The Ultimate Guide to Employer Appends for Fundraisers

The Ultimate Guide to Employer Appends for Fundraisers

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You likely gather many details about your donors⁠—those who support your cause with their funds, time, or resources. Perhaps you collect names, contact information, engagement history, interests, and hobbies. The more comprehensive an understanding you have of each supporter, the better you can tailor your fundraising strategy to effectively reach your target audience.

However, one critical piece of the puzzle that’s often overlooked is employment data. Knowing where your donors work can play a significant role in how you relate to them in terms of fundraising, corporate giving opportunities, and more. And if you don’t already have this data point on file? That’s where employer appends come in.

In this guide, we’ll provide a walkthrough of all things employer appends⁠—including:

Understanding your donors’ employment status can elevate your fundraising efforts in huge ways. You won’t want to discard the wealth of information gathered through employer appends, nor the amplified impact it brings.

Let’s get started!

Leverage well-built donor profiles with Double the Donation.

The Basics of Data Appends

The Basics of Data Appends

Data appends are a particular type of data enhancement strategy that allows nonprofits and other fundraising groups to learn more about the individuals in their networks. These efforts aim to provide organizations with more comprehensive and up-to-date information, often concerning their donors and other supporters. This empowers fundraisers to adjust their messaging and overall engagement strategies by better discerning who a donor is and what makes them tick.

Organizations typically provide the information they do have to a company dedicated to data enhancement services. The company then compares donor information against a mega-database of individual data, filling in the details the organization lacks as they go.

Types of data appends
Employer appends, in particular, empower organizations to collect new and optimized data regarding the companies their supporters work for. Beyond employer information, other common types of data appends include mailing addresses, email addresses, birth dates, and phone numbers.

As you’ll notice, these types of appends primarily fill in missing or outdated contact information. That makes connecting with supporters easy for email outreach, phonathon fundraisers, direct mail solicitations, and other campaigns.

What Are Employer Appends?

What Are Employer Appends?

Employer appends are one of the most common types of data appends for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations. In this case, the unknown information an organization seeks is that of a donor’s employer.

By providing other data points⁠—such as the person’s name, location, phone number, education experience, etc.—the intended result is to locate the company that the individual works for (and sometimes even their job title!). In the end, the organization receives invaluable insights that can help uncover matching gift and other workplace giving opportunities, estimate wealth data, and more.

How Employer Appends Work for Fundraisers

The employer appends process is simple. After locating a data appending service (we’ll cover what to look for below), you’ll want to collect as much data about your donors as possible. This should include:

  • Name
  • Unique ID number
  • Mailing address (home, business, or both)
  • Region (state, city, and country)
  • Email address(es)
  • Phone number(s)
  • College or university (along with class year and major/degree, if available)
  • Last gift amount
  • Date of last donation
  • Date the entry was last updated

You will likely not have every data point available for each donor. And that’s okay! However, starting with as much information as possible increases the likelihood that the appending service provider can locate and match supporter records to the right employer information.

The employer appends process

From there, the appending service will conduct its own research, typically scanning a number of public and privately held databases, which may include government records, SEC filings, social media profiles, business registrations, and more.

When the service provider is able to match a donor record with an employing company, they make a note of the identified information, check the newly collected data for accuracy, and share their findings with the organization. Ultimately, the organization is able to utilize the information to its best advantage in terms of optimal fundraising and donor relations.

Enhance nonprofit fundraising with an employer append from Double the Donation.

Benefits of Employer Appends

Benefits of Employer Appends for Nonprofits and Universities

Employer appends can bring big results to nonprofit fundraising. Knowing where your donors and other key supporters work plays a significant role in overall engagement strategies, not to mention enabling targeted efforts regarding available workplace giving opportunities.

Benefits of employer appends
Specifically, employer appending can help your team:

Determine matching gift eligibility ⁠—

Thousands of companies offer matching gift programs where they agree to match employee donations to charitable organizations.

However, you likely won’t know which donors are eligible for (and, as a result, which to follow up with about) matching opportunities if you don’t know where they work. In fact, this knowledge gap even results in over $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funding going unclaimed each year!

Once you have the information you need, however, you’ll be able to prompt qualifying donors to complete the match process and secure additional funding on your organization’s behalf⁠. This is true not only in the form of corporate match revenue but in elevated individual giving (and donor engagement), as well.

Keep in mind that matching gift services⁠—like Double the Donation—can help nonprofits target and follow up with matching gift opportunities as well. However, employer appends are often able to provide additional data points with which to guide an organization’s strategy, allowing fundraisers to capture supporter information even if the individual is not currently in the donation pipeline.

Here’s an example: “Jody, did you know that your employer, the Home Depot, matches full- and part-time employee donations up to $3,000 per person each year? Click here to request your matching gift!”

Uncover volunteer grant opportunities ⁠—

Similarly, if your organization has a supporter base of dedicated volunteers, corporate volunteer grants can help stretch their donated time even further. These are additional giving programs offered by philanthropic-minded businesses, the difference being that employers contribute monetary funds to the organizations with which their employees volunteer their time. Volunteer grants, which are also referred to as “dollars for doers,” can be an excellent way to multiply the impact of volunteer time for your organization, and supporters love being able to get involved in that way as well.

But again, you’ll need to know which companies your volunteers work for, which is where your employer appends come in. That way, you can be sure to inform them about the opportunities, encourage participation, and direct them to their employers’ request processes to get involved.

Here’s an example: “Thanks for all of your help at the shelter this weekend and over the past several months, Sam! As a Verizon employee, your volunteer hours likely qualify you to request a corporate volunteer grant on our behalf. Click here to learn more about how to request your grant!”

Identify potential corporate sponsorships ⁠—

Corporate sponsors can bring your nonprofit’s next fundraising event to the next level, and knowing which companies your supporters work for can aid in determining top prospective sponsors and help get your foot in the door! Once you know where your donors work, leverage the information as an in with a potential sponsor or encourage donors to advocate for a partnership on your behalf.

Here’s an example: “Ashley, it’s great to connect with the Microsoft team. More than 100 of our nonprofit’s donors work for Microsoft, and we’ve received thousands of dollars in matching gifts from your company in the past. As it’s clear that we already have a lot in common, would you be interested in sponsoring our upcoming event?”

Estimate wealth data ⁠—

Your donors’ wealth levels can play a significant role in their ability to give charitably, and understanding their limits can help organizations determine ideal fundraising asks. Knowing which companies your donors work for, their roles in the businesses, and more can help shed light on their estimated incomes and, by extension, giving abilities.

Here’s an example: “Sarah, we thank you for your continued support of our nonprofit cause. Will you consider making a $10,000 donation to help us reach our year-end giving goal?”

Tailor donor communications ⁠—

You want your donor outreach to be as personal and targeted as possible. Including direct references to donor-specific information helps develop relationships and shows that you’re not sending the same copied-and-pasted message to each person in your contacts. And, as you likely know, targeted messaging can be one of the best ways to develop strengthened, beyond-surface-level donor relationships, build connections with the cause, and ultimately drive more nonprofit involvement among supporters.

Highlighting an individual’s employing company can be a great way to do so, especially regarding getting involved with workplace giving programs. And if you don’t already have your donors’ employment information, that’s where employer appends can help.

Here’s an example: “Jeffrey, the Walt Disney Corporation offers a range of corporate giving opportunities that can benefit our organization in big ways. As a member of the Disney team, you have the chance to participate in matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more.”

Learn more about your supporters ⁠—

The more you know about your supporters⁠—donors, volunteers, and prospects alike⁠—the better you can connect with the individuals who make your mission possible. Since most people’s careers are a key component of their lives and what makes them who they are, understanding where they work and what they do can be a key piece of the “getting to know your donors” puzzle. Plus, it can even help shine a light on their own interests and hobbies.

Here’s an example: “As a Petco employee, you likely care about the wellbeing of the little, furry friends in our community. That’s exactly what our organization, the Atlanta Animal Shelter, is dedicated to, as well. Learn more about how you can get involved with the cause here!”

A sample donor dashboard with profiles completed using a data append

Overall, employer records are an extremely beneficial tool for designing targeted and effective outreach⁠. However, you likely don’t have that information on file for all of your supporters. By leveraging employer appends, you can collect the information you need to guide your organization’s engagement efforts toward success.

Leverage well-built donor profiles with Double the Donation.

Employer Appends Services

Employer Appends Services | What to Look For

It’s possible to conduct donor research on your own; however, your organization is significantly more likely to uncover accurate and up-to-date information about more donors more quickly when you outsource the efforts to a third-party provider. And employer appends services are dedicated to doing just that in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

So how can you select the right employer (or other donor data) appends provider for your needs? Be sure to do your research beforehand.

For example, here’s how it works with Double the Donation:

  • Organizations typically see successful appends rates between 20% and 50% of the records they provide to the appending service (which is significantly higher than the industry average).
  • Employer appends are typically completed and provided within a few days of the organization submitting their inputs.
  • Appends records are assigned an accuracy rating. This takes into account the uniqueness of a donor’s name and the level of detailed inputs initially provided, as well as the comprehensiveness and recency of the data source used.
  • As an added bonus, previously unknown corporate executives are often identified and flagged as potential major donors.
  • Multiple appending options are available, including real-time employer appends for Double the Donation users, as well as one-time bulk appends services for any organization.
  • Employer appends can be uploaded into Double the Donation to trigger matching gift emails and other automated donor outreach.

Employer appends - inputs and outputs

Questions About Employer Appends

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Our propriety screening method combines data from both publicly and privately available sources. These sources include public government records, SEC filings, social media profiles, business registrations, and a variety of other sources.

We typically see append rates which range from 20%-50%. This is based on a variety of factors such as:

  • Donor demographics (higher append rates among organizations which have a greater percentage of donors still in the workforce)
  • Average donation amount (higher append rates for wealthier donors)
  • Type of nonprofit (higher append rates for higher education)

Our accuracy score is based on a number of factors including:

Uniqueness of donor names:
With only a name it can be tough to determine whether we’ve identified the correct individual. The number of individuals with the same name plays a role in our accuracy score. A search for a common name such as “Steve Smith” will have a much lower accuracy score than a more unique / one of a kind name.

Level of detail provided on a record:
The more information that you provide on each record, the greater the accuracy score. Even though there may be 1,000 individuals named “Steve Smith” if we’re able to match additional fields such as a phone number or mailing address it increases the accuracy score for that record.

Our data source / date the data source was updated:
We recognize that not all of our data sources are created equal. The data source, as well as the update frequency, plays a role in each individual record’s accuracy score.

Our ability to append employer data is dependent upon the input file an organization provides to us. Organizations which keep their databases up-to-date see the best results.

For instance:

  • Do you have an up-to-date email address?
  • Do you have an up-to-date mailing address?
  • For higher education institutions, can you provide us with the years your donor / alumni graduated?

It depends. Very rarely does an organization have comprehensive data on all of its donors, especially when you consider an organization which raises funds from multiple channels (mail, online, phone, in-person, etc.)

We do request that you provide us with as much data as you can as it helps us locate and match your records to the appropriate individual.

Our matching gift database is comprised of the following two tables:

  1. A table mapping subsidiaries to parent companies
  2. A table mapping all company details to a single parent company

These tables are then joined using a unique ID that ties all the data together.

Yes — though this feature is currently exclusive to Double the Donation Enterprise.

Here’s how it works:

  1. An organization navigates to the “import wizard” to upload its employer appends CSV file.
  2. The organization previews record uploads to ensure the data has been mapped properly.
  3. The organization leverages employer append workflows to match Unknown Eligibility donors with the correct employers.

You can learn more about leveraging bulk employer appends files alongside Double the Donation with our Knowledge Base article on the topic here.

Concluding Thoughts

The more you know about your donors, the more effectively you can target and attract them to your cause. Not to mention, having employment data on file empowers organizations to seek workplace giving opportunities as well.

You may have a solid base of information pertaining to donors’ employing companies already. However, employer appends can go a long way toward filling in the blanks and connecting the dots⁠. This is especially true in terms of matching gift programs, volunteer grants, and more.

Interested in further developing your organization’s donor data strategy? Dive into these other forms of data appends services⁠—and how they can benefit your team⁠—below:

Enhance nonprofit fundraising with an employer append from Double the Donation.

How to Harness Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and Matching Gifts

How to Harness Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and Matching Gifts

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Peer-to-peer fundraising is a great way to extend your fundraising reach and collect additional revenue to fuel your mission. So is a well-thought-out matching gift marketing plan. When you combine the power of peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts, you’ll have something particularly impactful in store for your organization.

But how can you marry the two strategies to produce a fundraising effort that brings giving and engagement to new heights for your cause? Walk through the key steps and recommendations here to find out.

In this informative guide, we’ll cover the following:

Your supporters love giving to your mission in a way they know is making a difference. Peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts each allow them to expand their impact beyond what would have been possible on their own.

Now, let’s jump in!

Unlock the power of peer-to-peer fundraising with matching gifts.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Basics

Before we dive into our specific tips for layering peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts, it’s important to establish a solid understanding of the peer giving opportunity. Here’s a quick refresher:

What is peer-to-peer fundraising?

Also known as P2P, social, or team fundraising campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising is a key revenue-generation strategy for nonprofits, schools, and more. This method is characterized by individual fundraisers leveraging their personal networks to solicit donations on behalf of the causes they support.

Peer-to-peer fundraising illustration

In other words, with a peer-to-peer fundraising approach, an organization empowers its donors, volunteers, and other supporters to request funds from friends, family, colleagues, and anyone else in their social orbits.

Today, these gifts are largely contributed online, often facilitated through dedicated peer fundraising tools that provide each volunteer with a personalized fundraising page. From there, fundraisers are encouraged to customize their campaign pages to share information regarding their background, stories, and connections to the organization’s cause.

Major benefits of peer fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a unique way to garner support from existing supporters through their personal connections. This model expands fundraising reach organically⁠—and exponentially⁠—effectively tapping into diverse segments and demographics an organization may have been unable to reach on its own.

Check out this example:

Let’s say your nonprofit pet shelter has a generous and devoted donor named John Doe. John Doe gives regularly to support the organization from which he adopted his beloved furry friend a few years back. You’re familiar with John, who is a key contributor to your cause. However, you don’t know the individuals in John’s network⁠—his family, friends, colleagues, and more. You’d love to expand your reach to encompass more people like him, so you initiate a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to which John signs on as an ambassador.

Throughout the course of the fundraiser, John encourages his loved ones to support his efforts on behalf of your organization. He personalizes his fundraising page with photos and stories of his cherished pet in the time since it was rescued.

Sample peer-to-peer fundraising page

When he shares the link to his campaign, those in John’s circle are eager to pledge their support for his upcoming fundraising walk. After all, they know how much John’s pet means to him, and they have your organization to thank for it!

Peer-to-peer fundraising thrives on the authenticity of personal narratives, making campaign asks increasingly compelling for those who get involved. Or, at the very least, it gets your organization’s name and cause out in front of a greater audience, driving increased awareness for your mission.

The viral nature of the campaigns also amplifies visibility, attracting new supporters and establishing social proof⁠. That’s the belief that when individuals see their peers supporting a cause, they’re more likely to do so—ultimately leading to more giving overall.

Check out this brief benefit breakdown to see more advantages of peer fundraising:

Benefits of peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts for nonprofits

  • Engaging with new audiences ⁠— When your supporters reach out to their own networks with a fundraising ask on your behalf, you’re able to reach groups who may have been previously inaccessible to your team on their own. Once these new supporters have gotten involved, you can begin the process of stewarding them into long-term donors themselves!
  • Providing new ways for supporters to get involved ⁠— Many of your supporters would love to give more than their financial limitations will allow. Peer-to-peer fundraising can be a great way for this group to extend their support in a new and exciting way⁠—especially when you add in matching gifts!
  • Increasing fundraising ROI ⁠— The decentralized structure and volunteer-driven nature of peer-to-peer giving campaigns reduce initial fundraising costs. This allows your team to reinvest those resources elsewhere, including funneling more into tangible impact on your mission.

And it’s a popular way for individuals to show their support for their favorite organizations! In fact, fundraising research estimates that over 10% of all U.S. and Canadian donors participate in peer-to-peer fundraising efforts benefitting nonprofit organizations.

Here’s why:

Benefits of peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts for supporters

  • Driving cause-related impact ⁠— Your donors care about your mission, and they want to see your organization make an impact in that realm. Supporters are typically happy to become advocates for your cause when they know it will make a positive difference.
  • Strengthening mission ties ⁠— The more connected a supporter feels to your organization, the more likely they are to stay engaged with your efforts over time. Becoming a peer fundraiser for your cause places an individual squarely on your team, reinforcing an existing bond that keeps them coming back time and time again.
  • Growing sense of achievement ⁠— Empowering individuals to champion causes within their networks fosters a sense of ownership and community engagement. And when they bring in any amount of funding for the organization for which they’re fundraising, they’re able to feel a significant sense of accomplishment in the role that they’ve played.

And don’t forget the benefits reaped by your organization’s beneficiaries, either. With additional funds flowing into your nonprofit and more dedicated donors to sustain your efforts in the long run, your mission’s audience can experience new and improved programs and services, too!

Popular types of peer-to-peer fundraisers

Peer-to-peer giving is not a one-size-fits-all effort. In fact, there are countless campaign types and fundraising ideas your institution may choose to implement. And they can all provide substantial results in terms of engagement, funding, and more.

Here are a few of the most familiar examples of peer-to-peer fundraising to consider:

  • Sample peer-to-peer fundraising effortRun/walk/rides ⁠— Including 5K races, marathons, cycling events, and more, participants seek sponsors who donate or pledge their support for the effort.
  • Other “thon-style” events ⁠— Supporters partake in any continuous activity (dancing, reading, gaming, standing, etc.), while loved ones pledge funds to fulfill after the event based on their sponsee’s performance.
  • Birthday or holiday fundraisers ⁠— Foregoing traditional gifts, supporters request donations to a chosen organization. This empowers personal celebrations like birthdays and holidays to make a difference for their favorite causes. (Think: Facebook Fundraisers!)
  • Personal challenges ⁠— Participants take on individual challenges, such as giving up a habit, learning a new skill, or setting a personal goal. Then, for every day/practice/success/etc., pledgers contribute their support accordingly.
  • Memorial or tribute campaigns ⁠— Campaigns held in honor of a loved one. Typically supporting a cause that held significance to the recently departed. (e.g., “In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to [designated charity] using the giving page linked here.”)
  • Giving days or months ⁠— Campaigns hosted within designated short-term fundraising periods. Often based around affinity months or mission-related celebrations (e.g., LGBTQ+ pride month, breast cancer awareness day, Giving Tuesday, etc.)

The consensus? Many of these efforts incorporate impact-driving elements such as urgency, gamification, digital engagement, and healthy competition. The diverse campaign options not only raise support effectively but also cultivate a sense of shared purpose and community.

The Impact | Multiplying P2P Success With Matching Gifts

Did you know combining the power of peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts can assist organizations in reaching and surpassing their fundraising goals?

When a company offers matching gifts, it agrees to double (or triple) the donations its employees make to qualifying nonprofits. As a result, matching gifts can offer a powerful multiplier effect to nearly any fundraiser, bringing about astounding success.

Peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts illustration

One of the best examples is with peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. Combining peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts will effectively scale up your efforts by directing additional revenue toward your cause. And it’s not just the corporate funding, either. Individual donors are more likely to give⁠—and to give generously⁠—when they know a match is available.

Why? Peer-driven campaigns naturally foster a sense of community and shared purpose. When coupled with the heightened impact produced by matching gifts, they become even more compelling.

In fact, corporate giving research indicates that mentioning matching gifts leads to a 71% increase in fundraising response rates. And organizations see 51% growth in their average donation size compared to gift appeals that don’t incorporate matching gifts.

Incorporating matching gifts into your overall peer fundraising strategy also allows donors to make a greater impact on your mission. Matching gift donors are more inclined to have a positive giving experience and, thus, stay involved with your organization in the long run.

4 Ways to Secure Matching Gifts From Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns

There’s a wide range of companies that offer matching gift programs, and the programs themselves can vary from one employer to the next. All in all, we’ve identified four key ways organizations can secure matching gifts from peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.

These include the following:

Matching event registration fees

When supporters sign up for your organization’s upcoming peer-to-peer fundraiser, they may be asked to pay a registration or participation fee. Did you know that these types of transactions can qualify for a match from the individual’s employer?

Different companies set different rules to guide their matching programs and establish which types of gifts they will match. However, the most common stipulation is that the contribution to the organization should be a tax-deductible one. While registration fees (as a whole) typically do not fall into this category, a crucial portion of the fee likely does qualify for a tax deduction. Thus, the individual needs to know how much of their total transaction falls under this umbrella and, therefore, is matchable.

For example, let’s say a $50 fee buys an event t-shirt and meal for each registrant. In that case, you’d need to calculate and deduct the Fair Market Value (or FMV) of those items⁠—as well as any other provisions⁠—from the total transaction amount. What’s left likely qualifies for a corporate match from the registrant’s employer.

Matching gifts for peer-to-peer fundraising registration fees

Our recommendation: As you implement a peer-to-peer event registration process, be sure to embed a matching gift search tool to collect employment data within your online registration form. Once equipped with this information, you and your donors will be empowered to locate available matching gift opportunities and take the appropriate next steps in the process!

Matching individual P2P donations

In addition to volunteer fundraisers soliciting donations on your organization’s behalf, another key player in the peer-to-peer fundraising game is the one (or many) who support the cause through a loved one’s P2P page. And this group can qualify for matching gifts, too!

Thus, ensure that any matching gift promotions incorporated in your traditional giving process are also reflected in your peer-to-peer efforts. (For example, collecting employment data with a company search tool on your donation form, incorporating a program database widget on your confirmation screen, browsing for corporate email addresses, instituting automated email cadences, and more.)

In this scenario, the match experience is the most similar to a gift contributed through your organization’s standard donation form equipped with Double the Donation functionality. An individual fills out an online giving form, provides their company name using a search tool, and submits the contribution. The biggest difference is that the gift is facilitated through a peer-to-peer fundraising platform rather than your basic donation tool.

Matching individual donations to peer-to-peer fundraisers

Our recommendation: If you’ve invested in a matching gift automation tool like Double the Donation, be sure to enable integrations with all of your giving tools! This should include your standard giving forms, CRM or donor database, and peer-to-peer fundraising platform.

Luckily, Double the Donation seamlessly partners with 100+ of the sector’s largest donation and peer giving tools. Adding the functionality to your P2P forms should be simple! Just remember: you don’t want matches to go unclaimed just because this fundraiser is being hosted on a new platform.

Matching fundraisers’ total collected gifts

Most companies’ matching gift policies require that matchable gifts are contributed directly by the employee requesting a match. But some employers offer fundraising matches, too⁠—either as a subcategory of matching gifts or a separate program altogether.

What’s the difference?

In a fundraising match program, a company matches the sum of all gifts contributed to an employee’s peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Despite the funds not coming directly from the individual’s wallet, the employer supports their fundraising efforts by doubling all donations. (E.g., John Doe collects $1,572 from 18 donors in his network. John’s employer, State Street Corporation, provides a fundraising match for an additional $1,572, bringing his total to $3,144.)

Matching peer-to-peer fundraisers' total collected gifts

While these programs are less commonly offered than traditional matching gifts, the impact, when available, can be significant. So, it’s not something you want to overlook, especially when looking to revamp your peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts efforts.

Our recommendation: Use the employment data collected within the peer-to-peer registration process to screen for any existing fundraising match programs your participants’ employers may offer. If available, pass the information along to your supporters and encourage them to take the next steps outlined in their companies’ program guidelines.

Remember: implementing an automation tool like Double the Donation allows you to effectively leverage your donors’ workplace giving information and uncover the best opportunities for support through your donor base!

Establishing custom matching gift partnerships

Sometimes, companies are interested in giving back to their communities and in getting their employees on board to do so. However, they don’t yet offer existing matching gift initiatives. In this case, they may decide to form a custom matching gift partnership with a specific nonprofit organization. And this final type of matching gift program pairs particularly well with peer-to-peer fundraising.

All a company has to do is let its employees know they’re sponsoring an upcoming fundraising event⁠—such as a run/walk/ride⁠—by matching team members’ associated gifts. The match offer will incentivize employee participation in the campaign and ultimately drive more revenue and engagement for your organization.

Custom matching gifts and peer-to-peer fundraising example

Our recommendation: Scour your database for dedicated supporters employed by companies without matching gift programs already. Then, see if these individuals would be interested in taking on a unique advocacy role for your organization. If so, encourage supporters to pitch custom matching gifts to their employers in tandem with an upcoming peer-to-peer fundraising event. We even provide a helpful template for doing so in this guide!

Alternatively, you may decide to reach out to such companies on your own. Still, pursuing partnership opportunities with your supporters’ employers can be an excellent way to get your foot in the door. Plus, it allows your team to demonstrate shared interests and audiences with a prospective partner.

Best Practices for Smart Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and Matching Gifts

Setting your organization up for maximal matching gift success is easy when you know what to do. Check out these expert-approved best practices to promote awareness and participation in matching gifts and peer-to-peer fundraising efforts alike.

1. Prepare P2P fundraisers with matching gift knowledge and resources.

One critical challenge facing nonprofits in their peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts efforts is a lack of knowledge altogether. If donors have no idea their employers will double their contributions to your cause, they won’t take the steps required to request their company matches. Thus, to address the awareness issue in a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, we recommend empowering volunteer fundraisers with the knowledge and resources to advocate for the opportunity to their peers.

This way, if a potential donor were to seek information regarding a donation match, the fundraiser would know how to handle the inquiry. You should also provide a range of easily accessible resources, such as pre-made graphics, email, text, and social media templates, and other educational materials they can use to inform their own audiences about the chance to amplify their support.

Sample peer-to-peer fundraising matching gift graphic

For example, a supporter fundraising for a pet rescue might share a graphic like this one on their social media pages. In the caption of their post, they’d link to the organization’s dedicated matching gifts page where interested donors can learn more about the opportunity.

2. Provide supporters with FMV/tax deduction info regarding their gifts.

Since most companies will only match the tax-deductible portion of any nonprofit transaction, simplify the process for all parties by making this information readily available.

We suggest identifying the figure beforehand and providing it for each event participant. Consider building it into the registration page itself, the payment confirmation screen, and a follow-up email that includes the complete gift receipt.

Simplify peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts with FMV and tax deduction information

In order to calculate the tax-deductible total, you’ll need to determine the Fair Market Value⁠—or what your event ticket is tangibly worth. According to the IRS, an item’s FMV is the price it would sell for on the open market. Or the price that would likely be agreed on between an informed and willing buyer and an informed and willing seller.

Subtract that figure from your total transaction cost, and you’ll have your tax-deductible donation amount!

3. Automate the process with an integrated peer-to-peer and matching gift solution.

Nowadays, successful peer-to-peer campaigns rely on powerful and user-friendly giving platforms designed specifically for social fundraising success. In order to incorporate matching effectively, it’s important to equip your team with a seamlessly integrated matching gifts solution.

Doing so allows you to scale up your matching gifts identification, education, follow-up, and reporting with no additional effort required of your fundraising team. For example, Double the Donation provides:

  • Screening and identification tools to uncover match-eligible donors in your database
  • A user-friendly search widget for donors to research their eligibility and take guided steps to complete their submissions
  • Automation capabilities to streamline tailored outreach to these donors
  • Security features to protect private donor and organization data
  • A full reporting dashboard that aids in measuring and analyzing your organization’s matching gift efforts
  • Ready-built integrations with each of the leading peer-to-peer fundraising platforms

The platform can even streamline the donor experience by providing supporters easy access to the information they need. And it ultimately increases the likelihood of successful matching gift submissions⁠—meaning more funding for your organization.

Interested? Check out this two-minute overview to learn more:

Bonus! How Top P2P Organizations Incorporate Matching Gifts In Their Efforts

See the above practices in action. Explore the ways these well-known organizations encapsulate smart matching gifts and peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives. As you get inspired, make a note of the strategies from which you think your team can benefit.

P.S., the following organizations are part of the Peer-to-Peer Top 30⁠—an annual breakdown of the highest-grossing social fundraising events each year. These three were also featured in this Top Nonprofits analysis of leading organizations’ matching gift digital efforts!

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night

Hosted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Light the Night is one of the largest peer-to-peer fundraising walks each year. And the LLS team behind the event does an excellent job integrating matching gifts into their efforts.

How? The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society strategically mentions matching gifts in the Light the Night donation form to ensure all donors are exposed to the opportunity. Plus, it also uses the form to collect employment information, which is then used to screen for match-eligible gifts.

Here’s what the peer-to-peer fundraising form looks like:

Light the Night's peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts efforts

Then, after giving, supporters receive thoughtful follow-ups reminding them about potential matching opportunities and encouraging them to get involved.

Dana–Farber Cancer Institute’s Pan-Mass Challenge

The Pan-Mass Challenge, which benefits Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, goes above and beyond to incorporate matching gifts into its peer-to-peer fundraising efforts.

How? The cycling event hosts a detailed matching gifts page on its website, complete with an embedded matching gift company search tool and other valuable information. When a donor searches their employer’s name, they’re provided with an in-depth breakdown of an associated matching gifts program. This includes eligibility criteria, match information, and even direct links to their online submission forms.

Take a look at the matching gift page here:

The Pan Mass Challenge's peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts efforts

By providing easily accessible information, the Pan-Mass Challenge team ensures donors are equipped with the tools needed to take advantage of matching gift opportunities should they choose to do so.

Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s takes a proactive approach to matching gifts within its peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. After gathering employment data within the giving process, the organization segments donors by match eligibility and triggers targeted follow-ups accordingly.

For match-eligible donors, these follow-up emails include direct links to their companies’ guidelines, policies, and online submission links. It ultimately simplifies the process for donors to initiate matching gift submissions on their own.

Check out a sample matching gift follow-up email below:

Walk to End Alzheimer's peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts efforts

This type of strategic post-donation communication ensures that matching gift opportunities⁠—and the organization itself⁠—remain at the forefront of donors’ minds. And it gives each recipient an easy way to maximize the impact of their contributions in support of the cause.

Explore 360MatchPro matching gift case studies

Final Thoughts on Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and Matching Gifts

Matching gifts can take your peer-to-peer fundraising events to the next level. You might be surprised at how quickly your investments in the strategies can multiply! Just ensure you use the right tools and approaches to get the most out of the efforts for your organization.

Educate your staff and supporters on the opportunities at play. Communicate the tangible impact of matching gifts to inspire participation. And automate the process from start to finish to scale up your fundraising efficiency.

Keep learning! Check out these additional resources to continue growing your peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts knowledge:

Bring your fundraising to new heights with matching gifts and P2P fundraising CTA

Double the Donation and CrowdChange Partner to Debut Innovative Matching Gift Integration

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Double the Donation and CrowdChange is excited to announce their new partnership and unveil a technical integration between Double the Donation and the CrowdChange fundraising platform. This collaboration equips nonprofit organizations to take advantage of the underutilized fundraising avenue that is corporate matching gifts.

“CrowdChange is committed to providing an intuitive, comprehensive fundraising platform for our partners,” says Marni Wiener, Chief Revenue Officer at CrowdChange. “By integrating with Double the Donationby Double the Donation, we enhance our existing fundraising platform and give our clients the tools they need to raise more from matching gifts.”

Leveraging Double the Donation and CrowdChange, organizations will be able to identify more match-eligible donors during the donation process and drive those matches to completion with Double the Donation’s customizable, automated workflows. This technology simplifies the matching gift process for donors and nonprofits alike, making it that much easier to bring in revenue from corporate matching programs.

“Double the Donation is excited to launch this partnership and add Double the Donationto CrowdChange’s powerful fundraising suite,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “Nonprofit organizations often miss out on valuable matching gift funds, but with this technical integration CrowdChange users are equipped to make the most of matching gifts and raise more for their mission.”

The seamless integration between Double the Donation and CrowdChange equips fundraisers with the industry-leading matching gift software, effortlessly connecting donors to the next steps and raising more for the causes that matter most.

360MatchPro - Activate in seconds and start raising more from matching gifts!

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

With this seamless integration and streamlined activation process, you can connect your CrowdChange and Double the Donation instances in minutes.

Shows a user entering their 360MatchPro API keys into CrowdChange to activate the integration

Once you’ve connected your CrowdChange and Double the Donation accounts, all that is left to do is add the Double the Donation search tool to your donation forms! Donors can identify their employer on the donation form and be met with actionable next steps on the thank you page.

Double the Donation also sends automated email notifications to donors following the donation to reconnect donors to their matching gift application form based on their employer information, making it even easier to drive revenue with matching gifts. 

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

 

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 that Double the Donation can handle the rest.

How Double the Donation tools drive value

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

About CrowdChange: CrowdChange is a comprehensive events and fundraising software platform in the market. With an easy-to-use, no-coding design and features to cater to all your fundraising needs. Whether you’re planning signature events, DIY, or peer-to-peer campaigns, their platform provides the perfect tools for seamless execution. Ideal for non-profits, hospital foundations, universities, schools, and other impactful organizations, CrowdChange empowers you to take charge of your fundraising. To learn more visit https://www.crowdchange.co/home-og#Talktous

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, visit https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/

Double the Donation's 2023 Year in Review Summary

2023 at a Glance | Double the Donation’s Year in Review

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As we near the end of another extraordinary year, the Double the Donation team is thrilled to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve taken in our 2023 Year in Review. Throughout these last twelve months, we’ve seen remarkable growth, exciting developments, and forward-thinking strategies emerge.

And we’re thrilled to review some of our most compelling milestones and updates here! These include:

Now, let’s rewind and see what’s happened in the past year.

Exciting product updates & enhancements

Over the last twelve months, Double the Donation has continued to enhance our flagship product, 360MatchPro. Marked by an exciting array of more than 35 product updates and enhancements in the past year, the consistent developments are designed to bolster our matching gift automation platform and its overall effectiveness for users⁠.

Let’s take a look at some of our standout new features and enhancements here:

Matching gift auto-submission released ⁠to improve and simplify the matching experience

As one of our most cutting-edge developments, matching gift auto-submission came out of beta this year! By significantly streamlining the match request process and strengthening relationships between companies and nonprofits, auto-submission functionality remains projected to yield matching gift revenue growth of 200% or more.

Three key steps in the matching gift auto-submission process

Learn more about matching gift auto-submission here

Custom matching gift program management to empower deeper corporate partnerships

Custom (or “one-off”) matching gift programs can provide organizations with an additional source of matching gift funding. Initially offered exclusively to 360MatchPro Enterprise clients but now available for all standard users as well, our new custom matching gift program functionality makes managing these opportunities simple and impactful for nonprofits.

2023 year in review - custom matching gift management feature

*As a note: this feature is designed specifically for fundraisers to manage their end of the matching gift process⁠. If you’re a corporation interested in matching gifts, let us know, and we’ll refer you to a corporate vendor partner that can help.

Learn more about custom matching gift programs here

Improved tracking and reporting functionality ⁠to demonstrate the impact of matching gift automation

We want to make match tracking and reporting as easy (and insightful) as possible for our users. In order to do so, recent product updates include a new “Simple Statistics” module, a donor event tracking log, an updated reporting tab that provides quick, pre-built action items and data-informed recommendations, and more.

Sample matching gift reporting dashboards - updated interface for our 2023 year in review

Learn more about matching gift reporting here

Renewed VPAT for Revised 508 Standards ⁠to verify and increase software accessibility for all users

An accessibility audit and updated Voluntary Product Accessibility Template ensure our platform stays up to date with and adheres to the most current accessibility guidelines. After all, our goal is always to offer a fully inclusive tool for fundraisers and donors alike.

Learn more about matching gift accessibility here

These product updates and more have paved the way for our most powerful solution yet. As a result, our team is better equipped to serve nonprofit fundraisers and aid as they maximize their matching gift potential. And we’ve built a strong foundation for future advancements in 2024 and beyond.

Continually expanding client base

At Double the Donation, we take great pride in our ability to forge meaningful relationships with an ever-growing number of nonprofit and school fundraisers. Over the past year, we’ve been delighted to welcome more than 1,800 new organizations into our ever-growing client family.

Here’s what a few of our newly onboarded clients have had to say:

“360MatchPro has been an excellent tool for uncovering matches from donors and, moreover, has integrated easily into our giving pages on various platforms.

What especially stands out, though, is Double the Donation’s superb customer service and support. We love partnering with our contact there; she always takes the initiative to make sure we are getting the best use out of the product. Also, she is always ready to hop on a Zoom call whenever we need her support.”

— Mamie Smith, The Westminster Schools

The Westminster Schools is an example of a new Double the Donation user

“The Double the Donation team is incredibly responsive and knowledgeable. Their willingness to help has been instrumental in our organization’s implementation of the platform.”

— Catalina Fischer, Plan International USA

Plan International USA is an example of a new Double the Donation user

“Even if you are remotely interested in finding out more, I highly recommend setting up a demo to explore the possibilities.”

— Christie Deems, Rubicon Programs

Rubicon Programs is an example of a new Double the Donation user in 2023

“360MatchPro has saved us a ton of manual work. Once we set up our templates and schedules, the system did the work for us–sending out matching gift reminders and updates. Our onboarding specialist was super helpful, providing us with checklists and support to keep us on track and to make sure we didn’t miss anything during setup. We already have folks opting in to make matching gifts! 360MatchPro is definitely increasing our revenue stream.”

— Liz Dixon-Eversole, Milton Academy

Milton Academy is an example of a new Double the Donation user in 2023

By collaborating with causes like these across widespread verticals and mission types, our team is honored to support the work our clients are doing to make a positive impact on the world around them.

As we head into 2024, we’re excited to see the upcoming successes that occur as new organizations dive deeper into strategic matching gift fundraising with our tools.

Numerous new & enhanced partnerships

At Double the Donation, successful partnerships are at the core of what we do. We understand that the more extensive our integration offerings, the more effortlessly organizations can incorporate matching gifts into their existing donation processes. This facilitates a streamlined and positive experience for donors, ultimately increasing the impact of their support.

That’s why we continually prioritize partnership network growth by establishing integrations with new donation tools, peer-to-peer fundraising software, CRMs, corporate giving platforms, and more. At the same time, we’re improving and enhancing existing integrations to provide the most seamless, impactful solutions for our clients.

In 2023, we’re happy to report that our team has celebrated more than fourteen new integrations and eighteen partnership enhancements. And that’s in addition to our existing technology network!

Double the Donation's matching gift partnership network growth - 2023 year in reviewWith these new integrations, along with ones that are soon to come, we’re excited to continue building industry relationships that will propel the matching gift fundraising ecosystem to new heights.

Remarkable levels of overall matching gift success

A key recurring highlight of our annual Year in Review report involves examining our clients’ monumental matching gift fundraising outcomes. And this year was no exception!

So far in 2023, Double the Donation software users have boasted impressive metrics like these:

Double the Donation's 2023 Year in Review matching gift performance

Not only do matching gift strategies identify new opportunities for additional funds, but they also produce greater levels of donor engagement with impactful communications and outreach. And this year, we are glad to say that our clients have reaped the benefits outlined above and more!

Significant matching gift database growth

At Double the Donation, our extensive matching gift and volunteer grant database is one of our most powerful assets. And organizations use this tool every day to power their own corporate giving strategies.

That’s why it’s so crucial that we provide the best, most comprehensive compilation of program information⁠. And why we continue to expand its coverage and scope.

At the time of our 2023 Year in Review, our database consists of more than…

  • 24,493+ company records
  • 26,800,000+ employees represented
  • 99.68% estimated coverage of match-eligible employees
  • 91% form availability for match-eligible donors

Double the Donation's matching gift database tool - 2023 year in review

2023 Year in Review - Double the Donation's database growth

And these figures will only continue to grow⁠—especially as corporate giving trends show more and more companies matching gifts.

Invaluable matching gift resources

A lot of what we do at Double the Donation involves equipping nonprofits with the resources to maximize matching gifts. In addition to our complete automation platform, 360MatchPro, another type of tool we provide is educational content on corporate giving.

This year, the Double the Donation team has significantly grown our resource library. We’re proud to introduce a wealth of readily available materials, such as…

Plus, we can’t forget about our most standout resource this year: the Matching Gift Academy! This online learning system, which is available free of charge to Double the Donation users (a $199 value/year), consists of all new materials with 11 modules, 45 lessons, and 7 hours of video content. It provides a comprehensive, self-paced, and immersive learning experience for nonprofit professionals looking for a complete overview of the matching gift opportunity.

Check out this quick overview of our webinar offerings to learn more:

By equipping fundraisers with a robust array of resources, we empower organizations to make the most of matching gifts to the best of their ability. After all, knowledge is power!

Wrapping Up

As we eagerly step into the new year, we’re filled with excitement and enthusiasm for what’s to come. To our inspiring clients, partners, team members, and more: we greatly appreciate the support you’ve given us this year⁠. We truly couldn’t do it without you!

We look forward to another year of innovation, growth, and development as we continue to seek new ways to empower fundraisers to maximize their matching gift potential.

From all of us at Double the Donation, here’s to a joyful holiday season and a prosperous, promising year ahead. Thank you for being part of our journey, and we can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store!

Make the most of matching gifts for your organization. Learn more about Double the Donation and our year in review here.

Transitioning to Double the Donation's Standard Plan

Transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan

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At Double the Donation, our commitment to improving our offerings and ensuring alignment with advancements in the industry⁠—and, more importantly, with the needs of our clients⁠—has always been at the forefront of our operations. Today, in order to meet the growing need, we offer varying subscription tiers for our flagship product, Double the Donation Matching.

In this guide, we want to overview our most popular feature tier, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan⁠—and everything an organization should know about upgrading its account to benefit from this plan.

Follow along to explore these key topics:

When it comes to maximizing matching gifts with automation, it’s important to us that our users are connected with the right tools for the job. For tons of nonprofits and schools, that means Double the Donation’s Standard Plan.

Keep reading to see if it’s what you need to power your matching gift efforts!

The Double the Donation Difference

Double the Donation is the industry-leading matching gift automation provider, supplying powerful workplace giving tools to thousands of organizations across its network of users. The platform covers matching gifts and more⁠—including volunteer grants, volunteer time off, and even corporate sponsorships programs.

What is Double the Donation’s Standard Plan?

Double the Donation Matching is our most popular feature tier—a complete matching gift automation solution. The platform incorporates the matching gift plugin tool but also goes several steps further to proactively identify and pursue matching gifts.

Specifically, our Standard Plan incorporates…

  • A multi-faceted approach to uncovering match-eligible donors;
  • Timely and personalized follow-up email cadences;
  • Complete branding and personalization options;
  • Optimized data reporting and synchronization.

Check out this 60-second overview to learn more:

By transitioning to our standard plan, more matching gifts are driven to completion, resulting in substantial corporate and overall fundraising revenue growth for its users. Not to mention, the entire process is automated for fundraising organizations and their donors, producing an optimized matching gift experience for everyone involved⁠. This also provides organizations with more time to devote to the most lucrative opportunities without worrying about potential matches slipping through the cracks.

Explore matching gift case studies to see how organizations are marketing matching gifts in the donation process and more.

Double the Donation’s Pricing Tiers: FAQ

Choosing the right Double the Donation plan for your organization is essential for maximizing matching gift revenue. With multiple feature tiers available, nonprofits may have questions about which plan best suits their needs.

In order to address any uncertainty, we’ve compiled a list of frequent inquiries below:

What pricing plans does Double the Donation offer?

Double the Donation offers multiple pricing tiers designed to meet the needs of nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Each plan provides access to the company’s industry-leading matching gift automation platform, but the features available vary based on the selected tier.

Today, available plans include:

Essentials ⁠— For organizations with less than $1M in total annual revenue, the Essentials Plan can be a great starting point⁠—especially for nonprofits looking to introduce matching gifts into their fundraising strategy for the first time. The starter plan provides access to Double the Donation’s matching gift database, allowing donors to search for their employer’s matching gift eligibility. However, this tier includes limited integration (one donation form integration per Essentials account) and customization capabilities, meaning organizations have a more restricted view of their efforts overall.

Standard ⁠— Next, the Standard Plan is our most popular option, offering a balance of automation and customization to maximize matching gift revenue for nonprofits and schools using the tools. This plan is ideal for organizations of all sizes looking to scale their matching gift efforts while reducing administrative workload. It’s currently recommended for organizations raising more than $1M in total annual revenue.

Enterprise ⁠— Finally, the Enterprise Plan is the most advanced option, designed for large nonprofits and institutions handling high donation volumes and with a need for advanced customization functionality. It includes everything within the Standard plan, plus parent/child accounts, multichannel messaging, custom APIs, and more.

Who qualifies for the Essentials plan?

The Essentials Plan is designed for smaller nonprofits looking to take advantage of corporate matching gifts without the need for advanced automation. To qualify for this plan, organizations must meet specific criteria, including having annual revenue under $1 million. In other words, in order to register for the Essentials plan, organizations must have reported less than $1 million in total revenue per year on their most recent Form 990.

As organizations grow and generate additional revenue, they may need to transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan to take full advantage of exclusive features like CRM integrations, advanced customization, and one-off matching gift program management. Why? Those additional features are going to better accommodate their needs and help them unlock even more growth opportunities.

Why are mid-size and larger organizations better suited for the Standard plan?

While the Essentials Plan is an excellent entry-level option for smaller fundraising groups, it is exclusively available to organizations with less than $1 million in total annual revenue. If your nonprofit exceeds $1 million in nonprofit revenue, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan⁠—such as the Standard—to continue service.

However, even beyond meeting basic qualifications, we recommend that most organizations go with the Standard Plan to maximize their matching gift potential. In addition to expanded functionality, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan can also be the more cost-effective option for large-scale causes.

Rather than being billed by usage, the Standard plan incorporates a flat annual fee⁠. For growing nonprofits handling a high volume of donations, this is generally going to be the best fit, providing the tools and automation needed to scale efficiently and maximize matching gift revenue in the long run.

Benefits of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan: Impact + Value

Over time, it’s become evident that transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is more than an upgrade. It’s an opportunity to employ a transformative tool for nonprofits and education causes looking to implement effective matching gift fundraising with ease.

The overall benefits it offers are multi-faceted and include (but are certainly not limited to) the following…

Automated Matching Gift Marketing and Workflows

Through its advanced functionality and extensive database, Double the Donation identifies matching gift opportunities at the moment of donation. It then guides donors through the process, driving these opportunities to completion and potentially doubling or tripling your matching gift fundraising revenue.

By automating this process with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, you can secure more matching gifts without adding extra work for your team. This means less time wrestling with data and more time focusing on your cause. In fact, the platform’s intuitive design and functionality make managing your fundraising efforts a breeze. It’s a comprehensive platform that provides actionable insights, automates follow-ups, and offers streamlined reporting.

Seamless Data Ecosystem

Double the Donation Matching integrates seamlessly with over 100+ donation tools and CRM systems. This means a smooth flow of data between your various platforms, reduced manual input, and enhanced accuracy.

Even better? Transitioning to Double the Donation’s standard plan includes all integrations⁠—donation forms and CRMs alike—at no additional cost! (Hint: we recommend integrating both a donation form provider and a donor database to ensure fuller coverage of your network.)

 

Enhanced Donor Engagement

With automated, personalized outreach, Double the Donation ensures that donors are always aware of matching gift opportunities. Meanwhile, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan not only drives donor engagement but also encourages repeat donations. By providing donors with information about their employer’s matching gift programs, you empower them to make their donations go even further.

More and Larger Donations

By making it easy for donors to discover and apply their employer’s matching gift programs, Double the Donation Matching can help you increase the size and impact of donations. After all, donors who know their gifts will be matched are often more motivated to give and give more generously.

Elevated Matching Gift Conversion Rates

More corporate matches are submitted and received by donors and organizations utilizing Double the Donation’s Standard Plan than any other matching gift solution—including Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan.

As supporters walk through the initial donation and subsequent matching gift processes, Double the Donation is known for driving individuals further down the respective funnels. All in all, users see more individual donation revenue in addition to elevated matching gift success.

Double the Donation Essentials vs. Our Standard Plan

Double the Donation Standard includes everything offered by Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan, plus innovative new features that bring nonprofit and educational fundraising to new heights.

Take a look at the additional functionality offered by our flagship automation solution:

Key FeatureDouble the Donation EssentialsDouble the Donation Standard
Hosted Matching Gift Page✓✓
Matching Gift Plugin✓✓
High-Level Summary Statistics✓✓
Donation Form Integrations✓✓
CRM Integrations✗✓
Automated Email Streams✗✓
Matching Gift Auto-Submission✗✓
Detailed Analytics Dashboard✗✓
CSV Data Import✗✓
Company Exclusions✗✓
Advanced Customization Settings✗✓
Unlimited Users✗✓
Volunteer Essentials Included✗✓

Not to mention, additional differences between the two subscription plans include…

Multiple Fundraising Software Integrations

Another fundamental advantage of transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is that it integrates directly with nearly all of the most popular donation tools, CRMs, and peer-to-peer fundraising platforms out there. This makes it easier than ever for nonprofits and educational institutions to incorporate matching gifts in every phase of the fundraising process. And with Double the Donation Standard, you can benefit from connecting multiple integrations at once (including donor management software!) to ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.

If we don’t already integrate with your favorite giving solution? Don’t worry⁠—we’re developing new partnerships every day. Not to mention, there’s still a lot you can do by transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, even without a native integration with your fundraising software.

One-Off Matching Gift Program Management

One-off matching gift program management allows organizations to create and oversee custom matching gift programs tailored to their specific fundraising needs. This feature is currently exclusive to Double the Donation’s Standard and Enterprise Plans, enabling eligible nonprofits to add unique matching gift programs directly into the database platform.

With this capability, organizations can ensure that donors working for companies with exclusive or cause-specific matching gift opportunities—such as limited-time campaigns or event-based matches—can easily access and utilize these programs.

In contrast, our Essentials Plan does not include this feature, meaning nonprofits must track and communicate these opportunities externally rather than integrating them into the Double the Donation platform.

More In-Depth Data Reporting

Though the Essentials Plan provides access to birds-eye view statistics, such as the top companies searched in an organization’s matching gift plugin, transitioning to Double the Donation Standard brings the scope of matching gift data reporting to a new, comprehensive level.

Pictured in a sample dashboard below, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan empowers fundraisers with smart insights into their current matching gift efforts as well as lucrative opportunities for expanding initiatives.

This 360-degree view includes analytics such as:

  • Total revenue, number, and percentage of donations marked as match-eligible
  • Total revenue, number, and percentage of matching gifts submitted
  • Total revenue, number, and percentage of verified matches received
  • Email delivery, open, and click rates
  • Campaign comparisons
  • Top workplace giving companies
  • Repeat donors
  • And more!

Double the Donation's Standard Plan dashboard

Getting Started with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan

As we make this critical transition together, we want new Double the Donation Standard users to feel ready for the change⁠—and empowered with the tools and knowledge they need to make the most of the platform.

Here are a few things your team can do to prepare!

Understand the Unmatched Value

The cost of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan reflects the significantly increased value and capabilities it offers. Not to mention, our pricing is scaled based on a number of factors⁠. These include the size of an organization and its individual fundraising amounts. The result is that smaller organizations pay less than larger ones.

All in all, pricing plans are designed to provide a significant return on investment⁠—producing an average 20-50% increase in match revenue.

Some organizations have even identified enough matching gifts using Double the Donation’s Standard Plan in a single day to cover the subscription cost for a year!

Utilize Personalized Assistance

During your transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, our dedicated client success team will reach out to provide assistance. Our goal is to help maximize your Double the Donation platform, ensuring you’re leveraging its features to their fullest potential.

We’re here to support you every step of the way as you navigate this process. Feel free to contact our support team with any questions or for assistance with your Double the Donation Standard account.

Learn More About Double the Donation Matching

To support your transition, we’ve prepared several materials that dive deeper into the benefits of Double the Donation⁠ Matching—and how you can make the most of the platform.

Check out the following recommended resources to get started:

After all, the more you know about our platform and the functionality available to you, the better you can make an informed decision about the tools you need to supercharge your efforts.

Onward and Upward with Your Matching Gift Revenue

We’re beyond excited about this new chapter⁠—and the opportunity to showcase what Double the Donation’s Standard Plan will bring. As always, we’re grateful for your continued support and trust. Plus, we’re eager to help you unlock new levels of success as you transition to our Standard Plan.

Here’s to the next chapter of your fundraising journey!

For any further queries or support, please feel free to reach out to our team today.

It's time to transition to Double the Donation's Standard Plan!

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

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

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

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

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

Read on to learn more about the Double the Donation and Little Green Light integration. 

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

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

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

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

 

Drive Donations to Completion with Double the Donation!

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

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

  • 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 that Double the Donation can handle the rest.

How Double the Donation tools drive value

 

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

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

About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The 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/

Double the Donation and REACH Partner with New Matching Gifts Integration

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

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

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

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

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

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

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

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

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

Drive Donations to Completion with 360MatchPro!

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

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

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

360MatchPro automates many matching gift letters

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

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

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

Matching gift reporting - actionable metrics and insights

Matching Gift Reporting | Actionable Metrics & Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Critical Value of Matching Gift Reporting

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

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

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

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

Tracking Matching Gifts Through the Conversion Funnel

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

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

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - overview

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

Total Individual Donations

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - total donations

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

Total Donations Flagged as Match Eligible

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - match eligible

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

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

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

Total Matching Gifts Submitted

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - matches submitted

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

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

This gap may boil down to:

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

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

Total Matching Gifts Verified

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - matches verified

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

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

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

Total Matching Gifts Received

Matching gift reporting through the conversion funnel stages - matches received
Finally⁠, this vital metric tracks the matching gifts you actually receive.

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

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

Check out the 360MatchPro conversion funnel to see how matching gift automation aids in the donation process

8 Matching Gift Metrics Every Nonprofit Should Monitor

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

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

Total Number (and Value) of Matching Gifts

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gift Eligibility Rate

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

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

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

Matching Gift Completion Rate

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

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

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

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

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

Average Matching Gift Amount

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

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

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

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

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

Revenue Increase Due to Matching Gifts

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gift Retention Rate

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

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

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

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

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

Growth in Matching Gifts Over Time

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gift Fundraising ROI

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

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

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

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

Key Insights Gleaned From Matching Gift Analytics

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

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

We suggest exploring the following recommended benchmarks.

Optimal Match Communication Timing

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gift Conversions by Marketing Channel

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

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

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

High-Value Match Opportunities in Your Database

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

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

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

Leading Business Affiliations within Your Network

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

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

Driving Results With Matching Gift Reporting Tools

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

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

Matching Gift Reporting With 360MatchPro

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

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

Pre-built reports within the platform include:

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

Sample matching gift reporting dashboards

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

Next Steps

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

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

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

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

Matching gift metric reporting is easy with Double the Donation.