Matching Gifts for Small Nonprofits A Complete Starter Guide

Matching Gifts for Small Nonprofits: A Complete Starter Guide

For organizations with limited staff, tight budgets, and a mile-long to-do list, corporate matching gifts might seem like a “nice-to-have” rather than a priority. But here’s the truth: matching gifts for small nonprofits are one of the most accessible and underutilized ways to increase individual donations without asking your supporters to give more. And it’s something you don’t want to miss out on.

Why? Many companies offer to match their employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits, often doubling (or even tripling) the original gift. That means if your nonprofit isn’t actively promoting matching gifts, you could be leaving significant revenue on the table.

The good news, however, is that you don’t need a large development team or extensive resources to start benefiting from matching gifts. In this guide, we’ll walk through practical, beginner-friendly tips to help your small nonprofit make the most of this opportunity. Specifically, we’ll cover:

  1. Designate a dedicated matching gift point person.
  2. Train your team with ready-made educational resources.
  3. Create a matching gift landing page on your website.
  4. Collect employment information from supporters.
  5. Automate your efforts with the right software.
  6. Prioritize your highest-impact opportunities.

By focusing on just a few key strategies, your organization can start unlocking new revenue streams with minimal effort. Whether you’re brand new to matching gifts or looking to level up an existing program, this guide is designed to meet you where you are.

Ready to explore how your small nonprofit can turn corporate matching gifts into a sustainable, scalable part of your fundraising toolkit? Let’s begin.

1) Designate a dedicated matching gift point person.

For small nonprofits, managing matching gifts doesn’t require a full department—it just needs one person to take ownership. By designating a dedicated matching gift point person, you create accountability and ensure this revenue opportunity doesn’t slip through the cracks.

This role doesn’t have to be someone’s entire job. It can be a part of a development staffer’s existing responsibilities, a committed volunteer, or even a board member with some fundraising experience. What matters most is that someone is consistently tracking matching gift activity, communicating with donors about their eligibility, and helping the organization follow up on outstanding match requests.

Having a go-to person also means it’s easier to stay organized, identify areas for improvement, and start building a system that works—even with limited resources. A little attention can go a long way, and by making matching gifts part of someone’s regular workflow, your nonprofit can begin unlocking more value from every donation with minimal extra effort.

2) Train your team with ready-made educational resources.

Even with a small team, making sure everyone understands how matching gifts work is essential. When your staff is familiar with the basics, they can help spread the word, answer donor questions confidently, and identify matching gift opportunities in real time.

The good news? You don’t have to build a training program from scratch. There are numerous ready-made resources available, notably from trusted providers like Double the Donation. In fact, we offer a plethora of free and low-cost educational resources, including webinars, blog posts, downloadable guides, and our Matching Gift Academy, to help fundraisers at any level quickly get up to speed.

By carving out just a little time for your team to learn the ropes using these pre-built materials, you can strengthen your entire organization’s ability to promote matching gifts effectively. It’s a small investment that can yield significant returns in matching gift revenue.

3) Create a matching gift landing page on your website.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to boost matching gift revenue is by creating a dedicated landing page on your nonprofit’s website. This page serves as a central hub where donors can learn about matching gifts, check their eligibility, and find step-by-step instructions for submitting a match request to their employer.

Example of marketing matching gifts for small nonprofits

For small nonprofits with limited time and technical resources, this doesn’t need to be a complex project. A simple page that includes a short explanation of what matching gifts are, why they matter, and how donors can participate is all you need to get started. If you use a matching gift tool like Double the Donation, you can also embed the company search widget directly on the page, making it easy for donors to look up their employer’s program without leaving your site.

Once your matching gift page is live, be sure to link to it from key donor touchpoints: your donation forms, confirmation emails, newsletters, and even social media posts. The easier you make it for supporters to access the information they need, the more likely they are to follow through and submit a match request, helping your organization raise more funds without increasing your outreach efforts.

4) Collect employment information from supporters.

To take advantage of matching gifts, you first need to know where your donors work. One low-effort and straightforward way to gather this information is by tweaking your existing donation forms to include an optional field that asks for the donor’s employer.

An example of marketing matching gifts for small nonprofits

This one small adjustment can make a big difference. Once you know a supporter’s employer, you can determine if their company offers a matching gift program—and follow up with tailored instructions on how to submit a match request. Better yet, if you integrate your tools with Double the Donation, the form can automatically identify match-eligible donors and prompt them to complete the next steps.

Since many donors don’t know their gifts can be matched, this proactive action helps uncover hidden opportunities and makes it easy for your team to follow up. And because the employment field is optional, it doesn’t add friction to the donation process.

For small nonprofits, this is one of the quickest, most effective ways to build a stronger pipeline for matching gift outreach without adding a major administrative burden.

5) Automate your efforts with the right software.

If you’re a small nonprofit trying to do more with less, automating your matching gift efforts can be a game-changer. The right software can streamline your outreach, identify match-eligible donors in real time, and guide supporters through the submission process. And it all occurs without adding extra work for your team.

For nonprofits with under $500,000 in annual revenue, Double the Donation’s Essentials plan is a great place to start. The free or “pay per usage” pricing tier provides access to the world’s most comprehensive matching gift database and allows you to embed a company search tool directly on your website. This way, donors can quickly see if their employer offers a matching gift program and get instructions on how to submit a request—and your team never has to lift a finger.

If your organization generates more than $500,000 in annual revenue, however, the Standard plan is a better fit. At this level, your team is likely managing higher donation volumes, multiple systems, and more complex fundraising strategies—which means you’ll benefit from automation, CRM and donation platform integrations, customizable reporting, and enhanced donor engagement tools. It’s also more cost-efficient at scale, given the increased matching gift revenue you’re positioned to bring in.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re ready to level up your efforts, using software to automate your matching gift outreach can help your small team unlock more revenue and maximize impact, while keeping your workload manageable. The good news? Organizations of all shapes and sizes typically see a 20-50% increase in matching gift revenue with automation, resulting in a significant influx of additional funds and making it well worth the investment.

Double the Donation's Essentials plan is great for boosting matching gifts for small nonprofits.

6) Prioritize your highest-impact opportunities.

When you’re working with a small team, it’s simply not feasible to personally reach out to every matching gift donor. That’s why prioritizing your highest-impact opportunities is key to making the most of your limited time and resources.

Start by identifying major donations that are eligible for matching gifts. These have the potential to bring in the largest additional funds. Additionally, focus on donors whose employers offer high match ratios (e.g., 2:1 or even 3:1) or generous maximum match limits (e.g., upwards of $10,000), as these donors are going to represent the biggest return on your outreach efforts.

By strategically targeting these high-value prospects, you can concentrate your energy where it matters most. This empowers you to boost your overall matching gift revenue without overextending your team.

You can even use your matching gift software to help flag these opportunities so your outreach is smart and efficient. This approach ensures that even with a small staff, your nonprofit maximizes its fundraising impact.

Wrapping up & additional matching gift resources

Matching gifts are a hidden gem in the world of nonprofit fundraising—especially for small organizations. With just a few smart strategies and low-cost tools, your team can begin unlocking more value from every donation. This helps build stronger donor relationships and generates revenue that might otherwise go unclaimed.

Remember, you don’t need to do everything at once. Start small: educate your donors, make a few easy updates to your forms and follow-ups, and track what works. Over time, even the most modest of efforts can add up to meaningful impact for your mission.

Keep learning! Check out these additional recommended resources to grow your knowledge of all things matching gifts:

Double the Donation's Essentials plan is great for boosting matching gifts for small nonprofits.