating your mission.

What’s more, a case for support can (and should) be an active tool for better fundraising—not just a pre-campaign task to get out of the way, but a real asset that will fuel your success.

So how do you create one? What should your case for support contain? What mistakes should you avoid? We’ve got you covered. This crash course will cover all the essentials, including:

Learn how 360MatchPro can help you raise more and make more compelling pitches to donors.

Nonprofit Case for Support FAQs

Let’s start by establishing some context:

The definition of "Case for support," detailed in the text below

What is a case for support?

A nonprofit case for support is the core set of reasons why donors should support a particular campaign, project, or organization’s work as a whole. It’s a fundamental fundraising framework or concept on which you can build your campaigns.

Cases can be developed for a wide variety of contexts and audiences, making them extremely flexible tools to guide the fundraising process in any situation. They essentially seek to answer the questions, “Why should someone care, and what are we asking them to do?”

It’s important to note that while this term is often used to describe a tangible document or other resource, the underlying set of arguments themselves comprise the case for support. We’ll take a look at some examples below.

While a case will be distilled into various printed and digital resources during a fundraising campaign, overly fixating on a specific document can ultimately limit a nonprofit’s vision and the overall effectiveness of its case.

Why are cases for support important?

Cases for support give your fundraising team a clear roadmap and talking points to use when promoting your campaigns or overall mission to donors.

When created and used well, a case for support will standardize your messaging and ensure that you communicate a clear, unified, and compelling vision to potential supporters. Then, with the scaffolding in place, your team can use it to create tailored variations, individualized pitches, and all kinds of helpful resources that will support the overall vision of your fundraising campaign.

When do nonprofits create and use cases for support?

Nonprofits develop cases for support in a range of different situations. They might be created to support:

They’re most commonly discussed in the context of capital campaigns as a critical early step in the campaign planning process.

But note that you’ll benefit from a case for support in any situation in which your team will need to make a clear pitch to donors to solicit support. As long as you understand what a case for support is and what it should accomplish, you can use its framework to support your goals.

Who in a nonprofit should create a case for support?

A case for support should be created by the fundraising or development team that will be directly involved in running that particular campaign. An overarching case for support for the organization’s work as a whole should also be owned by the fundraising team.

However, the overall development process should be collaborative. Gathering input and suggestions is an important part of developing a compelling case. Many organizations also seek the direct input of major donors when crafting their cases. Plus, you’ll usually need to secure leadership buy-in on the finalized case for support.

Essential Elements of an Effective Case for Support

A compelling case for support should cover a few essentials. By including these core talking points or sections, you’ll ensure that your team has the strong framework they need to make an effective fundraising pitch.

The elements of a nonprofit case for support, detailed in the text below

  • Objective. What will your campaign accomplish? Why are you fundraising? Be as specific as possible—concrete objectives will always be more compelling than vague or intangible ones because they allow donors to envision the real impact of success.
  • Fundraising goal. How much money are you seeking to raise to fund your objective? Again, specificity is key. Spell out your needs so that your team can better articulate them to prospects.
  • Connection to mission. Your mission should be clearly visible through all of your fundraising efforts. Even if it seems self-evident, take the time to define the exact ways that completing your objective will push your nonprofit’s mission forward.
  • The problem. What is the context behind your objective, or what problem are you intending to solve or alleviate? What steps have you taken to combat it in the past?
  • The impact. What will the impact of your success be in concrete terms? Projecting impact can be tricky, but it’s always worth doing. Think about how you’ll measure the success of your objective in relation to your mission and use those metrics or key performance indicators to help determine some concrete impact projections.
  • Call to action. Spur your prospective donor to action. Again, clearly spell out the relationship between your mission, objective, goal, needs, and impact.

You might think that these key talking points might sound like the sections of a grant proposal, and you’re not wrong.

However, keep in mind that, unlike a grant proposal, a case for support can be more flexible and adapted to your specific goals. There’s no one specific format to follow—this will be shaped by the specific fundraising context once you’ve established the core set of arguments and details listed above.

Learn how 360MatchPro can help you raise more and make more compelling pitches to donors.

Developing a Case for Support: 9 Steps

You’re ready to develop your next case for support and drive your best fundraising results yet. How do you get started? We break it down into these key steps:

The steps for creating a nonprofit case for support, explained in the text below

  1. Form a team. A small group of fundraisers or development staff should oversee the case development process. Depending on the purpose or scope of the fundraising campaign, however, you may want to proactively involve a board member or other organizational leader. Organization-wide or capital campaign cases for support are instances when getting a broader leadership perspective early will be helpful.
  2. Determine your case for support guidelines. What’s the context for this case for support? Is it for a particular campaign or initiative? Align your team on the context and purpose.
  3. Draft your key elements. Work through the list of key elements of a case for support above and draft a few sentences for each. Brevity is key—a handful of highly impactful sentences will carry much more weight than rambling paragraphs. Besides, at this stage, you’re seeking to create a framework, not a completed structure!
  4. Ensure coherence. Read your preliminary case for support closely to ensure that it clearly ties back to your organization’s mission. Do the key points you’ve made align with how the campaign is being discussed internally? Are there more compelling talking points or impact details that you might be able to provide?
  5. Review and revise. Take some time as a team to review what you’ve developed. Proofread and look for weak spots in your argument where your claims or calls to action could be better supported. Make quick revisions as needed, but don’t get too bogged down in creating the perfect finished product just yet.
  6. Test and refine. Next, seek feedback outside of your case for support committee. Other fundraisers, marketers, and leaders in your organization may have helpful perspectives. If you’re developing a case for support for a capital campaign, this is when you’ll gather direct donor feedback through a feasibility study. Make adjustments to your case and campaign plans as needed to ensure your strategy and argument are set up to succeed.
  7. Secure buy-in. Present your finalized case for support to organizational and/or campaign leadership as needed. Get their feedback and approval to move forward with using the case as the basis for your fundraising messaging going forward.
  8. Save and share. Save your case for support in a central, accessible digital location. Then, publicize it to your broader fundraising and marketing teams.
  9. Distill into campaign materials. Over time, as your fundraising campaign progresses into new stages that target different audiences, use your case for support to guide the messaging in new campaign materials. Brochures, email appeals, letters, texts—everything related to your campaign or this particular fundraising push should be part of a coherent whole.

Expert Tips for a More Compelling Case for Support

Now that you understand the process and purpose of creating a case for support for your campaign, what are the tactical tips to keep in mind when actually drafting it? We’ve got some recommendations.

1. Make it impact-centric.

Your case for support should revolve around the positive impacts of your success. This is the ultimate reason for the campaign and its objective, so there should be a crystal-clear throughline from the ask to the objective to the impact.

Not only will this ensure coherent, compelling messaging across your campaign later, but it’s also increasingly thought of as a prerequisite by many donors. If donors are unclear on what exactly will happen with their gift and how it will go towards the problem at hand, it’ll be harder to secure their support. In fact, younger generations are much more likely to say they will not donate if they’re unsure what the charity will do with the money (37.8% of Gen Z donors vs. 15.2% of Mature age donors).

2. Gather compelling storytelling details.

While your core case for support should be concise, aim to embed compelling storytelling elements that will help make the ask and impact real to your donors. Help them understand and feel the urgency surrounding the problem that your campaign’s objective will solve.

While preparing a case for support, gather a range of storytelling details that you can use later when developing more fleshed-out and tailored variations for your campaign marketing materials. These could include:

  • Anecdotes and testimonials from constituents and donors (with their permission)
  • Photos of your nonprofit’s programs at work
  • Data to support your claims about the problem and your objective’s projected impact

Assembling this kind of “case for support kit” will be extremely helpful once it’s time to create campaign materials like web pages, brochures, email templates, and more—see the examples below for this strategy in action.

3. Boost your persuasion power with clear writing.

Persuasive writing is direct, clear, and evocative—set your fundraising materials up for success by baking these qualities into your case for support from the very start. Consider these best practices:

  • Keep sentences short and impactful. Write as specifically as possible to naturally keep things concise.
  • Avoid using too many adjectives and adverbs to describe things and problems. Let the details and the context speak for themselves and paint a picture for readers.
  • Be intentional and specific with your word choices. It’s easy in nonprofit work to get bogged down in vague generalities and jargon, but these will never give you the impact you need to make a convincing pitch to people who aren’t knee-deep in your mission all day.
  • Understand the power of passive and active voice. Active voice tends to be clearer and more impactful and should take precedence in your core case for support. Passive voice has its role and is more helpful for explaining complex thoughts and situations, but try to wait until you’re writing longer-form campaign materials to use it.

4. Understand your audience and context.

Actively think about who your case for support is speaking to and why they should care about your mission and ask.

For many cases for support, you’ll be writing to a general audience of supporters. In others, you’ll be targeting a more specific segment from the get-go, like

  • Major, mid-level, or lower-level donors
  • Volunteers
  • Event attendees
  • Prospective donors for a specific giving program
  • Potential corporate sponsors

Draft your case for support with the interests and motivations of your audience in mind. For example, positive brand awareness is a prime motivator for corporate partners, so make sure your core case statements highlight the size of your audience and the public reach that your organization has. Tax incentives often motivate major and non-cash donors, so you can mention these when discussing the positive impacts (both for your mission and your donors) that your fundraising initiative will have.

Getting Specific: Using Data to Take Your Case for Support to the Next Level

Concrete details make for more effective pitches. When compiling a new case for support and any associated kits of details and stories, don’t forget the data.

For a case for support, this supporting data might include information like:

  • Details about other funding sources for the campaign or project
  • Information about your corporate partners
  • Your organization’s current matching gift revenue
  • Statistics about your volunteer program

Why gather this information? Depending on the audience and context of your case for support, being prepared with this data can be extremely helpful.

For example, major donors might want to know it to gauge your organization’s effectiveness before committing to a large gift. Foundations and sponsors might require this information. In very specific circumstances, like if you’re laying out the case to recruit sponsors for a special donation match challenge, information about the scope of your fundraising efforts will be integral to the agreement.

By having this data on hand and baked into the messaging guidelines of your case for support, you’ll be able to easily create detailed, custom pitches for your prospects.

You might already have much of this information in your CRM. For data specific to your grants or corporate philanthropy efforts, be sure to use dedicated grant management and corporate philanthropy tools that make it easy to generate reports and projections (and to raise more of these funds in general).

Check out this video to learn more about how the right platform, like Double the Donation, can not only unlock new revenue streams for your nonprofit but also equip you with the tools you need to build and report more thriving giving programs all around:

Fuel corporate donations to your nonprofit by exploring the Ultimate Guide to Matching Gifts.

Watch Out! 5 Case for Support Pitfalls to Avoid

Creating a case for support should become second nature anytime your organization takes on a significant new fundraising campaign or launches a new giving program. What are the common mistakes to avoid along the way?

  • Mistake 1: Starting with a document or brochure.
    • Remember, a case for support is a set of persuasive arguments and details, not just a document. You’ll distill your case into a wide range of campaign materials like brochures, emails, web pages, and more, but jumping ahead to that stage might limit your vision and the case’s overall effectiveness.
  • Mistake 2: Not securing buy-in.
    • A case for support is a foundational fundraising resource—your organization should feel confident that the pitch it lays out aligns with your vision and goals for the campaign. If you don’t get sign-off from campaign or organizational leaders early, you might risk needing to backtrack later to update fundraising materials that were based on an outdated version of the case.
  • Mistake 3: Not testing your case for major campaigns.
    • A case for support allows you to test your pitch in the lead-up to a capital campaign. These kinds of major fundraising campaigns are big investments of your time and resources, and they have high stakes, so you need to ensure your messaging is as effective as possible early in the process. Use a feasibility study to introduce a small group of high-impact supporters to your campaign, ask for feedback on your case for support, and use their input to improve it before moving forward.
  • Mistake 4: Becoming too donor- or organization-centric.
    • The focus in a case for support should be on the positive impact that will be created when you achieve your campaign’s objective. Nonprofits often see advice about making donors the heroes of their pitches, but that’s not necessarily the goal in a case for support. You can emphasize their role in later messages that you create using the case for support. Similarly, avoid overly-centering your organization as the active player—it’s all about the objective and impact at this stage.
  • Mistake 5: Veering into scarcity-thinking.
    • Your case for support should convey a positive and ambitious but realistic vision for achieving your objective. Avoid limiting yourself (and using toned-down or pessimistic language) in your case for support since its core messages will make their way into all of your fundraising materials later. While you don’t want to positivity-whitewash the problem you’re tackling, which might downplay the urgency, you should still emphasize your strengths and come off as confident.

Nonprofit Case for Support Examples

Let’s take a look at some strong examples of case for support documents created by leading nonprofits. We’ll examine them from both sides:

Public-Facing Case for Support: UNICEF

Read the case for support documentUNICEF case for support example

This is the public-facing case for support for an ambitious 10-year initiative, The UNICEF and WHO Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being and Development of Children and Adolescents. This campaign seeks to raise $50 million in donation commitments to achieve its crystal-clear objective:

“By 2030, children and adolescents living in countries targeted under the Joint Programme will experience reduced suffering and improved mental health and psychosocial well-being and development.”

This is a “global” case for support document for the campaign, meaning it can serve as the single source of truth for fundraisers to create new campaign materials and have more targeted discussions with prospective donors. Its high quality also means it could easily be shared directly with prospects and news outlets as-is, too.

What this Case for Support Does Well

  • Includes extremely clear and impactful language
  • Repeats key phrases and vision statements across the entire document
  • Conveys true urgency without coming across as dark or dire
  • Emphasizes the impact of proposed solutions and provides statistics to back them up
  • Very clearly structured with headings that reinforce the purpose of the document

Internal Case for Support: YMCA

YMCA case for support example

This is an internally-facing case for support written by the team at the Santa Monica Family YMCA to support an annual fundraising campaign.

This particular case document could be an extremely helpful example for your nonprofit. It gives us a direct glimpse into what a working case for support looks like and what kind of information yours should include.

We love how mission-centric this example is—every section clearly connects back to the organization’s mission of strengthening communities through supporting youth and fostering healthy living. With this resource in hand, it would be easy for YMCA fundraisers to craft compelling gift solicitations and promotional materials.

What this Case for Support Does Well

  • Begins by clarifying the purpose of the resource for YMCA staff
  • Clearly connects all sections back to the organization’s mission
  • Explains core programs and areas of operation in easily-repeatable language for use in more materials and donor discussions
  • Ends with a short library of constituent stories broken down by program—invaluable for fundraisers in the field!

 


Writing a case for support (for a campaign, event, or just for your fundraising efforts in general) is one of the most important things you can do to set your nonprofit up for success.

With an easy-to-use guide on how to talk about your objectives, needs, goals, and plans, your team will be able to tackle any fundraising challenge with ease. If you need to draft a case of support of your own, start by working through the “Essential Elements” explained above and following our recommended steps. You’ll be engaging your prospects, funders, and corporate partners with compelling fundraising pitches in no time.

To keep learning, explore these additional fundraising guides:

 

Increase donor generosity by alerting them to matching gift programs. Click here to see how Double the Doantion can help.

Explore the basics and examples of matching gifts for nonprofits.

Nonprofit Basics: Matching Gifts & How They Double Funds

Corporate giving is a big deal for nonprofits. Giving USA’s latest report estimates that companies gave an incredible $29.48 billion to charities in the U.S. in just one year,  showing how generous businesses can be. Matching gifts are a special part of this, and these programs provide the easiest way to tap into that funding.

You can multiply your donors’ contributions just by having them fill out a simple form for their employers. However, a jaw-dropping $4-$7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. Charities have a huge chance to get more support, and we’re excited to shed some light on the basics of matching gifts.

Become a matching gift expert by downloading our free guide for nonprofits.

What Are Matching Gifts?

Matching gifts are a type of philanthropy program where companies match donations their employees make to eligible nonprofits, effectively doubling the contribution to the charity. For example, if a Home Depot employee donates $50 to an eligible charity, the company will also donate $50, doubling the total contribution.

Through matching gift programs, companies will double the contributions their employees make.

This workplace giving program not only amplifies the impact of the original donation but also encourages a culture of giving within the company, aligning corporate resources with employees’ charitable interests. It’s a win-win-win for companies, their employees, and nonprofits!

How Do Matching Donations Work?

When an employee donates to a nonprofit, they can submit a request with details about their gift to their employer, typically through an online portal. Then, the company reviews the donation against their program criteria. If the donation qualifies, the company makes an equivalent donation to the same organization. After receiving the matching donation, the nonprofit should acknowledge the individual donor and their employer.

Note that donation and eligibility requirements will vary depending on the company. When launching a matching gift program, a company will define specifics such as:

An illustration of Google's matching gift guidelines

  • Maximum Donation Amount: There’s usually an upper limit on the amount a company will match per employee annually. The average maximum match amount is currently $3,728.
  • Minimum Donation Amount: This is the lowest donation amount a company will match. Some companies lower barriers to participation by setting very low donation amounts, such as $1 or $5. According to that same resource we just referenced, the average minimum match amount is $34.
  • Match Ratio: The match ratio defines how much the company will contribute in relation to the employee’s donation. It’s commonly 1:1. Although it can vary, with some being as generous as 3:1 (AKA a $3 company match for every dollar) or more conservative like .5:1.
  • Employee Eligibility: Companies often restrict employee eligibility to full-time employees, with some programs also extending to part-time staff, retirees, spouses, and board members.
  • Nonprofit Eligibility: Companies specify which types of nonprofits qualify for matching gifts. Often, they state that 501(c)(3) charities are eligible, but they sometimes exclude certain categories, such as political or religious groups.

A matching gift database can help you quickly find these guidelines. You can easily search for specific companies where your donors work and pull up these criteria.

Benefits of Corporate Matching Gifts For Nonprofits

At its core, matching gifts amplify nonprofits’ fundraising revenue without requiring additional donations from supporters. Here are just some of the ways pursuing matching gifts can impact your nonprofit:

  • Broadened Donor Base: Participation in matching gift programs can increase your nonprofit’s visibility among corporate employees, leading to more awareness and support. In fact, 84% of surveyed donors will donate if they’re match-eligible, making matching gifts a great donor acquisition strategy.
  • Higher Donations: Knowing their gift will be matched, donors will feel encouraged to make larger donations than they might otherwise. 1 in 3 donors will give a larger donation than originally planned if a matching gift is offered.
  • Stronger Corporate Ties: By engaging in matching gift programs, nonprofits can build and strengthen partnerships with companies, leading to further support and collaboration. Even if a company can’t offer a built-out program, they may be willing to set up a one-off matching gift program and only match donations to your organization.
  • Improved Donor Retention: Donors who participate in matching gift programs are more likely to feel their contributions are valuable and may be more inclined to donate again in the future.

Best of all, companies are being more generous with matching gifts. Our research on corporate philanthropy trends found that more companies are matching donations at higher rates, lowering minimum donation amounts, and increasing maximum donation amount requirements. That means higher employee participation and more dollars for your nonprofit!

Benefits of Matching Gift Programs For Companies

Corporate giving is intended to be mutually beneficial. By understanding how these programs also impact companies, you can advocate for them when approaching your corporate partners. Here are some of the enticing reasons companies launch these programs:

  • Better Corporate Image: Companies can improve their trust with consumers and employees by demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility.
  • More Satisfied Employees: Workplace giving programs like corporate matching gifts show that a company cares about its employees’ values. Employees will be more likely to donate and contribute to a culture of giving within the company.
  • Talent Acquisition: 77% of employees reported that “a sense of purpose” was part of the reason they selected their current employer. What’s more, 2 out of every 3 young employees won’t take a job at a company with poor CSR practices, so programs like matching gifts can help attract talent.
  • Tax Benefits: Contributions made through matching gift programs are often tax-deductible, providing financial incentives for the company.

From improved brand reputation to happier employees, matching gift programs have many positive implications for companies. Nonprofits Source’s corporate giving trends article shares that many companies are developing year-round strategies as a way to experience these benefits and make an enduring difference!

How Nonprofits Can Identify Matching Gift Opportunities

It all starts with spreading the word. Educate your donors about matching gifts by urging them to check their eligibility in all fundraising appeals, sending informative matching gift letters, featuring matching gifts on your ‘Ways to Give’ page, and posting about matching gifts on social media. You can even have your corporate partners promote matching gifts to their employees!

An example of a Instagram post about matching gifts from Cat Rescue Club

As we mentioned, a matching gift database is your best bet for identifying match-eligible donors. For example, the Double the Donation database puts the most up-to-date forms, guidelines, and instructions at your fingertips. It covers 99.68% of matching gift-eligible donors, which is more than 26.8 million individuals.

Easily embed our search tool into your donation form, a dedicated matching gift page, your Ways to Give page, and post-donation emails. That way, donors can search for their employers and determine their eligibility during key parts of their journey.

Our matching gift software automates the process of finding matching gift donors, so you can monitor match status and follow up automatically on all opportunities. 

Nonprofits can use our matching gift software to monitor match statuses and drive matches to completion.

Create custom emails that follow up with donors based on their eligibility for corporate matching gifts. For instance, match-eligible donors will be prompted to submit their matching gift requests to their employer. Meanwhile, donors with unknown match status may be prompted to research their eligibility.

Explore how our matching gift software helps identify more match-eligible donors.

Examples of Matching Gift Programs

Here are several examples of matching gift programs that’ll give you a sense of how different these programs can be across different companies:

The logos of 10 leading matching gift companies

  • Google offers multiple matching gift programs to employees and board members. It will match up to $10,000 in general personal donations annually per employee and an additional $10,000 annually toward disaster relief at a 1:1 ratio. Google also offers fundraising matches, in which it will match the funds employees raise for charitable events. Requests must be submitted by January 31st of the year following the date of the donation.
  • Checkr will match contributions from full-time and part-time employees starting at $1. The maximum amount depends on the campaign, and most 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible.
  • General Electric matches employees’ donations from $25 to $5,000 dollar-for-dollar annually. Most nonprofits are eligible, and matching gifts must be registered by April 15th of the year following the donation date.
  • Soros Fund Management will only match full-time employees’ charitable contributions between $25 and $100,000 annually. The match ratio varies and goes up to 2:1. The donor must request the matching gift within one year of the donation.
  • GAP offers matches from $10 to a notable $15,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio. Full-time, part-time, and retired employees from the GAP and its subsidiaries are eligible, but maximum matching gift amounts vary by position.
  • CarMax matches gifts between $25 to $5,000 at a 1:1 ratio. Full-time, part-time, and retired employees are all eligible. CarMax also matches gifts from dependents up to age 26.
  • Choice Hotels matches employee donations between $25 to $1,500 at a 1:1 ratio. Both full-time and part-time corporate employees are eligible.
  • Capital Group matches donations between $25 to $5,000 at a generous 2:1 rate. Full- and part-time employees are eligible, and retirees are eligible for their first two years after retiring!
  • The Coca-Cola Company provides a generous 2:1 match ratio for donations between $25 and $10,000. That equates to a maximum $20,000 Coke contribution. Only full-time and retired employees are eligible, and match requests must be completed by February 28th of the calendar year after the gift is made.

Every company’s matching gift program is different, which shows why nonprofits should use matching gift software to locate companies’ guidelines.

Other Resources to Explore

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

The Expert’s Guide to Corporate Matching Gift Programs – From common nonprofit eligibility requirements to the submission process, discover everything you need to know about matching gift programs.

How to Win At Corporate Philanthropy: A Nonprofit Guide – Matching gifts are just one piece of the corporate philanthropy puzzle. Explore other top programs and learn how to tap into corporate giving.

Explore our matching gift software and start raising more money for your nonprofit.