Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

Matching gifts are a powerful yet continuously underutilized source of funding for all sorts of nonprofits. If you’re looking to amplify matching gifts for your arts and culture organization, you’ve come to the right place.

At Double the Donation, we work with thousands of nonprofits to empower their matching gift strategies⁠—arts and cultural groups included. In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know to bring your organization’s corporate matching efforts to life. And we’ll walk through the following topics to do so:

Fundraising for the arts is essential. Smart strategies empower organizations and their communities to benefit greatly from increased access to art and cultural programming⁠.

By effectively leveraging matching gifts alongside existing fundraising efforts, arts organizations can continue to enrich the lives of their constituents, foster creativity, drive economic growth, and establish a vibrant cultural ecosystem.

Let’s dive in.

Painting a Picture of Matching Gifts | The Basics

One of the most popular examples of corporate philanthropy, companies that offer matching gift programs agree to match the charitable donations their employees make to nonprofit causes.

This means that when a donor gives to your arts and culture group, their employer contributes an equal (or sometimes even greater!) amount of funds to match the initial donation. But in order to secure a matching gift on your behalf, the individual donor must first submit a request to their employer.

And that’s where qualifying matches often go unclaimed⁠—ultimately leading to an estimated $4 – $7 billion in matching gift funds being left on the table each year.

When leveraged effectively, though, matching gifts allow donors to double or even triple the value of their contributions to arts and culture groups and other nonprofit causes. This allows your organization to secure additional funds without putting increased strain on donors’ wallets.

Companies That Match Donations to Arts and Culture Nonprofits

Tens of thousands of companies offer generous matching gift programs, and arts and cultural organizations qualify to benefit from many of them. Here, we’ll highlight a few businesses within the creative industries that match employee donations to nonprofits like yours.

Adobe matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Adobe Incorporated

Adobe Incorporated is an American software company with a focus on creating technology that empowers professional and amateur graphic designers, photographers, marketers, illustrators, and more. In addition, Adobe is committed to supporting nonprofits, including (but not limited to) those in the arts and culture sector.

Through its employee matching gift program, the company matches team member donations to eligible organizations, empowering its workforce to give back to the communities in which they live and work.

Adobe has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: None
  • Maximum donation: $10,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

Additionally, Adobe has been known to periodically increase its matching gift ratio, sometimes offering a particularly generous two-to-one employee donation match. Knowing this, we recommend keeping an eye out for specific campaigns or employee giving pushes throughout the year!

Etsy matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Etsy

As an online marketplace designed for selling unique and handmade goods, Etsy values creativity and craftsmanship in its bottom line. Additionally, Etsy is known for supporting charitable giving, empowering employees with generous paid volunteer time off initiatives and employee matching gifts.

Etsy has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: None
  • Maximum donation: $500
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

This program encourages Etsy employees to give back to the arts community and contributes to the sustainability and growth of arts and cultural nonprofits overall.

Marvel matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Marvel Entertainment (The Walt Disney Company)

Marvel Entertainment recognizes the importance of creativity and storytelling in the arts and entertainment industry. Through its nonprofit partnerships, and specifically its generous matching gift program, Marvel Entertainment (and other Disney subsidiaries) supports employees’ charitable endeavors by matching their donations to eligible nonprofits.

Marvel Entertainment (along with the rest of the Walt Disney Company) has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $25
  • Maximum donation: $25,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

Arts and cultural nonprofits like yours can benefit from this program greatly as supporters who work at Marvel can double their contributions, effectively amplifying the financial support the cause receives.

Sony matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Sony Entertainment (Sony Corporation of America)

Sony Entertainment, including Sony Pictures and Sony Music, values the arts and its power to inspire and bring communities together. Thus, Sony’s matching gift program allows its employees to make donations to eligible nonprofits, including arts and cultural organizations.

Sony has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $50
  • Maximum donation: $2,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, and select other nonprofits

By generously matching donations, Sony Entertainment (and the greater Sony Corporation) encourages its employees to support the arts and enhance the impact of their giving on the causes they care about.

Netflix matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Netflix

As a significant entertainment company, Netflix has a strong commitment to supporting the arts and other creative industries. In order to incentivize employees to give to such causes, the streaming television service also offers a generous matching gift program for its workforce.

Netflix has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $1
  • Maximum donation: $10,000
  • Match ratio: 2:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other 501(c)(3) nonprofits

With this initiative, employees’ donations to arts and cultural nonprofits (as well as many other nonprofit causes) can be matched by Netflix, further bolstering financial support for these organizations.

Drive Matching Gifts for Your Org with These Tips

By effectively leveraging matching gifts, arts and culture groups can attract more donors, increase funding, and support their missions to inspire creativity and cultivate a thriving cultural landscape.

And implementing these helpful practices can go a long way toward doing so! Consider these top recommendations for your art- or culture-focused nonprofit.

1. Collect donor employment information to identify match opportunities.

The #1 piece of information you’ll need to drive your organization’s matching gift strategy is the companies where your donors work. Thus, collecting donor employment information as part of your donor database is crucial.

It’s typically easy to do so within the donation process itself (by incorporating an optional donation page field requesting employment data or embedding an intuitive company search tool in the form). However, other data solicitation methods include follow-up communications, data appends, and more.

We recommend regularly updating and maintaining accurate information for your donors to ensure you can leverage matching gifts as effectively as possible. Once you have this data, cross-reference your donors’ employers against participating companies (like the ones listed above) to uncover opportunities. From there, you’ll have what you need to provide them with the right information to initiate the matching gift process.

2. Employ dedicated software to streamline matching.

Handling step #1 on your own can be a significant undertaking for your fundraising team. That’s why we recommend streamlining the matching gifts process using dedicated matching gift software.

This type of tool⁠—like Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro⁠—automates matching gifts from identification and awareness to follow-ups and submission tracking. Ultimately, it empowers nonprofits to efficiently manage their matches without dedicating a ton of time and resources to the task. Plus, it makes things easier on your donors, walking them through the process with personalized guidance every step of the way.

For the simplest and most impactful results, we suggest looking for platforms that integrate with your existing fundraising tools and donor management system. This ensures seamless coordination and further streamlines the process for your team and your supporters.

3. Communicate the doubled impact made available through matching gifts.

Donors love participating in matching gift programs. In fact, research indicates that nonprofit supporters are more likely to donate⁠—and to donate in larger quantities⁠—when they know that matching gifts are being offered.

Why? It’s generally believed that the desire to make a greater impact on the causes they care about incentivizes donors to support their favorite nonprofit groups at even higher levels.

Thus, when promoting matching gifts, it’s essential that you emphasize the doubled⁠—and sometimes even tripled⁠—impact that donors can have on your mission. Use engaging storytelling strategies and incorporate real-life examples to demonstrate the transformative power of matching gifts on your overall mission.

4. Prioritize impactful imagery in your matching gift promotions.

Like any fundraising appeal or other donor-facing messaging, the visuals you choose in matching gift communications play a critical role in capturing the attention and interest of your audience. Especially when your nonprofit mission is a visual one (think: museum, gallery, etc.), using impactful imagery that resonates with the arts and cultural sector can establish a highly compelling narrative.

Consider showcasing vibrant artwork, photos from captivating performances, or iconic cultural landmarks to evoke an emotional connection with potential donors. Then, pair these visuals with concise and engaging messaging that emphasizes the significance of matching gifts.

Make the most of matching gifts for arts and culture groups with impactful imagery.

Establish promotional materials that are visually appealing across various platforms, such as social media, email newsletters, and your organization’s website. And ensure they match your organization’s overall branding to maintain a coherent narrative with your other efforts.

5. Express gratitude and recognize matching gift donors.

Finally, we recommend sending personalized thank-you letters or emails to participating matching gift donors. These messages can acknowledge their generosity and recognize the fact that they went above and beyond in their support for your organization.

And you have a few key opportunities to do so. These include:

  • After a donor indicates that they’ve submitted their matching gift request form.
  • Once your organization receives the company’s completed match.

Plus, you can even acknowledge their generosity publicly through social media shout-outs, newsletters, or donor spotlights. For a museum or another institution with a large, in-person presence, a matching gift donor wall can be an excellent idea!

Expressing gratitude not only strengthens donor relationships but also encourages others to consider matching gift opportunities⁠—making it a strategic marketing tactic as well. Not to mention, it can help retain matching gift donors from one year to the next.

Matching Gift Scripts: 5 Templates to Promote Matching

Jumpstart your matching gift efforts with these sample promotional messages. Feel free to dive in with these donor outreach templates perfect for any arts or cultural organization. Then, enlist 360MatchPro to automate and customize your messaging⁠—and segment by matching gift eligibility⁠—with ease!

Template 1: Social Media Post

🎨 Double Your Impact! 🎨 Did you know your gift to [NONPROFIT] can go even further? Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means your donation can be matched by your employer. See if your company participates in matching gifts to make an even greater impact on the arts today! Click here to learn more: [MATCH PAGE URL] #MatchingGifts #SupportTheArts #DoubleYourImpact

Template 2: Email Campaign

Subject: Your Gift Can Make a Greater Difference! 💫

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for supporting [NONPROFIT] and our mission to bring art and culture to our community. We have an exciting opportunity to amplify the impact of your recent donation!

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs? This means your gift could be doubled or even tripled by your employer. We encourage you to check if your company participates in matching gifts and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to make an even greater difference for our cause.

To find out if your company offers matching gifts, simply visit our website and use our matching gift search tool here: [MATCH PAGE URL]. It’s quick and easy! Your support, combined with your employer’s match, will go a long way in supporting our programs and initiatives.

Thank you for being a champion of the arts. Together, we can create a vibrant and culturally rich community!

Warm regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template 3: Text Message

Hi [DONOR]! 🌟 Did you know your donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched by your employer? Double the impact of your gift today by checking if your company participates in matching gifts. Visit our website here for more info: [MATCH PAGE URL]. As always, thank you for supporting the arts! 🎭🎨

Template 4: Donation Appeal

Dear [DONOR],

Unlock the Power of Your Donation with Matching Gifts!

We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. As a valued supporter of [NONPROFIT], you understand the transformative impact that arts and culture have on our lives and communities. Today, we are reaching out to share an incredible opportunity to amplify the impact of your generous contribution: matching gifts.

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs? Through these programs, your donation can be matched, dollar for dollar, by your employer. That means every dollar you contribute could produce double the impact on our organization and the meaningful projects we undertake.

Checking if your employer participates in matching gifts is simple. Visit our matching gift page here [URL], where you will find resources and instructions to guide you through the process. You can also reach out to your company’s HR department to inquire about their matching gift program.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make your contribution go even further. We are excited to have you join us in this endeavor and look forward to continuing our journey together.

With heartfelt appreciation,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

P.S. Remember, by exploring matching gifts, you can double your impact without any extra cost to you. Let’s unlock the full potential of your generosity and inspire a world where art thrives and enriches lives.

Template 5: Thank-You Postcard

Front:

[Image of a vibrant piece of art or a behind-the-scenes photo]

Back:

[DONOR],

Thank you for your generous contribution to [NONPROFIT].

Did you know that many employers offer matching gift programs? Your gift could be matched, doubling the impact of your support. Check with your company’s HR department or scan the QR code to learn more about matching gift opportunities. Your continued support helps us bring art and culture to our community.

Thank you!


Wrapping Up

Maximizing matching gifts involves a strategic approach to corporate philanthropy that can unlock tremendous potential for arts and cultural organizations.

By harnessing the power of corporate matching, your nonprofit can amplify its fundraising efforts and secure additional resources to make a greater impact. And in the end, you’ll be better equipped to advance your overall mission.

Good luck!

Keep exploring! Check out these additional recommended resources to continue your matching gift education:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Matching Gifts for K-12 Schools

Matching Gifts for K-12 Schools | A Crash Course

Educational institutions, public and private alike, rely on strategic fundraising to bankroll their academic programming, extracurricular activities, student scholarships, supplies and equipment, and more. And matching gifts for K-12 schools enables fundraisers to literally double the impact of their generous donations.

Here, we’ll walk through everything you need to know as an educational fundraiser to make the most of matching gifts.

This includes:

Ready to bring your school’s fundraising to an A+ level? Let’s get started.

Multiplying Generosity with Matching Gifts: The Basics

Matching gifts for K-12 schoolsCorporate philanthropy plays a vital role in supporting educational institutions like K-12 schools. Specifically, matching gifts are one of the most widely accessible forms.

Essentially, corporate matching gifts refer to a type of program in which a company matches the charitable contributions their employees make to eligible nonprofit organizations. The programs are designed to incentivize and amplify the generosity of a company’s employees, effectively doubling or even tripling their personal donations to worthwhile causes. And most often, these matching initiatives are inclusive of K-12 schools.

Donors who wish to participate in a matching gift program typically follow a straightforward process that looks like this:

  1. After making a donation to their chosen K-12 school (or other organization), the donor inquires about matching gift opportunities with their employer.
  2. The employer⁠—or, in many cases, the school itself⁠ via a matching gift automation tool—provides the necessary forms and guidelines for the donor to complete.
  3. The donor completes the submission process, providing details about the donation, such as the amount gifted and the recipient organization.
  4. Once the paperwork is submitted, the company reviews and verifies the information before issuing a matching gift to the designated school.

Matching gifts present numerous benefits for K-12 schools, their donors, and the companies they work for⁠—ultimately establishing a mutually rewarding experience. By leveraging corporate matching gifts, donors can significantly increase the impact of their contributions. From there, the additional funds received through matching gifts can support various programs, benefiting the school community as a whole.

However, billions of dollars worth of matching gifts go unclaimed each year⁠—largely due to a lack of awareness and initiative. In fact, despite 26 million individuals working for companies that match gifts, more than 78% of the segment has never been informed about the programs! And even those who know their employer offers matching gifts are sometimes unaware of the process of getting involved, which is where strategic donor education comes in handy.

Companies That Match Gifts to K-12 Schools

Double the Donation offers the most comprehensive database of matching gift information⁠, which contains records for more than 24,000 companies. And though each employer is able to set its own limits regarding organizations that qualify for matching, most businesses are willing to provide matching gifts for K-12 schools and other education-based institutions.

While there are tons to consider, we’ve opted to spotlight here a few businesses with heavy focuses on education and school philanthropy.

McGraw Hill offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

McGraw-Hill

McGraw-Hill is one of the largest American publishing companies. With a devotion to educational content⁠, McGraw-Hill provides reading materials, software, and services for pre-kindergarten through postgraduate institutions. It’s also a dedicated supporter of a wide range of K-12 schools, including through a generous matching gift program.

Each year, employees working more than 20 hours a week qualify to request between $25 and $2,500 in matching gifts to eligible nonprofit causes. Organiations like those that focus on long-term solutions for educational issues, civic, arts and cultural organizations, museums, libraries, parks, zoos, and more tend to qualify.

Learn more about the matching gift program for K-12 schools.

Penguin Random House offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House is another well-known publishing company and is currently the largest provider of general-interest paperback books across the globe. Its subsidiary Random House Children’s Books, which also encompasses Little Golden Books and Beginner Books, produces some of the most popular youth-focused books in the industry.

In addition to captivating young readers with its stories, Penguin Random House also aims to support educational efforts worldwide. One key example is its matching gift program! In addition to matching up to $2,500 worth of employee donations per team member per year, the company also offers to match contributions raised by their staff through peer-to-peer fundraising efforts in a fundraising match initiative.

Learn more about the matching gift program for K-12 schools.

Crayola offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Crayola

As one of the most prominent art supply manufacturing companies, Crayola plays a significant role in equipping students and teachers in K-12 classrooms across the nation. And going a few steps further, the company also supports schools through its dedicated employee matching gift initiative.

Specifically, Crayola focuses its matching gift efforts on supporting key categories of nonprofits. This includes educational (both K-12 private and public schools and higher ed institutions) and those pertaining to arts and culture. Each year, full-time and part-time employees can request up to $500 worth of matching gifts in each category, incentivizing staff to support missions most closely related to Crayola’s own values.

Learn more about the matching gift program for K-12 schools.

TI offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments is a leading provider of educational technology, most commonly known for its innovative series of calculators and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) products. For decades, science and mathematics classes have relied on TI calculators to inspire academic success.

Facilitated through the TI Foundation, Texas Instruments also offers a particularly generous employee matching gifts program. Each year, full-time and part-time team members and employees can secure up to $30,000 in matches on behalf of the nonprofits they support. And, of course, the program is inclusive of education organizations such as K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.

Learn more about the matching gift program for K-12 schools.

Kaplan offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Kaplan (Graham Holdings Company)

Kaplan, a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company, is an international education services company that’s devoted to increasing access to education materials and transforming learning with new technologies. And one of the ways that they do so is through their matching gifts program!

Current full-time Kaplan employees (as well as other Graham Holdings staff members) can qualify for generous donation-matching to educational institutions at a 2:1 ratio of up to $2,000 per person per year. Other nonprofit organizations can also qualify for matching gifts from the company, though non-educational causes are limited to a standard dollar-for-dollar match rate.

Learn more about the matching gift program for K-12 schools.

Keep Learning! Best Practices for Effective K-12 Gift-Matching

Over the years, we’ve worked with a lot of educational institutions, K-12 schools included. From our experience, we’ve gleaned several tips and tricks along the way that have produced substantial results for organizations like yours.

All in all, we recommend implementing the following strategies as you craft and enact a matching gift fundraising plan for your school.

1. Integrate matching gift fundraising in your annual Giving Day.

Many schools host dedicated Giving Days, in which the school communities band together to raise significant funds in a 24-hour window. If that’s the case, bring your Giving Day to new heights by incorporating matching gifts in your strategy!

Integrating matching gift fundraising into your annual Giving Day can significantly boost the impact of donations for your K-12 school. All you need to do is highlight the opportunity for donors to have their contributions matched by their employers within your existing Giving Day promotions. Utilize various communication channels such as emails, social media posts, website banners, and more to spread the word about matching gifts leading up to, during, and following your Giving Day campaign.

Matching gifts for K-12 schools' Giving Days

Emphasize that their support can go twice as far, motivating them to give generously. This is proven to work, too. Recent studies show that 84% of survey participants say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered, and 1 in 3 donors indicate they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation.

2. Identify popular local employers in your school’s community.

Schools are one type of nonprofit that tend to have a significant reach, particularly within the geographic areas in which they operate. After all, it’s most likely where their students and families live, and even community members without direct connections to the schools are often interested in supporting local education. So when it comes to pursuing matching gifts, it can help to seek popular employers in your school’s neighborhoods.

To do so, begin collecting employment information from parents and other donors if you haven’t already. Then, research the companies located in your area and compile a list of those offering matching gift programs. This can allow you to connect supporters with known matching gift companies and identify trends regarding companies that employ a significant portion of your network⁠—and it’s especially easy to do with the aid of Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro!

By focusing on local employers, you can tap into a potential pool of matching gift donors who have a personal connection to your school and are more likely to participate. And if a segment of donors works for a company that doesn’t match employee gifts, it might show an opportunity to seek a corporate sponsorship (or one-off matching gift initiative!) or empower your supporters to advocate for a program on your behalf.

3. Provide educational matching gift materials to parents and families.

To increase awareness and understanding of matching gift programs among your school’s supporter base, be sure to provide them with educational materials on the topic. Because a lack of awareness is a huge cause of the subsequent funding gap, a little education about the opportunity can go a long way!

We recommend developing clear, informational, and easy-to-understand brochures, flyers, and online resources that explain the basics of matching gifts.

These materials should include…

  • What matching gifts are;
  • How donors can participate;
  • The impact matching gifts can have on your school;
  • Examples of companies that match employee gifts;
  • Where to locate additional information.

Then, distribute these materials to your school’s donors⁠—many of which are likely parents and other family members⁠—during parent-teacher meetings, open houses, school events, and through digital communication channels.

By equipping your audience with the necessary information, you empower them to take advantage of matching gift opportunities and become active supporters of your school’s corporate fundraising efforts.

Hint: Double the Donation offers some helpful materials here!

4. Consider volunteer grants as well.

In addition to matching gifts for your K-12 school, another type of corporate philanthropy initiative you won’t want to overlook is volunteer grants. Schools, and K-12 schools in particular, frequently rely on devoted volunteers to support various academic and extracurricular activities and events. Oftentimes, volunteers are even leading school fundraising efforts!

In order to maximize the value of this much-appreciated support, be sure to explore the potential of volunteer grants for your K-12 school. After all, many employers offer volunteer grant programs that provide monetary donations to organizations based on their employees’ volunteer commitment.

Thus, encourage parents, alumni, and community members associated with your school to inquire if their employers have volunteer grant programs. Provide guidance on how to track and report volunteer hours to secure available grants, and be sure to emphasize the impact that these programs can have on your school’s overall fundraising results. Incorporating volunteer grants alongside matching gift fundraising expands the range of opportunities for individuals to contribute to your school’s success, whether through monetary donations, volunteer efforts, or a combination of both.

And if you’ve already invested in a matching gift tool like 360MatchPro, you can uncover volunteer additional grant insights in the same search of a donor’s company!

Sample Matching Gift Messaging Templates for K-12 Schools

Raise awareness of matching gifts for your K-12 school with strategic fundraising outreach. These customizable templates can be an excellent place to start!

Matching Gift Email Template for K-12 Schools

Subject: Double Your Impact to [School Name] Today!

Dear [Supporter’s Name],

At [School Name], we believe in providing the best education and opportunities for our students. We are reaching out to let you know about an exciting opportunity to maximize the impact of your donation through a corporate matching gift program.

Did you know that thousands of employers offer matching gift programs where they match their employees’ charitable contributions? This means that your donation to [School Name] could be doubled⁠—or even tripled! It’s a fantastic way to make an even greater difference in the lives of our students.

To find out if your employer offers a matching gift program, check out our online matching gift page (with a searchable company database!) here: [link]. This will provide you with the necessary forms and instructions to submit your matching gift request.

It’s a simple process that can have a tremendous impact on our community! If you have any questions or need assistance with the matching gift process, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at [contact information].

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make your support go even further. Your generosity helps us continue to provide exceptional education and enriching experiences for our school.

Thank you again for your support!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title/Role]

[School Name]

Matching Gift Text Template for K-12 Schools

Hi [Supporter’s Name]! Did you know your donation to [School Name] could be doubled? Tons of employers offer matching gift programs. Click here to see if your donation can have double the impact! [Link to matching gifts page]

Matching Gift Facebook Template for K-12 Schools

🎓 Double Your Impact! 🎓

At [School Name], we believe in providing the best education for our students. You can help make an even greater difference through our matching gift program!

Many employers offer matching gift programs, where they match their employees’ donations to educational institutions like ours. This means your donation to [School Name] could be doubled or even tripled! 🌟

To find out if your employer offers a matching gift program, click here [link] to explore our matching gift page. This resource will provide you with the necessary forms and instructions to submit your matching gift request. It’s an easy process that can have a tremendous impact on our students’ education!

#MatchingGifts #SupportEducation #SchoolFundraising

Matching Gift Tweet Template for K-12 Schools

Double your impact today⁠—More than 26 million people work for companies with matching gift programs. Search for your employer here [link to matching gifts page] or check with your HR department to see if your donation to [School Name] can be matched.

Together, we can make a difference! #MatchingGifts #SupportEducation

Matching Gift Postcard Template for K-12 Schools

Double Your Impact!

Have your gift to [School Name] matched to make twice the difference for our school community. Doing so allows us to provide better educational opportunities for the students in our care by making the most of every dollar we receive.

To find out more about corporate matching gift programs⁠—which are widely available and offered by tens of thousands of businesses⁠—scan the QR code below. You’ll be taken to our school’s matching gifts page, where you can discover details about your employer’s match offerings.

Bonus: Automate Your Matching Gift Outreach with 360MatchPro!

Make matching gift messaging as easy as can be with matching gift automation tools. Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro is designed to aid fundraising organizations, like K-12 schools, in streamlining the matching gift process from start to finish⁠. This includes raising awareness of the opportunities, driving matches to completion, and more.

And with the software in your school fundraising toolkit⁠—which integrates seamlessly with top school fundraising solutions⁠—you won’t need to worry about manually sending matching gift reminders, either. After an individual gives to your school, 360MatchPro triggers timely and personalized follow-ups that inform supporters about their employer’s programs with company-specific insights.

You’ll never have possible matches slipping through the cracks due to a stretched-too-thin fundraising team again!

Watch the video below to see how Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation uses 360MatchPro to automate their matching gift efforts.

Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation- Matching Gift Success with 360MatchPro from Double the Donation on Vimeo.

Want to learn more? Check out these additional educational resources on fundraising and matching gifts for K-12 schools:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Driving Matching Gifts for Health and Medical Services

Driving Matching Gifts for Health & Medical Services

In the world of healthcare fundraising, effective revenue generation saves lives. After all, every dollar counts towards advancing medical research, providing patient care, and improving overall well-being. In order to make the most of each donation, matching gifts for health and medical services can go a long way.

And this guide will provide everything your team needs to get started with the opportunity! We’ll explore the concepts and strategies behind driving matching gifts specific to health and medical services, including:

Get ready to uncover the potential that matching gifts have to revolutionize fundraising for healthcare and related nonprofit causes.

Let’s dive in!

Matching Gifts for Health & Medical Services | The Basics

Matching gifts offer a powerful opportunity for health and medical services to multiply the impact of individual contributions. This powerful fundraising strategy combines individual and corporate giving to increase engagement and funding for a nonprofit’s mission.

And it’s easy! Essentially, the process looks like this:

  1. An individual donor makes a contribution to a qualifying nonprofit cause (such as a healthcare facility or medical research organization).
  2. The individual is informed about their employer’s matching gift program and determines their eligibility for a recent donation.
  3. Upon determining that their gift qualifies for a match, the individual completes a (typically online) submission form for their employer.
  4. The individual’s employer reviews the submission, verifies the initial donation was made, and approves the matching gift request.
  5. The employing company sends a matching donation to the organization its employee supported.

Understanding the matching gift process for health and medical services

Successful matching gift practices can effectively double or even triple the support for vital healthcare initiatives. This empowers donors to leverage their employers’ involvement to make an even greater difference in a cause they care about.

Companies That Match Gifts to Healthcare Organizations

Thousands of companies match employee donations to qualifying nonprofit causes. But here, we wanted to spotlight a few businesses in the healthcare industry that offer standout matching gift initiatives.

These include (but are certainly not limited to) the following…

CVS Health Matching Gift Program

CVS Health

CVS Health is dedicated to making a positive difference in the world. Through the CVS Health Foundation, the company gives back by offering generous in-kind donations, employee giving opportunities, volunteer grant programs, and more.

Currently, one of the CVS Foundation’s most prominent offerings is its employee matching gift program. Through this initiative, the company encourages team members to give to a variety of nonprofit causes. These include health and medical services, children’s and educational groups, environmental organizations, and more. Once completed, employee donations made through the company’s workplace giving portal qualify for generous matches by CVS Health!

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

UnitedHealth Group Medical Matching Gift Program

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UnitedHealth Group aims to revolutionize the healthcare system to improve health overall. And they do so not only through the company’s core offerings but also by participating in generous corporate philanthropy initiatives.

For example, its employee giving program, coined “United for Giving,” incentivizes team members to support their favorite nonprofit organizations with their dollars and their time. In 2022 alone, nearly $50 million was contributed through the program to more than 20,000 global charities.

Each employee qualifies to request up to $15,000 per year in company matches on behalf of the organizations they support.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

CIGNA Healthcare Matching Gift Program

CIGNA

Through the CIGNA Foundation, healthcare and insurance company CIGNA offers a standout matching gift program in which it encourages employees to participate. In fact, the foundation contributed more than $12.5 million worth of corporate grants to health and wellness-focused nonprofits in 2021 alone!

When qualifying employees give to medical organizations and many other registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits, they can request an associated match from the CIGNA Foundation. This allows team members to amplify their giving impact and do more to make the world a better and healthier place.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

AmerisourceBergen Health and Medical Matching Gift Program

AmerisourceBergen

With a generous matching gift cap set at $10,000 per employee per year, current full-time and part-time AmerisourceBergen team members can request matching gifts from the company corresponding to their own personal gifts. Donations are typically matched at a standard 1:1 (or dollar-for-dollar) ratio, though the company often promotes a heightened match rate to inspire Giving Tuesday participation at the end of the year.

Facilitated through the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, this company’s matching gift initiative is making a difference in producing healthier futures worldwide.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

McKesson Corporation Health and Medical Matching Gift Program

McKesson Corporation

One thing that makes the McKesson matching gift program stand out is its open availability for current full-time, part-time, and retired employees! Of course, healthcare organizations qualify to receive associated matching gifts. Additionally, team members can support educational institutions, community organizations, volunteer fire rescue and emergency services, and more.

The McKesson Corporation also offers an impactful volunteer grant initiative known as the McKesson Volunteer Program⁠—or MVP. After an individual makes their initial gift to an organization, they have 90 days (or approximately three months) post-donation to submit their match request.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

Tips for Developing a Healthy Matching Gift Strategy for Your Org

Getting matching gifts for your healthcare or medical organization doesn’t have to be difficult. Find out how to do so as effectively as possible with these recommended practices.

1. Incorporate matching gifts in your grateful patient program.

For a healthcare or medical organization, a grateful patient program can be one of your most valuable fundraising strategies. This unique initiative provides medical-focused nonprofits, like hospitals and other facilities, an opportunity to engage donors who have experienced exceptional care⁠.

Maximize the impact of your grateful patient program by incorporating matching gifts! To do so, ensure that materials provided to patients⁠—such as thank-you letters, brochures, and discharge information⁠—include details about matching gifts. This allows patients to leverage the opportunity to amplify their impact as they give back.

2. Highlight the medical impact of matching gifts.

As you enlist donor communications to promote the matching gift opportunity, be sure to emphasize the direct impact of matched donations on healthcare outcomes.

Highlighting matching gift impact for health and medical services

Showcase success stories, former patient testimonials, and statistics that demonstrate the transformative effect of your organization’s work. This will resonate with potential matching gift donors who want to make a tangible difference in the healthcare field. In other words, help your supporters imagine the tangible benefits of doubling your fundraising power.

3. Simplify the matching gift experience for donors.

Make it easy for donors to navigate the matching gift process. Offer step-by-step instructions on your website, provide donors with company-specific request forms for their employers, and be available to provide assistance throughout the submission steps.

Keep in mind that the more streamlined and accessible the process, the more likely donors will follow through with their matching gift requests. On the other hand, excessive roadblocks lead to missed matches and unclaimed funding for your team.

Luckily, the best way to streamline matching is by automating the experience from start to finish with the right technology! For example, Double the Donation’s software ecosystem enables nonprofits to embed their matching gift tools directly into the initial giving process.

This typically includes a brief mention of matching gift opportunities, alongside a field requesting a donor’s employer information, on the giving form. Then, an automatically populating matching gift widget on the confirmation screen provides eligibility information and submission forms for the company previously selected.

Simplifying matching gifts for health and medical services

It’s as easy as can be, and donors are provided with easy access to the information they need⁠—without having to search for it on their own!

4. Get inspired by other healthcare organizations’ matching practices.

See what other medically-focused nonprofits are doing to pursue matching gifts! Check out this case study compilation that highlights some of the largest healthcare organizations in the nation.

These include:

  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  • Lazarex Cancer Foundation
  • Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
  • Lung Cancer Research Foundation
  • Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

By studying the matching gift strategies from these organizations (and more), you can identify common themes, glean creative approaches, and make a note of successful tactics. From there, you’ll be able to more effectively ingrain matching gifts into your own fundraising efforts.

Consider adapting and implementing tried-and-true strategies within the context of your own healthcare nonprofit to increase donor engagement, uncover corporate giving opportunities, maximize contributions, and make a greater impact on your mission.

Sample Matching Gift Messaging for Healthcare Nonprofits

Get started with effective matching gift outreach! Check out the following templates for powerful communications tailored to matching gifts for health and medical services organizations.

Top tip: Easily automate matching gift communications with Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro! This ensures you’re able to provide timely correspondence to all donors⁠—without worrying about any potential matches slipping through the cracks.

Matching Gift Email Template

Subject: Double Your Impact: Your Donation Can Make Twice the Difference!

Dear [donor],

I hope this email finds you in good health and high spirits. On behalf of [healthcare organization], I want to express our deepest gratitude for your recent generous contribution to support our mission. Your commitment to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families is truly inspiring.

Today, we wanted to share an exciting opportunity that can multiply the impact of your donation: employer matching gifts. Many companies have matching gift programs in place, which means they match donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations like ours.

We kindly encourage you to check if your employer offers a matching gift program. And you can do so by browsing our matching gift page here! [Link to matching gift page] Simply type your employer’s name to determine eligibility and access the necessary information and forms. It’s a simple process that can significantly enhance the impact of your generosity and extend the reach of our vital healthcare programs.

With heartfelt appreciation,

[Name]

[Title/role]

[Healthcare nonprofit]

Matching Gift Tweet Template

Double the impact of your donation! Did you know your gift to [healthcare organization] may be matched by your employer? Take advantage of corporate matching programs and help us provide life-saving treatments, advance research, and improve healthcare outcomes.

Learn more at [link to matching gift page]. #MatchingGifts #HealthcareImpact

Matching Gift Facebook Template

🌟 Double the Impact! 🌟

We have some exciting news for our incredible supporters! Did you know that your generosity can go even further? 💙✨

Many employers have matching gift programs in place, which means they’ll match the donations made by their employees to eligible nonprofit organizations like ours. That’s right⁠—your contribution can be doubled (or even tripled)!

By taking advantage of matching gift programs, you have the power to make an even greater difference in the lives of patients, their families, and the community as a whole. 💪💕

Ready to maximize your impact? Here’s how:

1️⃣ Check if your employer offers a matching gift program.

2️⃣ Visit our website or reach out to your human resources department to access the necessary forms and information.

3️⃣ Submit your matching gift request and watch as your contribution is multiplied!

Together, we can transform healthcare, advance medical breakthroughs, and provide exceptional care to those in need. Your support, combined with a matching gift, has the potential to create a lasting impact.

Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes. Let’s make a difference together! ✨🙌

#MatchingGifts #DoubleTheImpact #HealthcareMatters #MakingADifference

Matching Gift Text Message Template

Hey there! Did you know your donation to [healthcare organization] can go twice as far? Many employers offer matching gift programs, meaning they’ll match your contribution! 🤝💰 It’s an easy way to double your impact and support vital healthcare initiatives. Check if your employer participates and make your gift go even further! Thank you for your generosity!


Wrapping Up

Matching gifts have the potential to revolutionize fundraising for all sorts of health and medical services. By harnessing the power of employer-matching initiatives, healthcare-focused nonprofits can tap into additional resources, amplify their impact, and accelerate their mission of increasing health and well-being.

The bottom line? Implement a comprehensive matching gift strategy to unlock a world of possibilities, inspire greater donor participation, and drive positive change in the realm of health and medical services.

Play the video below to hear how LuMind IDSC Foundation supercharges their matching gift strategy with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation’s matching gift automation.

LuMind IDSC Foundation – Matching Gift Success with 360MatchPro from Double the Donation on Vimeo.

Interested in learning more about making the most of matching gifts? Check out the following recommended resources:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Matching Gifts for Food Security and Anti-Hunger Organizations

Matching Gifts for Food Security + Anti-Hunger Organizations

Food security and anti-hunger organizations play a critical role in addressing one of society’s most pressing challenges⁠—ensuring that every individual has easy access to nutritious food and resources. However, in order to maximize their impact and extend their reach, such organizations often rely on the support of generous donors and well-thought-out fundraising initiatives. One strategy that holds immense potential for enhancing the financial resources of food security organizations? Matching gift programs.

By leveraging the power of matching gifts, food security organizations can more effectively fuel their missions to eradicate hunger within their communities and beyond.

In this post, we delve into the significance of matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations and how you can set your team up for corporate matching success. This includes:

Here, we’ll explore the ways in which these programs can transform the landscape of food access and contribute to lasting change. As a fundraiser for such a cause, establishing a foundation of knowledge regarding matching gifts and how to make the most of the opportunities is a must.

Let’s dive in!

What to Know About Matching Gifts for Food Security Nonprofits

Anti-hunger organizations, including food pantries, soup kitchens, and other initiatives dedicated to alleviating hunger worldwide, work tirelessly to combat food insecurity and its wide-ranging consequences. But doing so requires access to funding⁠—and making the most of the funds available.

That’s where corporate matching gift opportunities come in! When qualifying donors work for companies that offer corporate matching, the company agrees to make a (typically dollar for dollar) match to the organizations its employees support. And most often, food banks and other anti-hunger organizations are eligible to receive the funding!

Matching gift programs essentially empower donors to stretch their donations twice as far for the nonprofit causes they support. In fact, research shows that incorporating matching gifts in an organization’s overall fundraising strategy results in a 71% increase in donation response rate and a 51% increase in average gift size.

Matching gift stats for food security organizations

And that’s not even taking into account the additional corporate match funding made available through these programs!

All in all, matching gifts offer an actionable strategy to further the mission of food security organizations⁠—without asking generous donors to reach back into their own wallets to do so.
However, these initiatives continue to be overlooked by qualifying organizations and their donors.

Today, millions of individuals qualify for corporate matching gifts through their employers, though the majority of the group remains unaware of the opportunity at stake. And unfortunately, donors who are unaware of their match-eligibility status are not likely to complete the steps required to secure a matching donation from their employer on your behalf.

The solution? Increasing awareness of matching gift programs among your audience.

Companies That Match Donations to Anti-Hunger Orgs

Tons of companies⁠ (including more than 65% of the Fortune 500⁠) offer matching gift programs that inspire employee giving. Typically, anti-hunger causes like yours will qualify for the initiatives⁠—though there are far too many to list.

Here, we wanted to spotlight a few businesses with missions that specifically reflect a vision to alleviate food insecurity.

The Hershey Company offers matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations.

The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company was founded with a mission to make chocolate accessible to everyone. Today, that mission goes beyond just chocolate, with the company getting involved to support a wide range of food security organizations across the globe.

And one of the most prominent forms of philanthropy offered by the Hershey Company is its matching gift program. Current full-time and retired employees qualify to have the company match their charitable contributions to eligible organizations⁠—including anti-hunger groups and more. Individuals can request up to $5,000 per calendar year on behalf of their favorite causes to which they themselves are also giving.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Tyson offers matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations.

Tyson Foods

With a lofty goal to “Feed the World,” as coined through its corporate giving initiatives, Tyson Foods is devoted to supporting the communities in which it operates and its team members reside. And they’re making a big impact, too! In a single year, the company contributed more than $2.5 million and over 18 million pounds of its protein to Feeding America food banks across the nation.

Plus, Tyson Foods encourages its employees to get involved in its efforts through a generous matching gift program. Current full-time and part-time team members can submit gifts between $10 and $1,000 per year to qualifying organizations to be matched at a dollar-for-dollar rate.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Campbell Soup Company offers matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations.

Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company cites its philanthropic impact goal as “working to create sustainable change in our communities.” And it does so by supporting nonprofit partnerships with organizations aiming to produce a systems-based approach to improving food access and healthy living.

One such method, beyond its community grants and multi-year giving initiatives, is the Campbell Soup Foundation’s matching gift program. This offering inspires Campbell employees to get involved by matching donations to eligible nonprofits⁠—including higher education institutions and health and human services.

Full-time, part-time, and retired team members qualify to participate and can request matches between $20 and $1,500 annually.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

PepsiCo offers matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations.

PepsiCo

PepsiCo, through the PepsiCo Foundation, states the following in its mission statement: We feed potential. In order to do so, the company aims to support sustainable and innovative solutions that provide nutritious food and other critical resources for underserved communities.

One way that they do so is through the PepsiCo matching gift program. Current full- and part-time employees qualify to request corporate matches for gifts between $25 and $10,000 per year. Most nonprofits are eligible to receive match funding, which includes (but is not limited to), food security organizations and other community missions, educational institutions, environmental groups, and more.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Starbucks offers matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations.

Starbucks Corporation

Starbucks‘ Partner Match Program is one of the most popular ways in which the company supports a wide range of organizations. Donations made by full-time and part-time US and Canadian employees to most registered nonprofits qualify for matching at a 1:1 ratio up to $1,000 per year. Once the donation has been made, eligible employees have 90 days to submit their matching gift request on behalf of the cause.

Additionally, the Starbucks Foundation encourages current team members to nominate local nonprofits in consideration of generous Neighborhood Grants, which have provided more than $10 million to over 6,000 organizations.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Top Tips to Amplify Impact with Effective Gift-Matching

By harnessing the power of gift-matching, you can unlock a world of opportunities to enhance your fundraising efforts and extend the reach of your food security organization’s services.

At Double the Donation, we’ve worked with many of the leading anti-hunger groups, and we’ve compiled a list of six tried-and-true tips to do so effectively.

1. Raise awareness of matching gift programs among supporters.

More than 78% of eligible individuals have no idea that their employer will match their gifts to charitable causes like yours. And that’s why so many matching gifts to unclaimed each year.

Thus, the first step in establishing an effective matching gift strategy for your organization is to educate your supporters about this opportunity.

We recommend employing various marketing channels, such as your…

  • Website;
  • Donation process;
  • Email outreach;
  • Social media platforms;
  • SMS messaging;
  • Direct mail;
  • And more!

With these tactics, you can effectively share information and success stories related to matching gifts, exposing supporters to the invaluable opportunity. When donors are aware of the programs, they want to get involved.

As you get started, consider working off our optimized matching gift messaging templates and examples to see best practices like these in action. This should include providing ample context regarding the programs, incorporating clear and specific calls to action, and more.

2. Communicate the amplified financial impact of matching.

From the donor’s perspective, one of the greatest benefits of participating in a matching gift program is the ability for their contributions to stretch twice as far. After all, they already care about your mission⁠—to reduce food insecurity⁠. Of course, they’ll want to make a more significant impact at no extra cost to them!

Thus, be sure to emphasize this amplified donation impact in all of your matching gift communications. You can even put it in specific, tangible terms to better demonstrate the value. For example, if your organization advertises that a $5 donation will feed a family of four for a day, you can clarify that a matched $5 gift can support two families.

3. Collect employment data to uncover match-eligible donors.

One key strategy to maximize the potential of gift matching involves collecting and maintaining accurate employment data for your donors. This will allow your team to compare the information against top matching gift companies (such as the ones listed above) and identify match-eligible gifts.

To gather the necessary data, start by including fields for an individual’s employer name in your donation forms. You can also request employment details in post-donation follow-ups and more. Remember that this information can get stale relatively quickly, not to mention matching gift program qualifications are constantly changing, so it’s important to collect this data on a regular basis to stay up to date.

(Hint: this is particularly easy when using a matching gift tool that integrates with your online giving platforms.)

4. Thoroughly research companies’ matching gift program guidelines.

Not all matching gift companies have the same policies in place, so taking time to research donors’ employers can go a long way. By delving into the specifics of each program, you can identify the most advantageous opportunities for your organization and effectively communicate these details to supporters.

And you don’t want to discount your cause from a company’s program without a closer look, either. For example, many food pantries and soup kitchens are associated with religious groups like churches. But if you see a donor’s giving initiative bars matching to faith-based organizations⁠—don’t fret! Most companies that exclude strictly religious causes include an addendum to the policy stating that religiously affiliated groups providing social services (like food security initiatives) do, in fact, qualify for matching gifts.

Still, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to matching gift eligibility, so it’s a good idea to conduct thorough research regardless. We recommend utilizing a comprehensive matching gift database to make this task as easy as can be.

5. Explore corporate partnerships with food-focused businesses.

Matching gifts aren’t the only type of corporate philanthropy to consider for your anti-hunger cause, either! In fact, pursuing strategic partnerships with for-profit businesses can unleash advantages for both parties involved.

For example, you might ask a local grocery store if they’d be willing to donate nonperishable food items to stock your pantry. Or even host a food drive out of their business that encourages shoppers to participate!

Alternatively, you could solicit a restaurant or catering business to prepare a meal to serve at your organization’s soup kitchen.

Depending on your nonprofit programming and the companies in your area, the opportunities are endless. And if you’re looking to get your foot in the door with a potential corporate sponsor, taking a look at your donors’ employers that are already supporting your cause through matching gifts can be a great start. In fact, the donors who work for those companies can be some of your greatest champions in advocating for such partnerships!

6. Scale efficiencies with matching gift automation.

Running a food security program can be a lot of work. You may even be operating with limited staff and resources, which could make strategically pursuing matching gifts seem like an impossible task. But that’s where automation comes in to take the brunt of the effort off your team’s plate. Instead, scaling up efficiency and overall results.

Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro can maximize matching gifts for food security and anti-hunger organizations with the following features:

  • Automatic identification of match-eligible donations based on the provided employment data
  • Seamless integration with nonprofit CRMs and online donation tools, embedding matching gift information and next steps directly within the giving experience
  • Customizable email streams with optimized follow-up cadences for post-donation communications, providing employer-specific matching gift guidelines and links to online forms
  • Matching gift lifecycle tracking to follow up on stuck matches and more accurately forecast incoming match revenue

Matching gift automation tools can significantly reduce the administrative burden associated with promoting and managing matching gifts. Plus, it makes things easier for participating donors, too! This ultimately allows your organization to focus on its core mission while reaping the benefits of corporate matching⁠—without lifting a finger.


Next Steps

Now, begin pursuing matching gifts for food security groups by implementing these tips and tricks in your fundraising strategy.

When actively promoting and facilitating matching gifts, anti-hunger organizations can tap into the generosity of individuals and corporate entities alike. And ultimately, it allows you to grow your return on investment and do more for the individuals receiving your services.

Watch the video below to learn how Daily Table leverages 360MatchPro to increase matching gift funds and better serve their community.

Daily Table – Matching Gift Success with 360MatchPro from Double the Donation on Vimeo.

Interested in learning more about maximizing your matching gift practices? We’ve compiled a few recommended resources:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Matching Gifts and Animal Rescues | How to Double Impact

Matching Gifts and Animal Rescues | How to Double Impact

When it comes to running an animal rescue, there are a few things we can assume about you. First of all, that you’re devoted to the animals in your care. And second, that you want your animal organization’s fundraising dollars to go as far as possible to best support the furry (or feathered, scaly, etc.) friends depending on your services.

The solution? Matching gifts!

Matching gifts and animal rescues go hand in hand⁠—or paw in paw, if you will. In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know as an animal rescue team member to make the most of matching gifts for your cause. This includes:

Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.

The Basics of Matching Gifts for Animal Rescues

Matching gifts can significantly impact just about any nonprofit group⁠—animal rescues included. These powerful programs allow organizations to double their impact, empowering eligible donors to get involved with their companies’ programs.

Specifically, matching gifts are a form of corporate philanthropy where businesses match employees’ charitable donations to eligible nonprofit causes. This means that if an individual donates to their local pet shelter, their employer will contribute an equal (or sometimes larger) amount, effectively doubling the initial gift. It’s an incredible opportunity for individual donors to amplify their impact and make a greater difference in the lives of animals in need.

Benefits of matching gifts for animal rescues

Thus, as an animal rescue fundraiser, matching gifts maximize the support coming your way. Research even shows that individual donors are more likely to give, and more likely to give in larger amounts, when they know that matching is available!

However, matching gifts continue to remain a severely underutilized revenue source for qualifying nonprofits. And that’s because most eligible supporters have never been made aware of the programs. Because individual donors typically have to complete and submit their own matching gift forms for their employers, a lack of familiarity with the opportunity results in substantial amounts of unclaimed funding.

Today, an increasing number of organizations are taking steps to close the knowledge and consequent funding gaps⁠ with strategic matching gift promotions and guidance—and we recommend that your animal mission gets on board.

Tips for a Pawsitive Matching Gift Experience

Maximizing matching gifts for animal rescues doesn’t have to be difficult. Check out these recommended tips that are already being used by organizations across the globe.

1. Use animal-related imagery in communications to illustrate impact.

You likely understand that imagery is used in nonprofit marketing materials to attract and retain an audience’s attention. This is especially beneficial regarding matching gift communications. After all, corporate donation-matching is likely to be a new idea for many of your donors⁠—and an abstract one at that.

Utilizing familiar, impactful imagery can go a long way toward deepening the connection with your audience. Plus, it helps demonstrate the concepts involved with matching gifts through photo, graphic, and video content that reflects your organization’s tangible mission values. Think: twin kittens or a bonded pair of dogs.

Matching gifts for animal rescues - imagery example

You already know that your donors support your cause. Use visual elements to reiterate that they can do even more with a corporate match, enabling your team to further its lifesaving work, providing vital medical attention, shelter, and loving homes for the animals in your care.

2. Share company-specific matching gift guideline information.

Each company that offers to match employee donations is able to establish its own unique set of matching gift eligibility criteria. Most often, this includes a combination of:

  • Minimum donation amounts;
  • Maximum donation amounts;
  • Matching gift ratios;
  • Qualifying nonprofit types;
  • Qualifying employee types;
  • Submission deadlines.

However, donors who are learning about matching gifts for the first time through your organization are not likely to know where to look for this information. Rather than allowing it to cause a roadblock for supporters, make an effort to provide the relevant details to your donors directly.

For example, if you know an individual works for the Walt Disney Company, research the company’s guidelines so that your donor doesn’t have to. Then, present them with the information you’ve uncovered on the gift confirmation page (if you use a matching gift tool) or in a follow-up email.

3. Guide matching gift donors through the process.

Once you or your donor has confirmed a gift’s match eligibility, the individual can begin to initiate the process. Typically, this involves a brief online form, with the donor providing details about your organization and their recent transaction.

Make it easy for your supporters to do their part by streamlining things on your end! As you did with the eligibility criteria, locate information regarding your donors’ matching gift submission processes to ultimately reduce the extent of the task that’s being asked of them.

Then, send them a link to the online portal and encourage them to submit the form. If you know the company is going to ask for information about your organization, proactively share the details they’ll need⁠—such as your mailing address and tax ID number.

4. Automate the experience with a matching gift tool.

Without the right resources in your fundraising toolkit, effectively marketing matching gift opportunities to your audience can be a daunting task. Luckily, Double the Donation aims to simplify the process with our best-in-class matching gift automation platform: 360MatchPro. And it empowers organizations like yours to trigger personalized matching gift communications that inform donors about gift-matching, streamline requests, and more.

Specifically, 360MatchPro…

  • Identifies match-eligible donors with multiple screening methods to collect employment information and screen against known matching gift companies to ensure no qualifying supporters slip through the cracks;
  • Provides company-specific matching gift guideline information and direct links to online request forms from an organization’s confirmation screen and email outreach;
  • Tracks completed donations through the matching gift lifecycle to forecast incoming revenue and drive forward stuck matches;
  • Integrates seamlessly with 70+ donation tools and CRMs to establish a robust matching gift promotional cadence that reaches donors where they are.

This allows your team to save time, energy, and resources that can be reallocated to other high-value tasks⁠—such as next-level animal rescue fundraising and caring for your furry friends in need.

Explore matching gifts for animal rescues like yours with 360MatchPro

Interested in seeing how other leading fundraising organizations have elevated their fundraising with matching gift technology? Check out this compilation of inspirational case studies⁠—including one from Humane Society International!

5. Seek additional corporate partnership opportunities.

Matching gifts are one of the most prevalent forms of corporate philanthropy, but they’re certainly not the only kind out there for your animal rescue. Still, an effective matching gift strategy can help your team uncover additional partnership opportunities.

For example, if you see that a significant segment of your donor base works for a particular employer, you might decide to reach out to the company to seek a sponsorship. If the company already participates in matching employee gifts, even better! You already know that it’s a socially responsible business that has a lot in common with your rescue.

And if it’s one that doesn’t already match gifts, consider imploring them to consider a one-off matching gift initiative benefitting your nonprofit! You can even encourage your donors to advocate for a program on your behalf.

We recommend prioritizing companies that share similar values to your own. For example, a pet-related business (such as a pet supply shop, a grooming business, or even a company that sells cleaning products targeting pet owners) may be interested in sponsoring your upcoming fundraising event. After all, you share a love of animals, and your target audiences are likely to overlap as well.

Companies That Match to Animal Rescue Organizations

Thousands of companies, large and small, have these programs in place as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Tons will match donations made to animal rescues like yours, but we’ve selected a few standout examples to explore below.

Pets Best Insurance offers matching gifts for animal rescues.

Pets Best Insurance

Pets Best Insurance, a subsidiary of Synchrony Financial, is proud to offer a corporate matching gifts program that reflects its commitment to supporting the welfare of both animals and society as a whole. Through this program, Pets Best Insurance encourages its employees to contribute to nonprofit animal rescue organizations and other charitable causes, amplifying their impact by matching individual donations.

Currently, full-time and part-time employees are eligible to participate in the program. Each team member is able to request matches between $25 and $25,000 to qualifying causes. Among animal rescues are educational institutions (K-12 included), health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and community organizations, environmental groups, and many other 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

Hills Pet Nutrition offers matching gifts for animal rescues.

Hills Pet Nutrition

As a subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive, Hills Pet Nutrition has designed its corporate matching gift program to make a meaningful difference in its community. And, of course, the furry friends it serves are key beneficiaries when the company matches employee donations to qualifying animal rescues and other charities.

At a dollar-for-dollar rate, full- and part-time team members are eligible to request corporate matching of up to $8,000 per employee per year. Along with animal rescues, other causes the company supports include a variety of education, health, community, and environmental nonprofits.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

Blue Buffalo offers matching gifts for animal rescues.

Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo and other General Mills subsidiaries offer generous matching gift programs in which they encourage employees to participate. Thus, not only does Blue Buffalo’s match initiative demonstrate the company’s dedication to supporting the welfare of animals, but it also inspires and motivates employees to give back to causes they care about.

With a match ratio of up to 2:1, Blue Buffalo employees can triple the impact of the gifts they contribute to qualifying organizations. Each team member can request between $25 and $1,000 per year, and the company even matches gifts made by retired employees as well!

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

Zoetis offers matching gifts for animal rescues.

Zoetis

Formerly under Pfizer and now an independent pharmaceutical company, Zoetis is the largest animal health company across the globe. And it’s devoted to animal (and overall) welfare even beyond its own offerings. By supporting charitable causes—including animal-focused organizations—through its matching gift program, Zoetis makes giving back a priority.

Plus, its employees are encouraged to take the reins with the giving program by supporting their own favorite charities and requesting associated corporate matches. Processed through the Zoetis Foundation, employee donations, along with their associated matches, support more than 119,000 pet owners in need and provide over $7.7 million for animals and the people who care for them each year.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

ADM Animal Nutrition offers matching gifts for animal rescues.

ADM Animal Nutrition

An Archer Daniels Midland company, ADM Animal Nutrition is a leading manufacturer of animal nutrition products. And its matching gift program goes to support animal welfare as well!

Current full-time team members qualify to request matches from ADM regarding gifts between $100 and $5,000 each year. Among animal rescue organizations, most registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits supported by ADM Animal Nutrition or other ADM employees qualify to receive such funding.

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

And that’s only a small percentage of the companies that match gifts to nonprofit organizations⁠—for most of which, animal rescue groups like yours will qualify!

Dive into even more generous matching gift companies with lists like this. Or employ a matching gift database to uncover information on any corporate philanthropy opportunity in seconds.

Matching Gift Communication: Sample Wording for Animal Rescues

Ready to begin promoting matching gifts to your nonprofit rescue’s audience? These examples can offer an excellent headstart as you develop your personalized strategy.

Matching Gift Email Template

Subject: Double the Impact of Your Generosity for Our Furry Friends!

Dear [Donor’s Name],

On behalf of all the wagging tails, purring kitties, and grateful hearts at [animal rescue], I want to extend our sincerest gratitude for your recent donation. Your compassion and support are making a real difference in the lives of our beloved animals.

I’m reaching out to share an exciting opportunity that could multiply the impact of your contribution (at no additional cost to you!). Many companies offer matching gift programs to support charitable causes close to their employees’ hearts. By taking advantage of this wonderful initiative, you can potentially double or even triple the value of your generous donation.

These programs often have a simple process that typically completing a quick online process. Click here to learn more and locate your company’s submission forms [link to matching gift page]!

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help every step of the way.

Warm regards,

[Your Name] (and furry friends)
[Your Title/Position]
[Organization]

Matching Gift Facebook Post Template

🐾 Double the Love: Unlock the Power of Matching Gifts! 🐾

We are thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity to make an even bigger impact on the lives of our precious furry companions. Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs to amplify the donations made by their employees? That means your generosity can be doubled or even tripled, all with a simple request to your employer!

Imagine the difference we can make. Your $50 donation could turn into $100 or more, providing vital medical care, nourishment, and a safe haven for our four-legged friends in need. By taking a few moments to request a matching gift, you have the power to create an even greater impact and transform the lives of animals who are longing for a loving home.

Here’s how you can get started:

1️⃣Browse our matching gift page: Visit our website at [link to matching gift page] to explore our dedicated match page. We’ve compiled helpful resources, FAQs, and step-by-step instructions to assist you in navigating the matching gift process. Find answers to common inquiries, access your company’s specific forms, and more.

2️⃣ Gather the necessary information: When speaking with your employer, make sure to have our official name, [animal rescue], our contact details, and any relevant documentation about your recent donation handy.

3️⃣ Advocate for our cause: Share our mission and the impact of your donation with your employer. Let them know how their support can make a significant difference in the lives of animals and the local community. Inspire them with the transformative work we’re doing together.

4️⃣ Spread the word: Encourage your colleagues, friends, and family members to explore matching gift opportunities with their employers too. Together, let’s make the most of this incredible opportunity to support our beloved animals in need!

Matching Gift Tweet Template

Did you know your donation to [animal rescue] could be matched by your employer? Take a moment to inquire about their matching gift program and amplify the love for our furry friends. Together, we can make a difference! ❤️🐾 #MatchingGifts #AnimalRescue

Matching Gift Text Message Template

Hey [donor], it’s [name] from [animal rescue]. Your recent donation means the world to us. Did you know your gift could be doubled? Check out our matching gift page to learn more and maximize your impact for our furry friends. Thank you for your incredible, ongoing support! [Link to matching gift page]


Your animal rescue organization likely invests in smart fundraising strategies to generate revenue needed to fund your day-to-day and mission-based activities. If you haven’t explored the opportunity already, matching gifts can scale the impact of your efforts to new heights. And you certainly don’t want to miss out on this stream of no-cost funding⁠—so it’s time to get started!

Learn more—Dive deeper into the world of corporate matching gifts with these recommended resources for your organization:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Alternative Fundraising Avenues: Recouping After Lost Funding Sources

Alternative Fundraising Avenues: Recouping After Lost Funding Sources

There are many different funding types at the disposal of nonprofit causes. These sources empower organizations like yours to bankroll mission programming and behind-the-scenes operations alike. Still, most fundraisers end up relying on a few primary channels to power the brunt of their operations.

So what happens when one of those key sources becomes unavailable? Oftentimes, that means it’s time to begin searching for alternative fundraising avenues.

And we’re here to help! In this guide, we’ll cover:

Ready to dive in? Let’s start at the beginning.

Why your nonprofit might lose a funding source

The loss of a nonprofit funding source can be jarring⁠, and you might not always see it coming. However, understanding common causes behind lost fundraising avenues can make a big difference in preparing to overcome whatever obstacles are thrown your way.

Some scenarios in which your organization finds itself without a key funding source might include losses of major donors (whether due to passing, changing financial circumstances, or other reasoning), specific grants not coming through, and more.

One of the most prominent⁠—and widespread⁠—examples of this occurred at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. Still, the lingering effects remained for years after the fact. And that’s when organizations across the globe that had been previously dependent on revenue generated through in-person fundraising events were now without access to the source.

Luckily, all was not lost! Instead, organizations went to work rapidly transitioning events to the virtual realm in order to maintain donor engagement and giving.

Another, more recent instance? The cessation of Amazon’s philanthropic initiative, AmazonSmile, in February 2023. This program had been a fairly effortless source of income for over one million local and national causes, producing more than $365 million for participating organizations. Once the closing of the program was announced, tons of nonprofits began scrambling to locate new ways to make up the income they’d been depending on.

And that brings us to our next section!

Next steps after losing a funding source

If your nonprofit has just lost a key source of funding, you may be tempted to enter panic mode. But first, we recommend taking a few easy steps to get your organization back on track for financial success.

Determine how much was lost from the source.

First and foremost, start by gauging exactly how much was lost from the source.

If you were expecting a particular grant payout or a donor had been contributing a static amount year after year, you could fairly simply determine the amount you were accounting for. On the other hand, more variable sources⁠—e.g., fundraising events or programs like AmazonSmile⁠—can be estimated by calculating the average dollar amounts received over a period of time, such as the last months or years.

For example, many organizations are (understandably) fretting about the AmazonSmile program shutting down. However, reports indicate that the average annual payout for the program was a mere $230.

Looking at it this way can help contextualize the loss and make an actionable plan to compensate for the lack of funding.

Pursue new fundraising avenues.

Now, begin brainstorming ways to make up for the lost funding. When one door closes, another one may be opening. That means it might be time to pursue a brand new funding avenue.

A few examples may include:

  • Launching an online store (such as selling branded merchandise for your cause!)
  • Exploring fee-for-service models (e.g., summer camp, youth programming, etc.)
  • Hosting a nonprofit crowdfunding campaign

Keep in mind that this idea can look vastly different from one organization to the next. After all, there’s a world of opportunities readily available.

Ramp up existing (yet often underutilized) funding types.

What about those revenue streams that produce some funding for your cause, but you don’t have a particularly built-out strategy for making the most of the resource? It’s a great chance to optimize your efforts regarding those funding types, as well!

For many organizations, this is where corporate giving programs fall. Perhaps you’ve received a number of matching donations, maybe even a few volunteer grants. However, you might generally rely on individual supporters to pursue those avenues on their own. In that case, now might be the best opportunity to ramp up your efforts to help ensure no matches are ultimately going unclaimed.

Diversifying funds with 10+ alternative revenue streams

When you rely too heavily on any one type of funding, you run the risk of financial instability should something happen to that source. Thus, one of the best ways to prepare your organization prior to losing potential revenue streams is to ensure a well-rounded and sustainable funding model.

Example alternative fundraising avenues to pursue

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular⁠—and impactful⁠—kinds of nonprofit funding to consider. Keep in mind that a versatile fundraising strategy likely incorporates many, if not all, of these earning types.

1. Corporate Giving

According to corporate giving research, corporations contribute, on average, over $21 billion each year. Much of this funding is donated through generous programs, such as:

  • Matching gifts
  • Volunteer grants
  • Corporate sponsorships

However, billions of dollars in workplace giving revenue is left on the table each year, largely due to a lack of knowledge surrounding the programs.

Want to increase participation in corporate philanthropy and drive additional corporate funding to your cause? Raise awareness among donors⁠—and encourage them to get their employers involved. (Don’t worry: we’ll share more on matching gifts later.)

2. Individual Gifts

Many nonprofits make up the majority of their annual fundraising revenue through individual donor giving. This typically includes a number of specific giving types, such as:

  • Small-dollar gifts
  • Mid-size gifts
  • Major gifts
  • Planned gifts

In order to maximize individual giving, be sure to send personalized and targeted fundraising appeals. You’ll also want to emphasize the tangible impact of generous donations on your nonprofit’s mission.

Plus, the above-cited research shows that simply highlighting matching gifts in donation asks results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.

3. Grants

Nonprofit (or fundraising) grants are a specific type of monetary contribution made to a charitable cause. They are typically larger than the average donation amount and are often restricted to funding a particular project or program.

Grants can be made by a range of different institutions but generally fall into one of the following categories:

  • Foundation grants
  • Government grants (federal, state, and local)
  • Corporate grants

Most grants require some sort of application process and may include a dedicated proposal to be submitted. In order to secure more grant funding for your organization, it’s a good idea to spend some time researching opportunities and creating optimized proposal materials.

4. Event Revenue

Nonprofit fundraising events can certainly be fan-favorite experiences⁠—and can range from informal run/walk/ride competitions to elegant gala affairs. And each event typically encompasses multiple opportunities for generating revenue.

For example, your event may collect funding from:

  • Ticket sales or entrance fees
  • Auction bids
  • Merchandise sales
  • Individual donations
  • Event sponsorships

When you choose to host a fundraising event for your organization, be sure to invest time and resources into marketing the opportunity effectively beforehand. After all, your audience would love to participate to support your cause, but they need to know the event is happening in order to attend.

5. Online Giving

In line with the digital revolution, online giving has increased steadily, seeing consistent year-over-year growth throughout the past decade and beyond.

Remember: donors want an easy digital giving experience, so the tools you use to power online donations are a critical component of your strategy.

(Hint: Double the Donation partners with some of the greatest online donation platforms in the industry. Check out our integrations to learn more!)

6. Direct Mail Donations

Though many assume that direct mail is an outdated fundraising strategy, the truth is that it remains an excellent way to engage with your donors in an offline manner.

In fact, recent fundraising statistics report that direct mail is the second-highest reported giving preference among Baby Boomer donors worldwide. At the same time, it’s one of the top four most inspirational channels to drive action among supporters in Millennial, Gen X, and Baby Boomer generations alike.

One way to modernize the giving avenue, however, is to provide an online option for giving⁠—even when an individual is being prompted through a direct mail ask. For example, you might include a scannable QR code or an easy-to-type digital giving page URL.

7. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Also known as social or P2P fundraising, peer-to-peer fundraising is an impactful way for nonprofits to raise substantial levels of funding while also expanding their campaign reach to new heights.

In these initiatives, organizations equip dedicated supporters with the tools they need to raise money on behalf of their favorite causes. Volunteer fundraisers then solicit donations from their own networks of friends, family members, and more.

In the end, P2P campaigns often culminate in an engaging event experience, such as a walk-a-thon!

8. Membership Fees

Some nonprofits take a membership-based approach to supplement their other existing funding sources. This is a particularly popular model among school PTAs, community programming organizations, and more. And it can be a great way to incentivize giving and foster a sense of camaraderie among members!

Organizations that choose to enact membership fees (sometimes referred to as dues) typically provide exclusive perks for those who join and aim to set their prices at an affordable monthly or yearly rate.

9. Recurring Gifts

Recurring donations offer a wide range of benefits for the nonprofits receiving them. Not only do individual supporters typically end up giving more through these programs, but it also aids organizations in estimating incoming revenue.

And leveling up your recurring gifts can be as easy as incorporating a button on your online donation pages! You may be pleasantly surprised as to how many donors opt to become regular supporters of your cause when presented with the easy opportunity to do so. In fact, average online monthly giving grew by over 40% as recurring donation options became an increasingly popular choice among online supporters.

10. In-Kind Donations

While not a direct source of funding, in-kind donations (i.e., any non-cash gifts of goods, services, or time) are an essential component of nonprofit fundraising. After all, these types of contributions empower organizations to stretch their budgets further than otherwise possible. And that allows them to allocate revenue to other areas of their operations.

To drive more in-kind donations, make sure to market the opportunity to your donors! Many individuals love supporting nonprofits by providing gifts-in-kind and seeing the impact that their tangible purchases can have on their favorite causes. Plus, Amazon still offers an easy way for charities to create and share online wishlists from which their supporters can purchase and send items directly to the organization.

Our favorite fundraising avenue: employee matching gifts!

While all of the above funding sources can provide significant benefits for the nonprofits who choose to establish the initiatives, our #1 favorite method is employee matching gifts. After all, this top alternative fundraising avenue has huge potential⁠—though it’s still going largely underutilized.

In fact, Double the Donation research indicates that an estimated $2 – $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs each year. However, an additional $4 – $7 billion goes unclaimed on an annual basis.

Not to mention, corporate matching gifts are an opportunity that nearly all nonprofit organizations qualify to participate in. Over 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs, including over 65% of the Fortune 500. More than likely, a key segment of your existing and prospective donors falls into that matching-gift-eligible group.

When you highlight the widespread availability of these programs, your organization can benefit not only from increased corporate funding but from elevated donor giving, as well. The above-mentioned studies also show that individual supporters are more likely to give (71% growth in gift conversion rates) and to give more (51% higher average transaction amount) when matching gifts are promoted. Thus, in the end, your organization receives additional revenue streams and new opportunities for communication and engagement. Talk about a win-win!

Plus, if you’re looking for a particularly impactful source of fundraising revenue that doesn’t require a ton of staff time and resources, dedicated matching gift technology is the way to go. Leveraging a matching gift automation tool (like Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro) increases matching gift funds for nonprofits by over 61%, with innovative new auto-submission functionality projected to yield more than an 80% increase in match revenue.

Pursuing alternative fundraising avenues with 360MatchPro

And in the face of adversity, you generally won’t have to worry about a negative impact on matching gifts. In reality, many companies were reported to have developed new and improved employee matching initiatives in the wake of COVID-19 and other economic downturns. Besides, should one company roll back its programming, you’ll likely have a number of additional matching opportunities to pursue⁠—making it a particularly sustainable fundraising practice over time.


Final Thoughts

Preparing your team with a range of diversified revenue can go a long way toward continuous operational success⁠. Even in the midst of lost funding avenues, you’ll have a number of alternative fundraising streams supporting your organization.

And when you have a plan in place for optimizing passive income opportunities (such as employer matching gifts and more), you can continue driving forward mission impact despite losing access to other sources.

Ready to dive deeper into some of our favorite alternative fundraising avenues for nonprofits and schools? Check out these additional resources below:

Diversify your fundraising avenues with Double the Donation

8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Matching Gift Requests

8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests

As a fundraising leader, you may have put a lot of thought into how to market matching gifts before and during the donation process. For example, you might host a matching donation challenge and mention matching gifts as a way to increase the impact of donations. That’s great—doing so lays a solid foundation and begins increasing awareness about the opportunity. Not to mention, it allows your team to collect much-needed data points regarding your donors’ employing companies.

But for the donor, clicking submit or mailing a check often feels like the final step. And for this reason alone, many eligible matches go unclaimed⁠—thus, resulting in available funds being left on the table.

The solution? Strategic follow-ups post-donation.

Getting in touch with donors after they complete their gifts allows you to remind individuals of matching gift programs at hand and encourage them to take the next steps to submit their matching donation requests. Plus, it provides a unique opportunity to retain your organization and its purpose at the forefront of supporters’ minds, reiterate your mission and vision and highlight key opportunities for furthering engagement.

And in this guide, we’ll share eight of the best ways to do so. These include the following:

  1. Educate your staff.
  2. Share guidelines on the confirmation page.
  3. Link to request forms and next steps.
  4. Send a follow-up email.
  5. Pick up the phone.
  6. Utilize snail mail.
  7. Incorporate SMS outreach.

Don’t let your organization’s matching gift opportunities fall through the cracks! Incorporating these follow-up methods enables your team to drive more corporate matches to completion, ultimately ensuring you get the biggest bang for your fundraising buck.

1. Educate your staff.

One of the first things you can do to easily raise your match submission rates among donors involves looking inward. In other words, make sure that, when it comes to matching gifts, your organization is cultivating a knowledgeable staff.

At the very least, every employee should understand:

When your team is equipped with a solid foundation of matching gift information and feels confident explaining the process, benefits, and more, you can work together to create an outreach strategy that is specific to your donor base. And don’t forget about volunteers, either!

We recommend hosting dedicated internal training sessions to cover all of the above information, providing in-depth resources for learning more, and incorporating matching gift information in team-wide onboarding going forward.

2. Share guidelines on the confirmation page.

Immediately following the donation process, many donors’ engagement levels remain high. That said, a nonprofit’s confirmation page or thank-you screen can be a valuable resource for promoting actionable next steps. In this case, it’s one of the best opportunities to begin actively encouraging individuals to submit their matching gifts.

When communicated effectively, match information on the confirmation screen can be positioned as a logical extension of the giving experience. And when you’ve collected employment information within the donation form, you can use the opportunity to provide company-specific eligibility criteria.

When available, this should include minimum and maximum match thresholds, corporate donation ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofits, submission deadlines, and more.

When available, this should include:

  • Minimum and maximum match thresholds (on average, between $34 and $3,728);
  • Corporate donation ratios (most typically 1:1, though some companies go lower, such as .5:1, or higher, such as 2, 3, or even 4:1);
  • Qualifying employees (full-time, part-time, retired, spouses);
  • Qualifying nonprofit mission types (education, community service, religious, etc.);
  • Submission deadlines (# of months post-donation, end of the calendar year, end of calendar year plus a grace period);
  • And more.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests on the confirmation page

3. Link to request forms and next steps.

Each company that offers a matching gift program is able to establish its own submission process. These typically range from paper forms to online request portals. However, not all employers take a proactive approach to communicating the process to their employees. And many donors can be overwhelmed by a lack of direction⁠—even if the experience itself is quick and easy.

Thus, you don’t want your donors to have to do a ton of research on their own to determine how to submit their matching gift. If that’s the case, they’re significantly more likely to abandon their potential match altogether.

In order to streamline the experience for your donors, providing direct links to the forms they need can go a long way. And if that information is unavailable, sharing contact information for a person or team at the company to reach out to can be helpful as well.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with links to request forms

5. Send a follow-up email.

Looking to re-engage your donors after they leave your donation page? Send a quick email that specifically asks them to follow up and submit their matching gift requests.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with email follow-ups

Make sure to incorporate an explanation of matching gifts and the benefits they can bring to your organization. Plus, demonstrate the simplicity with which a donor can complete their request by walking them through the process.

Top tip ⁠— Send your follow-up email within 24 hours of receiving an individual donation in order to retain giving momentum. Matching gift emails sent within this time frame see a 53% open rate, which is more than 2-3 times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!

Here’s a sample:

“Dear Jody, thank you for your generous donation to the Cat Rescue Club. Did you know that your employer, Home Depot, will match your gift of $100 to our organization?

Matching gifts enable us to support twice as many furry friends. And it’s quick and easy for you to complete your match. Click here to log into your company’s matching gift request portal and submit your request.”

Even better, use Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro platform to trigger personalized outreach to donors. When individuals contribute to your cause, they are automatically triaged by match eligibility. Thus, they’re sent a targeted email that incorporates employer-specific program information. This typically includes the company’s minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, and direct links to online forms.

Not to mention, emails can be sent from your organization’s domain and branded to match your colors, fonts, and overall styles. And when you leverage automation, you can ensure each donor receives timely and actionable follow-ups. No more worries about prospective matches slipping through the cracks, and it’s less legwork for your team to handle!

6. Pick up the phone.

To make your efforts really stand out, consider sorting through recent donations and identifying your top contributors. Then, call these donors to thank them for their gifts and encourage them to submit their matching gift requests.

Many donors would be happy to support your organization in this way, and taking the time to make a phone call demonstrates the importance of donation matches to your team.

Lack of donor awareness is one of the biggest hurdles to increasing matching gift revenue. If you’re able to briefly walk a donor through the process and provide them with the information they need, they’ll be more likely to complete their end of the matching gift request.

Feel free to use this sample phone script as a jumping-off point for your efforts: “Hi Jeff! It’s Anita from the Cat Rescue Club. We just wanted to call and let you know that we are so appreciative of your generous support for our mission. Because of you, we’re able to feed and care for more than 100 furry friends while they wait for their forever homes.

Did you know that tens of thousands of companies offer corporate matching gift programs where they agree to match employee donations to their favorite charitable causes? Our records indicate that your recent donation of $1,000 is likely eligible for a match from your employer, Apple! All it takes is to fill out a brief online form, which we can send directly to your email address on file for easy access.

Would you be willing to double your impact on our cause by submitting a matching donation request to your employer? Thanks again!”

7. Utilize snail mail.

Good old-fashioned postage is still a great way to touch base with your donors! Physical mailers can work as impactful calls to action that encourage donors to submit their matching gift requests.

This might include:

  • Letters (handwritten or printed)
  • Postcards
  • Direct mail inserts
  • Thank-you notes
  • Return envelopes

Many companies have very generous matching gift request submission deadlines. In fact, this window is often open between three months and over a year. This gives donors plenty of time to get their donations doubled—even when leveraging so-called snail mail to promote the opportunity.

And by sending tangible follow-ups to your supporters’ mailboxes (likely in tangent with alternative outreach as well), it can help your team break through the ever-increasing digital clutter. In order to keep your costs down, consider reserving direct mail marketing for your highest-value matching gift opportunities.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with direct mail

8. Incorporate SMS outreach.

Mobile outreach is becoming an increasingly popular method of communication for nonprofit fundraising. Consider incorporating this channel into your organization’s strategy as well. It’s a great way to reach your donors exactly where they are⁠—wherever they are⁠.

In fact, recent studies indicate that text message marketing boasts open rates of up to 98%, compared to only 20% open rates for emails. People tend to always have their cell phones on them⁠, making SMS an effective outreach method, particularly for the on-the-go donor.

For the best results, matching gift text messaging should be short, sweet, and to the point⁠—as compared to a follow-up email that may incorporate longer blocks of text. Inform or remind donors about matching gift opportunities and provide direct links to additional resources and next steps.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with SMS outreach

Interested in streamlining and elevating your text messaging efforts? Currently, automated matching gift text streams are available for 360MatchPro Enterprise clients to make use of!


Next Steps

The most effective way to encourage donors to submit their matching gift requests is to mention matching gifts as often as possible. Include corporate matching information in your acknowledgment letters, emails, text messages, and more. You can even integrate a more generalized approach by leveraging your website, social media posts, and regular newsletters, too.

The bottom line is that the more your donors hear about matching gift opportunities (and the widespread benefits that are involved), the more likely they are to take part when the time comes. And the more personalized your outreach, the better!

Ready to learn more? Dive into our other educational resources on matching gift tips and best practices:

How to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests

Encourage donors to submit employee matching gift requests with Double the Donation

This guide explores how nonprofits can start a donor retention program.

How to Start A Donor Retention Program for Your Nonprofit

The importance of donor engagement is no mystery to nonprofit leaders. Engaged donors are loyal to your organization, meaning they’re more likely to support your nonprofit long-term. These supporters provide reliable revenue, attend events, and promote your cause to those around them. 

For donors to form strong connections that inspire continued support, your nonprofit will need an effective donor retention program

A structured donor retention program, backed by the right strategies and software, can keep your supporters coming back for years or even decades to come. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about standardizing your nonprofit’s donor retention practices:

Returning donors are fundamental for a nonprofit’s success. However, nonprofits are likely to approach creating a donor retention program in numerous ways. Let’s start our deep dive into how to retain more donors by going over the fundamentals.

Get connected with one of the most powerful retention strategies: matching gifts. Download our guide.

What are donor retention programs?

Donor retention refers to the rate at which a nonprofit’s donors continue to give after their first gift. Retained donors continue to give repeatedly over time and often participate in other activities the nonprofit offers, such as volunteering, attending events, or buying branded merchandise. 

A donor retention program is the standardized process your organization follows for implementing donor retention strategies. Taking a wholly unique approach to relationship cultivation with each donor is not practical or even possible for most nonprofits. Donor retention programs provide set guidelines your nonprofit can follow for nearly every donor to encourage them to continue giving. 

In order to engage first-time donors, donor retention programs should take into account their entire support journey. This timeline includes:

The graphic depicts the donor retention program cycle, written out below.

  • Before the donation. During initial contact, nonprofits should aim to inspire interest and an emotional connection to their cause. To pivot potential first-time donors to recurring supporters smoothly, nonprofits should consider emphasizing the importance of continued support in their outreach. 
  • During the donation process. Many donors will decide whether they will offer recurring support while making a donation. Ensure the process is streamlined, and make becoming a recurring donor as easy as checking a box or pressing a button. 
  • Donation confirmation. Confirm to donors that you successfully processed their gift. Follow up your initial confirmation and donation receipt delivery with a thank-you message within 48 hours of when the gift was made. 
  • Follow-up. Stay in touch with new donors to stoke their interest in your nonprofit and encourage them to pursue other engagement opportunities. For example, you might invite them to subscribe to your newsletter, explore your website’s content, attend an event, or volunteer. 
  • The next donation request. For supporters who did not opt into recurring donations, plan to ask for a follow-up donation after a reasonable amount of time has passed since their last donation. For supporters who choose to become recurring donors, continue engaging them and thanking them for each gift. 

Additionally, a donor retention program also takes lapsed donors into account. These donors used to give regularly but have recently stopped. The recapture rate for lapsed donors is only 4%, which means it’s often more effective for nonprofits to proactively focus on identifying donors at risk of lapsing and re-engaging them rather than waiting until they’ve stopped giving to take action.

What are the benefits of a donor retention program?

It’s easy to get caught up in the drive to attract new donors. After all, nonprofits need to continually grow their donor bases to scale their programs and better serve their beneficiaries. Acquiring new donors is also often a long and resource-intensive process, with it taking about eight touchpoints on average to earn a conversion

With such high costs, nonprofits can maximize their resources by earning recurring support from as many donors as possible. For example, if you attract five new donors who only give once, you have to pay the costs for attracting them five times. However, if you attract one new donor who gives five times, you only spend the resources to earn those five donations once. 

Along with being cost-effective, a donor retention program also systemizes your supporter engagement strategy. With processes in place for how to thank, communicate with, and re-engage donors, you can act more quickly, remove indecision paralysis, and grow your donor base. 

How to calculate donor retention rate

You can calculate your donor retention rate by dividing the number of donors who gave in a previous year by the number of donors who gave in the present year. Then, multiply the quotient by 100 to get a percentage.

This graphic illustrates the equation for calculating donor retention rate.

For example, let’s say 500 donors gave to your nonprofit last year and 275 of them gave again this year. 275 returning donors divided by 500 previous donors, multiplied by 100, would give you a 55% donor retention rate. This statistic means that more than half of last year’s donors stayed involved, beating the nonprofit sector average of 42.6%!

This graphic illustrates a 55% donor retention rate from the example in the text above.

After calculating your retention rate, determine what that rate means for your organization and what rate you’d like to achieve. For example, you might make the following determinations about different retention rates:

  • 0%-25%: Your nonprofit may have a lower rate in its early stages when cause and brand awareness are low. In this stage, share compelling calls to action that encourage active supporters to continue engaging with your nonprofit and focus on building relationships, such as by creating an email welcome series introducing them to your nonprofit. If you’re seeing rates like these, and your organization is not newly established, this should be a wake-up call that it’s time to make changes and reassess your donor outreach strategy. 
  • 25%-50%: If your donor retention rate falls in the 25-50% range, you’re likely about at or just below that nonprofit industry average. Pay close attention to your donors to spot signs that they may be at risk of lapsing and reach out before that can happen. 
  • 50%-75%: This range of retention is on the higher end, and your nonprofit should feel proud of its ability to forge strong connections with supporters. Keep hosting your engagement activities, showing your appreciation, and building a positive community that keeps supporters invested in your cause.  

Keep in mind that donors give for all sorts of reasons, and attaining a 100% retention rate is virtually impossible. For instance, if you run a peer-to-peer campaign, your nonprofit will likely get a burst of support from new donors who give to your cause because of a personal connection to one of your fundraisers. Most of these new supporters will be one-time donors, but their support for that specific campaign is still valuable.

Tools to help retain donors

You wouldn’t start cooking before making sure you have all the ingredients, and the same is true about starting a donor retention program. Consider what tools you’ll need to reach out to and build connections with donors. We recommend exploring the following software solutions.  

Auto-submission

What’s better than receiving regular gifts from a donor? Receiving regular gifts that are then doubled without your supporters having to spend a penny more!

Matching gifts are contributions corporations make to nonprofits that supplement their employees’ gifts, usually at a dollar-per-dollar ratio. For instance, if a donor regularly gives just $25 monthly but qualifies for a matching gift program, their employer will give an additional $25, totaling $50 each month. Over the course of a year, that donor and their employer will donate $600 to your nonprofit, all while barely impacting the donor’s budget. 

However, the matching gift request process does require donors to take extra steps after making their initial contribution, which can result in them deciding that pursuing a match isn’t worth the effort, especially if they have to do it every time they give. 

Fortunately, with Double the Donation’s matching gift auto-submission tool, your donors will have drastically less work to request a match. Auto-submission technology lets supporters jump from step two in the matching gift process all the way to step seven:

This graphic shows each step of making a matching gift from a donor’s point of view and how autosubmission can simplify that process.

The normal process goes something like this:

  1. Donor makes a gift.
  2. Donor determines their matching gift eligibility.
  3. Donor searches for the necessary forms and guidelines.
  4. Donor fills out a matching gift request.
  5. Donor submits the request. 
  6. The company assesses the donor’s match request. 
  7. The company approves the donor’s matching gift application. 
  8. Your nonprofit receives the matching gift funds. 

With auto-submission, donors are done as soon as they determine their matching gift eligibility and agree to use auto-submission. From there, the tool completes the form for them and sends it off to their employer. Interested in learning a bit more about just how auto-submission technology accomplishes this? Here’s a breakdown of our revolutionary new tool:

To get started with matching gift auto-submission, your nonprofit will need matching gift software. Currently, Double the Donation is proud to be the only matching gift vendor that offers this cutting-edge feature. Qualifying supporters will also need to work for a company that uses CSR software that integrates with Double the Donation. This means not all of your recurring donors can take advantage of auto-submission, but those who can will have the easiest matching experience of their lives. 

Interested in learning more about matching gifts technology? Discover auto-submission!

eCards

Picture this: you make two donations, one to nonprofit A and one to nonprofit B. 

Nonprofit B sends you a confirmation email, but you don’t hear from them again until they send another donation request a month later. 

Nonprofit A sends a personalized thank-you message shortly after your confirmation email. Then, they get in touch to give you an update on the program you donated to support. The following week, they let you know about an upcoming event in your area where you can meet other supporters in your community. Finally, they send a request for another donation. 

Which nonprofit’s follow-up donation request are you more likely to answer? Most would say nonprofit A because they showed appreciation, helped the donor understand their impact, and made an effort to get them involved in their community rather than just jumping straight to asking for more money. 

To be like nonprofit A, you need to follow the first essential step of showing your appreciation. There are numerous ways to recognize your donors, and one technology-driven strategy combines timeliness with memorability: eCards. 

eCards are digital greeting cards that allow you to send eye-catching messages to donors through email, text, and even social media. Here’s a breakdown of how to use eCards in your retention strategy: 

  • Create branded eCards. Most eCard platforms will have basic templates you can use to start designing your cards, including image assets and fun fonts. To make your cards memorable, upload your brand images and any other graphic design elements you might want to include. Then, create a series of eCards you can send off to donors to thank them for their support, celebrate special occasions, invite them to events, or engage them in any other way you want. 
  • Determine when they’ll get sent out. You can set your eCards to get sent off automatically in response to a trigger, like a supporter donating, or you can choose to send out an entire batch of eCards at once. For instance, you might send all of your donors an eCard around the holiday season to remind them to get their gifts in before the end of the year.
  • Continue sending cards. Don’t just send one eCard after a donor’s first gift! Continue designing and sending eCards throughout the year to keep your nonprofit fresh in your donors’ minds. You can even set up your donation process so supporters can send eCards to their friends and family after making a gift, spreading awareness of your nonprofit even further. 

So just what does an eCard look like? eCards are fully customizable, which means they can look like just about anything! However, they’ll usually be a decorative postcard-like image next to a short but meaningful message. For example, consider this eCard created by the Maryland Food Bank:

This screenshot shows an eCard created by the Maryland food bank, which retains donors by piquing their interest in the card’s message.

Donor database

Most donor engagement strategies depend heavily on communication. Use the donor data you’ve gathered from your supporters’ past involvement with your organization to send personalized messages that make supporters feel remembered, recognized, and valued.

To target your outreach, you’ll need organized donor data. Invest in a donor database to track important donor information, such as:

  • Contact information
  • Preferred method of communication
  • Giving and involvement history
  • Participation in other organizations
  • Employer information
  • Payment method preference

Properly managed data is the key to collecting and using this information. If you’re missing data, consider conducting a data append to find missing or updated information, such as birthdays and mailing addresses. As you update information, look out for duplicate entries or irrelevant details that are cluttering your database.

Even if you only have a few details about your donors, you can encourage them to continue giving in specific ways. For example, with only a donor’s contact information and giving history, you might notice they only give at in-person events. Send an email inviting that donor to your next in-person fundraiser for a higher chance of retaining them.

Donor retention program strategies

Once you’ve set a target retention goal and acquired the tools you need, it’s time to develop your program’s strategies. The right approach depends on your unique community of supporters, but some time-tested strategies include: 

Identify at-risk donors.

The best way to combat donor lapse is to catch them before they’re gone. To do that, you need to understand why donors stop giving. Gather data about your lapsed donors to analyze patterns in their behavior before they stopped giving by:

  • Surveying lapsed donors. Most of your lapsed donors are gone, but a few of them might still be willing to answer a few questions about their decision. Ask straightforward questions, and be prepared for tough responses, such as not feeling appreciated, forgetting about your organization, or assuming your nonprofit doesn’t need their gifts anymore. 
  • Analyzing engagement data. For most of your lapsed donors, the signs were likely there. For instance, many lapsed donors will stop opening your emails or engaging with your content weeks or even months in advance before they finally cancel their donations. 
  • Considering external factors. Sometimes donors stop giving not because they no longer support your cause but because of outside factors. These can be as easily fixed as a recurring donor’s on-file credit card expiring or more troubling like supporters needing to tighten their budgets in times of economic downturn. 

With this data, craft an at-risk donor strategy. For instance, if donors tend to drop during times of economic hardship, keep them engaged during the rough patch with non-giving related opportunities. Or, if a donor stops opening your emails, send them ones with subject lines that are likely to catch their attention by acknowledging the situation, like “It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you, [donor name]!”

Personalize communication.

Donors engage with nonprofits that offer activities that interest them. Of course, it’s unlikely that a single donor will want to engage with every activity your nonprofit has to offer. Personalize your outreach to share the opportunities that are the most relevant to each donor. 

For instance, when promoting your planned giving program, younger donors and supporters new to your profit are unlikely to show much interest. Show your donors that you understand their individual preferences by tailoring the content you send to their interests. 

You can better personalize your communication by dividing your donors into segments. Donor segments are groups of supporters who share relevant characteristics, and nonprofit CRMs often come equipped with segmentation features to simplify this process. For instance, you might divide your donors based on:

  • Location 
  • Age
  • Gift size
  • Length of time giving to your organization 

After determining your segments, create messaging strategies for each group. You can use email templates to help you get started, then use the information stored in your donor database to personalize each message even further by referencing donors’ names, past donation amounts, and engagement history.

Make opting into recurring donations easy. 

The easiest way to retain supporters is to make giving automatic with a recurring donation program. Recurring donations are gifts donors make automatically, usually on a monthly basis. Since these gifts are deducted from donors’ bank accounts without needing any additional input from the supporter, they’re a simple set-it-and-forget-it method of donor retention. 

Make joining your recurring donation program as easy as possible. You can do this by including a check box to make the gift recurring on your donation form. Or, offer suggested recurring donation amounts alongside higher suggested giving amounts for one-time donors to subtly push them toward becoming recurring supporters. 

The image depicts suggested monthly giving amounts with monthly donations significantly lower than one-time donations.

Recurring donations are lower than one-time donation amounts but add up over time. When donors see the low financial commitment of a recurring gift in comparison to higher one-time amounts, they may decide a recurring gift is the way to go. 

Keep in mind that research shows that when offered a range of giving options, donors are most likely to choose the second lowest option. Additionally, always let donors enter a custom amount to give in case they want to give more or less than your suggested options.

Show your gratitude.

We’ve already discussed how you can use eCards to express your gratitude, but there’s even more you can do to show donors you care. For example, you could:

  • Send letters in the mail. eCards are an amazing piece of technology, but traditional mail still has its place in many nonprofits’ donor appreciation strategies. Write personalized donor thank-you letters your supporters will want to hold onto and send out fundraising appeals at strategic times of the year, such as the week before Giving Tuesday to remind supporters to send in their gifts. 
  • Call donors. For donations above a certain amount, get on the phone, and give your donors a brief call. Write a script that volunteers can easily follow to knock out these calls, or go the extra mile and get your board members involved to make donors feel extra important. 
  • Send gifts. Celebrate the donors who have been with you for years by sending physical gifts in the mail. For example, on a donor’s birthday, you might mail them a t-shirt branded to your organization, or you might put together a welcome package to new donors who gave over a certain amount to persuade them to stick around. 

These ideas are just the beginning, but if you need more inspiration for how to thank your donors, there’s an easy solution: ask them. Send out a survey asking donors how they want to be recognized so you can be sure you’re showing your thanks in a way they’ll appreciate. 

Promote non-giving engagement opportunities.

As discussed in our earlier example of nonprofits A and B, if your only communication with supporters is strictly about donations, donations are likely to go down. Give your supporters more opportunities to get involved with your cause that don’t require spending, like: 

  • Volunteering. Invite your donors to take a more hands-on approach to supporting your mission by promoting volunteer opportunities. If your donors’ employers have a volunteer grant program, often called dollars-for-doers, they can fill out an application with their company and get their employer to donate to your nonprofit depending on how much they volunteered. 
  • Attending events. If a donor makes friends with other supporters in your community, they’re more likely to continue engaging with your nonprofit. The easiest way to introduce donors to the rest of your community is to invite them to events, whether they’re in-person or online, formal or casual, or meant for appreciation, fundraising, or spreading awareness. 
  • Exploring your content. Written a new blog post? Hosted a webinar or lecture about topics relevant to your cause? Or maybe you recorded a new video of your volunteers in action? Whatever your latest content is, let your supporters know about it. Giving them regular updates on your mission and inviting them to visit your website shows your community that your nonprofit is an active, dynamic organization that’s putting its donations to good use. 

Not every donor will become a dedicated member of your community who wants to participate in extra opportunities. However, even for donors who are content to give quietly, seeing that your nonprofit does care about them beyond just cashing in their monthly gift is likely to make them think more highly of your nonprofit.

Conclusion and Additional Resources

After creating your retention program, keep testing and revising it as needed based on your donors’ changing needs. Track your donor retention rate to measure your progress, and get feedback from supporters to see how you can improve your program. Remember, donor retention is always ongoing, and the strategies that work today will need to adapt to keep up with your donor base five years from now. 

For more information about revamping your strategy or expanding your audience, check out these additional resources:

Retain donors and earn more at the same time. Try out our cutting-edge matching gift platform. Request a demo.

Find out how Venmo for nonprofits can help your organization raise more.

How Venmo for Nonprofits Can Help Organizations Raise More

Every day, millions of people use Venmo to send and receive money from each other. Nonprofits receive money in the form of donations all the time, so of course, they also benefit from using Venmo!

While there isn’t a specific version of Venmo for nonprofits, organizations can still leverage regular Venmo accounts to effectively collect donations on the app. Venmo simplifies the fundraising process and allows nonprofits to reach a wider audience of supporters, including younger donors.

Whether you’re familiar with Venmo or not, we’ll make sure you understand how to use it effectively for your nonprofit.

At Double the Donation, we connect nonprofits with matching gift opportunities. We know how important it is to maximize your organization’s fundraising potential. Just like matching gifts, Venmo fundraising is another way to ensure that you’re collecting as many donations as possible. We’re happy to share this guide to Venmo for nonprofits to help you reach your fundraising goals and continue running your organization smoothly.

Here are the topics we’ll cover in this article:

Follow along to learn how Venmo works, why your nonprofit should use it, and how you can leverage it to its fullest potential.

Maximize your Venmo fundraising with matching gift software.

These are the basics of Venmo for nonprofits.

The Venmo for Nonprofits Basics

Let’s start with a basic definition of Venmo. Venmo is a peer-to-peer mobile payment service that allows people to request and accept funds from each other. Instead of using cash, checks, or direct bank transfers, Venmo securely deducts money from users’ bank accounts and sends it to the intended recipients. That way, transactions are easy and protective of your sensitive information.

Venmo is one of many payment processing apps, but it’s certainly one of the most popular options. Check out these statistics about Venmo’s size and scope:

  • Venmo has more than 83 million users.
  • Its largest user age group is 25-34-year-olds.
  • The app processed about $230 billion in payments in 2021.

Here are some important Venmo for nonprofits statistics.

Why do so many people rely on Venmo for their payment processing needs? For starters, it’s extremely simple to use. Once you link your bank account, debit card, or credit card to your account, all you have to do is find who you want to pay, type in the payment amount, and send it.

Another useful feature of Venmo is that you can keep money in your account to use in the future or transfer it to your bank account for safekeeping. For a combination of the two, you can input the amount you’d like to transfer and leave the rest in your account.

You might already use a more traditional payment processing platform like PayPal. While Venmo supports nonprofits in the same way PayPal does, it’s still an effective and secure fundraising method.

Check out the advantages of Venmo for nonprofits.

Advantages of Venmo Fundraising

People use Venmo all the time to pay their friends, family, and even some businesses. Making a Venmo account for your nonprofit changes the game for donations. Instead of going through the formal process of filling out your donation form, donors can now send you money just like they would for people they know. That way, the process is easy and familiar to donors.

These are the advantages of Venmo for nonprofits and donors.

Benefits for Donors

Venmo fundraising provides a whole new donation experience. Here are some of the key benefits the app offers to donors:

  • Ease of use. Since people are familiar with Venmo, using it for donations makes it easier for donors to lend their support. The app itself has a simple interface that new users can quickly pick up on. Instead of navigating to your donation page, donors now have the ability to donate to as many nonprofits as they would like all within the same app.
  • Reliability. Venmo is a reputable payment processing platform with ample encryption. They take care to protect your account information and monitor your account activity to thwart suspicious transactions. Using Venmo, donors can feel comfortable donating to their favorite causes without worrying about their information being compromised.
  • Smaller transactions. With an average transaction amount of around $60, Venmo invites donors of all giving capacities to contribute. People can feel comfortable giving $10, $100, or $1,000 through Venmo because of the nature of the app.

Donors will appreciate the opportunity to donate through a well-trusted, easy-to-use platform.

Benefits for Nonprofits

While Venmo is a great platform for prioritizing the donor experience, it also boasts many advantages for nonprofits that create an account, such as:

  • Affordability. Nonprofits are always looking for ways to keep their costs down. Venmo makes it easy because they don’t charge any monthly fees. They also don’t charge any fees for sending money with a linked bank account or debit card. When accepting donations, the associated fee is only 1.9% + $0.10. Other than that, the only other fees are for sending money with a credit card or initiating instant transfers to your bank account, both of which are optional.
  • Free publicity. One of the unique features of Venmo is that it functions like a social media app. You can add your friends and family to see their transactions and vice versa. This feature allows donors to show off their support for your cause and encourage others to do the same.
  • Stronger donor relationships. Since people use Venmo primarily with friends and family, they associate the app with people they know. Therefore, using Venmo to donate to your organization may help donors feel a more personal connection to your nonprofit. Additionally, nonprofits can comment on the donations they receive to thank donors and even start a conversation with them.

Using Venmo for nonprofits is a win for both donors and organizations accepting donations. The app is easy to use and invites donors to form a deeper connection to the causes they care about. Your nonprofit can obtain all the benefits we’ve discussed by simply setting up an account.

We'll walk you through how to create your Venmo fundraising account.

Creating Your Venmo for Nonprofits Account

Just as using the app is easy, creating your nonprofit’s Venmo account is even simpler. While Venmo doesn’t yet have a nonprofit account option, they are performing a private beta test for a select group of nonprofits, so nonprofit Venmo accounts could be coming soon.

For now, though, nonprofits can create regular accounts following these steps:

Follow these steps to create your Venmo for nonprofits account.

  1. Download the Venmo app or visit the Venmo website.
  2. Choose your sign-up method and create your password.
  3. Verify your phone number and email address.
  4. Add and verify your bank account.
  5. Change your username and add a profile picture that represents your nonprofit.

It couldn’t be easier to create your account. As soon as your nonprofit sets up its Venmo account, you can spread the word to your donors so they can start taking advantage of your new fundraising method.

We'll give you tips for how to promote your Venmo for nonprofits account.

Promoting Your Nonprofit’s Venmo Account

Once you create your nonprofit’s Venmo account, the next step is to let your supporters know about it. Current donors will be excited about this new and easy way to donate, and prospective donors may be more enticed to start giving with this option.

There are several ways that you can tell your donors about your new capacity for Venmo fundraising. Check out some of our ideas:

Promote your Venmo for nonprofits account using these methods.

  • Create a Venmo donation tutorial. It’s safe to assume that many of your supporters know how Venmo works, but not all of them. Help them out by filming a video tutorial that teaches donors how to set up their own Venmo account and how they can use it to donate to your cause. Post the video on your website and social media to spread the word.
  • Link your Venmo account to your social media. Speaking of social media, it’s one of the most powerful tools for communicating with your supporters. Create a post introducing the concept of Venmo donations and provide a link to your account in your bio. Additionally, include your Venmo username in all email newsletters alongside your other social media profiles.
  • Share your Venmo QR code. Venmo provides each account with a unique QR code, making it easier to find the Venmo account you’re looking for. You can post your nonprofit’s QR code on social media, include it in email newsletters, and print physical copies to hand out at events.
  • Indicate Venmo as an option on your donation page. You likely feature a donation form on your nonprofit’s website. However, telling visitors on this page that Venmo is another option for donations can allow people to decide which method they prefer and donate accordingly.

Your supporters will be thrilled to hear that your nonprofit is making strides to create a seamless donor experience with Venmo. However, there are extra steps your organization can take to strengthen relationships with your supporters through the app.

Venmo fundraising provides opportunities to connect with donors.

Connecting with Donors Through Venmo Fundraising

Venmo presents a unique opportunity to build relationships with your donors when they lend you their support. While the format of the app itself allows you to interact with others like on other social media platforms, there are additional ways your organization can intentionally connect with donors on Venmo.

Connect with donors using Venmo fundraising.

Ask for small donations.

Of course, large donations are always appreciated, but every donation counts. Considering that Venmo has a younger audience, you might be better off encouraging smaller donations. That way, you can acquire new donors who never would’ve considered donating before through more traditional methods.

Try asking your nonprofit’s social media followers to direct message your organization with their Venmo username and how much they’re willing to donate. Then, you can send them a request for that amount so that they won’t forget.

Respond to each donor.

It’s important to show your appreciation for your donors. Venmo makes it easy by allowing you to like and comment on Venmo transactions. Use it as an opportunity to thank donors and maybe even start a conversation about your cause.

You can ask donors why they chose to donate to learn more about them. Then, feature the best answers on your social media with their permission. This way, you can show others why your donors feel compelled to support your organization.

Know your audience.

Younger generations dominate Venmo, so it’s important to keep that in mind when running your account. Make your responses fun by using emojis and GIFs that Venmo provides.

You also might want to select certain donors and give them a shoutout on your social media. Younger donors will love being recognized for their fundraising efforts.

Incentivize donations.

A little healthy competition can make donating more fun. Plus, you’ll raise even more for your cause. Try hosting a fundraising competition by splitting supporters into teams. You can let people form their own teams, create teams based on demographic factors, or choose groups randomly.

Each team will compete for who can raise the most money. Give the winning team a prize such as a social media shoutout, gift cards, or free branded merchandise. Turning donating into a game will encourage more people to join in on the fun.

Bear in mind that this serves as a form of peer-to-peer fundraising, and some employers will match the amount their employees raise for an organization. Promote the opportunity to incentivize participation and drive greater fundraising results!

Encourage more Venmo donations with matching gifts.

Matching gifts allow you to double or even triple the amount you earn for your organization. Plus, donors will feel good knowing they had an even larger impact on your organization than they anticipated.

Using employer appends, you can determine which of your donors’ employers have matching gift programs. Then, you can reach out to those donors letting them know that their employers will match their donations to your nonprofit, even those made through Venmo. That way, you can maximize your fundraising potential and highlight Venmo as a viable donation platform.

With Venmo, you can really get to know your donors, make the donation process fun, and raise more for your cause.

Check out these additional resources that will help you maximize the impact of your Venmo fundraising.

Additional Resources

Nonprofits are always looking for ways to increase their donations. While most typically search for new ways to promote their organization as a whole, why not try out a different fundraising platform altogether?

Using Venmo for nonprofits is the best way to encourage donations by connecting with younger supporters on an app they already use regularly. For Venmo users, donating to your cause can become just another part of their Venmo routine alongside splitting checks and paying rent.

Once you’ve set up your nonprofit’s Venmo account, you might start looking for new ways to maximize your fundraising potential. Matching gifts allow you to gain the support of your donors’ employers. With your new Venmo donations rolling in, you’ll want to check out these resources to see how you can double or even triple them:

Double the Donation can help you maximize your Venmo fundraising with matching gifts.

This article will provide a comprehensive overview of nonprofit crowdfunding.

Nonprofit Ultimate Guide | What to Know About Crowdfunding

Every fundraiser aims to meet essentially the same goal: to raise money and awareness for your cause while connecting with supporters. When it comes down to the details, some fundraising methods will meet your needs better than others. If you’re looking for a lot of support, a big audience, and the opportunity to expand your support system, crowdfunding is the way to go.

However, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the how-tos and best practices of crowdfunding for nonprofits. In this guide, we aim to increase knowledge that drives successful campaigns.

Specifically, we’ll walk through the following frequently asked questions:

In the end, you should have a solid understanding of nonprofit crowdfunding and feel prepared to lead your team in the right direction.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is a type of crowdsourcing that collects goods or services from a large group for an individual or organization. In terms of nonprofit fundraising, crowdfunding is a unique method that typically collects small (or mid-sized) donations from a large group of people, usually over the internet.

Basics of nonprofit crowdfunding

Though it can raise money for just about anything, crowdfunding is often used to collect funds for specific projects before a preset deadline⁠—and expand support for your cause through the power of urgency and online convenience.

How does crowdfunding differ from peer-to-peer fundraising?

Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer fundraising each rely on social sharing in order to reach a community-focused network of supporters. The main difference, however, is that crowdfunding for nonprofits typically involves a single online campaign page hosted on a crowdfunding site.

P2P fundraising, on the other hand, equips each fundraiser with their own personalized fundraising page, each collecting funds for a common goal.

Nonprofit crowdfunding versus peer-to-peer fundraising

How does nonprofit crowdfunding differ from individual crowdfunding?

Although crowdfunding for nonprofits and crowdfunding for individuals may share many similarities, there are a few key differences between the two ideas.

For one, nonprofit fundraisers offer a unique incentive for giving: tax exemption! Registered 501(c)(3) organizations receive tax-exempt status from the U.S. government, which means donations made to the nonprofits can reduce donors’ taxable income when it’s time to file.

Additionally, nonprofit crowdfunding efforts are generally held to a higher level of accountability than individual fundraisers. When a nonprofit indicates that they’ll use the funding collected for Purpose A, they’re typically required to follow through with doing so. As a result, supporters may be more trusting of crowdfunding campaigns benefiting verified nonprofit causes.

In this guide, we’ll focus primarily on nonprofit crowdfunding⁠. However, the tips and tricks shared may be beneficial to individual fundraisers as well.

What are common uses of crowdfunding for nonprofits?

Nonprofit crowdfunding can be used to collect funds for just about anything that aligns with the organization’s overarching mission.

Though the fundraising need can vary dramatically depending on the fundraising organization, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for which a nonprofit may enlist the help of a crowdfunding campaign:

  • Natural disaster relief
  • Other crisis or emergency aid
  • Research funding
  • Educational programs
  • Upcoming events
  • New programming or projects
  • Supply or equipment purchases
  • Social justice initiatives
  • Environmental conservation
  • Sports and recreation activities
  • Healthcare treatment and support
  • Animal welfare
  • Advocacy efforts
  • Capital campaigns
  • Annual funds
  • General fundraising

The opportunities really are endless!

For even more ideas, consider browsing a few popular crowdfunding websites to see what other organizations (particularly those with similar missions to your own) are doing.

What are the benefits of crowdfunding for nonprofits?

Crowdfunding is a powerful fundraising method that brings fundamental advantages to nonprofits organizing the campaigns⁠—not to mention the audience that benefits from the project or program being fulfilled.

As you explore possible reasons to host a crowdfunding initiative, here are a few key reasons to consider:

Nonprofit crowdfunding can raise money quickly

Raising money quickly

Crowdfunding is one of the fastest ways for nonprofit groups to raise money for a project, need, or cause. When promoted strategically via social media, email, and word of mouth (more on that below), a crowdfunding campaign has the potential to reach hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Some campaigns even go viral⁠—and vastly exceed their goals.

Nonprofit crowdfunding can help spread mission awareness

Spreading awareness

Crowdfunding campaigns that seek to raise money for a cause can also help shine a light on that particular issue. For example, an organization raising funds to fight a rare illness may also find that the campaign educates people about that condition, not to mention its treatments and symptoms. The same scenario can occur for crowdfunding pages highlighting social, economic, or political injustices. Campaign creators not only raise money, but they also educate their peers about the overarching issue behind the financial need.

Nonprofit crowdfunding can help bring people together

Expanding new donor reach

Because of their social focus, crowdfunding efforts can also be an excellent way to engage with first-time donors. Supporters might locate your campaign page through a friend or family member, then choose to get involved. From there, the organization has an opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship and keep them coming back to support your efforts time and time again.

Nonprofit crowdfunding can help increase reach

Bringing people together

By its very nature, crowdfunding brings people together and unites them with a common purpose. Individuals can band closely to support a nonprofit cause by contributing to its crowdfunding campaign. When people see their peers supporting a charitable mission online, social proof determines they’ll be more likely to contribute as well. And when the fundraiser reaches a milestone or hits its goal, the entire community is able to celebrate⁠—and feel good knowing that they played a role in the organization’s mission success.

How much does it cost to launch a nonprofit crowdfunding campaign?

The fees for nonprofit crowdfunding can vary greatly depending on the platform you choose. While kicking off a campaign is generally free of cost, it’s important to be mindful of other expenses that may arise.

This would include any platform fees, campaign set-up fees, payment processing fees, and more. It’s also worth noting whether the pricing structure involves a fixed price, a percentage of funds raised, or some combination of each.

Many fundraising sites even offer a decreased pricing scale for registered nonprofit organizations. Not to mention, there may be an option for donors to cover their own processing fees by supplementing their initial donation amount. In such cases, your organization may be able to collect up to 100% of the contributions.

How do you start crowdfunding?

Every campaign will be different depending on your cause, goal, and timeline. Keep those factors in mind while you’re planning, and follow these general steps to get started:

Crowdfunding step-by-step walkthrough

1. Set your goal and deadline.

In any fundraising campaign, it’s important to be straightforward. Transparency proves that your cause can be supported and also helps inform your supporters about when and how to donate.

Having a specific goal and deadline can also help you manage your time as you plan the rest of your campaign. Specifying a goal, like raising money for supplies or funding repairs to your facility, will motivate supporters to give and create a sense of urgency for the fundraiser. Urgency can also be highlighted by a deadline since this gives supporters a clear picture of how far away you are from your goal⁠—in terms of both time and funding.

2. Plan your campaign.

Decide how you want to promote your cause before actually announcing your campaign. This gives you an opportunity to establish a detailed plan for fundraising before you solicit support.

Crowdfunding thrives on social media’s timeliness and ease of use, so focus your efforts on those platforms. Hosting a small event might also be helpful as long as you have the time and resources to plan and promote one. For larger crowdfunding campaigns, tiers of donation amounts with small perks can be an effective way to incentivize giving.

Some campaign methods might not make sense for your fundraiser, and that’s okay. Choose what works best for your goals, needs, and timeline.

3. Choose a crowdfunding service.

If you’re looking to launch a crowdfunding effort, one of the most essential first steps is selecting the fundraising website through which you’ll host your campaign. After all, this is the interface that your donors will be directly interacting with in order to support your cause.

Lucky for you, there are a ton of excellent options to choose from that may be a great fit for your upcoming project or expense. But how will you know which one offers exactly what you need?

You’ll want to start by comparing third-party crowdfunding platforms⁠. Be sure to select the solution with the features, user experience, fees, and payout models that best align with your organization’s overarching goals and priorities. Then, make your selection!

4. Launch a crowdfunding page.

Once you’ve established which platform to use for your campaign, it’s time to set up and launch your online fundraiser. Make sure to populate your campaign page with your goal, some images, and other helpful details. Then, begin linking to it in promotions and social media posts.

Example crowdfunding page for nonprofits

Since your nonprofit website is the go-to source for information about your organization, be sure to include details about your campaign there, as well. Write about the purpose of your fundraiser, including information about events and goals throughout the campaign. Make sure your crowdfunding page is clearly linked from your site, too.

5. Tie in matching gifts.

Did you know that you can substantially increase the potential of your upcoming crowdfunding campaign? Be sure to integrate corporate matching gifts into your overall crowdfunding efforts to do so.

Benefits of matching gifts while crowdfunding for nonprofits

Millions within the workforce⁠—and even some retirees⁠—qualify for matching gift programs through their employing companies. However, the vast majority of these individuals have never been made aware of the programs’ existence. And as a result, more than $4 to $7 billion in available matching funds go unclaimed by eligible donors each year.

So think ahead! Promote matching gift opportunities throughout the entirety of your crowdfunding initiative. Take a proactive approach to inform supporters about matching gifts. You won’t regret it⁠—and the resulting impact will be huge.

6. Promote your campaign.

Once you’ve announced your fundraiser and have begun accepting donations, you’ll need to market your campaign to get your audience giving. Drive engagement by posting your campaign on all social media platforms, reaching out to people already associated with your organization, and encouraging people to tell their friends.

Promoting a nonprofit crowdfunding page on social media

Plus, be sure to tell your existing supporters about the campaign and encourage them to get involved⁠—whether by contributing themselves or sharing the link online!

7. Update your supporters.

Keep your supporters updated regularly, so they stay invested in your crowdfunding campaign⁠—and your overall cause. Donors will appreciate updates on your work, and others in your network may feel increasingly motivated to give after seeing a progress report.

Updating supporters on your nonprofit crowdfunding efforts

For example, providing followers with the exact amount of funding raised can illustrate the power of someone’s donation. This is especially true as you approach your goal and need only a few more donations to reach it.

How do you market a crowdfunding campaign?

After building the framework of your crowdfunding initiative, your top priority should be marketing your campaign.

Ultimately, crowdfunding efforts depend on effective communication to spread the word about your ongoing fundraiser. Without strategic promotions, your audience won’t know how to contribute to your campaign⁠—or even that you’re hosting a campaign in the first place.

Try these recommended tools and methods for reaching out to your target audience and highlighting your crowdfunding fundraiser:

  • Social media: Introduce your campaign on social media to capitalize on the sharing power of the platform. Publish content across your platforms and use tools that allow users to link to giving pages on their profiles. Consider posting at key points of the day when social media traffic is high, and use a hashtag to increase visibility and engagement.
  • Email: Supplement your social media promotions with direct email blasts about your campaign and upcoming deadlines. However, you’ll likely want to use email to support your promotions rather than as a primary source of marketing efforts when it comes to crowdfunding.
  • Gatherings: Host small gatherings throughout your campaign. You might celebrate with a launch party, midpoint gathering, and final celebration. For in-person events, a donation station with a laptop or tablet displaying the campaign can encourage donations. Plus, displaying a QR code that leads to your giving page can go a long way!
  • Giving incentives: Offer donors something small in return for donations. Encourage larger gifts by offering a big prize once an overall goal is achieved.
  • Peer-to-peer: Incorporate peer-to-peer tactics to encourage supporters to share your crowdfunding page. When your campaign is complete, leverage the powerful network you’ve created to launch a future social fundraiser.

No matter how you choose to get the word out, your primary focus should be expanding your outreach and keeping donors connected.

Multiple ways to promote a nonprofit crowdfunding campaign

What happens if my organization doesn’t reach our crowdfunding goal?

Picture this: You set your crowdfunding deadline at the beginning of your campaign, and it ultimately creeps up sooner than you anticipated. You’re still short of your overall fundraising goal when the time is up. What now?

Though it’s not the intended outcome for any fundraiser, it’s an important question to ask.

In the overall crowdfunding market, there are two types of campaigns: “all or nothing” fundraisers and “keep it all” fundraisers. In an “all or nothing” campaign, the individual or group behind the effort can collect pledged funding only if the fundraiser is successful in meeting its goal.

Generally speaking, however, the most popular nonprofit crowdfunding providers are going to skew toward the “keep it all” funding structure⁠. This means that you’d walk away with whatever funding your donors had contributed despite not reaching your goal.

However, we recommend double-checking the terms provided by your crowdfunding site (or prospective platform) to ensure your team receives the funds regardless of your fundraising total.

What are some crowdfunding best practices for success?

Optimize your campaign! Check out these tried-and-true fundraising tips to bring your nonprofit’s crowdfunding efforts to the next level.

Nonprofit crowdfunding best practices

Perfect your pitch.

When fundraising for a nonprofit, it’s essential to perfect your pitch. Be sure to write an engaging and honest story explaining the scope of the organization’s cause and its impact on the community. Avoid information overload, but include the two most important topics: your nonprofit and the cause it supports. Plus, incorporating testimonials from those affected by your organization can help donors understand the impact they can make.

Give a glimpse.

Adding photos and videos to your crowdfunding campaign can help donors understand the organization’s cause and connect with it on a personal level. Showcasing a positive outlook and determination can encourage donors to support the cause. It’s important to attach a face to the cause so donors can make a deeper connection with your nonprofit’s mission.

Extend your reach.

Consider reaching out to local businesses and organizations that may be interested in partnering to support your nonprofit crowdfunding campaign. Ask if they would consider matching donations with a one-off matching gift program or perhaps donating space to host a fundraising event.

Promote giving levels.

One of the best ways to encourage larger donations⁠—and reiterate the impact of an individual’s contribution⁠—is by incorporating concrete giving levels. We recommend tying each level to a tangible use of the funding to help contextualize donations. For example, let’s say a $10 gift feeds a family of four for a day, while a gift of $100 equips that family with nutritious food supplies for the whole month.

Offer incentives.

Crowdfunding also goes hand in hand with product fundraising⁠—and tying the two together can produce excellent results. For your next fundraiser, you might offer exclusive incentives for donors who hit certain giving levels, such as a t-shirt, hat, or something else entirely.

Make the most of workplace giving.

Workplace giving programs are a key form of corporate philanthropy that you don’t want to overlook. Employee matching gifts are one of the most popular examples⁠—which we’ll explore further below⁠—but it can also include efforts such as volunteer grants, employee giving stipends, in-kind donations, and more. Keep in mind that your supporters can be some of your biggest advocates when it comes to workplace giving, so encourage donors to look into the kinds of programs that their employers offer!

How do crowdfunding and matching gifts work together?

Corporate matching gifts can be one of the most effective ways to amplify the impact of your crowdfunding campaign and bring your overall fundraising to new heights.

According to recent matching gift research, more than 26 million individuals work for companies that match employee gifts to charitable causes. And the availability (and knowledge) of corporate matching results in increased donor conversion rates and larger donation amounts.

In fact, 84% of survey participants say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered, and 1 in 3 donors would give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation. All in all, this leads to a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift size when donation matching is offered.

Increase crowdfunding results with matching gifts.

So if you want to maximize giving for your upcoming crowdfunding campaign, make sure you don’t overlook the opportunities presented by matching gifts. We recommend:

  • Promoting matching gift information to donors (many qualifying employees have no idea that their companies offer such programs);
  • Collecting donor employment data to uncover eligible matching gifts;
  • Following up with donors after they give to provide company-specific match program guidelines and next steps;
  • Leveraging a crowdfunding platform that integrates with the leading matching gift software provider, Double the Donation.

The simpler you make matching gifts for your donors, the more likely they are to participate. And as a result, the more your crowdfunding efforts will benefit!

What are some nonprofit crowdfunding campaigns to be inspired by?

If you’re looking for examples of real crowdfunding campaigns hosted by⁠ (or benefiting⁠) nonprofits like yours, you’ve come to the right place.

Check out the following success stories⁠—and make a note of the most impactful elements.

Sample nonprofit crowdfunding campaign
Still live at the time of posting, this ongoing campaign is raising funds for a middle school’s musical theater department ahead of an upcoming performance.

Here’s what this campaign does well:

  • Shares a number of photos of students involved in the production, effectively associating a lot of real faces with the cause;
  • Provides an in-depth background for the fundraising need, including funding for sets, costumes, and technical equipment;
  • Incentivizes giving by ensuring individual donors and business sponsors that contributions made to the fundraiser are tax-deductible.

Sample nonprofit crowdfunding campaign
Here’s an example of a crowdfunding campaign benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, hosted by a dedicated supporter of the organization.

Here’s what this campaign does well:

  • Empowers supporters to fundraise on behalf of their favorite nonprofits, offering easy ways to share their own personal connections to the cause;
  • Verifies that the funds raised are going directly to a registered nonprofit group (and even provides the EIN for the organization, making matching gifts easy!);
  • Surpasses its original fundraising goal by nearly $2,000, ultimately raising around 379% of the initial target.

Sample nonprofit crowdfunding campaign
Crowdfunding efforts can also be used to collect funding needed to start a nonprofit⁠—and that’s exactly what this group did! Though it appears that they fell short of their initial fundraising goal, they were able to raise more than $1,000, which was then used to kickstart the organization.

Here’s what this campaign does well:

  • Provides tangible giving levels that correspond to real impact, ultimately encouraging supporters to increase their donations;
  • Showcases the organization’s overarching goals, mission, and vision;
  • Encourages community through easy social sharing options, an embedded campaign wall with fundraising updates and messages from supporters, and more.

Sample nonprofit crowdfunding campaign

One California-based nonprofit is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a crowdfunding campaign. And in only seven days, the organization collected nearly $1,500 for its cause!

Here’s what this campaign does well:

  • Provides a comprehensive overview of the organization’s history and growth since its inception over a decade ago;
  • Utilizes special edition apparel and other swag to drive giving at different levels;
  • Shares fundraising milestone updates on the crowdfunding page to celebrate success and encourage continuous support.

Crowdfunding results will vary depending on the organization hosting the fundraiser, its audience, and more. Keep in mind, though, that Nonprofits Source estimates that the average nonprofit crowdfunding campaign raises around $9,237.55.

How can you thank crowdfunding supporters?

After an individual contributes to a crowdfunding campaign, your organization has an opportunity to begin stewarding them into a long-term supporter of your cause. Not only that but thanking donors for their support is just the right thing to do!

That said, in your acknowledgments, be sure that you:

  • Address individuals by name (i.e., “Thanks, Chad!” vs. “Thanks, donor!”);
  • Thank donors for their specific gifts (“Thanks for your generous $100 donation to our campaign!” rather than “Thanks for giving!”);
  • Provide additional context for the tangible impact made possible through a donor’s gift (“Your gift empowers us to offer much-needed school supplies for students in low-income areas.”);
  • Share ongoing ways that supporters can stay involved with your nonprofit (request a matching gift, sign up for a newsletter, connect with your organization on social media, etc.).

If you’re looking for a unique and engaging way to wrap up your crowdfunding effort, we recommend exploring an eCard campaign. By employing a dedicated digital greeting card software, you can easily send creative thank-you notes online.

Check out these examples from one nonprofit, Youth For Understanding:

How to thank crowdfunding donors

How to thank crowdfunding donors In a world where you’re constantly fighting to break through the clutter, fun online greeting cards can be an excellent (and low-cost) way to get your message to stand out.

Launch your own donor recognition digital letter portal for your team members.

 


Final Thoughts

Crowdfunding is a powerful tool that can help nonprofits raise funds and awareness for their various causes. By integrating the reach of social media and the convenience of online giving, nonprofits can tap into a widespread and diverse donor base to drive support.

In order to maximize giving, it’s important to note that many companies offer matching gift programs, which can double or even triple the impact of a donor’s contribution to your efforts. Take the time to educate and promote the opportunities to supporters, and see how donation-matching can bring your next crowdfunding campaign to new heights.

Keep learning! Browse these additional recommended resources to dive deeper into top nonprofit fundraising practices:

  • Nonprofit Basics – Learn more about nonprofit management essentials by exploring our other expert resources. This includes handy guides on topics like cause marketing, Google Ad grants, corporate sponsorships, and graphic design.
  • Digital Marketing – Understand the basics of digital marketing for nonprofits with this fundamental overview. Explore key components of nonprofit digital marketing, what makes mission-driven marketing unique, and more.
  • A Crowdfunding Guide – Check out more crowdfunding best practices to set your organization up for maximal success. Read this guide to nonprofit crowdfunding and starting your own crowdfunding campaign.

Bring your crowdfunding to new heights with matching gifts.