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.

Companies with Innovative and Unique Matching Gift Programs

Companies with Innovative and Unique Matching Gift Programs

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At Double the Donation, we maintain the industry’s most comprehensive and up-to-date matching gift database⁠—with records for more than 24,000 companies with matching gift programs. Since each company that offers matching gifts is able to determine its own minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit types, and more, we end up with a ton of innovative and unique matching gift programs.

And truthfully, all matching gift programs are great. But there are a few that really stand out to us as offering something particularly special for their employees and the nonprofits they support.

Corporate giving engages employees’ passions and provides additional funding for nonprofits, which in turn helps entire communities. And offering creative programming and unique incentives for getting involved is a great way to drive participation and, therefore, impact.

Let’s look at a few employers with unique programs and what makes them stick out from the crowd. In this guide, we’ll explore the following companies’ initiatives:

  1. Microsoft ⁠— Highest Employee Participation
  2. General Electric — First Matching Gift Program
  3. BP — Offers Charitable Giving Stipends
  4. CVS — Incorporates Fundraising Event Matches
  5. Expedia — Internationally Eligible Program
  6. HP, Inc. ⁠— Offers Volunteer Grants
  7. RealNetworks ⁠— Unique 5-Year Anniversary Grant
  8. Soros Fund Management — Highest Maximum Match Amount
  9. Pew Charitable Trusts ⁠— Religiously Inclusive Program
  10. Nike ⁠— Sports-Related Triple Match Program
  11. Blue Shield of California ⁠— Special Board Member Match
  12. Innovative Discovery ⁠— Seamless Auto-Submission Functionality

There are a number of creative ways that businesses get their employees more involved in charitable giving. The ideas differ, but they all do a great job of helping charitable organizations increase fundraising revenue and better support their overall missions.

And when nonprofit fundraisers like yourself keep these companies at top of mind, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of such opportunities as they arise.

Let’s jump in!

Microsoft ⁠— Highest Employee Participation

Microsoft is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. This major company is well-represented in the philanthropic world. Since 1983, it’s hosted an annual Giving Campaign that makes a considerable impact on eligible nonprofits. It also hosts another program called Hack for Good, which tackles pressing societal problems.

But one of its most impressive successes is its matching gift program. In fact, Microsoft is currently the largest contributor of matching gift and volunteer grant funds, and it also boasts the highest level of employee participation at over 65% involvement.

Our matching gift statistics indicate that, inclusive of the corporate match, Microsoft employees have donated more than $1 billion to nonprofit causes.

Learn more about Microsoft’s matching gift program.

General Electric — First Matching Gift Program

General Electric offers a unique matching gift program that offered the very first match program. When it comes to matching gift innovation, General Electric is likely going to top every list. That’s because GE pioneered the first matching gift program in 1954, and its 60+ years of matching gift history and generous donation limits continue to lead the way for other businesses to follow.

Since the inception of its matching program, the company has donated over $1 billion in employee matching gifts. That means that GE is a matching gift leader not only for being first but also for staying at the top of the pack for all this time.

Today, employees may request matching gifts up to $5,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio through the GE matching gift program.

Learn more about General Electric’s matching gift program.

BP — Offers Charitable Giving Stipends

BP is a unique matching gift company that gives employees $300 to donate to nonprofits every year. Each year, BP (formerly British Petroleum) gives employees $300 to donate to nonprofits of their choosing. That’s it—no strings attached. BP is committed to helping local communities, and they let employees feel more involved by letting them choose where the money goes. This program, known as the Fabric of America Program, is open to every current BP employee.

In addition to its charitable grant initiative, BP also offers a traditional matching gift program that matches up to $5,000 worth of donations per employee at a 1:1 ratio.

Learn more about BP’s matching gift program.

CVS Health ⁠— Incorporates Fundraising Event Matches

CVS is a company with a unique matching gift program that matches its employees' peer-to-peer fundraising efforts. Some companies, such as CVS, want to prioritize certain forms of giving. CVS incentivizes its employees to raise money for nonprofit events, like the popular run/walk/ride, which is also known as peer-to-peer fundraising. To encourage participation, the company matches the donations raised by employees between $250 and $1,000 per year.

For teams of volunteers, they offer even high fundraising grant donation caps. When five or more CVS employees fundraise for an eligible organization together, CVS will match up to $5,000 worth of fulfilled pledges, with a minimum of $500 raised across the team.

Learn more about CVS’s matching gift program.

Expedia ⁠— Internationally Eligible Program

Expedia, a company with a unique matching gift program, matches employees' donations worldwide. Matching gifts aren’t just for American companies, either. For example, Expedia and its subsidiaries have employees in over 30 countries. But for a long time, they did not match donations to nonprofits in all of those locations.

Now, Expedia offers matching gifts to eligible nonprofits across the globe! Donations are matched at a 1:1 ratio, and employees can request matches on as much as $4,000 worth of charitable gifts per year.

Through the Expedia Cares Program, employees can give back to their communities in a number of ways, such as through matching gifts, a global ambassador program, and more.

Learn more about Expedia’s matching gift program.

HP, Inc. ⁠— Offers Volunteer Grants

HP, a unique matching gift company, gives back to nonprofits through its Good Cards program. Employing more than 58,000 people, HP is a leader in the information technology sector. It’s also a leader in the matching gift world, specifically through its Good Cards program.

Each quarter, any employee who volunteers for at least 10 hours (and tracks their time through the company’s innovative internal volunteer system) receives a $50 grant which they can donate to a charity of their choosing. Plus, HP also offers a generous matching gift program where it’ll match philanthropic employees’ donations of up to $2,500 per year.

Learn more about HP’s matching gift program.

RealNetworks⁠ — Unique 5-Year Anniversary Grant

RealNetworks is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. RealNetworks matches employee donations at a 1:1 ratio up to $10,000 per team member per year. That’s a whole lot of good⁠—but RealNetworks doesn’t stop there.

After five years with the business, employees receive a $500 grant that can be contributed to any eligible nonprofit. This unique corporate giving offering helps increase staff retention with the company, rewards long-term employees with a significant, mission-focused incentive, and ultimately benefits the nonprofits their employees support.

Learn more about RealNetworks’ matching gift program.

Soros Fund Management ⁠— Highest Maximum Match Amount

Soros Fund Management is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. Because this successful company encompasses fewer than 500 people, it can afford to offer generous donation maximums and matching ratios that are significantly higher than the typical employer.

Today, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 ratio for gifts up to $100,000 per year, with partners being eligible to request donation matches at a 1:1 ratio. Most nonprofits qualify to receive funding through the matching program, with an additional volunteer grant initiative available as well.

Learn more about Soros Fund Management’s matching gift program.

Pew Charitable Trusts ⁠— Religiously Inclusive Program

Pew Charitable Trusts is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. The Pew Charitable Trusts is a generous matching gift provider for all sorts of nonprofit causes. In fact, full-time and part-time employees qualify to request matches at a 2:1 rate for personal gifts made up to $10,000 on an annual basis. That makes the company cap per employee a bountiful $20,000 per year!

But one thing that really makes this company’s matching initiative stand out is the fact that the program is inclusive of just about all kinds of religious organizations. This encompasses places of worship like churches, synagogues, mosques, and more—which are generally excluded from many companies’ match offerings.

So if your nonprofit group is religious in nature, the Pew Charitable Trusts is a top matching gift company to be aware of!

Learn more about Pew Charitable Trusts’ matching gift program.

Nike ⁠— Sports-Related Triple Match Program

Nike is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. Nike is another company that matches employee donations to most nonprofit causes, including educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and environmental groups, and more.

Then, in order to further amplify impact for the causes most closely aligned with the company’s athletics-focused mission, Nike offers a unique triple match for employees giving to community sports-related organizations. For qualifying nonprofits, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 rate, ultimately tripling the initial donor contribution up to $25,000 per team member per year.

Learn more about Nike’s matching gift program.

Blue Shield of California ⁠— Special Board Member Match

Blue Shield of California is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. Some companies also want to incentivize employee participation with nonprofits on a deeper level—such as by volunteering on the organization’s board of directors. That’s exactly what Blue Shield of California does!

This company offers a traditional matching gift program open to all current employees who support qualifying California-based nonprofits and select national organizations. Then, they offer an additional matching initiative for employees who serve as board members of nonprofit causes. This unique board member match goes above and beyond the typical match program, offering elevated match rates and increased maximum donation amounts.

Learn more about Blue Shield of California’s matching gift program.

Innovative Discovery ⁠— Seamless Auto-Submission Functionality

Innovative Discovery is an example of a company with a unique matching gift program. Speaking of innovation, legal services provider Innovative Discovery offers a particularly standout matching gift program in the way that employees can get involved. By introducing matching gift auto-submission through their corporate giving platform in partnership with Double the Donation, ID team members can complete their part of the matching gift request process more easily than ever before.

Now, with just a few clicks from their favorite nonprofits’ donation confirmation screens, employees can authorize Double the Donation to submit the matching gift request on their behalf—no separate forms or redirected pages required!

Learn more about Innovative Discovery’s matching gift program.

Learn how Double the Donation can help your nonprofit pinpoint companies that have unique matching gift programs.

How a Matching Gift Database Can Help

While these programs are certainly unique, there are tens of thousands of other companies that match gifts, too. It’s too many to keep up with on your own! Thus, to effectively uncover available opportunities and identify your organization’s eligibility, you’ll likely need the help of a matching gift database like Double the Donation.

Double the Donation is the industry’s leading provider of matching gift software, and we work with some of the largest organizations across the globe. We also boast the most accurate and up-to-date database of information regarding these programs. As such, we work to equip nonprofits and their donors with the tools they need to implement matching gift efforts in their overall fundraising strategies with ease.

The matching gift tool, which can be integrated across your organization’s website, donation form, email communications, and more, allows fundraisers to maximize corporate giving revenue by…

  • Enabling donors to search for their employers with an auto-completing company information field to identify and flag match-eligible donors;
  • Providing users with company information and matching gift eligibility criteria in real-time;
  • Guiding donors to request their matches with direct links to their employers’ online submission portals;
  • Tracking donors’ progress throughout the matching gift request and fulfillment processes.

Identify and pursue matches from companies with unique matching gift programs and more with 360MatchPro

Not to mention, it’s all automated⁠—allowing your team to reallocate more time and effort to your highest-value priorities!

Next Steps

Plenty of companies offer matching gift programs, so it’s important for nonprofits to promote corporate giving to donors. After all, one of the biggest roadblocks facing matching gift success is a lack of awareness of corporate giving. According to our research, that results in more than $4 to $7 billion dollars worth of potential matching gift funds going unclaimed each year.

Don’t let your nonprofit add to that statistic. Now that you know how to pinpoint available matching gifts, get started boosting your corporate fundraising efforts.

Stay up-to-date with your donors’ employers and keep your eyes peeled for top matching gift opportunities. You’ll be sure to come across even more unique programs!

Explore unique matching gift programs and more with Double the Donation.

Prioritizing accessibility in matching gift fundraising

Prioritizing Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

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Prioritizing accessibility in matching gift fundraising

Prioritizing Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

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

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

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

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

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

The Importance of an Accessible Matching Gifts Strategy

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

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

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

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

Components of Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

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

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

Written Matching Gift Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

Multimedia Matching Gift Marketing Materials

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

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

Online Donation Platforms

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

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

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

Dedicated Matching Gift Technology

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

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

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

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

Understanding Key Accessibility Standards

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

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

Section 508

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

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

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

Accessible Rich Internet Applications

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

European Accessibility Act

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

Canadian Accessibility Standards

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

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

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

Double the Donation’s High-Level Accessibility Framework

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

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

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

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

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

Prioritizing accessibility in matching gift fundraising with these checklist items

Non-Text Content

Images on the website contain relevant alternative text.

Info and Relationships

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

Meaningful Sequence

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

Sensory Characteristics

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

Use of ⁠Color

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

Keyboard

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

Pause, Stop, Hide

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

Page Titles

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

Focus Order

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

Link Purpose

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

Pointer Gestures

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

Pointer Cancellation

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

Label in Name

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

Language of Page

The language attribute is correctly defined for the web pages.

On Focus

No interactive element is triggered automatically on receiving the focus.

On Input

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

Labels or Instructions

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

Parsing

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

Name, Role, Value

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

Orientation

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

Contrast

The website adheres to minimum contrast standards.

Resize Text

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

Images of Text

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

Reflow

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

Non-Text Contrast

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

Text Spacing

The website is compliant with WCAG text spacing requirements.

Content on Hover or Focus

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

Headings and Labels

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

Focus Visible

All the elements present in the website have focus visibility.

Consistent Identification

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

Status Messages

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

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

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

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

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

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

Best of luck!

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

Prioritize accessibility in matching gift fundraising with Double the Donation.

Double the Donation and UC Innovation enhance their matching gift integration

UC Innovation Enhances Functionality for their Preferred Matching Gift Integration, 360MatchPro by Double the Donation

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Double the Donation and UC Innovation are excited to debut new integration enhancements that will allow organizations to further streamline the matching gift fundraising process. This expanded functionality reflects the duo’s continued commitment to helping organizations grow their matching gift revenue.

UC Innovation’s preferred matching gift solution, 360MatchPro, already integrates with the ascend CRM to automate matching gift outreach to donors post-contribution. The new integration offering allows users to integrate 360MatchPro into ascend Portal donation forms – this will engage donors in the matching gift process even earlier in their donor journey. Using this functionality, organizations can uncover more match-eligible donors during the giving process and provide a direct link to matching gift next steps on the donation thank-you page.

“Double the Donation is the most advanced matching gift provider in the industry,” said Caroline Chang, Vice President, Product Strategy at UC Innovation. “Our clients love the streamlined integration between ascend and 360MatchPro, and we can’t wait to see their success with this new matching gift offering.”

This integration enhancement makes it easier to capture employment data from donors and automate segmented, tailored outreach. When a donor fills out their Portal donation form, 360MatchPro determines the donor’s specific matching gift eligibility and presents a direct link to the donors’ matching gift request form on the confirmation page, which is when the request is most timely.

“Although many donors are eligible to have their gift matched by their employee, donors often lack awareness about their eligibility or what steps they need to take to submit a request, “ says Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “This enhanced integration with UC Innovation will allow universities and nonprofits to more easily and effectively close that donor awareness gap. Those time savings enabled by automation can then be reinvested back into other areas of donor outreach and donor engagement.”

360MatchPro integrates seamlessly with UC Innovation’s donation tools to automate the matching gift process for donors. Leveraging this integration will enable organizations to initiate the matching gift conversation with donors while they are still in the giving mindset. In turn, organizations will drive more matches to completion and tap into the full potential of matching gifts as a fundraising source.

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

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

360MatchPro integrates seamlessly with Portal Donation Forms, making it easy to get up and running. Once you have your CRM integration settings configured, you can simply add the 360MatchPro Lightning Web Components to your donation form editor. This then allows you to identify more match-eligible donors and streamline the matching gift process.

By activating the donation form portion of the integration, you can ensure that no extra funding falls through the cracks. With this solution your donors will be screened for match eligibility during the donation process, and they will receive matching gift calls to action when those requests are most timely!

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

360MatchPro-Drive-more-matching-gift-requests-to-completion-with-360MatchPro

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with 360MatchPro!

Double the Donation and UC Innovation work to provide fundraisers with powerful, innovative solutions.

Using their matching gift integration, you team can:

  • 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's fundraising software overview

Ready to check it out? Schedule a personalized demo to learn how this integration will drive matching gift revenue for your organization.

About UC Innovation: Founded in 2011, UC Innovation is a CRM software and consulting company that is committed to serving higher education and nonprofit clients. Their organization focuses on delivering advanced solutions on time and on budget, finding that optimal blend of innovative products and deep domain expertise. UC Innovation strives to provide clients with solutions that use efficient business processes and state of the art technologies to reduce cost, ensure quality, and provide timely delivery of your CRM needs. To learn more, visit: https://www.ucinnovation.com/s/contact

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

Double the Donation and Classy Launch Matching Gift Functionality on Embedded Donation Forms

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Double the Donation and Classy have come together to debut a recent development in their existing integration. This pair has now launched 360MatchPro matching gift functionality on Classy’s embedded donation forms.

Classy’s preferred matching gift solution, 360MatchPro, already works with Classy’s standard donation forms to identify match-eligible donors and drive their matching gift requests to completion. As Classy continues to develop more ways for nonprofits to create meaningful connections with supporters through a full suite of giving experiences, they recognize the importance of offering a robust matching gift solution on all of their available donation pages to drive giving opportunities forward.

“Our customers consistently share their success with 360MatchPro, making it an important offering in the Classy fundraising suite,” said Thom Morris, Director of Product Marketing at Classy. “Classy’s embedded donation forms convert at 2x the industry average and we’re seeing our nonprofit customers grow their revenue as a result. With the addition of 360MatchPro, we are excited to fuel matching gift funds through this integration to double the impact on the increase in donations from our embedded forms.”

This new product integration will offer similar functionality to the existing standard donation form counterpart, providing nonprofits with a seamless integration experience. This means that as donors navigate their donation flow, they will be able to drive matching gift donations regardless of which form they are using.

“Our organization, Double the Donation, already makes it simple for nonprofits to capitalize on matching gift funds and fuel fundraising success,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “With our new integration release, we are excited to extend this functionality to organizations using the embedded donation form solution.”

This integration can be seamlessly activated within the Classy platform, making it simple for nonprofit fundraisings to capitalize on the billions of dollars offered through matching gift programs each year.

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

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

360MatchPro integrates seamlessly with Classy to provide users with a simple, no-code setup process. Once a fundraiser gets signed on with both Classy donation forms and Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro, they can connect the two services. 

By navigating to the Double the Donation app in the “Apps and Services” section of their Classy account, users can add the matching gift solution to their desired donation forms. 

360MatchPro integration populated on a Classy embedded giving form

Once the integration is activated, each solution works together to drive revenue opportunities for your organization. By finding matching gift opportunities and driving them to completion, 360MatchPro and Classy make it simple to optimize the giving process.

360MatchPro-Drive-more-matching-gift-requests-to-completion-with-360MatchPro

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with 360MatchPro!

360MatchPro and Classy offer valuable matching gift features to help your organization double donations for your mission.

With the power of this solution, your organization can:

  • 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.

Identify matching gift companies in New York with 360MatchPro

Ready to get started? Schedule a personalized demo.

About Classy: Classy is a social enterprise that creates online fundraising software for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits like Team Rubicon and The Trevor Project, to some of the world’s largest social organizations, such as The Salvation Army, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference, a two-day immersive experience that unites the most inventive minds in the social sector to uncover the ideas and strategies necessary to propel our industry forward and unlock the world’s generosity. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on LinkedIn.

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 visit https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/

What to Know About Our Standard Matching Gift Request Form

What to Know About Double the Donation’s Standard Matching Gift Form

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Corporate matching gifts can offer a significant revenue source for charitable organizations. In order to leverage the programs, a nonprofit’s donors typically must submit a matching gift form to their employers. The form essentially allows an individual to provide details about their own qualifying donation and request an associated corporate match.

Unfortunately, this has long been a critical drop-off point for organizations looking to make the most of available matching opportunities. Many donors lack an understanding of the request process that is required of them. That’s why, for more than a decade, Double the Donation has created software aimed to simplify the process by providing company-specific details, next steps, and more.

Now, we’re taking it a step further with our easier-than-ever-before standard matching gift form. And in this guide, we’ll tell you all about it as we walk through the basics:

Unclaimed matches hinder the impact potential of charitable organizations, their donors, and the businesses partaking in workplace giving programs alike. By streamlining and automating the request process altogether, we can take an additional step toward maximal usage.

Let’s see how Double the Donation’s intuitive standard matching gift request form can help.

Top tip! Consider working with one of our suggested CSR platforms as your #1 choice for workplace giving program management. But if you’re not ready for that, our standard matching gift form is a great backup!

What is Double the Donation’s standard matching gift form?

There is a range of ways that a donor can submit a matching gift request to their employing company, and a lot of that depends on the company the individual works for. For example, one old-fashioned company might still accept paper forms that require employees to complete and scan or mail back to process. At the same time, a different business may have moved to a completely online system using a digital submission portal.

Regardless of the method with which documentation is completed, a matching gift form generally encapsulates the same information. Most often, these include three types of data points:

  • Donor Information ⁠— Details about the donors themselves; Frequently some combination of name, contact information, and perhaps an employee identification number.
  • Recipient Nonprofit Information ⁠— Provides an overview of the nonprofit the individual donor supported; Typically asks for the organization name, mailing address, EIN, and other contact information.
  • Donation Information ⁠— Pertaining to the recent transaction; Generally involves a donation amount and date.

Here's an example of Double the Donation's standard matching gift request form

As you might guess, a lot of the above information can be a bit redundant for the donor. Now, Double the Donation’s standard matching gift form pulls the necessary data points directly from the transaction, as well as information collected from nonprofits, to automatically fill in the document. Once completed, a PDF is immediately sent to the matching gift coordinator via email designated by the company.

It’s an easier process for donors and ultimately results in a greater matching gift program impact.

How does the standard matching gift request form work?

Perhaps you’re thinking, “sounds great⁠—but how does it actually work?” In that case, let’s see the process in action for participating companies, step by step.

1. An individual makes a donation to their favorite nonprofit cause, entering their employer’s name in Double the Donation’s company search tool.

If their employing company has enabled matching gift e-submission through our standard request form, the donor will be prompted to authorize Double the Donation to submit a match on their behalf. (Typically, all the individual is required to do is enter their corporate email address and check a box!)

Donors can complete the matching gift request process from the confirmation page when their employer uses Double the Donation's standard matching gift form

2. Double the Donation automatically fills in the blanks on our standard matching gift form to provide the employing company with the information they need.

Generally, donor and transaction information is pulled from the donation record itself, while nonprofit details are made available through pre-filled organization profiles within 360MatchPro.

Here's an example of Double the Donation's completed standard matching gift request form

 

3. The auto-filled match request form is emailed in a PDF document to the matching gift coordinator identified by the company.

From there, the employer reviews the match request, as usual, to ensure the initial donation meets the company’s predetermined match eligibility criteria. Assuming it does, the match is approved, and funding is provided to the nonprofit cause!

Standard matching gift form confirmation

Key benefits of our standard form for donors, nonprofits, and companies

The more you can simplify the matching gift process, the better your overall results will be. This is true whether you’re on the corporate or the nonprofit side of things. And luckily, Double the Donation’s standard match request form is designed to do just that for both parties⁠—plus your common denominator, employee donors.

Let’s dive into a few key advantages for each perspective.

For Donors

Donors love participating in matching gift programs (in fact, 84% of individuals report being more likely to give if they know a match is being offered). But when the process involved gets too complicated or time-consuming, even dedicated and eligible donors sometimes fail to complete the task.

When all that’s asked of them is to enter their corporate email address, on the other hand, individuals will be much more likely to follow through. And in doing so, participating donors receive the benefit of knowing their support is going twice as far for a cause they care about.

For Nonprofits

According to matching gift research, only 8% of eligible donors know their employers offer a matching gift program and know how to go about submitting a match request. This significant knowledge gap plays a huge role in more than $4 to $7 billion in available match funding going unclaimed each year.

By simplifying the request process and providing an easy way for donors to submit requests to their companies, Double the Donation’s standard match form results in increased funding for nonprofit organizations.

For Companies

Companies that accept the standard matching gift form receive all the benefits of offering a matching gift program in the first place⁠—in larger quantities. After all, the more a business donates to charitable causes, the better its overall CSR. Optimal CSR leads to elevated employee engagement (productivity, longevity, recruitment, etc.), improved image (increased sales and brand loyalty), and more.

Leveraging Double the Donation’s standard match form simplifies employee participation, thus maximizing program use levels.

Getting started with our matching gift request form

We’ve designed our standard matching gift form to be as simple as possible⁠—while still accomplishing the intended task. And that includes the ease with which organizations and businesses can get set up.

Interested in taking the next steps? Here’s how you can quickly begin leveraging the benefits of the common match request form for your team.

For Nonprofits

If your nonprofit employs Double the Donation’s matching gift automation solution, there’s good news! Your donors are already set to partake in streamlined e-submission through our standard request form. When a qualifying individual makes a donation using your online giving form and selects their employer during the donation experience, they’ll be prompted to submit their match request automatically from your gift confirmation screen.

To ensure the match form is completed with accurate information, be sure to fill out your Organization Profile in 360MatchPro. This also increases the likelihood that matches are approved by participating companies. And it simplifies the process for you, your donors, and their employers.

If your organization has yet to get started with 360MatchPro, you can schedule a demo here to see our tools in action⁠—and learn more about the impact of the standard match form.

For Companies

Double the Donation’s matching gift form can certainly simplify the matching gift request process for employees. Still, we recommend that companies leverage a complete corporate giving platform to manage their philanthropic efforts. But if you’re looking for a temporary solution to streamline matching gifts from the donor’s perspective or would like to accept our standard matching gift form in addition to your more built-out process, getting started is quick and easy.

Here’s how:

If your company has developed an employee matching program for the first time, click here to add your initiative to our comprehensive database. As you provide information about your company’s submission process, be sure to select that you’d like to use Double the Donation’s standard form.

On the other hand, if your company’s existing program is already listed in Double the Donation’s database, click here to suggest updates to your program guidelines. Then, indicate that you’d like to accept the standard match form. You’ll be prompted to enter the name, phone number, and email of the person who manages the company’s giving initiatives.

And that’s it! From there, the specified contact person will receive completed match request forms each time an employee makes a donation to a qualifying nonprofit and selects the automated e-submission choice.

Final Thoughts

The future of matching gifts is here, and it’s increasingly reliant on innovative technology to streamline and simplify the process. Double the Donation’s standard matching gift form is one example of this. As corporate philanthropy continues to become a higher priority by companies across the globe, the demand for matching gifts⁠—and standardized processes with them⁠—will continue to grow.

Ready to learn more about corporate matching gift programs and the tools that power them? Check out our other recommended resources:

Learn more about our standard matching gift form and auto-submission offerings

New and Improved Functionality: Matching Gift Form E-Sign

New and Improved Functionality: Matching Gift Form E-Sign

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Matching gift programs have been revolutionized in the last several years, with companies of all shapes and sizes getting involved. And with this transformation is also that of matching gift forms. Ideally, employers want to offer a request process that is quick and easy for team members to participate and reduces administrative workload behind the scenes. So where does matching gift form e-sign come in?

Dive in to explore key trends and current happenings regarding employee match fundraising, particularly in terms of matching gift e-sign. We’ll walk through:

Double the Donation has long been at the forefront of corporate giving innovation. That’s why we’re here to provide your team with the context you need to understand matching gift technology, functionality, and more.

The historical significance of matching gift form e-sign functionality

Historically, many companies required donors to submit matching gift request forms on paper. After all, General Electric launched the very first matching gift program in 1954, when electronic mail was still the stuff of science fiction. Over the next few decades, many matching gift programs used the paper form model for their original program launches as they were created.

Now, let’s fast forward to 2011, when Double the Donation was established. Some forward-thinking companies had already begun offering online submission to simplify the matching gift process for their employees. As a result, Double the Donation was perfectly positioned to help these donors submit their matching gift requests by linking directly to those online portals. But some companies were dragging their feet and still requiring paper matching gift forms.

How could Double the Donation support donors whose companies required paper forms? Our solution was to develop cutting-edge matching gift form e-sign functionality. With Double the Donation e-sign, donors could simply complete a pre-filled online PDF and send it to their company’s matching gift program managers that way.

And it worked! We saw an immediate increase in the percentage of these paper-only donors who submitted matching gift requests. But at the same time, the transition to electronic-only submission in the industry was already accelerating.

The move away from paper matching gift forms

As online submissions are increasing, the inverse is true for historic paper forms⁠—in the past few years, we’ve seen paper forms becoming significantly less popular.

For context, when Double the Donation got its start, about 70% of match-eligible employees had a paper or PDF option for submitting their matching gift requests. But by 2017, the percentage of match-eligible employees eligible to submit a paper form dropped all the way to 7.1%. And the number who actually chose to use the forms was even lower.

That’s because online portal submission is easier, faster, more secure, and all-around better for donors, the companies they work for, and the organizations they support. It’s been proven time and time again: When both an electronic submission option and a paper one are offered to the same employee group, more matching gift submissions are completed through the online process.

In fact, some of the most well-known philanthropic companies have adapted to an online-only submission process over the past few years. Check out these quotes from the following employers:

  • IBM: “New process for 2017. Next year, we will introduce an online process for matching grants and eliminate the use of printed applications.”
  • Merck: “Please discontinue the use of all paper request forms. Matching gift funds should be submitted via the Merck website.”
  • Alliant Energy: “We moved to an online request process only in 2015. This will provide a more efficient method for our Foundation.”
  • Prudential: “We will no longer offer paper forms for the Matching Gifts Program.”

And that was just the tip of the iceberg!

Discontinuation of Double the Donation’s prior matching gift form e-sign feature

So what did this mean for us?

With these process changes occurring, the percentage of donors submitting paper match requests continued to fall. By the end of 2018, only an estimated 4% of donors ⁠used the historical paper-only approach—and that figure has decreased steadily since then.

All these factors led us to the easy decision to shift our focus away from the e-signing of paper forms and toward the future of matching gifts.

Now, you might ask⁠—But haven’t you heard the statistic that 50% of companies use paper matching gift forms?

We certainly have! But it’s important to remember that in a changing industry, statistics and assumptions have to be continually re-assessed. Double the Donation commits to always looking into the data to recognize when we need to re-evaluate. This is one of those situations.

It may have been true years ago that 50% (or so) of companies required paper matching gift form submission. However, more recent analysis has shown that this statistic is not just outdated⁠—it doesn’t tell the full story.

Think about the different companies that have matching gift programs. Businesses of all shapes and sizes come to mind, from Home Depot with half a million employees to the local pizzeria that employs five individuals. Home Depot requires electronic form submission, while the local pizza joint requires paper forms. You can see that Home Depot’s program affects significantly more donors than the pizzeria.

In other words, ask yourself this:

What is more useful for your organization to know in this scenario: that 50%—or at this point, likely less⁠—of companies require paper forms or that a tiny percentage of match-eligible donors use paper forms? Which statistic should you base your fundraising decisions on?

Our answer to the previous question is exactly why we’ve started weighing our analysis by employee count⁠. And the resulting statistics tell a compelling story. The biggest matching gift programs affecting the largest percentages of donors have already moved away from paper matching gift forms. And we’re seeing smaller programs following suit, as well!

Therefore, at Double the Donation, we’re doing the same with our own development priorities.

The future of matching gift fundraising

The move to online matching isn’t the only trend we’re seeing in corporate social responsibility. In the past decade, we’ve also kept our fingers on the pulse of another trend: the increasing consolidation of workplace giving solutions.

More and more often, companies are turning to workplace giving platforms like Benevity, CyberGrants, YourCause, and more to help facilitate their matching gift programs. And it’s not just the Fortune 500 companies that are doing so! In fact, many breakthrough solutions⁠—such as Millie, Selflessly, Givinga, and POINT—have been designed specifically to aid small and mid-sized businesses in offering powerful matching gift programs.

Leveraging this type of software empowers charitable companies to do more with their philanthropic initiatives while minimizing the administrative workload. Meanwhile, we’ve also noticed that companies that outsource facilitation of their giving process can offer more streamlined and optimized processes for employees wanting to get involved. This tends to result in elevated program usage, highly engaged team members, and more dollars funneling into nonprofit causes overall.

Breakthrough auto-submission with CSR partners

In the spirit of continuous improvement when it comes to matching gift technology and the match request process, Double the Donation has recently released a new game-changing feature⁠—auto-submission.

This innovative functionality, made possible through strategic integrations with forward-thinking corporate giving platforms, enables employees to request matches directly from an organization’s gift confirmation screen. This allows them to bypass the request process almost entirely. All they typically have to do is provide their email address and authorize Double the Donation to submit their match.

Auto-submission and matching gift form e-sign process

We’ve certainly come a long way since paper forms; now, some donors don’t have to complete a form at all! And this benefits every party involved. Employee donors can request their matches in less time and with fewer roadblocks. Nonprofit organizations receive increased match funding and more highly engaged supporters. Companies see elevated program usage, satisfied employees, and better public images.

Benefits of auto-submission and matching gift form e-sign

E-submission with our standard matching gift form

And that’s not all! The Double the Donation team has also developed a standard online matching gift form that employers can use to authorize automated electronic submissions themselves.

We recommend that all companies participating in workplace giving enlist the aid of a dedicated CSR platform. But for companies that may not be ready to take that next step but are interested in simplifying the matching gift request process, it’s now quick and easy to get started with our new standard submission form.

Matching gift form e-sign with Double the Donation's standard matching gift form

This basic form collects all the data an employer would need to review and approve a match request. This includes:

  • Donor information ⁠such as their name, corporate email address, and/or employee ID number;
  • Donation information ⁠such as donation amount and transaction date;
  • Nonprofit information ⁠such as name, website, mailing address, EIN, and more.

And it’s all automated so that donors can submit their matches quickly and easily, ultimately removing common roadblocks and driving more matching gifts to completion.

Top tip! Nonprofits looking to make the most of matching gift auto-submission and Double the Donation’s standard matching gift form should be sure to fill out their Organization Profile in 360MatchPro. This allows the right information to be incorporated into the automated submission form, making it more likely that the match is ultimately approved and paid out.

Final thoughts

Matching gift submission processes are becoming increasingly standardized, centralized, and digitized. So how can we support nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations in this shifting environment? The answer lies in guiding donors through the electronic portal submission process.

At Double the Donation, we focus on giving donors confidence, speed, and accuracy when submitting their matching gift requests. That means prioritizing personalized automation flows and database accuracy.

We’re heading into the future, and we hope you’ll join us!

Interested in learning more about Double the Donation’s innovative matching gift tips and tools? Check out these other educational resources:

Learn more about Double the Donation matching gift form e-sign auto-submission

Double the Donation-UC Innovation-integration announcement feature image

UC Innovation Selects 360MatchPro by Double the Donation as New Automated Matching Gift Offering

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Double the Donation is thrilled to announce its newest integration with ascend by UC Innovation, a CRM software and consulting company committed to delivering innovative, sustainable results. This technical partnership has come together to provide educational institutions with the power to double eligible donations through the industry-leading matching gift solution, 360MatchPro.

“Our product, ascend, is the most comprehensive advancement solution based on the Salesforce platform, and 360MatchPro by Double the Donation is the most advanced matching gift solution on the market,” said Caroline Chang, VP of Product and Community Engagement. “Providing our clients with a simple integration with this solution is incredibly valuable.”

The integration is designed to work with the ascend platform to identify match-eligible donors following the donation process, then lead them directly to their matching gift submission form. This powerful technology makes it easy for organizations to double or even triple their employer matching gift funds without having to manually chase after matching gift requests, saving them time, effort, and revenue.

“UC Innovation’s ascend product is an impressive fundraising solution, and our team is so excited to add our robust matching gift functionality to it,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “Our combined solutions will undoubtedly drive value for our mutual users.”

ascend and 360MatchPro integrate seamlessly so that your organization can start harnessing matching gift funds in minutes. This simple process will allow your organization to target the 26 million individuals who qualify for employer matching gift programs.

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

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

360MatchPro and ascend integrate seamlessly so that you can start driving matching gift revenue in no time. To get started with this solution, simply navigate to the “Setup” section within your ascend account to manage your custom metadata types. You can then enter your 360MatchPro credentials to activate the integration.

Once you’ve added your credentials, you can navigate to your “Gift Processing Settings”. By editing these settings you will have the option to check a box that enables “Double the Donation”.

UC Innovation - 360MatchPro - integration activation option

That’s all there is to it! By entering your credentials and selecting the option to enable the integration, you can begin leveraging the power of 360MatchPro. With this integration, your donation records will flow from ascend into your 360MatchPro portal to kick off the matching gift process. 360MatchPro then gets to work identifying match-eligible donors and driving their matching gift requests to completion. This solution even stores valuable matching gift metrics directly in your 360MatchPro portal so that you may access actionable insights to drive your fundraising efforts.

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

360MatchPro-Drive-more-matching-gift-requests-to-completion-with-360MatchPro

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with 360MatchPro!

Double the Donation and UC Innovation work to provide fundraisers with powerful, innovative solutions.

Using their matching gift integration, you team can:

  • 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 integration-360MP provides value to your nonprofit

Ready to check it out? Schedule a personalized demo to learn how this integration will drive matching gift revenue for your organization.

About UC Innovation: Founded in 2011, UC Innovation is a CRM software and consulting company that is committed to serving higher education and nonprofit clients. Their organization focuses on delivering advanced solutions on time and on budget, finding that optimal blend of innovative products and deep domain expertise. UC Innovation strives to provide clients with solutions that use efficient business processes and state of the art technologies to reduce cost, ensure quality, and provide timely delivery of your CRM needs. To learn more, visit: https://www.ucinnovation.com/s/contact

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/.

GiveSignup

GiveSignup | RunSignup Debuts Corporate Matching Gifts Integration with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation

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GiveSignup | RunSignup is proud to debut a new corporate matching gifts integration with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, the leading provider of matching gift and volunteer grant solutions to nonprofits and educational institutions.

Nonprofits that use Double the Donation as their corporate matching gift platform can now enable the integration on any GiveSignup | RunSignup fundraising run/walk/ride, virtual event, challenge, donation website, donation form, and standalone fundraising campaign.

When $4-7 million in corporate matching gift revenue is left on the table every year, nonprofits miss out on revenue that could be used to power their missions. 360MatchPro helps nonprofits capture their full matching gift potential through powerful automated matching gift identification, completion, and reporting. Integrated with GiveSignup | RunSignup, 360MatchPro closes the matching gift revenue gap with minimal configuration and setup.

“GiveSignup | RunSignup is proud to recommend Double the Donation as our preferred partner for corporate matching gifts,” said Bob Bickel, Founder of RunSignup. “The time-saving, custom automation available through the 360MatchPro system can’t be beat. We hope all our nonprofits take advantage of this new partnership!”

The integration is simple for nonprofits with a 360MatchPro account to activate (Don’t have a 360MatchPro account? Request a demo!). With one click in the GiveSignup | RunSignup platform, nonprofits can link their 360MatchPro account to any event, donation website, donation form, or fundraising campaign that they create.

360MatchPro makes it easy for donors, too! When giving through GiveSignup | RunSignup donation pages, each donor is automatically evaluated for their matching gift eligibility and presented with the next steps for their company’s matching gift program.

“Seamlessness is a hallmark of 360MatchPro integrations,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “It’s important for donors to move smoothly through the donation process while the nonprofit simultaneously captures essential matching gift eligibility information. 360MatchPro and GiveSignup | RunSignup combine to provide that seamless experience for nonprofits and their donors.”

Close the revenue gap for your next race with the new integration between Double the Donation and GiveSignup | RunSignup!

This image explains that activating 360MatchPro will only take seconds, and it will help you start raising more funds from matching gifts.

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

360MatchPro integrates seamlessly with GiveSignup | RunSignup software, making the setup process quick and easy. Once you obtain a 360MatchPro account, you can begin adding the powerful gift matching tool to your website and race forms.

Simply log on to your GiveSignup | RunSignup account, and navigate to the “Corporate Matching Gifts” tab. This can be found by first selecting the “Donations” option. This page will then prompt you to enter your Double the Donation credentials.

This image shows the option to enter 360MatchPro credentials into the RunSignUp platform.

These API keys can easily be obtained once your 360MatchPro account has been provisioned. They are designed to link the gift matching tool on your donation forms directly to your 360MatchPro dashboard.

After this step is completed, you will be ready to begin increasing your revenue through corporate gift matching! Now you can check out the 360MatchPro tool on your donation websites or race forms.

This image shows the 360MatchPro tool on a RunSignUp page.

This streamlined search tool allows donors to type in the name of their employer directly onto the form. Then, a drop down menu will appear and suggest possible options. This keeps the donor running smoothly through the donation process.

This image shows the 360MatchPro search tool in use.

Once a donor enters their employer information, the 360MatchPro database scans an extensive database of employer gift matching programs. If the donor is identified as match-eligible, an automated yet personalized email to help them drive their gift match to completion.

That’s all there is to it! This simple setup process can be activated in seconds so that you may drive donations through corporate gift matching.

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

This image explains that you can drive more matching gifts to completion with 360MatchPro.

Drive More Matching Gifts to Completion with 360MatchPro!

360MatchPro uses industry-leading practices to ensure a valuable and efficient gift matching experience. Its many features take care of the gift matching process so that you can focus your time on your organization’s top priorities.

360MatchPro will:

  • 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.

This image lists the features of 360MatchPro alongside an increasing graph to represent increasing donations.

Ready to see it in action? Schedule a demo with 360MatchPro for a personalized session to discuss the gift matching needs of your organization.

About GiveSignup | RunSignup: GiveSignup | RunSignup is a leading all-in-one platform for fundraising and endurance events. More than 21,000 events, supporting over 8,000 nonprofits, use GiveSignup | RunSignup’s free and integrated solution to save time, grow their events, and raise more. Built on a powerful CRM, our expertly crafted, open, and all-in-one solution powers nonprofit revenue generation and supporter engagement from run/walk/rides to ticket events to donation websites, forms, and fundraising campaigns. For more information, visit www.givesignup.org or www.runsignup.com.

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 visit https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/

DonorDrive Chooses Partnership with Double the Donation to Drive More Matching Gift Revenue for Nonprofits

DonorDrive Chooses Partnership with Double the Donation to Drive More Matching Gift Revenue for Nonprofits

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DonorDrive is proud to announce a new built-in integration with 360MatchPro, the leading matching gifts automation platform by Double the Donation.

The new partnership drives more revenue for nonprofit organizations through a tight integration between DonorDrive donation forms and 360MatchPro’s automated gift matching identification and workflows. With $4-7 billion in matching gift revenue left unclaimed every year, the new integration is essential for nonprofits looking to bridge the gap.

“Our mission at DonorDrive is to power our nonprofit clients’ missions by making available the best-in-class strategies, tools, and partners” said Marc Rubner, CEO at DonorDrive. “Our new partnership with Double the Donation supports this mission through our integration with the 360MatchPro solution.”

The new integration with 360MatchPro is quick for nonprofits to activate and easy for donors to navigate. Nonprofits using the integration will capture donors’ matching gift eligibility when they give, then automated personalized communication streams will drive matching gifts to completion. Donors who are match-eligible move seamlessly through the entire integrated workflow to swiftly match the gift they’ve just made, thereby doubling revenue for the nonprofits they’re supporting.

“360MatchPro drives immediate results for DonorDrive clients with the new integration,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “We’re focused on a frictionless donor experience, which preserves donation form conversion rates while capturing the employer information that’s essential for doubling revenue.”

The new 360MatchPro integration with DonorDrive will help nonprofits take advantage of the corporate matching gift opportunities their donors are eligible for, working together toward closing the $4-7 billion matching gift revenue gap.

Activate in seconds and start raising more from matching gifts with 360MatchPro and DonorDrive

Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!

Activating the 360MatchPro integration within DonorDrive is easy. The support teams will take care of everything for you! And once you’re integrated, it’s time to get the most out of your new 360MatchPro automation.

As donors make a gift to your organization, they will have the opportunity to search for their company’s name. The helpful text above the company name search fields lets the donor know why you’re asking for their employer information — to double the impact of their gift!

The 360MatchPro streamlined company name search field on your DonorDrive donation form presents an easy-to-navigate drop-down list of matching gift companies for your donor to select from.

The 360MatchPro streamlined company name search field on your DonorDrive donation form presents an easy-to-navigate drop-down list of matching gift companies for your donor to select from.

But the matching gift journey doesn’t stop there. After your donor submits their gift, it’s time to direct them to the next steps they need to take to get it matched by their company. The 360MatchPro integration will inform the donor right on the confirmation page whether they’re eligible for a matching gift and what to do next.

360MatchPro takes donors from your DonorDrive confirmation page to their company's matching gift form with one click.

360MatchPro takes donors from your DonorDrive confirmation page to their company’s matching gift form with one click.

The donor can navigate directly to their company’s matching gift form or view additional guidelines with one click. That one click means double the revenue for your organization!

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

Drive more matches to completion with 360MatchPro and DonorDrive

Drive More Matches to Completion with 360MatchPro!

The combination of DonorDrive donation forms and 360MatchPro matching gift automation will seamlessly lead donors through the donation and matching gift process for all your fundraising events. Keep in mind the following benefits of 360MatchPro:

  • 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 and DonorDrive provide value to your nonprofit

Put the integrated solutions to work for your next fundraising event! Schedule a demo of 360MatchPro to learn how to maximize your matching gift revenue.

About DonorDrive®: DonorDrive is an enterprise-level fundraising platform that turns everyday people into powerful fundraisers. With over 20 years of fundraising innovation, DonorDrive has helped hundreds of nonprofits, like Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Arthritis Foundation, and World Vision grow and become industry leaders. Through innovative solutions such as Live FundraisingTM, Express DonateTM, Facebook Fundraisers, and the Fundraising Motivation EngineTM, DonorDrive has enabled nonprofits to raise over $1 Billion. To learn more visit, www.donordrive.com.

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 visit https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/