Leveraging Volunteer Incentive Programs [Nonprofit FAQ

Leveraging Volunteer Incentive Programs [Nonprofit FAQ]

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Volunteer incentive programs are a powerful tool for nonprofits aiming to boost community engagement and maximize their impact. These programs, which involve companies rewarding employees for their volunteer time and efforts, can take many forms. And they can range from volunteer grants (or Dollars for Doers) to paid volunteer time off and more.

For nonprofits, understanding and leveraging these programs can mean more volunteers, increased funding, and stronger relationships with corporate partners. In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of volunteer incentive programs⁠—and practical strategies for making the most of them.

Specifically, we’ll answer the following questions:

Ready to make the most of available corporate volunteer incentives for your nonprofit team? Let’s dive in.

What are Employee Volunteer Incentive Programs?

Employee Volunteer Incentive Programs, also known as corporate volunteer programs or employee volunteer incentive initiatives, are structured efforts by companies to encourage and reward their employees for participating in volunteer activities.

These programs are designed to promote corporate social responsibility, enhance employee engagement, and support community involvement.

What are the most popular types of Employee Volunteer Incentives?

Volunteer incentives are not a one-size-fits-all experience. In fact, there are a number of ways for companies to participate in corporate volunteerism and incentivize their employees to do so as well.

As a nonprofit or school, some of the programs you’re most likely to come across include:

  1. Volunteer Grants
    • Companies offer monetary donations to nonprofits based on the number of volunteer hours employees contribute. For example, a company might donate $25 for every hour an employee volunteers.
  2. Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
    • Companies provide employees with paid time off specifically for volunteering during the regular work day. This is above and beyond any other paid time off and can range from a few hours to several days per year.
  3. Team Volunteering Events
    • Companies organize group volunteering activities that encourage employees to participate together, fostering teamwork and camaraderie while supporting a charitable cause.

The more familiar you are with popular employee volunteer incentives, the better you’ll be able to market the opportunities to your audience.

What benefits do Volunteer Incentive Programs offer?

Volunteer incentive programs are a particularly valuable form of corporate philanthropy, and the impact extends from the companies offering the programs to the organizations receiving support and beyond. Let’s take a look at the key benefits for each party involved.

For Nonprofits

  • Increased Volunteer Participation: Volunteer incentive programs encourage more employees to donate their time, providing nonprofits with a steady stream of supporters ready to get involved.
  • Additional Funding: Programs like volunteer grants or dollars for doers translate volunteer hours into financial support for nonprofit organizations, providing a greater volunteer program ROI.
  • Enhanced Visibility: Participating in corporate giving programs can raise the profile of nonprofits, attracting more volunteers and donors who may otherwise have no familiarity with your cause.

For Companies

  • Employee Engagement: Encouraging volunteerism boosts employee morale, satisfaction, and retention by aligning work with personal values and passions.
  • Corporate Reputation: Companies that actively support volunteerism improve their public image and demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility.
  • Team Building: Group volunteer activities strengthen relationships among employees and build a positive corporate culture.

For Employees

  • Personal Fulfillment: Volunteering allows employees to give back to their communities, fostering a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
  • Skill Development: Employees can develop new skills and gain experiences that may be beneficial in their personal and professional lives.
  • Recognition and Rewards: Employees receive acknowledgment and rewards for their volunteer contributions, enhancing job satisfaction.

What are some companies with standout Volunteer Incentive Programs?

Many companies have implemented exemplary Volunteer Incentive Programs that encourage and support their employees’ volunteer efforts. In doing so, these businesses demonstrate the positive impact of well-structured Volunteer Incentive Programs, not only supporting their employees’ philanthropic efforts but also strengthening their communities.

Familiarizing yourself with these initiatives can go a long way in allowing your team to target the programs effectively. Here are some key examples you should know:

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Volunteer incentive company example: Chipotle

Chipotle encourages employee volunteerism through its “Chipotle Community Roots” program, which offers paid time off for volunteering and supports team volunteer events. While it can vary greatly, the company’s primary focus is on initiatives that promote food sustainability, education, and environmental preservation.

Employees are also encouraged to participate in other forms of philanthropy, including through the company’s CLMA-designated matching gift program (complete with seamless matching gift auto-submission functionality!).

Volunteer incentive company example: Gene B. GlickGene B. Glick Company

Gene B. Glick Company fosters employee volunteerism through its corporate social responsibility efforts, particularly focusing on local community engagement and social services. Employees are offered up to 8 hours of paid time off to volunteer with various nonprofit organizations each year.

The CLMA-designated company also offers a standout matching gift program, with exclusive auto-submission streamlining the process for employees to get involved.

Volunteer incentive program example: EY

EY

EY (Ernst & Young) encourages employee volunteerism through its EY Ripples CSR program, which leverages employees’ skills to address global challenges. Employees are offered paid time off to volunteer, focusing on education, supporting entrepreneurs, and accelerating environmental sustainability.

This also encapsulates EY Connect Days, or quarterly days of service in which 22,000+ EY employees volunteer with nonprofit causes in 20 countries across the globe.

Siemens

Volunteer incentive program example: Siemens

Siemens promotes volunteerism through its Corporate Citizenship program, which includes paid volunteer time off for employees. The company encourages employees to engage in community service, particularly in areas related to education, technology, and sustainability. The company also offers team volunteer grants to amplify the impact of employee volunteerism.

IBM

Volunteer incentive program example: IBM

IBM’s volunteer program, Corporate Service Corps, is dubbed “a Peace Corps for the corporate world,” sending teams of employees to work with nonprofits and government organizations on critical societal challenges. Employees can also participate in the On Demand Community, where they access resources (including up to 8 hours of volunteer time off) to donate their specialized skills in local communities.

As another incentive, IBM offers volunteer grants for employees, enhancing the impact of their time with grants worth $10 per hour after the first 10 hours are recorded, up to a maximum grant amount of $500.

Volunteer incentive program example: InfobipInfobip

Infobip supports employee volunteerism through its volunteer incentive program Bippers4Community. This corporate social responsibility initiative encourages employees to contribute their time and skills to community service projects, promoting a culture of giving back by providing opportunities for employees to participate in company-organized volunteer events. This includes both BipUp Skills, an online volunteering program, and BipUp Teams, the onsite volunteering component.

Volunteer incentive program example: CiscoCisco

Cisco supports employee volunteerism through its WeAreCisco program, which includes up to 80 hours of paid time off for volunteering and volunteer grants worth $10 for every hour an employee volunteers. The company encourages employees to participate in volunteer activities that align with their passions, providing a platform to make a positive impact on their communities.

Volunteer incentive program example: ToyotaToyota

Toyota’s volunteer incentive program, Toyota4Good, offers employees paid time off to volunteer and supports matching gifts for nonprofit donations. Toyota encourages employees to engage in volunteer activities that align with its focus on education, environmental sustainability, and community improvement. And employees are encouraged to request volunteer grants for their time, with two tiers of grants available after 50 and 100 hours.

Intel

Volunteer incentive program example: Intel

Intel’s global corporate volunteer program, Intel Involved, encourages employees to contribute their time, technology expertise, and other skills to nonprofits in need of their services. This includes its volunteer grant program, through which employees can request generous company funding on behalf of the organizations they support.

Over the last decade, Intel employees (and retirees!) have donated more than 10 million hours in their communities!

Bank of America

Volunteer incentive program example: Bank of America

Bank of America writes that “We support our employees’ volunteer efforts through programs such as a robust volunteer platform, volunteer grants directed to nonprofit organizations where employees volunteer regularly, matching gifts which double the impact of employee giving and additional employee giving opportunities.” This volunteer incentive program is deeply engrained in the company’s culture, offering 2 hours of VTO each week as well as volunteer grants worth $500 or $1,000.

Google

Volunteer incentive program example: Google

Google’s annual month-long volunteer program, GoogleServe, provides a chance for “Googlers” across the world to give back by partnering with nonprofit causes. This project has been ongoing for over a decade, and most recently saw more than 25,000 Google team members from 40 countries participating with nearly 1,000 organizations.

Not to mention, all Google employees are encouraged to request up to 20 hours of paid time off to partake in volunteer activities each year. And hours spent outside the VTO program qualify for volunteer grants equal to $10 for every hour!

How can nonprofits maximize the impact of Volunteer Incentive Programs?

Volunteer Incentive Programs can be a game-changer for nonprofits by boosting volunteer engagement, securing additional funding, and strengthening community ties. To fully leverage these programs, nonprofits need to adopt strategic approaches that enhance the overall effectiveness and impact of their volunteer efforts.

Here’s how organizations like yours can do so:

1. Promote Volunteer Incentive Programs to Volunteers

Unfortunately, many individuals who qualify for volunteer incentive programs through their employers will have no awareness of the initiatives in the first place. If their companies don’t sufficiently promote the programs to their workforce, it’s up to your team to spread the word.

To increase awareness and boost participation, market corporate volunteer incentives in your volunteer newsletters, email correspondence, text messages, phone calls, and more. And don’t forget about your nonprofit’s website, either. In fact, we recommend embedding a volunteer incentives database directly into your Volunteers page to make it as easy as possible for individuals to locate program information and get involved.

2. Create Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities

Design volunteer opportunities that align with the values and goals of your corporate partners and their employees to get more volunteers on board.

You’ll want to offer a diverse range of opportunities through which corporate volunteers can get involved. From short-term projects to ongoing commitments, plan to cater to different interests, schedules, and incentives. Check out these recommended ideas to get started!

3. Implement Efficient Tracking and Reporting Systems

Most companies establish some sort of time-tracking requirements in order to pay out volunteer incentives such as dollars for doers grants or VTO hours. Implementing an intuitive volunteer tracking system, backed by reliable tools and software can go a long way in ensuring individuals have the resources they need to complete their requests.

4. Recognize and Reward Volunteers

Individuals participating in their employers’ volunteer incentive programs are going above and beyond for your cause. Therefore, it’s a good idea to regularly thank, recognize, and reward them for their support.

Share success stories and testimonials (including photographic evidence!) on how volunteer contributions have made a tangible difference in your mission. This can include in your newsletters, website, social media pages, and more.

Keep in mind that public acknowledgments can also function as a marketing tool⁠—leveraging social proof and encouraging others to get involved in the same way.

5. Leverage Technology for Uncover Opportunities

Since many volunteers won’t know if they qualify for volunteer incentive programs, it’s a good idea to make the discovery process as simple as possible. In other words, you’ll want to provide them with a volunteer incentives database like Double the Donation’s industry-leading solution. This way, all supporters have to do is type the name of their employer, and they’ll be met with company-specific insights regarding their eligibility for volunteer grants, VTO, and more. Plus, they’ll receive direct links to request forms and instructions for getting started.

Employee volunteer incentive programs database

Even better, the database search tool can be embedded in your nonprofit website, volunteers’ page, or registration forms, thanks to our seamless VMS integrations, making it easier than ever for interested volunteers to access.

Wrapping up & additional resources

Volunteer incentive programs offer a win-win scenario for nonprofits, volunteers, and corporate partners alike. By effectively leveraging these programs, organizations like yours can enhance their volunteer engagement, secure additional funding, and build stronger, more productive partnerships.

With these elements in place, your team can harness the full potential of volunteer incentive programs and make a lasting difference in your community.

Interested in learning more about corporate volunteerism and how your organization can benefit? Check out the following resources to grow your knowledge:


Scale up your organization's corporate volunteer strategy with 360MatchPro 💡

How Corporate Volunteer Grants Increase Employee Engagement

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Employee engagement is generally defined as the emotional and functional commitment an employee has to achieving the mission of the organization. But it’s important to remember that it’s more than just a buzzword—it’s a crucial factor in a company’s success.

Still, many businesses struggle to create a workplace culture that fosters genuine engagement. If you’re looking for new ways to do this, you’ve come to the right place.

One powerful yet often overlooked strategy centers on corporate volunteerism. More specifically, volunteer grants increase employee engagement as programs where companies financially support nonprofit organizations based on their employees’ volunteer hours.

In this article, we’ll outline the basics of employee engagement and volunteer grants⁠—and where they come together. Specifically, our guide will cover:

By offering volunteer grants, businesses not only encourage employees to give back to their communities but also create a deeper sense of purpose and connection within the workplace. When employees feel that their company shares their values and actively supports causes they care about, their engagement naturally increases.

Let’s get started!

Basic Facts About Employee Engagement

Employee engagement goes a long way in terms of a healthy and thriving workplace, yet many organizations struggle to keep their workforce motivated and committed. In order to demonstrate this importance, research by Dale Carnegie Training and other industry leaders highlights the impact of engagement on performance, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction.

  • 71% of employees are not fully engaged, indicating a widespread challenge in the workplace.
  • Companies with engaged employees outperform competitors by 202%, proving that engagement directly impacts business success.
  • Disengaged employees are more likely to seek employment elsewhere, increasing turnover rates.
  • A survey of 1,500 employees found that 54% of employees who took pride in their company’s societal contributions were engaged.
  • A Lloyd Morgan study showed that increasing engagement levels could lead to an 87% reduction in the likelihood of employee departure.
  • A Deloitte survey found that even among millennials who rarely volunteer, 61% still consider a company’s commitment to social responsibility when evaluating job opportunities.

These findings emphasize a crucial point: When employees feel a strong connection to their organization’s values and mission, they are more engaged, productive, and loyal. Conversely, disengaged employees often see their jobs as nothing more than a paycheck, leading to lower morale and higher turnover.

Four Key Traits of Engaged Employees

Engaged employees generally exhibit distinct characteristics that contribute to a positive workplace:

  1. Inspiration – They feel motivated by their work and the company’s mission.
  2. Confidence – They believe in their abilities and the support of their leadership.
  3. Enthusiasm – They show excitement and passion for their role.
  4. Empowerment – They feel trusted to make decisions and take initiative.

By fostering these traits, companies can create a culture where employees feel valued, motivated, and deeply connected to their work.

But how can organizations actively boost engagement? One effective strategy is with corporate volunteer grants, which not only support meaningful causes but also reinforce employees’ sense of purpose and belonging within the company.

Our Top Employee Engagement Idea: Volunteer Grants

Corporate volunteer grants are a type of corporate giving program that encourages employees to volunteer in the communities in which they live and work. When they do, their employers provide monetary grants to eligible nonprofits whenever an employee takes time to volunteer.

How Volunteer Grants Increase Employee Engagement Overview

These grants are generally paid out in one of two ways:

  1. An established amount per volunteer hour (e.g., $25 per hour, with a minimum of 10 hours)
  2. A lump sum once a minimum threshold has been reached (e.g., $250 once an employee has volunteered for 20 hours)

Of course, it’s important to remember that these payment structures and grant opportunities vary from company to company. However, when employees understand their company’s guidelines and are actively encouraged to participate in their volunteer grant programs, it can become a significant revenue stream for the nonprofits they support.

How Volunteer Grants Increase Employee Engagement

Corporate volunteer grants play a significant role in enhancing employee engagement by fostering a sense of purpose, connection, and fulfillment in the workplace. When companies support their employees’ volunteer efforts through financial contributions to nonprofit organizations, they create a culture that values giving back. This, in turn, leads to higher levels of motivation, job satisfaction, and company loyalty.

Here’s how volunteer grants contribute to employee engagement:

1. Strengthening Employees’ Sense of Purpose

Employees who feel that their work aligns with their personal values are more likely to be engaged. Volunteer grants encourage employees to dedicate time to causes they care about, reinforcing their sense of purpose.

When employees see that their company supports these efforts, they feel a stronger connection to the organization and its mission.

2. Enhancing Workplace Morale and Job Satisfaction

Giving back to the community fosters a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Studies show that employees who participate in corporate volunteer programs report higher job satisfaction and overall well-being. Knowing that their efforts are making a tangible difference, supported by their employer, helps employees feel more positive about their workplace.

3. Driving Teamwork and Collaboration

Volunteer grant programs often include opportunities for employees to work together on community projects, strengthening relationships and teamwork. Employees who engage in volunteer activities as a team build trust, improve communication, and develop stronger connections with their colleagues, leading to a more collaborative and engaged workforce.

4. Boosting Employee Loyalty and Retention

When employees feel valued and supported by their employer, they are more likely to stay with the company. Volunteer grant programs demonstrate that the organization is invested in its employees’ passions beyond the workplace. Research has shown that companies that prioritize employee engagement through initiatives like volunteer grants experience lower turnover rates and higher retention levels.

5. Attracting Purpose-Driven Talent

Today’s workforce, particularly millennials and Gen Z, seeks employers that align with their values. Many job seekers consider a company’s social responsibility initiatives when evaluating potential employers. By offering volunteer grants, companies position themselves as organizations that care about their employees and the broader community, making them more attractive to top talent.

By implementing and promoting volunteer grant programs, companies can create a workplace culture that fosters engagement, strengthens team dynamics, and enhances employee satisfaction.

When employees feel empowered to contribute to meaningful causes with the support of their employer, their connection to their work deepens—ultimately benefiting both the individual and the organization.

Other Giving Programs That Grow Employee Engagement

While corporate volunteer grants are a powerful way to boost employee engagement, they are just one of many corporate giving programs that can foster a deeper connection between employees and their workplace. Companies that invest in a variety of giving initiatives create a culture of generosity, social responsibility, and shared purpose—key drivers of employee satisfaction and retention.

Here are some additional giving programs that help grow employee engagement:

Group Volunteer Activities

Another suitable method of increasing employee engagement involves encouraging group volunteerism. After all, group volunteer opportunities increase camaraderie amongst employees who may not usually interact with each other. It also increases employee engagement by producing a shared sense of purpose among coworkers.

Some companies take it a step further by providing team volunteer grants when groups of employees volunteer together. It’s a great way for companies to support the organizations that employees are passionate about.

Volunteer Time Off

Next, VTO (or volunteer time off) programs are an excellent way to inspire engagement among employees. Providing team members with paid time off to volunteer for causes they care about shows that the company prioritizes community involvement. Meanwhile, VTO hours allow employees to participate in volunteer activities without sacrificing their earnings, making it easier for them to give back.

This initiative leads to increased job satisfaction, stronger employee-employer relationships, and a more engaged workforce overall.

Employee Matching Gifts

Finally, matching gift programs allows companies to match their employees’ charitable donations to nonprofit organizations, effectively doubling (or sometimes tripling) the impact of their contributions. When employees see their employer actively supporting their charitable giving, they feel more valued and motivated, strengthening their sense of belonging and commitment to the organization.

By incorporating these additional giving programs into their corporate social responsibility strategies, companies can cultivate a culture of generosity and engagement. As a result, employees who feel supported in their philanthropic efforts are more likely to develop a strong emotional connection to their workplace, leading to higher morale, increased productivity, and long-term retention.

How Employee Engagement Software Can Help

While corporate volunteerism means finding opportunities for your team to give back, it can be challenging to track all of the volunteer hours and grant requests that come through as a result. If you’re looking for a way to streamline your company’s volunteer opportunities, consider investing in employee engagement software.

This type of software helps bring your team together and promotes an engaged company culture. For example, employee engagement software can help manage a volunteer program by:

  • Creating custom volunteer events.
  • Finding local opportunities for which employees can engage.
  • Tracking and managing volunteer hours.
  • Reviewing and approving volunteer grant requests.
  • Dispersing funds to the nonprofits employees support.

All in all, when you streamline your process for tracking volunteer opportunities and grant requests, you’ll make it easier for your employees to participate in these activities. Additionally, you can easily track your progress and have a better picture of the impact you’re making. It’s a win-win!

Even better, we’ve reviewed several of the top platforms here, so you can get a better understanding of your options.

Additional Volunteering & Employee Engagement Resources

Corporate volunteer grants are more than just a corporate social responsibility initiative—they are a strategic tool for enhancing employee engagement. When employees have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful causes with the support of their company, they develop a stronger sense of pride, motivation, and loyalty. This not only leads to a more positive work environment but also helps businesses attract and retain top talent.

If your company is looking for a way to boost engagement while making a meaningful impact, investing in corporate volunteer grants is a step in the right direction.

Interested in learning more about corporate giving and volunteerism? Check out these additional resources to get started:

Get started driving employee engagement with volunteer grants using our recommended partners.

Data Management for Nonprofits-Overcoming Common Challenges

Data Management for Nonprofits: Overcoming Common Challenges

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In today’s data-driven world, effective data management is essential for nonprofits seeking to maximize their impact. However, many organizations face significant challenges when it comes to handling the vast amounts of data they collect—from donor information and volunteer records to corporate partnerships and financial reporting.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the most common data management challenges nonprofits encounter and offer practical solutions to help organizations overcome these obstacles. But first, we’ll start with the basics:

Without a solid data management strategy, nonprofits and other fundraising groups face a lot of risks: including fragmented data, factual inaccuracies, and missed opportunities for growth and engagement.

With the right operational practices and a powerful set of tools, however, organizations can transform these challenges into opportunities, turning their data into a strategic asset that drives informed decision-making, enhances donor relationships, and ultimately amplifies their impact.

Let’s find out more about how your team can do so.

What is data management for nonprofits?

Data management is the process of collecting, storing, organizing, maintaining, and utilizing data in a way that ensures it is accurate, accessible, and secure. It involves a range of activities aimed at optimizing how data is handled, ensuring that it can be effectively used for decision-making, operational efficiency, and strategic planning in a way that supports the organization’s overall mission.

For nonprofits and other fundraising organizations, this data can include a wide range of information, such as:

  • Donor engagement
  • Volunteer participation
  • Program outcomes
  • Financial records
  • Beneficiary details
  • And more!

Regardless of the specific points, smart data management encompasses multiple processes, which include:

  1. Data Collection: Gathering data from various assets, such as donation pages, volunteer registration forms, surveys, transactions, and external resources.
  2. Data Storage: Safely storing data in a manner that ensures it can be easily accessed and retrieved when needed.
  3. Data Maintenance: Regularly updating, cleaning, and standardizing data to ensure its accuracy and relevance.
  4. Data Security: Protecting data from unauthorized access, breaches, and loss, including through encryption, access controls, and other measures.
  5. Data Governance: Establishing policies and procedures for how data is handled within an organization.
  6. Data Analysis: Analyzing data to extract insights, identify trends, and support decision-making.
  7. Data Sharing: Ensuring that data is available to the right people at the right time while maintaining privacy and security.

In summary, data management is all about making sure information is handled efficiently and effectively throughout its lifecycle, enabling organizations to leverage it as a valuable asset for achieving their goals.

Why does effective data management matter for fundraisers?

Donor data is an invaluable tool when it comes to nonprofit fundraising. After all, an effective data management strategy directly impacts an organization’s ability to sustain its overarching mission.

The benefits are widespread and include:

1. Targeted Campaigns: With well-managed data, fundraisers can segment their donor base and tailor campaigns to specific groups. This personalization increases the likelihood of engagement and improves fundraising success.

2. Donor Retention: Accurate and organized data allows fundraisers to track donor engagement, enabling them to build stronger relationships and increase retention. Knowing when to follow up, how to communicate, and what donors care about can significantly enhance loyalty!

3. Improved Decision-Making: Effective data management provides fundraisers with insights into past campaigns, donor behavior, and financial trends. This information is invaluable for making informed decisions about where to allocate resources, which strategies to pursue, and how to optimize future campaigns.

4. Enhanced Reporting and Transparency: Fundraisers often need to report outcomes to stakeholders, including donors, board members, and grantors. Reliable data management ensures that these reports are accurate, comprehensive, and transparent, which is essential for maintaining trust and securing ongoing support.

5. Maximized Revenue Opportunities: By effectively managing data, fundraisers can identify opportunities for matching gifts, volunteer incentives, major givers, and other revenue-enhancing strategies.

6. Compliance and Risk Management: Fundraisers must comply with data privacy regulations and ethical standards. Effective data management ensures that donor information is handled securely and responsibly, reducing the risk of data breaches and legal issues.

7. Measuring Impact: Fundraisers can use data to demonstrate the impact of donations and campaigns. This not only satisfies current donors but also attracts new ones by showing the tangible outcomes of their contributions.

What common challenges impact data management⁠—and how can your team overcome them?

Data management is critical to the success of any organization, but it comes with a range of challenges that can hinder efficiency, accuracy, and strategic decision-making. Here are some common challenges that impact data management and strategies your team can use to overcome them.

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: information gaps

Information gaps

Challenge:

Information gaps occur when critical data is missing or incomplete, which can hinder a nonprofit’s ability to make informed decisions, engage with stakeholders effectively, or measure impact accurately. Gaps in data can result from inadequate data collection methods or inconsistent data entry practices.

Solution:

Implement standardized data collection procedures and use comprehensive data management tools to ensure that all relevant information is captured. Determine which information you need (contact details, personal history, employment information, etc.), and regularly audit and review data to identify and fill gaps. You might even consider using a data append service to enrich existing data and fill in missing details!

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: data silos

Data silos

Challenge:

Data silos happen when information is stored in separate, isolated systems or departments, making it difficult to get a unified view of the organization’s data. This fragmentation can lead to inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and incomplete insights.

Solution:

Integrate data from various sources using data integration tools and centralized databases. Promote cross-departmental collaboration and ensure that all systems are connected to a central data repository where possible. This allows for a more cohesive and comprehensive view of organizational data, as well as providing a better look at each individual supporter and their engagement with your cause.

For example, Double the Donation Matching and Double the Donation Volunteering connect with one another to provide essential data insights across the system!

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: outdated information

Outdated information

Challenge:

Outdated information can occur when data is not regularly updated, leading to inaccuracies and inefficiencies. This can affect everything from donor engagement to compliance with regulations and more.

Solution:

Establish regular data maintenance routines, including scheduled updates and data cleansing processes. Use automated tools to track and refresh information where possible. Plus, be sure to collect and update new details from donors each time they engage with your organization! After all, decades-old employment information isn’t going to be much help in determining matching gift eligibility if the individual has left their previous place of work.

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: disorganized databases

Disorganized databases

Challenge:

Disorganized databases can result from inconsistent data entry practices, lack of standardization, or inadequate database design. This disorganization makes it difficult to retrieve, analyze, and use data effectively.

Solution:

Develop and enforce data entry standards and use structured database management systems to organize data consistently. Implement data governance practices to ensure that data is categorized, tagged, and indexed appropriately. Plus, regularly review and reorganize databases to improve usability and efficiency.

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: security concerns

Security and privacy concerns

Challenge:

Security and privacy concerns involve protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access, breaches, and misuse. Nonprofits often handle personal information from donors, beneficiaries, and volunteers, making data security a critical issue.

Solution:

Implement robust data security measures, including encryption, access controls, and regular security audits. Ensure compliance with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and provide training for staff on data security best practices.

Not to mention, investing only in highly secure platforms and technologies is a must to protect data integrity and confidentiality. (Hint: For this reason, Double the Donation has achieved SOC 2 Type II Compliance!)

Data management for nonprofits - challenges: lack of reporting

Lack of reporting

Challenge:

A lack of reporting can occur when organizations do not have the tools or processes in place to generate accurate and comprehensive reports. This limits the ability to track performance, measure impact, and communicate results to stakeholders.

Solution:

Invest in data analytics and reporting tools that allow for customizable and automated reporting. Define key performance indicators (KPIs) early on and create standard templates to streamline the reporting process. Then, ensure that reporting tools are integrated with other data management systems to provide accurate and up-to-date information.

What tools can power organizations’ data management strategies?

Organizations often leverage a variety of software to enhance their data management strategies, each designed to address specific aspects of data collection, storage, analysis, and security. Here are some of the most effective kinds of tools that can power your data management strategy!

Donation Tools

Donation tools are designed to streamline the donation process, making it easier for donors to contribute online or through other channels. These tools automatically collect and store donor information, including donation amounts, dates, and payment methods.

This data is crucial for tracking fundraising progress, generating reports, and understanding donor behavior. By integrating donation tools with a nonprofit’s broader data management system, organizations can ensure that all donation-related data is accurately captured, easily accessible, and ready for analysis. This enhances the nonprofit’s ability to engage donors, track fundraising performance, and optimize future campaigns.

Explore our integration partners to uncover leading donation tools.

CRM

CRMs, or constituent relationship management systems, are central to managing relationships with donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders. These tools consolidate data from various touchpoints, providing a comprehensive view of interactions, preferences, and engagement history. By centralizing this information, CRMs help nonprofits manage communications more effectively, personalize outreach, and identify opportunities for deeper engagement.

Additionally, CRMs support data-driven decision-making by offering insights into donor retention, campaign effectiveness, and overall fundraising health.

Check out our nonprofit CRM buyer’s guide to learn more.

Volunteer Management Software

Volunteer management software (or VMS) helps nonprofits efficiently manage volunteer recruitment, scheduling, tracking, and communication. It collects data on volunteer hours, skills, preferences, and participation in events or programs, which is essential for reporting on volunteer contributions, recognizing volunteer efforts, and planning future activities.

When integrated with other data management systems, volunteer management software ensures that volunteer data is aligned with overall organizational goals and can be analyzed alongside donor data to identify patterns or opportunities for cross-engagement.

Learn more with our top VMS recommendations.

Workplace Giving Software

Workplace giving software (like Double the Donation) plays a key role in identifying and pursuing invaluable corporate philanthropy opportunities, such as matching gifts, corporate volunteer incentives, and other employee-led giving initiatives. And it works by connecting with your other data management tools (i.e., donation software, CRMs, volunteer management platforms, and more).

By using donor information, Double the Donation uncovers individuals who work for companies with existing giving programs, triggers tailored outreach, and reports on possibilities for growth and expansion.

Request a demo of Double the Donation to get started.

Data Appends

More of an outsourced service than a tool in your own toolbox, a data append can be an excellent way to fill in missing points in your organization’s existing data. All you need to do is partner with a data enhancement service provider, supply them with the information you have about your donors, and they’ll fill in as many of the gaps as possible.

This can include employment information, demographics, contact details, and more, helping your team maintain accurate and complete donor records.

Get more information about our data enhancement services!

Wrapping up & next steps for powerful data management

Data management is a critical component of a nonprofit’s ability to fulfill its mission and drive meaningful change. By addressing common challenges, nonprofits can harness the power of their supporter information to enhance decision-making, improve donor relations, and measure their impact more effectively.

Implementing these best practices and investing in the right tools and training can transform data from a burden into a valuable asset, empowering organizations like yours to operate more efficiently and achieve greater success in their endeavors.

Keep learning! Check out these additional resources we recommend to further your data management and fundraising knowledge:

Fuel data management for nonprofits with our data append services.

The title of the article: Boost Your Association’s Membership Engagement in 7 Steps

Boost Your Association’s Membership Engagement in 7 Steps

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If you want to grow and maintain your membership program, you’ll likely spend a large chunk of your time planning and executing some sort of membership engagement plan.

Unfortunately, because “membership engagement” is such a broad concept, it’s tough to get your strategy right on the first try (or even after many tries!).

Lucky for you, we’ve made tackling the membership engagement issue a little less tricky. Here, we’ll provide you with 7 simple steps for increasing your organization’s membership engagement.

Here’s a preview of the subjects we’ll cover:

  1. Define membership engagement.
  2. Understand your members.
  3. Communicate consistently.
  4. Establish online engagement spaces.
  5. Prioritize community-building.
  6. Streamline the member renewal experience.
  7. Track your membership engagement efforts.

Pretty soon, you’ll be a master of membership engagement (and you’ll have the member retention rates to show for it)!

Still in the planning phase of your new membership organization? Read our guide to starting a nonprofit membership program first!

Looking for a platform that can skyrocket your membership engagement? Explore Tradewing.

1. Define membership engagement.

Before you can begin engaging your members in an effective way, you’ll need to figure out exactly what you hope to accomplish.

Membership engagement can take many forms, and if your team isn’t all on the same page with your expectations, you’ll find it much harder to accomplish anything.

So, take a few minutes to review your current engagement level and determine a few tangible goals for the future. Perhaps you want to:

  • Increase attendance at membership events.
  • Boost volunteer involvement.
  • Encourage more participation in online communities.

Your engagement marker might be totally different than another organization’s, and that’s okay! Be sure that your goals reflect the needs and interests of your members and your organization, and you’ll be able to reach new heights sooner than you think.

Start your member stewardship strategy on the right foot with membership software that offers robust member profiles. The more your organization or association knows about its members, the more targeted your stewardship strategies can be!

2. Understand your members.

How can you cater to your members’ personalities if you’re not well acquainted with them? The short answer: you can’t.

That’s why it’s extremely important for you to get to know your members on a personal level. If you don’t, your engagement strategies run the risk of being generic and unappealing to your constituents.

It might seem like a daunting task to get to know each one of your many members on a one-on-one basis, but fortunately, your organization likely already has a tool on hand to make it much easier.

That tool? Your membership management software, of course!

With powerful membership management software (also known as association management software or AMS, for short), you’ll be able to manage member data more effectively and leverage it to its full potential.

Not only will software help you stay organized, but it’s the only way you can get a full picture of your members’ participation and giving history in one centralized location.

With a knowledge of members’ interests, preferences, past involvement, and giving habits, you’ll be able to plan engagement opportunities that actually make sense for them—without any of the hassle of manual data management! 

Bonus: Still searching for the right association management software for your organization? Check out our list of the best tools before you start shopping around!

3. Communicate consistently.

Your members joined your organization or association because they’re personally invested in your efforts.

As your most devoted supporters, they deserve to be kept in the loop on your organization’s projects and your community’s trends and hot topics. 

To that end, you should be regularly communicating with your members in any (or all!) of the following ways:

  • Email newsletters.
  • Participation acknowledgements.
  • In-person forums and events.
  • Social media updates.
  • Personal outreach.

By staying active in your members’ lives through regular communication efforts, you’ll remind them of their interest in your organization and encourage them to participate themselves.  

As important as it is for your organization to get the word out about important updates, it’s equally important that your members have a place to communicate, too!

Make sure your members know that your team is always accessible should they want to voice concerns, ask questions, or provide feedback. You can also send out surveys asking for targeted feedback on a regular basis, or host events dedicated to member-leadership interaction.

4. Establish online engagement spaces.

There’s a good chance that several of your members joined your association to connect with one another. From building professional connections to collaborating with others in their field to simply forming friendships, a professional or trade association membership can create a sense of community. 

However, many associations need help encouraging members to make connections, offering only a handful of annual events for them to meet up. By establishing online spaces where members can interact, your trade or association can build an active community and increase retention. 

When building an online engagement space, your first instinct might be to craft a social media strategy. While social media is a useful marketing tool, ultimately sending members away from your website to engage with one another on a third-party platform decreases focus on your association. 

Instead, create an online engagement space directly on your website using a community engagement platform. For example, let’s take a look at how our recommended community engagement platform for trade and professional associations, Tradewing, facilitates member engagement:

A screenshot of Tradewing's community engagement platform.

With Tradewing, members can log into their membership accounts on your association’s website to view their membership activity feed. Similar to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter/X, Tradewing allows members to make posts and interact with each other’s content. However, unlike public social media sites, all posts on your Tradewing platform are relevant to your association, keeping members focused on your content and making connections. 

Additionally, platforms like Tradewing also include:

  • Membership directory. When joining your association, members will be prompted to create a membership profile and share information about themselves, such as their company name, email address, alma mater, phone number, and any other custom fields your association thinks would be useful. Members can then choose which fields to make public to other members. For example, a member who has experienced issues with excessive spam may choose not to share their email address. 
  • Messaging tools. Members can click on each other’s names or search the membership directory to view others’ profiles. From there, they can send direct messages to start conversations, form group chats, and build connections. 
  • Announcements. Create announcement posts to keep your members informed about the latest happenings at your association. These posts are pinned to the top of your members’ community feeds, and associations can enable email messaging to ensure all members are alerted to new announcement posts. 

Platforms like Tradewing encourage member-generated content, community building, and increased online engagement. 

Leverage your community engagement software to create online spaces where your members can not just connect between in-person events but actively engage with each other all year round.

Let your members connect whenever, wherever with Tradewing. Request a demo.

5. Prioritize community-building.

Membership programs are unique in that they can create a thriving community based around shared goals, interests, and values.

Think about it: when an individual chooses to donate to or volunteer for a nonprofit, they might meet like-minded individuals at community service events or fundraisers, but more often than not, their involvement is a solo activity.

But when they sign up for the nonprofit’s membership program, they’re immediately met with a collective of others with similar passions!

Make sure your members are aware of the vibrant community within your membership program, and do your part to foster community-building whenever you can. 

Design online and in-person opportunities that facilitate member-to-member engagement, from starting a discussion in an online forum to hosting a member mixer filled with interactive activities for your guests. Get creative with it!

Choosing the right association management software can go a long way to help build a culture of community-wide engagement for your association or organization. Top features like online message boards, member-managed groups and committees, member directories, and self-service profiles make a big difference in letting members feel empowered to engage with your work in the ways that work best for them.

When your members are engaged with one another, they’ll be more connected to your organization overall (and they’ll be much more likely to participate in member activities when they know they have friendly faces to join them!). 

6. Streamline the renewal experience.

So far, we’ve been discussing how to keep your members engaged throughout their membership. However, there is another aspect of membership engagement that we can’t ignore: the member renewal process!

No matter how involved your members are, if they don’t sign up for another year, you’ve got some membership engagement problems to address. 

To make sure your members are excited to come back to your organization year after year, you should ensure that the renewal process is as simple and straightforward as possible. Consider implementing one (or more) of the following strategies:

  • Automated renewal. Some software providers allow you to set up automated renewal reminders or even provide members with the option of recurring membership fee payments. Never let a member lapse due to forgetfulness again!
  • Optimize your application process. Whether they’re applying for the first time or renewing for another year, your members should have no issue completing their application form. Optimize their experience by creating a form that’s user-friendly and easily accessible.
  • Encourage additional giving. Give your members options for adding extra donations on top of their membership dues by using your membership management software’s built-in donation tools (or integrating with another online giving tool). Plus, give them the option to upgrade their membership level during the renewal process.

Bonus: Need some guidance before you send your next round of member renewal letters? Take a look at Fundly’s handy guide!

7. Track your membership engagement efforts.

As you implement different member engagement strategies within your organization, some efforts will inevitably see better results than others.

To make sure you’re moving forward (and that mistakes don’t repeat themselves), you’ll need to be able to track and analyze your engagement in a meaningful way. 

Thankfully, membership management software can make such a task much more doable. In fact, depending on your platform, you may be able to:

  • Create custom reports. Find and assess the data you need by building your own reports using any information in your database. Then, easily share them with your team or constituents as needed.
  • Quickly view fiscal data. Don’t waste time wondering which members have paid their dues; instead, get a comprehensive view of your fiscal situation in as little as one click.
  • Evaluate event success. Assess event registration and attendance, view payment records, and compare overall success between multiple events to see which are worth revisiting next year.

When you use powerful membership management software to handle all your reporting needs, you’ll be able to easily gain insight into your engagement success and use that knowledge to prepare for the future.

Needless to say, developing a successful membership engagement strategy is a major undertaking for any organization. But with these tips in mind, you’ll be able to confidently navigate all of your future membership engagement endeavors!

For more ways to engage supporters through your membership program, take a look at these additional resources:

Turn your association's members into a vibrant community. Increase engagement with our favorite membership engagement platform, Tradewing. Request a demo.

 

Learn how to determine your Google Grants eligibility and get started with the program.

Google Grants Eligibility: How To Check If You Qualify

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Did you know Google awards nonprofits with free ad credits to boost their digital presence? It’s true, and it’s all thanks to a program called Google Ad Grants.

Through this program, any organization that meets the Google Grants eligibility requirements receives a monthly grant of $10,000 to spend on Google Ads. When used effectively, this funding can go a long way to boost traffic to your nonprofit website, spread awareness, and increase donations.

If your nonprofit wants to get started with Google Grants, the first step is to apply. In this post, we’ll walk you through questions you need to ask before applying to ensure your nonprofit obtains (and keeps!) your Google Ad Grant:

Applying for a Google Ad Grant doesn’t have to be complicated. Just follow our guide, and you’ll be on your way to your new Google Ad Grants account!

Get a free consultation with Getting Attention to determine your Google Grant eligibility.

What are Google Ad Grants?

Google Grants (formally known as Google Ad Grants) is a program where Google provides eligible nonprofits with an in-kind donation of $10,000 in monthly ad funding.

But let’s back up even further—what exactly are Google Ads in the first place?

Google Ads are the paid search results that appear at the top of your search results screen based on the keywords included in your query. Here’s an example of what an ad might look like:

If you're Google Grants eligible, you can create ads like this one and be placed at the top of search results - for free!

In order to see your ads appear here, your nonprofit must bid on relevant search keywords using your Google Grant money. 

There are certain compliance requirements for Google Grant recipients, including a $2 cap on your maximum bidding amount and a requirement that all keywords must be relevant to your cause. These restrictions mean that you won’t be able to spend your money on exceptionally high-traffic terms (think “animal rights organization” or “wildlife sanctuary”) or terms that are too general (think “free eBook” or “donate to nonprofits”), but it also means that you’re likely to see greater results from the ads you do run.

If your nonprofit meets the Google Ad Grants eligibility requirements, you can use the grant to promote your donation page, volunteer opportunities, educational content, and other mission-driven initiatives. Plus, you’ll continue to receive the Ad Grant for as long as you meet the program’s criteria.

Bonus! Already have your Google Ads account set up? Learn how to manage your Google Grant and see better results by reading this essential Google Ad Grant management guide from the Google-certified consultants at Getting Attention.

How do search ads differ from organic results?

Nexus Marketing’s guide to SEO for nonprofits explains that when users search keywords or phrases, Google delivers content based on what it assumes the user is attempting to accomplish. Below ads, Google provides organic results, which are pages that have demonstrated their authority and expertise to Google.

Paid and organic methods can both enhance your online presence, and each has its own benefits and challenges. Here are the key differences between Google Ads and organic search results:

A chart comparing the differences between Google Ads and organic results

  • Placement: Ads appear at the top and bottom of the search results page and are marked with a “Sponsored” label. Organic listings appear below the ads and are based on relevance to the search query.
  • Cost: You pay for each ad click, and costs vary based on keyword competitiveness. There’s no direct cost associated with SEO outside of choosing to hire a marketing agency. Rather, you invest time into SEO strategies and content creation.
  • Time to Rank: Ads start appearing on Google search results pages almost immediately. With SEO, results depend on search engine algorithms and ongoing efforts like backlink building, meaning content can rank highly early on or take some time.
  • Control: You have more control over which keywords your ads are shown for and who your ads are shown to. You have less direct control over organic rankings since they depend on the search engine’s algorithms and your content’s quality.
  • Duration: Ads run as long as your budget allows; Google will stop displaying your ads once your budget is depleted. Meanwhile, organic visibility can be sustained long-term with continuous SEO efforts, providing lasting value.

These strategies can complement each other, because Google Ads provide immediate traffic while organic SEO builds sustainable visibility. Know that anyone, including those who aren’t eligible for Google Ad Grants, can implement SEO strategies. For the best results, leverage both methods to market your content and maximize your search engine presence.

Why should nonprofits check their Google Grants eligibility?

Beyond expanding your marketing budget, Google Grants offer advantages for organizations that know how to optimize their funding. A key benefit is that 98% of searchers click on a result on Google’s first page, making Google Ads a powerful tool for driving traffic.

Especially when you put time into Google Ad Grants management, you might experience:

  • Greater visibility and reach for your nonprofit.
  • Increased traffic to key landing pages on your site (such as your donation form or volunteer information page).
  • Greater awareness for corporate giving opportunities.
  • Free promotion for your online content, including your blog or educational resources.
  • Potential for online donations, volunteer sign-ups, event registrations, and email list subscriptions.

Depending on your exact Google Ad Grants management strategy, you can use your ads to achieve nearly any goal you have in mind. With a bit of creativity and research, the options are endless!

The bottom line: Google Ad Grants is a highly profitable marketing tool that almost all nonprofits can leverage with very low risk. Through this program, you can put your name in front of thousands of new eyes every day—why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?

Are all nonprofits eligible for Google Ad Grants?

The program can be an exceptional resource for many nonprofits, but it’s important to know that not all organizations are eligible for Google Grants.

Specifically, the following types of nonprofits are automatically ineligible for Google Grants:

  • Schools or educational institutions (philanthropic arms of educational organizations are still eligible)
  • Government organizations
  • Hospitals or healthcare organizations (charitable arms or foundations associated with healthcare organizations are still eligible)

If you don’t meet these initial Google Ad Grants eligibility requirements, you may still be in luck. For instance, Google has similar philanthropic resources for educational institutions, known as Google for Education.

Basic Google Ad Grants eligibility requirements

After confirming that your organization isn’t automatically ineligible, you’ll still need to meet additional Google Ad Grant requirements the program’s coordinators use to ensure that all grant recipients are legitimate charitable organizations. Getting Attention’s guide to Google Grants eligibility breaks the requirements down into a few key pieces. Here’s a checklist based on those recommendations:

A checklist of the Google Ad Grant requirements, listed below.

To qualify for a grant, your organization must:

  • Hold valid charitable status in your country. In the U.S., you’ll need to be registered as a 501(c)(3) organization.
  • Be registered with Google for Nonprofits. (Not registered? We’ll walk you through how to get started in another section.)
  • Have a functional, updated website that is secured with secure socket layers certification, highlights your mission, and features relevant content.
  • Adhere to the program policies for using your Google Grant funding. For example, you can’t use your Google Ad Grant to promote anything outside your mission’s scope or sell products that don’t contribute to your organization’s work.

Here’s a video from the Google Partners at Getting Attention that highlights these requirements:

Google implements these standards to make sure it’s only funding valid, upstanding nonprofits who can actually benefit from the ads. Take some time to review their Google Ad Grant requirements as a team (or with your Google Grant management consultant) and make sure you’re up to code. If not, you can always look into alternative fundraising strategies!

The bottom line: Google Ad Grants are not given to all types of nonprofits. Your nonprofit must abide by certain criteria, so make sure you understand the Google Grant eligibility requirements before attempting to enroll.

Should my nonprofit use the Google Ad Grant?

Even if you are eligible for the Google Ad Grant, whether or not you should apply depends on your organization’s goals. While the grant can provide significant benefits, some objectives may be better suited to other marketing strategies.

Here are a few goals that benefit more from other strategies than the Google Ad Grant:

  • Selling Products and Services: If your nonprofit sells products or services such as curriculum, training, or camp registrations, leverage targeted email marketing, social media advertising, and SEO to directly reach potential customers. These channels drive long-term, organic traffic that’s more sustainable than short-term results from Google Ads.
  • Boosting Long-Term Traffic: If your goal is to ensure steady traffic growth, SEO provides a more reliable approach than short-term ad campaigns. While paid ads require continuous funding, SEO efforts can yield ongoing benefits long after the initial work is done.
  • Becoming A Thought Leader: Building authority in your field is often achieved through high-quality content and backlinks. If your nonprofit produces detailed reports or educational resources, focusing on strategies like SEO can help these assets reach a broader audience.
  • Promoting Events: Promote events like charity runs or educational workshops using SEO, social media marketing, and influencer partnerships. These strategies help you reach a wider audience, generate buzz through engaging content and endorsements, and ensure your event is easily discoverable in search engine results.

The Google Ad Grant offers tremendous opportunities for many nonprofits. However, even if you meet the Google Ad Grants requirements, you should determine whether it’s the best approach based on your organization’s goals.

What can my nonprofit do to become eligible for Google Ad Grants?

If your nonprofit meets the baseline Google Ad Grants requirements but isn’t quite ready to enroll, there are a few measures you can take to get your application approved on the first try.

If you’d like to apply for a Google Ad Grant, there are several approaches your organization could take: you could DIY it, could hire someone onto your team to manage it, or work with a Google Ad Grant management consultant who can walk you through the application process.

Confirming your Google Grants application and completing your application yourself will be the least expensive option; however, it will require the biggest investment of your time.

Google Ad Grant consultants (who often offer other digital marketing or fundraising strategy services) have experience identifying issues that might keep you from receiving a grant and can make sure you don’t get denied on a technicality or mistake.

Once you’ve been approved for your grant, the consultant can help you put together a strategy for maintaining your Google Ad Grants eligibility and using your full $10,000 as effectively as possible!

Basic tips to qualify

Regardless of whether your team works with a consultant, take these steps to prepare for your Google Ad Grants application:

  • Prepare for the verification process. When you apply for Google for Nonprofits, Google’s validation partner Percent will confirm whether your nonprofit is legitimate, playing a direct role in confirming your Google Ad Grants eligibility. When creating your Google for Nonprofits account, make sure you give them everything they need to confirm that your nonprofit is real.
  • Make sure your mission is clear. Both on your nonprofit’s website and your grant application, your nonprofit’s mission should be front and center. Make sure Google can quickly understand what programs or efforts you’ll be using Google Ads to promote. Note: it helps to have a concise mission statement and your EIN in the footer of your site.
  • Update your nonprofit website. You’ll need to connect your Google Ads with your website, so make sure it’s in good shape and complies with legal requirements before applying. It should be secured with SSL encryption, feature a positive user experience, include limited advertisements, and feature quality content about your nonprofit’s mission. (Hint: follow our web design best practices, and your site will be ready in no time.)

A mockup of a nonprofit's website that meets the Google Grants eligibility requirements

From there, you should be on your way to receiving your account and funding. Keep in mind that the Google Ad Grants requirements may change according to Google’s current standards. To limit confusion and frustration, we recommend working with a consultant who can streamline the process. After all, it’s their full-time job to understand Google Ad Grants management, not yours!

The bottom line: There are steps nonprofits can take to increase their chances of receiving the Google Ad Grant, such as optimizing their websites and double-checking their charitable status. For best results, work with an expert Google Ad Grants manager who can get your application approved on the first try.

What should I do after confirming my nonprofit’s Google Grants eligibility?

Once you’re confident in your Google Ad Grants eligibility, it’s time to start the application process! Luckily, when it comes to managing your account, the application is the easy part. Follow these guidelines to start your enrollment:

  1. Sign up for Google for Nonprofits. Along with Ad Grants, Google offers other benefits to nonprofits as part of their Google for Nonprofits program. Once you’re a registered “Google Nonprofit,” you can also access the YouTube Nonprofit Program, Google Workspace, and other useful tools. Visit the Google for Nonprofits website to register, and expect questions about your tax ID, non-discrimination policies, and general contact and organization information.
  2. Wait for verification. As we mentioned, Google works with Percent to verify nonprofits’ legitimacy. The organization typically reviews requests within 2-14 business days, but keep an eye on your email if they contact you for more information or documentation.
  3. Register for Google Ad Grants. Once your Google for Nonprofits application is approved, access the Google Ad Grants application in your Google account. Log in, click “Get started” under Google Ad Grants, enter your website URL, and click “Submit website.” After your site is verified as secure, fill out the Google Ad Grants eligibility form and answer basic questions about your nonprofit and Ad Grant goals. Then, return to the Google Ad Grants section, confirm you’ve completed the form, and click “Submit activation request.”
  4. Accept the invitation from Google. After up to 10 business days, you should receive an email invitation from the Google Ad Grants team to join the program and set up your billing information. Now you’re ready to set up your account!

This is the typical timeline for confirming your Google Grants eligibility and applying for the program.

Completing the application is the easy part; the real work begins when you set up your first campaign. As we’ll discuss below, there are a number of compliance standards you have to follow to keep your Google Ad Grants funding.

Read this guide to learn how to apply after determining your Google Grants eligibility.

Creating Your First Campaign

Once you’ve defined your goals and strategy for managing your Google Grant account, follow these steps to launch your first campaign:

  1. Create your Ads account. Follow Google’s instructions to set up your account. Enter the required information to proceed to ad campaign creation.
  2. Set up your campaigns. Remember, there are a few key Google Ad Grant requirements for program participants. For example, use specific and high-quality keywords, and set up valid conversion tracking via Google Analytics.
  3. Have your account reviewed by Google. After you’ve finalized setup, submit your account for Google’s review using your account ID number (which you can find by clicking the person icon in the top-right corner of your account). Google will review your account to ensure it’s in line with its Ads policies, and you’ll be notified of your approval (or any errors that need to be addressed) via email.

That’s it! Your nonprofit should now have everything you need to start managing your account and driving results with your new ads.

The bottom line: To apply for the Google Ad Grant, sign up for Google for Nonprofits first. Once that’s done, follow Google’s guidelines to complete the Ads registration and approval process following Google’s guidelines, with assistance from your Google Ad Grant manager if needed.

Can my nonprofit lose its Google Grants eligibility?

Managing your account and maintaining your Google Ad Grants eligibility is an ongoing process. If you aren’t maintaining your Ads account to Google’s standards, your grant funding may be suspended temporarily or indefinitely.

To keep your account in good standing, pay attention to all Google Ad Grants requirements, such as:

  • No single-word, overly generic, or low-quality keywords. Sufficient research will ensure you’re choosing the best Google Ads keywords. Set up an automated rule so the system will pause keywords with a score of 1 or 2, so you can optimize your keyword list and avoid deactivation.
  • A minimum 5% click-through rate. To improve ad relevance and user experience, Google requires that all nonprofit accounts maintain a 5% click-through rate (CTR). Failing to meet 5% CTR for two consecutive months can result in temporary account deactivation or loss of Google Grants eligibility.
  • Valid conversion tracking. Set up Google Analytics to track meaningful conversions, such as donations, newsletter sign-ups, or volunteer registrations. You must also report at least one conversion per month.

Though these are some of the most important eligibility and management requirements, they aren’t the only ones. It’s important that your team stays active in your campaigns and is consistently optimizing your nonprofit advertising strategy in order to maintain your account.

Management options to maintain your Google Grants eligibility

You have a few options for maintaining your account, avoid suspension, and maximize your Google Grant results:

  • Use your existing staff to manage your ad campaigns, which may not be a great choice for smaller organizations already strapped for staff time.
  • Bring someone on full-time to manage your ads (this is the most expensive option).
  • Hire a consultant with experience in Google Ad Grant management.

For many organizations, hiring an external consultant is the best choice. A Google Ad Grants manager is generally less expensive than a full-time employee and has the benefit of working with lots of different organizations to achieve various goals. Chances are, they know what strategies work for organizations like yours.

We recommend working with Getting Attention. They’re a certified Google partner, so you’ll know you’re receiving expert insights and leveraging your grant fully. Plus, you’ll have a direct link to the Google Ad Grants team and can get your account working again if you fall out of compliance.

The bottom line: Google requires that accounts meet certain requirements to remain active. By paying attention to these goals, you can keep your account in good standing.

How do I get started with Google Grants?

Now that you know more about Google Grants eligibility requirements and the application process, you’re ready to get started!

Improve your chances of getting approved, maintaining your grant, and seeing great results from your Ad campaigns by working with a Google Grant consultant. Getting Attention offers free consultations to assess your nonprofit’s needs. Plus, they’re certified by Google, so you know you’ll receive Ad Grants account support from trusted professionals.

Their experts will handle every step of the process for you, even beyond the initial application. Here are their core services:

  • Google Grant eligibility check and application assistance
  • Campaign creation, including keyword research
  • Ongoing account management to comply with the Google Grant rules
  • Campaign reporting
  • Account reactivation for lapsed and deactivated accounts

Once you’ve assembled your team and are ready to begin your application, head to Google’s Get Started page and click “apply,” and you’re on your way!

Sign up for Getting Attention's newsletter to learn more about the program, including how to check your Google Grants eligibility.

How can I make the most of Google Ad Grants?

Acquiring the Google Ad Grant is one thing, but making the most of your funding is another challenge entirely. Properly managing your account is a learning process that involves closely monitoring your campaigns and making adjustments based on what’s working.

From optimizing your website’s content to crafting compelling ad copy,  generate more value from the grant with our favorite Google Ad Grant management tips.

Make the most of your Google Ad Grants eligibility by practicing these account management tips.

1. Optimize your landing pages.

Your landing pages are the web pages you’ll promote via Google Ads. When readers click on your ad, they’ll be directed to whichever page you choose on your site. It’s up to you to pick the ones that are most relevant to their needs.

For example, someone who searches “animal shelter volunteering” is clearly looking to volunteer, in which case,  you’d direct them to a volunteer signup page. Someone searching “donate to refugees” is looking to give, which means you’ll want to direct them to a donation form.

Beyond choosing the right landing pages, design your pages in a way that drives users to take action. To optimize each landing page, you’ll want to:

  • Include your ad’s keywords in the copy and headings of your page.
  • Feature a strong call to action (CTA).
  • Establish your brand identity by featuring your official colors and logo.
  • Include compelling imagery.
  • Have testimonials or other social proof that speaks to your legitimacy.

Your landing pages will seal the deal for your Google Ads. Make sure each one prioritizes the user experience and makes it incredibly clear that supporting your nonprofit is the right choice for each visitor.

2. Track meaningful conversions.

The primary purpose of the Google Ad Grant is to spread awareness of worthy causes and generate value for participating nonprofits. That’s done by achieving meaningful conversions.

A “meaningful conversion” is any action someone can take that your nonprofit finds valuable to achieving your mission. For example, Google breaks conversions down into a few primary categories:

  • Purchase or Sale: Donations, purchases, membership sales, ticket sales, and so on
  • Sign Up: Volunteer sign-up, email sign-up, new membership form completion, event sign-up, and so on
  • Lead Generation: Information downloads, clicks to call, clicks to social accounts, and so on
  • View of a Key Page: Time on site, pages per session, watching videos, and so on

You can work toward any conversion goal so long as it supports your work. Think carefully about what types of actions are actually meaningful to your nonprofit, especially considering that the Google Ad Grants team will require you to report at least 1 conversion per month.

3. Carefully choose keywords to display your ads to the right audience.

Your keywords are an essential part of your Google Ads. Think about the terms your prospects are likely searching online to kickstart your brainstorming session.

You can use the negative keyword feature to refine your ads further. NXUnite’s guide to Google Ad Grants explains that “negative keywords are used to prevent your content from showing up in searches that contain certain words.” Adding negative keywords allows you to eliminate searches from people who aren’t looking for content related to your services.

For example, let’s say you’re running ads that target keywords related to saving endangered bears. In this case, you might notice that your ads show up for search queries like “Chicago bears,” “teddy bears,” and “the Berenstain Bears.” To prevent this, use negative keywords that eliminate irrelevant search queries, such as:

  • -chicago
  • -teddy
  • -berenstain

In turn, you’ll ensure your ads only show to qualified prospects, reducing wasted ad spend.

4. Keep SEO in mind.

To maximize your presence within search results and encourage engagement with your cause, integrate your SEO and Google Ad strategies. The right combination of outbound (paid) and inbound (organic) strategies can help you reach and convert more visitors into supporters. Here’s how to make these strategies work together:

  • Align keyword research. Conduct comprehensive keyword research to identify your highest-return keywords for both paid and organic strategies. When you actively target these keywords with both SEO and paid ads, you’ll maximize ownership over these terms.
  • Ensure consistent messaging. Consistency across your ad copy and website reinforces your nonprofit’s brand and provides a seamless experience for users transitioning from paid ads to your website.
  • Optimize your landing pages. High-quality, keyword-rich content improves your organic search rankings and provides a better user experience for visitors who click on your ads, potentially increasing conversion rates.
  • Create valuable content. Create valuable, keyword-optimized content that aligns with the themes of your Google Ad campaigns. This approach not only boosts your organic rankings but also provides users who click on your ads with relevant and informative content.
  • Enhance your site’s user experience (UX). A well-structured, easy-to-navigate, and mobile-optimized site with fast loading times positively impacts your organic rankings, keeps visitors engaged, and reduces bounce rates from paid ads.

By aligning your SEO and Google Ad Grant strategies, you can create a cohesive and powerful digital marketing approach that maximizes your nonprofit’s online presence and drives both immediate and long-term results.

The bottom line: Meeting the Google Grants eligibility requirements is only step one. You’ll need to use strategies like optimizing your landing pages and picking the right keywords to make the most of your funding.

Additional Resources

Google Ad Grants are one of the most valuable marketing tools your nonprofit can access. Now that you know how to apply for these grants, you’re halfway to Google Ads success!

Remember, working with a professional can simplify your Google Ad Grant management and help you skip the learning curve that comes with the program. We suggest the certified professionals at Getting Attention for their attention to detail and dedication to helping nonprofits make the most of their $10,000 each month.

Check out these resources for more insight into online marketing and fundraising:

Get a free consultation with Getting Attention to determine your Google Ad Grants eligibility.

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism _ A How-To Guide For Orgs

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism | A How-To Guide For Orgs

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Corporate volunteerism refers to the practice of businesses encouraging employees to volunteer their time and skills to charitable causes. This can take a number of forms, including company-wide volunteer days, paid time off for volunteer activities, skills-based volunteering, and volunteer grant programs.

For nonprofits and schools, corporate volunteerism is a vital tool that can significantly enhance their capacity to achieve their missions. How? Corporate volunteer programs provide these organizations with increased manpower, diverse skill sets, enhanced visibility, and even the potential for financial support and long-term corporate partnerships.

Meanwhile, the companies offering the programs see increased employee engagement and enhanced CSR. However, for each group to reap the rewards of these programs, it’s essential that the efforts are marketed well. And that’s where this guide comes in!

Read on to uncover top corporate volunteer marketing strategies and tips you can implement in your own organization’s engagement plan.

Understanding Corporate Volunteerism Opportunities

Corporate volunteerism provides nonprofits, schools, and similar fundraising groups with easy access to skilled volunteers and other invaluable resources. Understanding the types of programs available to your organization and its supporters through their employers allows you to better target lucrative opportunities, deepen engagement with volunteers, and achieve your goals overall.

We recommend familiarizing yourself (and the rest of your team) with the following types of corporate volunteer initiatives:

Individual Volunteer Grants

Volunteer grants, also known as “Dollars for Doers,” are corporate programs where companies offer monetary donations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. Typically, an employee must spend a set number of hours at the nonprofit for the organization to qualify for a grant, which may be paid out as a lump sum or based on a predetermined hourly rate.

Benefit for nonprofits: This program incentivizes volunteerism and rewards nonprofits with additional financial support!

Team Volunteer Grants

Similar to individual volunteer grants, team volunteer grants provide funding for the organizations at which their employees volunteer. The difference, however, is that team volunteer grants are awarded when a group of employees from the same company volunteer together. Team grants are generally larger in amount, too, providing lucrative funding when groups of employees get involved.

Benefit for nonprofits: This program incentivizes group volunteering among corporate staff and provides generous financial support.

Paid Volunteer Time Off

Paid volunteer time off (or VTO for short) is a corporate benefit where companies provide their employees with a set number of hours they can spend volunteering for nonprofits or community service activities. In other words, employees are encouraged to engage in volunteer work during regular work hours without sacrificing their regular pay.

Benefit for nonprofits: This program provides a powerful incentive for volunteer recruitment, engagement, retention, and more.

Skills-Based Volunteerism

Skills-based volunteerism involves employees offering their professional skills and expertise to nonprofits rather than general volunteer work. For example, a marketing professional might help a nonprofit develop a communications strategy, or an accountant might assist with financial planning.

Benefit for nonprofits: This program allows nonprofits to benefit from specialized knowledge that can significantly advance their mission.

Company-Sponsored Volunteer Days

Company-sponsored volunteer days are organized events where companies designate a day for their employees to volunteer as a group at a specific nonprofit, school, or community project. The company often arranges the logistics, and employees participate during work hours, incentivizing involvement with a free day out of the office!

Benefit for nonprofits: This program empowers organizations to rally corporate employees in group activities, allowing significant progress to be made on large-scale projects in a short amount of time.

Identifying Corporate Volunteer Programs in Your Network

Before you can market corporate volunteerism to your audience, it’s a good idea to uncover the best opportunities in your network. We recommend following these practical tips to do so:

Before you can market corporate volunteerism to your audience, it’s a good idea to uncover the best opportunities in your network. We recommend following these practical tips to do so:

1. Collecting Employment Information From Supporters:

Start by gathering employment details from your donors, volunteers, and other supporters. This can be done through surveys, event registration forms, or during volunteer sign-ups.

Knowing where your supporters work allows you to explore potential corporate volunteer programs they have access to, which could benefit your organization.

2. Researching Employers with Well-Known Volunteer Programs:

Once you have a list of where your supporters are employed, research whether these companies offer volunteer programs. Many large corporations, like Disney, Microsoft, Google, and thousands of others, have established volunteer programs.

Understanding the specifics of these programs can help you tailor your outreach efforts to match their requirements. Get started by looking into top companies offering volunteer grants, top VTO opportunities, and more.

Plus, there’s a significant overlap between companies offering matching gifts and those offering volunteer programs. If you already know of businesses in your network that match employee donations, it’s worth investigating whether they also offer volunteer grants or other volunteer opportunities.

3. Using Corporate Volunteer Databases:

Utilize databases and online platforms that track corporate volunteer programs to make the research process easier than ever before. Double the Donation offers the industry’s most comprehensive database of corporate volunteer information, complete with listings on thousands of companies’ programs.

Leveraging this database can help you quickly identify which companies have programs your organization could benefit from!

4. Conducting Manual Research:

Sometimes, a simple online search can yield valuable information. Try searching for a specific company’s name along with keywords like “volunteering” or “volunteer programs” (e.g., “Home Depot + Volunteering”).

While it will be a more time-intensive approach, this idea can help you discover details about a company’s volunteer initiatives, including opportunities they offer to their employees.

5. Encouraging Supporters to Check with Their Employers:

Lastly, be sure to motivate your supporters to inquire about volunteer programs within their workplaces. Many employees might not be aware that their companies offer volunteer grants or paid volunteer time off. By encouraging them to ask, you can uncover opportunities that might have been overlooked.

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism to Supporters

Marketing corporate volunteerism to individual supporters involves educating and motivating them to participate in and promote these opportunities within their workplaces. Here’s how you might approach this:

Educate Supporters on Corporate Volunteerism:

Start by informing your supporters about what corporate volunteerism is and how it works. Use newsletters, emails, and social media posts to explain the various types of corporate volunteer programs, such as paid volunteer time off, volunteer grants, and team volunteer days.

(P.S.; Check out our customizable marketing templates available for clients within the Double the Donation platform to get started!)

You’ll also want to include a section about corporate volunteer incentives on your Volunteers page⁠—and embed a company search tool so supporters can easily uncover their available programming.

Communicate the Impact of Corporate Volunteerism:

Share stories and testimonials that demonstrate the positive impact corporate volunteerism has had on your organization. Show how previous corporate volunteer efforts have helped achieve specific goals, whether it’s through completing a project, raising funds, or expanding your programs. This helps supporters see the tangible outcomes of their potential involvement.

Encourage Inquiries at Work:

For those who don’t find corporate volunteer information in your database widget, encourage them to check in with their employers about any available programs.

Many employees may not be aware of the opportunities available to them, so you’ll want to provide them with language they can use to approach their managers or HR leaders about the programs, making it easier for them to initiate the conversation and drive impact for your team.

Promote Suitable Corporate Volunteer Opportunities:

Regularly communicate the volunteer opportunities available at your organization that are suitable for corporate teams or individuals looking to volunteer through their workplace programs. Highlight any upcoming events or projects where corporate volunteers could make a significant difference and make sure these opportunities are well-advertised through your existing channels.

Offer Recognition:

Recognize and celebrate individual supporters and companies that engage their companies in corporate volunteerism. You can even publicly acknowledge their efforts through newsletters, social media, or at events.

Recognition not only makes the individual feel valued but also serves as an example to other supporters who might be inspired to take similar actions.

Leverage Peer Influence:

Encourage supporters who have successfully engaged their employers in corporate volunteerism to share their experiences with others. Peer recommendations can be very persuasive, so consider featuring these stories in your communications to inspire others to take similar steps. You can even encourage eligible volunteers to organize team events with their colleagues to support your cause!

Marketing Volunteerism to Corporate Partners

Marketing corporate volunteerism to corporate partners—both new and existing—requires a strategic approach that highlights mutual benefits, aligns with their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals , and fosters long-term relationships.

Here’s how you can effectively market these opportunities to companies.

Understand Corporate Goals and CSR Objectives:

Before reaching out to corporate partners, research their CSR goals, values, and past volunteer initiatives. Tailor your pitch to show how partnering with your organization can help them achieve these objectives.

Emphasize how corporate volunteerism aligns with their brand, enhances employee engagement, and contributes to community impact. If possible, provide data that demonstrates how other companies have benefited from similar partnerships with your organization in the past.

Develop Tailored Volunteer Packages:

Create customizable volunteer opportunities that align with the company’s needs and interests. Offer a range of options, from one-day events to ongoing projects, and include both skills-based and general volunteer opportunities. Tailoring these packages makes it easier for companies to see how they can get involved in a way that suits them and their teams.

Highlight the Impact of Volunteerism:

Quantify and communicate the impact of corporate volunteerism on your organization. Provide reports that show how corporate volunteers have contributed to your mission, including metrics like the number of hours volunteered, projects completed, and the overall community impact. Why? Companies are more likely to invest in programs where they can see measurable outcomes.

Recognize Corporate Support:

Publicly recognize and celebrate the contributions of your corporate partners. This can include awards, mentions in your annual report, shout-outs on social media, or hosting a special recognition event. Acknowledging their efforts not only strengthens your relationship but also encourages continued contributions.

Facilitate Employee Engagement:

Make it easy for companies to involve their employees in volunteer opportunities. To do so, you can provide them with promotional materials, sign-up sheets, and detailed information on how to participate. Offer flexibility in scheduling and types of volunteer work to accommodate different levels of employee engagement and interest, too!

5 Organizations Marketing Corporate Volunteerism Well

As you look to revamp your own team’s corporate volunteerism marketing strategy, it’s a good idea to solicit inspiration from other organizations’ efforts. For this reason, we’ve selected a few nonprofits with standout promotional strategies to consider.

Organization #1: NFED

Corporate Volunteer Marketing Spotlight | Dollars for Doers Blog Post

The NFED, or National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias, is a nonprofit devoted to research, education, and support for those affected by ectodermal dysplasias. In order to supercharge their efforts, the organization promotes Dollars for Doers (also known as volunteer grants) as a key way for supporters to enhance their impact.

Take a look at this snippet of the blog post below:

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism A How-To Guide For Orgs_NFED example

Here’s what this marketing example does well:

  • Defines the importance of corporate social responsibility
  • Mentions and links to a matching gifts page for additional information
  • Encourages volunteers to look into volunteer grant opportunities through their employers
  • Emphasizes the value and doubled impact of matching gift and volunteer grant programs

Organization #2: United Way

Corporate Volunteer Marketing Spotlight | Volunteer Time Off Blog Post

United Way of the National Capital Area is a branch of the United Way organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. This nonprofit understands the value that volunteerism can offer its cause, and it promotes Volunteer Time Off as a key way to recruit, engage, and retain supporters.

Take a look at this snippet of the blog post below:

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism A How-To Guide For Orgs_United Way example

Here’s what this marketing example does well:

  • Uses research to demonstrate the prevalence and widespread availability of Volunteer Time Off programs
  • Highlights the benefits for companies, their employees, and the organization itself
  • Provides powerful insights into where VTO programs can be found, including by sector and geographic location
  • Showcases top opportunities for companies offering volunteer time off for their employees

Organization #3: LLS

Corporate Volunteer Marketing Spotlight | Volunteer Grant Page (With Employer Search Tool!)

LLS, or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, is a medical research-based nonprofit dedicated to leading the fight against blood cancers. The organization receives generous support from a wide range of volunteers, and the team provides a number of resources, including a corporate database search tool from Double the Donation, to streamline and increase participation in volunteer incentive programming.

Take a look at the landing page below:

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism A How-To Guide For Orgs_LLS example

Here’s what this marketing example does well:

  • Offers an embedded company search tool for volunteers to quickly locate program details, instructions, and forms
  • Provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the volunteer grant process
  • Shares important information volunteers may need to complete their volunteer grant applications
  • Highlights an easy way for supporters to get in touch with additional questions or inquiries

Organization #4: Habitat for Humanity

Corporate Volunteer Marketing Spotlight | Corporate Volunteer Page and Blog Post

Habitat for Humanity is a largely volunteer-based organization dedicated to ensuring every person has a place to live. As a result, the team does a lot to promote corporate volunteer incentives.

Take a look at these resources below:

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism A How-To Guide For Orgs_Habitat for Humanity example

Here’s what this marketing example does well:

  • Uses multiple communication channels to promote corporate volunteer programs to their audience
  • Highlights both volunteer grants and volunteer time off programs, demonstrating a range of opportunities in which individuals can participate
  • Speaks directly to companies that are considering implementing corporate volunteer programs
  • Actively drives engagement with a call to action button leading users to a volunteer sign-up page

Organization #5: Florida State Parks

Corporate Volunteer Marketing Spotlight | Corporate Volunteer Opportunities Page

Florida State Parks is a nonprofit organization that works with local governments, park users, researchers, and more to ensure maintenance and upkeep of more than 175 award-winning state parks, trails, and historic sites across the state. A big part of its mission involves empowering volunteers to play a role, and it often leverages corporate volunteer opportunities as a way to do so.

Take a look at the landing page below:

Marketing Corporate Volunteerism A How-To Guide For Orgs_Florida State Parks example

Here’s what this marketing example does well:

  • Highlights recent companies and teams that support the parks with corporate volunteer programs
  • Provides contact information for companies or individuals interested in organizing a company-sponsored volunteer event
  • Enlists photos of real corporate volunteer teams to leverage social proof
  • Provides examples of various types of volunteer projects companies could host to get involved

Bottom line: Spreading the word about corporate volunteerism is essential, and an organization’s website is one of the best opportunities to do so.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Successfully marketing corporate volunteerism requires a thoughtful and strategic approach that highlights the benefits for your organization, its supporters, their employers, and your community as a whole.

By effectively communicating about available initiatives, you can build a stronger, more engaged volunteer base that’s increasingly incentivized to give back to your cause. And you might even get some extra funding out of it all!

Ready to learn more about marketing corporate volunteerism? Check out our recommended resources and further reading:


Scale up your organization's corporate volunteer strategy with 360MatchPro 💡

Matching Gift Q&A with Workplace Giving Expert Tom Mansmith

Matching Gift Q&A with Workplace Giving Expert Tom Mansmith

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Matching gifts hold an incredible yet often untapped potential in the world of nonprofit and educational fundraising. To shed light on this powerful tool, we’re excited to present a matching gift Q&A session with Tom Mansmith, consultant and renowned expert in workplace giving and matching gifts.

With more than 20 years of experience in the field as the former Senior Director of Workplace Giving and Matching Gifts for the American Cancer Society, Tom offers invaluable insights and first-hand experience into how nonprofits can maximize their matching gift revenue, engage donors more effectively, and overcome common challenges to drive success.

Whether you’re a seasoned fundraising professional or new to the concept of matching gifts, this conversation is packed with practical advice and actionable strategies. Feel free to watch the video mini-series and read through the transcript below!

1. What are corporate vendor platforms, and what role do they have in matching gifts?

There are a number of corporate vendors who facilitate employee philanthropic giving. These technology providers work on behalf of businesses to streamline and to integrate the employee giving programs, which can include payroll deduction, matching gifts, volunteer grants, cause cards, and incentive programs.

Generally speaking, these providers supply an online platform where companies are able to manage their employee programs. They allow employees to give to accredited nonprofits, log their volunteer hours, pledge their payroll deductions, etc.

On the backend of these sites, nonprofits are able to verify the original contributions for matching gifts, see donor details, and confirm volunteer hours.

These platforms really are an integral part of the matching gift program. It’s not a company’s core business, but it’s part of their core value in employee engagement, so these corporate matching gift vendors play a vital role in the matching gift process.

💡 Recommended Reading: Registering Your Org with CSR Platforms + Key Steps For Each

2. What is the general processing flow when you receive a matching gift payment?

Most matching gifts your organization receives will come from a corporate matching gift vendor who processes the payments on behalf of a company.

Here’s how it works:

→ You’ll navigate to a third-party corporate vendor platform.

→ Go to the “Giving” section, where you’ll see a section for payments and transactions.

→ Once there, it’s going to give you a list of all of the payments your organization has received. Now, it’s a good idea to have the check number, the amount, and whether it was a check or a direct deposit.

→ When you’re on that page, search with the payment ID or date so you get the exact payment.

→ Once you’ve located the payment, you can go through all the donor details, including which employees the company was matching specifically.

This information can be viewed online, but you also have the option to download the reconciliation sheet. I recommend that you download the reconciliation sheet, as it will allow your finance department or yourself to process the payment accurately.

💡 Recommended Reading: Matching Gift Disbursement FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered

3. What are some common roadblocks for nonprofit organizations trying to earn more matching gifts?

That’s a long list, but let’s try to tackle a couple of them.

Leadership buy-in

You should make a real case to your organization’s leadership that matching gifts is a vital part of their overall revenue strategy.

When it says Double the Donation, it truly means doubling a donation.

So, I would make a strong case to leadership that matching gifts is a vital part of their overall strategy, and what that unlocks for you, hopefully, is additional marketing and FTEs, which are critical for processing and marketing for matching gifts.

Lack of staffing

I think everyone has been struggling with this, but if you’re someone who’s handling all of the matching gifts for your organization, you know what I’m talking about.

As you begin to scale, you’ll likely need additional staff. Without leadership’s buy-in, that’s a tough thing.

However,  having the appropriate amount of staff for the scale of your matching gift revenue stream is essential. I don’t know about your organization, but I imagine that for small or medium organizations, one or two people can do the job. And for larger organizations, many are stretched, but I would say that more than three people is appropriate for payroll deductions, volunteer grants, and matching gifts as they continue to grow.

Marketing dollars

I think it’s a real roadblock not to look at this both internally and externally. So, communication dollars should be used to socialize matching gifts internally to development staff that are running peer-to-peer events (gala, golf, other types of fundraising) and your corporate development staff, if you have that.

They really all should know something about matching gifts so that when they see an opportunity, they’re able to talk about matching gifts to the decision-makers in companies.

Lack of employment data

Many organizations hesitate to ask for and retain employment information. If you don’t know that someone works for a corporation that has a matching gift program, however, you miss the opportunity to tie their original contribution to that matching gift.

And I know that you can get pushback from your IT team or your event staff, for instance, that they don’t want something else on the registration page. But I’d argue that because it allows you to actually fundraise for the staff, adding “Who do you work for?” is critical for registrations for peer-to-peer events and on the main URL of your fundraising page.

Not taking advantage of technology

For the best matching gift results, you want to really take advantage of all the technology that Double the Donation has to offer in matching gifts.

What I mean by this, one, is that you have a matching gift activation on all of your fundraising pages. And, secondarily, that you’re utilizing Double the Donation to data-mine contributions that hadn’t been matched, but you find meet the criteria for matching.

💡 Recommended Reading: How Donor Employer Information Boosts Fundraising + Workplace Giving

4. How can I earn more matching gifts?

There are probably three things that I’d tell you. Here’s the first:

Socialize the impact of matching gifts with your developmental team.

Show them the impact and the dollars that donors are leaving on the table by not matching gifts. In fact, I’d even point out some key donors who didn’t take advantage of their matching gift program. That’s a really powerful motivator.

One of the best ways to do so is by providing your team with access to the Matching Gift Academy, which is free for Double the Donation clients to use ($199/year value).

Take full advantage of Double the Donation’s technology.

Make sure all of your donation pages have the DTD matching gift activation on them so employees can take full advantage of that.

Note: Double the Donation integrates with nearly all leading fundraising solutions, donation tools, and CRMs to make it increasingly easy to do so! Check out our integration partners here to see if you can connect your platform!

Regularly check your database through Double the Donation.

Look for those donors who were eligible for matching gifts but didn’t take advantage of it in the first round. That’s a goldmine for your organization to be receiving additional revenue!

💡 Recommended Reading: Double the Donation Overview: Scale Up Your Matching Gifts

5. How do you recommend getting matching gift buy-in from your team?

Making an internal business case with different stakeholders will advance matching gifts across your organization. Here are three teams you should consider engaging and getting on board with matching gifts.

Corporate development staff

Those are the individuals who go out and talk to corporations about grants and cause marketing. The third area that they really ought to be talking about is employee engagement, whether that’s payroll deductions, matching gifts, or other programs.

One of the things that matching gifts does is provide specific corporate information about employee engagement. Usually, the decision-makers don’t have a good idea of the level of affinity or employee participation in your cause.

What matching gifts will do is provide that corporate development staff member with some very specific talking points about your organization and the affinity of their employees.

It’ll show increased employee affinity, corporate engagement, and more. There’ll even be some great impact stories that you can research and provide for your corporate development team. Whether those are specific or anecdotal, that storytelling can be a huge part of your corporate development meeting.

And then finally, it provides an opportunity for your corporate development team to upsell. If there’s a big engagement with that company’s employee base, the company is going to be more likely to consider corporate grants or even a cause marketing deal.

Peer-to-peer staff

Whether you’re hosting a golf event, a gala, or a fundraising walk, all of those gifts are matchable for the participants who work for corporations that have matching programs. We’re talking about 65% of Fortune 500 companies.

And so, what does that do for peer-to-peer? Well, #1, it’s a lower cost of fundraising.

That doubled dollar, that second dollar you receive, lowers their overall event fundraising cost. And for most organizations, that’s a metric that leadership is looking at, so matching gifts is the way to do that.

You can even show the dollars that are left on the table. So, a good project is to do a little deep dive on those participants who were eligible for matching gifts. Then, show the potential dollars that could have been collected had matching gifts been presented. Those are dollars that are left on the table, and that’s probably the biggest motivator for peer-to-peer teams: to see what they could have had. And, of course, you’re offering what they can have, so that’s super important.

Then the final thing with peer-to-peer is that matching gifts allows for a deeper dive into that donor or employee profile. Now that you know who they work for, that can lead to more teams coming to support your cause from that corporation, maybe not just localized but a national team.

IT staff

For a lot of organizations, that main donation page URL is managed by the IT staff, so one of the things that I found when we had point of contribution activations for matching gifts is that we saw a greater conversion rate because when individual donors who work for companies think about the fact that their company would double that donation, they’re more likely to give.

We saw an increase in the original contribution, which was great. We also saw people going back in and raising their contribution, then going forward with the matching gift.

And then again also, those donor profiles, knowing who the individual works for, is very important for establishing a good CRM. Not to mention, increased security and API transfers is important to your IT staff, and Double the Dontion’s technology is highly secure with seamless data integrations, too.

💡 Recommended Reading: Matching Gift Buy-In: How to Spark Team-Wide Engagement

6. What are your top 3 tips for communicating matching gifts to your donors?

Communicating the matching gift opportunity is essential for fundraisers such as yourself. Here’s what I recommend doing to get the message across in the most impactful way possible.

Storytelling

I’m a big proponent of storytelling, and I think this is both true for pre-donation and post-donation. A very concise story about the impact of matching gifts should be provided, where the employer acknowledges the donor’s original contribution and recognizes the philanthropic choices of their employees. That’s a great partnership inside of that company, and I think you can tell a story about what those partnerships do to advance your cause. Be concise; I don’t think you have to be too specific but tell the story about their impact.

Generational appropriateness

I’m a Baby Boomer, and I consume information in a way that might be, or is, different from Millennials or Gen Z. I think that you ought to take the time to learn about generational communication differences. What do I mean by that? When you’re creating communications, you should do something more than just send an email, a flyer, or a leave-behind. Instead, you ought to, for example, do TikTok. Maybe you have Instagram or social media posts that can tell that story but in a generationally appropriate way.

Acknowledge the employee-employer partnership

The final thing, and I talked about this a little in the storytelling section, and this may be more true for your development staff that are engaging with corporate decision-makers, but making sure that they have the information available to them to acknowledge the partnership and the impact that it made on your cause.

In this sense, I think that you can be specific, so look at total matching gift dollars raised by employees, total matching gift dollars raised by that employer. Then, put that information in the hands of staff going out to corporations so that they can tell a story about the impact.

💡 Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Matching Gifts

7. What other fundraising opportunities can matching gifts uncover?

I think there’s probably three, maybe four. So, let’s take a look at those.

Corporate teams

My guess is that most of you have peer-to-peer fundraising. I would look for an individual who’s on a team, maybe it’s not a corporate team, but you have their employment information. Let’s say they work for a Fortune 1000 company, or that they donated online on your main web page. When they ask to have their gift matched, you uncover that they work for a major corporation.

Those are leads for developing teams within corporations. They obviously have an affinity toward your organization, and I wouldn’t shy away from recruiting from that pool of matching gift donors. Maybe they weren’t on a corporate team, but I would ask them next year to form one for your next big peer-to-peer fundraising event.

Cause marketing and corporate grants

I know this can seem like a stretch; you got a matching gift for $25 or $100, and now you’re going to go ask for a cause marketing deal or a corporate grant. But hear me out⁠—in scale, let’s say you had 50 employees who contributed to your organization, perhaps through a peer-to-peer event, and they all matched. Maybe they’ve even been doing it for a couple of years.

What you have in that organization is a group of employees who have an affinity for your cause. And I think it’s safe to say that the people who make the decisions within the company’s community development or corporate citizenship teams don’t have any idea that that’s going on. So, raising that with those decision-makers is the first step to start talking about other things that the corporation can do. It’s their corporate dollars that make a matching gift. It may not be the meeting, but it’s the knock on the door for upselling in corporate grants and in cause marketing.

Because you can show the affinity of their employees, which, by the way, companies hold very highly, you can begin to hold conversations about how else your organization could partner with a corporation.

Major gifts

How does a $100 matching gift get a major giver? Well, I think you’ll find that if you look in your database, you may have people who are giving much more than $100. Anyone who gives a $500 gift and has asked to match it could be a candidate for a major gift⁠—certainly to pursue it or to investigate it. One of the things I would do is, in your database, look at not just single donations but total annual giving.

If you have people who are giving more than $1,000, and then having that gift matched, I think that those are good candidates for larger gifts. They are obviously people who work for corporations, they may or may not have higher incomes, and those could be pursued by your major gift staff.”

💡 Recommended Reading: How to Identify Corporate Partnerships [With Double the Donation]

Ready to get started? Schedule a personalized demo with our matching gift experts to see if Double the Donation is right for you.

Double My Donations Now!

Wrapping Up

Tom’s expertise underscores the immense value that matching gifts can bring to any organization or fundraising strategy. By understanding the nuances of these programs and effectively communicating them to donors, teams like yours can unlock a significant source of additional funding.

We hope this matching gift Q&A has provided you with the knowledge and inspiration needed to enhance your matching gift fundraising efforts. By implementing these insights, your organization can not only boost its success but also deepen its connection with donors who are eager to maximize their impact.

Good luck!

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Matching gift buy-in across your organization is crucial, and this guide can help you achieve it!

Matching Gift Buy-In: How to Spark Team-Wide Engagement

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For nonprofit organizations, every dollar counts, and matching gifts are a straightforward, easy way to skyrocket funds. Once they get past the initial lack of knowledge, most nonprofit fundraisers have no issues getting donors motivated and submitting their matching gift requests. The real issue lies with getting your organization’s leadership and staff on board from the get-go to secure matching gift buy-in.

Unfortunately, team members may not initially see the value of matching gifts. They may think their efforts are better spent elsewhere. But as you probably know, matching gifts are a goldmine⁠—and can truly add up with a proactive team (hence why you’re reading this).

If you want to secure every last matching gift dollar possible, you need everyone on board and promoting matching gifts to donors. It’s up to you to clear the gap and build the momentum needed to generate team-wide engagement.

From leadership to staff, rallying up organization-wide support is crucial to fulfilling your matching gift potential. In this article, we’ll cover exactly what you need to accomplish this, from easy ways to educate your team on the process to data you can use to convey the importance of matching gifts. Specifically, we’ll cover:

  1. Securing Leadership Support
  2. Securing Staff Support
  3. Improving the Matching Gift Process
  4. Data to Share with Your Team

Together, we’ll create an end-to-end plan for securing your portion of the $4 to 7 billion in matching gift funds that go unclaimed each year.

Let’s get started!

Securing Leadership Support

Securing support is easier said than done, but without doing so, any outreach efforts will fall flat. You’ll see a small percentage of matches fulfilled at best. If you fall under this category, take a top-down approach by shifting your focus to leadership.

Sometimes, leadership buy-in can be difficult to acquire. However, you need to get those who are in control to see the value of matching gifts. Attaining support from these powerful individuals gives you the momentum you need to get the entire organization motivated for matching gifts. This is because these individuals can advocate for matching gifts and quickly spread the word to their subordinates.

So this begs the question: how exactly do you secure leadership support?

Considering that many nonprofits are stuck at the mixed buy-in stage and often struggle to get full support, building momentum takes a targeted, proactive approach. Here are great starting points for honing in on high-powered individuals within your organization:

Spend time thinking about matching gifts.

If you’re concerned with the amount of time needed to develop a matching gift strategy, start small. The amount of time necessary for optimizing your strategy is minuscule compared to the amount of matching gifts you could be receiving. All it takes is 3 hours a month.

Each month, return to these core components and add on as you see fit:

  • Which donors are eligible but haven’t submitted their matches yet? Reach out and drive these matches to completion.
  • What are the top companies where your donors work that don’t have matching gift programs? Initiate a conversation with them.
  • Can you identify companies that have had several donors submit matching gifts to your organization? Implement targeted outreach to foster deeper relationships with those employers.

Once you’ve fallen into a routine of consistently evaluating and improving your strategy, urge your leadership to do the same. The more time you spend thinking about matching gifts, the more refined and effective your strategies will be.

Leverage internal data.

Instead of simply talking about the difference matching gifts can make, show them. Humans are visual learners; they prefer to see the potential instead of relying on verbal promises.

In an eye-catching format, display the following organization-specific data:

  • Amount of Match-Eligible Donations vs. Actual Submitted Matches
  • Total Revenue Raised from Matched Donations
  • Number of Donors who Work for Companies that Offer Matching Gifts

Leverage the idea that between 5 and 10% of individual contributions are matching gift eligible, meaning you can substantially stretch donors’ dollars and improve retention. You can also use what other organizations are doing as a benchmark. This can help you make a case for matching gifts from a best-practice standpoint. Ultimately, you should harp on the benefits of matching gifts so you can rally up support sooner rather than later.

Luckily, Double the Donation offers an intuitive format for displaying key data points in a visually engaging way. Below, you’ll see an example of what a customer would see when logging into the Double the Donation platform. Notice how it presents the data in an easy-to-understand and concise way with visuals that demonstrate matching gift growth over time.

Leverage software to secure matching gift buy-in.

This is just a fraction of the data you should be sharing with your leadership. Jump ahead to see additional types of key data points that can help you illustrate your matching gift potential.

Have quick meetings with leadership.

Sometimes, less is more⁠—and you don’t want to take up too much of your leadership’s time. Fortunately, 15-minute-long meetings are all you need to get the matching gift message across. And when you respect leadership’s time, they’ll be much more likely to agree to a meeting in the first place. That’s true even if they’re uncertain or misinformed about your organization’s matching gift potential.

However, you have to make sure you effectively convey your message and generate a sense of urgency in that limited time period. After all, they’re taking time out of their busy days to meet with you, so make it count.

When planning for these meetings, take an education-based approach. Chances are, your leadership has minimal (if any) knowledge of matching gifts. Develop a presentation that spells out the basics and then looks at the long-term influence and expectations for your own organization. You’ll want to prepare actionable talking points to facilitate effective conversations.

After completing your initial one-on-one meetings, join quarterly meetings to keep the conversation going. You can provide updates on impact and matching gift growth within your nonprofit. Then, lead into ways your leadership (and the organization as a whole) can improve its efforts. This could be anything from developing your marketing strategy to improving data collection.

Securing Staff Support

Once you have leadership on board, you can transition your efforts to target the entire staff. Fostering a culture and mindset of matching gifts throughout your organization requires time and effort, but the results are undoubtedly worth it.

Keep in mind that at this stage, leadership will need to take a proactive approach when spreading the word to team members. Otherwise, you won’t build enough momentum to fulfill your potential.

Start by determining which specific staff roles to target in order to build momentum around matching gifts. Then, you can build your efforts out from there. Depending on your approach, tailor your efforts to target…

  • Individuals Heading Campaigns and Events. Present the potential matching gift revenue you’re facing with specific fundraisers. This way, they’ll be sure to advertise matching gifts across their communications with attendees.
  • The Finance Team. To maintain accurate data, your finance team will need to track and report on matching gifts. From the total matching gift revenue to match-eligible companies within your system, you can pinpoint areas where you’re falling short with your finance team’s assistance.
  • The Marketing Team. Marketing matching gifts across all communications maximizes visibility. Your marketing team is consistently conducting outreach, so ensure that those individuals are aware of the benefits that come with matching gifts. From direct mail to emails to social media, they’ll be much more likely to incorporate effective appeals in their outreach to donors when they understand the potential benefits.

As with any strategy, tailor your approach to your own organization’s structure and needs. For instance, higher education institutions will need their advancement team on board, while some nonprofits may need support from their IT departments.

By getting these individuals motivated for corporate giving, you’ll at least begin to generate some buzz around matching gifts. Let’s take a look at specific strategies for doing so:

Educate them via informational resources.

Creating educational guides on matching gifts can generate long-term value for your organization. Better yet, save some time by using these resources developed by the experts at Double the Donation.

You can disperse these throughout your organization to quickly spread the word. When you put the information right in front of your staff, they’ll be more likely to engage than if you urged them to conduct research on their own. Plus, when they’re well-versed in the ins and outs of matching gifts, they’ll be able to answer any questions donors may have.

Remember, educating staff is only half the battle. The other half is ensuring they implement the best practices. By developing specific matching gift training, you can accomplish both of these crucial tasks as quickly as possible.

Incorporate matching gifts into onboarding.

As you refine your strategies, begin training new employees on the matching gift process. This way, they’ll be educated from the get-go.

Explain the matching gift process to secure matching gift buy-in.

Depending on your own organization, here are just a few options for getting staff members up-to-speed on matching gifts:

One-Pagers. Explain the process of matching gifts and display some key data to drive your points home. This gives new employees (as well as current ones) a document to reference throughout their time at your organization.

Calls or Meetings. Speaking one-on-one allows staff members to ask any questions they may have. For the best results, make sure you (or whoever conducts the training) are well-versed in matching gifts prior to the call or meeting.

Webinars. Some individuals learn better with a hybrid approach. That is, they prefer presentations that are accompanied by visuals. A webinar is a great way to reach these team members and ensure they’re confident in their matching gift knowledge.

Improving the Process

As you’ve learned, developing an effective strategy is not a one-and-done deal. Rather, it’s an ongoing process. As time passes, you’ll need to refine your efforts in order to acquire optimal results and maintain support. To aid you in the process, consider the following key ideas:

Create a matching gift team.

One of the best ways to generate support is to give individuals personal responsibility in growing your strategies. Instead of relying on every individual to develop their own approach, assign specific individuals to a matching gift team. The more individuals you get involved, the greater the opportunities. You’ll gain a range of perspectives and can optimize your approach to the fullest extent.

However, don’t overload the team with too many members. Rather, take representatives from across the entire organization and consolidate them into one group. Then, task them with the following responsibilities:

  • Develop a matching gift plan.
  • Determine a budget for matching gift outreach.
  • Evaluate marketing opportunities.
  • Determine information to provide to donors.
  • Consider necessary software investments.
  • Evaluate reported metrics.

These are just a handful of the responsibilities you should assign to your matching gift team, but they can serve as a great starting point. As your experience grows, allow the team to adapt its approach. Encouraging select team members to become experts in matching gifts helps you extend your reach in as little time as possible.

Standardize the process organization-wide.

Your organization’s structure plays a crucial role when creating buy-in. The larger your organization, the more difficult it becomes to get and keep everyone engaged—especially when you’re dealing with multiple chapters.

To start, decide on the process you wish to use to promote, track, and reconcile matching gifts. Then, reach out to staff to implement the plan across the board to ensure there are no gaps in your strategies.

Invest in matching gift software to automate the experience.

One of the best ways to improve the matching gift process is to automate the entire thing from start to finish⁠—making it quick and easy for your staff and your donors to get involved. And that involves investing in matching gift software to do so.

For donors, the software simplifies the matching gift process by identifying their eligibility, providing clear instructions, and automating follow-ups, reducing barriers to participation and driving additional revenue through the programs.

For staff, it eliminates much of the manual work involved in tracking, promoting, and managing matching gifts, freeing up time to focus on other critical fundraising activities. By making the process easier and more efficient for everyone, matching gift software helps create a culture of enthusiasm and collaboration, encouraging team members to actively support and promote the program.

Data to Share With Your Team

Nothing speaks louder than numbers. Presenting the benefits of matching gifts may not be enough to get staff and leadership on board unless you have data to back up your claims. Let’s take a look at some of the data you can share with your team in order to get them on board with matching gifts.

General Matching Gift Data

As you get started developing your strategy, you may not be tracking organization-specific data. While specific KPIs will make the largest impact, you can illustrate the bigger picture with general data.

Put the following statistics in front of team members to shed light on the untapped potential that matching gifts present:

Demonstrate the importance of matching gift buy-in with these statistics.

  • An estimated $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed each year.
  • 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer matching gift programs.
  • Over 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs.
  • An estimated $2 to $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually.
  • 84% of donors say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered.
  • 1 in 3 donors indicate they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation.
  • Sending matching gift reminder emails within 24 hours of a donation results in a 53% open rate, which is 2-3 times higher than the average nonprofit email open rate.
  • Employing multiple approaches to identifying match-eligible donors results in 77% more identified match-eligible donations.

Demonstrate the importance of matching gift buy-in with these statistics.

Internal Data Nonprofits Should Consider

Sure, the above statistics are great for conveying the bigger picture of matching gifts, but what about your own organization? What do you stand to gain? How can you pinpoint exact numbers when you’re unsure of where to start?

When refining your strategies, there is a variety of data you should track. Track these key metrics and put them in front of your team to create buy-in:

  1. The number of matching donations
  2. Total revenue raised from matched donations
  3. The number of match-eligible donors from this year who did not submit
  4. The value of the matching gifts for this year’s donors who did not submit
  5. The number of match-eligible donors from last year who did not submit
  6. The value of the matching gifts for last year’s donors who did not submit
  7. Percentage of donations that included matched donations
  8. Percentage of total revenue raised from matched donations

No matter where you are in building your processes, data can help you build a case for increasing your organization’s focus on matching gifts. With overviews of your data, your organization will quickly be able to see where you’re succeeding and where you have room for improvement.

Pro Tip: Tracking data can be difficult, but you need to know where you currently stand in order to optimize your strategies. Use software like Double the Donation to automate the process.

Concluding Thoughts & Additional Resources

We hope that you’ve found this information to be insightful and helpful in creating buy-in for matching gifts. Corporate giving—matching gifts especially—represents a major revenue opportunity for organizations. The point that defines success is whether or not you ignite organization-wide motivation. 

Sparking team-wide engagement is no easy feat, though. Many nonprofit professionals don’t quite see its full value. Because of this, advocating for a cultural shift in mindset to matching gifts requires a hands-on plan of attack.

By expressing enthusiasm and leveraging the tips presented in this guide, you’ll start to gain traction and boost awareness across your organization. With a bit of persistence, you’ll generate the support you need to maximize your revenue potential in no time!

Ready to learn more about making the most of matching gifts? Check out these additional resources to help secure matching gift buy-in:

Secure matching gift buy-in with Double the Donation.

10 Tips to Boost Corporate Matching Gift Participation

10 Tips to Boost Corporate Matching Gift Participation

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Corporate matching gifts are a powerful yet often underutilized resource for nonprofits. In essence, matching gifts are donations that companies make to match the contributions of their employees, effectively doubling (or even tripling!) the original amount given. Imagine a donor gives $100 to your organization. With corporate matching gift participation, that $100 donation could quickly become $200 or more—without the donor needing to give anything extra.

For nonprofits, matching gifts can be a game-changer. Not only do they increase total donations, but they also deepen the impact of individual contributions, helping nonprofits reach their fundraising goals faster. Despite this potential, many nonprofits miss out on corporate matching gift opportunities simply because donors are unaware of the process or how to participate. That’s where strategic marketing comes in.

This article will explore 10 effective marketing practices specifically tailored to nonprofits looking to boost participation in corporate matching gift programs. From educating your donors to leveraging digital marketing and building corporate partnerships, these insights will help you maximize every donation’s potential—ultimately bringing in more funds to fuel your mission. Let’s dive into how you can unlock the power of corporate matching gifts!

1. Educate Your Donors on Matching Gift Programs

The first step in increasing corporate matching gift participation is ensuring your donors understand what matching gifts are and how they work. Surprisingly, many donors may not be aware that their contributions can be matched by their employers, leaving valuable funds on the table. Educating your supporters transforms their understanding and engagement with matching gifts, empowering them to amplify their impact without spending a dollar more.

Tips to Educate Your Donors:

  • Newsletters: Include a section in your newsletters dedicated to matching gifts. Explain the process, eligibility criteria, and how donors can participate. Highlight success stories to illustrate the impact of matching gifts.
  • FAQ Pages: Create an FAQ section on your website to address common questions like, “What is a matching gift?” or “How can I submit a matching gift request?” This serves as a go-to resource for donors.
  • Informational Packets: Design downloadable guides that explain the process step-by-step. Include details about companies offering matching programs and tips for submitting requests.

2. Utilize Targeted Email Campaigns

Email marketing is a highly effective way to raise awareness about corporate matching gifts. Well-targeted campaigns allow you to deliver relevant information to donors at the right time, encouraging them to double their contributions.

Tips for Effective Email Campaigns:

  • Segment Your Audience: Start by segmenting your email list to focus on donors who are most likely to be eligible for matching gifts. For example, you might create separate email lists for new donors, major donors, and recurring donors. Tailoring your message based on donor type makes it more relevant and increases the likelihood that recipients will take action.
  • Compelling Templates: Use email templates that make the matching gift process clear and accessible. A well-designed template could include a brief explanation of matching gifts, a call to action, and a link to a matching gift search tool. Simple, visually appealing templates can make your message more engaging and easier to follow.
  • Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Your email should have a clear, concise CTA, such as “Check if Your Gift Can Be Matched” or “Double Your Impact Today.” The CTA should link directly to information on how to submit a matching gift request.
  • Timing is Key: Sending matching gift emails at key moments—like right after a donation, during year-end giving seasons, or around significant campaign milestones—can increase donor responsiveness. When donors are already in a giving mindset, they’re more likely to take advantage of opportunities to amplify their contribution.

3. Highlight Matching Gifts on Your Donation Page

Your donation page is where the magic happens—it’s where supporters take that meaningful step to give. So, why not use this key moment to inform them about matching gift opportunities? Adding information about matching gifts on your donation page is a simple yet effective way to boost awareness and encourage donors to maximize their contributions.

Tips for Featuring Matching Gifts on Your Donation Page:

  • Add a Matching Gift Widget: A matching gift widget is an easy way to let donors check if their employer offers a matching gift program. By simply entering their employer’s name, donors can quickly find out if their gift is eligible for a match, making the process convenient and accessible. Widgets can streamline the journey from “Can I match my gift?” to “Yes, I’ll match it!”
  • Create a Dedicated Section: Include a dedicated section near your donation form with a short description of matching gifts and how they work. A clear call-to-action (like “Double Your Donation!”), along with a brief explanation of the benefits, can make it easy for donors to understand the impact of participating in a matching program.
  • Use Simple, Encouraging Language: Remember, not all donors are familiar with matching gifts, so keep the language friendly and straightforward. Phrases like “Did you know you could double your donation at no extra cost?” or “Check if your employer offers matching gifts” are inviting and clear, encouraging donors to explore this option.
  • Include Visual Cues: Adding a small icon or graphic that highlights matching gifts can draw the donor’s attention. A small badge, logo, or button in your nonprofit’s branding can subtly guide visitors to take action.

4. Leverage Social Media Outreach

Social media is one of the most effective ways to get the word out about matching gifts. By meeting your supporters where they already spend time, you can amplify awareness, build excitement, and encourage more people to take advantage of these opportunities to maximize their impact.

Tips for Promoting Matching Gifts on Social Media:

  • Create Visual Content: Eye-catching graphics can make your posts stand out in busy feeds. Design visuals that explain the basics of matching gifts or show donors how their contributions could double with just a few clicks. Infographics, charts, or even short videos can be great tools to illustrate the potential impact of matching gifts.
  • Share Success Stories: People connect with stories, so use social media to highlight real-life examples of matching gifts in action. Share a story of a donor whose contribution was matched, demonstrating the impact it had on a specific project or campaign. This not only shows supporters the power of matching gifts but also brings a personal, human element to your messaging.
  • Encourage Sharing: Don’t hesitate to ask followers to share your posts. By encouraging sharing, you expand your reach to friends, family, and colleagues who might not yet know about matching gift opportunities. A simple call to action like “Share this post to help us reach more people!” can go a long way in increasing visibility.
  • Live Q&A Sessions: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer Stories and Live features, which are great for quick, interactive updates. Use Stories to post fun, bite-sized info about matching gifts, or go live to answer questions about the matching gift process. This type of content is engaging, easily digestible, and perfect for boosting awareness.

5. Engage Corporate Partners

Engaging with corporate partners who offer matching gift programs can greatly enhance your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts. By building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with these companies, you’re not only supporting your cause but also giving businesses a meaningful way to engage with their employees and the community.

Tips for Engaging Corporate Partners:

  • Reach Out and Educate: Start by reaching out to local companies, especially those that already offer matching gift programs, and introduce them to your nonprofit’s mission. Many companies are open to partnering with nonprofits that align with their values but may not fully understand the impact of matching gifts. Hosting an informational session or sharing a presentation can go a long way in fostering a connection.
  • Show Appreciation: Let companies know you value their partnership. Simple gestures like thank-you emails, social media shout-outs, or featuring them in your newsletters can demonstrate your gratitude. Consider holding an annual appreciation event for corporate partners, where you can recognize their support and strengthen these relationships.
  • Collaborate on Joint Campaigns: Collaborate with companies to create campaigns that encourage their employees to participate in matching gift programs. For example, you could organize a “matching gift drive” where the company promotes matching gifts internally, and your nonprofit shares stories on social media about the impact of employee-matched donations.
  • Offer Co-Branding Opportunities: Let your corporate partners showcase their involvement in community initiatives by co-branding specific events or donation campaigns. When employees and the community see a company actively supporting your cause, it builds goodwill and boosts the likelihood of higher participation in matching gift programs.
  • Maintain Open Communication: Keep an open line of communication with your corporate partners. Regular updates on the impact of their matching gifts, along with information on upcoming initiatives, can keep your partnership active and rewarding for both sides. This ongoing dialogue shows the business that their involvement makes a real difference.

6. Create a Dedicated Matching Gifts Page on Your Website

A dedicated matching gifts page on your website can be a valuable resource for donors, helping them understand and take advantage of matching gift opportunities. By providing clear, easy-to-access information, you’re empowering donors to maximize their contributions—boosting support for your mission without any extra cost to them.

Tips for Creating an Effective Matching Gifts Page:

  • Add a Company Search Tool: Integrate a tool that allows donors to quickly search for their employer’s matching gift program.
  • Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Use compelling CTAs like “Double Your Impact!” to encourage visitors to explore matching gift opportunities.
  • Step-by-Step Guide: Include a simple guide outlining how donors can verify eligibility and submit requests.
  • FAQs: Add a section answering common questions like “What is a matching gift?” or “How do I get started?” to address any doubts.
  • Inspiring Stories: Share real-life examples of matched donations to highlight the tangible impact of these programs.

7. Simplify the Matching Gift Process

When it comes to encouraging donors to participate in corporate matching gift programs, simplicity is key. If the process seems complicated or time-consuming, donors might feel discouraged from taking that extra step—even if they’re eager to amplify their impact. By removing barriers and making the matching gift process as straightforward as possible, you can significantly increase participation rates.

Tips to Simplify the Matching Gift Process:

  • Step-by-Step Guides: Offer visual or written guides that clearly break down the process, such as checking eligibility, submitting requests, and receiving confirmation.
  • Direct Links: Provide links to employers’ matching gift portals or forms to save donors time.
  • Visual Aids: Use infographics or flowcharts to make the process more accessible.
  • Automation: Use automation tools to identify eligible donors and send personalized instructions.
  • Friendly Reminders: Notify donors of submission deadlines to ensure they don’t miss out on opportunities to match their contributions.

8. Use Data to Target High-Value Donors

Data is one of the most powerful tools for nonprofits aiming to make the most of corporate matching gift programs. By using data-driven strategies, you can identify high-value donors, segment them effectively, and encourage more impactful contributions through matching gifts. This approach allows you to focus your resources where they’ll have the greatest return.

Data-driven strategies help optimize efforts by identifying donors whose employers offer matching gift programs, allowing targeted outreach to maximize contributions. By segmenting donors based on matching gift eligibility, organizations can streamline marketing, ensuring the right message reaches the right audience. This targeted approach enhances the donor experience, making communication more relevant, personal, and impactful.

Tips for Identifying and Targeting High-Value Donors:

  • Leverage Your CRM: Many nonprofit CRM platforms allow you to track donor information, including employment details, donation history, and engagement patterns. Use this data to identify donors who might work for companies with strong matching gift programs. You can then segment these donors for tailored matching gift outreach.
  • Use Email Domain Matching: One quick way to identify potential matching gift eligibility is by looking at email domains. Some matching gift tools can flag donors using corporate email addresses, helping you pinpoint which supporters might be eligible for a match.
  • Run Data Enrichment Campaigns: If your donor database lacks employment details, consider running a data enrichment campaign. Data enrichment services can fill in gaps, such as employer information, that are essential for targeting high-value, match-eligible donors. This can be especially useful if you’re expanding your corporate matching gift efforts.
  • Conduct Predictive Analytics: For larger nonprofits, predictive analytics tools can help identify patterns in donor behavior. By analyzing past giving data, these tools can predict which donors are likely to make large contributions or have the capacity to donate more. This insight helps you focus on those who may benefit most from matching gift encouragement.
  • Survey Your Donors: Sometimes, the easiest way to gather information is to ask directly. Sending a short survey asking donors to share their employer details (while explaining the potential for matching gifts) can be an effective way to update your records and identify high-value donors.

9. Thank Donors and Acknowledge Their Impact

Expressing gratitude is essential for maintaining donor relationships and encouraging future engagement. When donors take the extra step to submit a matching gift request, recognizing their effort can go a long way.

Tips for Thanking Donors:

  • Personalized Messages: Send personalized thank-you emails or letters that highlight the donor’s impact.
  • Public Acknowledgments: With consent, recognize donors on social media or newsletters to celebrate their generosity.
  • Share Impact Stories: Show donors how their matched gifts have contributed to your nonprofit’s mission.
  • Exclusive Content: Provide matched donors with exclusive updates or invites to donor appreciation events.

10. Regularly Review and Improve Your Strategy

As donor behavior and corporate policies evolve, it’s important to regularly review and refine your marketing strategies for corporate matching gifts. Continuous improvement ensures that your efforts remain relevant and effective.

Tips for Reviewing Your Strategy:

  • Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Monitor metrics such as total funds raised, the number of matched gifts, and email engagement rates.
  • Donor Feedback: Collect feedback through surveys to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement.
  • A/B Testing: Test different elements, like email subject lines or website layouts, to determine what resonates best with your audience.
  • Industry Trends: Stay informed about corporate philanthropy trends and incorporate new strategies into your approach.
  • Quarterly Check-Ins: Schedule regular reviews of your strategy to ensure alignment with your nonprofit’s goals.

Final Thoughts

Corporate matching gifts present a unique opportunity for nonprofits to double—or even triple—their impact. However, many organizations fail to fully capitalize on these programs due to a lack of awareness or effective strategy. By implementing the best practices outlined above, you can turn matching gifts into a reliable source of funding while deepening donor engagement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Educate donors on matching gift programs to increase awareness.
  • Use targeted email campaigns and donation page enhancements to drive participation.
  • Leverage social media outreach and corporate partnerships to expand your reach.
  • Simplify the process, thank donors, and regularly review your strategy to ensure success.

By following these steps, your nonprofit can unlock the full potential of corporate matching gifts, amplifying every donor’s contribution and making a greater impact.

Boost corporate matching gift participation with Double the Donation.

Examples & Insights from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

10 Examples & Insights from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

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In June 2024, Double the Donation organized the industry’s first-ever Matching Gift Idea Exchange. This was an opportunity for nonprofits, schools, and other groups to share their best matching gift materials and be inspired by their peers’ ideas as well.

Why?

Matching gifts are a powerful tool for fundraising organizations, allowing them to maximize donations and engage supporters more deeply. However, few organizations are truly maximizing their matching gift potential, and a lack of promotion is a leading reason why.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into 10 inspiring examples and key insights from the completed Matching Gift Idea Exchange. From streamlined matching processes to creative promotional tactics, these examples demonstrate the power of matching gifts to significantly enhance fundraising with valuable inspiration and practical tips.

  1. Supplement your match page with video content.
  2. Make the page accessible from your site navigation.
  3. Host a matching gifts tool on event pages, too. ⁠
  4. Meet your donors where they are with SMS messaging. ⁠
  5. Leverage direct mail to promote matching opportunities.
  6. Pair corporate matching with matching gift challenges. ⁠
  7. Thoroughly thank donors for matching their gifts.
  8. Acknowledge companies that match to your cause. ⁠
  9. Promote matching through personal and mass emails.
  10. Turn corporate matching into a dedicated campaign effort.

Note: Explore how many clients use Double the Donation’s tools to streamline and enhance their matching gift promotions. Not a client yet? No worries! Click here to request a personalized demo.

1) Supplement your match page with video content.

An organization’s matching gifts page is one of its most invaluable assets, especially when it comes to marketing matching gifts effectively. Implementing the right content on the page is essential for driving more matches to completion!

What this Organization Did Well:

OKCMOA, or Oklahoma City Museum of Art, has embedded a minute-long informational video on their matching gifts page. This resource, which the organization submitted as part of our Matching Gift Idea Exchange, quickly overviews the matching gift opportunity, how it helps nonprofits, and how donors can determine their eligibility and next steps using Double the Donation’s matching gift database embedded above.

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Take a multimedia approach on your organization’s dedicated matching gifts page. We recommend incorporating a combination of text, video, and graphic elements to best grasp and retain your audience’s attention while they learn about matching gifts on your site.

Double the Donation clients can access a free, pre-made matching gift video (plus a ton of other graphics and materials) or request a custom-branded version for a fee within the platform.

2) Make the page accessible from your site navigation.

It hardly matters how well-designed your matching gifts page is if no donors can locate it on your website. That’s why making your information easily accessible is a must! Prominently featuring matching gifts on your navigation menu ensures a seamless donor experience and signifies the importance of matching gifts in your fundraising.

What this Organization Does Well:

Blue Faery (the Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association) makes matching gift information easy to locate. All a user has to do is access the drop-down menu from the main “Donate” button and select “Matching Gifts.”

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Add a link to your matching gifts page to your main site navigation! Feel free to nest it under relevant parent pages, such as your “Donate” button or “Ways to Give” compilation for the best results.

3) Host a matching gifts tool on event pages, too. ⁠

Sometimes, an organization will host separate event pages or microsites to market upcoming opportunities (hint: this is a fairly common practice for run/walk/rides and other peer-to-peer fundraisers!). If that’s the case for your team, you’ll want to be sure you’re promoting matching gifts throughout your event pages as well⁠—after all, those gifts are often eligible to be matched, too.

What this Organization Does Well:

The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research is a largely peer-to-peer-based organization, and much of its revenue comes from large-scale fundraising events like the annual Tour de Pier. In order to ensure eligible gifts get successfully matched, the nonprofit has implemented a dedicated Matching Gifts page on its event microsite⁠—complete with a matching gift search tool and an overview of the programs.

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

And, in order to mitigate any confusion, the fundraising team even provides the correct name and tax ID number an individual should use when they go to submit their matching gift requests.

Best Practice For Your Team:

At the very least, mention matching gifts with a dedicated callout on your event or campaign pages. Even better? Establish a separate matching gifts page on your event site to ensure your audience is exposed to the idea and provided with the information they need to get started.

4) Meet your donors where they are with SMS messaging.

According to Nonprofits Source, mobile donations have increased by more than 205% in the past year, and 51% of nonprofit website traffic originates from a mobile device.

What does that mean for you? Your donors’ phones are where they’re at⁠—and you can meet them there with text message engagement strategies.

What this Organization Does Well:

This text message campaign from Save the Children demonstrates the ease with which a matching gift can be requested right from a donor’s mobile device. An individual receives one or both of the texts below and can initiate their match without hesitation simply by clicking the provided link. Talk about frictionless giving experiences!

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Take a multi-channel engagement approach by incorporating SMS into your outreach strategy in addition to standard follow-up emails and more.

Note: Double the Donation offers automated SMS messaging for its Enterprise-level users. Interested? Learn more about upgrading your account here.

5) Leverage direct mail to promote matching opportunities.

In today’s digital world, it can be easy to forget about the power of direct mail marketing. However, incorporating snail mail into your matching gift promotional strategy can have a big impact.

What this Organization Does Well:

Scripps College leverages beautifully designed, eye-catching direct mail cards as a way to draw its supporters’ attention to matching gifts. And, to empower donors to take the next steps without delay, the institution implements a scannable QR code that directs recipients to its online matching gifts page.

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Diversify your messaging with direct mail! If you already have a direct mail fundraising package going out, try adding an insert dedicated to matching gifts. Otherwise, consider a matching gift-focused postcard to spread the word.

6) Pair corporate matching with matching gift challenges.

Did you know that corporate or employee matching gifts represent only a single form of matching donation opportunity an organization might have? Matching gift challenges, or major donor matches, can also play a significant role in boosting a nonprofit’s fundraising. And they’re typically not mutually exclusive⁠, either—meaning donors can have the chance to multiply their gifts twice!

What this Organization Does Well:

UWC-USA noted in the Matching Gift Idea Exchange that it combines the power of corporate matching gifts with other forms of donation matching, including major donor matching gift challenges. In a campaign, interest is typically generated by offering a major donor match. Then, once supporters have navigated to the campaign page, UWC promotes corporate matching gift opportunities as well.

The results? The organization shared that campaign revenue is typically about 30% higher than for those without a matching gift offer. Plus, a significantly higher percentage of donors check to see if their companies provide a donation match!

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Try running a double-matching campaign! If you can find a major donor willing to put up a significant match amount, leverage that opportunity in addition to corporate matching gifts to get donors’ gifts multiplied again and again.

7) Thoroughly thank donors for matching their gifts.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to getting a gift matched. Thanking your donors for their involvement allows you to communicate your gratitude and close the loop at each step of the process.

What this Organization Does Well:

UNCF makes a serious effort to thank its matching gift donors at multiple touch points in the supporter journey. That includes upon the submission of their matching gift request and after the company pays out the matching donation.

To best grab the recipient’s attention and get their message across, the organization does so with a well-designed postcard (or two!).

A sample screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Showing thanks is essential for any donor relationships, and communicating gratitude to your matching gift donors is essential for retaining their support in the long run. As you do so, remember that they went above and beyond in requesting a matching gift. You, too, should go above and beyond in your thanksgiving.

8) Acknowledge companies that match to your cause. ⁠

When it comes to thanking donors for matching gifts, it’s generally recommended that you center your efforts around the individual who requested the match. However, acknowledging the company (AKA the entity that pays out the match) can go a long way in building long-term relationships, too.

What this Organization Does Well:

Michigan Technological University uses its matching gifts page for an additional purpose: highlighting leading matching gift companies that have completed matches to the school in the past year. This way, the companies listed can feel the appreciation of their support and donors accessing the page can gain at-a-glance insights into top matching gift companies in their network.

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Shine a spotlight on examples of companies that have supported your cause with matching gifts in the past. Not only is this an excellent way to thank these matching gift contributors (with additional publicity), but it can also inspire more donors (from the spotlighted companies and otherwise) to want to get involved.

9) Promote matching through personal and mass emails.

More than likely, email makes up a significant portion of your supporter engagement strategy. There are emails you send to all donors (mass marketing) and those you send one at a time.

For the best matching gift results, consider a mix of both types of outreach to grab your audience’s attention and drive more submissions to completion.

What this Organization Does Well:

Save the Boundary Waters takes a multi-faceted approach to promoting matching gift opportunities through email marketing. When a donor gives, they receive a personalized copy of the automated email (powered by Double the Donation) on the left. This encourages them to pursue a match for their recent gift while they are still at the height of their engagement with the organization.

Then, the team also regularly promotes matching gifts through a segment of its digital newsletter sent to all donors, on the right. This allows the organization to drive awareness of the programs across its entire audience at once!

Ideas and Insights From the Matching Gift Idea Exchange_Save the Boundary Waters A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Double the Donation research indicates that organizations that send a single matching gift email see an estimated 31% of eligible donations submitted for matching. Meanwhile, a second reminder email increases submissions by 45%, and a third email brings the total percentage of submitted eligible gifts to 49%.

So, what does that mean for you? To engage the greatest number of donors and achieve the best results, incorporate more than one matching gift email into your follow-up cadence. For even better results, vary the formatting and structure between newsletters, email blasts, personal reminders, and more.

10) Turn corporate matching into a dedicated campaign effort.

Rallying support around matching gifts can significantly amplify the support received from donors. Generating enthusiasm through campaigns, events, and other dedicated communications can go a long way in increasing awareness and participation in the programs.

What this Organization Does Well:

In this final submission from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange, Community Ministry has launched a dedicated campaign effort called the “Hunger Heroes.” This initiative included a campaign logo, a one-pager overviewing the opportunity and how donors can get involved, an email blast, and a number of related social media posts.

Donors who get their gifts matched by their employers then earn the “Hunger Heroes” designation as a way to celebrate their above-and-beyond support and leverage social proof to drive additional engagement in the campaign.

A samples screenshot from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange

Best Practice For Your Team:

Make matching gifts fun and exciting by adding a layer of novelty. Try providing donors with a digital “Matching Gift Donor” certificate or hosting an event alongside a big matching gift push.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

As the above examples from the Matching Gift Idea Exchange show, there are countless ways for nonprofits and schools to innovate and improve their matching gift efforts. By implementing the strategies highlighted above, organizations can unlock additional funding, strengthen relationships with donors, and drive greater community impact.

All in all, we hope these insights have inspired you to bring your matching gift efforts to new heights. Stay tuned to participate in the Matching Gift Idea Exchange next year!

In the meantime, check out these additional resources to grow your knowledge of all things matching gifts:

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