Double the Donation's Year in Review 2024 Edition

Double the Donation’s Year in Review: 2024 Edition

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As we wrap up 2024, it’s the perfect time to look back and acknowledge the milestones, innovations, and impact achieved by our team and its partners in the nonprofit and corporate giving sectors. In Double the Donation’s Year in Review 2024, we’ll share key insights, highlights, and achievements that have propelled us forward and helped nonprofits like yours make an even bigger difference.

All in all, this year has been one of remarkable growth, with exciting developments in matching gift technology, ready-built integrations, and groundbreaking functionality designed to help nonprofits unlock more from their fundraising efforts.

In order to celebrate our successes, this overview will cover:

Join us in reflecting on this year’s wins as we gear up for another impactful fundraising season ahead!

Significant product updates & enhancements

In 2024, Double the Donation rolled out a series of significant product updates and enhancements designed to improve the workplace giving experience for nonprofits and their donors. These updates have been instrumental in helping our clients drive more donations, simplify their workflows, and engage donors and other supporters more effectively.

These product updates reflect our commitment to evolving alongside our clients’ needs, ensuring they have the most powerful tools to elevate their workplace giving efforts. As we look to 2025, we’re excited to continue innovating and delivering new features that make a measurable impact on nonprofit fundraising.

Check out an overview of three of our most impactful updates here:

Double the Donation's matching and volunteering tools help you raise more from workplace giving programs.Double the Donation Volunteering rollout

This year, we expanded the capabilities of our platform by launching our corporate volunteering tools. Double the Donation Volunteering is a built-in solution designed to support organizations in targeting corporate volunteer initiatives in addition to traditional matching gift management. These initiatives, which include volunteer grants and paid volunteer time off, can go a long way in attracting, engaging, and retaining volunteers⁠. And Double the Donation Volunteering makes it easier than ever to benefit from the programs by growing awareness and simplifying the engagement experience.

If you haven’t already, take steps to embed our  corporate volunteer database directly into your Volunteers Info page on your website, along with any volunteer registration forms you have.

Learn more about Double the Donation Volunteering here!

Double the Donation's year in review includes SOC 2 Type 2 compliance.Achieved SOC 2 Type 2 compliance

Security and data protection are top priorities at Double the Donation, and in 2024, we took our commitment to the next level by achieving SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. This integral milestone demonstrates our adherence to rigorous standards for security, availability, confidentiality, and processing integrity.

Achieving SOC 2 Type 2 assures clients like you⁠—as well as their donors⁠—that their data is handled with the highest standards of security and care. Not to mention, it reinforces our role as a trusted partner for nonprofits that prioritize the protection of donor information.

Learn more about our SOC 2 Type 2 compliance here!

Auto-submission enhancements

Enhancing the auto-submission functionality has been a major focus in 2024, making it even easier for donors to complete matching gift submissions without the added manual effort. Our most recent improvements to the auto-submission process mean that donors are prompted to auto-submit their matches at multiple touch points throughout the donor journey, increasing the likelihood that they ultimately do so. Now, donors are encouraged to partake in auto-submission once again when they indicate they’ve requested a match, but Double the Donation has no record of the submission.

Double the Donation's year in review includes auto-submission.

All in all, these auto-submission enhancements streamline the matching process, driving more completed matches and enabling nonprofits to capture more matching gift revenue. And it’s all done with minimal time and effort!

Learn more about matching gift auto-submission here!

Our continuously expanding client base

So far this year, our team has welcomed over 1,055 new clients to the Double the Donation family, expanding our community of nonprofits, educational institutions, and other fundraising organizations dedicated to making a difference through matching gifts and workplace giving.

Each new client represents a unique opportunity to drive more donations, streamline fundraising efforts, and unlock the full potential of corporate philanthropy. And we’re so grateful for the causes that trust Double the Donation to do so. This growth among our expanding client base strengthens our commitment to helping nonprofits of all sizes access critical matching gift revenue, ultimately increasing their ability to create positive change in the communities they serve.

All in all, we’re honored to work with a diverse array of organizations this year and look forward to supporting them as they continue maximizing their fundraising impact through matching gifts and more in the future.

Standout reviews & testimonials

Double the Donation has been thrilled to receive more than 40 new 5-star Google reviews, underscoring the impact of our commitment to customer and user success. Each of these reviews highlights the effectiveness of our sales and onboarding processes, the value of our technology, and the powerful results nonprofits achieve through our matching gift solutions.

Here are a few examples collected in the last year:

I’m thrilled that Double the Donation is seamlessly integrated with our new giving platform. Our minimal fee for the software has paid for itself in one week! We are thrilled to have this as part of our fundraising platform. This is a game-changer. Easy to integrate, and the team is so helpful to set you up for success!

– Colleen Merrell, St. Mary-Basha Catholic School

Implementing Double the Donation was an incredibly smooth and efficient process. Our representative guided me through every step, making it fast and easy to integrate the employer match software/widget into our nonprofit’s existing systems. Her clear explanations and responsive support have set us up to maximize our fundraising potential. We’re now fully prepared to raise more funds and further our mission. I highly recommend Double the Donation for any nonprofit looking to enhance its donor matching capabilities!

– Kayla Moore, Shelter Inc.

In the fast-paced realm of nonprofit fundraising, efficiency and effectiveness are essential. Double the Donation is a standout platform that is transforming how organizations maximize their donation potential. Tailored for fundraisers and database managers, Double the Donation is more than just a tool—it’s a partner in driving successful campaigns and streamlining donation processes.

– Katie Utterback, The Galloway School

In addition to Google reviews, we also received a number of customer testimonials in the past year⁠—including videos detailing the impact of our tools on various organizations’ efforts. Here’s what a few of these nonprofits have had to say (or check out our testimonials page to watch the clips):

  • Double the Donation has increased our matching gifts an incredible amount over the past two years we’ve been utilizing it, and it has helped us in so many more ways than we could have imagined. ⁠— Emily Delp, Pelotonia
  • There’s a lot of value in telling a donor that their impact can be doubled or even tripled with just a few clicks. Double the Donation makes it easy for our donors to see this value and act on it pretty much immediately. On the back end, the seamless integration with our database keeps us updated in real-time. ⁠— Adam Schafer, Youth on Course
  • I know that we’re always looking for ways to more effectively and efficiently do our work, and the opportunities that we have in front of us with Double the Donation are endless from my point of view. ⁠— Jill Carrell, Pi Beta Phi Foundation

Each of these generous reviews motivates us to keep delivering the best possible experience for our customers, and we’re grateful to our clients for sharing their success stories.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue empowering nonprofits with the tools they need to raise more and make an even bigger impact. And we hope to hear from even more organizations benefitting from our tools!

Network growth: new partnerships & integrations

2024 has been a year of exciting growth for Double the Donation’s integration network. With the addition of more than 14 new partnerships and 11 integration enhancements, we’ve been able to significantly broaden our reach and capabilities.

Double the Donation's year in review includes new integrations.These strategic collaborations are designed to provide even more value to our clients by expanding access to powerful tools, platforms, and resources that complement our matching gift technology.

New integrations include:

  • Volunteer management systems — including event registration tools and sign-up pages
  • Additional donation tools
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms
  • Donor databases or CRMs
  • And more!

These partnerships are designed to allow nonprofits to seamlessly integrate Double the Donation’s matching gift technology into their existing workflows, offering a more streamlined and efficient experience for both organizations and their donors.

By expanding our network of partners and continuously improving integrations, Double the Donation is making it easier than ever for nonprofits to leverage matching gifts as a key component of their fundraising efforts. We’re excited to see the positive impact these partnerships will continue to have as we move into the next year, helping even more organizations maximize their matching gift revenue.

Overall matching gift fundraising success across clients

In 2024, Double the Donation users achieved remarkable success, collectively identifying more than $460,445,322 in matching gift revenue.

This is a powerful testament to the impact of matching gift programs when paired with the right tools and strategies. Through effective communication and proactive engagement, our clients were able to reach more donors, secure more matches, and ultimately drive greater funding to support their missions.

To support this success, clients utilized our platform to send a total of 19,117,522 emails to donors, prompting significant engagement. Our users saw an impressive 71.55% open rate, too—well above industry averages. Additionally, tons of these emails were interacted with, resulting in a 9.6% click rate (also above industry averages), indicating strong donor interest in matching gifts.

These metrics underscore the power of Double the Donation’s solutions in amplifying donor participation and optimizing matching gift revenue. By driving strong engagement rates and making it easy for donors to complete matches, our clients are leveraging every opportunity to boost their fundraising success.

This year’s results highlight the effectiveness of our tools in helping nonprofits expand their impact through matching gifts, and we’re proud to be a part of their journey toward sustainable growth and more.

Comprehensive workplace giving database development

In the past year, Double the Donation has continued to strengthen its position as the leading resource for matching gift and workplace giving information with ongoing enhancements to our comprehensive database.

Today, our database contains over 24,493 company records, providing an extensive resource for nonprofits to easily identify matching gift and other workplace giving opportunities across a broad spectrum of corporations. This robust database represents more than 26,802,622 employees, significantly expanding the reach of our clients to potential supporters worldwide.

But one of the biggest developments we’ve seen this year is the introduction of VTO (or volunteer time off) programs to the database. We are dedicated to helping nonprofits and schools earn more in workplace giving, and we believe it should be easy for you to leverage corporate volunteerism to power your mission. These programs continue to grow in popularity, and our database makes it easy to uncover and leverage their potential.

2024 Year in Review - Double the Donation's database growth

Our continued focus on database development reflects our dedication to helping nonprofits unlock the full potential of matching gifts and beyond. By providing comprehensive, accurate, and accessible company data, we’re enabling organizations to connect with more donors, raise more funds, and further their missions with confidence.

Invaluable matching gift resources & materials

So far in 2024, Double the Donation has significantly expanded its library of resources, offering nonprofits even more tools and materials to succeed with matching gift fundraising. After all, our goal is to empower organizations with the knowledge, strategies, and practical assets they need to unlock more matching gift revenue and streamline their outreach efforts.

Among our most popular resources this year are


79 webinars and counting⁠—including a few of our top sessions here:

129 new blog posts, such as these fan-favorites:

New corporate volunteer-focused downloadable resources:

In addition, we also rolled out a number of customizable marketing materials directly within the Double the Donation platform. These include templates for matching gifts and volunteer incentives that are free for clients to access, personalize, and share, making it easier to promote the programs than ever before.

With the introduction of these new resources, our team aims to equip nonprofits with everything they need to succeed at every stage of the matching gift journey. As always, we’re committed to delivering high-quality materials that make a tangible difference in our audience’s fundraising efforts, and we look forward to adding even more valuable resources in the coming year.

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Wrapping up & additional resources

As we close out 2024, we’re grateful for the nonprofits, corporate partners, and donors who made this a remarkable year. Together, we’ve driven substantial change, innovated how matching gifts are identified and managed, and enabled countless nonprofits to expand their impact.

Going forward, Double the Donation remains committed to enhancing the matching gift experience, providing cutting-edge tools, and supporting organizations in achieving their fundraising goals. Here’s to an even more successful year ahead as we continue to work together for a brighter, more generous future.

Thank you for being part of this journey—let’s make 2025 even better!

Interested in reading more about workplace giving and how Double the Donation can supercharge your efforts? Check out the following resources:

Get started with 360MatchPro after learning from Double the Donation's year in review.

Matching Wednesday Drive Matching Gifts Post #GivingTuesday

Matching Wednesday: Drive Matching Gifts Post #GivingTuesday

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After the whirlwind of #GivingTuesday, many nonprofits find themselves wondering how to maintain the momentum of generosity⁠—and make the most of corporate matching gifts in their efforts. While donations tend to surge on Giving Tuesday, organizations can amplify their impact by making the following day just as powerful. And that’s why we’re introducing the idea of Matching Wednesday.

By strategically focusing on matching gifts the day after Giving Tuesday, nonprofits like yours can create an additional wave of support that builds on the previous day’s success.

In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know to get started with this unique and impactful campaign idea. This includes:

Matching Wednesday can help nonprofits capitalize on donors’ enthusiasm, encourage more employees to seek corporate matches, and double (or even triple) the support for their causes.

Ready to find out how? Let’s get started with the basics.

What is Matching Wednesday?

Matching Wednesday is a strategic fundraising initiative in which nonprofits can participate immediately following #GivingTuesday.

While Giving Tuesday sparks a boost in donations from individuals eager to support their favorite causes, Matching Wednesday aims to keep this momentum going by encouraging donors to double (or even triple) the impact of their contributions through corporate matching gift programs.

After Giving Tuesday comes Matching Wednesday

Here’s how it works: on Matching Wednesday, nonprofits reach out to donors who gave on Giving Tuesday (or even before) and remind them to submit their gifts for matching through their employers. They can also highlight matching gift opportunities to new donors, underscoring the added impact their support can have.

The idea behind Matching Wednesday is simple yet powerful⁠—leveraging the enthusiasm generated on Giving Tuesday to unlock even more funding for the cause. By making matching gifts easy and front-of-mind, nonprofits can turn a single day of generosity into an extended period of amplified giving, helping them reach their goals and maximize their mission impact.

Following Up With #GivingTuesday Donors

Giving Tuesday sees some of the highest rates of charitable giving each year. In 2023, 34 million adults in the U.S. alone participated in Giving Tuesday festivities, contributing a total of more than $3.1 billion. And while a lot of those gifts were matched by donors’ employers, the truth is that a lot of matchable gifts went unclaimed. And that’s where Matching Wednesday steps in!

Following up with Giving Tuesday donors come Matching Wednesday is essential to capture the full potential of corporate matching gifts. Many donors may not realize that their contributions can be matched by their employers, effectively doubling or even tripling their impact on the cause. But when they do know, they’ll be eager to get involved.

Here are a few things your team can do to engage these donors and make the most of Matching Wednesday:

1. Send a Personalized Matching Gift Reminder Follow-Up.

The day after Giving Tuesday, send a follow-up message reminding donors who gave about the chance to make an even bigger difference with a matching gift.

Start with a heartfelt thank-you for their Giving Tuesday support, expressing gratitude for their contribution and sharing the impact it will make. Then, (re)introduce the concept of matching gifts, highlighting that many employers will match their donations at no additional cost to them. This gentle reminder can spark interest and motivate donors to check if their employer participates in a matching gift program.

2. Educate Donors About the Ease and Benefits of Matching Gifts.

Many donors may be unfamiliar with how matching gifts work. Use Matching Wednesday as an opportunity to educate them on the process. Provide clear, easy-to-follow, and company-specific instructions on how they can request a matching gift from their employer, and offer assistance for any questions or concerns donors might have about matching gift submissions.

3. Establish a Sense of Doubled Impact.

Use Matching Wednesday to create a sense of amplified donation impact by highlighting how beneficial matched gifts can be. Let donors know how their contributions, when doubled, can address specific needs, such as providing additional meals, funding critical programs, or expanding highly demanded services. This approach makes the matching gift feel like an extension of their Giving Tuesday contribution, deepening their connection to your cause.

Engaging Supporters Who Gave Earlier in the Year

While the idea is centered around the better-known global giving day, it’s important to note that Matching Wednesday doesn’t have to be exclusive to Giving Tuesday donors, either. In fact, it’s also an ideal time to engage supporters who donated earlier in the year but, as far as you know, haven’t submitted their gifts for matching.

By reaching out with a timely reminder to submit their matches, nonprofits can turn previous contributions into a new wave of support on Matching Wednesday.

Here’s how to maximize engagement with these past donors:

1. Segment and Personalize Your Outreach.

Identify donors who gave earlier in the year but may not have submitted their gifts for matching. Send a personalized email acknowledging their previous support and sharing how impactful it would be if they submitted their gift for a match⁠—and how Matching Wednesday is the perfect time to do it. After all, a tailored message makes supporters feel valued and motivates them to take the extra step, knowing that their contributions are still on the nonprofit’s radar.

2. Create a “Last Call for Matching Gifts” Campaign.

Use Matching Wednesday as a final push for matching gift submissions, presenting it as a time-sensitive opportunity. Explain that this is a last chance to double or triple their support this year, especially for those who might have forgotten or overlooked the option earlier. A sense of urgency can inspire action, as donors may be more likely to submit a match if they know it’s the final opportunity for the year. Many companies establish year-end request deadlines, too, meaning time is of the essence.

3. Provide a Simple, Step-by-Step Guide for Matching Gifts.

Many supporters might hesitate to submit their gifts for matching due to uncertainty around the process. Include a quick guide in your Matching Wednesday email to help simplify it. A “Check Your Eligibility” button leading to a matching gift search tool can be particularly effective, allowing donors to quickly confirm if their company offers matching and access any necessary forms.

Re-engaging past supporters for Matching Wednesday allows nonprofits to revive donations from throughout the year and turn them into even greater impact. This last-call reminder serves as an easy and effective way to connect with donors, ensuring their gifts stretch further and help end the year on a high note for the cause.

Increase matching gift revenue by leveraging Double the Donation

Best Practices for Matching Wednesday Success

To maximize the impact of Matching Wednesday, nonprofits can implement several best practices to ensure their outreach is compelling and effective. From targeted follow-ups to clear messaging, here are strategies that can help nonprofits make the most of this post-Giving Tuesday initiative:

Mention matching gifts leading up to and on Giving Tuesday, too.

Matching Wednesday is all about matching gifts. But it shouldn’t be the first time your audience hears about the opportunity. In fact, it’s best to begin highlighting matching gifts alongside Giving Tuesday promotions leading up to and on the big day.

By promoting matching gift opportunities early and often, nonprofits can begin building familiarity with the programs. This can substantially boost the day’s revenue, motivating more donors to give⁠—and encouraging them to make their contributions go further when the time comes.

Not to mention, knowing that their donation could be matched can even inspire donors to contribute in larger amounts. Matching gifts allows donors to double or triple their contributions, which is a compelling reason to increase their initial support. Research shows that fundraising appeals⁠—such as those for Giving Tuesday⁠—see a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift size when matching gifts are mentioned.

Take a multi-channel approach to engaging donors.

When it comes to marketing matching gifts, you want to make sure your message is getting across far and wide. Luckily, a multi-channel approach engages donors on multiple platforms, making it easier for them to take action and get involved.

Not to mention, each donor has preferred ways of receiving information. Some may respond best to email reminders, while others are more likely to engage on social media or through text. By reaching out across multiple channels, you can ensure you’re meeting donors where they already are.

Leveraging a combination of email, social media, SMS, and even phone calls empowers nonprofits to create comprehensive, engaging Matching Wednesday experiences that keep matching gifts at the top of donors’ minds.

Highlight matching gift success stories.

Social proof is a powerful tool. On a big giving day like Giving Tuesday (or the subsequent Matching Wednesday), incorporating success stories regarding corporate matching gifts can go a long way toward inspiring action.

For the best results, we recommend supplying specific examples to illustrate the power of matching gifts. Try sharing stories or metrics that showcase what matching funds have previously achieved for your organization. For instance, you might say, “Last year, matching gifts helped us provide meals for 500 additional families.” Impact-driven messaging like this can inspire donors to act, as they can directly see how their matched gifts contribute to the mission.

Alternatively, consider sharing a brief story or example of a past donor whose gift was matched. You can even source a quote from a previous matching gift donor to act as a testimonial! After all, real-world examples can serve as powerful motivation, helping donors see the tangible outcomes of submitting a matching gift.

Invest in matching gift software before Matching Wednesday.

Leading up to Matching Wednesday (or Giving Tuesday, for that matter), you’ll want to conduct an analysis of your existing tech stack and decide if you have what you need for success. If you’re currently missing a matching gift software, we highly recommend getting up and running with such a solution prior to the start of the giving season.

After all, this kind of tool simplifies the matching process by enabling donors to quickly find their employer’s matching gift policy, forms, and submission instructions. The easier it is for donors to confirm eligibility and access forms, the more likely they’ll be to follow through⁠—so this is not something you want to overlook. Not to mention, an automation platform like Double the Donation’s can streamline the entire process from start to finish, so your team doesn’t have to lift a finger!

Ready to get started? Request a personalized demo or uncover your expected ROI with matching gifts!

Share Matching Wednesday results and outcomes.

After Matching Wednesday concludes, maintain the matching gift momentum by sharing the campaign results with your supporters. For example, highlight the total number of submitted matches and the impact they’ll have on your programs. This kind of transparency fosters trust and shows donors that their efforts to secure a match made a concrete difference, setting the stage for continued engagement.

From there, you’ll want to track key metrics, such as the number of matching gifts secured, total matched revenue, and engagement rates, so you can adjust and improve your efforts for the next year. After all, a successful Matching Wednesday can become an ongoing part of your end-of-year fundraising efforts, extending Giving Tuesday’s impact well beyond a single day in the years to come.

6 Sample #MatchingWednesday Promotions

Ready to get started promoting Matching Wednesday but not sure where to begin? We’ve created a few sample promotions your team can use to engage its donors leading up to and on to the big day.

Matching Wednesday Text Message

Matching Wednesday text message

Text message copy: Thank you for supporting us on #GivingTuesday! 🎉 Did you know your donation could go twice as far? Today is #MatchingWednesday—click here to see if your employer matches: [Matching Gift Page URL]

Matching Wednesday Email Template

Subject line: Have you given to [nonprofit] this year? Double your impact today⁠—on #MatchingWednesday!

Matching Wednesday email header

Body:

Dear [donor’s first name],

Thank you for being part of the [nonprofit] family! Your support means the world to us, and today, on #MatchingWednesday, there’s an exciting opportunity to make your impact go even further.

If you’ve donated to [nonprofit] this year, you might be able to double or even triple your gift through your employer’s matching gift program! Many companies offer to match their employees’ charitable donations, but these matches often go unclaimed. Submitting a matching gift request is a simple way to amplify your impact and ensure your generosity reaches even more people in need.

Here’s how you can participate in #MatchingWednesday:

  1. Check if your employer matches donations – Use our matching gift search tool here [Matching Gift Page URL] to see if your company offers matching gifts.
  2. Follow the provided steps – If your employer participates, complete a matching gift request through their system by following the instructions our tool provides.
  3. Watch your impact grow! Every matched dollar helps us bring hope and resources to even more individuals and families.

Why submit your gift for a match today? Matching Wednesday is a limited opportunity to help us close out the year strong and make a difference for the communities we serve. Your support matters, and by taking just a few minutes to check your match eligibility, you can double the power of your donation at no extra cost!

Thank you for your continued generosity. Together, we can make an even greater impact.

Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Nonprofit Name]
[Nonprofit Contact Information]

Matching Wednesday Facebook Post

Matching Wednesday Facebook post

Caption: Many employers match donations to [nonprofit], doubling (or even tripling!) your impact at no extra cost to you. Take a moment today to check if your gift qualifies for a match by visiting the Matching Gifts page on our website: [Matching Gift Page URL] #DoubleYourImpact #MatchingGifts

Matching Wednesday Instagram Post

Matching Wednesday Instagram post

Caption: It’s #MatchingWednesday! 🎉 Did you know that thousands of companies match employee donations? That means your gift could go twice as far—just by submitting a matching request!

Don’t miss this chance to maximize your support and make an even bigger impact. Visit our Matching Gifts page to learn more. #GiveMore #AmplifyYourImpact #MatchingGifts

Matching Wednesday LinkedIn Post

Matching Wednesday LinkedIn post

Caption: #GivingTuesday was just the beginning! 🌟 Did you know that your donation could go even further? Many companies offer matching gift programs, meaning your contribution can be doubled or even tripled at no extra cost to you.

Now, Matching Wednesday is the perfect time to take advantage of this opportunity! If you gave to [nonprofit] yesterday or at any point this year, check to see if your employer will match your donation. It’s an easy way to maximize your impact and support the causes that matter most to you.

Not sure if your company participates? Don’t worry⁠—just use our matching gift search tool to find out: [Matching Gift Page URL]

This #MatchingWednesday, let’s make every dollar count for even more. Thanks again for helping us create lasting change. #DoubleYourImpact #EmployerMatching #CorporateGiving #SocialGood #GivingTuesday

Matching Wednesday Twitter Post

Matching Wednesday Twitter post

Caption: #MatchingWednesday is here! 🎉 It’s the perfect chance to make your #GivingTuesday gift go even further. Check to see if your employer will match your donation and double your impact today! [URL]

Next Steps & Additional Giving Season Resources

Establishing a Matching Wednesday campaign following Giving Tuesday is a smart way for nonprofits to extend their outreach⁠—and make every gift count twice. By promoting matching gift opportunities immediately after a major giving day, organizations can reinforce their message, reach new donors, and deepen their impact overall.

This strategic timing leverages the global popularity and extensive goodwill of Giving Tuesday and engages donors further, reminding them that their support can do more. Embracing the idea of Matching Wednesday can ensure the season of giving extends beyond a single day, unlocking new possibilities for funding and growth in the year-end season and beyond. Just don’t forget to equip your team with the right software going into it!

Interested in learning more about matching gifts heading into a period of holiday giving? Check out these additional resources:

Get up and running with Double the Donation in no time

Volunteer Grants for Faith-Based Groups: A Crash Course

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In the landscape of corporate philanthropy, volunteer grants represent a powerful avenue for nonprofits and other mission-focused organizations to increase their fundraising potential. However, when it comes to volunteer grants for faith-based groups (much like that of matching gifts), there can be some nuance regarding eligibility.

While some may assume religious groups to be ineligible for the programs, the truth is that many still qualify for corporate grants. And in this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to make the most of this opportunity for your mission cause. This includes:

For churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based institutions, understanding and tapping into volunteer grant programs can offer a meaningful boost to their efforts, enabling them to further their missions and better serve their communities. Let’s find out how you can do so, too.

Volunteer Grant Basics: What to Know

Volunteer grants, also known as “dollars for doers” programs, are corporate giving initiatives where companies provide monetary donations to nonprofits in recognition of their employees’ volunteerism.

Here’s how the programs generally work:

  1. An individual volunteers with a nonprofit organization.
  2. After completing their volunteer hours, the individual is prompted to look into their eligibility for a volunteer grant.
  3. If eligible, the individual completes a brief request form for their employer, verifying their volunteer hours and offering information about their time spent.
  4. The individual’s employer reviews the volunteer grant request and ensures the effort adheres to the company’s program guidelines.
  5. A volunteer grant is paid out by the employing company to the nonprofit organization according to the number of hours the individual volunteered.

Volunteer grant process for faith-based groups

These grants are popular in corporate philanthropy because they encourage employees to give back while also offering financial support to causes their teams care about. This win-win model provides much-needed funds to charitable organizations while promoting a culture of giving within companies.

Common Volunteer Grant Restrictions

Volunteer grant programs are an excellent way for nonprofits to receive additional funding, but they often come with certain restrictions. After all, companies want to ensure grants paid out align with their corporate policies, values, and other requirements.

As a result, routine restrictions may include:

  • Eligible nonprofits: Many companies will permit volunteer grants to any 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the U.S. (or international equivalent). However, some employers may reserve grants for causes that align with their focus areas (education, environmental protection, etc.), while others exclude certain mission categories altogether.
  • Eligible employees: Some companies offer volunteer grants only for full-time employees, while others extend the programs to part-time and retired staff⁠—or even employees’ spouses! Meanwhile, select employers require a minimum tenure before team members are eligible to request a grant.
  • Verification of time: Some companies require nonprofits to verify volunteers’ hours to ensure accurate reporting has occurred. For this reason, effective time-tracking for corporate volunteers is a must.
  • Minimum and maximum volunteer hours: Many programs require employees to volunteer a number of hours before a grant is triggered, typically in increments like 10, 25, or 50. On the other hand, there are often caps on the total grant amount an individual can request in a year.
  • Submission deadlines: Many companies establish deadlines for employees to submit volunteer grant requests in order for their time to remain eligible. For example, deadlines are often set within 90 days of a volunteer service or by the end of the calendar year in which an activity was completed.

For nonprofits, understanding these restrictions allows your teams to provide clearer guidance to volunteers while maximizing available funding opportunities. Educating volunteers on their company’s policies, deadlines, and requirements can help ensure their efforts translate to financial support for the organization.

Volunteer Grant Eligibility for Faith Organizations

Volunteer grant eligibility can vary for faith-based organizations⁠—and, unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Many companies place restrictions on religious activities to maintain inclusivity and adhere to corporate giving guidelines.

However, many religious organizations can still qualify for volunteer grants if they meet specific criteria.

Here’s a closer look at how faith organizations can qualify for volunteer grants and what challenges they might encounter:

  • Secular Programs: Many companies provide grants to faith-based organizations if the volunteer work directly supports a secular program that serves the broader community. For instance, a church operating a community food pantry or shelter that is open to all⁠—regardless of religious affinity⁠—may qualify.
  • Religious Worship: On the other hand, any activities directly related to religious worship or instruction (e.g., leading Bible studies, performing in church services, or teaching religious classes) are often excluded from volunteer grant eligibility.

That said, there is a wide range of faith-based institutions that do qualify for volunteer grants. These can include:

  • Independent Charitable Arms: Organizations affiliated with a faith community but operating independently, such as Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services, typically qualify because they serve secular needs and operate as independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
  • Schools and Educational Programs: Religious schools and educational programs may qualify for volunteer grants if they provide nonreligious instruction or have a broader community service mission.
  • Community-Focused Missions: Faith-based organizations involved in community outreach that do not require participation in religious activities (like soup kitchens, after-school tutoring, or disaster relief) are often eligible.

In other words, faith-based organizations often qualify for volunteer grants if their activities meet community needs in a secular or nonreligious context. Understanding each company’s policies on religious involvement⁠ can help faith organizations tap into these corporate giving opportunities with greater success than ever before.

DTD_Volunteer Grant CTA

Sample Wording From Volunteer Grant Companies

Don’t just take our word for it! Hear directly from several top companies’ program policies regarding volunteer grants for faith-based groups below:

Bank of America's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“We do not provide general funding to any organization whose purpose is to promote or discourage the observance or proselytization of religious beliefs. However, we will support such organization’s funding of homeless shelters, soup kitchens or other social service needs. The organization may be asked to provide proof of the community project receiving funding.”

— Bank of America

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Kohl's' policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“Eligible Nonprofits

  • United States-based nonprofit public charities that maintain a current tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are registered and active in the Benevity Causes portal.

Ineligible Nonprofits

  • Organizations that engage in political activities.
  • Organizations that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, or or any other legally protected characteristic or class.
  • Organizations that do not follow Kohl’s Business Partner Code of Conduct or do not align with Kohl’s overarching mission of giving back to our communities, as determined by Kohl’s.
  • Organizations for which its tax-exempt status has been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service.
  • Organizations that intend to use Kohl’s donation for a purpose other than its charitable cause.”

— Kohl’s

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Verizon's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“Eligible Charities” means organizations that (1) meet Verizon’s eligibility rules at https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/grant-requirements and (2) are listed as eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service at the time (a) the hours are volunteered, (b) the grant request is submitted and (c) the Verizon Foundation proposes to pay the grant. Note that not all 501(c)(3) organizations are Eligible Charities. ⁠

To be considered for an invitation, an organization must be: Classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and further classified as a public charity under section 509(a)(1)-509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as follows:

Organizations described in section 170(b)(1)(A) clauses (i) – (vi):
170(b)(1)(A)(i) – Church, provided that the grant will benefit a large portion of a community without regard to religious affiliation and does not duplicate the work of other agencies in the community.”

— Verizon

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

CVS Health's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“What types of organizations are ineligible to receive a Volunteer Challenge Grant?

  • Organizations other than those that are 501c3 public charities (such as 509a3 supporting organizations) are not eligible to receive a grant from the CVS Health Foundation.
  • Organizations that discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious beliefs.
  • International organizations.
  • Churches that DO NOT have a 501c3 public charity status from the IRS.”

— CVS Health

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Thomson Reuters' policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“The company will not support religious organizations for denominational or religious purposes. If a religious organization has a community outreach program with a tax ID number, EIN number or registered charity number, these programs could be reviewed for approval into My Community. You can search for the organization’s tax ID or EIN number on Guidestar. Please see the examples below.

  • Ineligible – A Church runs a weekly soup kitchen, but the soup kitchen is not recognized with its own tax ID number, EIN number, or registered charity number – they are simply a program run by the Church and funded directly by the Church.
  • Eligible – The Church soup kitchen is registered independently with its own tax ID number, EIN number, or registered charity number and is registered independently. In this case, the soup kitchen would be eligible.”

— Thomson Reuters

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Walmart's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“Organizations applying must meet one of following criteria:

  • An organization holding a current tax-exempt status as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, listed on the IRS Master File and conducting activities within the United States, classified as a public charity under Section 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) (Types I or II); and Deed verified.
  • A recognized government entity: state, county or city agency, including law enforcement or fire departments, that are requesting funds exclusively for public purposes and Deed verified.
  • A K-12 public or nonprofit private school, charter school, community/junior college, state/private college or university; or a church or other faith-based organization with a proposed project that benefits the community at large, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and clothing closets and Deed verified.”

— Walmart

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Alliant Energy's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“The Alliant Energy Foundation will not give volunteer grants to religious institutions such as churches, synagogues, temples, or other houses of worship or to any organization whose main purpose is to promote a specific faith, creed, or religion and/or direct resources to advocate for a specific ideology. However, the hours that an eligible participant volunteers for those types of organizations can be counted toward your total hours for the year.”

⁠— Alliant Energy

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

Marathon's policy on volunteer grants for faith-based groups

“By exception, religious organizations may be eligible if funds are designated for certain secular activities provided they are:

i. Are open to all individuals in the community regardless of religious belief;
ii. Serve a secular purpose, such as a food pantry or a homeless shelter; and
iii. Do not require participants to join in religious worship as a condition of receiving the services that the nonprofit offers.”

⁠— Marathon Petroleum Company

👉 Read more about the volunteer grant program here.

How Our Tools Drive Volunteer Grants for Faith-Based Groups

The biggest challenge facing volunteer grant success for any organization⁠—but especially faith-based groups⁠—is a general lack of awareness of the programs. Not to mention identifying those who work for companies with inclusive volunteer grant initiatives in the first place.

Luckily, the easiest way to discover the information is with a volunteer grant database tool like Double the Donation Volunteering. This is a powerful solution for faith-based and other groups looking to boost their volunteer grant revenue by simplifying the process of uncovering and targeting eligible volunteer grants. With this tool, you can embed a searchable company database directly into your volunteer info page⁠—or even your event registration forms!

Volunteer grant software for faith-based groups

From there, all an individual has to do is begin typing their company name and select the appropriate employer from the dropdown list. Then, they’ll be met with company-specific program guidelines and request forms in real-time, making it easier than ever for them to get involved.

Wrapping Up & Additional Resources

For faith-based groups looking to expand their impact, volunteer grants are an underutilized but powerful resource. By tapping into these programs, your organization can cultivate stronger relationships with corporate partners, mobilize your volunteer base, and generate essential funding.

Remember, the key to success with volunteer grants lies in building awareness among your supporters. With a strategic approach, your organization can leverage volunteer grants to not only support day-to-day operations but also fuel programs that drive long-term change.

Interested in learning more about volunteer grants for faith-based groups like yours? Check out these recommended resources:

Raise more with volunteer grants for faith-based groups using 360MatchPro Volunteer Hub.

How to Increase Matching Gift Revenue in 30 Minutes or Less

How to Increase Matching Gift Revenue in 30 Minutes or Less

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ï»żAre you looking to increase matching gift revenue but don’t have much time to invest in the programs?

If you can find just 30 minutes in your schedule, there are small adjustments that have the potential to significantly elevate your organization’s matching gift strategy. These enhancements may include:

  1. Publishing a matching gift post on social media.
  2. Implementing a matching gift CTA on your confirmation screen.
  3. Modifying your donation acknowledgments to promote matching gifts.
  4. Adding a blurb about matching gifts to your staff email signatures.
  5. Sharing information about matching gift companies in your area.
  6. Sending an email to all “Eligible but Not Submitted” donors.
  7. Following up with unclaimed repeat matching gifts.
  8. Looking into potentially miscategorized ineligible donations.

After all, maximizing matching gift revenue doesn’t need to be a lengthy or complex process. Many nonprofits miss out on this opportunity simply because they assume it will take too long or require significant resources to implement. But in reality, there are many effective and simple strategies that can drive substantial results in just a few minutes.

Let’s begin!

Method #1: Publish a matching gift post on social media.

Do you maintain Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter accounts for your organization? More than likely, you have some combination of all four. And if so, odds are donors and members are scrolling through your messages on a regular basis, making it a particularly impactful tool when it comes to fundraising.

Take a few minutes to create a post about matching gifts. Not only will it appear on your fans’ walls today, but your matching gift post will linger on your organization’s page forever.

For a headstart, Double the Donation’s users can access customizable marketing samples within the platform at no additional cost. Just choose a templated graphic, personalize it to your organization, and post it to your social accounts!

Not a Double the Donation user yet? Click here to request a personalized demo and get up and running with our tools and resources ASAP!

Increase matching gift revenue with social media posts.

And don’t forget, if you use a service to schedule messages in the future, go ahead and create a few matching gift messages to post automatically over the coming months. Regularly sharing matching gift information is key to building familiarity⁠ with—and participation in⁠—the programs.

Time Investment Required: Ten minutes

Method #2: Implementing a matching gift CTA on your confirmation screen.

Immediately after donors hit “submit” on their gift, they’re likely redirected to a confirmation screen or thank-you page on the website. This page generally thanks individuals for their support, and often offers suggested next steps to get further involved with the organization. One key way to do so is with matching gifts.

Therefore, we recommend incorporating a prominent CTA, or call to action, on your confirmation page that encourages donors to submit a matching gift.

Increase matching gift revenue with confirmation pages.

Highlighting the opportunity so close to the point of donation allows you to pick up on the donors’ heightened momentum and engagement with your cause, translating that into more matching gift submissions overall.

Time Investment Required: Ten minutes

Method #3: Modify your donation acknowledgments to promote matching gifts.

More than likely, your organization sends an acknowledgment letter or email to each individual after they give. If so, this is a great place to promote matching gifts. And since acknowledgments are generally automated, all you need to do is plug a quick blurb about matching gifts into your template or workflow. Then, it will be automatically triggered to all donors once they submit their initial gifts⁠—driving awareness and visibility of the opportunity across your dedicated supporters.

Increase matching gift revenue with acknowledgment emails.

However, more impactful than simply adding a section to your existing acknowledgment letters is sending dedicated post-donation matching gift emails. After all, acknowledgments are often discarded as not requiring additional action, while separate matching gift outreach can be just what you need to grab your audience’s attention. These messages can even be automated using Double the Donation, making it quick and easy for supporters to receive tailored matching gift insights straight to their inboxes.

Time Investment Required: Five minutes

Method #4: Add a blurb about matching gifts to your staff email signatures.

Email is likely one of your most essential communication channels when it comes to engaging with individual donors. As a result, your email signatures⁠—and those of your entire fundraising team⁠—offer valuable real estate for donor-facing promotions. And we recommend utilizing the space as an easy way to remind donors about matching gifts.

Increase matching gift revenue with email signatures.

For the best results, you’ll want to link directly to your organization’s dedicated matching gifts page, complete with an embedded matching gift search tool. Otherwise, you can ask donors to “please check with your company to see if they’ll match your donation.”

Time Investment Required: Ten minutes

DTD_Matching Gifts CTA

Method #5: Share information about matching gift companies in your area.

Promoting matching gifts to your external audience often starts with getting your internal team on board, too. While there are a ton of training resources available, one thing you can do in 30 minutes or less is send a list of top matching gift companies to your fundraising staff. You might be surprised to find out that some of your colleagues have never heard of employee matching gift programs⁠—let alone have familiarity with the companies offering them.

While you’ll only be able to include a handful of companies representing a small percentage of companies in your area that will match donations, it can be a good way to raise awareness about the potential of matching gifts.

Increase matching gift revenue with a list of top matching gift companies in your area.

To kick off your research, this guide from Nonprofit Source provides an insightful look at different matching gift companies across the globe. Plus, it includes a breakdown of popular matching gift hubs by geographic region.

Time Investment Required: Fifteen minutes

[Bonus] Method #6: Send an email to all “Eligible but Not Submitted” donors.

Note: While the previous ideas could be completed with or without Double the Donation’s matching gift software, the next several methods focus on tools within Double the Donation. Interested in getting started? Request a demo now!

If you subscribe to Double the Donation’s tools, there are a number of ready-built reports available within the Double the Donation platform. One of these, called the “Eligible but Not Submitted” report, is designed to identify those who have been marked as matching gift eligible by their employer name but have not yet submitted their matching gift requests. Those are your best matching gift prospects, and they’re currently letting their gifts go unclaimed.

Increase matching gift revenue with unclaimed matches.

Luckily, there’s even an easy way to bulk send emails right from the dashboard, meaning you can select this segment of recipients, trigger a pre-written email, and drive submissions to completion.

Time Investment Required: Twenty minutes

[Bonus] Method #7: Follow up with unclaimed repeat matching gifts.

Donors who have secured a matching gift in the past are going to be significantly more likely to do so again in the future. And if they haven’t yet submitted a match for their repeat gift, a little nudge can go a long way.

Fortunately, Double the Donation has a tool for this, too! All you have to do is quickly navigate to the Repeat Donors report, select the intended recipients from the provided list, and send a bulk email letting them know that they can amplify their impact just like they’ve done before.

Increase matching gift revenue with repeat donors.

Time Investment Required: Twenty minutes

Take your matching gift efforts even further.

In just 30 minutes or less, your organization can make significant strides toward increasing its matching gift revenue⁠—and making an even greater impact overall. By implementing these quick, targeted strategies, you not only maximize funds but also build awareness among donors about how easy it is to amplify their contributions.

Matching gifts represent a valuable yet often underutilized source of revenue. With these small, time-efficient efforts, you’ll ensure that more donors are aware, more gifts are matched, and your organization benefits more from every dollar.

Don’t let time constraints hold you back. By setting aside a bit of time to prioritize matching gifts, you’ll be able to unlock untapped funds, motivate donors to double their impact, and strengthen your organization’s overall giving strategy—all with minimal effort.

Interested in learning more about matching gift fundraising and beyond? Check out these additional resources:

Increase matching gift revenue without doubling your effort with Double the Donation.

VolunteerMatters + Double the Donation Volunteering integration announcement

VolunteerMatters and Double the Donation Launch Partnership to Support Corporate Volunteerism

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Double the Donation is excited to announce its latest partnership with VolunteerMatters, extending corporate social responsibility technology into the realm of corporate volunteerism. Through this collaboration, Double the Donation Volunteering is now seamlessly integrated with volunteer management software VolunteerMatters, providing organizations with powerful tools to enhance their corporate volunteer strategies and engage supporters like never before. 

“We’re excited about partnering with Double the Donation to transform nonprofits’ use of volunteer grants and volunteer time off incentives,” said Mark Hopwood, President of VolunteerMatters. “VolunteerMatters and Double the Donation share a goal of helping nonprofits create a lasting impact through their volunteer forces, which is exactly what this integration will achieve. We’re proud to offer our mutual clients a powerful tool that makes it easier than ever to unlock new volunteer opportunities and harness the full power of volunteerism.”

With this new integration, volunteers can easily provide their employment information when signing up for events through VolunteerMatters, unlocking access to corporate volunteer incentives such as volunteer grants and paid time off. Double the Donation Volunteering guides users through the process of submitting corporate volunteer requests, ensuring that nonprofits can effortlessly harness the financial benefits available through their supporters’ employers.

“As the demand for corporate social responsibility, including volunteerism, continues to rise, it’s essential for nonprofits to leverage these opportunities to their fullest extent,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “The integration of Double the Donation Volunteering with VolunteerMatters’ robust platform helps organizations enhance both volunteer engagement and corporate contributions, driving greater impact across the board.”

The VolunteerMatters and Double the Donation integration is now available to mutual clients.

Ready to elevate your volunteer engagement with corporate incentives? Contact the Double the Donation team today to schedule a personalized demo and see how 360MatchPro can work for your organization. Make sure to mention you use VolunteerMatters!

About VolunteerMatters:

VolunteerMatters offers an all-encompassing volunteer management platform designed to streamline the organization, communication, and engagement of volunteers across various sectors, including nonprofits, schools, and community groups. With a focus on providing user-friendly and intuitive solutions, VolunteerMatters makes it easy to schedule and manage volunteer activities. For more information, visit the VolunteerMatters website.

About Double the Donation:

Automate your matching gift fundraising and corporate volunteering with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The 360MatchPro platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify individuals who qualify for corporate philanthropy initiatives, drive increased participation, and gain actionable insights from the programs. 360MatchPro integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, volunteer management platforms, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up with donors accordingly. To learn more, visit Double the Donation.

 

Not a 360MatchPro client yet?

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts

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The American Cancer Society (also known as ACS) is renowned for its efforts in cancer research, patient support, and advocacy. However, one of the lesser-known secrets to its fundraising success lies in its effective use of matching gifts. By doubling—and in some cases tripling—donor contributions through corporate matching gift programs, ACS has been able to significantly increase its fundraising results.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how the American Cancer Society harnessed the power of matching gifts to double donations⁠—and see what other nonprofits can learn from their approach. Specifically, we’ll cover:

Double the Donation sat down with the American Cancer Society to discuss the organization’s matching gift strategy. Interested in learning more about how they brought about standout matching gift success? Feel free to watch a brief snippet from the webinar here⁠—or skip below to access a recording of the full, on-demand event.

Let’s begin!

American Cancer Society: Organizational Overview

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Founded in 1913, ACS has become one of the most influential nonprofits in the fight against cancer, funding groundbreaking research, providing support for patients and survivors, and advocating for cancer prevention and early detection.

Today, the American Cancer Society’s ongoing efforts are powered by volunteers, donors, and corporate partners alike, with matching gift programs playing a critical role in increasing the impact of donations. All in all, this ensures that the organization can continue making strides toward a cancer-free future with the right resources in tow.

Explore our case studies to uncover Save the Children and other organizations' matching gift strategies.

How the American Cancer Society Secured Internal Buy-In for Matching Gifts

In a recent conversation with key stakeholders—including volunteers and paid staff alike—the American Cancer Society discovered a gap in knowledge that’s proven to be hindering the organization’s matching gift fundraising success.

When internal teams lack awareness around the programs, they’re not taking the steps to rally individual supporters to get involved. That means matching gifts are slipping through the cracks, and teams aren’t prepared to stop it from happening.

As a result, the organization made it a priority to raise awareness of matching gifts across its network—starting with internal staff and fundraising volunteers.

Here’s what it decided to do:

  • Ensure team-wide knowledge. They got started by determining exactly how familiar their audience is with the idea of matching gifts. Once they had a baseline for knowledge, they made a plan to increase awareness across staff and volunteers.
  • Seek input from their stakeholders. Project leaders asked around to see what kinds of materials their team would find most valuable. As the organization’s fundraising staff are the ones who will be distributing the resources, it made sense to gather their opinions from the start.
  • Equip its fundraising team with matching gift materials. A nonprofit’s fundraising team plays a hands-on role in driving donor support. ACS made sure its team was ready to encourage matching gifts by providing staff and volunteers with helpful resources ahead of time.

Remember this: The more an internal team is prepared to proactively pursue matching gifts, the more effective a response it can expect.

P.S. Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy is free for current clients to learn from⁠—and it contains a wealth of resources for organizations to supercharge their internal knowledge.

American Cancer Society’s External Matching Gift Resources

In order to combat the lack of matching gift awareness the organization was seeing, the ACS team took time to create donor-facing materials that provided educational context surrounding the programs.

These resources include⁠—but are not limited to⁠—the following:

  • A matching gift Q&A resource, complete with common inquiries and the appropriate responses.

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts - Downloadable resource

  • An explainer doc that demonstrates how an individual will submit a matching gift to their employer.

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts - Downloadable resource

  • A brief video that overviews the matching gift opportunity and visualizes how an individual will get involved.

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts - Video

Once the team had its matching gift materials created, it was time to share them with its network⁠, both internally and externally. This allowed team members and supporters to grow their knowledge of the programs and ultimately participate on the organization’s behalf.

Not to mention, to further simplify the matching gift experience, the ACS features Double the Donation’s search tool in both its marketing materials and its video overview.

Get More Insights From the On-Demand Event Replay

We covered many of the most essential insights from the ACS matching gifts presentation in this overview. Still, there’s more to learn!

To hear the full conversation between our team and the American Cancer Society, get the webinar replay by filling out the form below.

How ACS Doubled More Donations with Matching Gifts webinar

Wrapping Up & Additional Resources

The American Cancer Society’s ability to double donations through matching gifts highlights the transformative power of this fundraising tool. By making it easy for donors to access matching gift opportunities, ACS has maximized the impact of each contribution.

Today, nonprofits of all shapes and sizes can learn from the American Cancer Society’s strategy to amplify their own fundraising efforts and make a greater difference. Matching gifts not only increase funds but also strengthen donor relationships, providing a win-win opportunity for the causes they serve.

Keep learning! Read our recommended resources to continue growing your knowledge on all things matching gifts:

Click to see how you can raise 20-50% more in matching gifts with Double the Donation.

A Look at Save the Children’s Winning Matching Gift Strategy

A Look at Save the Children’s Winning Matching Gift Strategy

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Corporate matching gifts are an invaluable revenue opportunity for nonprofits and schools. However, many organizations struggle to capture them due to low levels of awareness among their donors. With effective promotions, you can solve the issue and benefit greatly from the funds.

In this blog, we’ll cover one standout example⁠, familiarizing your team with the ins and outs of Save the Children’s matching gift strategy.

This includes:

Double the Donation works with leading organizations to help them finetune their matching gift strategies and raise more through the programs. Save the Children is one example of a cause we support, and they joined a webinar to discuss how our tools are supporting their fundraising and matching gift efforts.

In this post, we’ll summarize the event and examine how Save the Children engages supporters in a meaningful way. Here’s a quick overview of the presentation:

Let’s begin!

What to Know About Save the Children

Save the Children is a global leader in children’s advocacy, known for its impactful programs in education, health, and emergency response. For over 100 years, Save the Children has been dedicated to literally saving the world’s children by providing education, a healthy start to life, and protection from harm.

Save the Children's website

Today, the organization operates in more than 100 countries across the world. However, its success isn’t just due to the breadth of its services. It’s also driven by a powerful approach to fundraising, including a well-crafted matching gift strategy.

Explore our case studies to uncover Save the Children and other organizations' matching gift strategies.

Save the Children’s Matching Gift Page Overhaul

As of 2023, Save the Children had been receiving support from matching gift programs⁠—but the team knew it could be doing more. In order to kick off its promotional strategy, Save the Children decided to revamp its Workplace Giving and Matching Gifts information page.

The Organization’s Former Matching Gifts Page

Save the Children’s matching gift strategy was doing a lot well even before its complete overhaul. Here are a few practices the organization implemented in creating the Match Page:

  • Clearly explain the matching gift process. Most donors lack knowledge about matching gifts⁠. Simplify involvement by providing the basic information an individual should know.
  • Embed a database tool. If you invest in a tool like Double the Donation, place a database search tool on the page. Donors simply type their company name to receive employer-specific guidelines and request forms!
  • Answer FAQs. Be proactive about providing the information you think your donors will need right on the page. This can reduce the volume of inquiries your team will need to answer later, too.

Save the Children's old matching gifts page

The Organization’s New Matching Gifts Page

From there, the team also conducted the following steps to reorganize the page with the goal of bringing about better matching gift results. With a few additional tweaks and adjustments, the page is more successful than ever:

  • Simplified the information included. The goal was to be comprehensive and educational without overwhelming the visitor with too much text.
  • Incorporated clickable content section links. This assisted with navigation, making it easy to find the most relevant information for each user.
  • Restructured the page to focus on matching gifts first. With a goal of increasing visibility, the team placed Double the Donation’s widget higher⁠—and more prominently⁠—on the page.
  • Visually demonstrated the simplicity of the matching gift process. Using diagrams and other graphic elements, the organization was able to better illustrate and communicate the matching gift experience for donors.

Save the Children's new matching gifts page

The results? Save the Children saw increased site traffic and page views during a four-month period as compared to the same period the year prior. And the growth was substantial, too. According to the organization, their team saw a 966% increase in site traffic and a 903% increase in page views!

This increase in site traffic has directly resulted in more donors participating in matching gifts as well. Since their matching gift page now provides simplified, engaging information, donors are more easily able to navigate their matching gift programs.

Save the Children’s Text Message Campaign Strategy

Once you’ve created a matching gift page on your website, you’ll want to take steps to direct traffic to the resource. One thing that Save the Children did to spread matching gift awareness was employ a mass marketing text campaign around the holiday giving season.

Within this campaign, a first text message went out before Giving Tuesday, with a second text message following soon after. Both texts contained brief information about matching gifts along with a direct link to the organization’s matching gifts page, where recipients were encouraged to learn more.

The first agency text message went to the entire text mailing list, which is around ~60,000 contacts who had engaged with Save the Children in the last year. This text saw an above-average click-through rate of 2.7%—with more than 1.5K unique clicks⁠—and also brought in an estimated $2.7k in revenue even before matches were accounted for.

Save the Children's first matching gift text

Meanwhile, the second message went out to a smaller segment⁠—those who gave via a recent Giving Tuesday push⁠—but had a significant impact as well. Deployed to ~3.2k subscribers, it saw a click-through rate of 2.6% (which is a 162% increase from other mass marketing texts). Save the Children's second matching gift text

All in all, Save the Children’s matching gift strategy encompassed a range of promotional tactics⁠—from text messaging to paid advertising space and beyond. But one thing that all of its efforts had in common was the use of its Matching Gift page as a central linking target. Because the page provides comprehensive information that answers donors’ questions while also giving them insight into their company’s specific matching gift program guidelines, it makes getting involved easier than ever!

How Double the Donation’s Tools Helped Save the Children’s Matching Gift Strategy

As a Double the Donation client, Save the Children utilizes our automation platform to make matching gifts easier for their donors and fundraising staff alike. In discussing the organization’s matching gift page overhaul and subsequent text campaign, one thing the Save the Children team emphasizes is its use of the matching gift database tool.

Save the Children's matching gift search tool

“I’ll just say, from our standpoint of Save the Children, it’s been so helpful to have that Double the Donation search tool embedded on the landing page. It makes it really easy when we go to deploy visibility tactics to let people know it’s really easy to track if your employer can match your gift or not.”

Ariana Romanelli, Save the Children US

Here’s how it works:

  • An individual begins typing the name of their employer in the company search tool.
  • As they type, the solution automatically populates suggested companies. This makes it easy to select the appropriate employer without worrying about typos or misnomers.
  • When the individual selects a listing, they’re met with tailored insights regarding the company’s matching gift program (as well as other workplace giving initiatives available) in real-time. This includes minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofits, and submission deadlines.
  • The individual is encouraged to submit a matching gift by following the provided instructions and submitting the provided forms.

Save the Children has also implemented Double the Donation’s matching gift database directly within its online giving form, too. This allows users to access matching gift insights at the point of donation and even receive tailored guidelines and forms via email after contributing.

Save the Children's matching gift strategy on its donation form

Learn More: Get the Full Webinar Replay

We’ve summarized the most essential insights from our recent presentation here. But for the full look at Save the Children’s matching gift strategy, we recommend viewing the full webinar replay.

Learn more about Save the Children's matching gift strategy with the webinar.

Interested in hearing the complete conversation between a lead associate of corporate partnerships at Save the Children and Double the Donation’s own marketing team manager? Register to receive a copy of the presentation sent directly to your inbox.

Get the on-demand replay now

Wrapping Up & Additional Resources

Save the Children’s matching gift strategy serves as a valuable example for nonprofits looking to elevate their fundraising impact. By implementing clear communications, leveraging technology, and promoting programs at multiple opportunities, they’ve found a winning formula for multiplying donations.

Now, organizations like yours can draw inspiration from their approach to maximize your own matching gift potential. When executed well, matching gifts don’t just boost the bottom line. They deepen supporters’ connection to the cause, ensuring each contribution goes further in creating lasting change for children in need.

Begin by auditing your current matching gift marketing efforts. Do you have a dedicated matching gifts page on your site? If not, that’s likely where you’ll want to get started. If so, you’ll want to evaluate the existing resource and determine how exactly you’re sending traffic to the page. Then, see what changes you can implement to bring your strategy to new heights.

Keep learning! Read our recommended resources to continue growing your knowledge on all things matching gifts:

Click to see how you can raise 20-50% more in matching gifts with Double the Donation.

Collecting Employer Information in Volunteer Registrations

Collecting Employer Information in Volunteer Registrations

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Collecting employer information in volunteer registrations is a crucial strategy for nonprofits seeking to maximize their outreach, fundraising, and engagement potential. By understanding where their volunteers work, organizations can identify opportunities for corporate volunteer incentives and more.

In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of gathering employer details in volunteer registrations. Plus, we’ll provide practical tips for nonprofits to effectively integrate this step into their volunteer sign-up process. Specifically, we’re going to cover:

Equipping your team with accurate and up-to-date employer data not only strengthens relationships with individual volunteers but also opens doors to additional resources that can significantly enhance the impact of a nonprofit’s programming. The rewards are endless⁠—and the best place to access this information is directly within your volunteer registrations.

Let’s begin!

The Importance of Employer Information for Nonprofits & Schools

Collecting employer information from volunteers, donors, and other supporters is a strategic practice that can significantly benefit both nonprofits and schools. After all, understanding where constituents work provides invaluable insights that can open doors to a range of opportunities.

Here’s why employer information is crucial:

  • Uncovering workplace giving programs. Thousands of companies offer workplace giving programs where they support the organizations their employees give to or volunteer with. Knowing where your donors and volunteers work can help your team identify opportunities for matching gifts, volunteer incentives, and more.
  • Establishing more well-rounded supporter profiles. The more you know about your supporters, the better you can engage them with your organization. Use employer data to customize your outreach and add a personal touch to your communications once your supporter profiles are filled in!
  • Accessing wealth and giving insights. Prospect research can play a significant role in understanding an individual’s likelihood of giving. If you know where they work, you can estimate wealth indicators and determine approximately how much they may be able to contribute to your cause.
  • Identifying potential partnerships. Companies want to support the organizations their employees are involved with. If a number of your donors or volunteers come from a single company, try reaching out to them to pitch a one-off giving program or volunteer opportunity.

In summary, employer information is a powerful asset that fundraising organizations can leverage to do more for their missions. Collecting and utilizing this data helps organizations unlock the full potential of corporate support, ultimately advancing their missions more effectively than ever before.

Benefits of Collecting Employer Information in Volunteer Registrations

With any number of opportunities to collect employer information from your supporters, what makes your volunteer registration forms an ideal location?

Let’s take a look at the benefits of this particular method:

Volunteers are likely highly engaged with your cause while actively registering for an event. When volunteers are in the process of signing up for an event, they are actively showing interest and commitment to your cause. This moment of heightened engagement makes it an ideal time to gather additional information, such as employer details.

Volunteers are already expected to provide personal information in the registration process. During the volunteer registration process, participants are usually asked to provide basic personal details, such as their name, contact information, and emergency contact details. Because they are already sharing personal information, including an additional field for employer details is a natural extension of the form⁠—rather than an extra burden.

Volunteers love having the chance to amplify their impact through workplace giving. Many volunteers are motivated by the opportunity to make a bigger difference, and workplace giving programs, such as volunteer grants, offer a simple way to do so. When volunteers know that their employer offers opportunities to double or triple the impact of their support, they are often eager to participate.

Volunteers are often required to complete the request process ahead of engaging in their activities. When an individual wishes to use their corporate volunteer incentives (e.g., VTO), they typically need to request the time off from their employer beforehand. Promoting the opportunity from the start⁠—i.e., in registrations⁠—ensures that each volunteer has the time they need to get proper approval before the event arrives.

DTD_Volunteer Incentives CTA

How to Collect Employer Information During the Registration Process

Now that you understand why you should incorporate employer information into your volunteer registration forms, we’ll take a look at some actionable strategies that your team can adopt in order to do so.

Here’s a step-by-step overview of the process you’ll want to follow:

  1. Design an optimized volunteer registration form. Start by creating a registration form that is user-friendly and visually appealing, with a clear layout and minimal clutter. Make the form concise to encourage completion while ensuring it collects the necessary information.
  2. Implement an optional field or employer search tool. Add an optional field for “Employer Name” to encourage volunteers to provide this information. For the best results, consider implementing an employer search tool with auto-suggest. This way, as volunteers type, the tool can suggest company names, reducing the chances of typos or incomplete entries.
  3. Mention why you’re collecting the information. Provide a brief explanation about why you’re collecting this data. Explain how employer details help identify volunteer incentives that could amplify the impact of their contributions.
  4. Direct volunteer traffic to your registration forms. Begin promoting your volunteer registration forms to ensure they reach your audience. Make the registration process easy to find and complete by providing direct links and clear calls to action, encouraging potential volunteers to sign up and provide their information.
  5. Send employer data to your Double the Donation platform. If you use a platform like Double the Donation, integrate it with your registration form to automatically transfer employer information to your donor database. This streamlines the process, allowing you to identify volunteer grants, VTO, and other opportunities as efficiently as possible.

Collecting employer information in volunteer registrations - example form

Following these steps ensures that employer information is collected efficiently during the volunteer registration process. And doing this enables your organization to leverage corporate giving programs, build partnerships, and maximize the impact of volunteer contributions.

Learn more about Double the Donation’s Volunteer functionality with this quick video:

Leveraging Employer Information for Volunteer Programs

Once you’ve collected employer data (whether in your volunteer registrations or otherwise), it’s time to put it to good use. One of the most valuable purposes of this information is locating available corporate volunteer programs.

While these programs vary from one company to the next, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the types of programs you might see. Generally, these include:

  • Volunteer grants ⁠— Corporate programs where companies provide monetary donations to nonprofits based on their employees’ volunteer hours. This incentivizes employees to engage in volunteer work and helps nonprofits receive additional funding.
  • Volunteer time off (or VTO) ⁠— Programs that allow employees to take paid time off from work to volunteer for charitable organizations. This encourages employees to give back to their communities without sacrificing their personal time or pay.
  • Skills-based volunteerism ⁠— Opportunities that involve employees using their professional skills and expertise to support nonprofit organizations. This type of volunteerism provides access to high-quality professional services like marketing, legal, or IT that may otherwise not fit in the organization’s budget.
  • Corporate volunteer days ⁠— Organized events where a company’s employees participate in volunteer activities as a group. These events may be held during work hours and are often planned around specific causes or projects, such as environmental cleanups or community service projects.

Each of these programs encourages employee involvement in the community and helps companies support charitable causes in meaningful ways. When you know where your volunteers (or donors!) work, you can identify individuals who may qualify for workplace volunteer programs like these.

Collecting employer information in volunteer registrations - example form

Not to mention, when you utilize Double the Donation’s volunteer incentive database tool, you can even provide company-specific information on available volunteer programs directly from your registration confirmation page!

Common Challenges and Solutions for Collecting Employer Information

If you don’t currently have a strategy for collecting employer information in volunteer registrations, don’t fret. Many organizations face challenges when it comes to gathering this information, but we’ve got the solutions ready for you.

Challenge: Not collecting the information at all.

Organizations often overlook the value of employer information and may miss the opportunity to collect it during volunteer registrations. This can limit their ability to identify corporate philanthropy opportunities, such as matching gifts or volunteer grants, and hinder their efforts to maximize volunteer contributions.

Solution: Start asking for employer information in volunteer registration forms.

To overcome this challenge, organizations should add an employer information field to their volunteer registration forms. Even if it’s optional, including this field increases the chances of gathering valuable data that can help unlock corporate giving opportunities.

Challenge: Collecting the information too late.

When employer information is requested after volunteers have already signed up or participated in an event, it can be challenging to gather accurate data. This delay may reduce response rates or lead to missed opportunities for volunteer grants or volunteer time off associated with recent activities. Not to mention, VTO requests generally need to be submitted before the event takes place.

Solution: Request employer information from your initial volunteer sign-ups.

To avoid this issue, organizations should ask for employer information at the very start of the volunteer registration process. This ensures that relevant details are collected upfront, allowing the organization to identify corporate giving opportunities and engage volunteers with workplace giving programs right from the beginning. Plus, early collection sets the stage for more effective follow-up and donor engagement.

Challenge: Leveraging outdated information.

Just because you’ve accessed an individual’s employer information at one point in time doesn’t mean it will be the same for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, relying on outdated employer information can be problematic, as supporters may change jobs or employers over time. This can result in inaccurate data and missed opportunities if the organization continues to base its outreach on outdated records.

Solution: Regularly refresh supporters’ profiles with up-to-date details.

To keep employer information current, organizations should periodically prompt volunteers and donors to update their profiles. And the best way to do so is to ask them for the information each time they register for an event or complete a donation!

Regularly refreshing supporter data ensures that organizations have accurate information for pursuing volunteer incentives and broader corporate partnerships alike.

Challenge: Employer information going unused.

Even when employer data is collected, it may not be effectively leveraged by the organization. This lack of data utilization often results in missed opportunities to engage volunteers and corporate partnerships going unrealized.

Solution: Utilize the information for workplace giving incentives.

Train your staff on the importance of leveraging employer information for fundraising and corporate engagement. Teams can use this data to identify volunteer incentives, target companies with multiple supporters, or reach out about establishing new programs.

See it in Action: Organizations Collecting Employer Info in Volunteer Forms

Maybe you’re considering the addition of an employer information field⁠—or search tool⁠—to your volunteer registration forms. But first, you want to see what other organizations are doing.

You’re in luck! Check out the following examples of leading fundraising organizations collecting employment information directly as individuals register for volunteer activities.

Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to advocating for and protecting animals through rescue, advocacy, policy change, and more. In order to work toward its mission effectively, this national nonprofit engages volunteers across the country in a number of virtual, in-person, and hybrid roles.

Plus, when an individual registers to become a volunteer for the organization, they’re prompted to provide information regarding their current employment status. This includes an entire section dedicated to fields such as employer name, job title, and even matching gift eligibility.

How Humane Society of the USA collects employer information in volunteer registrations

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

As a renowned pediatric treatment and research facility, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is focused on finding cures and treating children with catastrophic diseases. To elevate its impact, the organization is continuously seeking volunteers to help out in roles related to event support, fundraising, office and administration, and more.

When an individual registers to become a volunteer with St. Jude, they’re asked to complete a number of form fields⁠—including personal information, contact information, and employment details.

How St. Jude collects employer information in volunteer registrations

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a prominent breast cancer organization committed to funding research, community health programs, and advocacy efforts to combat breast cancer.

When an individual is interested in volunteering, they’re prompted to fill out a brief online registration form. In addition to fields relating to volunteer interests, motivations, and more, the organization also asks volunteers to provide the name of their current employer⁠—allowing the team to uncover available corporate giving opportunities and more.

How Susan G. Komen collects employer information in volunteer registrations

American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a major health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke by funding research, promoting healthy lifestyles, and supporting patient care. The leading nonprofit benefits from generous volunteer support through a number of individual and corporate volunteer opportunities alike.

In fact, the AHA even supplies a dedicated inquiry form for companies interested in organizing corporate volunteer events. This resource collects information about the business, its employees, and any current volunteer incentives⁠—including Dollars for Doers!

How AHA collects employer information in volunteer registrations

It even links out to the organization’s dedicated Matching Gifts Page, which includes a company search tool for users to access their employers’ program information.

Next Steps for More Impactful Volunteer Registrations

Including employer information in volunteer registrations offers a valuable opportunity for nonprofits to expand their networks and increase fundraising potential. By connecting with volunteers’ workplaces, organizations can unlock opportunities such as volunteer grants, volunteer time off, and even corporate partnerships.

For nonprofits looking to elevate their impact, taking the time to collect and leverage this information can make a significant difference. It’s a simple step that not only enhances the volunteer experience but also fosters stronger ties between nonprofits, volunteers, and their employers.

Interested in securing additional support for your cause? Check out these additional resources to learn more:


Scale up your organization's corporate volunteer strategy with 360MatchPro 💡

Matching Gift Text Marketing Spreading the Word Via SMS

Matching Gift Text Marketing | Spreading the Word Via SMS

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In today’s digital age, text messaging has emerged as one of the most powerful and effective ways to connect with supporters⁠—especially when it comes to matching gifts. However, many donors remain unaware of these opportunities, resulting in missed revenue for nonprofits. Lucky for you, that’s where matching gift text marketing comes into play!

By spreading the word about matching gifts via SMS, your organization can quickly inform supporters about the potential to multiply their contributions, boost engagement, and drive more funds toward your cause.

In this post, we’ll explore the key benefits of using text messages to promote matching gifts, share best practices for crafting compelling messages, and provide examples to help you get started. Specifically, we’ll cover:

Whether you’re new to SMS marketing for matching gifts or you’re looking to optimize your existing strategies, we’ll guide you through making the most of this channel to maximize your matching gift revenue.

Let’s dive into how matching gift text marketing can help spread the word, drive action, and unlock more fundraising potential for your nonprofit.

The Importance of Marketing Matching Gifts

Corporate matching gifts offer significant fundraising potential for nonprofits and schools. Many companies offer matching gift initiatives where they match employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits, essentially doubling or even tripling the original contributions. Not to mention, donors are more likely to give⁠—and to give in larger amounts⁠—when they know a match is available.

However, a lack of awareness regarding the programs has ultimately led to billions of dollars in matches going unclaimed each year. So, what does this mean for your cause?

It all boils down to this: taking a proactive approach to marketing matching gifts is essential.

Promoting matching gifts effectively helps bridge the awareness gap and motivates donors to take advantage of these corporate giving programs. By educating your audience on how matching gifts work, establishing social proof, and providing easy access to information and forms, you can create a streamlined process that encourages participation.

Check out our matching gift marketing guide

Why Market Matching Gifts Via Text Message?

Once you’ve established the general importance of marketing matching gifts, the question to answer is this: What is the best channel, or combination of channels, to get the job done?

With high open rates and immediate reach, SMS has the potential to significantly enhance your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts—especially when it comes to promoting matching gifts.

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via text

As a result, marketing matching gifts via text message is an incredibly effective way for nonprofits to reach their supporters wherever they are, at any time. In today’s fast-paced world, people are always on the go, with their phones close at hand. Text messaging allows organizations to offer a direct and personal touch that other communication channels can’t quite match.

With just a few taps on their phone, donors can learn about matching gift opportunities and take action immediately, making the giving process simple and convenient.

The effectiveness of text marketing for matching gifts is further underscored by its exceptionally high open rates. On average, text messages boast open rates of around 98%, far surpassing those of emails or even social media viewership. This means that when a nonprofit sends a text message about matching gifts, it’s almost guaranteed to be seen by the recipient.

By leveraging text marketing, organizations can ensure that their message isn’t just delivered but actually read—significantly boosting the chances of donors following through with a matching gift request.

Additionally, text messages create a sense of urgency and immediacy, prompting donors to act without delay. This makes it a perfect tool for time-sensitive fundraising efforts, such as year-end campaigns or giving days, where matching gifts can significantly amplify the impact of donations. With mobile-friendly links and information at their fingertips, supporters can easily access resources to complete the matching gift process, leading to more submitted requests and increased funding.

Best Practices for Innovative Matching Gift Text Marketing

In the rapidly evolving landscape of nonprofit fundraising, text marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for engaging donors and maximizing the impact of matching gifts. As organizations look for innovative ways to connect with supporters, leveraging SMS to spread the word about matching gift opportunities can significantly enhance outreach efforts.

This section will cover best practices for implementing effective text marketing strategies specifically tailored to matching gifts.

Personalize your engagement.

Personalization is key in any marketing strategy, and text messaging is no exception. When communicating with supporters about matching gifts, it’s important to add a personal flair. This can mean addressing them by their name, referencing their past contributions, or providing employer-specific matching gift information.

Personalize your matching gift text marketing efforts.

By personalizing your messages, you show each donor that they are a valued individual rather than just part of a larger audience, increasing the likelihood that they will engage with your content and take the intended action.

Keep your messages short and sweet.

Text messages have a character limit⁠—and are often read on the go⁠—so brevity is crucial. Aim to convey your message in as few words as possible while still providing the essential information.

Keep your matching gift text marketing short and sweet.

A well-structured, concise message will ensure that your audience can quickly grasp the purpose and act accordingly. A straightforward approach respects your supporters’ time and enhances the chances of them responding positively, as they won’t feel overwhelmed by lengthy texts.

Send a link to your dedicated matching gifts page.

When it comes to matching gift text marketing, establishing a clear and specific CTA (or call to action) is a must. For the best results, we recommend sending text traffic to a dedicated matching gifts page on your nonprofit’s website.

Link to your match page from matching gift text marketing efforts.

Including a direct link to a centralized resource hub simplifies the process for donors, providing clear information on how matching gifts work, program benefits and criteria, and instructions for involvement. Not to mention, your match page should have an embedded matching gift search tool, making it easier than ever for donors to uncover their matching gift eligibility and kick off the request process.

Incorporate visuals and emojis.

While SMS is primarily a text-based medium, incorporating visuals and emojis can grab your audience’s attention while enhancing your message’s appeal and clarity. A well-placed emoji can add personality and emotion to your message, making it feel more engaging and friendly. 💝 Meanwhile, branded graphics or images can be incorporated into multimedia messages (or MMS) to illustrate your matching gift campaign in a visual manner.

Add visuals to your matching gift text marketing.

These small touches can make a significant impact, helping your messages stand out in an often overcrowded inbox.

💡 Top tip: Use Double the Donation’s free matching gift marketing templates (available for clients to use within the Double the Donation platform) to create and distribute beautifully branded, professional-level graphics.

Track and analyze performance metrics.

Performance metrics are essential to any marketing campaign, allowing your team to measure its success with tangible goals and insights. When it comes to tracking and analyzing your matching gift text marketing, monitoring data such as open and click rates, matching gift conversion rates, and more is crucial.

By analyzing these matching gift marketing indicators, you can gain insights into what resonates with your audience, allowing you to evaluate, refine, and adjust your strategies over time.

Bonus: Utilize Double the Donation’s enterprise text functionality.

In addition to hosting a dedicated matching gift awareness campaign, another way to use text marketing involves following up with donors after they give to your cause. This allows you to target individual givers with personalized messaging at the height of their engagement with your cause, increasing the likelihood that they’ll take the next step for a matching gift.

It doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, either⁠. In fact, eligible Double the Donation users can enable SMS follow-ups in a few clicks, ensuring donors receive applicable messaging throughout their journey. While this feature is currently available only for Enterprise accounts, it provides a powerful opportunity for an organization to bring its automated outreach to the next level.

360MatchPro's enterprise matching gift text marketing functionality

Interested in upgrading your account? Learn more here.

25 Sample Text Messages to Market Matching Gifts Well

With the convenience of mobile communication, text messages provide a direct line to your supporters. However, crafting the perfect outreach can be a challenge.

To help your nonprofit effectively promote matching gifts and make the most of this communication channel, we’ve compiled a number of sample text messages below.

Text message #1:

  • “Did you know your donation could be doubled? Many companies offer matching gifts for employee donations. Check if yours does and make an even bigger impact: [link].”

Text message #2:

  • “Double your impact today! Many employers will match your donation to [Nonprofit Name]. See if your company participates here: [link].”

Text message #3:

  • “You gave. Now your employer can, too! Find out if your company matches donations to [Nonprofit Name] and increase your gift’s impact: [link].”

Text message #4:

  • “Matching gift alert 🚹 Your employer may be able to match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name]. Find out here: [link].”

Text message #5:

  • “Stretch your support further! đŸ’Ș Your donation could be matched dollar-for-dollar through your company’s matching gift program. Check eligibility: [link].”

Text message #6:

  • “Great news! Many companies will match employee donations to [Nonprofit Name]. Double your donation today by checking here: [link].”

Text message #7:

  • “Want to make an even bigger impact? đŸ’„ Your employer might match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name]. Learn more about matching gifts: [link].”

Text message #8:

  • “Thank you for your donation! Did you know it could go twice as far with a matching gift from your employer? See if you’re eligible: [link].”

Text message #9:

  • “Help us reach our goal! 🎯 Your donation can be doubled with a matching gift from your employer. Check your eligibility: [link].”

Text message #10:

  • “Double your donation without giving twice. 💾 Many employers match employee gifts. Find out if yours does here: [link].”

Text message #11:

  • “Don’t miss the chance to double your impact! Many companies match employee donations. See if your gift is eligible for a match: [link].”

Text message #12:

  • “Multiply your generosity! đŸŒ± Your donation could be matched by your employer. Find out if your company participates: [link].”

Text message #13:

  • “Did you know? Your employer might match your recent donation to [Nonprofit Name], making your gift go even further. Check now: [link].”

Text message #14:

  • “Double your support for [Nonprofit Name]! Many companies will match your donation. It only takes a minute to check if your employer participates: [link].”

Text message #15:

  • “Your impact could be twice as great! 🔍 See if your employer matches donations to [Nonprofit Name] and submit your request here: [link].”

Text message #16:

  • “Your generosity inspires others. Did you know your donation could be doubled by your employer? Learn more about matching gifts: [link].”

Text message #17:

  • “Thank you for supporting [Nonprofit Name]! 🙏 Your employer might match your donation. Double your impact here: [link].”

Text message #18:

  • “Matching gifts are a great way to increase your donation’s value. See if your company will match your recent contribution to [Nonprofit Name]: [link].”

Text message #19:

  • “Maximize your donation! 🏆 Find out if your employer will match your gift to [Nonprofit Name] and help us do even more good: [link].”

Text message #20:

  • “Make your donation go further this Giving Tuesday! Many companies will match your gift to [Nonprofit Name]. Check if yours does: [link].”

Text message #21:

  • “Matching gifts = double the impact! See if your employer matches employee donations to [Nonprofit Name] today: [link].”

Text message #22:

  • “You’ve already made a difference. Now, double it! See if your employer offers matching gifts to increase your donation’s impact: [link].”

Text message #23:

  • “Make your donation work twice as hard! 👐 Many companies will match employee gifts to [Nonprofit Name]. Check your eligibility here: [link].”

Text message #24:

  • “Did you know your gift could be doubled at no extra cost to you? See if your company matches employee donations to [Nonprofit Name]: [link].”

Text message #25:

  • “Your support means the world to us. 🌍 Take it a step further by submitting a matching gift request if your company participates: [link].”

By leveraging text marketing as a direct communication channel, your team can quickly and effectively remind donors about matching gift opportunities, keep them engaged, and inspire them to take action.

Just remember: the key is to tailor your messaging to resonate with your supporters, encourage participation, and ultimately help your organization maximize its matching gift potential.

Case Study: How One Organization Implemented Matching Gift Text Marketing

Save the Children, a large-scale, global humanitarian organization, decided to enhance its matching gift efforts by employing a text message marketing campaign. The goal was to raise awareness about matching gifts among their supporters while sending traffic to their newly renovated workplace giving page.

The text message marketing effort spanned several weeks and included targeted deployments to different segments of Save the Children’s subscriber base. The two key text messages in the campaign were sent on November 17 and December 2, the latter being just after Giving Tuesday.

Let’s take a look:

Matching gift text marketing example from Save the Children

“Your donation to Save the Children may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Learn more: https://savetext.us/mgift?mk=61090499
Reply STOP to Quit”

The first message was sent to approximately 57,000 subscribers who had engaged with Save the Children over the past year. With no specific donation request included, the message aimed to raise awareness about matching gifts, encouraging recipients to learn more about the opportunity. Despite not featuring a direct fundraising ask, the campaign achieved an impressive click-through rate (CTR) of 2.7%, translating to about 1,500 unique clicks. As a result, the text message helped raise $2,700 in donations, demonstrating that even subtle reminders can drive meaningful engagement.

“THANK YOU for supporting children this Giving Tuesday
and always! Thanks to your generosity we’ll be able to make a significant impact in the lives of countless children. Now, do you want to see if you can make your gift go twice as far? Check if your employer offers a matching gift program: https://savetext.us/TY-mgift?mk=33219057
Save the Children
Reply STOP to Quit”

The second text message was targeted at a much smaller segment: around 3,200 subscribers who had made a donation within the four days surrounding Giving Tuesday. This message saw a strong CTR of 2.6%, well above the average of 1.6% for similar mass-market text campaigns. The success highlighted the effectiveness of targeting recent donors, especially during high giving periods such as Giving Tuesday.

Save the Children’s text message marketing efforts proved to be an effective way to increase awareness of matching gifts, achieving above-average click rates and directly raising funds through minimal outreach. This illustrates the potential of using text message campaigns for nonprofits like yours, showcasing that personalized and well-timed texts can boost engagement and revenue alike.

Looking to learn more? Access the on-demand webinar recording here to hear directly from Save the Children.

Explore matching gift case studies to see how organizations market matching gifts via text and more

Wrapping Up & Additional Matching Gift Marketing Resources

Incorporating matching gift text marketing into your nonprofit’s outreach strategy is a game-changer for maximizing fundraising results. Given the immediacy and high open rates of text messages, this channel can help your organization capitalize on matching gift opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed⁠—all in a timely and convenient manner.

Ultimately, matching gift text marketing can help bridge the gap between supporters and the corporate philanthropy opportunities available to them, ensuring that your nonprofit captures as much matching gift revenue as possible. Start implementing SMS into your matching gift promotion strategy today, and watch as it helps unlock more funds, increase donor engagement, and elevate your organization’s mission.

Ready to learn more about strategic matching gift marketing efforts? Check out the recommended resources below:

Click to see how you can raise 20-50% more in matching gifts with Double the Donation.

Double the Donation and OneCause Integration Announcement Feature

Double the Donation and OneCause Enhance Integration to Streamline Matching Gift Experience

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Double the Donation and OneCause are excited to debut new integration enhancements that will allow organizations to further streamline the matching gift fundraising process. This expanded functionality reflects the partnership’s continued commitment to facilitating matching gift revenue acquisition. 

The new integration enhancement allows users to access company-specific matching gift next steps directly from the confirmation page screen. With this enhanced functionality, organizations can identify and secure more matching gifts during the giving process.

“The integration has made matching gifts effortless for everyone. With the new confirmation page, donors are guided to take the next step in submitting their matching gifts, ensuring no opportunity is missed,” said Stephanie Ragozzino, Chief Product Officer at OneCause. “This intuitive enhancement not only simplifies the experience but also significantly boosts the likelihood of doubling the impact of every donation.”

The enhancement simplifies employment data capture and automates segmented outreach. When a donor completes their OneCause Peer-to-Peer donation form, Double the Donation determines the donor’s specific matching gift eligibility and provides a link to the associated matching gift employer. 

“Although many donors are eligible to have their gift matched by their employer, donors often lack awareness and can be unsure of what next steps they need to take, “ says Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “This enhanced integration with OneCause will allow organizations to effectively bridge that donor awareness gap.” 

Double the Donation integrates seamlessly with OneCause Peer-to-Peer donation tools to automate the matching gift process for donors. Accessing this integration will enable fundraising organizations to initiate and continue matching gift conversations with donors while they are in the giving process. As a result, these organizations will be able to acquire more matching gift revenue while strengthening donor relationships.

drive more matching gifts to completion with Double the Donation

 

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with Double the Donation! 

Double the Donation ensures your matching gift opportunities don’t fall through the cracks.

Take advantage of this solution to:

  • Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: Double the Donation 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 Double the Donation 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 Double the Donation 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 thatDouble the Donation can handle the rest.

Looking to learn more? Check out our in-depth integration guide to get started!

About OneCause: OneCause is a powerful fundraising solution that delivers innovative, easy-to-use software for auctions, peer-to-peer, text2give, events, payments, and more. Learn more at www.onecause.com. 

About Double the Donation:  Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation 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://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/.