With matching gift programs companies are able to give back to the causes their employees care about. Nonprofits can maximize their fundraising through these programs by familiarizing themselves with companies in their area that offering these benefits to their employees.
It ca often be a difficult task to discover all the companies that have matching gifts or volunteer grants. Double the Donation makes that process simpler for our nonprofit clients.
Corporate Philanthropy in Milwaukee
With a population of over 2 million people, this capital city is the economic and social center of the state of Wisconsin. Five Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Milwaukee. A thriving spirit of philanthropy exists in the city that supports such organizations as the Milwaukee Art Museum and Pier Wisconsin.
In addition to being home to many large, national corporations the city is also home to renowned nonprofit organizations. Check out this list of some of the top companies in Milwaukee that offering corporate matching gifts.
Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls Foundation will match up to $5,000 for employee donations.
Does your organization have a strategy in place to maximize fundraising from employee matching gift programs? If not, taking donors and members to company specific matching gift forms is a great place to start.
Directing donors and members directly to matching gift forms is far more effective than suggesting they “reach out to HR”. In fact, it’s one of the most effective ways your organization can increase fundraising from corporate matching gift programs.
At Double the Donation, we utilize four different approaches to directing your organizations donors and members to the forms they need to submit matching gift requests. We know each method isn’t created equal, so we’ve prioritized the information we provide to donors to maximize the likelihood they’ll submit a matching gift request.
This post is designed to shed light on the prioritization process we use to ensure your donors can easily double their donations. Feel free to contact us via email or schedule time to chat with someone from our team if you have any questions.
Direct Donors to the Electronic Matching Gift Submission Process (1st Preference)
Many of the largest companies offer an electronic matching gift submission process. While a few companies have developed their own proprietary process, the majority of companies contract the matching gift administration process out to a vendor (ex. Easymatch, Cybergrant, etc.)
Fortunately for nonprofits, in the majority of instances the electronic login page is actually publicly available on a website which anyone can access. We direct donors to the login page where they enter their username and password and then proceed through the matching gift submission process.
Rationale: Your donors are already online and looking for company specific matching gift information. They’re most likely to submit a match request electronically, especially since once at the proper location, it only takes a few minutes.
Link to the company’s matching gift website where forms are located (2nd Preference)
While more and more companies continue to migrate over to an electronic submission process, many still require donors to print out / fill out a paper matching gift form. In many cases the form is posted out on a publicly accessible website so we direct donors to the company page where the matching form can be downloaded.
The two possible approaches were for us to download these forms and host them on Double the Donation’s servers or direct donors to the actual company page where the forms are hosted. After testing both strategies, we ultimately decided on the latter
Rationale: While directing donors to a company page to download the form involves an extra step, we see it as the preferred method for providing donors with the form. It ensures they have access to the most up-to-date form as well as reassures them the matching program is still active form.
Click here to view an example of Marathon Oil’s matching gift details page where we direct donors to an electronic submission page
Provide Donors with the Matching Gift Form on our Servers – (3rd Preference)
If a company requires employees to submit a paper matching gift form, we do our best to provide the donor with a copy of the form. If it isn’t posted publicly on the company’s website, we request that the company provide us with a copy of the form.
In these cases we host the form on our server (typically as a PDF) so your donors can easily download it.
Rationale: Providing a copy of the form enables a donor to submit the matching gift request without having to dig around for additional information.
Redirect Donors to the Company Intranet or HR / Community Relations Contact
Unfortunately we don’t always have the best access to the matching gift forms your donors need. Typically this is for one of the following two reasons:
There’s an electronic submission process which can only be accessed over the company intranet.
The form is posted on the company intranet, but the company didn’t want to share a copy with Double the Donation.
In these cases we typically redirect donors to the company intranet. If it’s an online submission process, we notify the donor of this and ask them to go to a specific location on the intranet or to search for “matching gifts.” If there’s a paper form, we provide it via a link or host the form on our servers.
Rationale: While this is less than ideal, just telling donors “Hey, company XYZ will match your donation up to $5,000 and your organization is eligible” increases the likelihood they’ll log into the company intranet to retrieve the form.
Learn How to Raise More Money from Employee Matching Gift Programs.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Untitled-design2.png321845Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2013-01-20 21:41:412024-07-09 17:42:50Directing Donors to Matching Gift Forms | 4 Standard Methods
Social media – we all use it in one way or another. Whether we’re connecting with friends or catching up on the latest breaking news, social media has become an integral part of the daily routines of many.
But are you maximizing the impact of your social media platforms for your fundraising efforts, specifically in regards to matching gift programs?
Remember: With corporate matching gift programs, your organization is able to collect two donations for the price of soliciting one. Through these programs, employers pledge to match the donations made by their employees to nonprofit organizations such as yours, effectively doubling the impact of the original gift. These programs present a huge opportunity to increase your fundraising revenue,and you want to capitalize on them whenever possible.
Promoting corporate matching gift options using Twitter, Facebook, and the like is a quick, easy and cost-effective way (read: free) to reach your digitally savvy masses.
Social media is incredibly efficient, as you’re able to schedule posts in advance and on a recurring basis. This means you don’t have to remember to continue posting– the networks will do it for you! This paired with the extensive network available to you through these platforms makes social media an opportunity to use to the fullest.
We’re going to examine marketing matching gifts on social media through the following:
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook
However, before you begin posting about matching gifts on social media– which will inevitably bring forth donors interested in the programs– ensure your internal matching gifts processes are comprehensive.
The Best Way to Market Matching Gifts
Once you begin posting about matching gifts on social media, there’s a decent chance you’ll have a few interested donors inquiring about their eligibility. The easiest way to push donors in the right direction and get them started with the matching gift process is by simply directing them to a comprehensive matching gift tool!
For example, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro is the perfect tool for nonprofits looking to build their matching gifts solicitation processes. Embed this comprehensive, searchable database directly on your donation form and website, and then link to it in your social media posts. Then, when donors see your posts and are interested, they know exactly where to look to search for their own eligibility!
Additionally, this automated matching gifts tool allows for the immediate searching of a donor’s eligibility upon making a donation. Once an eligible donor is identified, the software sends automated marketing communications to inform the donor of matching gift opportunities.
Matching gift software provides you with an easy way to manage the influx of interest generated by social media posting. Now, let’s check out the following 12 sample posts to inspire your Twitter and Facebook-based matching gift marketing.
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Because of Twitter’s 280-character limitation, be concise and to-the-point in your communications. Further, include a quick link to your organization’s giving page, website, or dedicated matching gift page so interested donors can access it on-the-fly via tweet
Here are some example matching gift tweets:
1. Did you know your gift can be doubled, tripled & even quadrupled? Your employer might offer matching gift programs.
2. Did you donate to us this year? There’s still time to submit a matching gift request from your employer!
3. It’s February – do you love us? We love you, too! Click here to see if your company will double your donations: <insert URL>
4. Ever wonder if your employer matches donations? Search our database to learn more about your employer at <insert URL>.
5. Last year, we raised $X from corporate matching gift programs – help make 20XX a better year!
6. Did you know that tons of organizations offer matching gift opportunities? Check to see if yours does.
7. It takes just a few minutes to submit corporate employee matching gift forms… have you submitted yours?
Additionally, with retweets, donors can also easily share the word about your organization’s offering. The platform was made with efficiency in mind—so if you want to simply and quickly inform your donors, Twitter is a great place.
However, to educate donors about matching gifts through more in-depth communications, consider using Facebook.
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook
Facebook doesn’t present the challenge of character limitations as Twitter does, but that doesn’t mean you can ramble on. The following examples balance offering more in-depth information with catering to the shorter attention span associated with the internet.
Here are some example matching gift posts for Facebook:
1. We sincerely appreciate all donations to <Your Organization’s Name>! Did you know that your generosity has the potential to be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled? Check to see if your employer offers a matching gift program!
2. What do Microsoft, Bank of America, IBM, and Verizon all have in common? Each one matches donations made by their employees’ to nonprofit organizations. This means that if you donate, or have donated to <Your Organization’s Name>, and work for one of these four companies, the company will double your donation. Many major employers offer similar programs. Search <insert URL> to find out if your employer offers something like this, as well as to access program guidelines, how-to instructions, and relevant forms.
3. A huge thanks to all of our donors, and a double thanks to those who submit matching fund requests from their employers! Does your employer offer a program like this? Check today!
4. Help us <Your Organization’s Mission>. Ask your employer to match, double, or even triple your donation today! Check out your organization’s matching gift options here: <insert URL>
5. We like to brag that our donors are the best. Not only do they contribute to us, but they also take the extra step to see if their employer offers a matching gift program that may double the total donation to our organization! Have you checked to see if your company offers a matching gift option? Thanks for being a super donor if so! Check here to see if your company has a program like this: <insert URL>
Just as with Twitter, donors can easily share your Facebook posts with their friends and family. It’s a great way to get in front of new donors you might not reach otherwise!
If used correctly, social media can be a valuable resource in marketing matching gift opportunities. For more information on how to use social media to market matching gift programs, check out some additional social media ideas.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Matching-Gifts-Social-Media_Feature.jpg270720Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2013-01-18 16:53:232022-06-20 07:53:55Social Media: 12 Matching Gift Posts to Schedule Today
By not promoting matching gifts to donors, your organization may be leaving money on the table. In almost every case, the tax-deductible amount of nearly all cash and stock contributions is eligible to be doubled through employer matching gift programs.
To take advantage of these important revenue opportunities, go over the following key subjects:
Need a refresher on corporate philanthropy? Visit our guide to learn more about corporate matching gift programs. Otherwise, let’s get started!
1. The Relationship Between Tax-Deductible Contributions and Matching Gifts
When nonprofits have membership programs or host special events, there should be a defined tax-deductible amount listed. This should be a specific dollar amount. Also, it should be above the fair market value (FMV) of any benefits received.
That way, attendees and their employers know the specific amount for IRS income tax reporting purposes. The tax-deductible amount of the donation, event ticket, or membership is also what donors should submit to their employers when requesting a match.
It’s the responsibility of the organization to determine the tax-deductible amount and inform event attendees or its program’s members.
For instance, for events, the tickets should have a line similar to the following: “Did you know that $X of your ticket is tax-deductible? If your employer has a matching gift program, this amount might be eligible to be matched.” To learn other ways to promote matching gifts to attendees, visit this guide about matching gifts for special fundraising events.
Now that you know the tax-deductible amount of contributions can be matched, let’s dive into how to calculate it.
2. Calculating the Tax-Deductible Amount for Matching Gifts
As previously stated, it’s up to the nonprofit organization to determine the tax-deductible amount of each contribution. The first step is to determine the FMV of the benefits received.
There are a few ways to do this. Start by comparing the benefits received by the donor with what those benefits would cost if it were not a fundraiser.
For example, let’s say you charge $500 for an annual gala ticket. At the gala, there’s a performance by a well-known band as well as a five-course dinner. Let’s say the nonprofit determines the dinner would cost $50 from a local restaurant while a ticket to see the band would cost $100. In this case, the fair market value of the gala ticket would be $150. Therefore, the tax-deductible amount of the ticket would be $350.
Donors should use this fair market value, rather than the overall purchase price, on their company’s matching gift form.
While each organization has full discretion in determining the FMV, the key is to ensure the values placed on each benefit are reasonable. For instance, is it reasonable for a steak and lobster dinner with dessert to cost $10 at a five-star restaurant? Probably not. An appropriate method is to take a look at the menu of a local restaurant and use its pricing as guidance.
Calculating the FMV isn’t an exact science. It could vary by several dollars and any amount within a reasonable range would be acceptable for government reporting and matching gift requests. The important part is that your organization is taking a fair and honest approach when estimating the FMV.
3. How a Matching Gift Database Can Help
When hosting event fundraisers or heading a membership program, nonprofits might overlook corporate giving opportunities. Corporate philanthropy is vital for nonprofits. Missing out on these opportunities can be detrimental to an organization. That’s where Double the Donation, the industry-leading matching gift database, can help!
By adding a matching gift database to your tech toolkit, your nonprofit won’t overlook revenue from corporate giving programs. For instance, Double the Donation:
Enables donors and volunteers to search for 20,000+ companies.
Gives users all available info and forms on companies’ giving programs.
Allows nonprofits to embed the tool on their online fundraising channels.
Before your event, research your attendees’ employers. You’ll be able to pinpoint which donors are matching-gift eligible. That way, you’ll know who to approach about corporate giving at your event. Whenever someone signs up for your membership program, your team can see which donors might be match-eligible, too! Then, you can reach out to them.
Plus, larger nonprofits might benefit even more from 360MatchPro by Double the Donation. This tool streamlines the process by automatically identifying match-eligible donors in a comprehensive database, following up with them until they complete the match process, and even creating an automated plan for matching gifts! Either tool is great for pinpointing corporate giving opportunities.
Many different types of donations to your organization have a tax-deductible component that can be submitted to corporate matching gift programs. Make sure you’re communicating this with your donors.
Now that you know more about tax-deductible contributions, relay this information to your team and supporters. Start boosting your nonprofit’s matching gift revenue now!
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Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook
