Marketing matching gifts in your digital communications

Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Digital Communications

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The #1 reason why donors don’t submit matching gift requests is that they don’t know their employers offer such programs. Corporate giving can be a significant source of revenue for nonprofits, and promoting these engagement opportunities to donors can substantially increase your giving revenue. That’s why more and more organizations like yours are crafting strategies to drive this funding source⁠—including marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.

In fact, studies show that mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. Not only do matching gift programs double individual donations, but they also encourage more donors to give in the first place and to increase their original contribution. In the end, that makes the matched gift larger, too!

In this guide, we’ll discuss a few of the most impactful and efficient ways to inform donors about gift-matching programs by utilizing digital communications. These typically include:

Incorporating corporate giving into your digital outreach strategy can put you on the path to reaching your fundraising goals in a fraction of the time. Let’s get started!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Emails

Email outreach is a vital component of digital communications and overall fundraising. Email provides instantaneous outreach to donors, so you can essentially ask “Have you thought about doubling donations with matching gifts today?” Then, people can reply (or request their match!) just as quickly.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email streams include:

  • Embedding a text link and a visual graphic within your email that directs readers to your matching gift page, attracting supporters’ attention and guiding them to additional information to continue growing their knowledge on the topic.
  • Encouraging supporters to perform a search to see if their company matches donations. If so, your embedded database tool makes it easier than ever for users to access the appropriate forms, guidelines, and instructions to complete their match submissions.

This will allow you to capture donors’ continued support while they’re in the giving mindset⁠. Not to mention, meet them right where they are: on their mobile devices or computers!

A successful email marketing strategy hinges on a well-paced, steady procession of the right moves rather than a reckless bombardment of emails. With enough space to write a quick blurb and/or link to a full-length article, email messages are a great place to educate donors about matching gifts.

Keep in mind that a personalized email or digital newsletter dedicated to matching gifts is likely going to be the most effective strategy. However, incorporating matching gifts in a larger email resource can work well, too. Loyal donors will likely read your regular emails, so it’s a good place to provide in-depth information about the benefits of corporate giving.

Example Content:

  • “Do you work for a match-maker? Instantly find out if your employer will double or even triple your donation to the National Kidney Foundation with a quick search of our online database!”
  • “Thousands of companies will match donations made by their team members, retirees, and even employee spouses. Search now to access your employer’s matching gift forms and complete the simple, minutes-long process to drive additional support toward our cause.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via email

When it comes to timing, we recommend following up with donors soon after they complete their initial gifts. However, you don’t want to include your matching gift messaging within an existing thank-you email, as those are more likely to be overlooked.

Our matching gift research indicates that emails sent within 24 hours of a donation produce a 53% open rate. That’s 2-3x times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Email Signatures

Chances are that your organization sends a ton of emails⁠—including fundraising messages, mission-related content, and more. But did you know that every message you send can be an opportunity to promote matching gifts? Just use your email signature!

An email signature typically includes an individual’s personal contact details, nonprofit information, and even a relevant image or organization logo⁠—but it’s also a great place to promote matching gifts.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email signatures include:

  • Modifying the email signatures for everyone on your membership and/or development teams to promote matching gifts at as many touch points as possible.
  • Linking to additional resources to which recipients can navigate to learn more about matching gift opportunities (such as your dedicated matching gift page on your website).

A simple blurb alongside a flashy graphic about corporate giving can increase awareness and be the needed push for donors to take a quick five minutes to submit matching gift requests. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to promote matching gifts year-round.

Example Content:

  • “Your donation may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at catrescueclub.com/matching-gifts/.”
  • “Your membership contribution may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at doublethedonation.com/CRC/.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via email signature
Marketing matching gifts effectively involves making the most of every opportunity and resource at your disposal. And your staff email signatures offer a valuable source of promotional real estate that can go a long way in your day-to-day interactions!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Social Media Posts

People flock to social media to discover the internet’s best content. Though you don’t need to produce viral posts every day, you do need to provide compelling and engaging information on a consistent basis. And some of the most impactful content you can share has to do with corporate gift-matching opportunities!

There are nearly as many social media outlets as there are stars in the universe, so it’s best to focus on really optimizing your strategy on just a few sites. Depending on your organization and its typical donor base, this might include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and more. Regardless of the platforms you choose, each networking site requires a nuanced approach to get your information out there and best engage with your audience.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your social media platforms include:

  • Sharing educational resources about matching gift programs and the companies that offer them to educate and empower donors to take action.
  • Engaging your digitally savvy donors and volunteers and encouraging them to submit matching gifts to increase the likelihood of submission.
  • Scheduling messages on a recurring basis as a way to appeal to supporters without asking for an additional donation.

Whether or not you employ a matching gift service, a simple tweet, Facebook post, or LinkedIn article can spread the word about these programs to thousands of donors.

Social media sites like these offer a great way to keep people up-to-date on your nonprofit’s campaigns, inform your audience about matching gift opportunities, and encourage donors to look into the process. Just be sure to include a direct link to a location where users can uncover additional information and the next steps!

Example Content:

  • “It takes just a few minutes to submit a corporate employee matching gift form…have you submitted yours?”
  • “What do Microsoft, Bank of America, IBM, and Verizon all have in common? Each one matches donations made by their employees to nonprofit organizations. Many major employers offer similar employee matching gift programs. Search atlantauniversity.edu/employer-matching-gifts/ to find out if your employer offers something like this, as well as to access program guidelines, how-to instructions, and relevant forms.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via social media
Social media offers an excellent opportunity to get matching gift information in front of a wide audience at a time. Not to mention, it allows supporters to interact with your content in personal ways, strengthening their connections with your cause and allowing them to spread the word even further.

Marketing Matching Gifts With Text Messages

Another form of digital communication that is becoming increasingly popular among nonprofits and their donors is texting. In fact, studies show that SMS marketing reports average open and response rates of 98% and 45%, respectively. As a result, text messaging, or SMS, can be a fantastic way to reach donors quickly and affordably using direct marketing strategies.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with SMS communications include:

  • Automating your organization’s outgoing text messaging efforts to donors identified as matching gift eligible to save time while growing revenue.
  • Keeping your texts short and sweet to get your message across quickly (typically 1,000 characters or less) and grab your audience’s attention.
  • Utilizing personalizable SMS templates and customizing names, donation amounts, employing companies, and more to increase likelihood of engagement.

Luckily, there are a number of tech solutions designed to streamline and simplify the processes involved with mass, pre-scheduled text messaging. For example, Double the Donation utilizes programmable communications company, Twilio to offer automated matching gift text marketing services for its enterprise clients.

Example Content:

  • “David, thank you for your generous donation of $200 to the Cat Rescue Club. Did you know that your gift is likely eligible for a corporate match from Johnson & Johnson? View your employer’s matching gift guidelines and forms here!”
  • “Have you submitted your matching gift request for your most recent contribution? Get your donation doubled and increase the impact brought to Atlanta University.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via text
SMS marketing continues to grow in popularity as text is a quick, easy, and effective way to get your message in front of donors. And with a mobile-friendly matching gift solution like 360MatchPro, supporters can choose to take the next steps and submit matches from their smart phones from wherever they are!

Marketing Matching Gifts With Start / End-of-Year Reminders

Matchable donations have limited lifespans, so you need to promote matching gifts to eligible donors before the clock runs. In other words, a supporter can’t donate and submit a matching gift request for that donation half a decade later.

Although program specifics vary by company, most corporations adhere to one of the following types of standards for matching gift submission deadlines:

  1. A set number of months from the date of the donation (the standard is one year, though it can range from one to twelve months)
  2. The end of the calendar year
  3. The end of January or February in the year following when the donation was made

That’s why year-end and new-year appeals can be such a great way to remind donors about impending matching gift deadlines.

Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your start or end-of-year reminders include:

  • Providing context about matching gift programs and the importance of submitting matching gift requests before it’s too late.
  • Stressing that previously made donations are often eligible to be matched for up to a year after being submitted.
  • Ramping up your matching gift marketing efforts with increased communications during the year-end giving season.
  • Utilizing social media as a great way to spread the word to your supporters and reach the widest audiences possible.
  • Optimizing communications by staying up-to-date on your donors’ employers and their specific deadline requirements.

Ideally, your organization will encourage donors to submit their matching gifts at the time of their initial donation. However, many companies have an extended grace period during which they’ll accept requests. Ending or starting a new year is a fantastic chance to remind donors about an opportunity they may have overlooked.

Don’t miss out on a final chance to double donations from the year!

Example Content:

  • “Did you donate to us this year? There’s still time to submit a matching gift request from your employer⁠—submit your match here before the end of the year!”
  • “Many matching gift companies offer a several-month grace period in the year following the year a donation was made. Now, many deadlines are quickly approaching at the end of January and February! Find out how to access your employer’s guidelines and complete your match request here.”

Example of marketing matching gifts in your digital communications via year-end reminder
Check out our matching gift marketing guide

Bonus: Multiply your impact with these recommended marketing resources!

According to Nonprofits Source research, an estimated 80% of nonprofits report having difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources. That’s where we come in at Double the Donation. Our aim is to equip organizations with the tools they need to successfully market matching gifts through digital engagement.

Read on to explore our suggested ways to elevate matching gift results with these available assets.

360MatchPro automation platform

First things first, you don’t want to have to schedule and send each digital correspondence on your own. Nor do you want to be tasked with the manual research involved with screening and identifying match-eligible donors.

Instead, Double the Donation’s complete automation solution, 360MatchPro, equips organizations to trigger the right messaging at the right time. This ensures more donors are being informed of their matching gift opportunity and encouraged to take part when eligible⁠—helping you to grow funding at your mission!

Check out this 60-second overview to see how it works:

And incorporating eye-catching and attention-grabbing visual elements in your outreach can go a long way!

Double the Donation’s customizable digital marketing templates

A lot of successful digital outreach involves content creation⁠—written, video, graphic, and more. This is especially true when it comes to engaging your audience with a multimedia marketing strategy. For example, one study indicates that social media content with video produces more than 10x the engagement rate of content without video. Meanwhile, another report found that including images in social posts results in over 650% higher engagement than text-only content. And these findings are consistent across views, clicks, likes, replies, shares, and more.

Yet many organizations don’t feel they have the time to devote to the creation of such materials. That’s why the Double the Donation team provides its users with access to free, editable marketing templates. This includes pre-designed graphics and customizable animations for email, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn⁠. And this arsenal of marketing materials should make it quick and easy to promote matching gifts online.

Note: For current clients looking to obtain these assets, log into your 360MatchPro account at https://doublethedonation.com/members/login/. From there, navigate to the “Resources” tab and select the option for “Marketing Assets.”

Market matching gifts in your digital communications with Double the Donation's helpful templates

Then, scroll to browse our library of more than 24 pre-made Canva templates, eBooks, and graphics⁠—and begin editing to your liking!

Market matching gifts in your digital communications with Double the Donation's helpful templates

Not familiar with Canva? Check out our walkthrough here to get started—and register your organization for free access to Canva Premium here!

Plus, 360MatchPro users also have the opportunity to download a free matching gift video or purchase a custom-branded 60-second overview that can be implemented across digital marketing channels.

For those who do not yet employ Double the Donation’s services, request a demo to get in touch with our team and explore our top matching gift marketing tools.

Matching gift learning materials and expert insights

Finally, Double the Donation is proud to provide a wide array of educational resources⁠—including blog posts, live and on-demand webinars, downloadable guides, templates, and more⁠⁠—for nonprofit fundraisers looking to get better acquainted with matching gifts. After all, your team will be able to market matching gifts to supporters more effectively when those behind the scenes are intimately familiar with the programs.

And one of our top recommended resources for organizations is our online Matching Gift Academy. As the industry’s first and only digital learning platform centered on effective match fundraising, this content on building a matching gift strategy, overcoming common pitfalls, best practices for identifying eligible donors, and an entire module dedicated to matching gift marketing efforts.

Plus, we offer free access to the Academy for all current Double the Donation users as another way to boost our clients’ success.

Wrapping Up & Further Reading

Nonprofits need every dollar they can grab. Luckily, matching gifts are an effective way to increase fundraising without demanding too much out of donors. The first step is simply making donors aware of the opportunities⁠. And one of the best ways to do so is by marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.

You may choose to promote matching gifts using social media, texts, emails, and more (or a combination of such methods). Incorporating online outreach in your strategy allows you to showcase matching gifts in a simple, affordable, and effective way.

Get ready to maximize your matching gift funding! Explore our other suggested educational resources on the topic below:

Make the most of matching gifts for your organization. Learn more about how Double the Donation can help market matching gifts in your digital communications.

In this guide, we’ll cover best practices for writing fundraising letters and provide effective templates to set you up for success.

14 Fundraising Letters & Templates to Inspire More Support

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Your nonprofit needs funds to power its mission, but how do you communicate this need to potential donors? Fundraising letters are a time-tested, impactful way to reach out to supporters and encourage them to play a role in your impact.

Whether you choose to send them via email or direct mail, if you’re looking for smart and effective appeal letters, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled common types of donation requests, plus carefully crafted templates that your team can use to jumpstart your outreach.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

With the right tips, tricks, and tools, your team can connect with more donors and cultivate lasting relationships to strengthen your work. Let’s cover the basics of writing fundraising letters, then explore the specific types of requests your nonprofit may decide to send.

Click through to learn more about how 360MatchPro can help your nonprofit earn more from its fundraising letters with matching gifts.

How to Send Fundraising Letters

Before crafting your letters, you’ll want to know how you’re going to deliver each one. That way, you can tailor the formatting appropriately. Certain outlets lend themselves better to letters than others. Of course, you’ll want to deliver your solicitation letters using each recipient’s preferred contact method. Bearing that in mind, let’s explore the most common channels nonprofits use to solicit donations.

Via eCards

Who doesn’t love receiving a thoughtful greeting card? From special occasions to “just because,” there’s a card for everything! With a bit of creativity, you can elevate your fundraising letters by sending them as digital greeting cards. Each donor will receive a virtual greeting card alongside your letter. Delivering them in this format is more creative and effective than a plain letter.

Here’s a peek into why nonprofits use this approach to drive greater fundraising results:

  • Visual Appeal: eCards are visually captivating since you can use images, graphics, and videos to grab the recipient’s attention. This enhances the overall impact of the message and encourages the recipient to read more of your message.
  • Interactivity: Using this format, you can incorporate interactive elements like animations that activate when hovered over and clickable links to your donation page. Not only do these features make letters more engaging, but they also make it convenient for recipients to donate.
  • Timeliness: You can deliver eCards instantly, ensuring that the message reaches your recipient promptly. There’s no need to wait for it to be delivered in the mail, making eCards especially valuable for time-sensitive appeals.
  • Shareability: Recipients can forward eCards to friends, family, and anyone else who might be interested in supporting your cause. This amplifies the reach of your fundraising letter!

Not to mention, this approach is extremely cost-effective, eco-friendly, and personable. No need to waste paper or money on printing and postage. You’ll get the speed of email and the authenticity of direct mail!

To leverage this approach, choose an online eCard platform. We recommend using eCardWidget. The platform enables nonprofits to create digital greeting cards that communicate their missions. To fundraise with them, you can either sell them to supporters or send them directly to donors to solicit gifts.

Click here to design eCards to send with your fundraising letters.

Via Email

Many nonprofits connect with donors by delivering fundraising letters via email. Regular email communication allows you to build relationships over time by keeping supporters informed about your organization’s initiatives and fostering a sense of belonging to a larger cause.

Through targeted email campaigns, you can reach your entire donor base while customizing solicitation messages to resonate with individual donors. You’ll want to:

  • Craft compelling subject lines that grab attention and encourage recipients to read your letters.
  • Segment email lists based on donor history, interests, and engagement levels.
  • Include clear calls to action, guiding recipients to take action by either donating or sharing the campaign with their networks.
  • Review performance metrics such as open rates and click-through rates to gauge the success of your fundraising letters.

The versatility, speed, and cost-effectiveness of email make it an essential tool in your nonprofit’s fundraising and digital marketing arsenal. You’ll have everything you need to deliver thoughtful fundraising letters and drive contributions that support your work.

Via Direct Mail

Deliver your fundraising letters via direct mail to donors who prefer a more personable touch. Known for its authenticity, direct mail allows you to connect with donors on a more intimate level.

Fundraising via direct mail makes it a bit more challenging to segment your outreach, but still take donor-specific details like giving history into account when crafting your letters. Then, you’ll want to vary your approach slightly by including easy response components. For example, include a pre-addressed envelope or QR code that leads to your donation page. This will simplify the donation process, enhancing the effectiveness of your solicitations.

Overall, the tactile nature of direct mail makes it a valuable tool for your nonprofit to engage donors, reinforce its mission, and drive meaningful contributions.

How to Write a Fundraising Letter

When crafting a fundraising letter for your nonprofit, the key to success lies in not only communicating your funding needs clearly, but inspiring recipients to take action and make a gift. To set your appeal up for success, follow these essential steps:

Follow these steps to write a compelling fundraising letter, explored in more detail below.

  1. Address the donor by their preferred name. Including the recipient’s name demonstrates that you value their support as an individual, rather than a nameless source of revenue.
  2. Incorporate storytelling. Make it easy for potential donors to understand the importance of your mission by sharing a story that elicits empathy and demonstrates how your nonprofit makes a real difference in the lives of those you serve. For instance, a wildlife rescue nonprofit might introduce an injured fox that it’s working to rehabilitate and release.
  3. Add compelling visuals. Adding an image or two can immediately grab the attention of your recipients, enhance your messaging, and allow them to better understand why they should contribute to your cause.
  4. Emphasize the impact of donations. Empower potential donors to act by situating them at the center of your nonprofit’s impact. Be specific as to how their gifts will further your mission. For example, a nonprofit that trains and provides assistance dogs to military veterans might communicate that a $25 gift will provide a month’s worth of food for one dog, and a $100 gift will cover all of its vaccination costs.
  5. Include a call to action. Once you’ve emphasized the importance of donations, use a call to action to encourage recipients to act immediately. Then, include a link to your donation page or, if you’re sending the letter via direct mail, add a QR code along with a pre-addressed return envelope.

To make your fundraising appeals stand out from the crowd, consider sending them as fundraising eCards. These online cards provide an efficient, memorable, and sustainable⁠ way to engage your supporters—not to mention they’re low-cost.

14 Types of Fundraising Letters (+ Templates)

Now that you have a clearer understanding of what it takes to draft a compelling fundraising letter, let’s take a closer look at some common types and templates that may come in handy:

1. Nonprofit Fundraising Letters 8. Event Fundraising Letters
2. Seasonal Fundraising Letters 9. Recurring Gift Fundraising Letters
3. School Fundraising Letters 10. Capital Campaign Fundraising Letters
4. Church Fundraising Letters 11. Annual Fund Fundraising Letters
5. Individual Fundraising Letters 12. Corporate Sponsorship Letters
6. In-Kind Donation Request Letters 13. Donor Thank-You Letters
7. Matching Gift Fundraising Letters 14. Fundraising Update Letters

1. Nonprofit Fundraising Letters

What are nonprofit fundraising letters?

Nonprofit fundraising letters are typically sent by charitable organizations to individual donors and/or prospects in order to solicit donations for a cause. They can be sent on their own or included in a welcome packet that contains pamphlets, booklets, and additional information.

Typically, an effective donation request letter will include:

  • A summary of your mission and vision
  • How you’ll use donated funds
  • A direct and specific call to action that creates urgency

Bonus: We suggest giving donors the option to reply to your letters by mailing a traditional check or directing them to give through your organization’s website.

To whom should you send them?

Send your nonprofit fundraising letters to anyone in your network of support, including:

  • Current and past supporters
  • Prospective donors
  • Volunteers
  • Event attendees
  • Board members

In other words, reach out to anyone who has previously expressed interest in your cause. Tailor your messaging to different groups based on their relationship with your organization. Keep in mind that while older generations of donors may prefer direct mail communications, younger millennials and Gen Z supporters may prefer a digital approach.

When should you use them?

You can send nonprofit fundraising letters at any time of the year! However, they are particularly effective toward the end of the calendar year when donors are calculating their pre-tax season finances. People also tend to be more charitable in December, which means that your appeal has a better chance of securing a donation.

Nonprofit fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

[Begin with an emotional appeal: A success story or a narrative that tugs on donors’ heartstrings and hooks your readers. Keep it short and sweet, though!]

Our community/nation/world is facing [problem(s) your organization aims to solve]. While we are actively [insert current solutions or related programming], we need your help to make our efforts go even further.

Your support is crucial to our efforts to improve the world around us by [tangible steps toward your overall mission]. We’d love it if you could make a donation of $[suggested amount] to help us achieve our mission and [solve the problem].

Thank you in advance for your contribution. Your donation will go toward [insert ongoing effort, recent accomplishment, or current project].

Here are the ways you can make a donation:

  • Donate online at [URL to donation page]
  • Call us at [phone number]
  • Send a check in the pre-stamped envelope
  • Text [keyword] to [text-to-give phone number]

Thank you again!

Sincerely,

[Signature of Organization Leader]

[Name of Organization Leader]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

P.S. [End with an update about an upcoming event, volunteer opportunity, or other information on how to get further involved].

Nonprofit fundraising eCard example

This eCard would work perfectly for a disaster relief organization that wants to send fundraising letters.

The eCard above depicts two hands uniting through flood waters. This creative design is ideal for a disaster relief organization seeking support for communities affected by flooding. While a simple design, the hands communicate the impact just one donor could have.

2. Seasonal Fundraising Letters

What are seasonal fundraising letters?

Seasonal fundraising letters are sent during specific times of the year and are typically aligned with holidays, annual events, or seasons that hold significance for the cause or donors.

These letters play into the emotional and thematic connections associated with specific seasons to engage donors and encourage contributions. Since these fundraising letters are time-oriented, the timing and context help foster a sense of urgency and prompt recipients to take action.

To whom should you send them?

These types of fundraising letters are ideal for anyone who’s shown interest in your cause, including:

  • Existing donors
  • Lapsed donors
  • Prospective donors
  • Volunteers
  • Event attendees
  • Board members

If you’re sending a holiday-themed letter, just make sure that the recipient celebrates the holiday. For example, you wouldn’t want to send a Christmas card to someone who celebrates Hanukkah instead.

When should you use them?

By considering the timing of each seasonal fundraising letter, you can maximize the impact of your outreach and encourage meaningful contributions. Key times to send seasonal fundraising letters include:

  • Around holidays: From Valentine’s Day to the Fourth of July, any holiday is the perfect time to send a solicitation letter. Whether you’re fundraising during Christmas, Mother’s Day, or Thanksgiving, you can encourage people to give back.
  • At year-end: Considering that December accounts for 30% of annual giving, the end of the year is the perfect time to send seasonal fundraising letters. Capitalize on the spirit of giving during the year-end holiday season, and emphasize the importance of making a last-minute tax-deductible donation.
  • During cause awareness months: Determine if there’s an awareness month, week, or day devoted to your cause. If so, send fundraising letters during that time. For example, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October, Earth Day is April 22nd, and National Suicide Prevention Week falls in September each year.
  • Back-to-School (August/September): As the school year begins, nonprofits focused on education or youth development can send letters that emphasize the importance of investing in children’s futures.
  • Summer Campaigns (June-August): Summer months can be a great time to send letters, especially for environmental causes, youth programs, and other outdoor initiatives that align with the season’s themes of growth, adventure, and relaxation.

There are plenty of other times you can send your seasonal fundraising letters beyond these. In any case, the timing should align with the occasion’s theme and your nonprofit’s mission. This will ensure the message resonates.

Seasonal fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor’s Name],

Greetings from [Your Nonprofit’s Name]! As the [Season] season unfolds, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve embarked upon and are humbled by the unwavering support of individuals like you who have been a beacon of hope for our cause.

This [Season], we are excited to share the remarkable strides we’ve taken toward [Mission]. With your support, we’ve been able to [Highlight a specific achievement, project, or initiative]. We invite you to join us once again in making a profound difference in the lives we touch.

Your generosity has been instrumental in [Describe the impact of their previous contributions]. With every dollar you contribute, you are sowing the seeds of positive change and empowerment.

As we approach [Specific Occasion or Date], consider making a [Seasonal] donation to [Your Nonprofit’s Name]. Your gift, no matter the size, will help us [Highlight the purpose or project that the seasonal campaign is supporting].

Here’s how you can contribute:

  • Online: Visit our website at [Website Link] to donate.
  • Mail: Fill out the enclosed donation form and send it to [Your Nonprofit’s Address].
  • Phone: Call us at [Phone Number] to make a donation over the phone.

Your belief in our mission is the foundation upon which we build a brighter future. Together, we can create lasting change that resonates far beyond [Season].

Thank you for being a pillar of support for [Your Nonprofit’s Name]. Your generosity is a gift that keeps on giving, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to making the world a better place.

Wishing you and your loved ones a meaningful [Season] season!

With gratitude,
[Signature]
[Name]
[Nonprofit]

Seasonal fundraising eCard example

This Valentine’s Day eCard would pair well with a seasonal fundraising letter.

Valentine’s Day is one of the best holidays for sending seasonal fundraising appeals since people are in a loving state of mind. If you need examples to spark your inspiration, the Humane Society of Tacoma & Pierce County designed a collection of Valentine’s eCards that donors could purchase to send to loved ones. Each design featured one of their furry residents, the nonprofit’s logo, heart graphics, and animal puns.

While you can always sell eCards like this, try sending them alongside your fundraising letters to donors!

3. School Fundraising Letters

What are school fundraising letters?

School fundraising letters are a popular way for educational institutions (K-12 and higher ed, public and private alike) to solicit support for various school-related purposes. They generally provide a summary of the school’s specific fundraising needs, such as:

  • Upcoming field trips
  • Extracurricular activities and clubs
  • Scholarships and financial aid offerings
  • Educator training and professional development
  • New equipment and technology purchases
  • Classroom supplies
  • Athletic programs and facilities

To maximize results, highlight your school’s recent accomplishments, specify how the funding will make an impact on your student body and community, and provide instructions on how the letter recipient can choose to give.

To whom should you send them?

Send school fundraising letters to your school’s supporters—and those you think may be interested in getting involved. Often, this will include:

  • Students’ parents
  • PTA members
  • Other volunteers
  • Alumni
  • Community members

You can even take a peer-to-peer approach, encouraging students to send their own fundraising letters to family members and friends who may be interested in giving.

When should you use them?

Send your fundraising appeals at any time during the school year!

However, popular campaign periods include the beginning of the school year, leading up to the holiday season, and prior to large-scale events and initiatives.

School fundraising letter template

Dear [Name],

We hope this letter finds you well. As we begin the new school year here at [School Name], we are excited to share with you some of the exciting initiatives we have planned for our students.

At [School Name], we are committed to providing the best possible education and learning opportunities for our students. We believe every student deserves access to the resources and support they need to succeed, regardless of their background or financial situation.

To help us achieve this goal, we are launching a fundraising campaign to support various school-related initiatives, such as [list specific initiatives].

We are reaching out to our dedicated parents, alumni, and supporters to ask for your help in achieving our fundraising goals. Your generosity can make a significant impact on the lives of our students, helping us to provide them with the best possible education and prepare them for a bright future.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will be greatly appreciated and put to good use. [Include instructions on how to donate, e.g., online donation platform, mailing a check, etc.]

We value your continued support. Thank you in advance for considering a donation to [School Name] and for committing to helping us create a brighter future for our students.

Best wishes,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

Seasonal fundraising eCard example

Schools can create eCards like this one to pair with their fundraising letters to families.

If you’re designing an eCard for school fundraising, create an engaging design like the one above. Your eCard platform will likely provide plenty of graphics related to education, like graduation caps, apples, and anything else you need. Be sure to incorporate childlike elements like handwritten font to make your design more authentic.

4. Church Fundraising Letters

What are church fundraising letters?

Church fundraising letters can take many forms. They can be used to ask for general church-related contributions, as well as fundraising efforts such as:

  • Charity auction item requests
  • Fundraising event donations
  • Sponsorship requests
  • Mission trip funding
  • Church building funds
  • Missionary support

Churches commonly send out fundraising letters to notify congregants when church events or other fundraising initiatives are occurring. These types of fundraising letters can be used to share the details—date, time, location, etc.—of the event and encourage those who can’t attend to give in advance.

To whom should you send them?

Depending on your specific needs, you can send church fundraising letters to your congregation or to a broader community audience.

For instance, a fundraising appeal to collect donations in support of a new church building will likely be sent only to those involved with the church, while a campaign to raise funds for sending youth to a summer camp might solicit donations from students’ family members and friends, regardless of their affiliation with your ministry.

When should you use them?

You can send out church letters whenever you have a fundraising need! Churches rely on the generosity of their congregants to keep the doors open and the lights on.

Of course, you’ll want to limit your fundraising letters to a few per year and rely on in-person appeals during a church service for the majority of your fundraising efforts.

Church fundraising letter template

Dear [Name],

We hope this letter finds you well. Because you’re an important part of our church family, and we’ve so appreciated your support in the past regarding our [example campaign the individual supported] initiatives, we thought you’d want to know about our big plans for this new year.

As you surely know, our congregation is growing. Just like any family, the more members you have, the more room you need. We’re pleased to invite you to be an important part of this exciting process!

[Church Name] is raising money for a brand-new sanctuary and bell tower. How blessed are we to have so many members like yourself that we need to build an entirely new structure?

That said, we are currently accepting donations that will make this exciting new project possible, and we ask that you consider giving to support our efforts.

Your donation, no matter the size, will be greatly appreciated and put to good use. We invite you to be a part of this new chapter in our church’s history and help us create a space where we can come to worship, learn, and grow together.

If you would like to contribute, please visit our website at [URL] or mail or drop off a check to [church office address].

Feel free to reach out to our special projects coordinator, [Name], at [phone number] or by email at [email address] if you have any questions about our fundraising initiatives or the new sanctuary or bell tower.

As always, have a blessed week. We hope to see you Sunday!

In Him,

[Pastor’s Signature]

[Pastor’s Name]

Church fundraising eCard example

Create religious eCards to send alongside your fundraising letters to congregation members.

When designing an eCard for a church, be sure to infuse spiritual elements like this eCard does. The graphic on the card design shows stained glass in the shape of a cross, helping the reader to draw a connection between eCard Recipients will immediately understand what the rest of the email is about by simply reading “In Every Act of Giving, We Feel God’s Grace.”

Explore more church fundraising letters

5. Individual Fundraising Letters

What are individual fundraising letters?

Nonprofits aren’t the only ones with fundraising needs! Sometimes, individuals aim to raise money for a cause, project, or life event, whether on their own or as part of a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign.

Common individual fundraising letter needs include:

  • Personal medical expenses
  • Disaster relief
  • Political campaign funding
  • Grassroots advocacy needs
  • Travel or education expenses

Make it as easy as possible for supporters to contribute. You can set up a crowdfunding campaign to supplement your fundraising efforts and use the fundraising letter to direct people to your campaign page to give. This can be highly impactful, as in North America alone, crowdfunding generates around $17.2 billion each year.

To whom should you send them?

Depending on the specific fundraising need, an individual may send personal fundraising letters to their family members, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and more.

Consider tailoring your recipient list based on the purpose behind your efforts. For example, an individual raising funds to go on a religious mission might prioritize individuals within their church community.

When should you use them?

You can send individual fundraising letters whenever you need to raise money for a cause that means a lot to you. If you’re collecting donations for an upcoming event or project, be sure to start planning, drafting, and sending your letters at least a few weeks in advance.

Individual fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

My name is [Name], and I am [describe your position/situation/background]. I am looking to raise [amount of money] to help me pay for [project/expense/cause/etc.].

[Include information about why the cause or project is important to you and how it could potentially impact the reader or those you serve].

I’m writing to ask you to support me and my [cause/project/etc.]. Just a small donation of [amount] can help me [accomplish task/reach a goal/etc.].

Your donation will go toward [describe exactly what the contribution will be used for].

[When possible, add a personal connection to tie the donor to the cause. For example, if you’re raising money to help build a school in a developing country and you’re writing to a teacher, emphasize the fact that everyone deserves a quality education].

Thank you in advance for your contribution. You have no idea how much it means to me to have your support.

Here are the ways you can make a donation:

  • Donate online at [URL of your crowdfunding page]
  • Send a check in the pre-stamped envelope I’ve included

Thank you again!

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

Individual fundraising eCard example

Use images of the beneficiary when sending individual fundraising letters.

While you can use drawings and graphics for individual fundraising eCards, you’ll evoke emotional connections by featuring a picture of who the donations will impact. This eCard is the perfect example of this strategy in action! The sender draws an emotional reaction instantly and can use their fundraising letter to dive into storytelling and their request for support.

6. In-Kind Donation Request Letters

What are in-kind donation request letters?

In-kind donation requests are often sent by nonprofit groups that ask for gifts of tangible goods or services instead of traditional monetary donations.

Most often, these letters will request a specific gift from the recipient, such as:

Nonprofits often ask for these resources in their in-kind donation request letters, discussed in more detail below.

  • Office equipment or technology
  • No-cost meeting spaces or venue rentals
  • Food supplies
  • New or gently used clothing or shoes
  • Pro bono services like free marketing, accounting, or legal assistance from an associated firm

In-kind donations can allow charitable organizations to offset some of their largest operational costs with goods and services made available by supporters. A well-written donation request letter lets your audience know what kinds of things you’re looking for and how they can be of assistance!

To whom should you send them?

You can send in-kind donation letters to individual supporters as well as corporations, foundations, and even other nonprofit groups.

Remember: these letters should be specific. If you’re seeking free marketing assistance, be sure to reach out to a local marketing agency. If you’re looking for appealing items to auction off in your upcoming fundraising event, you might reach out to a wider range of individuals or businesses. This might include restaurants, travel agencies, salons, retail stores, and more.

When should you use them?

You can send these types of letters whenever you have a specific need! Some of the most common use cases include fundraising events (e.g., requesting auction item donations), community food or clothes drives, or a new campaign or initiative that would benefit from in-kind gifts.

In-kind donation request letter template

Dear [Individual Donor or Corporate Sponsorship Manager],

I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. I am writing to request your support for [Nonprofit], a nonprofit organization that is committed to [mission statement or general purpose of the organization].

As we strive to fulfill our mission, we rely heavily on the generosity of donors like you. We are reaching out to request an in-kind donation of [specific goods or services needed], which we believe would make a significant impact on our efforts by [description of benefits made available by such a donation].

Your contribution would be an invaluable asset to our organization and would help us to [achieve a specific goal or outcome]. In return, we would be happy to offer [recognition or publicity for the donor, such as inclusion in event materials or social media shoutouts]. We will also provide a receipt for the value of the donation for tax purposes.

We appreciate your consideration of our request, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with you. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [phone number or email address].

Thank you for your generosity and support.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

In-kind donation request eCard

This eCard is ideal for food banks to send alongside its fundraising letters to solicit food donations.

This eCard is perfect for food banks seeking in-kind donations of food. Within the design, the depiction of people working together communicates the collective effort necessary to end hunger. The text really drives that point home by saying, “From your pantry to their plates, every meal matters.” In turn, the organization can retain donors by emphasizing the vitality of their continued support.

7. Matching Gift Fundraising Letters

What are matching gift fundraising letters?

Matching gift fundraising letters are a specific type of outreach that nonprofits send donors to inform or remind them about relevant matching gift opportunities.

Matching gifts are a popular (yet continually underutilized) type of corporate giving program. In fact, it’s estimated that $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. The process typically follows these basic steps:

  • After an employee donates to an eligible nonprofit, they submit paperwork to their company to match
  • If the donation meets the company’s predetermined requirements, the business will make a contribution to the nonprofit as well.
  • Though companies often match gifts at a dollar-for-dollar ratio, many are willing to triple or even quadruple their employees’ gifts!

Unfortunately, many donors are unaware that their employer offers a matching gift program.

That’s where a matching gift fundraising letter comes in!

In this letter, you’ll inform the donor about their employer’s specific workplace giving initiatives and how to get involved. If you don’t have a record of a supporter’s employer, simply use your matching gift letter to direct them to your online matching gift web page and company search tool.

To whom should you send them?

All donors should receive matching gift letters after making their initial gifts to your organization.

However, since direct mail can be costly, we recommend sending email follow-ups to the majority of your supporters. Reserve your direct mail letters for your most lucrative matching opportunities or for particularly high-value donors who have a known preference for physical communications.

When should you use them?

The best time to promote matching gifts is immediately after a donor gives. Your nonprofit is still fresh in their minds, so they’ll be more likely to submit a matching gift request when encouraged to do so promptly.

After a donor makes a gift, send out an email that:

  1. Thanks them for their donation
  2. Encourages them to submit a matching gift request

Furthermore, you can consider leveraging matching gift auto-submission to streamline the process even further and make it easier for donors to submit their requests. Once they’re determined to be eligible for matching gifts, all they need to do is provide a few key pieces of information, and the software automatically completes the request for them. Check out this video to see how auto-submission simplifies the match-fulfillment process:

Matching gift fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

Thank you for your generous support in the amount of $[gift size]. Your donation is helping us make a real impact in the lives of those we serve.

We wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity to make your gift go even further. Did you know that many employers offer matching gift programs? This means that they will match their employees’ charitable donations, doubling or even tripling the impact of your gift.

We encourage you to visit our matching gift page here [URL] to see if your employer participates in a matching gift program. This resource provides an intuitive company search tool with easy-to-follow instructions on how to take advantage of this opportunity and make your donation do more.

By taking a few minutes to submit a matching gift request, you can make an even greater impact on our mission. Thank you again for your generous support, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Matching Gifts Coordinator]

[Nonprofit]

Check out our matching gift marketing guide

8. Event Fundraising Letters

What are event fundraising letters?

A fundraising event can be a highly impactful way for nonprofits to generate revenue. However, before the event takes place, it’s crucial to mobilize donors and the greater community to participate.

You can achieve this through event fundraising letters. These letters provide details about the event and encourage the recipient to attend in support of the nonprofit’s mission.

When drafting the letter, include a clear and persuasive case for support, as well as an explanation of how funds will be raised during the event (for example, through ticket sales, donations, or auction bids). A well-crafted fundraising event letter should make the reader feel enthusiastic about supporting the cause and eager to register for the event.

To whom should you send them?

For an in-person event, send fundraising letters to all of your organization’s supporters who reside in your local area. However, hybrid and virtual events open up the possibilities, allowing your team to engage attendees over any distance.

As you craft your recipient list, include donors, volunteers, board members, previous event attendees, and even businesses that have interacted with your organization in the past.

When should you use them?

Send your fundraising letters well in advance of your event date. While the perfect timeline can vary from one organization to the next, aim to notify your supporters at least six to eight weeks before the big day. This will allow them to make any necessary arrangements for attending and enable your nonprofit to maximize the overall turnout.

Event fundraising letter template

Dear [Supporter],

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to invite you to [Nonprofit]’s upcoming event, [Event Name], which will take place on [date] at [time] at [location].

[Event Name] is a [type of fundraising event, like run/walk/ride, charity auction, gala, etc.]. This annual fundraising event helps us to raise funds for our organization, [Nonprofit], which is dedicated to [summary of mission statement or purpose].

We believe that every member of our community deserves access to [insert services provided by your organization], and your support helps us to achieve this goal.

We have exciting activities planned for the evening, including [details about the event such as entertainment, keynote speakers, or other activities]. And the best part is that all proceeds go towards supporting our programs and services.

We would be honored if you could attend this special event and support our cause. Your ticket purchase or donation will help us make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

Learn more about the opportunity at our event page here [URL].

We appreciate your consideration and hope that you can join us for this meaningful evening.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Event fundraising eCard example

This eCard from Vineyard Church North Phoenix pairs well with event fundraising letters

Designed by Vineyard Church North Phoenix, this event invitation was originally designed for congregants to invite their friends and family to an upcoming service. However, you can copy their approach by featuring photos you’ve taken and featuring welcoming text such as “You’re Invited” or “Join us!”

9. Recurring Gift Fundraising Letters

What are recurring gift fundraising letters?

Recurring donations provide nonprofits with steady and predictable income that allows them to plan for and maintain effective operations over time. In fact, recurring donors contribute 42% more each year than one-time donors. Whether you’re looking to expand your recurring gifts program or get started for the first time, well-written recurring donation letters can be immensely useful.

Recurring donation letters are tailored to appeal to dedicated supporters who may be interested in supporting your cause on a regular, automated schedule. These letters should provide an overview of the benefits of recurring gifts (for your mission as well as for the donor) and provide instructions on how they can sign up if interested.

To whom should you send them?

Send recurring gift letters primarily to donors who have already recently supported your cause, especially those who have made several one-off donations. However, first-time donors can also be good candidates for these programs if they’ve shown a commitment and a willingness to support your cause in the past.

When should you use them?

You should send a recurring donation letter to an existing supporter after they contribute a one-time gift to your organization—ideally within a few weeks following the most recent donation.

Additionally, you might decide to host a “recurring gift campaign” and promote your monthly giving program to all supporters. This can take place at any time during the year but may be particularly effective during the end-of-year holiday giving season. You can even set and communicate a goal for the number of recurring donors you’d like to sign up by a target date to drive urgency and leverage a sense of social proof.

Recurring fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to reach out to you about joining [Nonprofit]’s recurring gift program. By setting up a recurring gift, you can provide ongoing support for our mission to [summary of mission statement or purpose] and provide services for [primary audience benefitting from your organization’s programming].

Recurring gifts are a convenient and effective way to support our organization. By making a regular monthly gift, you can help us to offer [list specific services provided by your organization] to those in need.

To sign up for the program, go to our website here [URL for recurring donation page] or text [recurring donation keyword] to [fundraising shortcode].

Thank you for your generosity.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Recurring gift fundraising eCard example

This eCard communicates the impact of recurring donations, making it ideal to send alongside your monthly donation fundraising letters.

Imagine you receive a fundraising letter paired with an eCard of a cute dog with pleading eyes. Wouldn’t you be compelled to donate to whichever animal rescue organization sent it to you? Try creating a greeting card like the one above and featuring text that communicates the impact of ongoing support.

10. Capital Campaign Fundraising Letters

What are capital campaign fundraising letters?

A capital campaign is a fundraising initiative that aims to meet a high-dollar goal over a relatively long time frame (often one to three years). Dedicated fundraising letters are an excellent choice for soliciting support for this campaign.

This letter should explain the purpose behind the dedicated fundraising effort, which is often used to reach a significant goal. Oftentimes, nonprofits launch capital campaigns to collect funding to build a new facility, purchase high-cost equipment, or establish an endowment fund, so you’ll want to specify the need and how it will impact your cause as a whole.

To whom should you send them?

Capital campaign letters are generally sent to your nonprofit’s existing donors. And don’t count them out if they’ve recently given to a different fundraising initiative, either. A capital campaign donation is generally considered an “above and beyond” contribution. Just be sure to acknowledge their other gifts and explain how the efforts are differentiated.

To produce optimal campaign results, segment your contact list according to donors’ previous engagement with your organization, giving history, and estimated capacity to give.

When should you use them?

Since a capital campaign is split into two key phases (the Private Phase and the Public Phase), it’s important to understand when you should employ your fundraising letters.

Generally, the Private Phase kickstarts your campaign by exclusively engaging major donors, board members, and other particularly high-value individuals. While you may opt to utilize capital campaign letters as a cultivation or stewardship strategy in this phase, you’ll likely make your largest asks in person (or, at the very least, over the phone). Nonprofits typically raise at least 75% of their goals in this phase.

Once you get to the Public Phase, however, your well-crafted fundraising letters can be an excellent tool for driving your campaign to the finish line with donation appeals sent to low- and mid-level supporters.

Capital campaign fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

On behalf of [Nonprofit], we are excited to announce a new and exciting capital campaign. And we’d like to invite you to join us in our efforts!

This large-scale fundraiser has a lofty goal of $[fundraising goal] to [summary of campaign purpose].

As you know, our organization is committed to [brief description of mission]. With your support, we’ve been able to make great strides in these areas, but we know that there is still much work to be done. That’s why we’re launching this campaign to raise the funds we need to [reiterate campaign purpose], which will have a transformative impact on our ability to fulfill our mission.

This is a critical time in our organization’s history, and we need your support to make our vision a reality. We believe that with your help, we can [describe the impact of the campaign, such as improving the lives of those we serve, expanding services, etc.].

This campaign will span over the next three years, and we are committed to transparency throughout the campaign. We’ll provide regular updates on our progress and milestones achieved.

We appreciate your consideration and hope that you can join us in this important endeavor.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Capital campaign fundraising eCard example

Send eCards with building-related designs like this with your capital campaign fundraising letters.

Capital campaigns require substantial amounts of support. If you’re building something, try including a stock photo of blueprints or actual project renderings on your nonprofit eCards. This will show you’re serious about the end result and your plans are already underway. You can also include a witty phrase like “Lay the foundation for tomorrow” or “Help build our future.”

11. Annual Fund Fundraising Letters

What are annual fund fundraising letters?

An annual fund is a nonprofit’s ongoing fundraising campaign that seeks to collect unrestricted funds—money not set aside for a particular project or program—for the organization. These funds often cover facility costs, staff salaries, and other “non-mission related” expenses. Annual fund fundraising letters solicit donations that go toward the fund.

These letters should focus primarily on the good work your organization is doing, highlighting recent, ongoing, and future projects made possible by generous donor funding.

To whom should you send them?

Just about anyone who has shown interest in your organization and its mission can be a great candidate for your annual campaign fundraising letters! This includes:

  • Existing donors
  • Prospective donors in your pipeline
  • Volunteers
  • Event attendees
  • Newsletter subscribers
  • Social media followers

You can also send these letters to try and re-engage lapsed donors, so consider sending your annual fund letters to that segment as well.

When should you use them?

An annual fund is typically a never-ending initiative with no set “finish line,” so organizations often collect donations for their annual funds year-round!

Aim to have a few annual fund pushes throughout the year to devote a good deal of time and resources toward driving support for the campaign. Then, you may decide to send one-off annual fund letters as a way to engage new supporters as they get involved with your cause.

Annual fundraising letter template

Dear [Donor],

I am writing to you on behalf of [Nonprofit] to invite you to support our annual fund campaign. Your donation helps us to provide [summary of services provided by your organization] to those in need. Plus, it allows us to continue our mission to [brief overview of mission statement or purpose].

This year, we aim to raise $[fundraising goal] from generous donors like you. We collected a record $[funds raised in the previous annual fund campaign] for our annual fund, and I think we can surpass it this year.

We appreciate your ongoing support and hope that you can consider making a donation to our annual fund campaign today. If so, please mail a check using the enclosed pre-stamped and pre-addressed envelope or make an online donation by scanning the QR code below [QR code redirects to your online giving form URL].

Thanks again for your generosity.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Annual fund fundraising eCard example

Sample online fundraising eCard

This eCard is perfect for an environmental organization to solicit donations year-round. It features a nature-inspired design complete with green, Earth-themed graphics. An alluring eCard like this can help capture attention for your fundraising letter.

12. Corporate Sponsorship Letters

What are corporate sponsorship letters?

Corporate sponsorship letters are used by nonprofits, schools, or other organizations looking to receive support from for-profit companies for a specific project or event.

Though they can vary depending on the company or nonprofit, sponsorship letter packages typically include the following components:

Corporate sponsorship letter packages typically include the sponsorship proposal letter and a document on sponsorship levels.

  • A sponsorship proposal cover letter, or the formal request for a sponsorship donation. It explains the nonprofit’s fundraising need and details how the funds will be used.
  • A sponsorship level document, which determines how companies decide how much they’d like to give. This resource often lists a few sponsorship levels to choose from and the perks that come with each. The higher the donation, the more perks the company receives.

Plus, there’s typically a sponsorship acknowledgment letter sent afterward to thank the company for its contributions.

To whom should you send them?

Send your corporate sponsorship request letters to any businesses with which you’re interested in partnering. A few ways to locate top prospects include identifying companies already in your network, such as your donors’ employers and top matching gift-givers, local businesses in your own community, and companies known for being particularly charitable.

When should you use them?

Sponsorship letters should be sent out well in advance of your event or project. This gives companies enough time to consider and respond to your donation request.

Furthermore, your nonprofit should send sponsorship acknowledgment letters immediately after a donation has been made and after the event has ended.

Corporate sponsorship letter template

Dear [CEO/CSR Manager/Business Owner],

I am writing on behalf of [Nonprofit], an organization dedicated to [summary of your mission, vision, and how you serve your community].

We are hosting our [event name] on [date] at [location]. Last year’s event was such a huge success that we decided to host it again!

In the past, this event has raised $[amount] and has [list out specific accomplishments using statistics and figures].

This year we’re hoping to raise even more! Our goal is $[amount], and we were hoping you could help us reach that goal.

By becoming one of our corporate sponsors, you’ll be able to [list projects that corporate donations could help accomplish].

We’ve also listed out some of the incentives and perks that your company can enjoy should you decide to become one of our corporate sponsors in our attached Sponsorship Levels Document. Regardless of the amount you choose to give, your company name will be included in our event program, and you’ll be mentioned in the press release that we’ll publish on our website.

We’re accepting cash donations as well as gifts-in-kind of goods or services.

Please browse the Sponsorship Levels Document to find the giving level that’s right for your company. If you’re ready to make a donation, tear off the perforated section of the following document and send it back to us in the self-addressed envelope we’ve enclosed.

I’d like to thank you in advance for your generosity. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at [phone number] or [email] if you have any questions.

All the best,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Corporate sponsorship eCard example

This eCard is an example of how you can showcase beneficiaries when sending sponsorship fundraising letters.

Connect with prospective sponsors on an emotional level by including images of your beneficiaries. You can showcase their situations and make your case for support that much more compelling when sending your sponsorship letters.

Check out other sponsorship request letters here

13. Donor Thank-You Letters

What are donor thank-you letters?

Donor thank-you letters are pretty self-explanatory. These letters (or emails!) thank supporters for their contributions to a recent fundraising campaign. Sending personalized gift acknowledgments is an excellent way to deepen your relationship with supporters and keep your cause at the forefront of their minds.

Best practices for effective thank-you notes include:

  • Greeting the recipient by name
  • Acknowledging the donor’s specific means of support
  • Addressing the impact made possible through their gift

Plus, you can share additional involvement opportunities (without asking for another gift). Encourage supporters to follow your social media pages, subscribe to your newsletter, or request a matching gift from their employer!

To whom should you send them?

Send thank-you letters to all of your supporters. In addition to traditional donors, this includes volunteers, in-kind givers, corporate sponsors, peer-to-peer fundraisers, matching gift donors, and more.

When should you use them?

Thank-you letters should be sent out as soon as possible after receiving a contribution. Ideally, this should be done within 48 hours of the initial gift being made.

It’s not a bad idea to use multiple channels, either. Consider sending an automated acknowledgment email immediately and following up with a tangible note in the days or weeks afterward. You can never be too appreciative of your donors!

Donor thank-you letter template

Dear [Donor],

I can’t tell you how much all of us at [Nonprofit] appreciate your generous support of our cause. Thanks to your donation of $[amount], we’ll be able to [list out specific goals, objectives, etc., made possible through the gift].

We are so grateful for your belief in our organization’s work.

At [Nonprofit], we are committed to transparency and accountability. Therefore, we’ll be sure to keep you informed about how your donation is making a difference in the lives of those we serve. We couldn’t do it without you!

I also wanted to let you know that we’ll be hosting an exclusive donor appreciation event on [date]. We’d love to extend an invitation to you to participate in this opportunity, with more details to come! Our current donors have all enjoyed developing a stronger partnership with our organization, and I’m hoping you’ll do the same.

Thanks a million,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Donor thank-you eCard example

Send a thank you letter alongside an eCard like this example.

Show donors some love with an eCard alongside your thank-you letters. Youth for Understanding offered several eCards that past beneficiaries could send to thank anyone who made their experience with the organization memorable. Add a custom note alongside an eCard like this, and the recipient will have a thoughtful keepsake that inspires them to keep giving!

Explore more donor thank-you letters and templates

14. Fundraising Update Letters

What are fundraising update letters?

Fundraising update letters are post-fundraising campaign communications sent to supporters. These messages allow you to wrap up loose ends, celebrate success, and look to future plans and goals.

This letter should contain a summary of your recent campaign (e.g., event, crowdfunding effort, peer-to-peer fundraiser, capital campaign, etc.) and your overall level of success (whether you reached or exceeded your fundraising goal). Plus, you’ll want to provide additional context, reminding your audience how the funding will be used to further your mission. And don’t forget to thank each recipient for the role they played in driving your fundraising efforts forward.

To whom should you send them?

Anyone involved with your fundraising campaign should receive a campaign update letter! This includes donors of all giving levels, volunteers, corporate sponsors, peer-to-peer fundraisers, and more who made your fundraising success possible.

You might even decide to send fundraising update letters to existing supporters who opted not to partake in your fundraiser. This can allow them to stay up to date on organization happenings and celebrate the generosity of their fellow donors.

When should you use them?

Like donor thank-you notes, fundraising campaign update letters should be sent as soon as possible. Rather than following each donor’s contribution, however, wait until the entire campaign has wrapped up. Then, send your letters in the following days or weeks to celebrate their support.

Think of this type of fundraising letter as the big finale after your solicitation letters and other engagement efforts!

Fundraising update letter template

Dear [Donor],

I wanted to reach out and provide an update on our fundraising efforts at [Nonprofit].

Thanks to your generous support, we were able to surpass our fundraising goal of $[insert fundraising goal] by over $[amount raised beyond your goal]. All in all, we collected $[total raised through the campaign] that is going to make a huge difference in the lives of [primary audience benefitting from your organization’s services].

Now, we will continue to work toward [nonprofit vision] by [list several specific projects or programs receiving funding from the recent campaign].

And we’ve already gotten started! Check out this photo to see how things have been going over here:

[Insert picture showcasing your organization’s efforts; ideally, a new project or program. Ex: breaking ground on a new building]

We are so grateful for your ongoing support and appreciate your commitment to our mission to [summary of mission statement or purpose]. We could not do this important work without your help.

Thank you for your ongoing generosity.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Name]

[Title]

[Nonprofit]

Donor thank-you eCard example

After sending fundraising letters, be sure to update donors with an eCard like this one.

Perfect for an environmental nonprofit, this eCard emphasizes a core mission of rebuilding the planet. It features a nature-inspired design that reminds the recipient of the cause at hand. Then, the sender can use the thank-you letter to provide concrete updates and explain the donor’s role in making the mission possible.

Click through to learn more about how 360MatchPro can help your nonprofit earn more from its fundraising letters with matching gifts.

Wrapping Up (& Sending Off!)

Crafting effective fundraising letters is vital to just about any giving campaign⁠. This is true for nonprofits as well as churches, schools, and even individuals.

To make your appeals impactful, it’s essential to understand your recipients and personalize your message accordingly. From there, you’ll want to convey your organization’s mission in a way that resonates with your audience and provide a clear call to action to support your cause.

For more valuable fundraising tips and tricks, check out these additional resources:

Learn how eCardWidget can help you revamp your fundraising letters and send them as eCards.]

Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Nonprofits

Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Nonprofits

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In today’s nonprofit world, the collaboration between individual giving and corporate philanthropy has become more essential than ever. Charitable organizations working tirelessly to provide relief and development services often rely on the generosity of both groups to fund their vital initiatives. And that’s how matching gifts and relief and development nonprofits go hand in hand.

In this guide, we’ll explore matching gifts and their role in bringing mission-focused organizations like yours to new heights. This includes:

Corporate matching gifts offer a win-win opportunity for nonprofit causes—including those in the relief and development sector. Growing your knowledge of these powerful initiatives can set you and your team up for long-term, ongoing success.

Let’s get started!

The Basics: Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Orgs

Before jumping into the specific tools and strategies that can aid your relief and development organization in maximizing matching gifts, it helps to build a solid understanding of the opportunity at hand.

By definition, matching gifts are a specific form of corporate philanthropy in which participating companies match donations their employees make to qualifying nonprofit causes.

Corporate matching gift opportunities offer widespread benefits to the participating parties. These include…

  • The recipient organization, which ultimately receives two gifts for the cost of soliciting one. Not to mention, the nonprofit can benefit from increased donor engagement and strengthened individual relationships.
  • The initial donor, who gets to see their charitable contribution stretch twice (or even three times!) as far for a nonprofit cause they care about.
  • The contributing company, as it’s positively impacted by elevated employee engagement, improved brand reputation for its social responsibility, significant tax benefits, and more.

From a nonprofit perspective, the opportunity is too big to overlook. Still, matching gifts are left on the table each year—to the tune of $4 to $7 billion in unclaimed match revenue.

In order to position your organization for matching gift success, it helps to familiarize yourself with some of the most popular matching gift programs and their eligibility criteria.

Companies That Match to Relief & Development Causes

Many companies provide employees with the opportunity to double their support for the nonprofits they care about. Here are a few businesses with standout program offerings in the relief and development sector!

Johnson and Johnson matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Johnson & Johnson

As a leading provider of matching gift funds, Johnson & Johnson is committed to supporting relief and development through its generous employee matching gift program and other philanthropic initiatives.

Employees who donate to eligible organizations can have their contributions matched by the company, enabling individuals to amplify their giving. Ultimately, it incentivizes team members and corporate leaders to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those served by relief organizations and beyond.

And here’s an overview of the company’s matching gift guidelines:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $20,000
  • Match ratio — 2:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations and nearly all other 501(c)(3) causes

Explore Johnson & Johnson’s matching gift program here.

Edgewell matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Edgewell Personal Care

Encompassing some of the most prominent grooming, skin, sun, and feminine care brands, Edgewell Personal Care recognizes the importance of supporting widespread nonprofit causes. Thus, Edgewell employees have the opportunity to double their donations to eligible relief and development organizations⁠—along with other nonprofit missions.

This empowers qualifying employees to contribute to positive change and aid in disaster recovery, community development, and more. And here’s an overview of the matching program:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $5,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time employees
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations and many others

Explore Edgewell Personal Care’s matching gift program here.

3M matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

3M Company

At 3M, employees are encouraged to make a greater impact through personal donations by participating in the company’s matching gift program. When individuals donate to eligible nonprofits⁠—like relief and development organizations⁠—3M Company matches at a dollar-for-dollar rate, effectively doubling the support provided.

This program aids in multiplying the reach of relief and development efforts to help communities grow and thrive. Take a look at the program overview below:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $1,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, educational institutions, and most other nonprofits

Explore 3M Company’s matching gift program here.

Intel matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Intel Corporation

Intel Corporation aims to make a global difference in relief and development initiatives, and one way it’s doing so is through a generous matching gift program. This effort encourages Intel employees to increase the impact of their donations to eligible organizations, supporting critical relief efforts, contributing to sustainable development projects, and improving the lives of communities around the world.

Here’s an overview of the matching gift program guidelines:

  • Minimum donation — $10
  • Maximum donation — $5,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, educational institutions, and many other nonprofits

Explore Intel Corporation’s matching gift program here.

JPMorgan Chase matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase recognizes the importance of supporting relief organizations in their mission to foster sustainable development. Through its employee matching gift program, the company encourages employees to multiply the impact of their own donations to qualifying causes, thus demonstrating an ongoing commitment to supporting global communities.

And here’s an overview of the matching gift program:

  • Minimum donation — $10
  • Maximum donation — $1,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, health and human services, arts and cultural groups, civic and community organizations, and environmental nonprofits

Explore JPMorgan Chase’s matching gift program here.

Making the Most of Matching Gifts for Your Relief Group: Top Tips

At Double the Donation, we’ve worked with many relief and development organizations to aid in elevating their corporate matching gift fundraising. Here, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tried-and-true tips to help your team unlock the full potential of matching gifts.

1. Utilize matching gifts to reach critical relief goals quickly.

When it comes to generating revenue for organizations that provide immediate assistance during and after natural disasters (such as food, water, shelter, and medical), it’s important to remember that great needs can arise very quickly. Luckily, matching gifts can play a key role in fundraising for these needs more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

After all, the offer of a corporate match does more than provide a free “bonus” donation⁠—which is a significant win in and of itself. It can also produce substantially heightened fundraising response rates and result in larger average gift amounts even before the match comes through.

Impact of matching gifts on relief and development organizations

2. Focus on doubling relief and development impact.

By participating in matching gift programs, eligible donors can contribute in even greater amounts to critical relief efforts, support sustainable development initiatives at new levels, and make an increasingly positive change in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide. Thus, it’s a good idea to communicate the amplified impact that matching gifts make possible in order to encourage your audience to participate.

For the greatest results, position the opportunity in terms of elevated tangible impact. For example, you might say something like this: “Double your contribution to support TWICE as many children in need,” or “Your donation plus a corporate match will enable our team to provide two kits of medical supplies for the cost of one.”

When you communicate the greater potential of each gift with an associated match, donors are more likely to get involved!

3. Automate the process so no matches are left unclaimed.

Our #1 tip for any organization has to do with streamlining matching gift operations with dedicated automation technology. Doing so allows nonprofit fundraisers to benefit from…

  • Better donor experiences (with guided assistance through the process);
  • More matches driven completion, ultimately producing additional matching gift funds for your cause;
  • Additional time not spent manually following up on matches that can be reallocated to other mission-critical activities.

Thus, automating matching gifts will be a game-changer for your relief organization. For example, Double the Donation’s industry-leading solution will identify more match-eligible gifts, integrate matching gifts directly into the giving process, trigger personalized follow-ups with company-specific guidelines and next steps, and track and report on matching gifts from start to finish.

See how it works in the video below:

Sample Matching Gift Messaging for Relief and Development Nonprofits

One of the best things you can do to drive matching gifts is to integrate matching gift promotions into your existing fundraising and marketing strategies. Check out these customizable templates to get started in your efforts!

Matching Gift Email Template:

Subject: Double Your Impact in Support of Relief and Development!

Dear [DONOR],

Your generous support has always made a significant difference in our relief and development efforts. Now, we have an exciting opportunity to make an even greater impact together.

Did you know that [COMPANY] has a matching gift program for employees like you? By simply submitting a matching gift request, you can double the impact of your donation to our organization. It’s an incredible way to amplify your support and help us provide vital relief, foster sustainable development, and transform lives.

Take a moment to check if your employer participates in a matching gift program and join us in this meaningful endeavor. Together, we can bring hope, resilience, and lasting change to communities in need.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our cause!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Matching Gift Social Media Post Template:

Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] can go twice as far? Many companies, like [COMPANY], [COMPANY], [COMPANY], and [COMPANY], offer matching gift programs to support nonprofits like ours. Take a moment to find out if your employer matches donations and maximize the impact of your support⁠—click the link to search the database tool on our website and learn more [URL].

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those in need! #MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #ReliefAndDevelopment

Matching Gift Text Message Template:

Hey [DONOR]! Did you know your employer might match your donation to [NONPROFIT]? Double the impact of your support and make an even greater difference in our relief and development efforts.

Click here to search for your employer, [URL], or get in touch with your HR department about their matching gift program today!

Matching Gift Web Page Template:

Multiply Your Impact for [NONPROFIT] with Matching Gifts

Double Your Donation, Double the Difference

Many companies have matching gift programs to support relief and development organizations like ours. By taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program, you can double the impact of your donation and help us bring hope, support, and sustainable development to those in need. Check if your employer participates in a matching gift program and learn how to double your donation today.

[EMBEDDED COMPANY SEARCH TOOL]

Matching Gift Direct Mail Template:

Dear [DONOR],

Your support has been instrumental in our relief and development initiatives, and we want to share an exciting opportunity with you. Did you know that your employer may offer a matching gift program? By taking advantage of this program, your generous donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched, effectively doubling the impact of your support.

We encourage you to reach out to your employer’s HR department to inquire about their matching gift program or visit the “Matching Gifts” tab on our website to learn more.

As always, your action makes a world of difference and helps us provide vital assistance to those in need.

Warm regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Final Thoughts

Matching gifts have the remarkable ability to transform nonprofit fundraising. By making the most of individual donor gifts and their associated corporate matches, relief and development organizations like yours can increase funding, expand programming, and maximize benefits for more individuals in need. And equipping your fundraising team with the right knowledge and tools can go a long way toward achieving optimal matching gift success.

Best of luck!

Keep learning⁠—check out these additional resources to dive deeper into matching gift strategies for organizations like yours:

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

Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions | A Guide

Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions | A Guide

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As homelessness remains a persistent issue across the globe, the organizations that provide shelter and assistance to those in need are essential to our society. And in order to generate much-needed financial support for homeless shelters and nonprofit missions, impactful fundraising initiatives often come into play. Our favorite strategy for doing so is built around corporate matching gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of corporate matching gift programs and share how these opportunities empower organizations to stretch their impact even further. Ultimately, it allows nonprofits like yours to maximize available resources that benefit widespread homeless communities⁠. In turn, those communities, as well as those supporting them, are also positively impacted.

It’s a win-win-win⁠—and an opportunity that your team should know more about. Dive in to explore the following topics:

A successful matching gift strategy produces more funds through both individual and corporate giving. This sets up nonprofit missions and shelters to do more to support the needs and lives of those experiencing homelessness.

It’s not an opportunity that you want to overlook.

What to Know About Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions

Matching gifts can be a game-changer for organizations aiming to make the most of their fundraising efforts. Understanding the ins and outs of the programs is essential for maximizing their impact.

Here, we’ll cover the basics:

Corporate matching gifts are offered by companies to support their employees’ charitable contributions. When an employee donates to a qualifying nonprofit, the company matches the donation, typically at a dollar-for-dollar rate. These programs are designed to encourage philanthropy among employees and provide individuals with an active role in the company’s giving.

Each company establishes its own guidelines and requirements for matching gifts. While the guidelines vary from one employer to another, it helps to become familiar with common criteria⁠. For example, most companies determine minimum and maximum donation thresholds, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit causes, and more.

Organizations interested in increasing revenue through matching gifts should proactively educate their donors. Though more than 26 million individuals qualify for corporate matching programs, an estimated 78% of the group has no idea their company participates. Thus, utilizing your website, emails, social media, and more to inform individuals about the potential to double their impact through matching gift programs can go a long way in driving submissions.

Donors love having the opportunity to get their gifts matched. In fact, studies indicate that the offer of matching gifts can even result in more donors giving⁠ (71% increase in response rate)—and giving in larger amounts⁠ (51% increase in average donation)—in the first place.

The matching gift process can be streamlined with automation. Managing matching gift programs can involve administrative tasks such as screening for potential matches, following up with qualifying donors, and tracking matching gift requests. Matching gift technology can significantly reduce the administrative workload, empowering your team to focus on mission-critical tasks.

Companies That Match Donations to Homeless Shelters

Matching gift programs can greatly benefit nonprofit homeless shelters like yours, providing them with additional funding to support their work. While there are far too many companies with mission-inclusive matching initiatives, take a look at a few exemplary companies with a focus on supporting nonprofit homeless shelters below.

The Home Depot matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

The Home Depot

Home Depot aims to support its employees’ philanthropic endeavors and make an impact on the communities in which it operates. With its corporate matching gift program, the company is able to do so!

Through this initiative, Home Depot employees have the opportunity to double their donations to eligible nonprofit organizations, including homeless shelters and missions, with a company match. This empowers employees to effectively double the impact of their own contributions, making a greater difference in supporting those in need.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— None
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $3,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and more

Dive deeper into Home Depot’s matching gift program.

Starbucks matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Starbucks

Similarly, Starbucks makes a point to financially back the nonprofit causes its employees⁠—or partners⁠—support. This produces a positive impact in the communities the company serves, including a focus on organizations that address homelessness and those affected by it.

Through the Starbucks Giving Match Program, employees have the opportunity to stretch their own dollars further, thus maximizing their donation impact.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $1,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Nearly all, including health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, and environmental nonprofits

Dive deeper into Starbucks’s matching gift program.

Kimberly-Clark matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

At Kimberly-Clark, employees’ charitable giving is valued and supported through a generous matching gift program. Qualifying employees are encouraged to donate to eligible nonprofit organizations⁠, with the company matching gifts for homeless shelters and other social good causes.

Kimberly-Clark also boasts a particularly high matching gift cap, encouraging high-level donors to get their gifts matched as well. (Not to mention, companies with lofty maximums tend to see heightened average participation rates of over 40%!)

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $50
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $10,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and most others

Dive deeper into Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s matching gift program.

Colgate-Palmolive matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Colgate-Palmolive Company recognizes the importance of supporting charitable organizations, including those focused on homelessness and shelter services. Thus, through its matching gift program, employees are encouraged to support such causes. From there, the company matches employee gifts to stretch their value even further for the nonprofits they support.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $8,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and select others

Dive deeper into Colgate-Palmolive Company’s matching gift program.

Caterpillar Inc. matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. values corporate social responsibility and provides a matching gift program as a key component of its dedication to supporting its employees’ charitable giving. Again, this company presents a generous donation maximum on an annual rolling basis⁠—and full-time, part-time, and retired employees are all encouraged to participate.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $10,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and most others

Dive deeper into Caterpillar Inc.’s matching gift program.

Top Tips to Maximize Matching Gifts for Your Shelter or Mission

By effectively leveraging matching gift programs, shelters can enhance their ability to address homelessness and create positive change in their communities. Implementing the following practices in your strategy can help!

1. Use multiple screening methods to identify match-eligible donors.

The more you know about your donors⁠—and particularly the companies they work for⁠—the better you’ll be able to uncover matching gifts. If you already have donor employment data on hand, use the information to identify employers that match donations to shelters like yours.

And if you don’t know where a supporter works, we recommend employing multiple methods for collecting and screening this information. This might include a combination of…

  • Donation forms requesting employment data
  • Dedicated matching gift software
  • Email domain screening
  • Post-donation follow-up outreach
  • Employer appends services

By using multiple methods, organizations can ensure they capture all potential matching gift opportunities and increase their chances of securing additional funding. In fact, studies indicate that taking more than one approach to identifying match-eligible donors results in 77% more identified match-eligible donations.

Matching gift statistics for homeless shelters and missions

2. Don’t discount companies that typically exclude religious organizations.

If your shelter is associated with a religious institution, as many are, keep this in mind: you don’t necessarily need to discount companies with restrictions on matching gifts to religious causes. While some companies won’t match gifts to houses of worship, many still have policies open to supporting missions serving a secular purpose—like homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and more.

Thus, it’s crucial to thoroughly research (and perhaps reach out to) these companies to determine eligibility. And when you do so, be sure to provide a clear understanding of your shelter’s mission and the impact their matching gift could have on your community. Some decisions are made on a one-off basis, so it helps to put your best foot forward in positioning your cause as a worthy match recipient.

3. Consider volunteer grant programs (Dollars for Doers) as well.

In addition to traditional matching gift programs, where a company offers a financial match for an employee’s monetary support, many businesses also offer volunteer grants. Sometimes referred to as Dollars for Doers programs, these grants provide nonprofit organizations with grants based on an employee’s donation of their time. And if your shelter has a solid volunteer base, corporate volunteer grants can go a long way to amplify the value provided by existing support!

Consider volunteer grants in addition to matching gifts for homeless shelters.

Just be sure to inform your volunteer base⁠—as well as your nonprofit audience as a whole⁠—about the potential for corporate grants. Like matching gifts, many qualifying volunteers likely have no idea that their employer will match their time devoted to nonprofits like yours. Leveraging the opportunity can not only produce additional funding but also result in increased volunteer and community engagement.

4. Leverage constituent stories to communicate matching gift impact.

Constituent stories have a powerful impact when connecting with donors and illustrating the mission of a nonprofit homeless shelter. Thus, when communicating the value and importance of matching gifts, consider incorporating personal stories from individuals who have directly benefited from your services.

To get started, take a look at the total funds you’ve received from corporate matching in the past. If your organization has collected $5,000 in donation matches, translate that revenue sum into tangible outcomes and success stories. You might even say something like this: “Matching gifts have produced over $[TOTAL] in value for [ORGANIZATION]. Thanks to this funding made available by matching gift donors going above and beyond for our cause, we’ve been able to serve more people like [SAMPLE CONSTITUENT].”

The more your supporters can understand the impact of corporate matching gifts, the more likely they’ll be to take the steps required to solicit a match from their employer! And it always helps to put a face to your fundraising efforts when possible.

5. Invest in matching gift software to automate your efforts.

Matching gifts offer an excellent opportunity to maximize corporate giving revenue, but pursuing the funding source can be time-consuming on your own. That’s why we recommend organizations employ matching gift software⁠—like 360MatchPro⁠—to automate the process from start to finish.

A matching gift automation platform streamlines the experience for both nonprofits (such as your shelter or mission) and their donors, driving more matching gifts to completion than ever before. With groundbreaking features that include multiple forms of matching gift identification, automated post-donation follow-up messaging for donors, and match tracking through the disbursement process, your team is able to optimize its matching gift fundraising without the added effort.

6 Matching Gift Templates for Missions and Homeless Shelters

Bring your matching gift marketing efforts to the next level and get a headstart on your strategy. Take advantage of these free, customizable templates to begin incorporating corporate matching in your donor outreach.

1. Fundraising Appeal Template

[DONOR],

As we navigate the challenges of providing shelter and support to those experiencing homelessness in our community, we wanted to reach out and share an exciting opportunity to maximize the impact of your generosity.

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs to their employees? This means that when you make a donation to our homeless shelter, your employer may be willing to match it, effectively doubling the impact of your gift. It’s like giving twice the help to those in need!

By taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program, you can significantly increase your contribution and provide even more critical resources to individuals and families seeking refuge and stability. This allows us to extend our reach and support more individuals in their journey toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

Here’s how you can make an even greater difference:

Make a donation: Your contribution, no matter the size, directly supports our efforts to provide a safe haven, nutritious meals, and essential services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Check if your employer matches gifts: Visit our matching gift page to inquire about your matching gift eligibility using our company search tool here: [URL].

Submit a matching gift request: If your employer offers a match, simply follow the instructions provided by your company to submit a matching gift request. It’s a simple process that can significantly amplify your impact!

Spread the word: Encourage your colleagues, friends, and family members to join you in supporting our mission.

Thank you again for your generosity and dedication to our cause. It makes a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve. By doubling the impact of your donation through matching gifts, we can work towards a future where homelessness is no longer a reality for anyone.

Best regards,

[NONPROFIT]

2. Email Matching Gift Marketing Template

Subject: Double your impact…your donation can make twice the difference for homeless individuals!

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for your continued support in helping us provide shelter and care for homeless individuals in our community. Did you know that your donation can have an even greater impact? Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the value of your contribution.

By taking a few minutes to check if your employer offers a matching gift program, you can amplify the impact of your support. Imagine this: your generous donation could help provide access to a warm bed for two people in need.

To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, please visit our matching gifts page here: [URL] or reach out to your HR department to learn more.

Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can make an even greater difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

3. Text Message Matching Gift Marketing Template

[DONOR] ⁠— Did you know your donation to [NONPROFIT] can go even further for our cause? Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double your impact. Check to see if your employer matches gifts by searching here: [URL].

Together, we can make a greater difference for homeless individuals in our community.

4. Social Media Matching Gift Post Template

Your support matters⁠—now more than ever! Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] may be matched by your employer? Take a moment to find out if your company offers a matching gift program and make an even greater impact on the lives of those experiencing homelessness in our communities. #MatchingGifts #DoubleImpact

5. Matching Gift Web Page Template:

Text: Get Your Donation Doubled! Check if your employer matches gifts and amplifies your impact on our shelters.

Make your donation go further with matching gifts.

Your contribution to [NONPROFIT] can have an even greater impact when you participate in a corporate matching gifts program! Many companies offer matching gifts that double or triple the value of your donation.

By making the most of these programs, you can provide essential support to our shelters as we serve the community with your help. Check if your employer offers a matching gift program today and multiply the difference you make. Together, we can help end homelessness once and for all.

6. Direct Mail Matching Gift Marketing Template

Dear [DONOR],

Your generosity has made a significant impact on the lives of homeless individuals in our community. We want to share an exciting opportunity with you that will allow your support to go even further.

Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means your donation could be matched dollar for dollar by your employer. Matching gifts for homeless shelters like ours means that for every dollar you give, two dollars can go towards providing shelter, meals, and vital support for those in need.

Please take a moment to reach out to your HR department or check if your employer participates on our matching gifts page. The simple act of submitting a match request could make an immense difference in the lives of homeless individuals in your community.

Thank you for your continued compassion and support.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Final Thoughts

By integrating matching gifts into your team’s overall fundraising, you have the chance to multiply the impact of each dollar you raise. Matching gifts for homeless shelters and other missions sets the organizations up to better provide vital resources and support to those who need it most.

Remember, the fight against homelessness is a collective effort. Your shelter should do what you can to partner with individual and corporate donors to make the largest impact possible. By leveraging matching gifts, spreading awareness about the opportunity, and encouraging supporters to participate, your organization can significantly enhance its operations thanks to access to new and growing funding streams.

Interested in learning more about matching gift fundraising strategies? Check out these additional recommended resources:

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

Matching Gifts and Environmental Nonprofits | What to Know

Matching Gifts and Environmental Nonprofits | What to Know

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In today’s world, where environmental challenges are at the forefront of global concerns, nonprofits dedicated to protecting and preserving our planet play a crucial role. These organizations rely heavily on the generosity of individuals and corporations to fund their initiatives and ultimately make a positive impact on the world around us. One effective way for supporters to maximize their contributions to such causes is through corporate donation matching⁠. And luckily, matching gifts and environmental nonprofits go hand in hand.

In this guide, we’ll explore all things matching gifts and how environmental nonprofits like yours can maximize their benefit. This includes:

Without further ado, let’s dive in and discover what you need to know about matching gifts and their significance for environmental causes.

The Basics of Matching Gifts and Environmental Organizations

Matching gifts offer a valuable opportunity for individuals to increase their charitable giving⁠ impact—and for nonprofits to maximize their fundraising. When an employee donates to an eligible organization, the company contributes an equal (or sometimes greater!) ratio of funds.

In order for a donation to be matched, the process typically follows a few critical steps:

  1. Employee donation: An employee supports a nonprofit through a financial contribution.
  2. Qualification: The employee determines if their employer offers a matching gifts program and whether their recent donation qualifies. (Gifts to environmental causes typically do!)
  3. Submission: The employee completes the necessary online forms or paperwork to request a match.
  4. Review and approval: The company reviews the employee’s matching gift request and confirms the nonprofit and donation eligibility.
  5. Disbursement: Once the employer approves the request, they allocate the matching funds to the organization.

Matching gift process for environmental nonprofits

The benefits of corporate matching gifts are significant and far-reaching for environmental nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Check out these impressive statistics that highlight the opportunity at hand:

  • 65% of Fortune 500 companies match gifts, along with thousands of smaller and mid-sized businesses.
  • $2 – $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs each year, while an additional $4 – $7 billion goes unclaimed.
  • Over 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs. (However, 78% of this group is unaware of their employers’ initiatives.)
  • 84% of donors are more likely to give, while 1 in 3 would give more if a match is applied.
  • An awareness of matching gifts produces a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.

Matching gift marketing statistics

All in all, employee matching gifts positively impact your organization, its donors, corporate partners, and beyond. In other words, it establishes quite a mutually beneficial relationship!

Companies That Match Donations to Environmental Groups

Tons of companies match charitable gifts by their employees to environmental causes. Check out these five standout examples with sustainable values of their own that actively support employee giving by matching environmental donations.

Patagonia matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Patagonia

Patagonia is renowned for its dedication and commitment to environmental sustainability. The company’s employee matching gift program supports nonprofit organizations focused on environmental conservation and activism and encourages current full- and part-time team members to do the same.

Employees are encouraged to donate to eligible environmental (or most other) nonprofits of their choice, and Patagonia will match their contributions up to $10,000 per year, doubling the impact of their support.

Note: Patagonia employees are encouraged to get donations of $2,000 and above pre-approved by the company by contacting employee.match@patagonia.com in order to guarantee the full match.

Learn more about the Patagonia matching gift program here.

Citadel Environmental matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Citadel Environmental

As an employee-owned Environmental, Health, Safety, & Sustainability consulting firm, Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. (or Citadel EHS) values environmental stewardship and supports employees who share this passion. Through its targeted matching gift program, Citadel Environmental employees can contribute to environmental nonprofits, and the company will match their donations.

Not to mention, the company has also acquired RMD Environmental Solutions, thus significantly increasing the number of match-eligible team members. This growing initiative empowers employees to make a difference in the environmental sector (as well as select other nonprofit causes) and amplify the impact of their giving.

Learn more about the Citadel EHS matching gift program here.

ADM matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company

The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (also known as ADM) recognizes the importance of protecting the environment and thus supports employees in their philanthropic efforts to do so. The company’s matching gift program extends to nonprofit organizations that focus on addressing environmental conservation, sustainability, climate change, and other societal needs.

Employees can donate to these causes, and ADM will match their gifts between $100 and $5,000 per year, effectively doubling the support provided to environmental nonprofits and beyond.

Learn more about the ADM matching gift program here.

Ecolab matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Ecolab

A global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies, Ecolab understands the critical role environmental nonprofits play in creating a sustainable future. Through their matching gift program, employees and retirees can contribute to environmentally focused nonprofits, and the company will match their donations. (Note: Current employee gifts are matched at a dollar-for-dollar rate, while retiree donations are matched at fifty cents on the dollar.)

However, the company does stipulate that match-eligible donations must be made through its CSR platform on the Ecolab Giving Site. In addition, Ecolab employees qualify for generous Dollars for Doers and/or Board Leadership grants to further amplify their support.

Learn more about the Ecolab matching gift program here.

Pioneer Natural Resources matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Pioneer Natural Resources

As a powerful way to recognize the significance of environmental conservation and support its employees’ commitment to sustainability efforts, Pioneer Natural Resources matches team members’ donations to such nonprofits. Through this matching gift program, full-time and part-time employees can donate to environmental nonprofits (as well as educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural groups, community organizations, and more), and the company will match contributions accordingly.

This initiative encourages employees to support organizations dedicated to the environment, with qualifying individuals eligible to request between $50 and $5,000 each year.

Learn more about the Pioneer Natural Resources matching gift program here.

Growing Matching Gifts with a Sustainable Strategy | Key Tips

Encouraging donors to get involved with their employers’ matching gift programs can generate additional funding to support critical environmental initiatives. As you look to integrate matching gifts into your overall giving strategy, keep these recommended practices in mind.

1. Highlight environmental impact in matching gift communications.

When promoting employee giving opportunities to your donors, be sure to emphasize the environmental impact that corporate matching can have. Take the time to explain how an individual’s contributions, in addition to their match, will directly support initiatives like conservation, clean water and energy, and climate change mitigation⁠—or whatever your focus is.

By aligning matching gifts with your organization’s mission, you can better inspire donors to take advantage of the opportunity and make an even greater, tangible impact. Just imagine the results made possible when you’re able to plant two trees for the cost of every one!

This ultimately leads to more sustainable funding and enhanced donor engagement as your supporters feel increasingly connected to your mission.

2. Use donor employment information to your advantage.

The information you have about your donors is the key to developing a targeted matching gift strategy. And the most important data involves your supporters’ employment details. 

For example, if an organization knows which company a donor works for, the fundraising team (or its employer database tool) can research and gather information about the specific matching gift program. This enables the nonprofit to share tailored guidelines and forms required to request a match. And it ultimately simplifies the process and increases the likelihood of donor participation.

Employment information helps drive matching gifts for environmental nonprofits

Additionally, it’s worth noting that donors who back environmental nonprofits like your own tend to be increasingly likely to work for socially conscious companies. And these companies are more likely to offer matching gifts. As a result, your supporters may have a greater chance of eligibility in the programs in the first place than the average corporate employee!

This presents a significant advantage when promoting matching gifts, as you can target donors who are more likely to work for companies that match employee contributions.

3. Establish a seamless matching gift technology ecosystem.

Just like a healthy physical ecosystem is essential for maintaining a balanced environment, so too is an optimized technology ecosystem when it comes to successful fundraising. And one of the most crucial aspects of your organization’s technology system is a fundraising tool that integrates seamlessly with a matching gift platform.

Matching gift ecosystem for environmental nonprofits

This allows your team to enact a coordinated effort that incorporates matching gift opportunities directly into every step of the fundraising process⁠—from donation appeals and other promotions to the giving experience itself and associated follow-ups.

Doing so makes it easier for supporters to get involved with tailored guidance and information while your fundraising team doesn’t have to lift a finger. All in all, you can expect to receive more matching gift revenue and save time and resources that can be reallocated to your highest-value mission activities⁠—not to mention heightened donor engagement!

5 Free Templates to Encourage Matching Gift Participation

It’s time to begin promoting the matching gift opportunity to your network of support. Feel free to work off these provided messaging templates that overview matching gifts and their benefits, explain how donors can get involved, and encourage them to do so accordingly.

Template #1: Social Media Post

Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] could have double the impact? Many companies offer matching gift programs for their employees⁠—and environmental causes like ours are often eligible recipients.

Want to multiply the value of your gift? Take a moment to check if your employer participates and unlock the potential for your donation to be matched! Together, we can make an even greater difference for the world around us. #MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #SaveThePlanet #SupportEnvironmentalCauses

Template #2: Fundraising Appeal

Subject: Your gift has twice the power to protect the environment…

Dear [DONOR],

We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. We are reaching out today because we know you care deeply about the environment and our organization’s cause. With your continued generosity, we have accomplished remarkable things together, but there’s still so much more we can achieve.

We wanted to share an incredible opportunity to make an even greater impact with your donation. Many companies offer matching gift programs to their employees, which means your gift to [NONPROFIT] can go twice as far in protecting our planet.

Imagine the difference we can make if your donation is matched dollar-for-dollar⁠. Your $50 contribution becomes $100, $100 becomes $200, and so on. It’s an extraordinary chance to amplify your support without any additional cost!

To see if your employer participates in a matching gift program, visit our matching gift page to search our company database here: [URL]. Once you confirm eligibility, just submit your initial donation and follow your company’s instructions to initiate the matching gift process.

We are immensely grateful for your unwavering support and belief in our mission. Your commitment to environmental conservation has made a tangible difference. We invite you to join us once again in this extraordinary opportunity to double the power of your gift.

With heartfelt gratitude,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template #3: Follow-Up Email

Subject: Double Your Impact: Your Gift Can Go Twice as Far!

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for your dedication to building a sustainable future through your ongoing support of [NONPROFIT]. We’d like to share an exciting opportunity for you to double the impact of your recent donation: corporate matching gifts.

Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means they match donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations. Take a few minutes to explore your company’s matching gift program. In doing so, you can unlock the potential to double the value of your contribution to our environmental initiatives.

Find out if your employer participates in matching gifts! Just click on the ‘Matching Gifts’ tab on our website for more information. Your generosity, combined with your employer’s support, can make a significant difference in our efforts to protect the planet.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to maximize your impact. Together, we can create a sustainable future for generations to come.

Best regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template #4: Website Copy

Calling all eco-conscious donors! Did you know that your employer might double your donation to [NONPROFIT]? Tens of thousands of companies offer these generous giving initiatives. And more than 26 million individuals qualify to have their donations matched to charitable causes like ours!

And the process to do so is simple —

  • Step 1: Look into your company’s matching gift program by searching the matching gift database embedded in the page.
  • Step 2: Locate your employer’s matching gift submission requirements and complete the dedicated request process.
  • Step 3: Wait while your company processes the request, approves your match, and contributes to our organization on your behalf.

Remember: together, we can create a greener world!

Template #5: Direct Mail Insert

Header: Double Your Impact for a Greener Tomorrow!

Your dedication to preserving our environment through your support of [NONPROFIT] is truly inspiring. We want to share an exciting opportunity with you to make an even greater impact!

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs for their employees? This means that your employer might be willing to match your donation, doubling the impact of your gift. By leveraging a matching gift program, you can amplify your contribution and help us protect our planet for future generations.

Take a moment to check if your employer participates in matching gifts. Scan the QR code below to visit our website for more information. Together, we can create a greener tomorrow for a more sustainable world.

Wrapping Up

As you continue your journey to protect and preserve the world around you, matching gifts should remain at the forefront of your fundraising strategy. After all, this valuable⁠—yet continually underutilized⁠—source of support is crucial for maximizing fundraising efforts.

Remember, the key lies in effectively communicating the matching gift opportunity to your nonprofit audience. In doing so, you can empower supporters to strengthen their commitment to your cause. And together, with the support of matching gifts, you can play a key role in establishing a sustainable future.

Interested in learning more about matching gifts for your organization? Check out these additional recommended guides:

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

Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

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

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

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

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

Let’s dive in.

Painting a Picture of Matching Gifts | The Basics

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

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

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

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

Companies That Match Donations to Arts and Culture Nonprofits

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

Adobe matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Adobe Incorporated

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

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

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

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

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

Etsy matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Etsy

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

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

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

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

Marvel matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Marvel Entertainment (The Walt Disney Company)

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

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

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

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

Sony matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Sony Entertainment (Sony Corporation of America)

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

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

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

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

Netflix matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Netflix

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

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

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

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

Drive Matching Gifts for Your Org with These Tips

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

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

1. Collect donor employment information to identify match opportunities.

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

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

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

2. Employ dedicated software to streamline matching.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Prioritize impactful imagery in your matching gift promotions.

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

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

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

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

5. Express gratitude and recognize matching gift donors.

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gift Scripts: 5 Templates to Promote Matching

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

Template 1: Social Media Post

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

Template 2: Email Campaign

Subject: Your Gift Can Make a Greater Difference! 💫

Dear [DONOR],

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

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

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

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

Warm regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template 3: Text Message

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

Template 4: Donation Appeal

Dear [DONOR],

Unlock the Power of Your Donation with Matching Gifts!

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

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

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

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

With heartfelt appreciation,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

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

Template 5: Thank-You Postcard

Front:

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

Back:

[DONOR],

Thank you for your generous contribution to [NONPROFIT].

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

Thank you!

Wrapping Up

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

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

Good luck!

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

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

Double the Donation launches Matching Gift Academy: New Training and Insights for Fundraisers

New Matching Gift Academy: Training + Insights for Fundraisers

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Double the Donation is excited to announce the launch of our Matching Gift Academy, a new learning platform that helps organizations gain a deeper understanding of matching gift best practices and identify opportunities to maximize their 360MatchPro account usage.

The launch of the Matching Gift Academy represents Double the Donation’s continued commitment to helping organizations of all sizes fully harness the power of corporate matching gift education. The content covered will span a variety of topics that include marketing matching gifts, verifying matching gift requests, fine-tuning your corporate partnership plans, and using your matching gift technology to its fullest potential.

No matter the volume of matching gifts your organization receives, the Academy contains valuable insights that, when incorporated into your strategy, will help you raise more⁠—without all of the guesswork.

Interested in learning more about the Matching Gift Academy and how you can use it to propel your matching gift efforts to the next level? You’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Let’s dive in and learn more about this exciting launch!

Who Can Benefit from Enrolling in the Academy?

As the matching gift landscape continues to expand, fundraising organizations must cultivate strong matching gift knowledge among team members. The content in our Matching Gift Academy offers succinct, valuable resources to aid in that knowledge cultivation.

Whether you are a matching gift coordinator, a director of development, a marketing professional tasked with incorporating matching gifts into campaigns, or a finance professional that handles incoming matching gift funds, our content will enhance your ability to articulate matching gift opportunities and incorporate them seamlessly into your ongoing operations.

Matching Gift Academy beneficiaries

Plus, we have rolled out unique training videos that highlight 360MatchPro features. Use these videos to learn if 360MatchPro is right for your organization and to gain a better understanding of the tool. Or, if you are a current user, dive in to learn more about your account and take advantage of all your available features.

Whether your organization is considering 360MatchPro, has a new team member accessing your existing account, or just wants to identify opportunities to better utilize your subscription, you will want to sign up and begin diving into our account insights.

Tip! We recommend using the Matching Gift Academy as an onboarding tool for new team members. Get your new hires up to speed on matching gifts and how your organization prioritizes this fundraising source!
Check out our overview of 360MatchPro's matching gift automation functionality

What Types of Content Does the Academy Offer?

Within Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy, you will receive access to two learning courses.

Our first learning course “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights” covers an expanse of matching gift fundraising best practices. As you progress through the content in this course, you will gain a robust understanding of the matching gift landscape.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Marketing matching gifts;
  • Capturing matching gift metrics;
  • Encouraging donors to submit requests;
  • Cultivating strong relationships with matching gift donors and companies;
  • And more!

The curated content can be used to get your team up-to-speed on the industry and will enrich your ability to use matching gifts as a value-add in your fundraising efforts.

Our second learning course “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” offers training and insights on our 360MatchPro matching gift automation tool. The content provided will help you understand and optimize your 360MatchPro account to unlock greater matching gift revenue growth. By following the best practices and familiarizing yourself with 360MatchPro’s standout features, you’ll feel equipped to finetune your strategy moving forward and derive the most value from your subscription.

How is the Content Structured?

Content within the Matching Gift Academy is primarily delivered through video lessons, taught by our instructor, a matching gift expert with plenty of insights to share. However, to supplement your learning, we have also compiled relevant blog articles, PDF resources, and slide decks that can be leveraged to enhance your knowledge. These resources are accessible from within the course.

Matching Gift Academy structure overview

Each course is divided into modules that are broken down even further into lessons. This content structure allows you to digest information and self-pace your learning according to your schedule.

While the course content is parsed out in this structure, you will not need to watch the content in any particular order. If there are certain modules or lessons that you think would benefit you more than others, or if you want certain teams to only watch certain modules, you have the ability to skip around as you please! This structure ultimately makes socializing matching gifts at your organization easier than ever before.

To develop the most robust understanding of matching gifts and transform your strategy though, we recommend progressing through all of the learning content in both our “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights” course and our “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” course. Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate that demonstrates your mastery of content and complete knowledge of matching gifts and matching gift technology!

How Can I Enroll and Get Started?

If you are a current 360MatchPro user, within your account, you will find a unique coupon code to get this $199 value offering for free. Simply navigate to the resources tab of your account, and select ‘Matching Gift Academy.’ Your code will appear at the bottom of that page. If you are not yet a 360MatchPro user, schedule a demo with our team and ask about how you can gain access to the Matching Gift Academy!

We are excited to introduce this new content to teams and give you the opportunity to leverage this knowledge at your organization. You can take just three simple steps to get the most out of this offer.

  1. Enroll in the Matching Gift Academy.
  2. Progress through the content in both courses.
  3. Earn a certification to highlight your knowledge.

The Matching Gift Academy is an exceptional resource to help your organization make the most of matching gifts.

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy can be used to integrate matching gifts into your organization’s fundraising and set you up for ongoing, sustainable success from this revenue source. Whether you use the Matching Gift Academy during new team member onboarding or in your day to day work, you’ll find you can quickly gather insights that will help you better leverage match opportunities.

Get started with Double the Donation's Matching Gift Academy.

Matching Gifts for K-12 Schools

Matching Gifts for K-12 Schools | A Crash Course

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

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

This includes:

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

Multiplying Generosity with Matching Gifts: The Basics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Companies That Match Gifts to K-12 Schools

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

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

McGraw Hill offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

McGraw-Hill

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

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

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

Penguin Random House offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Penguin Random House

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

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

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

Crayola offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Crayola

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

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

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

TI offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Texas Instruments

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

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

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

Kaplan offers matching gifts for K-12 schools

Kaplan (Graham Holdings Company)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matching gifts for K-12 schools' Giving Days

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These materials should include…

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

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

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

Hint: Double the Donation offers some helpful materials here!

4. Consider volunteer grants as well.

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

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

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

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

Sample Matching Gift Messaging Templates for K-12 Schools

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

Matching Gift Email Template for K-12 Schools

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

Dear [Supporter’s Name],

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you again for your support!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title/Role]

[School Name]

Matching Gift Text Template for K-12 Schools

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

Matching Gift Facebook Template for K-12 Schools

🎓 Double Your Impact! 🎓

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

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

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

#MatchingGifts #SupportEducation #SchoolFundraising

Matching Gift Tweet Template for K-12 Schools

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

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

Matching Gift Postcard Template for K-12 Schools

Double Your Impact!

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

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

Bonus: Automate Your Matching Gift Outreach with 360MatchPro!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Driving Matching Gifts for Health and Medical Services

Driving Matching Gifts for Health & Medical Services

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

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

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

Let’s dive in!

Matching Gifts for Health & Medical Services | The Basics

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

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

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

Understanding the matching gift process for health and medical services

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

Companies That Match Gifts to Healthcare Organizations

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

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

CVS Health Matching Gift Program

CVS Health

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

UnitedHealth Group Medical Matching Gift Program

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

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

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

CIGNA Healthcare Matching Gift Program

CIGNA

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

AmerisourceBergen Health and Medical Matching Gift Program

AmerisourceBergen

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

McKesson Corporation Health and Medical Matching Gift Program

McKesson Corporation

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program here.

Tips for Developing a Healthy Matching Gift Strategy for Your Org

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

1. Incorporate matching gifts in your grateful patient program.

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

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

2. Highlight the medical impact of matching gifts.

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

Highlighting matching gift impact for health and medical services

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

3. Simplify the matching gift experience for donors.

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

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

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

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

Simplifying matching gifts for health and medical services

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

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

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

These include:

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

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

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

Sample Matching Gift Messaging for Healthcare Nonprofits

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

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

Matching Gift Email Template

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

Dear [donor],

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

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

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

With heartfelt appreciation,

[Name]

[Title/role]

[Healthcare nonprofit]

Matching Gift Tweet Template

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

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

Matching Gift Facebook Template

🌟 Double the Impact! 🌟

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

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

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

Ready to maximize your impact? Here’s how:

1️⃣ Check if your employer offers a matching gift program.

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

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

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

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

#MatchingGifts #DoubleTheImpact #HealthcareMatters #MakingADifference

Matching Gift Text Message Template

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

Wrapping Up

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matching Gifts for Food Security and Anti-Hunger Organizations

Matching Gifts for Food Security + Anti-Hunger Organizations

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

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

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

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

Let’s dive in!

What to Know About Matching Gifts for Food Security Nonprofits

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

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

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

Matching gift stats for food security organizations

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

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

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

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

Companies That Match Donations to Anti-Hunger Orgs

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

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

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

The Hershey Company

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program.

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

Tyson Foods

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program.

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

Campbell Soup Company

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

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program.

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

PepsiCo

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program.

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

Starbucks Corporation

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

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

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Top Tips to Amplify Impact with Effective Gift-Matching

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

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

1. Raise awareness of matching gift programs among supporters.

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

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

We recommend employing various marketing channels, such as your…

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

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

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

2. Communicate the amplified financial impact of matching.

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Thoroughly research companies’ matching gift program guidelines.

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

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

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

5. Explore corporate partnerships with food-focused businesses.

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

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

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

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

6. Scale efficiencies with matching gift automation.

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

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

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

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

Next Steps

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

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

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

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

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

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