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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 thatreligiously 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 matching gift software 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 Double the Donation to increase matching gift funds and better serve their community.
Top 30+ Matching Gift Companies: Find Your Match. Looking for even more companies that will match employee donations to your cause? Check out this list of over thirty businesses that offer generous matching gift programs. See if your organization—and your donors—will qualify.
14 Types of Matching Gift Letters Every Nonprofit Should Send. Get started with matching gifts by sending the powerful fundraising letters outlined in this guide. These letters increase awareness of matching gifts, drive eligible matches to completion, and thank donors for their involvement.
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:
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.
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.
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. And it empowers organizations like yours to trigger personalized matching gift communications that inform donors about gift-matching, streamline requests, and more.
Specifically, Double the Donation…
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
🐾 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:
Marketing Matching Gifts | A Guide for Avid Fundraisers. Take the initiative to increase matching gift awareness among your audience. Check out this comprehensive resource chockfull of matching git promotional tips and tricks.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DTD_Matching-Gifts-and-Animal-Rescues-How-to-Double-Impact_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-05-25 12:57:062025-02-25 15:41:52Matching Gifts and Animal Rescues | How to Double Impact
Matching gift programs are an excellent way for nonprofits to engage supporters, double donations, and leverage corporate partners. However, a significant lack of awareness could be holding your organization back. And that’s where marketing matching gifts comes in!
In this guide, we’ll break it down as effectively as possible by covering the following topics:
Your donors love to support your cause. And matching gifts are another powerful way that they can do so!
Strategically incorporating corporate giving into your outreach will put you on the path to reaching (and surpassing) your fundraising goals. Let’s get started.
The Basics: What Is Matching Gift Marketing?
Matching gift marketing is the process a nonprofit or other fundraising institution takes to proactively promote corporate or employee matching gift programs to its supporters.
This often involves driving awareness of program availability in the first place, reminding donors of their eligibility, and encouraging qualifying individuals to complete their end of the matching gift process.
When done well, marketing matching gifts enables donors—and the charitable causes they support—to maximize the impact of their dollars.
The Value of Effectively Marketing Matching Gifts
Mission-driven organizations need every dollar they can get in order to fund their programming and day-to-day operations. Luckily, matching gifts are an effective way to increase an organization’s revenue without asking too much of individual donors.
Current corporate giving trends point to growing generosity among companies, particularly through matching gift programs. As a nonprofit professional, strategically promoting these philanthropic opportunities can substantially increase your team’s fundraising potential. Just think about what you could do with double the funding.
After all, the most common reason why donors don’t submit match requests is that they don’t know their employer offers such a program. Recent studies even estimate that:
More than 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs.
More than 78% of match-eligible donors have never been made aware of the opportunity by their employers.
An additional 16% know their company matches but are unsure if they qualify or how to submit a request.
This results in only an estimated 10% of eligible donors ultimately going on to complete the matching gift process on behalf of the organizations to which they give. And it’s a leading cause of the funding gap we see each year—with $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds going unclaimed on an annual basis.
Marketing matching gifts is a direct solution to this critical problem.
Plus, promoting matching gift opportunities in donor outreach has even been known to result in increased individual giving, as well! 84% of donors 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.
So not only do matching gift programs double donations, but they also encourage donors to increase their original gift—making the matched gift larger, too!
And since supporters love getting involved, it can also offer an excellent source of engagement. It allows your team an opportunity to interact and deepen your relationships with donors without making an additional request for funds.
Best Practices for Successful Matching Gift Marketing
Marketing matching gifts is an investment, but smart practices can allow your team to maximize its ROI. Make the most of your efforts by implementing these tried-and-true tips and tricks!
Train your internal team.
A nonprofit’s internal team should be some of the organization’s most valuable matching gift champions. That said, if you’re looking to increase your marketing results, it’s important to ensure that your own team of paid staff and volunteers is up to speed beforehand.
Specifically, we recommend forming a dedicated workplace giving team made up of members from marketing, volunteer, and other key departments.
This group will address and streamline specific roles in the matching gift process—such as managing CSR vendor portals, verifying donations, and more. Not to mention, you’ll always have someone to answer donors’ questions about how or why matching gifts matter and how to get involved.
Matchable donations have lifespans, so it’s important to promote matching gifts to eligible donors before the clock runs. A supporter can’t donate one year and submit a matching gift request for that donation a few years down the line, which means the cadence of your messaging is crucial.
For the best results, we recommend sending your first matching gift promotions in the first 24 hours after an individual donates to your cause. This allows you to re-engage supporters while your mission—and their recent donation—is still at the forefront of their minds and giving momentum remains high.
(Hint: automation software that integrates with your fundraising tools can ensure you won’t let any potential matches slip through the cracks—but more on that later!)
Another popular option involves sending year-end matching appeals, which remind donors of impending corporate deadlines as the calendar year comes to a close. This time of year, also known as the giving season, tends to see increased generosity anyway. So it’s the perfect chance to should ramp up your promotions to new and unclaimed matching gift donors concerning the opportunities—and the urgency—at stake.
Leverage multimedia elements.
It’s important to make your matching gift marketing efforts stand out to your audience, and multimedia elements can be a great way to do so. By incorporating relevant photos, graphics, videos, and more, you can more effectively grab and retain your supporters’ attention!
Even fundraising eCards like the one pictured above can help differentiate your messaging with unique and engaging visual elements!
Employ an omnichannel marketing strategy.
Impactful matching gift marketing relies on a well-thought-out promotional plan. In most cases, employing a single outreach tactic is not enough.
Instead, omnichannel promotions empower your team to effectively break through the marketing clutter and strengthen connections with your audience. The more familiar your audience is with the concept and availability of corporate matching gifts, the more likely they are to partake. And the higher the revenue you can expect to see!
We’ll walk through our recommended marketing channels in depth below. But in short, it’s a good idea to incorporate matching gift promotions in your digital outreach (like emails and texts), on your nonprofit website, and more
Key Matching Gift Marketing Channels for Nonprofits
Speaking of omni- (or multi-) channel marketing, how should you determine which mediums to employ in your strategy?
We’ve outlined the most common channels—which include an organization’s email, social media, online presence, SMS messaging, and direct mail—below.
Email
Email outreach is a vital component of online fundraising. Not to mention, it’s significantly lower cost than its direct mail counterpart and offers additional benefits in terms of sustainability as well.
Plus, it’s a versatile medium with multiple ways to engage supporters. These include:
Digital Newsletters
With enough space to incorporate a quick blurb or even a full article, electronic newsletters are a great place to educate donors about matching gifts. You might even send a quarterly biannual edition dedicated solely to matching gifts!
Acknowledgment Emails
When your nonprofit receives a gift, you should always say thank you. And more than likely, you have some sort of automated system in place to trigger emailed donation receipts. So use those messages as a way to promote matching gifts! Recent donations are fresh on donors’ minds, and a little nudge saying that they can double their donations without shelling out another cent can go a long way.
However, having a dedicated matching gift email cadence (in addition to your initial gift acknowledgments) typically produces even greater results results.
Dedicated Match Emails
Unfortunately, many donors simply skim and discard (or just discard) acknowledgment emails. That’s why you’ll want to send a follow-up email just for matching gift information to make sure it gets through. And these can be targeted for each donor, providing company-specific details regarding the next steps and submission forms, too!
And remember to focus on donation (and matching gift) impact! This is likely to be one of your most valuable matching gift marketing tools, so make the most of it with a well-thought-out digital outreach plan.
For the best results, be sure your emails are sent from your organization’s own email domain (rather than a third-party service) to instill a sense of trust in the recipient. You’ll also want to brand your emails with your nonprofit’s consistent graphic style—including colors, logos, fonts, and more.
Email Signatures
Chances are that your team sends a ton of emails. When you incorporate matching gifts in your email signatures, every message is a chance to promote the opportunity. All you need is a simple blurb or a graphic (branded to your organization!) about corporate giving. This can increase awareness and be the needed push for donors to learn more or submit their matches.
The bottom line is that whether you market matching gifts in your email signatures, newsletters, acknowledgments, or separate match-specific messages, email allows you to showcase matching gifts in a prominent way.
Social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are being increasingly used by nonprofit teams to spread their messages to wide-reaching audiences. These sites have become powerful tools for fundraising pushes and engagement opportunities—which means sharing matching gift information should be a no-brainer.
In order to best appeal to your followers and inspire action, it’s important to keep up with current trends and practices. For example, we recommend incorporating eye-catching graphics with short and sweet captions, hashtags, and more.
Just be sure to include links to additional resources—such as your website—where donors can take a deeper dive into the topic!
Website
Your nonprofit’s website is the centralized hub for all information regarding your cause and how to get involved. Unsurprisingly, it’s also a great place to market revenue opportunities like matching gifts.
And there are a few key ways that we recommend doing so.
Dedicated Matching Gift Page
A dedicated matching gift page on your organization’s website can be an excellent space to overview the matching gift opportunity and a donor’s role within it. The goal is to give donors a centralized resource to learn about matching gifts and to be spurred into relevant action.
Consider incorporating additional details such as inspirational matching gift statistics or annual matching gift figures. If you subscribe to a matching gift service like Double the Donation, include your matching gift company search tool on this page, too.
Fun fact! 93% of the leading peer-to-peer nonprofits host a dedicated matching gift page on their websites and/or event pages.
Ways to Give Page
More than likely, you already have a Ways to Give page on your organization’s website. As this is an ideal space for supporters to learn about all of their donation options to your nonprofit, it’s important to add matching gifts to the list.
This can incorporate a quick matching gift blurb that links to your more built-out match page for additional information. Depending on how your Ways to Give page is structured, you might even be able to embed your matching gift tool here as well!
Navigation Bar
Once you’ve developed in-depth matching gift website content, make sure it’s easy to find from your website’s home page. Our recommendation? Add your matching gift page to your website’s navigation bar!
Incorporating a link to your matching gift page in your primary site menu (or a drop-down “Giving” submenu) allows donors to intuitively discover the opportunity. If an individual browses your website and has never heard of corporate philanthropy, simply seeing there’s a page about it can spark curiosity.
Blogs
Does your team host blog content on your website regarding organizational updates, fundraising wins and efforts, and more? If so, be sure to share an article or two dedicated to matching gift opportunities!
Blog posts are a great way to start the conversation about corporate giving while also evoking emotion in readers. For example, you might demonstrate the importance of matching gifts through tangible impact stories while educating your audience about how to submit the necessary forms.
The best time to promote matching gifts is when your donors are actively supporting your organization. There’s no time like the present, and people are already in a giving mood. Why not inform them about how they can give twice as much?
That’s why marketing matching gifts directly within your donation process is a must. Specifically, your online giving page can be a vital tool for collecting employment information—which should then inform your personalized outreach strategy.
All you need to do here is include a brief mention of matching gifts on your donation form. Contextualize your request for employer data as a means of determining match eligibility status. You can even say something along the lines of, “Keep an eye out for additional information regarding matching gift opportunities after you submit your gift.”
From there,we also recommend highlighting matching gifts on your donation confirmation screen!
With a matching gift tool, you can provide automated insights based on the employer a donor selected on the previous page. This should include company minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying nonprofits, employee types, and direct links to online submission forms.
Online Ads
As a fundraising organization, you likely aim to keep your marketing costs low, so you may have skipped over paid advertisement channels altogether. However, online search ads may be available to your group at no cost through in-kind sponsorships like Google’s advertising grant.
This is a great way to increase your mission’s visibility to a wider audience, inspiring new and existing donors alike to support your cause through matching gifts and more.
Text message
SMS text messaging is an underrated form of outreach that can produce big results by meeting your supporters where they are—on their mobile devices! Thus, it makes sense that it can be a key component of a well-rounded matching gift digital marketing strategy.
We recommend using personalized texts as a way to nudge match-eligible donors toward submitting their requests. However, you can even send organization-wide SMS blasts to increase general awareness of matching gifts—and encourage all supporters to look into the opportunity.
Direct mail
The debate between paper communications and online means has raged on for years. While electronic outreach is quick and easy, some donors still prefer to stay in touch via direct mail. Nonetheless,employing both types of marketing channels in tandem works best.
If you’re interested in incorporating physical mailings in your matching gift marketing strategy, this might include a combination of printed matching gift letters, postcards, paper inserts, newsletters, return envelopes, and more.
Since direct mail costs can quickly add up, however, we recommend retaining snail mailings for your highest-value donor segments.
Building Out an Impactful Matching Gift Marketing Toolkit
Just about any modern marketing endeavor relies on technology with which to plan and carry out the strategy. And oftentimes, the better-equipped the technology, the better the results (and the ROI).
The same is true when it comes to promoting matching gift opportunities to your audience. Thus, it’s essential that you empower your team with the right tools in your toolkit. Here’s what we recommend!
A Matching Gift Automation Platform
Employing dedicated matching gift software opens the door to a multitude of impactful marketing—and revenue—opportunities.
With Double the Donation’s matching gift platform, you can embed this industry-leading database tool directly on your website and donation forms. This way, supporters can easily discover whether they qualify for matching and receive detailed insights regarding their companies’ programs to get started.
More specifically, Double the Donation:
Automatically screens for match-eligible donors through multiple identification methods;
Enables donors to select their employer from over 24,000 companies and subsidiaries to uncover qualifying matches;
Triggers personalized marketing communications, informing supporters of available matching gift or volunteer grant opportunities;
Provides direct links to employer-specific matching gift request portals and online forms to simplify the submission process for donors.
And the results are great! In fact, recent findings show that leveraging a matching gift automation tool like Double the Donation increases matching gift revenue for nonprofits by an average of 61%.
Matching gift software can go a long way toward optimizing marketing efforts and bringing awareness to donors. But it relies on an ecosystem of fundraising technology integrations to provide a seamless experience for nonprofits and their donors.
Luckily, Double the Donation integrates with 90+ of the industry’s largest technology providers. Empowering organizations to streamline matching gifts with ease, these include:
Donation tools — Integrating matching gift software with your donation tools (including those that power your general fundraising forms and peer-to-peer giving pages) allows you to incorporate a company search tool directly within the giving process. From there, you can collect invaluable donor employment information and inspire actionable next steps from your confirmation screen and follow-up emails!
CRMs — When you connect your matching gift tool with your organization’s constituent management system, you can enable your software to screen incoming records for match-eligible donors. Once supporters are marked as likely qualifying for corporate matching, the technology can trigger personalized and automated outreach that aims to increase awareness of match opportunities and drive more available matches to completion.
CSR platforms — If your matching gift platform integrates with CSR (or corporate social responsibility) tools, you can benefit from tighter relationships with the companies supporting your organization. For example, Double the Donation’s auto-submission capabilities enable qualifying donors to submit their matches in seconds directly from an organization’s giving experience.
Bonus! How Companies Can Market Matching Gifts to Employees
Tons of companies offer matching gift programs. But the extent to which they promote the opportunities to their employees can vary drastically. In fact, the aforementioned studies indicate that only 19% of companies include substantial information regarding matching gift programs in their easily accessible employee-facing materials.
That’s why more and more nonprofits are taking a proactive approach to matching gift promotions. It also means there’s a significant opportunity for companies to ramp up their internal marketing of the programs among employees.
This can be done in a variety of ways, such as:
Employee handbooks — A company’s employee handbook is an excellent place to store the details of its matching gift program, including an official matching gift policy (like the one outlined in this free template!).
Teamwide communications — Internal communication channels, such as email blasts or newsletters, offer a crucial opportunity to promote matching gifts and provide relevant updates on changes or developments.
Company websites — Sharing corporate giving information on a business’s website is an easy way to promote the opportunity to qualifying employees. Plus, it can outline the offerings for other interested stakeholders—including investors, consumers, nonprofit partners, and more.
Onboarding materials — Including information about a matching gift program in new employee orientation materials helps ensure that employees are aware of the program from the start.
Workplace incentives — Leveraging recognition or unique rewards for participating in matching gifts can help promote the program and encourage employees to get involved by giving back to their communities.
Matching gift companies get the highest return on their investment when employees make the most of available programming. Ultimately, increased marketing efforts by companies, in addition to nonprofit marketing pushes, are likely to result in strengthened philanthropic partnerships that benefit all parties involved.
Wrapping Up & Additional Resources
All in all, marketing matching gifts involves using a variety of promotional and engagement strategies to increase awareness regarding the opportunity and ultimately drive more matches to completion.
Effective marketing involves a multifaceted approach—so get started implementing these strategies in your fundraising strategy as soon as possible. It’ll be a win-win for your organization, its donors, the companies supporting your efforts, your mission beneficiaries, and more.
On your mark(eting)…get set…go!
Interested in learning more about marketing matching gifts to your audience? Check out our recommended further reading:
What You Need to Know About Retaining Matching Gift Donors. Your job isn’t over once you’ve converted matching gift donors for the first time. Instead, it becomes time to engage them in the long run with a dedicated matching gift retention plan.
Digital Marketing for Nonprofits: The Ultimate Guide. Looking to enhance your other nonprofit promotional efforts? Dive deep into the world of nonprofit digital marketing with this complete guide! Explore our favorite tips, tricks, and ideas here.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DTD_Marketing-Matching-Gifts-A-Guide-for-Avid-Fundraisers_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-05-09 16:00:262025-02-25 15:01:51Marketing Matching Gifts | A Guide for Avid Fundraisers
Corporate matching gifts have significant nonprofit fundraising potential, and one of the easiest, most effective ways to raise awareness for these programs is through personalized donor outreach. Whether through traditional or digital channels, smart matching gift letters can inform donors about the opportunities and encourage them to get involved.
And there are a wide variety of letters you can send to boost results.
To elevate your matching gift potential, we recommend incorporating these types of letters in your team’s donation-matching communications:
In this guide, we’ll walk through the above kinds of matching gift letters, explaining how each can benefit your organization and its audience. Plus, we’ll share sample copy and inspiring examples that can bring your team’s messaging to the next level.
By providing donors with detailed information on how easy and important it is to submit matching gift requests to their employers, you can drive more matches to completion. Incorporating messaging that emphasizes these points can be particularly effective in your outreach.
Ready to maximize corporate and individual donations with well-crafted matching gift fundraising letters and use cases? Let’s get started!
Letter #1 – Fundraising Appeal Matching Gift Letters
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you surely understand the need to make your gift appeals stand out in your supporters’ mailboxes—whether physical or virtual.
Luckily, incorporating matching gift information in your fundraising requests can go a long way! In fact, our research indicates that 84% of supporters are more likely to donate if a match is being offered. And 1 in 3 would give a larger gift if matching is to be applied.
The result? A 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount when matching is mentioned in fundraising appeals.
Check out this example to see it in action:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Highlight the substantial impact that matching gifts can offer;
Frame matching opportunities in terms of tangible mission-related programming when possible;
Encourage donors to take part by contributing to your organization’s fundraising.
Get started with this free matching gift appeal letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. As a valued supporter of [Nonprofit], we wanted to share an exciting opportunity that can magnify the impact of your generosity – matching gifts.
Did you know that many companies have matching gift programs in place to amplify their employees’ charitable contributions? It’s true! Through these programs, your giving has the potential to be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. This means that the gift you make today could have twice the impact, producing an even greater difference in the lives of those we serve.
To explore the potential of matching gifts and find out if your employer participates, please visit our donation page at [link] and use our embedded company search tool to receive step-by-step instructions after submitting your gift. We are committed to making the process as seamless as possible, ensuring that every dollar you contribute has the maximum impact.
Thank you for your continued generosity, advocacy, and belief in our mission. Together, let’s create a brighter tomorrow.
With heartfelt appreciation,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
Remember: your donors want to make a difference for the cause your nonprofit is pursuing. When presented with the opportunity to make their dollars go even further, supporters are often eager to get involved.
When to send: Whenever you organize a fundraising campaign that involves soliciting donations from supporters Who to send to: All existing supporters and prospective donors Why send: To increase awareness of matching gifts, elevate response rates, and make your appeals stand out
Letter #2 – Donation Acknowledgment Matching Gift Letters
Your communications after an individual supports your cause should help demonstrate your gratefulness for their giving. But did you know that your acknowledgment letters can also function as one of your first post-donation opportunities to promote matching gifts?
Donor thank-you letters (or emails!) can be written with customizable templates in which you insert a donor’s name, brand it to your organization, and provide a few other details in order to deliver a personal touch. For example, we recommend calling out specific gifts. Instead of a general “Thanks for the donation!” you can say, “We so appreciate your generous $100 contribution on May 5th, 2023.”
From there, consider plugging in a bit of information pertaining to matching gifts. It can be as simple as this: “Keep an eye out for ways to make your support go even further. We’ll send a separate email in the next few days regarding matching gifts.” In the meantime, you could even direct them to your dedicated matching gift web page to learn more!
Here’s a sample acknowledgment email complete with matching gift information:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial support of your organization;
Inform the recipient that additional matching gift-related outreach will be sent soon;
Encourage the individual to learn more about matching gift opportunities by exploring the nonprofit’s matching gift page.
Get started with this free matching gift donation acknowledgment letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
On behalf of [Nonprofit], I want to express our sincerest gratitude for your recent donation of $[gift]. Your generous support enables us to continue [describe the impact of their contribution or the work your organization does].
But did you know that your donation has the potential to go even further? Many companies have matching gift programs in place, which means they can match their employees’ charitable contributions. By taking a few moments to seek a match from your employer, you have the power to double or even triple the impact of your recent gift.
To find out if your company participates, click here [link] to use our company search tool, and be on the lookout for more matching gift insights soon.
Warm regards,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
[Contact Information]
Thanking supporters is one of the major keys to maximizing donor retention. When you thank your donors in this way, you’re also extending a courtesy by giving them the chance to contribute more without reaching back into their own pockets.
Your donors want to help as much as possible, and you don’t want to leave easy money on the table. It’s a win-win!
When to send: Immediately after receiving a new donation Who to send to: Recent donors Why send: To thank individuals for their recent donations and provide information as to how they can amplify their giving impact
Keep in mind that this should not be a primary form of matching gift communication that you rely on to get the word out about the opportunity. Donation acknowledgments are often discarded without a thorough look, so you’ll want to incorporate other types of letters in your strategy as well.
Letter #3 – Matching Gift Emails
Nowadays, email is a popular outreach method for nonprofits looking to engage their supporters in the virtual realm. Thus, you’ll want to make the most of the channel by using it to promote matching gift opportunities.
Note: this section covers general matching gift emails that can be sent to all of your organization’s donors at various points year-round. Keep reading to learn about more targeted messaging that you might opt to trigger with donor- and company-specific insights below.
Take a look at this matching gift email you might send:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Inspire interest from the start with an engaging subject line;
Direct readers to the organization’s dedicated matching gift web page;
Leverage specific and prominent calls to action that encourages donors to seek the opportunity;
Emphasize the increased donation impact made possible through matching gift programs.
Get started with this free matching gift email template:
Subject: Double Your Impact with Matching Gifts!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Did you know that many companies have matching gift programs in place to support their employees’ charitable giving? Through these programs, your donation can be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of your generosity. Some companies even offer a 2:1 or 3:1 match, meaning your gift could have an even greater effect.
Seeking a matching gift is easy! Here’s how you can get started:
Check if your employer offers a matching gift program. You can do this by searching our matching gift database here [link] or by reaching out to your HR department.
Then, obtain and complete the necessary forms or information required by your employer. Be sure to follow any specific instructions provided by your company.
By taking a few moments to seek a match from your employer, you can double the impact of your donation, making an even greater difference in [Nonprofit]’s mission of [describe the specific impact of their contribution].
We are here to assist you throughout the matching gift process. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Thank you once again for your support and dedication to our cause. Together, we can create positive change and make a lasting impact.
With gratitude,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
To further streamline the matching process, consider equipping your nonprofit with a comprehensive matching gift database search tool. In that case, you can send supporters to the tool from your matching gift outreach and inspire them to see if their employer offers a program!
When to send: A few times throughout the year Who to send to: All donors who have yet to submit match requests Why send: To increase matching gift awareness and inspire donors to uncover their own eligibility
Letter #4 – Matching Gift Inserts
Direct mailings can go a long way toward enhancing donor engagement and getting your fundraising message in front of supporters. Since snail mail is on the pricier end of communications, you’ll likely want to do what you can to get your money’s worth out of the channel. And that means using your mail packages to promote matching gift opportunities.
However, you shouldn’t have to re-work your existing printed resources. Instead, we recommend creating new materials that can be included alongside your established fundraising letters. These inserts can simply be printed and slipped into your envelopes prior to sending. Then, you’re ready to go!
Here’s an example:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Incorporate an eye-catching graphic to grab your recipients’ attention;
Provide an easy way for donors to request additional information—such as an easy-to-type URL or scannable QR code;
Be short, sweet, and to the point. Just a quick matching gift blurb will do!
Get started with this free matching gift insert template:
Double Your Impact with Matching Gifts!
Did you know that your donation to [Nonprofit] could be matched by your employer? Many companies have matching gift programs that can double or even triple your contribution.
It’s a simple process – scan the QR code (or go to the URL here: [link]) to learn more. By taking a few minutes to seek a match, you can multiply the value of your gift and help us continue our important work.
Thank you for considering a matching gift – together, we can make an even greater difference!
The good news is that paper inserts can be mailed along with almost any direct mail outreach. Consider sending them in newsletters, gift acknowledgments, event invitations, volunteer information, and more. Each communication will remind donors of the possibility of matching gifts, thus inspiring generosity and driving action.
When to send: Any time you send direct mail communications Who to send to: All donors and prospects receiving direct mail outreach Why send: To break through the digital clutter and drive matching gift awareness
Letter #5 – Matching Gift Postcards
If you’re looking to promote matching gifts via direct mail but want to take a more unique approach than a typical fundraising letter, consider sending a postcard instead.
To start, postcards have a friendly feel—like a note from a loved one who’s thinking of you. Consider incorporating them into your direct mail fundraising strategy to make your efforts stand out; specifically as a matching gift marketing tactic.
You’re sure to keep your organization (and its additional giving opportunities) at the forefront of the donor’s mind for a longer period of time. It might even end up on the recipient’s fridge!
Here’s what a matching gift postcard might look like:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Grab your audience’s attention with a visually appealing design that is strategically branded to match your organization’s style;
Include a clear and specific call to action for the recipient, such as determining their matching gift eligibility or submitting a request, if applicable;
Keep any URLs short, sweet, and easy to type—or incorporate a scannable QR code.
Get started with this free matching gift postcard template:
Front
[Nonprofit logo]
Double Your Impact on [Nonprofit] with Matching Gifts!
Back
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Thank you for your recent support of [Nonprofit]. Did you know that your donation could go twice as far? Scan the QR code below to find out how. [link to matching gifts page]
Thank you for considering a matching gift – your support makes a difference!
Plus, you’ll always want to consider personalization. While you likely won’t have the time to handwrite every postcard, merely signing your name at the bottom can do wonders to let donors know that you took time out of your day to engage them.
Nowadays, we often refer to direct mail as ‘snail mail.’ But what it lacks in speed, it often makes up for in emotional impact!
When to send: A few days to a week after an individual has made a donation Who to send to: High-value supporters who you’ve determined are likely to be eligible for a matching gift Why send: To cut through the unnecessary obstacle of getting your fundraising letters opened in the first place
Top tip!If you’re looking to save on shipping costs, a digital postcard can make your efforts stand out as well. Consider sending a fundraising eCard that highlights matching gift opportunities and directs donors to your matching gift web page to learn more.
Letter #6 – Matching Gift Newsletters
Without a promotional strategy in place, more often than not, potential and current donors won’t know about matching gift opportunities–let alone what they entail. A good remedy for this is to include it in one of your most valuable marketing resources: your newsletter.
A nonprofit newsletter is a popular way for supporters to stay up to date on current happenings at an organization they support. This regular publication may be a physical resource sent through the mail or a digital one that makes its way to your audience’s email inboxes. Regardless, it likely provides details on upcoming events, ways to get involved, and more. And it’s perfect for matching gift information!
Check out this sample matching gift newsletter:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Make matching gifts a regular feature in newsletters sent to donors and prospects;
Incorporate an overview of the fundamentals of matching gift programs;
Provide step-by-step instructions for donors interested in getting involved in the initiatives;
Share real examples of ways your organization has benefited from matching gifts in the past.
Get started with this free matching gift newsletter template:
Double Your Fundraising Power With Matching Gifts
Many companies have matching gift programs that can double or even triple your donations, allowing you to make an even greater difference in the causes you care about.
Here’s how it works: When you donate to [Nonprofit], you can easily check if your employer offers a matching gift program. With a few additional steps, you can unlock new sources of funds that directly benefit our organization.
For example, a $100 contribution can produce over $200 worth of value, thanks to your employer’s workplace giving initiative. This additional funding allows us to expand our programs, reach more individuals in need, and create lasting positive change in our community.
We encourage you to explore the matching gift opportunities available to you. Together, we can make an even greater impact on our mission.
Depending on your needs, you may decide to include a section about matching gifts within a larger publication or devote an entire edition just to corporate gift-matching. Other enticing topics to cover may include a list of popular matching gift companies, facts and figures relating to your nonprofit’s prior matching success, research demonstrating the prevalence of such programs, and more.
When to send: Once or twice throughout the year Who to send to: Donors, volunteers, prospects, and others on your nonprofit’s newsletter mailing list Why send: To inform donors about the prevalence of matching gift opportunities and how they can get involved
Letter #7 – Eligible Donor Matching Gift Letters
An eligible donor matching gift letter is a specific type of outreach sent only to supporters who you’ve identified as being likely eligible for a corporate match through their employer. This targeted messaging typically aims to inform donors about not only the existence of matching gift programs in a general sense but also to provide company-specific details pertaining to their own employer.
Plus, it will often include personalized instructions on how the recipient can initiate the request process now that they’ve been deemed eligible.
If you’ve determined that a donor works for a matching gift company, you’ll want to send a matching gift letter like this:
This matching gift letter should:
Address the donor by name and acknowledge their initial gift amount;
Encourage the reader to submit their matching gift request;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the supporter to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift eligible donor letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are pleased to inform you that your recent donation of $[gift] qualifies for a matching gift from your employer, [Company]. Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Best regards,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
If you’re looking for a more efficient way to uncover match-eligible donors and trigger personalized matching gift letters like these, consider investing in an automation tool like Double the Donation Matching.
The Double the Donation platform scans information donors provide during the giving process to determine likely eligibility, sending personalized and actionable email streams that drive more qualifying matches to completion.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors who you’ve identified as likely eligible for a matching gift program through available employment information Why send: To provide company-specific matching gift program guidelines and links to submission forms
Letter #8 – Ineligible Donor Matching Gift Letters
On the other hand, an ineligible donor matching gift letter is a type of outreach that informs the recipient that, according to the nonprofit’s records, they likely do not qualify for a matching gift from their employer. However, it’s vital to keep a positive approach, encouraging donors to consider amplifying their support for the organization in other ways.
Check out this sample matching gift letter you might send to a donor you’ve marked as likely ineligible for a match:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial support of the organization;
Encourage the reader to confirm with their employer the existence (or lack thereof) of a corporate matching gift program;
Inspire the individual to consider advocating for their employer regarding the establishment of a new matching gift program;
Include or link to additional resources that can aid an employee in championing a matching gift program.
Get started with this free matching gift ineligible donor template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We really appreciate your recent donation to our organization.
One way that you can amplify your giving impact for [Nonprofit] is with matching gifts. Does your employer match?
We don’t have a record of your employer in our database. But they may have a program nonetheless! Consider reaching out to your company’s HR Department to discuss the possibility of a matching program.
If your employer does match, please add your company to our matching gift database or email a copy of your form to data@doublethedonation.com.
If your company does not currently offer a matching program, they might be willing to start! Check out this guide to see how you can advocate for a new matching gift program to your employer.
Thank you again for your support.
Best regards,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
You never know–an ineligible donor may be just the person to influence a brand-new matching initiative. And your communications to these individuals can go a long way toward providing updated data points, deepening engagement opportunities, corporate partnership potential, and more.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors who have indicated that they work for a company that does not offer a matching gift program Why send: To encourage such supporters to double-check for the existence of a matching program and provide resources to aid in new program advocacy
Letter #9 – Unknown Donor Matching Gift Letters
After giving, there’s a third category in which donors may be placed–and that is unknown eligibility. Unknown donor matching gift letters are those sent to that segment.
A donor may be sorted into this category based on a few reasons. First, an individual may have simply completed their initial gift without providing their employment details. In this case, you can’t know if a donor will qualify for a matching gift if you don’t know where they work.
On the other hand, another donor may be marked as “unknown eligibility” if they did provide their current employer, but your organization lacks information regarding the availability of the company’s matching gift programs.
If a donor’s eligibility is unknown, consider sending a letter like this one:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial contribution;
Encourage the individual to look up their employer using the provided company search tool;
Inspire the reader to take the applicable next steps depending on their determined eligibility status;
Ask the supporter to let the sender know whether their employer offers a matching program and/or when they’ve submitted their match request.
Get started with this free matching gift unknown donor template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Warm greetings from [Nonprofit]! We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. We are writing to express our deepest gratitude for your recent donation to support our cause. Your generosity is making a significant impact on the lives of those we serve.
We wanted to take this opportunity to inform you about an incredible opportunity to increase the impact of your contribution – matching gifts. Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the value of your donation.
To find out if you qualify for such a match, please click here to search for your employer in our matching gift database lookup tool! It’s quick and easy, and can even provide you with the forms you need to complete your match in seconds.
Then, once you’ve submitted your matching gift request, click here to let us know.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of [Nonprofit] and our mission.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Nonprofit]
Overall, this type of outreach should be used to drive donors further down the funnel. Whether they do or do not ultimately qualify for matching gifts, following the instructions provided in the letter allows them to provide the sending organization with additional information that can help guide further efforts.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors for which you do not have current employment information to determine eligibility or those whose employers lack updated matching gift guidelines Why send: To encourage donors to provide up-to-date employment data and uncover their matching gift eligibility
Letter #10 – Board Member Matching Gift Letters
You know your board members are some of your most valuable supporters. And they often come with lucrative matching opportunities, as well!
Board member matching gift letters are a type of communication sent exclusively to your nonprofit’s board of directors. Most often, these messages will be sent following a recent donation, encouraging the recipient to pursue a matching gift from their employer. This allows board members to take a more active role in fundraising for your nonprofit, which is a common challenge identified in board assessments.
After all, many companies offer exceptionally generous matching gift programs (which often incorporate higher donation ratios and maximums) for even greater corporate matching impact when an employee serves on a nonprofit board.
Here’s an example of a board member matching gift letter:
This matching gift letter should:
Address the donor/board member by name and thank them for their recent contribution to the organization;
Explicitly acknowledge the individual’s status as a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors;
Encourage the reader to submit a board member match request to their company;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the individual to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift board letter template:
Get on Board With Matching Gifts!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are eternally grateful for your generous support of [Nonprofit] – both regarding your recent donation of $1,000 as well as your ongoing dedication in serving on our nonprofit board.
Did you know that your employer, [Company], offers a special matching gifts program for employees who serve on a nonprofits’ Board of Directors? Thus, your $[gift] donation qualifies for a [matching gift ratio] match from your company – multiplying the value of your initial gift!
Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Warmly,
[Name]
[Nonprofit]
Keep in mind that your board members have already shown great dedication toward your cause. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be on the board in the first place. Take the opportunity to promote matching gift programs for qualifying board members–especially if you know that their employer is one that provides a special match initiative.
When to send: Soon after receiving a donation from a board member Who to send to: Donors who currently serve on your organization’s board of directors or board members who aren’t currently giving Why send: To inform board members that many companies offer unique matching gift programs when their employees serve on a nonprofit’s board
Letter #11 – Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser Matching Gift Letters
Even among those who’ve been informed about traditional donation match programs, many are still unaware that other companies offer fundraising match programs. The difference? Donation matching involves an individual requesting that their employer matches a gift they personally contributed to a nonprofit. Fundraising matches, on the other hand, encompass a company matching all the funds an employee raises on a nonprofit’s behalf—even those not made by the company’s employees themselves.
So if you’ve recently hosted a peer-based fundraising event (such as a run/walk/ride), a peer-to-peer matching gift letter can be an excellent follow-up for eligible individuals.
Here’s a sample matching gift letter you might send to a recent peer-to-peer fundraiser:
This matching gift letter should:
Acknowledge the volunteer fundraiser by name and recognize their total amount of fulfilled pledges from the P2P campaign;
Encourage the reader to submit a fundraising match request to their employer;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the supporter to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift peer-to-peer fundraiser template:
Your Pledges Could Be DOUBLED!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are so grateful that you’ve supported [Nonprofit] by taking on a peer fundraising role in our recent campaign.
Did you know that your employer, [Company], offers a special matching gift program in which it offers to match the fulfilled pledges an employee collects on behalf of a nonprofit cause? That means the $[total collected pledges] you raised for our [campaign name] is eligible to be multiplied!
Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Best wishes,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Peer fundraising initiatives often produce significantly higher funding amounts than a single donation. Fundraising match letters can help bring that success to the next level!
When to send: In the days or weeks following the conclusion of a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign Who to send to: Peer-to-peer fundraising volunteers who have recently collected donations on your organization’s behalf Why send: To inform peer-to-peer fundraisers that many companies offer unique matching gift programs that allow employees to request corporate matching for their total fundraising amounts
Letter #12 – Giving Season or End-of-Year Matching Gift Letters
Donors often increase their charitable giving at the end of the year. This is when individuals are most aware of their finances and how much they have left to give. Plus, the holiday season tends to bring out an increase in generosity.
Because of this, many nonprofits make their big pushes for donations during this end-of-the-year giving season, such as through matching donation challenges. This is also an excellent time to pursue corporate matching gifts.
And an automation platform like Double the Donation can help! That’s why Double the Donation offers a dedicated year-end email stream that you can use to contact donors about the donations they’ve already made during the year.
Here’s what a year-end matching gift email can look like:
This matching gift letter should:
Be personalized to the donor;
Include the donation amount and date;
Provide pertinent information about the donor’s employer and their matching gift eligibility;
Establish urgency by reminding the donor that many companies close their request windows at the end of the year in which the donation was made;
Leverage clear calls-to-action that encourage donors to kickstart the matching gift process.
Get started with this free matching gift end-of-year fundraising letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
It’s not too late! Did you know that you can still request a matching gift for your donation of $[gift] made on [donation date]?
Thousands of companies have matching gift programs in place that can significantly increase the value of employees’ donations. However, it’s important to note that many employers close their matching gift request windows at the end of the calendar year in which a gift is made.
So that means the time is now to complete the matching gift process and amplify your support of [Nonprofit] and its mission. Luckily, a submission is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to finalize your match.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Season’s greetings,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Many people have already donated for the year, and the giving season is an ideal opportunity to remind supporters how they can do more to help your cause.
When to send: The end of the calendar year Who to send to: Match-eligible donors who have not indicated that they’ve submitted their matching gift request Why send: To remind donors about matching gifts and encourage submissions while their gifts still qualify
Letter #13 – Matching Gift Request Thank You Letters
We’ve previously recommended that organizations employing matching gift letters to drive match submissions should encourage eligible donors to let them know when they’ve completed their requests. This enables easier tracking through the matching gift lifecycle and better forecasting (and, thus, budgeting) for incoming matches.
However, it also provides an additional opportunity to engage with your matching gift donors. And that’s where matching gift request acknowledgment (or thank-you) letters come in!
Upon being notified of a recent matching gift submission, consider sending a matching gift thank you note like this:
This matching gift letter should:
Let the recipient know that they’ve been notified of the individual’s recent matching gift request;
Thank the matching gift donor for their above-and-beyond support of the organization;
Reiterate the vast benefits of matching gifts on the nonprofit’s overarching mission.
Get started with this free matching gift request thank-you letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are writing to let you know that we so appreciate your recent matching gift submission on behalf of [Nonprofit].
Donors like you going the extra mile to support our cause allow us to make an even greater difference for our mission.
Thanks again! We’ll be in touch throughout the completion of the [Company] matching gift process. Feel free to let us know if you have any additional questions.
Best,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Depending on the employing company’s submission requirements, you might choose to inform the donor that you’ll begin your part of the matching gift process (such as filling out a separate form or confirming that the initial gift was made).
When to send: Within 24 hours of a matching gift submission notification Who to send to: Donors who have recently indicated that they completed their employer’s matching gift request process Why send: To confirm that your organization was notified of a submitted matching gift request by a donor
Letter #14 – Completed Matching Gift Thank You Letters
Our last recommended matching gift letter is another thank-you. But this time, it’s sent after a matching gift is completed by the company.
This letter allows your organization to reiterate your gratitude for the individual going the extra mile, which has resulted in double (or perhaps triple!) the funding for your cause. Plus, it allows you to close the loop, ensuring the donor understands their match was successful.
After you’ve received a completed match from a donor’s employer, send a final acknowledgment like this one:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor once again for their willingness to pursue a matching gift on your nonprofit’s behalf;
Acknowledge that the company match has been successfully received and processed.
Get started with this free completed matching gift thank-you letter template:
[Donor],
We’re SO excited to let you know that we recently received the matching gift funds from your employer, [Company]. Once again, we thank you for all your support.
And please consider requesting a match again if you decide to make another gift in the future!
Much appreciation,
[Name]
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
You can also use this matching gift letter to encourage donors to keep their employer’s matching program in mind in regard to future engagement opportunities. After all, you now know for certain that the individual qualifies for corporate matching. Make sure to set your team up for ongoing match success but encourage future participation as well!
When to send: In the days after you receive a completed matching donation from an individual’s employer Who to send to: Donors whose matching gifts were recently fulfilled by their employing companies Why send: To wrap up the matching gift process and reiterate gratitude for the individual who requested the match
Bonus! How a Matching Gift Database Can Help
As you now know, nonprofits can boost their revenue by promoting matching gifts to their audiences. When eligible, donors can double (and sometimes triple!) their contributions with the help of employer matches. The key is to make them aware of the available opportunities and to simplify the processes involved.
Luckily, the right technology can make a big difference.
Identify Matching Gifts with Double the Donation
Double the Donation offers the #1 matching gifts database, with thousands of the sector’s largest organizations using it in their efforts. The searchable database includes records for more than 24,000 companies and subsidiaries, representing 26+ million individuals.
More specifically, Double the Donation recognizes match-eligible donors with giving form integrations, donation follow-ups, email domain screening, and more. From there, it encourages donors to complete the matching gift process through a series of personalized and automated outreach.
As the most comprehensive source of matching gift forms and instructions, corporate employees can quickly uncover their eligibility and submit requests to their employers.
The end result? More funding for your mission.
Your staff will save time while still providing donors with the necessary guidance for completing their matching gift requests promptly, too.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Final Thoughts
There you have it: fourteen types of matching gift letters for all of your workplace giving needs. By incorporating these recommendations in your organization’s outreach strategy, you can boost your fundraising revenue by increasing awareness among and encouraging matches from your generous donors.
And matching gift software will empower you to scale your efforts beyond the possibilities of manual sending and tracking, too! This allows your team to make the most of their time and effort, reinvesting more of your resources into your highest-value tasks and opportunities.
Learn more—Explore other educational resources to drive fundraising impact from the Double the Donation team below:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DTD_Types-of-Matching-Gift-Letters-Every-Nonprofit-Should-Send_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-05-04 19:00:142025-02-25 14:58:4614 Types of Matching Gift Letters Every Nonprofit Should Send
As with any type of outreach, the wording in your matching gift appeals is vital. Thus, it should be carefully considered when revamping your nonprofit’s matching gift strategy. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing matching gift blurbs that drive results.
Matching gifts can produce a great source of additional revenue for nonprofits. In fact, an estimated $2 to $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs every year. That means that lackluster appeals could cause your organization to miss out on a lot of potential revenue.
After all, choosing the right message when promoting matching gifts can be the determining factor in whether or not a donor participates in their employer’s match program. Considering this, be sure to take the time needed to craft and integrate dedicated matching gift blurbs throughout your donor outreach.
To make sure you send the most effective message possible, first familiarize yourself with the following topics:
By learning and implementing the specific language of effective appeals, your nonprofit will be one step closer to maximizing its revenue potential. And your donors will be that much more likely to take the intended action in your appeals.
Ready to revamp your matching gift outreach? Let’s dive in with the basics.
What Are Matching Gift Blurbs?
The first step in boosting revenue through matching gifts is to produce effective copy promoting the programs. In other words, you need to create well-written resources for donors and prospects to learn about matching gifts.
One of the most impactful (and easiest) ways to do so? Implement matching gift blurbs throughout your messaging.
[Note: If you’re not sure what a blurb is—don’t worry. More than likely, you’ve come across the idea in action already, even if you’re not familiar with the terminology.]
A blurb is essentially a short piece of writing, typically a brief and attention-grabbing description or promotional statement. Regarding corporate matching, a matching gift burb is a quick explanation (think: 1-3 sentences) of the opportunity that aims to inspire participation among donors.
Examples may include:
Advertisements about matching gifts appearing alongside your online resources;
Printed inserts included in physical communications;
Notes incorporated beneath team members’ email signatures;
And more.
While wording and placement can vary, the ultimate goal is for your messaging to entice readers to get involved in their companies’ initiatives—even if they’d never been made aware of the initiative prior.
Best Practices for Impactful Matching Gift Blurbs
The text you use in your matching gift appeals—specifically, your matching gift blurbs—is an essential component of your fundraising. It should be straightforward and to the point, aiming to persuade your audience and drive action.
We’ve compiled a list of tried-and-true tips for drafting matching gift messaging. Read through these suggested practices and see which ideas you can implement in your own outreach!
Employ donor-focused language.
When discussing matching gifts, your chosen wording can mean the difference between a supporter clicking the link or moving on without any further thought.
For example, let’s say you’re planning to link your dedicated match page from your website’s main navigation. What should you name that tab on the menu? We suggest something along the lines of “Matching Gifts,” “Double your Donation,” or “Matching Gift Company Search.”
What we recommend against is wording such as “Corporate Matching” or “Corporate Giving” since these phrases often don’t resonate with individual donors. You don’t want users skipping over the page due to an assumption that the resource is targeting companies rather than individual supporters!
Keep this in mind as you frame matching gift language in all of your donor-facing blurbs—but especially regarding headings, titles, and other elements designed to grab your audiences’ attention.
Keep your copy short and sweet.
Your matching gift blurb doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, brevity is crucial—you want to get the message across before the reader loses interest.
The perfect length can vary based on placement, purpose, and audience. Still, most matching gift blurbs can and should be short, sweet, and to the point. We recommend no longer than a single paragraph unless you’re dedicating a larger piece of communication (e.g., an entire email blast) to the topic.
Make the most of action-driven verbiage.
When making a fundraising appeal, the wording in your message is important. More specifically, your choice of verbs can directly affect the success of a campaign.
For example, people—even dedicated supporters—often need a direct call to action in order to get involved. The key is to ask your donors to do something, to take a particular action.
In other words, matching gift appeals need action verbs. Otherwise, donors won’t be entirely sure what their next steps should be.
In an email or web page, phrases like “Get Started” or “Read More” tell your audience what you’re asking them to do. But more specific calls to action can drive even greater results. Instead of “Click Here,” try “Search Your Employer Here” if you utilize a matching gift search tool like Double the Donation. This way, donors know exactly what’s being asked of them in order to support your cause.
Why? Donors care about your mission—and they want to help. Too often, however, they’re held back by a lack of information and no clear directions for how they can be of service. Using clear and concise verbiage can help inform and clarify the steps your donors need to take next.
The result? More matches!
Prioritize impact in communications.
Donors like to see that their hard-earned dollars are making a difference for the causes they care about. Thus, it’s important to emphasize amplified mission impact as a key benefit of employee matching opportunities in the associated messaging.
As you craft your matching gift blurbs, be sure to emphasize the potential of a donor’s contribution to stretch beyond the amount of their initial gift.
When possible, try using tangible examples pertaining to your organization’s mission. If you run a food pantry, for instance, that might mean informing supporters that, with matching gifts, you can feed twice as many individuals and families with the same initial donation amount.
Locate and follow up on match opportunities with Double the Donation.
When revamping your corporate fundraising appeals strategy, a matching gift database can help pinpoint these opportunities with ease. This way, you can employ automated and targeted outreach—in addition to broader matching gift blurbs—throughout your messaging.
Specifically, Double the Donation’s platform is designed to assist nonprofits in increasing awareness among donors. From there, it also simplifies the process for individuals to submit subsequent match requests.
Once you integrate it across your online fundraising channels, here’s what the tool does:
Exposes supporters to matching gift information at multiple points throughout the giving experience;
Enables donors to search for more than 24,000 companies and subsidiaries, empowering them to quickly locate their employers and eligibility criteria;
Allows your nonprofit to identify match opportunities through email domain screening, an intuitive search tool, and more;
Provides direct links to updated forms and guidelines for each company, thus streamlining the submission tasks for supporters;
Follows up with match-eligible donors via personalized emails to drive more matches to completion;
Tracks donors throughout the process to easily assist with stuck matches and more accurately forecast incoming revenue.
Now that you understand what matching gift blurbs are—and which strategies will empower you to write the best copy possible—you’ll need to consider optimal placement. In other words…where should you insert your newly crafted or finetuned matching gift promotional blurbs?
The short answer is this: wherever you see the opportunity to promote corporate giving opportunities, do it. The more, the merrier! The more familiar donors are with the concept of corporate gift-matching, the more likely they are to participate.
The longer answer involves just about any place where you interact with donors—before, during, and after giving. Check out this list of some of the most popular blurb locations for organizations like yours.
A Dedicated Matching Gifts Page
If you want to create high-traffic matching gift outreach, a good place to begin is where the most supporters are: online! Your website is likely the first impression most people have of your organization, so you want to make it count.
An easy way to increase the visibility of your matching gift promotion is to create a dedicated page for matching gifts. On the page, you’ll want to highlight the basics of employee match initiatives and provide instructions for typical programs within your matching gift blurbs.
(Tip: If you employ matching gift software like Double the Donation, don’t forget to embed the search tool on this page alongside your blurb. That way, users won’t have to go out of their way to research their companies’ programs on their own after discovering the opportunity!)
Your “Ways to Give” Page
Similarly, your organization may already have a “Ways to Give” page on its website that is designed to provide ample opportunities for supporters to get involved with your cause. This might include planned giving, donations of stock and other gifts-in-kind, monthly recurring giving programs, and more.
And one thing you don’t want to forget on this page is matching gifts.
Include a quick blurb about the impact of getting a donation matched and how a donor can uncover their own eligibility. You can even embed your matching gift company search tool here, as well!
Fundraising Appeals
Did you know that recent studies on matching gifts and donor behavior report that 84% of individuals are more likely to donate to a nonprofit if a matching gift is being offered? This finding results in a 71% increase in donation response rate when matching gifts are mentioned in fundraising appeals.
This ultimately means including a matching gift blurb in a donation ask can produce significantly more revenue for your giving campaign. Not only can you expect funding from corporate matches that ultimately come through, but you’ll also benefit from elevated giving rates in the meantime.
Email Communications
As an established nonprofit, your team is likely already using email to maintain contact with donors. But do you utilize email to effectively promote matching gifts? You should!
Incorporating matching gift blurbs within email marketing can bring awareness of the opportunity to a wide range of nonprofit supporters. And your entire message doesn’t have to be dedicated to matching gifts, either. Consider adding a quick blurb on the topic to broader email communications such as newsletters, campaign or project updates, end-of-year reports, and more.
The text you use in your outreach should be persuasive but to the point. Consider emphasizing key points with bolding to increase skimmability and convey the importance of matching gifts for your organization.
Email Signatures
One of the easiest places to incorporate a matching gift blurb is within your organization’s staff email signatures. All it takes is a few seconds for each team member to adjust their automatic sign-off (hint: simplify the process by providing individuals with the text they should add), and you’ll be all set to promote matching gifts in every email you send year-round.
Keep in mind that you’ll want this blurb to be as succinct as possible. A quick sentence with a link to your matching gift page will typically do!
Donation Page
Another key location for matching gift blurbs is your online donation form. At this point in the process, the user is already ready to donate. Why wouldn’t they want to double the impact of their gift without having to part with any additional dollars?
In fact, donors might even be willing to give more after learning about the matching gift opportunity. The aforementioned studies indicate that 1 in 3 donors would contribute a larger gift if a match is applied to their donation—ultimately resulting in a 51% increase in the average donation amount.
We recommend using your giving form to collect employment data from your supporters (made easy with our embedded company search tool!). And when you add context to the request in the form of a matching gift blurb, donors will be increasingly likely to provide the information.
Keep in mind that this should likely be the briefest blurb of all to ensure that you don’t slow the donor down as they make their way through the giving experience.
Confirmation Screen
After a donor clicks “submit” on their completed giving form, they’re typically redirected to a confirmation page. This resource often thanks them for their contribution and provides them with details as to suggested next steps to further their impact. For example, a supporter may be encouraged to share their recent gift on social media, become a recurring donor, or even take on a peer-to-peer fundraising role.
And your confirmation screen is also the perfect location for a matching gift blurb!
Plus, when you utilize matching gift software, you can even provide employer-specific program insights and submission forms based on the company an individual selected within the giving form. This allows you to personalize your blurbs, providing relevant details in real time.
Donor Acknowledgements
Soon after a donor makes their initial contribution is the best time to remind them about matching gift opportunities. That said, mentioning matching gifts in your gift acknowledgments (regardless of channel) can go a long way.
Your donors are typically passionate about your mission. Most would jump at the chance to make their recent gifts stretch even farther without having to reach back into their wallets. All you have to do is make them aware of the chance to do so and guide them in the right direction.
You can even take your acknowledgments—and, thus, your matching gift blurbs—to the next level with unique and engaging eCards! When you ensure your messaging stands out in a supporter’s inbox, you can increase the likelihood that they’ll engage with your content and ultimately take the action you’re driving them toward.
Social Media
In today’s digital age, your organization’s social media profiles are likely some of your most valuable marketing assets. Of course you’ll want to share matching gift blurbs using this channel!
Doing so can encourage existing donors to complete unclaimed matching gift requests, inspire on-the-fence supporters to give in the first place, and more. By leveraging the power of social media, nonprofits like yours can reach a wider audience and engage with their communities in a meaningful way.
Keep in mind that when it comes to social media, your matching gift blurbs can take the form of shareable content (e.g., graphics or videos), post captions, or both!
Direct Mailings
If you utilize direct mail in your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy, consider including a matching gift blurb that accompanies your other materials.
This can include:
Inserts
Envelopes
Postcards
Letters
And more
Regardless of the types of mailings you send, make sure it’s quick and easy for recipients to learn more about matching gifts. We recommend directing readers to your online matching gift page using an easy-to-type URL or a scannable QR code!
Bonus! Free Matching Gift Blurb Templates to Use
Ready to get started with impactful matching gift blurbs? These copy-and-pasteable templates can serve as an excellent jumping-off point.
Fill in the blanks with details about your organization and its mission, then plug in the finalized messaging throughout your donor outreach.
Thanks for the gift, [DONOR]! Did you know you may be able to double your donation with a match from your employer? See if you qualify for a matching gift by searching our employer database here.
[NONPROFIT] receives thousands of dollars each year through corporate matching gift programs. Does your company participate? Find out if you can do more for our mission with a match.
Matching gifts allow generous donations to go twice as far for our goal of [MISSION STATEMENT]. And it’s easy to request a match—locate your employer’s program guidelines and request forms here!
Double your impact! Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple your donation to [NONPROFIT]. Explore our matching gifts page or check with your HR department to see if your employer participates.
Many companies offer to match their employees’ charitable contributions, which means your gift to [NONPROFIT] could go twice as far. Contact your HR department—or click here to use our matching gift search tool—to learn more.
Don’t miss the chance to amplify your impact! Many employers offer matching gift programs, which means your donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched dollar-for-dollar. Contact your employer or use our search tool to see if they participate.
Did you know that your employer could help you make an even bigger impact on [MISSION]? Check with your HR department to see if your company offers a matching gift program and take advantage of this opportunity to support [NONPROFIT] even more.
Your recent gift to [NONPROFIT] could be doubled… Many employers offer matching gift programs, so be sure to check if your company participates. Contact your HR department or explore our dedicated matching gifts page for more information.
Wrapping Up
To drive awareness of the matching gift opportunity, integrating well-crafted matching gift blurbs throughout your communications is essential.
Implement the above tips for wording and verbiage—or jump in with one of our sample messages. Then, insert your blurbs in the recommended locations for optimal exposure to donors.
Paired with a dedicated matching gift service, you’ll be all set to boost your organization’s matching gift revenue (and subsequent impact!) going forward.
Interested in learning more about matching gifts—and how to promote them with effective messaging? Check out these suggested resources for further reading:
How to Get Matching Gifts Trending at Your Organization. Stay up to date on current matching gift and overall marketing trends to ensure your messaging is as impactful as possible. See which strategies we recommend in this guide.
5 Fundraisers with Standout Matching Gift Success. See some powerful matching gift blurbs in action! Read up on several nonprofit organizations that have employed successful matching gift strategies to raise more for their missions.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DTD_Matching-Gift-Blurbs-Sample-Wording-Best-Practices_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-04-19 16:00:322024-09-30 20:59:08Matching Gift Blurbs | Sample Wording & Best Practices
Billions of dollars are contributed to nonprofits and schools each year through corporate matching gift programs. But these initiatives can do more than offer funding for your institution. If you’re wondering how matching gift appeals can fuel alumni engagement, you’ve come to the right place.
Alumni engagement is critical for colleges, universities, and other educational institutions, so much so that there are entire conferences dedicated to it. After all, most schools seek to build a strong community and foster lifelong relationships with their graduates. Not to mention, a school’s alumni can also be some of its most valuable assets in terms of fundraising and overall financial support.
However, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep alumni connected to your school in the long run.
In order to inspire alumni giving, strengthen relationships with your institution’s former student base, and deepen connections to your overall cause, we recommend incorporating matching gift appeals into your strategy.
In this guide, we’ll provide ample insights that can be used to integrate employee gift-matching and alumni relations for optimal results. And we’ll do so by exploring the following topics:
Benefits of Matching Gift Appeals for Alumni Engagement
Matching gift appeals are an excellent way to connect (and reconnect) with alumni and drive engagement with your school. Tens of thousands of companies agree to match employee donations to their favorite charitable causes—often including educational institutions.
However, the opportunity is often underutilized, with only a fraction of qualifying donors going on to submit their matching gift requests. That’s where well-written appeals can come in, promoting matching gift information and ultimately leading to increased philanthropic support for institutions like yours.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most valuable benefits of matching gift appeals on your alumni engagement strategy.
Elevated gift conversion rates
One significant (yet often overlooked) advantage of matching gift appeals is their ability to drive elevated gift conversion rates. In fact, recent studies show that over 84% of individuals indicated that they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered. As a result, incorporating matching gifts in an organization’s fundraising appeals results in an average 71% increase in response rate.
Increased donation amounts
Moreover, matching gift appeals have been shown to also increase the average donation amounts an organization receives, as supporters are typically motivated to give more when they know their gifts will be doubled. 1 in 3 donors indicates they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied, and highlighting the opportunity in matching gift appeals before a donation is made leads to 51% growth in average gift size.
This can also be an effective way to push alumni donors into the next giving tier. For example, an alumnus who typically gives $100 may be inspired to give $200 in response to a matching gift appeal—thereby increasing their giving level and the impact of their contribution. And that’s before their employee even makes their match!
Heightened likelihood of match eligibility
Another reason why you want to incorporate matching gift appeals in your overall engagement strategy is that your alumni may be increasingly likely to qualify for such programs in the first place.
After all, young alumni, in particular, often work for companies that match employee gifts. Tens of thousands of businesses (including 65% of the Fortune 500) agree to match donations to nonprofits and educational institutions, with tech companies being one of the most involved sectors overall.
This presents a unique opportunity for institutions to engage with this demographic and inspire them to give by highlighting this additional incentive.
Matching gifts effectively double individual contributions, empowering alumni donors to make twice the impact on their alma mater. When this group sees their gifts being matched, they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that their contribution is making an even greater, tangible difference. This can lead to increased loyalty to the institution and a greater willingness to give in the future.
Expanded corporate giving revenue
One of the most apparent benefits of matching gift appeals is the additional corporate revenue contributed as a result. Impactful and actionable match appeals drive more matching gift requests to completion, ultimately leading to a significant increase in match revenue overall.
Not to mention, a well-built-out matching gift strategy can also open doors for broader corporate partnership opportunities. Companies that match gifts have already proven to be charitable-minded in nature. And targeting your donors’ employers is a great way to communicate shared values and audiences in your next sponsorship pitch.
How to Drive Alumni Engagement with Matching Gift Appeals
Whether you’re looking to launch an alumni matching gift campaign for the first time or are seeking to improve your existing efforts, we’re here to help. These fundamental steps will provide valuable insights and strategies to help your team maximize alumni engagement, giving, and more.
Identify potential match-eligible alumni.
One of the first things you’ll need to drive alumni engagement with matching gift appeals involves identifying those of your alumni that qualify for the corporate giving programs. And to do so, you’ll need to know which companies your alumni are working for.
Your school may already track this information in your CRM. But if not (or for those who you don’t have post-education employment records for), there are a few ways you can uncover this detail. Not to mention, employment data can go out of date fairly quickly, so it’s important to continually refresh this information for your alumni and other supporters.
Adding an optional employment field to your online donation form.
Scanning contact information for corporate email domains.
Leveraging a matching gift company search tool in post-transaction messaging (i.e., confirmation screens, follow-up emails, etc.).
Keep in mind that the benefits of alumni employment data go far beyond that of matching gift appeals, too! Understanding where graduates end up after leaving your school can also aid in personalizing communications, estimating wealth levels, and more.
Educate your audience about matching gifts.
Another important step is to educate your audience about matching gifts. Without incorporating strategic methods for increasing awareness of the programs, there’s a significant knowledge gap regarding matching gifts. In fact, the aforementioned studies indicate that over 78% of individuals have never been informed about their companies’ matching gift programs.
The solution? Crafting a comprehensive plan for promoting the opportunity yourself.
Specifically, we recommend…
Mentioning matching gifts in all of your school’s fundraising appeals.
Establishing a dedicated matching gift web page on your school website (if you don’t already have one), complete with matching gift details, your company search tool, and helpful contact information for your institution.
Incorporating matching gift information directly within your donation experience (within your online giving forms, on the confirmation screens, etc.).
Highlighting matching gift information (and relevant imagery) on your school’s social media pages.
Producing and sharing educational matching gift videos that overview the programs and how to get involved.
Considering direct mail materials such as postcards, inserts, printed envelopes, and more for your most lucrative donors and prospects.
In all of your favorite channels, be sure to provide clear and concise information about how matching gifts work—and how they can increase the impact of donations to your school. Once aware of the programs, alumni will be increasingly inspired to participate in their employers’ giving initiatives on your institution’s behalf, ultimately driving completed matches through the roof.
Incorporate various matching gift appeals in your messaging.
There’s no one way to integrate matching gift appeals into your institution’s fundraising strategy. The possibilities are endless, and we recommend exploring matching gifts as a key tenet of all essential engagement activities.
For example, you may decide to implement matching gift promotions throughout the donor journey year-round. This can come in handy when looking to drive support for your general operating fund at any point, using matching gift appeals to encourage growth in individual giving and corporate funding alike.
However, many schools also choose to host a dedicated matching gifts campaign alongside their academic giving days to collect even more during that limited time span. (Note: several institutions have reported raising multiple times the cost of their matching gift software on their Giving Days alone—allowing them to see a return on their investment almost immediately.)
The good news is that it’s not an either/or question; in fact, the recommended answer is both. You can market matching gifts to your alumni and other donors 365 days a year—made easy with the right technology—and institute an elevated push for matching at the time of a specific campaign. When it comes to matching gift outreach, the more, the merrier!
Best Practices for Effective Alumni-Centric Matching Gift Appeals
Bring your matching gift appeals to the next level! We recommend the following tried-and-true practices for streamlining the process while also amplifying alumni matching gift results.
Start with a well-crafted appeal template.
Your matching gift appeals should be well-written, concise, and compelling to grab—and retain—the attention of your alumni audience. Make sure to clearly explain what matching gifts are, the impact of employee donation-matching opportunities, and how corporate funding will be used to benefit your school.
You can jump right into it with the free matching gift templates found here. Just be sure to finetune and personalize these sample appeals to best fit your institution’s needs, goals, and audiences.
Set clear and attainable goals.
Before launching your matching gift campaign, establish clear goals regarding matched gifts, total corporate funding, and more. We always recommend defining your objectives using the SMART framework—or setting goals that are…
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
For example, you might state that you aim to collect $5,000 worth of corporate matching gifts from alumni donors by the end of the fiscal year.
Be sure your development team is aware of and on board with your goals, and begin taking steps toward achieving them!
Make it easy for alumni to donate and request matches.
In order to drive the most gifts and matches to completion, it’s crucial that the associated processes are as quick and easy as possible.
Our recommendation? Make the most of intuitive donation tools—such as these top education-focused platforms—that seamlessly integrate with powerful matching gift software.
This way, you can…
Collect employment details within your online giving forms;
Automatically screen for match-eligible donations;
Provide company-specific guidelines, instructions, and links to digital submission forms.
By guiding alumni donors through the matching gift process, you’ll reduce critical roadblocks and ultimately receive more fulfilled matches.
On the other hand, an experience that is primarily donor-led (i.e., asking alumni to get in touch with their HR department to locate their matching gift instructions) is likely to result in a ton of matches going unclaimed and corporate funding being left on the table.
Follow up and show appreciation.
Your matching gift donors are likely some of your school’s most dedicated supporters. When alumni participate in these programs, it’s essential that you promptly acknowledge their above-and-beyond efforts for your institution.
Throughout the donor journey, there are a few fundamental phases in which gratitude should be incorporated. These include:
After receiving an initial donation — “Thanks, [Donor]! We’ve received your recent gift—and it’s because of dedicated alumni like yourself that our school is able to be what it is today. Did you know that you might be able to double your impact with a corporate matching gift? Click here to learn more and submit your match request [link to matching gift page].”
After a match has been submitted — “Our records indicate that you requested a corporate matching gift from [company]. Thank you greatly for taking this next step to amplify your giving impact on our institution. Feel free to reach out if there’s anything we can do to help complete the matching process with your employer.”
After a match has been received — “[Donor], we are writing today to inform you that we’ve received the completed match from your employer. Once again, we thank you for taking the extra steps to submit your matching gift. We truly appreciate your ongoing support to [school]. We couldn’t do it without you!”
Effectively communicating your gratitude throughout the process is a surefire way to reiterate the importance of donation-matching. And ultimately, it increases the likelihood that match-eligible alumni ultimately give and get their gifts matched time and time again.
Though corporate matches do not come directly from an individual donor’s wallet, remember that the additional funding would not be possible without their involvement.
Idea: send an eCard to thank alumni for partaking in matching gift programs on your behalf!
Employ automation to increase efficiency.
Our final tip is one that can help boost the results of our other recommended practices as well—from increasing awareness of the programs to following up on eligible matches. And that is equipping your fundraising team with smart automation technology.
After all, launching a matching gifts campaign on your own can be overwhelming. But when you employ automation, you can do more for your school with less time and resources. Not to mention, leveraging a matching gift automation tool (like Double the Donation) grows matching gift revenue for nonprofits by an average of 61%!
And the time you save triggering automated matching gift appeals—with just a click of a button—can be reallocated to other critical projects that benefit your school.
Example Schools with Successful Alumni Matching Gift Appeals
Establishing an effective matching gift appeal strategy that resonates with your alumni doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s take a look at a few schools that implemented matching gift appeals and produced significant results.
Get inspired by these institutions’ fundraising efforts—and take note of any tactics you’d like to employ in your own.
Marietta College
Marietta College is an excellent example of a higher education institution that employs matching gift appeals successfully throughout its efforts.
To begin, check out this college’s dedicated matching gifts page:
You’ll note that this page incorporates a brief summary of corporate matching gift programs, has embedded an easy-to-use company search tool for individuals to uncover eligibility information, and is easily accessible from the site’s Giving Opportunities menu.
Marietta College has also crafted an alumni-specific web page designed to target previous students looking to give back to the school. And the site mentions matching gift opportunities here, as well!
Throughout their range of matching gift appeals, which included online giving forms, post-transaction emails, and more, in addition to the website content seen above, Marietta College produced standout results to be inspired by.
University of Georgia
Next, we have the University of Georgia, which also offers a robust matching gift strategy that aims to engage alumni donors and other school supporters alike.
This school’s matching gift page employs Double the Donation’s matching gift tool, allowing interested donors to quickly research their companies’ program guidelines. The University of Georgia also uses this page to promote a unique incentive for donors to get their gifts matched—driving individual giving levels to qualify for the exclusive Presidents Club!
Additionally, the UGA team has consistently leveraged its social media platforms to raise awareness of matching gift opportunities. Check out these posts they’ve shared on Twitter, Facebook, and more.
And, all in all, the university has seen some pretty substantial results!
Syracuse University
Similarly, Syracuse University also incorporates matching gift appeals in its alumni and overall donor engagement strategies. From its dedicated match page pictured below to its personalized and automated matching gift email communications, the Syracuse team works hard to ensure all supporters are exposed to information about matching gift programs—and are encouraged to take the next steps.
In addition to its matching gifts page, Syracuse University has also created a free giving toolkit for alumni and other university donors interested in getting involved. This toolkit provides detailed information about online giving, contributing from donor-advised funds, beneficiary designations, and, of course, corporate matching gifts.
The bottom line is that Syracuse University has seen a lot of success with its matching gift appeals—inspiring alumni and donor engagement, driving awareness of matching opportunities, and more.
Wrapping Up
Matching gift appeals can be a powerful tool for educational institutions seeking to increase alumni engagement and philanthropic support. By leveraging your alumni’s generosity alongside that of companies matching contributions to your school, institutions like yours can encourage more significant levels of giving while also fostering a sense of community among graduates.
This type of strategic outreach can also serve as a smart way to reconnect with alumni who may have lost touch with their alma mater, providing them with a compelling reason to get involved once again. By making it easy for alumni to give back and amplify their support, academic fundraisers can help ensure continued success and maximized impact for years to come.
And there’s no better time to incorporate matching gift appeals in your alumni engagement strategy than the present. Best of luck!
Looking to continue your education on matching gift topics to best position your school for corporate fundraising success? Check out these recommended resources:
Matching Gifts & Higher Education: Companies That Match [+Tips]. Identify matching gift opportunities for your college or university. Explore this list of well-known companies that match gifts to higher ed, along with a few insightful practices to consider.
110+ Incredible School Fundraising Ideas to Raise Money Now. Amplify your broader fundraising strategies with this compilation of unique and impactful fundraisers. Plus, a lot of these tried-and-true ideas pair well with matching gifts to double your impact!
Increase Matching Gift Awareness | Get Your Donors on Board. To get alumni on board with matching gift participation, they need to know that the opportunities exist. Check out these suggested methods to launch a matching gift awareness campaign at your school.
Interested in learning more about matching gift appeals? Check out our immersive webinar on the topic!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DTD_How-Matching-Gift-Appeals-Can-Fuel-Alumni-Engagement_Feature-1.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-04-17 15:43:572025-02-21 14:15:26How Matching Gift Appeals Can Fuel Alumni Engagement
Corporate social responsibility (often referred to as CSR) is a practice followed by many companies where they work to improve society in some form as a part of corporate citizenship. CSR is often seen in terms of philanthropy, environmental leadership, ethical labor practices, and economic responsibility.
If you’re wondering what the impact of CSR is—particularly for the businesses that enact these practices in the first place—the advantages are expansive.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the benefits of corporate social responsibility and everything your company needs to know to maximize its effectiveness. We’ll explore the following topics:
Ready to get up to speed on socially responsible efforts and see what you can do to take your business to the next level? Let’s begin!
FAQs about the Impact of CSR
Does your company have an existing CSR plan in place that you’d like to improve, or are you looking to dive into strategic corporate social responsibility for the first time? Either way, you’ll likely have some questions regarding the practice and its effectiveness. Let’s walk through five common questions and their answers.
What are the types of corporate social responsibility?
Corporate social responsibility is an overarching term used to describe a wide range of corporate efforts that are designed to make the world a better place. Most CSR initiatives will encompass these key values:
Environmental: Historically, corporations have been responsible for the vast majority of global emissions and other causes of climate change. Now, many businesses are working to reverse the damage through environmentally friendly initiatives in the way they manage their operations.
Social: The “social” component of corporate social responsibility refers to a company’s impact on its community and the individuals within. Businesses following this practice should work to bring a positive net impact to people as a whole.
Economic: CSR also incorporates responsible economic business practices where companies give generously to their communities through nonprofit donations, fair wages, and more. The idea behind economic responsibility is that companies should bring economic benefit to all stakeholders—including employees, customers, suppliers, and overall communities.
Some CSR efforts may incorporate elements from multiple categories. For example, a company financially contributing to an environmentally-focused nonprofit (whether through grants, matching gifts, etc.) can fall under both environmental and economic responsibilities. Matching gift programs often fall under multiple categories, boosting the impact of CSR on your business in each of these key areas.
How does a company become more socially responsible?
There are tons of practices that businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectors can adopt to increase their level of corporate social responsibility. Here are a few things a company might do:
Offer competitive wages and benefits packages to employees.
Provide generous parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.
Support philanthropic causes in the form of monetary and in-kind donations.
Use recycled materials while producing goods that are also recyclable.
Reduce carbon emissions from business operations.
Keep up with and pay corporate taxes dutifully.
The tactics you choose to employ at your business can also play a role in the benefits you see overall. For example, prioritizing staff wages and employee benefits can have a significant effect on the company’s internal culture and team member engagement. While this will likely also result in improved consumer relations (i.e., shoppers like to buy from businesses they know treat employees well), the impact seen might be lesser as compared to the effect on the employees.
And the same is true the other way around! Producing ethical goods with sustainable practices can bring positive results to both consumers and employees, though consumer relations may see a larger, more tangible impact in terms of sales.
What is ESG and how does it compare to CSR?
ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance, and it’s a measure of the extent to which a business makes a positive impact on society beyond its own shareholders.
While ESG goes hand in hand with CSR, they’re not entirely synonymous. CSR is a business model used to hold a company accountable for its actions to society, while ESG is a quantifiable measurement of a company’s social impact outcome.
How do employees participate in CSR?
Positive employee relations are a major benefit for companies that prioritize CSR. But did you know that the employees themselves can participate (and benefit) as well? Employee-driven programs can even drive positive results for your workplace!
For example, employees who participate in a company’s matching gifts or volunteer grant programs benefit from knowing their own nonprofit donations or volunteer hours are making even more significant impacts on charitable causes that they care about. Plus, they know their employers are making an effort to support their favorite charities as well. Consequently, employees can feel more satisfied in their jobs.
Try the following ideas to drive participation in CSR at your company:
Promote new and existing CSR initiatives to employees, including specific instructions on how to get involved.
Highlight your company’s social impact efforts during conversations with candidates and new hires.
Gamify CSR with interactive elements such as badges, rewards, trophies, and more for top participants.
Encourage friendly competition among employees to see which teams or individuals are the most CSR-involved.
Set company-wide goals for participation, along with rewards or benefits for reaching those goals.
Empower employees to suggest new ideas and feedback for existing efforts in order to continually refine your CSR strategy.
Consider using CSR software to encourage employees to get involved in your philanthropic efforts and track their engagement. CSR software provides a centralized platform for employees to access information and opportunities related to your initiatives. Plus, it can facilitate collaboration among employees, fostering a sense of community and purpose around your CSR activities.
What CSR trends are businesses adopting?
As new social, environmental, and economic needs arise, the CSR movement will continue to evolve. Here are a few CSR trends you can expect to see in the near future!
Many companies are transitioning to more employee-driven CSR programs—especially when it comes to philanthropy. In fact, our research reports that 39% of companies aim to expand their workplace giving initiatives in the next two years!
Companies are doing this by starting new matching gift programs, as well as expanding existing ones and making it easier for employees to participate by simplifying the matching gift request process. For example, this video explains how companies can use CSR platforms that integrate with Double the Donation to fully automate the submission process:
Additionally, more and more companies are taking a stand on social issues and other current events. A 2020 study reported that nearly 60% of consumers expect the brands they support to have a position on topics such as racial discrimination, social justice, climate change, income inequality, and more. About 50% of survey respondents even reported conducting online research to see how a business reacts to social issues before making a buying decision!
4 Top Benefits of CSR for Businesses
Corporate social responsibility tactics provide participating companies with powerful business benefits. Consumers, employees, and other essential shareholders will be more inclined to support your efforts, and you’ll see impactful results such as these!
1. Increased employee engagement
People want to work for companies that they feel good about contributing to. When an individual knows that their efforts at a business help drive social good, they’ll be motivated to produce elevated results in their roles. And for that reason, there’s a significant positive correlation between employee engagement and corporate giving.
Pride in the company, along with belief in senior leadership, are some of the most essential drivers of employee engagement levels—and luckily, both components see benefits from social responsibility as well.
When employees are particularly engaged, the company will also see high levels of productivity, increased retention rates, and more.
2. New talent attracted to your team
Just like effective CSR efforts drive existing employees to want to do more in their roles at your company, the same efforts can also be used to attract new employees to the team.
As a result, many HR representatives are prioritizing corporate social responsibility in their recruiting efforts and within conversations with prospective candidates. Individuals looking to join a company that participates in CSR will be drawn to your business, and you’ll have a competitive advantage against other potential employers.
3. Improved company culture
Companies often see positive impacts of CSR on their internal company cultures, which, of course, helps drive increased levels of engagement and retention. For example, the following types of CSR initiatives can bring about a more positive business culture:
Matching gifts. By matching your employees’ donations to the causes they care about most, you’ll show them that you support their personal charitable interests and want to help them make a difference.
Group volunteer opportunities. Volunteer outings work well as team-building activities that boost morale and get staff members better acquainted with one another. Employees get to spend time with their colleagues in an informal setting while making a positive impact on their community.
Annual giving campaigns. Encourage employees to come together once a year to give to a good cause. You can even turn it into a competition between departments and give out a prize. This sense of friendly competition brings team members closer together.
Utilizing philanthropic initiatives as a way to build a positive company culture is a common practice for many businesses. But remember, the most successful efforts involve hands-on involvement by leadership as well. When employees see their managers and company leaders participating, they’ll be more inclined to do so themselves!
4. Unique marketing opportunities
Cause marketing (or cause-related marketing) is a form of CSR in which a business supports a charitable cause while receiving strategic marketing benefits from the relationship. These types of CSR campaigns often involve a company offering to give a certain amount of money to a nonprofit in response to increased sales results (for example, 10% of a company’s profits may be donated to charity, or a business may donate $1,000 for every 100 products sold).
When done well, cause marketing enables consumers to feel good about their purchases from socially responsible companies. As a result, the consumers are willing to pay a higher price, switch brand loyalties, or increase quantities of their purchases due to it benefiting a good cause.
For your business, not only will you have the opportunity to participate in charitable efforts, but you can also gain more customers and more dollars toward your bottom line.
Key Statistics That Demonstrate the Impact of CSR
The facts about the impact of CSR speak for themselves. Take a look at these facts and figures that demonstrate the effects of CSR on employees and consumers alike:
72% of consumers believe companies should have a legal responsibility to society.
77% of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place.
Over 90% of consumers worldwide are likely to switch to brands supporting a good cause.
More than 66% of consumers would pay more to buy from socially and environmentally responsible businesses.
Creating value for the customer, positively impacting society, and inspiring innovation and positive change are the three highest-ranking components of a company’s purpose.
88% of people want to know about a company’s CSR efforts when considering making a purchase.
5 Examples of Businesses Doing CSR Right
Looking to get started with CSR efforts but not sure how to begin? Get inspired by these popular companies that have exemplified what it looks like to be socially responsible and philanthropic.
When it comes to philanthropic corporations, Gilead Sciences has led the pack for several years in a row. This biotechnology company contributes an average of $400 million each year to nonprofit causes, which comes out to nearly 3% of their pre-tax profits. Plus, they offer a matching gift program for current full-time employees, agreeing to match donations of up to $2,000 per year to most nonprofit organizations!
They’ve also published a number of lofty goals to further elevate their CSR by 2030—including achieving net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring 100% of their packaging is recyclable, eliminating all unnecessary plastics, and significantly increasing Black, Hispanic, and female representation in the company.
Johnson & Johnson has prioritized reducing their company’s impact on the planet over the last three decades by highlighting the importance of sustainable business practices. One key pillar of this effort was accomplished by harnessing wind power to significantly reduce pollution from their operations and ultimately offering up a renewable (and economically friendly) alternative to traditional electricity.
In addition to the company’s environmental efforts, Johnson & Johnson also donates generously to many nonprofit organizations, including schools, health and human services, civic and community organizations, and more. Much of this funding is contributed through workplace giving programs as well, matching team member donations at a 2:1 rate up to $20,000 per employee per year!
Google is another example of a highly regarded business with multiple effective CSR efforts in place. As a result, the company has earned the Reputation Institute’s highest CSR score, due in part to its philanthropic initiatives, renewable energy projects, and environmental impact reduction.
Not only do their data centers use 50% less energy than other comparable institutions, but they’ve also committed more than $1 billion to develop environmental efforts in the future. Plus, they have a generous donation-matching program, offering up to a $10,000 gift match for full- and part-time employees. They even offer additional nonprofit grants through the Google Ad Grants program, which gives eligible organizations $10,000 in free monthly ad credits per month to promote their work.
One example of a business hosting a successful cause marketing campaign as a component of an overall CSR strategy is Lyft. Through their partnership with organizations like Bread of Life, United Way, and the National Council on Aging, Lyft offered free rides to essential workers and vulnerable populations through an initiative called LyftUp during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this model in place, Lyft has elevated its brand reputation as one that cares about the underserved in its communities, thus driving popularity and sales.
Since 1988, Ben & Jerry’s has been known for being a particularly outspoken advocate for all sorts of social causes. The company has partnered with nonprofit organizations such as 1% for Peace, Farm Aid, Children’s Defense Fund, Rock the Vote, Alaska Wilderness League, MyClimate, NativeEnergy, and many more to provide aid for social, environmental, economic, and scientific causes.
They’ve also launched more than one ice cream flavor dedicated to their favorite social causes, which include “Save Our Swirled,” “Empower Mint,” “Justice ReMix’d,” and “Peace Pop.”
Final Note on the Impact of CSR
Corporate social responsibility is often framed as a win-win-win situation because companies, nonprofits, and the greater community all benefit greatly from its existence. As you consider how CSR impacts businesses like yours, think about all the good you can do for your employees, your business, and your community!
Want to learn more about the impact of CSR and philanthropy on businesses like yours? Check out these other guides:
Why Workplace Giving Matters for Nonprofits + Companies. Workplace giving brings the advantages of CSR to the next level by prioritizing employee participation in philanthropy. Not to mention, nonprofits benefit from increased funding as well!
Corporate Giving and Matching Gift Statistics. These powerful facts and figures about corporate philanthropy, matching gifts, and other giving programs will inspire your team to make an even more significant impact.
Corporate Philanthropy: The Ultimate Guide to Giving. Interested in diving deeper into corporate philanthropy for your company? This complete guide to corporate giving shares key details about types of programs, business impact, and more.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Impact-of-CSR_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-03-23 20:03:512025-02-12 16:02:09What’s the Impact of CSR? FAQ & Key Benefits for Businesses
Nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising groups are always on the lookout for new and improved ways to fund their missions. Corporate matching gifts offer an excellent fundraising lift, but many organizations have an underdeveloped strategy for pursuing this funding source. That’s why we recommend taking a look at matching gift practices from nonprofits that are already seeing high levels of success.
Recent findings have analyzed the highest revenue-generating peer-to-peer-based fundraisers and compiled a number of top strategies followed by each. Based on the report, we’ve created our own list of matching gift best practices that we suggest nonprofits employ:
Over the course of this guide, we’ll provide actionable insights and real-world examples of fundraisers having successfully implemented these practices. In the end, we hope that these exemplary organizations and practices will inspire you to take your matching gift program to the next level.
1. Understand the importance of matching gifts in overall fundraising.
The first step in optimizing your matching gift fundraising plan has to do with understanding its value. After all, when you (and your team) know why you’re doing what you’re doing to pursue matching gift opportunities, you’ll tend to be more motivated to see results.
So here’s why. The benefits of matching gifts for nonprofits are generally threefold —
Increased corporate philanthropy funding. One of the most apparent advantages of matching gift programs is the corporate match donations that an organization receives. Think of it like the “free” part of a “buy one, get one free” promotion. When donors participate, they funnel additional corporate revenue from their employing companies to your organization. And doing so produces substantial results!
Increased individual giving revenue. Not only do matching gift programs increase nonprofit fundraising by making more corporate funds available, but they also elevate individual giving in a few key ways. In fact, Double the Donation research reports that over 84% of survey participants are more likely to donate, and 1 in 3 donors would contribute a larger amount if matching is applied to their donation.
Increased donor engagement. Nonprofits that employed strategic matching gift follow-ups saw up to 6x more post-donation engagement opportunities. Each outreach message is another chance to keep your cause at the top of donors’ minds for longer. This encourages supporters to get further involved with (and make a larger impact on) your organization without reaching back into their own wallets.
All in all, fundraising research demonstrates a positive correlation between matching gift practices and overall fundraising success.
Check out this graph from the Top Nonprofits report that illustrates the finding, with each point representing a top P2P event according to its total revenue and matching gift score:
This shows us that the more developed an organization’s matching strategy, the higher fundraising revenue they can expect. And at the same time, the higher the fundraising revenue an organization sees, the more developed its matching gift strategy likely is.
In other words, exploring matching gift practices like the ones outlined below typically produces multi-faceted fundraising success.
2. Appoint a dedicated Matching Gift Specialist.
In the ideal situation, everyone on your organization’s team will be well-versed in matching gift programs. However, by appointing an expert to lead your team, you’ll have the time and resources to implement matching gifts into your overall fundraising strategy.
Your nonprofit will be more prepared after hiring a matching gift specialist than it would be having your whole staff know just a few basic facts about matching gifts. The coordinator is the expert, but the rest of your employees should know enough to field the questions that they can and pass along the rest as needed.
The specialist is the designated point person for all matching gift queries and problems and the staff member in charge of ensuring the donations are received.
Your coordinator will be able to keep your various departments in the loop about what’s going on and need-to-know information. All staff members should be promoting matching gifts when relevant, but the matching gift coordinator is the coach leading your team to victory.
If the matching gift specialist position is new territory for your organization, why not consider hiring an executive search firm? Consultants can help you craft the perfect job description and lead you through the entire hiring process, ensuring that everything runs smoothly!
3. Establish a plan to drive matching gift participation in fundraising efforts.
Once you understand the value of matching gifts, it’s time to begin developing (and/or finetuning) your plan to maximize the funding source. Why?
Another key finding from the Top Nonprofits report saw that 100% of the P2P Top 30 fundraisers have some sort of dedicated matching gift strategy in place. While the extent of their efforts varies from one organization or event to the next, the fact that every nonprofit that made the list incorporated matching gifts in their fundraising plan in one way or another remains significant.
Follow these leading organizations’ examples and be sure that your team takes the time and effort to establish a well-thought-out plan regarding corporate matching. For the best results, we recommend training your team in the basics of matching gifts and incorporating the rest of these impactful matching gift practices pursued by the top fundraising organizations in your overall strategy.
4. Create a detailed and easily accessible matching gift page.
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you likely understand that your organization’s website is one of your most valuable assets for marketing, donor engagement, and more. It makes sense that you’d want to use that resource to promote matching gifts to your audience.
Hosting a dedicated matching gift web page is one of the best ways to do so—and 93.3% of the P2P Top 30 agree!
Let’s take a look at an inspirational example from one of the Top 30 fundraisers included in the study.
Here’s what this organization did well in its matching gift web page:
Shared a brief explanation of matching gift programs and their value for donors and nonprofits;
Embedded an auto-completing matching gift database search tool, providing access to tens of thousands of companies’ matching gift program guidelines with a few clicks;
Overviewed the process involved for donors to get their gifts matched on behalf of the organization;
Provided contact information often required in donors’ submission forms, ensuring everything they need is all in one, readily available hub;
Ensured the page was easily accessible from the website’s main “Get Involved” tab.
The organization even provided an additional tab on its workplace giving page that targets potential corporate sponsors, highlighting details such as the number of companies involved, matching donations made, and total revenue raised through such programs.
5. Incorporate matching gifts within the donation form.
We’ve long stated that including matching gifts directly within the donation experience itself is one of the best ways to get the ball rolling for donors. And if the fundraisers whose practices were analyzed during the research report are any indication, many top nonprofits agree.
For one, a donation page provides an excellent opportunity to collect much-needed employment information from donors. Once you have this data, your team can then trigger targeted communications to drive more matches to completion.
Plus, simply mentioning matching gift opportunities within your online form allows your donors to begin familiarizing themselves with the idea of the programs as early as possible.
Here’s one organization that made the most of its online giving page to promote matching gifts.
Here’s what this organization did well on its donation page, specifically in regard to matching gifts:
Established a dedicated section within the form, clearly labeled “Matching Gifts,” to grab supporters’ attention as they give;
Provided a brief overview of matching gift programs and how to use the embedded search tool to locate company information;
Shared next steps in the matching gift process, ensuring donors can expect additional information pertaining to their gifts and matches on the confirmation page.
By implementing these matching gift practices and more, the nonprofit was able to see standout match success through key peer-to-peer programs and additional fundraising efforts. Not to mention similar donation form tactics were also employed by many other high-ranking organizations included in the matching gift report.
6. Provide company-specific program details on the confirmation screen.
The next recommended practice has to do with the step directly after an individual completes an online donation form. In nearly all cases, the user then automatically reroutes to a gift confirmation screen. This page acknowledges that the donation was submitted, thanks the supporter for their contribution, and provides additional opportunities for involvement.
And throughout the matching gift research report, we saw that the vast majority of top nonprofits (~83.3%) also use this valuable piece of real estate to further promote matching gift participation.
Let’s take a look at one example of this practice.
Here’s what this organization did well on its confirmation page, specifically regarding matching gifts:
Provided detailed information about an individual’s contribution, enabling them to easily compare against their company’s established matching gift eligibility criteria;
Embedded an auto-populating matching gift widget, complete with specific program information for the company they selected on the previous page;
Inspired immediate action with links straight to company guidelines and online submission forms.
Offering a simpler matching gift experience following an initial donation increases the likelihood of donor participation. That said, fundraisers like this team aim to streamline the process while making the most of still-high levels of supporter engagement. And when done so effectively, many donors choose to initiate their matches right from the confirmation screen.
7. Send personalized matching gift emails post-transaction.
For donors who ultimately don’t choose to get their gifts matched directly from the confirmation screen, we know that sending follow-up emails can be the next best step. That’s why 86.6% of the P2P Top 30 are pursuing matching gift opportunities with post-transaction messaging.
Let’s take a look at one leading organization’s post-donation communications—and how they highlight matching gifts.
First, here’s the donation receipt an individual receives in the minutes after submitting their gift:
And this is what the follow-up matching gift email looks like:
Here’s what this organization did well in its post-donation matching gift communications:
Thanked donors for their initial support, acknowledging their gift impact and the opportunity for amplified results from corporate matching;
Leveraged customizable messaging, using the nonprofit’s own consistent branding (fonts, images, colors) and email domain;
Included matching gift information in both the gift confirmation email/donation receipt;
Sent messages in a timely manner, with the donation receipt and initial matching email coming in within the first hour after the gift being made;
Let donors know within the gift receipt that they will receive additional email correspondence with next steps for matching gifts;
Referenced personalized details, such as the donor’s name, acknowledgment of a recent gift, and the company they work for;
Shared company-specific matching gift eligibility criteria, including minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, request deadlines, and more;
Provided direct links to the online submission portal for the donor’s employer, empowering them to initiate a match with ease.
The matching gift email also encourages supporters to follow up with the organization for a quick matching gift status update after submitting their request. This enables the nonprofit’s development team to better track and forecast incoming match revenue.
8. Strive for ease and accessibility.
For a donor, securing a matching gift is an easy process that has the misfortune of sounding complicated. To remedy this, brand it better by simplifying the process.
Clear and concise language with straightforward directions will encourage your donors to seek out matching gifts. Donors who have already been generous enough to donate should not have to follow up with a lot of paperwork.
To better explain matching gifts, you can:
List the typical steps involved in the process on your matching gifts explainer page.
Insert a matching gift widget that can help the donor search for their company’s program.
Mail out informational materials about corporate philanthropy.
Highlight key matching gift statistics in your educational resources.
Point out a few of the companies that commonly match gifts for your nonprofit.
Ensure that your nonprofit is a one-stop shop for all things matching gifts! That way, donors won’t have to seek out this information themselves. Get ahead of the game and give your supporters all the information they need to fully understand their opportunities.
9. Keep a record of individuals’ matching gift statuses.
Maintaining ongoing records of donors’ matching gift statuses falls under the matching gift coordinator’s jurisdiction. Essentially, you’ll want to know what requests have been made, when they are processed, and when they have been fulfilled.
Keeping accurate records will guarantee that no revenue opportunities slip through the cracks. There can be a lot of moving parts in the process among the donor, donor’s employer, and the nonprofit, and there will be some level of back-and-forth. A clear trail of what has happened and what needs to happen will make interactions a lot easier and a lot more efficient.
Regardless of what you choose, the more standardized and systematic the process you use is, the better the results will be. And the right software can help, too—complete with trackable email buttons and all!
10. Thank donors for their matching gift participation.
Donors involved with matching gifts have gone the extra mile for your cause, so your appreciation should match that level of energy.
Just like matching gifts have doubled your donations, matching gift thank yous should be doubled as well. Thank them once for the initial donation and a second time when the matched gift goes through.
In fact, you may even want to put together a special event to honor matching gift donors. The goal is to show genuine gratitude towards what they’ve done to help, and something like a special event will also promote the program to those who are unaware of it.
If you don’t have the resources for an entire event, try publicly thanking those involved on social media. This is a great place to promote matching gifts and is also a top outlet for acknowledgment. For instance, a strategic Facebook post can kill two birds with one stone by thanking a matching gift donor while getting the idea of matching gifts into the heads of your Facebook community.
11. Cultivate relationships with donors’ employing companies.
You should also consider thanking your donors’ companies as well. The donor has brought the company to you, so go ahead and cover all your bases. That’s why it’s so important to collect employment data!
After all, matching gifts can provide a much-desired introduction to major corporations with top-notch corporate giving.
When an employee asks their company to match their gift, by nature of the process, the company will be exposed to your nonprofit. If you want to foster a new relationship, your nonprofit is going to have to impress the company. In some cases, you’ll even develop long-term partnerships with them.
By having all of your matching gifts ducks in a row, your staff can focus on building those corporate relationships instead of troubleshooting submission issues.
Plus, whenever you need an extra helping hand at one of your events, these companies will likely be more than happy to help out through their corporate volunteer program since you’ll already be on their radar.
12. Leverage innovative matching gift software.
While it’s technically possible to develop a matching gift strategy without the aid of dedicated technology to power your efforts, doing so is likely to require substantial investments of time, effort, and resources. On the other hand, matching gift software can go a long way toward streamlining and automating the process.
As you consider the possibilities, it’s worth noting that, of the organizations’ practices analyzed in the Top Nonprofits report, those that use matching gift software saw average matching gift scores more than twice as high as those that did not appear to use matching gift software.
Still, choosing the right software provider is essential, as well. The study reports that 73.3% of the P2P Top 30 fundraisers—and 90% of the 10 highest-earning events—leveraged Double the Donation’s match software.
Not to mention, employing a best-in-class technology solution like Double the Donation can also help your team incorporate the above best practices into your matching gift strategy—from hosting a dedicated matching gift page (complete with an embedded company search tool) to highlighting matching gifts throughout the giving experience and beyond.
If you’re interested in exploring Double the Donation’s automation platform, you can request a demo here to get started.
Plus, keep in mind that your more general fundraising technology can play a significant role here, as well. For example, Top Nonprofits indicates that organizations using tools without sufficient matching gift integration and customization options saw significantly lower matching gift scores overall—compared to fundraisers whose giving tools integrated seamlessly with a matching gift solution.
Whether your team is just getting started with matching gifts or you’re looking to optimize an existing strategy, taking a look at tips and tricks followed by organizations with impactful matching gift efforts can go a long way.
Integrating the above matching gift practices in your nonprofit’s fundraising has the potential to bring your overall giving to previously unimaginable heights. And now’s the best time to get started!
Keep up the learning—explore additional resources from Double the Donation and other matching gift industry experts below:
Double the Donation works with thousands of clients in the nonprofit and educational fundraising spaces. And just about all of our clients have seen significant matching gift success when employing our tools!
In this post, we wanted to spotlight a few standout examples of impactful matching gift strategies from top fundraisers. These include:
As we explore tried-and-true practices exemplified by these notable organizations, make a note of the strategies you can leverage in your own team’s matching gift fundraising efforts.
Matching Gift Success Story #1: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Founded in 1949, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is one of the largest medical research organizations in the world. With a specific dedication to blood cancer treatment, the nonprofit averages over $285 million in annual contributions and has funded more than $1.6 billion in groundbreaking advancements.
LLS also hosts a few of the largest peer-to-peer-focused nonprofit fundraising events. This includes its Light the Night Walk, which collects more than $70,000,000 from over 1 million participants each year.
And a significant portion of their workplace giving fundraising has been made available through corporate matching gift programs!
Matching Gift Facts and Figures
LLS began leveraging Double the Donation’s matching gift automation platform in June 2017.
Since getting started with Double the Donation, the organization increased its matching gift revenue year-over-year by more than 48%, bringing in an additional $3.4 million through corporate matching for the cause.
More than 1,500,00+ LLS donors interact with Double the Donation tools throughout and following the donation process itself.
Let’s take a look at some of the main functionality leveraged by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in regard to their matching gift growth:
Email domain screening and streamlined search tool on donation forms to identify match-eligible gifts;
Detailed matching gift program results and forms on donation confirmation/thank-you page;
Automated messaging to match-eligible and unknown donors with customized email sending logic, branding, sending domain (from @lls.org), subject lines, graphics, and more;
Matching gift plugin across multiple websites and forms;
Outbound calling to top match prospect opportunities;
Custom sending limits for major and recurring gifts;
Top-notch data security measures, including data encryption, intrusion detection software, intrusion penetration software, multi-factor logins, malware detection, and vulnerability scanning;
Full CRM sync to make the most of donor data collected through matching gift strategies.
Matching Gift Success Story #2: The Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank was founded in 1981 and has since grown into the largest hunger relief organization in all of New England. Through free mobile markets, SNAP assistance, forward-thinking research, and more, GBFB empowers those struggling with food insecurity in Eastern Massachusetts.
With over 80,000 donors annually supporting their efforts, the Greater Boston Food Bank brings in more than $175 million in total revenue each year.
Matching Gift Facts and Figures
The GBFB saw a 56% increase in its annual matching gift revenue after getting started with Double the Donation’s automated solution.
In their first year using the tools, GBFB matching gift revenue grew from $1,188,585 to over $1,853,036—a difference of more than $660,000.
Over $790,000 worth of match-eligible dollars were identified by Double the Donation’s software in a twelve-month period.
Here are the primary components of our matching gift solution employed by the Greater Boston Food Bank:
Email domain screening and streamlined search tool on donation forms, which enables the organization to quickly and easily uncover match opportunities;
Full, company-specific matching gift program guidelines and links to request forms automatically populating on donation confirmation pages;
Custom restrictions and email logic, and organization-specific sending domain, providing a targeted outreach experience for each donor;
Automated donor segmentation by match eligibility (likely match-eligible, likely match-ineligible, unknown eligibility) with personalized next steps for each type.
Matching Gift Success Story #3: Southern California Public Radio
Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network operating multiple radio stations in the Southern California region. Its primary station (formerly known as KPCC and since re-branded as LAist 89.3) is a non-commercial educational radio provider.
Together, the network of stations reaches more than 800,000 listeners, with a goal to provide high-quality news and other informational content to its audiences. SCPR has a total annual revenue of over $40 million through individual and corporate contributions alike.
Matching Gift Facts and Figures
Southern California Public Radio saw a 55% increase in matching gift revenue after employing Double the Donation’s automated solution to increase awareness of match opportunities among donors.
More than 75,000 SCPR donors interact with Double the Donation technology, from the company search tool and program guideline plugin to follow-up emails and submission portal links.
Here’s how SCPR is using Double the Donation to drive more matching gifts to completion:
Multiple donor screening methods to identify and follow up on available matches—including email domain screening and our matching gift database search tool;
Full matching gift company guidelines available on gift confirmation screens, providing details such as minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying nonprofit and employee types, submission deadlines, and links to request forms;
Automated and custom-branded email messaging for match-eligible and unknown donors;
Personalized donor experiences, encouraging supporters to take outlined next steps and pursue matching gifts using custom email sending logic;
Access to matching gift search tool plugin across multiple website domains and online giving forms, ensuring donors have easy access to the information they need;
Custom sending limits for recurring and major gift donors, complete with email blocklist and unsubscribe functionality;
High levels of data security, including data encryption, IDS, IPS, multi-factor login, and malware and vulnerability scanning to keep donor information safe and secure.
Matching Gift Success Story #4: Humane Society International
Since 1991, Humane Society International (also known as HSI) has served in the animal welfare space to promote positive relations between humans and animals across the globe. With an annual revenue nearly totaling $24 million, HSI leverages individual donors, corporate support, and more to make a difference in the lives of creatures everywhere.
Matching Gift Facts and Figures
HSI saw an increase of more than 17% in its matching gift revenue year-over-year by employing Double the Donation’s fully automated solution.
$234,000+ match-eligible donations were identified in the first year using matching gift automation.
Over 68,000 matching gift emails were sent in a twelve-month period—including matching gift program guidelines, submission reminders, and more.
Specifically, Humane Society International leveraged Double the Donation to enable:
Established in 1835 in Marietta, Ohio, Marietta College is a private liberal arts school. Offering more than 50 undergraduate and graduate majors, Marietta College provides focus areas across arts, sciences, humanities, and more.
All in all, the college receives over $70 million in annual revenue per year, with nearly $46 million coming from tuition and fees and more than $22 million from donor funding and grants—including corporate matching.
Matching Gift Facts and Figures
Marietta College identified more than $40,000 in match-eligible donations in the first year of using Double the Donation.
The school boasts an open rate of 60% for their automated matching gift emails, which is approximately three times the industry average open rate of 20%.
Here’s how Marietta College and Double the Donation teamed up to maximize matching gifts with these key features:
Corporate email domain screening and donation form search fields to collect employment information;
Complete match results auto-populating through confirmation screens, email follow-ups, and match page searches;
Customization of email sending logic, company restrictions, message sending limits, email domains, subject lines, and more.
Automated email follow-ups for donors identifies as match-eligible, match-ineligible, and unknown employment status, providing detailed next steps and actionable insights to drive matching gifts.
Most nonprofits receive some amount of matching gift revenue even without a dedicated plan in place. However, a much smaller percentage of organizations have a well-thought-out strategy with the tools to implement it. Ultimately, the latter group comprises those that are making the most of the opportunity at hand.
When you take a long look at these groups (such as those highlighted above), you can uncover the practices that produce standout matching gift success. Then, begin emulating such tips and tricks in your own team’s efforts with strategic matching gift training and access to innovative technology. And Double the Donation is here to help!
Interested in learning more about matching gift fundraising and how your nonprofit can maximize revenue through the source? Check out our other educational resources below:
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:
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!)
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.
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
Sponsorships
Corporate grants
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? Identify the right opportunities (such as by using a database like Double the Donation) and raise awareness among supporters. You can even 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.
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.
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 solution) 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.
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:
Winning Workplace Giving Strategies For Nonprofits. Matching gifts aren’t the only type of workplace giving funding stream to pursue! Learn about volunteer grants, charitable giving stipends, corporate fundraising campaigns, and more.
215+ Amazing Fundraising Ideas for Your Organization. Provide new and exciting ways for donors to support your cause with this compilation of top fundraising ideas. Explore events, virtual efforts, product sales, and other impactful campaigns.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DTD_Alternative-Fundraising-Avenues-Recouping-After-Lost-Funding-Sources_Feature.jpg6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-02-15 17:40:142025-04-18 14:16:59Alternative Fundraising Avenues: Recouping After Lost Funding Sources
