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What to Know About Custom (or One-Off) Corporate Matching Gift Programs

What to Know About Custom (or “One-Off”) Matching Gift Programs

September 19, 2023/in Learning Center, Matching Gift Companies, About Double the Donation, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Tons of companies offer generous gift-matching programs where the business agrees to match donations made by employees to a wide range of charitable causes. Those are great⁠—and relatively well-known in the nonprofit space. However, there’s another type of corporate matching program that’s less widely understood, and that is custom (or “one-off”) matching gift programs.

One-off matching gift programs generally involve specific partnerships between one corporation and one nonprofit organization. And the results can be grand!

If you’re interested in making the most of corporate matching opportunities for your mission, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll walk you through a series of questions and answers pertaining to one-off matching initiatives:

What are custom (one-off) matching gift programs?
Double the Donation’s custom match program functionality [with auto-submission]
Locating a custom corporate matching gift partner
Key benefits of one-off matching gift programs for nonprofits
Best practices | Top tips for successful custom matching programs
Bonus: An inspiring case study, “The Power of a One-Off Match”

Ready to dive in? One-off matching gift programs have the potential to bring your organization’s corporate fundraising to the next level.

Let’s start with the basics.

What are custom (one-off) matching gift programs?

Custom matching gift programs are those that are unique to a single organization—in this case, yours! You may hear this type of partnership described in a few ways, including custom matching gift programs, one-off matching gift programs, or even unique matching gift programs. Regardless of the term used, the bottom line is the same: a company works with an organization to facilitate a matching gift program with narrower criteria than a standard match program would have. Specifically, donations to your nonprofit are the only ones being matched.

You might wonder why a company would offer this particular type of donation-matching initiative. Picture this: let’s say you run an organization dedicated to breast cancer research and treatment services. Now, imagine a corporate CEO has a soft spot for missions like yours. They come to your nonprofit team with a proposal: They’d like to match employee donations to your organization throughout the span of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

While the company may not typically have the bandwidth to match all team member donations, a one-off matching gift program can serve as an excellent jumping-off point to get involved with corporate philanthropy. Alternatively, the business might offer a traditional matching gift initiative with a 1:1 ratio year-round⁠—but choose to elevate giving during particular times (or to particular causes) by offering a temporary 2, 3, or even 4:1 match through a custom program.

Double the Donation’s custom match program functionality [with auto-submission]

If you’ve made an effort to elevate corporate fundraising at your organization, you’ve likely invested in a matching gift automation software like Double the Donation. This tool makes it quick and easy for you and your donors to locate information regarding thousands of matching gift companies.

If a company doesn’t offer a widely available matching gift program, however, they likely won’t show up in a search of the database tool.

But when you’ve organized a custom matching gift program with a corporate partner, you want your donors to seamlessly locate the information they need to get involved.

Luckily, Double the Donation has the solution: built-in functionality for managing unique matching gift programs in 360MatchPro. That means you can add matching gift programs specific to your cause into your matching gift search tool⁠—without it populating in other organizations’ databases as well.

While this functionality has previously been available exclusively for 360MatchPro Enterprise clients, we’re excited to announce that all 360MatchPro Standard accounts now have access to our unique program management tools!

Adding a Custom Program in 360MatchPro

Already have a corporate partner offering a custom matching gift program for your organization? To add your unique campaign to your nonprofit’s matching gift database, log into the backend of your 360MatchPro portal and fill out a brief form regarding the offered program (under the settings tab → Manage Programs).

Upon providing your matching gift partners’ agreed-upon program guidelines and parameters, you can save the program in your database. To do so, you’ll be asked for the following details:

Company name
Contact information (e.g., the company’s workplace giving coordinator or HR department), email address, and phone number
Eligible employees (full-time, part-time, and/or retired team members)
Minimum and maximum donations matched
Matching gift ratio
Submission form URL or PDF upload and an overview of the request process
Program start and end dates

And from there, the custom matching gift initiative will begin populating within eligible donors’ queries!

Enabling Auto-Submission for Your Unique Program

In the same form, your team will also be asked whether you’d like to enable optional auto-submission functionality for the matching gift program. This essentially enables Double the Donation to pre-fill a request form on the donor’s behalf, thus streamlining their experience and increasing engagement rates!

In order to see the best results from auto-submission forms, be sure to also fill out your comprehensive Organization Profile (under the settings tab → Organization Profile) within 360MatchPro.

This resource should include vital and up-to-date information about your nonprofit that will then be used to automate donors’ submission request processes. Details should include:

Organization’s name
Phone number
Tax ID number (or EIN)
Website URL
Full mailing address
Form W-9
501(c)(3) IRS affirmation letter

In the end, it increases the likelihood that matches are completed without a hitch⁠—leading to more matching gift funds flowing into your cause in a timely manner.

(Hint: Your Organization Profile helps streamline auto-submission for other companies’ general matching gift programs as well!)

Locating a custom corporate matching gift partner

One-off or unique matching gift programs are, by definition, developed on an ad hoc basis. Luckily, that opens up a world of possibilities⁠—because just about any company could offer such a program.

We recommend taking a similar approach in your search as you might pursue a traditional corporate sponsorship. This might mean:

Identifying companies your donors work for that don’t have existing matching gift programs.

Reach out to them, share that you have a lot in common with them already (your donors and their employees), and would like to launch a one-off donation-matching initiative. Point out that it can be a great way to get into corporate giving⁠.

Encouraging donors to advocate for a one-off matching program on your behalf.

Your donors can be some of your greatest assets! If they work for companies without existing programs, see if your supporters would be willing to pitch the idea to their employer on your behalf.

Suggesting unique opportunities for amplifying existing matching gift programs.

Perhaps there’s a company that you receive a lot of matching gifts from already. Consider proposing the idea of an increased match ratio to set your prospective one-off program apart. This can be a great place to highlight well-known giving days, awareness and affinity months, and more as key motivators for increasing the standard match for your organization.

Throughout your search, keep an eye out for companies with similar missions and visions as your own. This will help ensure your values align with one another and can maintain a mutually beneficial partnership. And don’t forget to mention the vast benefits to participating companies as well!

Then, once you’ve identified a corporate partner, be sure to determine specific program guidelines to define the opportunity. Like a traditional matching gift program, these criteria are established by the corporate donor and typically include:

Minimum and maximum donation amounts;
Matching gift ratios;
Types of qualifying employees (i.e., full-time, part-time, retired);
Submission deadlines;
Forms and request processes.

In this regard, the only difference between a one-off and a standard match program is the nonprofits eligible for funding. Because that question is easy⁠—the applicable organization is yours!

Still, it’s a good idea to discuss associated criteria with your matching gift partner before rolling out your program. This will enable your team to better communicate eligibility standards and ensure match requests have the required information for approval.

Key benefits of one-off matching gift programs for nonprofits

Though narrower in scope, one-off matching gift programs offer many of the same benefits that traditional matching gift programs do. Plus, this unique offering can unleash a number of exclusive advantages just for your cause.

These include:

Building deeper connections with charitable-minded corporations.

Whereas a typical matching gift program may lead to a company contributing to hundreds or thousands of nonprofits, a one-off matching gift program is just between you and your corporate partner. Therefore, it provides enhanced opportunities for strengthening your relationship. You might even be able to turn it into a recurring program!

Widening your fundraising reach to encompass new supporters.

When promoted effectively, one-off matching gift programs have the potential to direct first-time donors to your organization. A company’s employees may otherwise never have been made aware of your cause. But when their employer highlights the giving opportunity, your nonprofit is at the forefront of their minds. You might even uncover some new, long-term supporters this way!

Elevating donor engagement with unique match opportunities.

Perhaps your one-off matching partner employs individuals who are already involved with your cause. You have the chance to further their engagement through the program, too! In fact, studies show that simply mentioning matching gifts in donation appeals results in more than a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.

Best practices | Top tips for successful custom matching programs

Want to take your organization’s unique matching gift program to the next level? Consider these smart tips and tricks to better engage your donors and your corporate partners.

1. Encourage your corporate partner to promote the program to employees.

A matching gift program is only as good as the employees who know about it. Uninformed team members, after all, are not likely to benefit from available corporate matching. Thus, they’re not sending additional match revenue your way.

One of the best things a company can do to drive corporate giving participation⁠—and, as a result, get the most out of its program offerings⁠—is to make its employees aware of the opportunity in the first place. From the nonprofit’s end, it’s a good idea to encourage proactive employee outreach in order to aid your partner in doing so.

Your team can even help drive the efforts by sending co-branded graphics, social sharing templates, sample communications, and more.

2. Market the opportunity to your audience.

Just like you expect your matching gift partner to promote your one-off program to their employees, it’s a good idea to market the opportunity to your audience as well. This might include:

A social media post highlighting the program and recognizing your matching gift company for their generosity;
A blog post on your organization’s website sharing program information and how to get involved, if applicable;
Personalized outreach (phone calls, emails, letters, etc.) to existing and prospective donors who work for the company hosting your unique match program.

Plus, by sharing co-marketing materials with your organization’s network of support, you can help provide additional benefits to the matching gift company. When they recognize significant value from your partnership, the company will be more likely to offer workplace and corporate giving initiatives alongside your organization in the future.

3. Enable auto-submission functionality to streamline participation.

You want your donors to be able to take part in your matching program as easily as possible. One of the best ways to simplify participation is to implement Double the Donation’s auto-submission functionality⁠—essentially removing obstacles and driving more requests to completion.

Why does this matter? Unfortunately, custom matching gift programs can suffer from many of the same roadblocks that traditional programs face. For example, common hindrances include a lack of understanding surrounding the matching gift request process from the donor’s perspective.

With auto-submission enabled, however, eligible donors can complete their match submissions right from your donation forms with no redirects, separate logins, or paper forms required! All donors typically have to do is enter their corporate email address on your gift confirmation page. Then, voilà⁠—Double the Donation handles the rest of the submission process using our standard request form behind the scenes.

By incorporating auto-submission for your unique matching gift program, everybody benefits! For example:

Your organization receives increased matching gift revenue and elevated donor engagement.
Your donors save time with one-click matching gift requests, enabling them to make the most of their nonprofit contributions without dedicating more time and resources.
Your corporate match partner sees maximal program usage, more satisfied employees, and a positive brand image.

Step 1) An employee of your corporate matching company makes a donation on your organization’s website and enters the company name.

Step 2) The donor enters their email on the confirmation screen, authorizing Double the Donation to auto-submit their match request.

4. Pitch an annually recurring custom match program.

Most custom matching gift programs are going to be organized as a short-term campaign initiative (for example, a company supporting a breast cancer research nonprofit during the month of October or an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in June). However, that doesn’t mean that the partnership has to be a one-and-done experience!

Instead, pitching your custom matching gift program as an annually recurring event is a great way to grow your relationship with a corporate donor and its employees for the long term. You can even position the first month as a “trial run,” allowing both your organization and the company to fine-tune the program and ensure it aligns well with your shared goals and values over time.

Alternatively, your custom match efforts might inspire the corporate partner to dive in fully with matching gifts⁠—rolling out an evergreen program in conjunction with a dedicated CSR platform to simplify ongoing management.

Bonus: An inspiring case study, “The Power of a One-Off Match”

If you’re wondering what kind of impact a custom matching gift program can have for your organization, check out this example of a successful partnership that resulted in a unique initiative engaging employee donors at new heights.

As you read, consider which elements of this strategy you can implement in your own team’s efforts.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (also known as LLS) is a key player in the fight against blood cancers, dedicating its mission to medical research, education, advocacy, and more. As one of the world’s largest peer-to-peer fundraising organizations, the LLS team has always been at the forefront of innovation to further its cause⁠—including with a particularly well-established corporate matching gift strategy.

Meanwhile, Danaher Corporation, which comprises some of the world’s most groundbreaking science and technology companies, expresses a forward-looking mission of “making things better for our customers, our company, and the world.” Its focus on diagnostics, life sciences, and biotechnology⁠—in addition to a desire to support organizations working to advance healthcare innovation⁠—make its partnership with LLS a natural fit.

By offering a custom matching gift program in partnership with LLS, Danaher Corporation was able to increase its total giving by more than 150%, surpassing its initial fundraising goal and elevating its impact greatly. The Danaher team, with an employee count of over 70,000, got on board to give back to their communities in a substantial way.

And as a result, the company continued to grow its matching gift initiatives after the fact! In addition to taking its match program global, Danaher also plans to venture into skills-based volunteerism, nonprofit board service support, and Volunteer Time Off (VTO), demonstrating a holistic and ongoing approach to corporate giving.

Wrapping Up

Sourcing a one-off matching gift program may be one of the best ways to make your organization stand out from the crowd. And it will enable you to grow mutually beneficial corporate relationships that can last long beyond the matching program itself.

Not to mention, with the right tips, tricks, and tools, getting started has never been easier.

Interested in learning more about matching gift programs and best practices for elevating corporate fundraising at your organization? Check out our recommended resources:

Matching Gift Auto-Submission + CSR Platforms | What to Know. New auto-submission streamlines the matching gift process for one-off and general corporate programming. Dive deep into this innovative functionality and the providers that support it.
How to Identify Corporate Sponsorships [With 360MatchPro]. Matching gifts aren’t the only type of corporate giving program available! Find out how to identify top corporate sponsorships and potential one-off matching gift companies with this guide.
Top 24 Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Philanthropy. Thousands of companies match employee donations, but these programs stand out. Browse this list of particularly impactful matching gift companies from Double the Donation.

Little Green Light and Double the Donation Team Up to Offer Matching Gifts Integration

September 12, 2023/in About Double the Donation /by Erin Oquindo

Double the Donation and Little Green Light have worked together to provide nonprofit organizations with an advanced matching gift integration between Little Green Light donation forms and 360MatchPro by Double the Donation.

“Nonprofits are always looking for ways to deepen their relationships with donors and raise more with every visit to their giving pages,” said Hunter Williams, VP Product Marketing at Little Green Light. “We’re excited to answer the call for boosted revenue with new matching gifts capabilities.”

Now, mutual clients of Little Green Light and Double the Donation can connect their accounts to raise more from matching gifts by educating donors at the time of giving.

“Engaging donors while they’re in the giving mindset is a key mover toward matching gift success,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “Now that 360MatchPro integrates with Little Green Light donation forms, nonprofits have the power to interact with their donors about their match potential when it matters most.”

Read on to learn more about the 360MatchPro and Little Green Light integration.

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

Getting started with the Little Green Light and 360MatchPro integration is simple. All a nonprofit organization needs to do is enter their 360MatchPro credentials into their Little Green Light account to get started, then select the Double the Donation option on the desired forms and confirmation pages.

Once the integration is activated, donations will begin flowing from Little Green Light forms into 360MatchPro and donors can search for their company name directly from the confirmation page. When a company is identified, the Double the Donation plugin will share company program details and next steps.

Nonprofits also have the option to send their donors customized follow up emails about their match potential. This way, orgs can catch as many match eligible donors as possible!

Drive Donations to Completion with 360MatchPro!

Corporate philanthropy can have an incredible impact on nonprofits, if those nonprofits are provided with effective and easy-to-use tools. Double the Donation and Little Green Light’s new integration ensures organizations can see even more value from corporate philanthropy.

Little Green Light offers a simple, centralized, and secure way for your nonprofit to drive donations, and the 360MatchPro plugin follows suit with endless features designed to take the stress out of gift matching marketing.

Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: 360MatchPro enables you to automatically collect matching gift eligibility from donors using email domains, within donation forms, on confirmation screens, or by email. The more matching gift opportunities 360MatchPro discovers and shares with donors, the more matching gift requests your donors will successfully submit.
Drive more matches to completion, from form submission to corporate payment: Direct donors immediately to their matching gift forms after the donation process is complete. Then, provide the right information to the right donors at the right time with custom emails based on match eligibility. Target follow-ups drive more completed submissions than ever before, bringing exponentially more matching gift checks from companies through your door.
Reallocate your time from routine follow-up to your top opportunities: Your time is valuable, so why spend it chasing small dollar-value matching gifts? Let 360MatchPro automate your matching gift outreach while flagging your highest-value opportunities, allowing your team to personalize follow-ups to the most valuable match-eligible donations. Rest easy knowing that 360MatchPro can handle the rest.

Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using Little Green Light? Request a demo today.

About Little Green Light (LGL): LGL is an affordable online donor management and fundraising software solution built for the needs of busy nonprofit professionals. Our suite of tools helps to streamline essential fundraising tasks and manage communications with all of your nonprofit’s most important supporters, including donors, volunteers, members and more. Learn more at www.littlegreenlight.com/getting-started.

About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The 360MatchPro platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. 360MatchPro integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/.

Double Your Giving Tuesday Matching Gifts Success

Double Your Giving Tuesday Impact with Matching Gifts

September 5, 2023/in About Double the Donation /by Adam Weinger

One of the largest global giving pushes in the world, Giving Tuesday, will be here this year before we know it⁠. So now is the time to prepare for Giving Tuesday matching gifts success.

Falling each year on the first Tuesday immediately after Thanksgiving, this worldwide day of generosity can have a tremendous impact on nonprofit fundraisers. Last year boasted a record-breaking giving day, with 37 million participating adults contributing over $3.1 billion in the U.S. alone. And corporate matching gifts empower nonprofits to double their fundraising success.

However, many organizations did not realize their fullest potential when it came to matching gifts. After all, more than $4 to $7 billion in available match funds goes unclaimed on an annual basis. This is largely due to a lack of awareness by eligible donors who do not ultimately request the associated match funding from their employers. Taking steps to secure this revenue for your organization as you head into the end-of-year giving season can go a long way.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the unmatched value of corporate gift-matching⁠—and expert practices your team can implement to make each donation count more.

Understanding Your Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Potential

Matching gifts can dramatically improve fundraising outcomes. On Giving Tuesday, organizations expect to see elevated donor engagement, surges in incoming funds, and more. And the team behind Giving Tuesday reports that campaigns leveraging donation-matching typically raise 3-5x more than those that do not.

But why is this⁠—and how does it impact your fundraising group?

Matching gifts are one of the most widely utilized types of corporate philanthropy by companies of all shapes, sizes, and sectors. When donors give to their favorite nonprofits, their employers pledge to match those gifts with their own funds. It’s essentially the “Buy One, Get One Free” sale of fundraising.

Not only do matching gifts provide an accessible form of corporate giving revenue, but they tend to drive individual involvement in fundraising as well. In fact, our research indicates that 84% of surveyed donors are more likely to contribute to a fundraising campaign if a match is available. At the same time, 1 in 3 supporters stated that they’d increase the size of their donation if they knew it would be matched.

This results in fundraising appeals that incorporate matching gifts producing a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount.

All in all, Giving Tuesday 2022 boasted over 31 million donors’ gifts being matched by their employers. These completed matches brought in an additional $29.7 million in fundraising revenue.

This year, we’re hoping to beat those numbers⁠—and the Double the Donation team is here to help you do so.

Dive deeper with our FREE downloadable resource:

14 Tips to Incorporate Matching Gifts in Your Giving Tuesday Plan

We have a lot of experience working with fundraising organizations to optimize their matching gift strategies. Thus, we know the most effective methods for driving matching gift success this Giving Tuesday and beyond.

Check out these tried-and-true practices as your team begins crafting its giving day fundraising plan. Then, determine how you can implement these tips in your own strategy.

1. Introduce matching gifts in internal Giving Tuesday preparations.

More than likely, your organization plans to host some sort of dedicated Giving Tuesday training leading up to the big day. This may involve establishing a fundraising timeline, crafting donor-facing messaging, and setting specific goals to ensure your whole team is on the same page.

One of the first things you can do to set your nonprofit up for Giving Tuesday success is to incorporate matching gifts throughout these preparations.

Getting your fundraising staff on board with the opportunity allows you to empower them as some of your greatest matching gift advocates.

And how can you do so? It all starts with marketing matching gifts to your internal team.

Specifically, you’ll want to cover:

The basics of corporate matching gift programs (i.e., what they are, common stipulations, etc.)
The impact that corporate gift-matching can have on your fundraising efforts (donation response rates and gift sizes, corporate partnerships, supporter engagement)
An overview of the matching gift cycle (from identification to submission and funding disbursement) and how to assist donors through the process
How team members can make the most of any matching gift technology in your fundraising software toolkit
How to learn more about the opportunity (attend a webinar, enroll in Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy)

Consider utilizing a number of communication channels to engage your internal audience (such as fundraising staff, marketers, board members, key volunteers, and more). This may include in-person or virtual presentations, emails, and other resources to spread awareness.

Ultimately, it’s critical that you get your team excited to make the most of matching gifts come Giving Tuesday and beyond.

2. Establish a matching gift fundraising goal beforehand.

Just like you probably have (or will have) a goal that represents your supporters’ total giving on Giving Tuesday, it’s a good idea to establish a separate goal exclusive to matching gifts for the campaign. Regardless of whether you opt to measure total revenue through corporate gifts or the number of donations successfully matched, tracking goals is the key to determining success and inspiring engagement.

To set a lofty yet realistic matching gift fundraising goal this Giving Tuesday, you’ll first want to analyze your past fundraising and matching gift performance. For example, let’s say your team collected $1,000 worth of matching gifts associated with Giving Tuesday donations last year⁠—with little to no promotional activity around corporate matching. This year, you can expect to see a significant increase by taking a proactive approach to informing donors, encouraging participation, and even automating the matching gift experience.

From there, be sure to communicate this goal (and your progress toward it) leading up to, during, and after your Giving Tuesday campaign. Aiming for a specific target will allow you to establish a sense of urgency and motivate eligible supporters to take their next steps. Try using a fundraising thermometer on your campaign page, social media, or donor messaging to illustrate your movement toward the matching gift goal in a visual way.

Note: As you set your goal, however, keep in mind that the disbursement of matching gift funds is often delayed. That said, tracking your matching gift participation by the total number or value of matches identified⁠—or the number of matching gifts requested⁠—can be an excellent substitute. This is especially beneficial for a time-bound campaign during the giving season!

3. Consider engaging taglines, graphics, and blurbs.

Many nonprofits devote significant time, energy, and creativity to planning and executing their Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts. And often, the campaigns with the most unique and engaging elements are the ones that stand out and see the greatest level of success.

The Giving Tuesday organizers even encourage nonprofits to customize the official campaign logo to best connect with their own audiences for this reason.

So, what does that mean for your matching gift efforts on this day?

We, like the Giving Tuesday team, encourage you to get creative with your promotions. That might mean coming up with inventive taglines, crafting novel hashtags, designing eye-catching graphics, or writing witty blurbs. While the goal is to drive participation in your matching gift campaign, the path to get there involves unique content and actionable messaging.

Here are a few examples⁠ to consider. Feel free to adjust these ideas to reflect your organization’s mission, voice, and style!

Double the #GivingTuesday Love

Promote corporate matching gifts as a way to amplify the impact of donations on Giving Tuesday. This type of effort pairs well with match-related imagery⁠ to symbolize the doubling of donations. For instance⁠—pairs of animals, twins posing in identical outfits, matching (or mismatched) socks, and more. If it’s something relevant to your mission, that’s even better.

By emphasizing that donors’ contributions may be matched, you can reiterate the way that each gift can multiply in value for your cause.

After #GivingTuesday comes #MatchingWednesday

Another idea involves engaging your donors in matching gifts the day after Giving Tuesday. By introducing a #MatchingWednesday follow-up campaign, you can retain your organization at the forefront of supporters’ minds for longer. Plus, allow them to stretch their gifts without re-opening their wallets.

Not to mention, much of the Giving Tuesday buzz will have settled down. This means you’ll have less competition for your audience’s attention and likely a more prominent spot in their inboxes. However, it still allows you to capitalize on the momentum of Giving Tuesday to drive continued giving and impact.

4. Get inspired by other nonprofits’ matching gift efforts.

Sometimes the best way to inspire your own organization’s fundraising initiatives is to take a look at other nonprofits that have seen great success in their efforts. When it comes to matching gifts on Giving Tuesday, exploring organizations that have done so effectively in previous years can help inform your team’s strategy.

We’ve located a few standout examples of Giving Tuesday matching gifts campaigns that engaged their audiences, informed supporters of matching gift opportunities, and ultimately drove more matches to completion.

First, these matching gift banners were incorporated into one of the largest healthcare and research organizations’ Giving Tuesday pages:

This organization repeatedly highlights the matching gift opportunity throughout its campaign landing page. It also uses a customized Giving Tuesday logo to attract the audience’s attention and enlists donor-centric language to call the supporter to immediate action.

Not to mention, this nonprofit also equips its supporters with a matching gift automation platform. This makes it quicker and easier than ever before for donors to double their impact with a match from their employer!

Here’s another example from an animal welfare and service dog training organization promoting matching gifts in its Giving Tuesday campaign:

This visually focused campaign utilizes the “cuteness factor” to catch supporters’ eyes and elicit an emotional response to the fundraising appeal. With matching dog photos to represent the matching donation opportunity, the organization aims to drive donations and matches with a mission-relevant custom graphic.

And again, this organization leverages matching gift software to simplify the employee matching gift experience for its donors! The simpler it is for supporters to complete the match request process, the more revenue a team can expect from the funding source.

Next, a Utah-based food bank incorporates a matching gift appeal on its Giving Tuesday page, as seen below:

This effort focuses heavily on the organization’s impact. Not only does the campaign graphic quite literally put a face to the fundraising need, but it also shares a relevant statistic that emphasizes the importance of donor giving for the nonprofit’s audience. And it allows the supporter to see how their potential gift can make twice the difference!

Plus, with a matching gift software in this food bank’s Giving Tuesday tech stack, supporters can receive information about and participate in their employers’ matching gift programs with just a few easy (and guided) steps.

Finally, check out this example from an environmental nonprofit based in Los Angeles, California:

This Giving Tuesday matching gifts promotion incorporates a dedicated blog post on the organization’s website. The content shares several easy ways that supporters can strengthen their donations when participating in the giving day campaign and is designed to aid the fundraiser in maximizing individual support.

The ways highlighted include making a recurring donation, contributing gifts of stock, amplifying the organization’s efforts with word-of-mouth marketing, and, of course, participating in employee matching gifts.

5. Read up on companies with Giving Tuesday matching programs.

More than 24,000 companies have known matching gift programs worldwide. Some of the most notable examples include General Electric, Microsoft, Google, Walt Disney Company, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot. As these are generally organized as a year-long initiative, employees who work for these companies will likely qualify to have their Giving Tuesday donations matched.

However, it’s also worth noting that some businesses opt to go above and beyond with their matching gift programs⁠—specifically for Giving Tuesday! Familiarizing your staff with top matching gift programs beforehand will allow you to prepare to best share the information with donors who work for these companies. Not to mention, promoting Giving Tuesday-specific matches is a great way to incentivize giving and matching by eligible employees.

For instance, the companies below have increased their matching gift ratios to multiply employee gifts made on Giving Tuesday at a greater rate.

The Estée Lauder Companies

Typically matching donations at a 1:1 rate (i.e., a $50 gift produces a $50 match), Estée Lauder offers its employees a “double-matching gifts” program on Giving Tuesday. When a qualifying staff member makes a donation on Giving Tuesday, the company ultimately triples the gift for the organization.

Fiserv, Inc.

Fiserv generally matches employee gifts at a standard 1:1 match rate. However, gifts made on Giving Tuesday were multiplied at a higher level⁠—offering a limited-time 2:1 matching gift ratio.

Caterpillar

Caterpillar Inc., matching gifts through the Caterpillar Foundation, incentivizes participation in Giving Tuesday by its employees by offering a greater 2:1 match. This limited-time motivator is typically hosted for the two weeks leading up to Giving Tuesday while the company establishes an annual match limit of $1.5 million.

BlackRock

BlackRock encourages employee giving on giving days by offering a 2:1 match ratio for gifts made during the span of Giving Tuesday. For most other donations throughout the year, however, the company matches at a standard 1:1 rate.

Elevance Health

Though this company typically matches gifts at a dollar-for-dollar rate, team member gifts contributed on Giving Tuesday were matched at a 3:1 ratio. That means if an employee gives $100, Elevance Health matches with $300⁠—essentially quadrupling the value of the initial gift.

6. Propose Giving Tuesday custom match programs with corporate partners.

Unfortunately, some companies still don’t have widely accessible matching gift programs—but that doesn’t mean you should give up on match opportunities for those donors. It just means you need to adjust your strategy! And one tactic that we recommend goes particularly well with Giving Days, end-of-year fundraising, and other time-based initiatives: custom (or one-off) matching gift programs.

Here’s how it works: As you prepare for Giving Tuesday, locate a company that employs a decent segment of your donor base but doesn’t currently match team members’ donations. Reach out to that company’s leadership (or encourage your donors to reach out themselves to forge a connection) and propose a dedicated matching gift partnership for Giving Tuesday.

Once agreed upon, your team will add the custom program to your matching gift search tool. (Hint: Nonprofits using Double the Donation’s platform can add one-off initiatives to their database using the unique program management feature.) This way, it will populate in qualifying donors’ employer queries when the campaign is live.

In this type of program, the company would commit only to matching gifts to your organization, likely within a set campaign window on or around this year’s annual Giving Day. And it’s a great way for unfamiliar employers to become acquainted with employee donation-matching, too!

7. Share about Giving Tuesday and matching gifts on social media.

Your organization’s social media profiles are likely some of your greatest marketing and communications assets⁠—especially regarding your fundraising efforts. As Giving Tuesday is a largely digital campaign, leveraging your online presence is a must. And promoting matching gift opportunities through these channels can be particularly impactful.

Prior to the big day, teaser posts can create anticipation by highlighting not only the upcoming Giving Tuesday campaign but also the opportunity to amplify donation impact with employee matching gifts.

Check out the sample post below⁠—and be sure to link to your matching gifts page in the caption to provide additional information.

At the start of Giving Tuesday, consider posting something like this (hint: it can also be added to your giving day campaign page!). Again, be sure it sends viewers to your match page or donation form, empowering supporters to learn more and get involved.

Then, throughout the day, real-time updates (such as progress toward your general fundraising and matching gift goals) can showcase engagement and inspire giving through social proof.

Soon after Giving Tuesday concludes, share something like this to acknowledge and appreciate donor giving and encourage them to take the next steps:

Remember: consistent messaging across these phases enhances engagement, prompts urgency, and extends your campaign’s influence. Not to mention, you also provide digital content that is easily shareable for donors who want to increase their impact even further by spreading the word about the opportunity to their own networks!

8. Don’t forget about volunteer grants.

Giving Tuesday isn’t just about giving financially, either. Many nonprofit supporters worldwide choose to engage with this global day of giving by donating their time and skills. Thus, make sure your team isn’t overlooking another type of workplace giving program: volunteer grants!

Unfortunately, like traditional matching gifts, many eligible employees remain completely unaware of the opportunity available to them. By informing the volunteers who support your nonprofit’s efforts about the chance to amplify their impact with volunteer grants, your team can further enhance engagement on⁠—and long after⁠—Giving Tuesday⁠.

Encourage existing volunteers to research their employers’ giving programs to determine eligibility. (Hint: If you have access to a matching gift database, see if it contains volunteer grant information, too. Double the Donation’s does!) Then, ask that your volunteers apply for these grants to support your organization.

9. Highlight matching gifts on your campaign landing page and giving form.

You likely expect a lot of web traffic heading to your Giving Tuesday campaign landing page. Don’t let this resource go to waste! Instead, incorporate information about corporate matching gift programs to ensure each visitor is exposed to the opportunity.

Not only will this increase the likelihood that qualifying donors ultimately complete their matches, but it can also inspire more supporters to give in the first place.

From there, donors will click to access your donation form and provide the information required to process the gift. In addition to the basics⁠—such as their name, intended donation amount, and payment details⁠—we also recommend collecting employment information.

When supporters provide the name of the company they work for, it will be easier to uncover eligible gifts and follow up with targeted instructions for completing the match.

Hint: If your team has purchased a matching gift database software, it’s a good idea to embed your search tool on both the Giving Tuesday landing page and your online giving form. This widget can collect company data in the donation process and provide program guidelines and links to submission forms from your confirmation page⁠—making it as easy as possible for your donors!

10. Craft an inspiring matching gift ask.

Your matching gift appeal is one of the most essential components of your Giving Tuesday matching gifts plan. Crafting an ask that incites your intended action⁠—donors completing corporate matching gifts on your behalf⁠—requires a strategic blend of urgency, emotion, and information. As you begin workshopping your match appeal, consider borrowing tips and tricks from your broader donation requests.

For example, the official Giving Tuesday toolkit provides a framework for establishing impactful fundraising asks. This includes a…

Belief statement ⁠— a declaration of the organization’s core values and convictions (ex: “We believe that no student should have to choose between food and learning.”)
You statement ⁠— an explanation of the donor’s role in the campaign and how their support can help (ex: “You can help us stock the pantry so that no student goes hungry.”)
Opportunity statement ⁠— a call to action inspiring donors to get involved (ex: “Are you with us?”)

Working off these three elements, here’s a sample matching gift appeal the same institution might use to promote corporate-matching opportunities on Giving Tuesday:

Belief statement ⁠— “Matching gifts have the potential to multiply our school’s fundraising impact, ultimately providing much-needed support for students in our community.”
You statement ⁠— “By completing a brief online submission form for your employer, you can double the value of your initial donation to our food pantry fundraiser, allowing more students to benefit from essential food and resources.”
Opportunity statement ⁠— “Will you click here to complete your matching gift request?”

As always, just remember to adjust this sample messaging to reflect your organization’s own mission, vision, and fundraising need.

11. Build out your fundraising and matching gift tech stack.

Powering your Giving Tuesday campaign with the right software is essential for optimal fundraising results.

The Giving Tuesday team recommends testing your technology by walking through the entire giving process from the donor’s perspective. This allows you to gauge the user experience, identify any roadblocks, and ensure seamless giving come Giving Tuesday. We suggest going a step further and also testing out your matching gift experience!

As you make your test donation, ask yourself the following questions:

Does the giving page request my employment information?
Does the confirmation page encourage me to pursue a corporate matching gift, if applicable?
If I provided my employment information, does the confirmation page populate with company-specific program details?
If I provided my employment information, am I provided with a link to my company’s online match request form?
Do I receive a follow-up email that contains detailed information on the matching gift process and urges me to complete my match?

If you notice areas with room for improvement in your strategy⁠—or identify significant gaps in your tech stack⁠—begin tackling any issues that arise immediately. You want to be sure you provide your supporters with the best experience possible, and an integrated fundraising platform and matching gift tool can do a lot!

12. Send post-transaction matching gift outreach.

After donors contribute to your Giving Tuesday campaign, be sure they’re informed (or reminded) about matching gift opportunities to keep them engaged. Sending post-transaction match-related outreach is a great way to utilize your already high levels of donor engagement.

It’s important to provide clear instructions on how supporters can initiate the matching process with their employers. And for the best results, timing matters! Double the Donation studies indicate that matching gift emails sent within 24 hours of a donation being made see a 53% open rate. That’s 2-3x the average nonprofit email open rate.

Plus, with a matching gift software, you can automate tailored messaging so that your fundraising team doesn’t have to lift a finger.

Free resource: Check out our sample matching gift letters to get a head start on your organization’s matching gift communications. Customize our free templates to best engage your audience!

13. Enlist supporters to advocate for matching gifts on your behalf.

Another key component of Giving Tuesday participation is advocacy. Thus, using this chance to empower your nonprofit supporters to advocate for matching gifts on behalf of your organization and its mission should be a no-brainer.

For example, not all of your donors will work for employers that have existing matching gift programs. But if an employee were to ask the company to reconsider its workplace giving offerings by matching gifts, it could make a big difference. Thus, enlisting supporters as advocates for matching gifts on (or leading up to) Giving Tuesday can help your team amplify its long-term impact and engagement⁠—even if it doesn’t result immediately in a match.

Consider sharing a customizable email template, like this one, with your supporters:

Subject line: Request for a corporate matching gift program at [company name]

Hi [company leader],

I am writing to request the addition of a corporate matching gift program at [company name].

Thousands of companies offer employee matching gift programs as a way to support their staff and give back to their communities.

These programs also tend to benefit companies in terms of employee engagement and retention, opportunities to attract competitive candidates, improved brand image, increased sales, and more.

Thank you for your consideration,

[Your name]
[Job position]

Not to mention, donors can also advocate for matching gifts to their friends, families, colleagues, and more. We previously mentioned that tons of match-eligible individuals remain unaware of the opportunity, and your supporters can help bridge the knowledge gap by spreading the word!

14. Thank donors for all their involvement in your Giving Tuesday efforts.

At the conclusion of Giving Tuesday, it’s time to shift your efforts from an ongoing campaign to post-fundraising stewardship and retention. And for matching gift donors, doing so is more important than ever!

Thanking supporters for their involvement in your campaign is vital for building and strengthening lasting relationships. In the days following Giving Tuesday, automate personalized thank-you emails, make phone calls, or send handwritten letters that express gratitude for donors’ support.

Then, as matching gifts are completed, don’t forget to send match-related acknowledgments, as well! We recommend thanking donors at two key points: once they confirm that they’ve submitted their match request and after your organization receives their employer’s match.

Plus, if you had supporters get involved through volunteerism, advocacy, or other employee giving programs, be sure to thank them for their engagement, too.

Next Steps

With Giving Tuesday quickly approaching, there’s no better time to revamp your organization’s matching gift efforts. You certainly don’t want to overlook this key source of revenue or the individual and corporate engagement opportunities it brings. To optimize your strategy, it’s important to take a proactive approach to matching gifts.

But remember: equipping your fundraising team with the right tools to do so is a must. Automation allows you to make the most of matching gifts without investing much of your (perhaps already stretched-thin) time and resources.

And it’s not just helpful on the big day, either. A matching gift platform can enhance matching gifts throughout the rest of your giving season, into the new year, and beyond.

Start prepping for Giving Tuesday! Get your matching gifts strategy ready by exploring these additional guides:

End-of-Year Fundraising and Matching Gifts: It’s Not Too Late! Get ahead this holiday season by effectively integrating matching gifts into your year-end fundraising strategy. Don’t miss out on the chance to double your impact and engage donors during this crucial giving time.
Smart Resources for Essential Matching Gift Education] Learn the ins and outs of matching gift programs with our recommended learning resources. Begin training your team prior to Giving Tuesday with these blog posts, downloadable resources, webinars, and more.
Marketing Matching Gifts | A Guide for Avid Fundraisers. Elevate your fundraising game with these expert tips and recommended channels for marketing matching gifts to your audience. Discover innovative strategies to engage donors and ultimately boost your nonprofit’s impact.

Double the Donation and REACH Partner with New Matching Gifts Integration

September 5, 2023/in About Double the Donation /by Adam Weinger

REACH and Double the Donation have teamed up to boost nonprofit fundraising efforts with a seamless matching gifts integration, powered by 360MatchPro. The partnership and integration bring matching gifts directly to nonprofits REACH donation forms.

“REACH provides nonprofits with a software that truly serves them. The 360MatchPro integration automates the corporate matching gift process, using Double the Donation’s extensive matching gift database,” said David McWilliams, CEO at REACH. “This gives our nonprofits’ donors the tools needed to easily double their contribution and in turn, extend the nonprofits’ reach and global impact. It’s an integration that just makes sense.”

Now, when nonprofits connect their 360MatchPro account to their REACH donation forms, donors can discover their match eligibility in real time and take their next steps directly after making their initial gift.

“Despite the great strides we’ve taken toward matching gift awareness, there are still huge populations of donors who are unaware of their employers’ programs,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “By partnering with REACH, Double the Donation can assist nonprofits to connect with even more members of their supporter community about matching gifts.”

Want to see more details about the REACH and 360MatchPro integration? Keep reading!

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

Integrating 360MatchPro with REACH forms takes only a few steps. A mutual client of REACH and Double the Donation will simply enter their 360MatchPro API keys into their REACH portal to connect their accounts. Once this is complete, it’s just a matter of choosing which forms on which to add 360MatchPro’s donor-facing tools.

Once integrated on a REACH form, 360MatchPro immediately goes to work helping donors discover their company’s matching gifts program. From a simple search of Double the Donation’s database to clear next steps on REACH confirmation pages, donors are guided every step of the way to matching gift success.

The donation record, with associated company information, is then immediately sent to 360MatchPro, where the nonprofit has the power to automatically send follow up emails personalized to the organization’s branding and the donor’s status in the match process.

Drive Donations to Completion with 360MatchPro!

The new REACH and Double the Donation partnership empowers fundraisers to deepen their relationships with donors, and empowers donors to deepen their impact on the causes they care about.

Some other key features of matching gifts automation you can look out for:

Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: 360MatchPro enables you to automatically collect matching gift eligibility from donors using email domains, within donation forms, on confirmation screens, or by email. The more matching gift opportunities 360MatchPro discovers and shares with donors, the more matching gift requests your donors will successfully submit.
Drive more matches to completion, from form submission to corporate payment: Direct donors immediately to their matching gift forms after the donation process is complete. Then, provide the right information to the right donors at the right time with custom emails based on match eligibility. Target follow-ups drive more completed submissions than ever before, bringing exponentially more matching gift checks from companies through your door.
Reallocate your time from routine follow-up to your top opportunities: Your time is valuable, so why spend it chasing small dollar-value matching gifts? Let 360MatchPro automate your matching gift outreach while flagging your highest-value opportunities, allowing your team to personalize follow-ups to the most valuable match-eligible donations. Rest easy knowing that 360MatchPro can handle the rest.

Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using REACH? Request a demo today.

About REACH: REACH helps your nonprofit work smarter and operate more efficiently. We provide nonprofits with robust software to help you manage your donors, fundraise and run your sponsorship programs.

Matching gift reporting - actionable metrics and insights

Matching Gift Reporting | Actionable Metrics & Reports

August 10, 2023/in Learning Center, About Double the Donation, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

The impact of matching gift programs on nonprofit organizations is undeniable. Recent matching gift reports indicate that 84% of donors are more likely to donate if a match is offered, while 1 in 3 would give a larger gift if matching is applied.

But if you want to take a look at the specific ways corporate matching benefits your institution⁠—and have the data you need to justify investing in workplace giving further⁠—a smart matching gift reporting strategy is essential.

At its core, matching gift reporting involves the systematic tracking and analysis of metrics related to your organization’s matching gift fundraising efforts.

This data can encompass various aspects, from the number of match-eligible donors identified to the total revenue collected through the programs and beyond.

And in this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to begin making the most of your matching gift metrics. This includes:

The Critical Value of Matching Gift Reporting
Tracking Matching Gifts Through the Conversion Funnel
8 Matching Gift Metrics Every Nonprofit Should Monitor
Key Insights Gleaned From Matching Gift Analytics
Driving Results With Matching Gift Reporting Tools

Ready to get reporting? Let’s dive in with the basics of why matching gift metrics matter in the first place.

The Critical Value of Matching Gift Reporting

According to research from Nonprofits Source, 73% of firms aspire to be data-driven⁠ in their fundraising efforts—but only 29% of firms actually succeed at turning data into action. When it comes to your nonprofit’s matching gifts initiatives, you want to ensure your team falls into the latter category.

After all, a data-driven fundraising strategy informed by your organization’s matching gift metrics can go a long way in empowering your team to better…

Analyze donor behaviors and identify emerging trends
Predict future matching gift fundraising outcomes
Target initiatives according to segmented groups
Optimize communication channels for engagement
Measure the impact of your matching gift campaigns
Track matching gift success year over year
Establish realistic fundraising goals
And more!

So if your organization is accepting matching gifts without collecting and analyzing the data each transaction produces, you’re likely missing out on a ton of valuable insights.

Tracking Matching Gifts Through the Conversion Funnel

Of all the donations an organization receives, only a small portion (approximately 1.31% at an average nonprofit) are typically matched by the donors’ employers. But around ten times that amount generally qualifies for corporate matching opportunities.

In order to uncover where the discrepancy comes in, you’ll want to have a system in place for tracking matches as they progress through the matching gift process.

At any point in time, you should be able to determine how many gifts are at each stage in the conversion funnel⁠—and those totals are some of your simplest matching gift metrics, to begin with!

Total Individual Donations

First off, knowing how many total donations your nonprofit receives on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis will help your organization going forward. When you have an indication of your regular donation flow, you’ll be better prepared to measure your matching gift success proportionally.

Total Donations Flagged as Match Eligible

Out of the donations that you’ve already received, you might know which companies your donors work for based on the employment information you collect during the giving process.

Use this data to determine which of your donors are eligible to have their donations matched⁠—either by conducting manual research or by scanning your information against a matching gift database like Double the Donation.

While it is unlikely that all of your matching-gift-eligible donors are doubling their donations, your nonprofit can benefit by knowing what percentage of your total donations have the potential to be matched by their employers. And you’ll know that these are the donors you’ll want to focus your matching gift efforts on!

Total Matching Gifts Submitted

While you might want to jump into measuring the matching gifts your nonprofit receives, it’s worthwhile to first determine how many requests your donors are actually submitting.

Unfortunately, you might find that you aren’t getting all of the matched donations that your donors are requesting.

This gap may boil down to:

Matching gift deadlines not being met.
Donors having previously reached their annual maximums.
Your organization falling into an ineligible recipient category.
Any other corporate stipulations.

While your nonprofit can’t do much to shift the specific matching gift criteria that companies set up, it can help you adjust your marketing strategy going forward. For example, if you see that many of your donors’ match submission windows were closed by the time your team began pushing to encourage requests, you can make a note to start driving match submissions immediately after an initial gift is made going forward.

Total Matching Gifts Verified

Before disbursing the money from a matching gift donation, many companies that offer these programs require that an organization verifies that it received the employee’s initial gift in the first place. This typically involves logging into a CSR platform and confirming the transaction.

If you are only verifying a portion of the matching gift donations that your donors indicated having submitted, then you could be missing out big time. Keeping track of this metric can be useful for filling in those gaps and uncovering “hidden” matches.

However, it’s important to note that, with the continuous development of the matching gift process through auto-submission and other innovative functionality, many donations are able to skip ahead of this step with no further action needed.

Total Matching Gifts Received

Finally⁠, this vital metric tracks the matching gifts you actually receive.

Once the corresponding corporate donation makes its way to your organization’s bank account, you can mark it off as “Match Completed!”

Top tip: Upon calculating the total number of donations that fall into each of the specified categories, you’ll want to hold onto this number. It will be used to calculate other metrics below!

8 Matching Gift Metrics Every Nonprofit Should Monitor

Beyond the status of individual matching gifts, your matching gift coordinator or development team should take a look at these recommended metrics as well.

Remember⁠: the metrics you establish as your highest priority will then become your KPIs⁠ (or Key Performance Indicators⁠) for defining matching gift success. We recommend trying to track the most actionable information—and then have a plan for how you’ll use the information you collect to increase your matching gift revenue!

Total Number (and Value) of Matching Gifts

The first matching gift metric represents the combined count (and, subsequently, monetary value) of all matching gifts received within a specific period.

If you’ve been tracking your matches through the conversion funnel demonstrated above, this number will be comprised of all the gifts that made it to the bottom tier. From there, calculate the monetary value by adding the sum values of each matched donation.

Ex: Match 1 Value ($50) + Match 2 Value ($40) + Match 3 Value ($200) + Match 4 Value ($500) + Match 5 Value ($1,000)…

# of Matching Gifts = 5
$ Value of Matching Gifts = $1,790

These figures provide an overview of the scale of your organization’s matching gift participation and the potential impact on your fundraising efforts.

Matching Gift Eligibility Rate

While it’s good to know how many matching gift donations your nonprofit receives, it’s equally important to put that number into perspective. To do so, your eligibility rate gauges the percentage of donors in your database who are marked as eligible for corporate matching gift programs through their employers.

Calculate this figure by dividing your match-eligible donor count by the total number of individual donors, then multiply by 100 to receive your percentage.

Ex: (Match 1 + Match 2 + Match 3) ÷ (Match 1 + Match 2 + Match 3 + Ineligible Gift 1 + Ineligible Gift 2 + Ineligible Gift 3 + Ineligible Gift 4 + Ineligible Gift 5) = 37.5%

Matching Gift Completion Rate

Next, this metric reveals the percentage of eligible donors who successfully complete the matching gift process⁠—ultimately resulting in your organization receiving a corporate match.

To calculate, simply divide the number of completed matches by the total number of eligible donors, then multiply by 100.

Ex: (Match 1 + Match 2 + Match 3) ÷ (Eligible Gift 1 + Eligible Gift 2 + Eligible Gift 3 + Eligible Gift 4 + Eligible Gift 5) = 60%

The donors included in the not completed side of things represent your untapped potential and can help inform your strategies to encourage more donors to leverage matching gifts.

Unfortunately, it can be tricky to track this figure accurately because matches are often fulfilled according to different disbursement schedules throughout the year. But that’s why top automation software allows you to more easily follow matches through the process and determine when donors initiated and verified their matches.

Average Matching Gift Amount

This figure can help quantify the mean value of the matching gift donations you receive. And to calculate, you’ll be going back to your Total Number of Matching Gifts and Total Value of Matching Gifts from Step #1⁠—and dividing the latter by the former.

Ex: $50 + $40 + $200 + $500 + $1,000 (Value of completed matches) ÷ 5 (Number of completed matches) = $358

Understanding the average dollar amount of a matching gift for your organization can help quantify the value of your matching gift fundraising efforts. Plus, it can provide insight into the level of donors typically engaging with your matching gift program.

For example, if you brought in 50 matching gifts, but each one was only worth around $10, that’s still an extra $500 for your organization. But you may need to start targeting your larger givers and encourage them to look into matching gift programs as well!

The higher your matching gift average amount comes out to be, the more major donors have likely participated in their employers’ match initiatives for your cause.

Revenue Increase Due to Matching Gifts

For this metric, your organization will determine the increase in total fundraising revenue that came about through matching gifts.

To calculate, begin by subtracting the value of your completed matching gift donations from your total fundraising revenue (including matching gifts).

Then, divide your total matching gift revenue by the total revenue without matching gifts to determine the percentage increase that your fundraising grew.

Ex: Total fundraising revenue ($15,000) – Matching gift revenue ($2,000) = Revenue without matching gifts ($13,000)

Matching gift revenue ($2,000) ÷ Revenue without matching gifts ($13,000) x 100 = 15.4%

This figure quantifies the additional funds raised due to matching gift programs, emphasizing the impact on your overall revenue⁠—and, thus, your mission.

Matching Gift Retention Rate

Your organization’s matching gift retention rate is defined as the percentage of donors who complete a matching gift on your behalf in one year and then repeat the action in the next year.

To calculate this figure, you’ll need to determine the number of matching gift donors who had their gifts matched in the most recent time period that also had their gifts matched in the period before. So you’ll need to have been focused on matching gift reporting for at least two years (or other pre-determined time periods) in order to establish this number.

To do so, divide the number of donors who made repeat matching gift contributions by the total number of matching gift donors from a previous period. Then, multiply by 100.

Ex: Repeat matching gifts from this year (Match 1 + Match 3 + Match 4) ÷ Matching gifts from last year (Match 1 + Match 2 + Match 3 + Match 4 + Match 5) = 60%

Like any retention-focused metric, your matching gift retention rate assesses the effectiveness of your strategies in retaining donors who participate in matching gift programs year after year. Remember: it’s always the hardest the first time around!

Growth in Matching Gifts Over Time

Another helpful figure that you can explore after you’ve been tracking other matching gift metrics for some time is your rate of growth.

You can calculate growth in matching gifts over time by subtracting the previous period’s total matching gift value from the current period’s value. Divide the result by the previous period’s value, then multiply by 100.

Ex: Current period’s matching gift total ($3,500) – Previous period’s matching gift total ($2,000) = YOY increase ($1,500)

YOY increase ($2,000) ÷ Previous period’s matching gift total ($2,000) x 100 = 75% YOY growth

Recording this particular metric over time helps your nonprofit see the increases in matching gifts as they relate to your overall fundraising. As you get more established in your marketing and promotional efforts, your audience will become more familiar with the opportunity, and you can expect to see your matching gift results continue to trend upwards.

Matching Gift Fundraising ROI

Matching gifts are an excellent source of fundraising revenue for nonprofits. But, as they say, it costs money to make money. And though matching gifts are essentially free “bonus” donations contributed by donors’ employers to match their own charitable efforts, it does involve some investment of your organization’s time and resources to pursue. Thus, your matching gift fundraising ROI assesses the return on investment for your matching gift efforts.

To calculate, simply subtract the cost of managing and promoting the opportunity to your donors from the total revenue generated through matching gifts. Divide the result by the initial cost, then multiply by 100.

Ex: [Revenue generated from matching gifts ($10,000) – Initial cost of matching gift fundraising ($1,000)] ÷ Total cost ($1,000) x 100 = 900%

This figure helps evaluate the efficiency of your program in generating additional funds and can also help make the case for investing further into the revenue source⁠—such as with a dedicated software.

Key Insights Gleaned From Matching Gift Analytics

Analytics takes your data a few steps further than basic metrics and can, in turn, provide your fundraising team with some particularly useful (and actionable!) findings. Specifically, matching gift analytics is the aspect of reporting that help uncover underlying trends, patterns, and recommendations.

To fully unleash your organization’s matching gift potential, analyzing the data produced through your efforts to glean key insights is essential.

We suggest exploring the following recommended benchmarks.

Optimal Match Communication Timing

The timing of your matching gift appeals is key. In fact, it’s often the difference between a donor taking the next steps to submit a matching gift and your email going unnoticed in their cluttered inbox.

By taking note of the times when your audience seems most receptive to matching gift communications, you can use the data collected through your reporting strategy to adjust your timing accordingly.

For example, studies based on Double the Donation data report that matching gift emails sent anytime within the first 24 hours of a donation being made results in a 53% open rate⁠—or 2.6 times higher than the average nonprofit email open rate. But if you notice that your audience tends to respond particularly well to match reminders sent immediately post-donation, feel free to trigger automated follow-ups within minutes.

Not to mention, tracking matching gift responses over months and years can help identify longer-term timing strategies as well.

For instance, if you notice that you receive more matching gifts after your year-end appeals have been made, take a look at the matching gift marketing strategies you used leading up to December 31st. If you aren’t already, implement those tactics for your fundraising all year round for greater matching gift success.

Matching Gift Conversions by Marketing Channel

Like timing, the communication channels you use to promote matching gifts to your donors can make a huge difference. And focusing your resources where conversions are highest can enhance your ability to effectively communicate the opportunity and drive action.

For example, if you notice that your email click rate is lower than average, you might want to take another look at the matching gift emails you’re sending. Is it coming from your nonprofit’s own domain and branded to match your existing communications style? That’s a must for establishing a sense of trust and familiarity with your supporters.

On the other hand, if you suspect that your matching gift emails are just getting lost in donors’ inboxes, you might want to explore other messaging channels⁠—like SMS.

High-Value Match Opportunities in Your Database

An automated approach to matching gifts can save your fundraising team loads of time and effort. But when it comes to some of your highest-value opportunities, you might want to make a more personalized effort to engage about matching gifts. So you should have an easy way to identify these types of gems from within your donor base!

First, determine what defines a “high-value” matching gift opportunity. Perhaps it’s a major donor who works for a company with a particularly high annual matching cap. Though it may be a mid-level donor whose employer offers an extremely generous triple⁠—or even quadruple⁠—match.

By identifying donors whose matching gifts can bring you significant amounts of revenue, you can prioritize engagement accordingly. You may decide to pick up the phone, send a handwritten letter, or even meet face-to-face with some of these high-value matching prospects.

Leading Business Affiliations within Your Network

Similar to the standout individuals in your support network, you may have a few companies that match their employees’ gifts to your organization. Thus, your leading business affiliations are the companies that employ particularly large segments of your donor base.

This insight can help inform broader partnership-building strategies with businesses that align with your mission, even beyond your typical matching gifts. And remember: your donors, who may work for some of the most philanthropically-minded companies, can be some of your greatest advocates!

Driving Results With Matching Gift Reporting Tools

Now that you know what information to track and the types of insights you can pull, what can you actually do to get started?

If you don’t want to perform all the calculations by hand (and trust us: you don’t), equipping your team with the best tools for effective matching gift reporting is a must. And that means Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro⁠—the industry-leading matching gift automation platform.

Matching Gift Reporting With 360MatchPro

360MatchPro streamlines the entire matching gift process by automatically identifying and triggering personalized outreach to eligible donors and tracking their matches from start to finish.

Along the way, it also utilizes your data to analyze trends, provide targeted recommendations, and produce user-friendly reports that present your findings in an easy-to-understand way.

Pre-built reports within the platform include:

Top companies leaderboard with recommended actions for pursuing broader corporate giving goals
Match-eligible donations leaderboard that displays the match-eligible donations with the highest matching gift potential
“Ripe for the picking” eligible but not submitted view that filters for donors marked as match-eligible with an online form available but have not yet submitted their match request
Repeat matching gift filter that pulls a list of donors who previously had their gifts matched but currently have an un-submitted match in the system
Campaign Comparisons report that easily compares highest-earning time-boxed fundraising campaigns in terms of matching gift eligibility
Missed Matches reports that highlight recent transactions that may be match-eligible, despite being marked otherwise or skipped over in email outreach
Key statistics, such as total emails delivered, open and click rate, match revenue identified per month, total match revenue identified, matching gift engagement level, total donor events, and more
Breakdown of current match statuses, including Waiting for Donor, Match Initiated, Pending Payment, Match Complete, Unknown Employer, and Ineligible

Additionally, 360MatchPro users can customize different views in their “Donations” tab, choosing to configure lists of recent donations according to match eligibility, request status, and more.

Next Steps

Data produced within the matching gift process is one of your most valuable assets⁠—but you need to have a system in place for tracking, storing, and analyzing the information you collect.

Get with your team to determine which matching gift metrics best represent your organization and its fundraising goals. While each of the above-mentioned analytics can provide invaluable insights as they guide and inform your matching gift marketing initiatives, consider centering your reporting strategy on one or two points to get started.

From there, establish a plan to track appropriate data, conduct an analysis of the information you’ve gathered, and continue to adjust your overarching plan as needed.

Keep learning! Grow your knowledge of all things matching gifts with these additional recommended resources:

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy. Dive into Course 1, Module 9 to learn more about which matching gift metrics to track and how to use them to inform your ongoing plans!
Corporate Matching Gift Programs: The Definitive Guide for Growing Your Revenue. Want to learn more about the basics of matching gifts? Read our ultimate guide to corporate matching gift programs and get the full scoop!
Top 24 Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Philanthropy. Wondering who the leading players in corporate philanthropy and matching gifts are? Check out our list of these matching gift companies that go the extra mile to stand out.
Marketing Matching Gifts | A Guide for Avid Fundraisers. Your donors aren’t as likely to submit matching gift requests unless you ask them to! Read more about how you can market matching gifts to donors in this guide.

Prioritizing Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

July 10, 2023/in Learning Center, About Double the Donation, Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Matching gifts can be a powerful tool for nonprofits. Corporate donation matching allows teams to amplify the value of individual donations and maximize their impact on the cause. However, the matching gifts process can often be a complex and overwhelming one for donors⁠—ultimately leading to billions of dollars in available match funding going unclaimed. In light of this challenge, it’s crucial to prioritize accessibility in matching gift fundraising to simplify participation where you can.

We’ve written before on powerful ways to overcome common matching gift challenges and make the most of the opportunity for your mission. What you don’t want to do is cause supporters to face needless barriers due to an inaccessible matching gift experience. Thus, highly accessible software is a must-have in all situations.

So here, we’ll explore the impact of accessibility for matching gifts and discuss practical strategies to unlock your full potential. This includes:

The Importance of an Accessible Matching Gifts Strategy
Components of Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising
Understanding Key Accessibility Standards
Double the Donation’s High-Level Accessibility Framework

Accessibility is not just an ethical obligation in fundraising. It’s also a strategic decision that can significantly impact matching gift results by maximizing the inclusivity of your efforts.

And the more you know, the better you can position your team for success.

The Importance of an Accessible Matching Gifts Strategy

The importance of accessibility in matching gift fundraising cannot be overstated.

Adhering to accessibility standards aids organizations in creating inclusive digital experiences that cater to individuals with disabilities, improving their overall access to information and services. Regarding matching gifts, prioritizing accessibility means that all of your donors will be able to receive and interpret the information needed to get involved.

Not only will this result in more completed matching gifts coming your way, but it also ensures that participating donors have a more optimal experience doing so. This allows you to continue fostering positive relationships with supporters, who will appreciate your team’s commitment to inclusivity.

Plus, if you receive funding from government sources or other grantmakers with accessibility regulations, you can ensure your organization is up to par⁠—and won’t miss out on any opportunities available to you.

Components of Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

A matching gift fundraising strategy typically involves a multifaceted approach to promoting the workplace giving opportunity. As a result, an effective accessibility plan should expect to account for multiple aspects of your overall engagement strategy.

This should include the following items, as well as any other matching-gift-related donor touchpoints and supporter-facing materials.

Written Matching Gift Information

Much of your audience is likely coming from a place with no prior knowledge regarding corporate gift matching. Thus, you’ll likely produce written content to explain the significance and process of matching gifts, encouraging donors to get involved.

From dedicated matching gift letters to quick blurbs in online content, it’s essential that you keep accessibility in mind. To ensure inclusivity in written matters, we recommend implementing the following practices:

Prioritize clear and concise language. Avoid complex or jargon-filled messages to increase readability and comprehension among your audience. It’s generally suggested that online content targets a 6th to 8th-grade reading level!

Follow a logical heading hierarchy. Organizing content using proper heading structure (i.e., H1, H2, H3, etc.) helps facilitate navigation and understanding for users employing assistive technologies.

Utilize appropriate formatting. Formatting techniques like short paragraphs, bulleted and numbered lists, and sufficient line spacing makes it easier to consume written materials. Plus, it increases “skimmability,” which is often the key to online content.

Enlist descriptive links for CTAs. When encouraging readers to take a specific action in digital communications, use descriptive link text when possible. This provides meaningful context as to the purpose of the intended action. For example, instead of a generic “Click here,” you might say, “Click here to search our employer matching tool.”

Multimedia Matching Gift Marketing Materials

An effective matching gift marketing plan typically encompasses a number of multimedia elements to attract and retain your audience’s attention. When incorporating images and videos to complement your written materials, accessibility should be a key consideration.

For matching gift videos, include closed captions to accommodate viewers with hearing impairments. This ensures inclusivity and allows everyone to engage with your content. Additionally, when using images, provide descriptive alternative text (ALT text) that accurately describes the visual content. This will assist users who rely on screen readers to understand the context and meaning of digital images.

Online Donation Platforms

In addition to the content you create yourself, it’s vital that any third-party resources are accessible as well. For example, your online donation pages may be created by a fundraising technology provider and embedded into your organization’s website. Still, it’s your organization’s responsibility to ensure that the forms meet your predetermined standards. This will likely include screen reader compatibility, form field accessibility, clear navigation, responsive design, and more.

Otherwise, you may end up with frustrated potential donors abandoning the giving process⁠. And without that initial donation, your nonprofit won’t qualify for the subsequent matching gift.

Looking for an online giving platform that will offer an optimal supporter experience? Double the Donation integrates with some of the industry’s top donation tools. Check out our 75+ partners here!

Dedicated Matching Gift Technology

Similarly, you’ll want to ensure that your matching gift software is committed to meeting accessibility standards as well. Typically a separate tool that integrates directly into your online donation platform, matching gift technology should also focus on offering an inclusive matching gift experience for your donors.

This should encompass every aspect of your matching gift promotions, from an embedded company search tool in your giving forms and confirmation page plugin to personalized email follow-ups. Key elements to remember include screen reader and other assistive technology compatibility, responsive design, form field accessibility and color contrast, and more.

And to ensure your technology provider continues to adhere to ongoing accessibility standards, it’s a good idea to look for a solution that conducts regular accessibility testing and complies with relevant standards.

At Double the Donation, we continually prioritize accessibility and strive to provide all users with a seamless matching gift experience. (Hint: Click here to skip to an in-depth look at Double the Donation’s accessibility criteria.)

Understanding Key Accessibility Standards

There are several accessibility frameworks and guidelines that help ensure tech-based products and services are accessible to individuals with varying abilities. Understanding the scope, priorities, and value of each criterion can go a long way as you develop your own organization’s approach to accessibility in matching gift fundraising.

Here are some of the main standards you might see when discussing digital accessibility:

Section 508

Section 508, established in 1973 and revised in 1998, is a U.S. federal law that mandates accessibility standards for electronic and information technology used by federal agencies. It outlines specific requirements for software applications, websites, and other digital content to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Compliance with Section 508 is crucial for federal agencies, organizations providing goods or services to government agencies, and organizations receiving federal funding.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, is a widely recognized set of guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It provides detailed technical specifications and success criteria to make web content more accessible. WCAG has different levels of conformance, including A (minimum), AA (intermediate), and AAA (highest), which provide varying degrees of accessibility.

Accessible Rich Internet Applications

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) is a set of technical specifications that enhance the accessibility of web content and applications. It provides additional attributes and properties that developers can use to make dynamic web content and interactive components more accessible to assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

European Accessibility Act

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is legislation the European Union adopted in 2019 to harmonize accessibility requirements for various products and services as a way to build on the EU’s Web Accessibility Directive. The EAA aims to ensure equal access to digital technology across member states and improve the accessibility of information society services throughout the European Union.

Canadian Accessibility Standards

In Canada, there are different accessibility standards depending on the province or territory. For example, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets accessibility standards for Ontario, including requirements for accessible websites and software. Meanwhile, the British Columbia Accessibility Act dictates standards for British Columbia, and the Act to Secure Handicapped Persons in the Exercise of Their Rights with a View to Achieving Social, School, and Workplace Integration establishes standards for Quebec.

These differing standards provide specific recommendations (and, in some cases, requirements) to ensure that developers design digital content with accessibility in mind. It’s important to remember that no one framework is above any other. Instead, it’s important to determine which set of criteria most closely aligns with your organization’s needs, audiences, and objectives.

Establishing a framework for your nonprofit⁠—and utilizing software and other technology that does the same⁠—ultimately certifies that your matching gift and other fundraising strategies comply with the applicable standards above. In the end, the goal is to produce an optimized and accessible matching gift experience for your supporters.

Double the Donation’s High-Level Accessibility Framework

At Double the Donation, we understand the importance of providing highly accessible tools for our clients and their end users. Of the various accessibility standards highlighted above, the most applicable criteria regarding accessibility in matching gift fundraising is that of Section 508⁠—the U.S. Federal accessibility standard. Thus, this is the framework that our team has committed to ongoing compliance with. Plus, our tools meet the criteria for ADA and WAI-ACT compliance as well.

In 2018, Double the Donation became the first matching gift provider to receive a VPAT (or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) to reflect and communicate this compliance. As of June 2023, we have renewed our VPAT to meet updated standards, reflecting the continuous development of both our tools and the accessibility guidelines to which we adhere.

In other words, Double the Donation’s matching gift technology surpasses the U.S. federal government’s revised standards for accessibility, as outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

And to this date, we remain the only matching gift software provider with a VPAT⁠. This demonstrates not only our ongoing commitment to accessibility but our user-centric product design and general stature as the leader in matching gift technology.

Want to know what that entails? The following elements are flagged as compliant by Double the Donation’s tools, according to WCAG 2.1.

Non-Text Content

Images on the website contain relevant alternative text.

Info and Relationships

The website has consistent headers and global table structures to establish clear information and relationships within the website. Screen readers properly identify most of the information available on the website. Visually impaired users are easily able to perceive the relationships between a particular element and its role.

Meaningful Sequence

The sequence of the content present on the website is meaningful and appropriate and does not affect the meaning of the provided content.

Sensory Characteristics

No information is present on the website which is based on sensory characteristics such as shape, size, location, sound, etc.

Use of ⁠Color

Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

Keyboard

The website supports standard keyboard navigation and input functions (including swiping to move between input fields and pressing [Double tap] to make selections). Keyboard focus moves sequentially throughout the website without the focus getting trapped in any section, and it is convenient to access the functionality.

Pause, Stop, Hide

A mechanism is provided to stop, pause, or hide the moving/ scrolling content.

Page Titles

Descriptive and correct page titles are present for pages throughout the website.

Focus Order

The focus moves in a correct sequence order on the website from left to right and top to bottom.

Link Purpose

All links are provided with appropriate link text, and the user would be able to understand the purpose of the link from its link text.

Pointer Gestures

All functionalities present in the website can be operated with a single pointer without a path-based gesture unless a multipoint or path-based gesture is essential.

Pointer Cancellation

No down-event of the pointer is used in the website to execute any part of the action.

Label in Name

All labels on the website include text, and the same text is defined in the code as well to assist speech recognition technologies.

Language of Page

The language attribute is correctly defined for the web pages.

On Focus

No interactive element is triggered automatically on receiving the focus.

On Input

Change of context does not happen when the user changes the setting of any input controls.

Labels or Instructions

The website provides support for motor-impaired and cognitive users as the labels and instructions are provided for the form fields, which are clearly visible and readable to such users.

Parsing

The markup of the website has complete start and end tags, attributes, and unique IDs.

Name, Role, Value

All the website elements have a proper label associated with their role, and the screen reader recognizes them correctly with updated values as well.

Orientation

The website does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation.

Contrast

The website adheres to minimum contrast standards.

Resize Text

The website is fully responsive. At a zoom of 200%, the site responds to that resolution by adjusting the UI as it would if the user were on a smartphone.

Images of Text

No information is conveyed to the user via an image of the text.

Reflow

The website does not require scrolling in two dimensions to present content without loss of information in 400% zoom.

Non-Text Contrast

The website user interface components have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent color(s).

Text Spacing

The website is compliant with WCAG text spacing requirements.

Content on Hover or Focus

The content that is triggered by hover or focus is dismissible, hoverable, and persistent.

Headings and Labels

Headings and Labels on the website provide sufficient detail of the content they are describing.

Focus Visible

All the elements present in the website have focus visibility.

Consistent Identification

Components that provide the same functionality throughout the website can be easily identified by the user.

Status Messages

The updated content automatically notifies the visually impaired users via a screen reader.

In other words, Double the Donation takes accessibility seriously⁠—and we continue to pursue a positive user experience for donors and nonprofit teams of varying abilities.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

By making a tangible effort to highlight and prioritize accessibility in your organization’s matching gift strategy, you can foster a sense of inclusivity within your fundraising. After all, you surely want all your donors to be able to support your cause in this way.

So take the steps to test your existing matching gift strategy. Is your website up to standard? Does your matching gift platform adhere to a fully accessible framework? (Hint: if you already use Double the Donation’s tools, the answer is yes. If you’re not already a client, click here to get a personalized demo!)

When everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations, can contribute to your nonprofit’s matching gift success, you’ll be set to make the most of the workplace giving opportunities in your network.

Best of luck!

Interested in uncovering more ways to improve your matching gift fundraising strategy? Check out these recommended resources to keep learning:

Top 24 Matching Gift Companies: Leaders in Philanthropy. Explore some of the most well-known and standout matching gift companies. These generous employee match initiatives can help kickstart any organization’s fundraising efforts.
14 Types of Matching Gift Letters Every Nonprofit Should Send. Simplify your team’s matching gift outreach with these suggested matching gift letters. Plus, jump in with free, customizable templates for each type of message!
8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests. Accessibility in matching gift fundraising can go a long way. And these additional tips and strategies can help drive more matching gifts to completion than ever before.

Double the Donation launches Matching Gift Academy: New Training and Insights for Fundraisers

New Matching Gift Academy: Training + Insights for Fundraisers

July 6, 2023/in Learning Center, Learning Center, Marketing Strategies, About Double the Donation /by Adam Weinger

Double the Donation is excited to announce the launch of our Matching Gift Academy, a new learning platform that will help organizations gain a deeper understanding of matching gift best practices and identify opportunities to maximize their 360MatchPro account usage.

The launch of the Matching Gift Academy represents Double the Donation’s continued commitment to helping organizations of all sizes fully harness the power of corporate matching gift education. The content covered will span a variety of topics that include marketing matching gifts, verifying matching gift requests, fine-tuning your corporate partnership plans, and using your matching gift technology to its fullest potential.

No matter the volume of matching gifts your organization receives, the Academy contains valuable insights that, when incorporated into your strategy, will help you raise more⁠—without all of the guesswork.

Interested in learning more about the Matching Gift Academy and how you can use it to propel your matching gift efforts to the next level? You’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Who can benefit from enrolling in the Matching Gift Academy
What type of content the Matching Gift Academy offers
How the content is structured
How to enroll and get started as a learner

Let’s dive in and learn more about this exciting launch!

Who Can Benefit from Enrolling in the Academy?

As the matching gift landscape continues to expand, fundraising organizations must cultivate strong matching gift knowledge among team members. The content in our Matching Gift Academy offers succinct, valuable resources to aid in that knowledge cultivation.

Whether you are a matching gift coordinator, a director of development, a marketing professional tasked with incorporating matching gifts into campaigns, or a finance professional that handles incoming matching gift funds, our content will enhance your ability to articulate matching gift opportunities and incorporate them seamlessly into your ongoing operations.

Plus, we will offer unique insights that will help 360MatchPro users fully understand their account and take advantage of all of the features available within that account. Whether your organization is new to 360MatchPro, has a new team member accessing the account, or just wants to identify opportunities to better utilize your subscription, you will want to sign up and dive deep into our platform.

Tip! We recommend using the Matching Gift Academy as an onboarding tool for new team members. Get your new hires up to speed on matching gifts and how your organization prioritizes this fundraising source!

What Types of Content Does the Academy Offer?

Within Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy, you will receive access to two learning courses. Content will be released in phases.

Our first learning course “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights,” that already has some modules launched, will cover an expanse of matching gift fundraising best practices. As you progress through the content in this course, you will gain a robust understanding of the matching gift landscape.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

Marketing matching gifts;
Capturing matching gift metrics;
Encouraging donors to submit requests;
Cultivating strong relationships with matching gift donors and companies;
And more!

The curated content can be used to get your team up-to-speed on the industry and will enrich your ability to use matching gifts as a value-add in your fundraising efforts.

Our second learning course “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” will launch soon, and it will offer training that dives deep into 360MatchPro. The content provided will help you optimize your 360MatchPro account to unlock greater matching gift revenue growth. By following the best practices and familiarizing yourself with 360MatchPro’s standout features, you’ll feel equipped to finetune your strategy moving forward and derive the most value from your subscription.

How is the Content Structured?

Content within the Matching Gift Academy is primarily delivered through video lessons, taught by our instructor, a matching gift expert with plenty of insights to share. However, to supplement your learning, we have also compiled relevant blog articles, PDF resources, and slide decks that can be leveraged to enhance your knowledge. These resources will be accessible from within the course.

Each course will be divided into modules that are broken down even further into lessons. This content structure allows you to digest information and self-pace your learning according to your schedule.

While the course content is parsed out in this structure, you will not need to watch the content in any particular order. If there are certain modules or lessons that you think would benefit you more than others, or if you want certain teams to only watch certain modules, you have the ability to skip around as you please! This structure ultimately makes socializing matching gifts at your organization easier than ever before.

To develop the most robust understanding of matching gifts and transform your strategy though, we recommend progressing through all of the learning content as it is released in both our “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights” course and our “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” course. Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate that demonstrates your mastery of content and complete knowledge of matching gifts and matching gift technology!

How Can I Enroll and Get Started?

Through the month of July, we are waiving enrollment fees associated with the Matching Gift Academy. If you are a current 360MatchPro user, you will receive an email soon that contains your coupon code! Within your 360MatchPro account, you will soon also find more information on how to access the content for free. If you are not yet a 360MatchPro user, don’t worry – we are still offering you this content for free for a limited time. Email sales@doublethedonation.com to receive your coupon code.

We are excited to introduce this new content to teams and give you the opportunity to leverage this knowledge at your organization. You can take just three simple steps to get the most out of this offer.

Enroll in the Matching Gift Academy.
Progress through the content in both courses.
Earn a certification to highlight your knowledge.

Ordinarily, enrollment to the Matching Gift Academy will cost $199, so we recommend getting started today.

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy can be used to integrate matching gifts into your organization’s fundraising and set you up for ongoing, sustainable success from this revenue source. Whether you use the Matching Gift Academy during new team member onboarding or in your day to day work, you’ll find you can quickly gather insights that will help you better leverage match opportunities.

Donorbox and Double the Donation Elevate Partnership with New 360MatchPro Integration

June 27, 2023/in About Double the Donation /by Adam Weinger

Double the Donation and Donorbox proudly announce a new integration between Donorbox forms and 360MatchPro, Double the Donation’s most advanced matching gift automation platform. The integration upgrades nonprofits from an integration with Double the Donation’s legacy solution, which was sunsetted to make space for more advanced functionality.

“Matching gifts are a powerful way to boost the impact of our nonprofits, and we’ve seen that firsthand through our long-term collaboration with the Double the Donation team,” said Charles Zhang, CEO of Donorbox. “We’re excited about what this new integrated solution will do to significantly increase that value.”

Clients of Donorbox and Double the Donation can now enjoy the benefits of 360MatchPro’s leading matching gifts follow up process. The donor can share their company name at the time of giving, get their next steps directly on the confirmation page, and get smart automated follow ups, customized to the nonprofit’s branding and the donor’s individual eligibility.

“We’ve already seen a lot of success for our nonprofit clients using our prior integration over the years,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “We’re looking to take those matching gift wins to the next level and really boost revenue for orgs looking to raise more through this new integration.”

Read on to learn more about this updated integration!

Activate in Second and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

With the new and improved 360MatchPro integration between Donorbox and Double the Donation, all that’s required for Donorbox users is a 360MatchPro account. Then, clients can enter their 360MatchPro API keys into their Donorbox account to activate the integration. Easy as that! Now, 360MatchPro’s tools will appear on the client’s Donorbox donation forms.

Once the activation process is complete Donorbox donors can discover their match eligibility on the donation form and take their next steps directly from the confirmation page. After this, 360MatchPro can send customized emails directly to the donor to encourage them to complete the match process. Another perk of the upgraded integration? Matching gift auto-submisison capabilities can now be utilized by eligible donors.

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with 360MatchPro!

Donorbox and Double the Donation have been partners for years, and the most recent update to the partnership takes matching capabilities to the next level. See some newly available features below:

Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: 360MatchPro enables you to automatically collect matching gift eligibility from donors using email domains, within donation forms, on confirmation screens, or by email. The more matching gift opportunities 360MatchPro discovers and shares with donors, the more matching gift requests your donors will successfully submit.
Drive more matches to completion, from form submission to corporate payment: Direct donors immediately to their matching gift forms after the donation process is complete. Then, provide the right information to the right donors at the right time with custom emails based on match eligibility. Target follow-ups drive more completed submissions than ever before, bringing exponentially more matching gift checks from companies through your door.
Reallocate your time from routine follow-up to your top opportunities: Your time is valuable, so why spend it chasing small dollar-value matching gifts? Let 360MatchPro automate your matching gift outreach while flagging your highest-value opportunities, allowing your team to personalize follow-ups to the most valuable match-eligible donations. Rest easy knowing that 360MatchPro can handle the rest.

Ready to start raising more with matching gifts? Schedule a personalized demo today and let us know you use Donorbox when you book!

About Donorbox: It’s undoubtedly the ‘keep it simple’ approach applied to products, user interface, and app integrations that makes Donorbox so appealing to nonprofits. Available in 96+ countries, 11 languages, and over 45 currencies, the core multi-step donation form is simple, yet flexible and intuitive for nonprofits and donors to set up, customize, embed, and manage. Multiple secure payment methods place Donorbox in the same class as regular fundraising software, but easily scheduled, and managed, recurring donations are the hero of this product offering. When you add all that to the lowest conversion fee in the market, it is clear why over 50,000 nonprofit organizations trust Donorbox as their partner in making the world a better place.

Smart Resources for Essential Matching Gift Education

June 16, 2023/in Learning Center, About Double the Donation, Learning Center /by Adam Weinger

Matching gifts are a continuously underutilized funding source for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations. One of the biggest challenges leading to the underutilization is a significant and widespread knowledge gap. As a result, the solution to such a problem is strategic matching gift education with accessible resources for doing so.

And Double the Donation is here to help! Our primary objective is to provide organizations with the tools and understanding necessary to implement effective long-term matching gift strategies. To bridge the knowledge gap and empower nonprofit teams like yours, we’ve published (and continue to produce) a number of valuable resources on the topic.

These include:

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy
Expert Workplace Giving Webinars
Free Matching Gift eBooks & Downloadable Resources
Our Continuously Updated Matching Gifts Blog

Ready to explore our top recommended educational materials and see how they can guide your organization’s efforts? Let’s dive in.

(Hint: Use these resources to train your nonprofit staff and volunteers. An effective matching gift strategy often begins with your internal team!)

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy

Interested in exploring matching gifts in an online learning environment? Double the Donation now offers the industry’s first-ever Matching Gift Academy.

Currently, this academy contains four built-out modules, more than seventeen lessons, three hours of video content, and exclusive downloadable resources to provide learners with a comprehensive look at all things matching gifts. Topics include:

Matching Gift Crash Course: The Basics
Understanding Common Matching Gift Challenges & Finding Solutions
Assessing Your Current Matching Gift Strategy: Improving Outcomes
Marketing Matching Gifts: Effective Strategies

GO TO THE MATCHING GIFT ACADEMY

Expert Workplace Giving Webinars

Webinars have become a go-to resource for organizations seeking practical and engaging training opportunities. This type of “web-based seminar” offers a platform for experts to share their insights, strategies, success stories, and more. As a result, the Double the Donation team typically hosts a few webinar sessions each week, with a primary focus on matching gifts and corporate philanthropy opportunities for nonprofits!

Check out the quick overview video below to learn more:

If you’re looking for engaging matching gift educational resources, we strongly urge organizations like yours to participate live in our upcoming webinars or access recorded sessions by exploring the Webinar Hub on our site. We’ve even compiled a list of on-demand recordings below to ensure flexible training materials are available whenever you need them.

GO TO THE WEBINAR HUB

A few of our favorite matching gift webinars

Free Matching Gift eBooks & Downloadable Resources

In addition to our live and on-demand webinar presentations, our team has also created numerous free downloadable resources to serve as practical guides and tools for supporting successful matching gift fundraising. Often taking the form of eBooks, checklists, templates, and more, these resources aim to provide nonprofits and other fundraising organizations with comprehensive knowledge surrounding corporate giving opportunities.

We recommend utilizing these resources for team-wide training and to aid in implementing a well-thought-out matching gift fundraising plan.

GO TO THE RESOURCE CENTER

A few of our favorite matching gift eBooks

Our Continuously Updated Matching Gifts Blog

Double the Donation takes pride in our matching gift blog, which is intended to provide helpful knowledge regarding just about every aspect of the matching gift process for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising institutions.

By exploring our in-depth blog, nonprofit staff and volunteers can gain a deeper understanding of the potential impact of matching gifts, discover creative strategies for donor engagement, and learn from real-life examples of successful appeals.

Not to mention, our blog is constantly being updated with timely insights into matching gift fundraising practices, current trends, success stories, and much more. So don’t forget to check back regularly to explore new posts each week.

GO TO THE BLOG

A few of our favorite matching gift blog posts

Still looking to bring your matching gift strategy to new heights? Streamline matching for everyone involved with Double the Donation’s complete automation platform, 360MatchPro. You can even kickstart the process by requesting a personalized demo here!

Already a Double the Donation user and looking for specific insights regarding the software? Browse our Knowledge Base for answers to frequently asked questions, detailed integration guides, and more.

Bottom line: Equipping your team with essential knowledge and strategies can help inform and improve your organization’s matching gift plans. Good luck!

Overcoming Matching Gift Roadblocks [Helpful Solutions]

June 16, 2023/in About Double the Donation /by Adam Weinger

In the world of nonprofit fundraising, one valuable⁠—yet often overlooked⁠—resource is that of corporate matching gifts. These programs empower donors to multiply their contributions by requesting matching gifts from their employers. But, like any fundraising strategy, there are a few commonly faced matching gift roadblocks that nonprofits and other organizations must navigate in order to make the most of the opportunities available.

If you’re a fundraising team looking to generate additional revenue through employer matching gifts, you’ve come to the right place. Throughout this guide, we’ll delve into various roadblocks that nonprofits tend to face when it comes to matching gifts. Then, we’ll tackle each issue head-on and offer practical solutions that have proven successful for nonprofits like yours.

These include the following common challenges:

Absence of an internal matching gift fundraising plan
Lack of donor awareness surrounding the initiatives
Unknown donor eligibility regarding matching gifts
Incomplete match requests by program deadlines
Insufficient staff resources for pursuing matching gifts
Limited tracking through the match lifecycle

Whether you’re just starting to explore matching gifts or have already encountered these hurdles firsthand, this resource will provide you with the knowledge and strategies needed to unlock this valuable revenue stream.

Let’s get started!

Roadblock #1: Absence of an internal matching gift fundraising plan

Matching gifts can provide nonprofits and schools with a powerful and widely accessible form of revenue that brings their existing fundraising strategies to new heights. However, many organizations continue to take a passive, “If it happens, it happens” approach to matching gifts.

In reality, though, a proactive matching gift strategy can go a long way. In fact, if your organization’s whole team⁠—including board members, fundraising professionals, marketers, and more⁠—is not on board with corporate matching gifts, you’re likely to miss out on a ton of opportunities for your cause.

Solution #1: Establishing and communicating a strategic matching gift roadmap

Without a well-thought-out plan, it can be challenging to effectively leverage matching gifts and maximize fundraising. The answer? Developing a strategic matching gift roadmap to guide your team’s efforts toward success.

This should include:

Defining your goals: Begin by setting specific goals. Determine how much funding you aim to raise through matching gifts and identify the key areas or projects that will benefit from these additional resources. Having clear objectives will help inform the rest of the roadmap for your efforts.

Educating your team: Ensure that your staff, board members, and volunteers are aware of the potential of matching gifts and understand the process involved. Provide training and resources to familiarize them with the basics of matching gifts, including the benefits and impact they can have on your organization. When informed, your internal team can be some of your greatest proponents of matching gift opportunities!

Developing a communication strategy: Craft a clear and compelling message about matching gifts to communicate with your donors and supporters. Then, utilize various marketing channels such as email, social media, and your website to educate and motivate donors to participate.

Uncovering match-eligible donors: Identify and familiarize your team with companies that offer matching gift programs⁠—including their eligibility criteria, match ratios, and submission procedures. From there, you’ll want to collect donor employment information and establish which individuals work for companies that match! This information will help you tailor your messaging and outreach efforts accordingly.

Monitoring and tracking matching gift success: Don’t forget to regularly monitor the progress of your matching gift program, either! Keep track of match-related metrics such as the number of matching gift requests received, total funds raised, the impact on your overall fundraising efforts, and more. Use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy and make adjustments as needed.

Roadblock #2: Lack of donor awareness surrounding the initiatives

Despite more than 26 million individuals working for companies that match employee donations, studies indicate that an estimated 78% of the group has never been informed about the opportunity. And when match-eligible donors remain unaware of their employers’ match initiatives, they’re not able to participate in the programs!

Ultimately, this is one of the most significant matching gift roadblocks facing nonprofits and their donors. In fact, a lack of awareness is a significant factor in the resulting $4 to $7 billion worth of matching gift funds going unclaimed each year.

Solution #2: Marketing matching gift opportunities through multiple channels.

Many companies offer to match employee donations to qualifying causes but don’t actively promote the opportunity to their workforce. That’s why nonprofit organizations are increasingly taking the initiative to market matching gifts themselves.

We recommend taking a holistic marketing approach that incorporates all of your favorite donor communication channels. This might include your…

Website (with a detailed matching gifts page, a section in your “Ways to Give” page, blog posts, navigation menu, etc.)
Donation process (specifically with a company search tool on your giving forms and a blurb directing donors to take suggested next steps on the confirmation screen)
Email (through acknowledgment emails, dedicated matching gift follow-ups, staff email signatures, donor newsletters, end-of-year reminders, and more)
Social media (sharing posts, stories, and videos on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more)
Direct mail (including, but not limited to, matching gift letters, postcards, inserts, return envelopes, and welcome packets)

Regardless of the channels you choose, be sure to develop engaging content that highlights the impact of matching gifts for your mission. Craft persuasive messaging that communicates the value and importance of donor participation in matching gift programs and inspires individuals to take their next steps.

Once your supporters are familiar with the idea of matching gifts, they’ll be more likely to get involved.

Roadblock #3: Unknown donor eligibility regarding matching gifts

Without knowing which companies your donors work for, it can be difficult to determine if their employers match—and whether they’d qualify for that program specifically.

After all, we previously mentioned that most eligible donors have no idea that their companies offer such programs. Thus, it’s a good idea for your organization to take the initiative to uncover match-eligible donors on your own.

Solution #3: Using numerous screening methods to determine employment information

When it comes to identifying matching gift opportunities, the most crucial piece of information you’ll need pertains to your donors’ current employment. Fortunately, there are a few key ways to collect this information.

These include…

Email domain screening ⁠— If a donor inputs their email address as “johndoe@waltdisney.com” when completing the giving process, you can likely assume that the individual works for the Walt Disney Company. Make a note of this information for future reference!
Donation page search tool ⁠— Embedding a company search tool on your donation form or confirmation screen empowers donors to look into their employers’ programming. Plus, it can record the company name that an individual inquires about and store the information in their donor record.
Post-transaction follow-ups ⁠— For donors who opt not to provide employment details while giving, you’ll want to trigger post-donation emails that encourage supporters to share the information after the fact. This can include a link to the same company search tool that records individuals’ responses to enable tailored outreach moving forward.
Employer appends ⁠— Working with a third-party data appends service can provide your team with access to additional employment information you were unable to uncover on your own. Typically, all you need to do is locate an employer appending company and share the data you do have regarding your donors with unknown employers. The service company scans the details provided against its comprehensive datasets and matches individuals with employment information with relatively high levels of accuracy.

You don’t have to choose just one method, either. According to our research, leveraging multiple approaches for obtaining employment information results in an average of 77% more match-eligible donations being identified. And once you have access to this information, you have what it takes to more effectively uncover and pursue matching gift opportunities.

Roadblock #4: Incomplete match requests by program deadlines

Another common matching gift roadblock occurs when donors, regardless of whether they’re aware of the opportunity, simply do not complete their employers’ submission forms prior to the associated deadlines.

Even when a company offers a matching gift program, if a donor fails to submit their request for a match in time, your organization is not going to receive a corporate gift in response.

Solution #4: Following up with post-transaction matching gift reminders

Sometimes all it takes is a well-planned reminder or two to encourage donors to complete the matching gift submission process.

By following up with donors soon after they make their initial gifts, your nonprofit can remind donors about the availability and impact of corporate matching. That’s usually enough to inspire qualifying individuals to complete the steps for their employers! And for unclaimed matches, you can even trigger end-of-year matching gift reminders as well⁠, prompting donors to submit their matches before the year’s end⁠—which is a popular request deadline.

Through a combination of donation acknowledgment emails, post-donation matching gift outreach, and more, you can ensure that donors are aware of matching gift opportunities, complete match requests, and meet program deadlines⁠. Thus, maximizing your potential for funding.

Roadblock #5: Insufficient staff resources for pursuing matching gifts

Taking a manual approach to matching gift management and promotion typically requires a significant investment of an organization’s resources⁠. Thus, short supplies of time, effort, personnel, and more can hinder an organization’s ability to fully leverage matching gift programs.

In fact, according to statistics from Nonprofits Source…

“80% of nonprofits said they have difficulty building strong corporate partnerships and workplace giving strategies with limited staff and resources.”

With many organizations’ fundraising and day-to-day operations already stretched thin, this finding highlights the challenges that teams often face when aiming to ramp up their matching gift efforts without the right tools in their toolkits.

Solution #5: Automating the matching gift experience with dedicated technology

No time to pursue matching gift opportunities on your own? No problem. Nowadays, there’s technology for that! Like many other aspects of the fundraising process, smart software solutions can streamline organizations’ efforts and ultimately raise more.

If a lack of time and energy is holding you back, it’s probably time to invest in a dedicated matching gift platform to automate the process from start to finish. These tools, like Double the Donation’s industry-leading solution, 360MatchPro, can help identify matching gift opportunities, trigger personalized donor outreach, and provide detailed reporting capabilities that drive results without you lifting a finger.

Employing such a tool ultimately empowers organizations like yours to reduce the manual effort required from their staffs, allowing them to focus on other critical fundraising and mission-focused activities.

Roadblock #6: Limited tracking through the match lifecycle

Another roadblock nonprofits often encounter has to do with a lack of tracking capabilities through the match lifecycle. Even after guiding donors directly to their online submission forms, many organizations ultimately have no idea whether their donors complete the process. Let alone whether their employers are approving and disbursing their matches.

Inadequate tracking can result in a lack of transparency, difficulty evaluating the effectiveness of an organization’s matching gift efforts, and missed opportunities to appreciate and acknowledge completed matches.

Solution #6: Using data and encouraging donor communication throughout the process

The #1 way you can utilize effective matching gift lifecycle tracking is to communicate with donors throughout the matching process. Plus, you’ll want to encourage supporters to keep your team informed, as well.

For example, when you send matching gift reminders encouraging recipients to submit their match requests, incorporate an easy way for them to let you know when they complete the process. It can be as simple as a button that says, “I’ve submitted my match!”

This way, you’ll know to thank the individual for taking steps to secure a match on your behalf, keep an eye out for additional information being asked of your organization (i.e., to verify the initial contribution), and better forecast incoming matching gift revenue. If you see that a potential match is stuck at a particular stage for any length of time, you can enlist targeted efforts to push that match to the next step.

You’ll want to implement tracking and reporting systems that capture and store data related to matching gift opportunities. Then, follow them through to completion. Ensure your systems track the status of match requests, identify funds received, and record the impact of matching on fundraising. From there, regularly review and analyze this data to gain insights and optimize your matching gift program accordingly.

Next Steps

Every matching gift roadblock presents an opportunity for growth. By proactively addressing these challenges, your nonprofit can tap into the immense potential of workplace giving to fuel your mission.

As you move forward, keep in mind that donors love participating in their employers’ matching gift initiatives. They typically just need a gentle push in the right direction!

Ready to learn more about overcoming matching gift roadblocks and enhancing your organization’s corporate fundraising strategy? Check out these recommended resources:

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy. Our Matching Gift Academy provides a complete overview of corporate matching gifts. Specifically, dive into Course 1, Module 2 to dive deeper into common matching gift challenges and our expert recommendations for addressing them.
8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests. This comprehensive guide shares several methods for motivating donors to complete matching gift requests, thereby maximizing fundraising potential. Explore practical strategies to inspire action and secure additional revenue for your cause.
What You Need to Know About Retaining Matching Gift Donors. Dive into the importance of donor retention for matching gifts. Find out how to cultivate long-term relationships with matching gift donors, build personalized stewardship plans, express gratitude, and more. In the end, it helps ensure continued support and sustained impact.
5 Fundraisers with Standout Matching Gift Success. In this inspiring blog post, discover five real-life fundraising organizations that achieved remarkable success with matching gifts. Learn from the strategies that led to outstanding matching results and see which practices you can leverage for your cause!