As a nonprofit fundraising professional, you likely understand the importance of maximizing retention among supporters. But do you have a plan in place to go above and beyond, implementing the right strategies for effectively retaining matching gift donors?
After all, this segment has already proven to be some of your most dedicated supporters. Not only have they furthered your cause with their own generous donations, but they’ve gone the extra mile to amplify impact with corporate matching.
Communicating your appreciation for this group is a must. In doing so, you can increase the likelihood that they’ll remain involved with your organization over time.
Ask yourself this: What is your organization doing to thank individuals who submit matching gift requests? How do you ensure these match-eligible supporters will do so the following year and the year after that? Is your staff effectively trained to pursue this opportunity?
It’s time to change that! Let’s dive in to discuss effective matching gift donor retention and more.
What Are Matching Gift Donors?
Matching gift donors are individuals who not only contribute their own dollars but also amplify their support by requesting matching gifts on your organization’s behalf.
Result in completed matching gifts being provided to your nonprofit.
These are some of your mission’s most valuable assets, and they’ve shown repeated dedication to your organization. Ultimately, matching gift donors can make a significant impact on a nonprofit’s fundraising efforts, corporate partnerships, and more.
And a large portion of your existing supporters likely qualify for these programs! In fact, an analysis of our matching gift database reports that over 26 million individuals are employed by companies with matching gift programs. That’s a significant opportunity that you don’t want to overlook.
Why Does Matching Gift Retention Matter?
Retaining matching gift donors matters for a lot of the same reasons that retaining traditional donors does. For one thing, it’s significantly easier—and more cost-effective—to obtain repeat funding from existing donors than it is to continuously try to make up revenue from new, one-time supporters.
This is especially true when it comes to matching gifts, as many donors will hear about the opportunity for the first time from your organization. Starting out, most donors will not be aware of their employer’s matching gift programs—even if they qualify to participate. Therefore, you don’t want your efforts used to educate them to only make a one-time impact. When engaging with existing matching gift donors, however, you’ll be able to draw from their knowledge through experience rather than beginning at square one with the basics.
Not to mention, donors love participating in their employers’ matching initiatives. Research even indicates that 84% of individuals are more likely to donate if a match is available, with 1 in 3 stating they’d even increase the size of their gift if so.
Retaining matching gift donors is also a powerful way to build long-term relationships that go beyond the initial transaction, demonstrate impactful financial stewardship efforts, and aid the organization in pursuing its mission more effectively.
Key Strategies for Retaining Matching Gift Donors
Now you should understand the value of retaining matching gift donors over time. But how exactly can you plan to do so?
Here are some of our top-recommended matching gift retention strategies!
1. Make matching easy.
One of the most significant roadblocks to completing matching gifts is a critical knowledge gap surrounding the programs. In other words, eligible donors have no idea that they qualify for corporate matching. And those that have been informed about the programs often remain unaware of how to actually get involved.
In order to drive more matching gifts to completion—the first, second, third times, and beyond—it’s a good idea to make the process quick and easy. With a particularly complicated matching experience, a donor might complete their submission request. But they’re not likely to do so again the following year.
The best way to streamline matching? Employing the right software to do so!
When you leverage Double the Donation’s matching gift tool in your website and fundraising channels, you can pinpoint qualifying donors and maximize potential revenue. It will even provide match-eligible individuals with direct links to company-specific matching forms that can typically be completed in five minutes or less.
Not to mention, new auto-submission capabilities empower qualifying donors to complete their matches right from their favorite organizations’ giving pages. When all it takes is a few clicks of a button to submit a matching gift request, donors will be increasingly likely to do so each time they give.
2. Prioritize two-way communication throughout the process.
You’ve surely heard the phrase, “Communication is key.” When it comes to matching gifts, this is more true than ever!
After all, the process involves a few key stakeholders who each play a critical role in the success of a match—namely, the donor, their employer, and the nonprofit to which they give. By tracking your supporters’ program eligibility and matching gift completions, you can most effectively ensure that everyone is on the same page.
That’s why we recommend asking donors to keep your team up to date on the status of their match requests. In your matching gift emails sent to encourage submissions, offer an easy way for individuals to mark their matches as being requested.
And once their match goes through and your organization receives the corresponding check, your team can properly thank them—closing the loop and confirming with the individual that their match was successful.
The easiest way to do so is with matching gift software! Not only can you easily incorporate an easy “Click here when you’ve submitted your match” button in your communications, but the tool will update responses by donors, enabling your organization to better track matches throughout the gift lifecycle.
3. Track matching gifts by donor.
Keeping track of matching gifts can be challenging without the right tools, but doing so can have a tremendous impact on how you recognize and follow up with matching gift donors. By effectively managing incoming matches, you can provide proper acknowledgment and stewardship to these donors. Ultimately, this helps strengthen your relationships and increase their likelihood of continued support in the future.
Once the matching gift lifecycle is complete, an organization typically receives a matching donation corresponding to the request previously submitted by their donor. Depending on the employer’s disbursement process, the match may show up as a check from the company itself or its CSR management vendor.
However, ensuring you’re able to attribute the match to the individual who requested it is essential for optimizing your matching donor relations. After all, you want to thank the individual donor rather than the employer or the CSR vendor. (Note: You can acknowledge the matching gift company for the donation if you’d like to, though it’s not necessary.)
More than likely, your nonprofit CRM offers the ability to make a note in a donor record or to link together associated donation listings. Make sure to do so in your donor management system and in your matching gift dashboard to maintain a complete picture of your successful matching gifts.
4. Thoroughly demonstrate gratitude.
Matching gifts are a key component of an effective fundraising strategy, and so is thanking the donors who complete the process. Otherwise, you’ll face the possibility of losing valuable supporters. Or, at the very least, they’ll be less likely to submit matching gifts in the future.
A little acknowledgment can go a long way when it comes to retaining your donors—matching gift-specific and otherwise. Personal messages of thanks can be sent using just about any channel but likely include:
Email
Text message
Phone calls
Direct mail
eCards
With the right automation system (like Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro), you can even use customizable templates and brand the outreach to your organization. Plus, your team will save time and effort while ensuring no matching gift donors slip through the cracks.
Regardless of the medium you select, your thank-you note doesn’t have to be long or complicated. All it takes is a few sentences thanking an individual for submitting a matching gift! Not only do donors want to know that their form is being processed, but you’ll also stay fresh on their minds without asking for another donation.
Then, we recommend also employing messages of gratitude upon receiving the completed match. Remember—though the matching gift did not come from the donor’s own wallet, it would not have been possible without their efforts. Oftentimes, these kinds of acknowledgments are sent once the check is actually processed, many months after match forms are initially submitted.
5. Enlist public recognition.
Beyond private efforts of thanksgiving, another way to deepen relationships with matching gift donors involves publicly acknowledging their above-and-beyond support of your cause.
Doing so allows your team to reinforce the impact of matching donors’ actions and stay fresh on their minds by outwardly thanking them.
And going further, it also helps promote these invaluable revenue opportunities to other donors who may not otherwise know about them. So not only is this a great retention strategy, but it can start the matching gift conversation with other supporters, too!
A few recommended ideas include:
Mentioning matching gift donors by name in a supporter newsletter
Sharing matching gift donor highlights on your social media pages
Adding matching gift donors to a (physical or virtual) donor wall
Acknowledging recent matching gift donors in a fundraising event speech
Keep in mind that if you’d rather not mention all of your matching gift donors publicly by name, you might opt for a running count of matching gifts (or total revenue) received on your organization’s website! You might even call out a few of your company’s top matching gift providers, or the companies that are actively matching gifts to your cause.
6. Highlight amplified giving impact.
As you discuss the importance of matching gifts on your cause—both in public and private communications—it’s a good idea to continuously return the focus to the amplified giving impact made possible by corporate matching.
For example, begin highlighting specific projects or programs that have benefited from matching gift funding. Donors will better understand how the value of their dollars (and continued support through corporate matching participation) is vital to the success of your organization.
Consider this:
“Connie, thank you for your recent matching gift submission. We’ve received a corporate donation from your employer, thus doubling the impact of your initial gift.
Thanks to your contribution and the matching gift you requested on our behalf, we are now able to feed and house TWICE AS MANY furry friends here a the Cat Rescue Club. That’s two times the amount of kittens we’re able to get off the streets this month.”
After all, you know your donors have some sort of connection with your cause. Emphasizing the vitality of matching gifts through tangible mission impact is a great way to deepen your relationships and tug on their heartstrings to drive continuous matching gift involvement.
7. Make a note of matching gift program guidelines.
Each company that offers a matching gift program is able to establish its own eligibility criteria and program guidelines. Most often, this includes a combination of minimum and maximum donation amounts, matching gift ratios, qualifying nonprofit causes and employee types, and submission deadlines.
When it comes to retaining matching gift donors, two of the primary criteria you’ll likely consider are program maximums and submission deadlines. After all, the number of matches an individual can request may be limited by a program maximum. And the submission deadline is typically associated with the resetting of the annual cap. Thus, becoming familiar with this information can ensure your team is able to send targeted messages that adhere to their companies’ requirements.
Here’s an example:
Suzie works for Carl’s Computer Company, which offers a $5,000 match limit annually. She contributes $5,000 to your organization, which is then matched at a 1:1 rate—and puts Suzie at the top of her match cap for the year. You don’t want to bombard Suzie with matching gift appeals she won’t qualify for, so you mark her temporarily ineligible for matching in your software system.
However, you know that Carl’s Computer Company resets its matching program on June 1st, in line with the business’s fiscal year. When Suzie donates to your organization again the following June, you take the opportunity to send a personalized matching gift letter that reminds her of her renewed eligibility through her employer.
Having a solid understanding of your donors’ matching gift guidelines can help your organization tailor its strategy and better appeal to qualifying donors. (Again, a matching gift database tool can be a huge help here!)
8. Calculate year-over-year matching gift rates.
In order to measure your organization’s matching gift success and determine whether you’re effectively retaining matching gift donors over time, tracking and analyzing the right metrics is essential.
To calculate your matching gift donor retention rate, you’ll want to first establish the number of individuals whose gifts resulted in corporate matches during a year-long period. Then, determine the number of individuals whose gifts resulted in corporate matches again the following year. Divide the number of returning matching gift donors by the total number of matching gift donors from the most recent period and multiply the figure by 100.
Here’s an example:
The Cat Rescue Club receives 1,000 matching gifts in 2021. The next year, 400 of those matching gift donors submit matching gift requests again for their most recent gifts.
400 divided by 1,000 equals 0.4, which, multiplied by 100, produces an annual matching gift retention rate of 40%.
From there, you’ll want to continue calculating and tracking this figure over time. The hope is that with the right tips and strategies driving your donor communications, you’ll ultimately see substantial growth in your matching gift retention levels year over year.
Without generous supporters, your nonprofit would lack the resources necessary to continue working toward its goals. And matching gift donors, in particular, allow you to stretch your funding even further toward your cause.
Thus, make sure these supporters receive the gratitude and recognition they deserve—while also working to simplify the process however you can. By implementing the above-mentioned strategies, you’ll boost your revenue and retain vital support for your cause.
Dive deeper into matching gift strategies for success! Check out the additional recommended resources below:
14 Types of Matching Gift Letters Every Nonprofit Should Send. Drive more matching gifts with the recommended matching gift letters and examples in this guide. This includes matching gift appeals, submission acknowledgments, and fulfilled match thank-you messages!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DTD_What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Retaining-Matching-Gift-Donors_Feature-600x215-1.png215600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-05-05 17:00:002024-01-24 21:19:09What You Need to Know About Retaining Matching Gift Donors
Corporate matching gifts have significant nonprofit fundraising potential, and one of the easiest, most effective ways to raise awareness for these programs is through personalized donor outreach. Whether through traditional or digital channels, smart matching gift letters can inform donors about the opportunities and encourage them to get involved.
And there are a wide variety of letters you can send to boost results.
To elevate your matching gift potential, we recommend incorporating these types of letters in your team’s donation-matching communications:
In this guide, we’ll walk through the above kinds of matching gift letters, explaining how each can benefit your organization and its audience. Plus, we’ll share sample copy and inspiring examples that can bring your team’s messaging to the next level.
By providing donors with detailed information on how easy and important it is to submit matching gift requests to their employers, you can drive more matches to completion. Incorporating messaging that emphasizes these points can be particularly effective in your outreach.
Ready to maximize corporate and individual donations with well-crafted matching gift fundraising letters and use cases? Let’s get started!
Letter #1 – Fundraising Appeal Matching Gift Letters
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you surely understand the need to make your gift appeals stand out in your supporters’ mailboxes—whether physical or virtual.
Luckily, incorporating matching gift information in your fundraising requests can go a long way! In fact, our research indicates that 84% of supporters are more likely to donate if a match is being offered. And 1 in 3 would give a larger gift if matching is to be applied.
The result? A 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount when matching is mentioned in fundraising appeals.
Check out this example to see it in action:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Highlight the substantial impact that matching gifts can offer;
Frame matching opportunities in terms of tangible mission-related programming when possible;
Encourage donors to take part by contributing to your organization’s fundraising.
Get started with this free matching gift appeal letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. As a valued supporter of [Nonprofit], we wanted to share an exciting opportunity that can magnify the impact of your generosity – matching gifts.
Did you know that many companies have matching gift programs in place to amplify their employees’ charitable contributions? It’s true! Through these programs, your giving has the potential to be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. This means that the gift you make today could have twice the impact, producing an even greater difference in the lives of those we serve.
To explore the potential of matching gifts and find out if your employer participates, please visit our donation page at [link] and use our embedded company search tool to receive step-by-step instructions after submitting your gift. We are committed to making the process as seamless as possible, ensuring that every dollar you contribute has the maximum impact.
Thank you for your continued generosity, advocacy, and belief in our mission. Together, let’s create a brighter tomorrow.
With heartfelt appreciation,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
Remember: your donors want to make a difference for the cause your nonprofit is pursuing. When presented with the opportunity to make their dollars go even further, supporters are often eager to get involved.
When to send: Whenever you organize a fundraising campaign that involves soliciting donations from supporters Who to send to: All existing supporters and prospective donors Why send: To increase awareness of matching gifts, elevate response rates, and make your appeals stand out
Letter #2 – Donation Acknowledgment Matching Gift Letters
Your communications after an individual supports your cause should help demonstrate your gratefulness for their giving. But did you know that your acknowledgment letters can also function as one of your first post-donation opportunities to promote matching gifts?
Donor thank-you letters (or emails!) can be written with customizable templates in which you insert a donor’s name, brand it to your organization, and provide a few other details in order to deliver a personal touch. For example, we recommend calling out specific gifts. Instead of a general “Thanks for the donation!” you can say, “We so appreciate your generous $100 contribution on May 5th, 2023.”
From there, consider plugging in a bit of information pertaining to matching gifts. It can be as simple as this: “Keep an eye out for ways to make your support go even further. We’ll send a separate email in the next few days regarding matching gifts.” In the meantime, you could even direct them to your dedicated matching gift web page to learn more!
Here’s a sample acknowledgment email complete with matching gift information:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial support of your organization;
Inform the recipient that additional matching gift-related outreach will be sent soon;
Encourage the individual to learn more about matching gift opportunities by exploring the nonprofit’s matching gift page.
Get started with this free matching gift donation acknowledgment letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
On behalf of [Nonprofit], I want to express our sincerest gratitude for your recent donation of $[gift]. Your generous support enables us to continue [describe the impact of their contribution or the work your organization does].
But did you know that your donation has the potential to go even further? Many companies have matching gift programs in place, which means they can match their employees’ charitable contributions. By taking a few moments to seek a match from your employer, you have the power to double or even triple the impact of your recent gift.
To find out if your company participates, click here [link] to use our company search tool, and be on the lookout for more matching gift insights soon.
Warm regards,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
[Contact Information]
Thanking supporters is one of the major keys to maximizing donor retention. When you thank your donors in this way, you’re also extending a courtesy by giving them the chance to contribute more without reaching back into their own pockets.
Your donors want to help as much as possible, and you don’t want to leave easy money on the table. It’s a win-win!
When to send: Immediately after receiving a new donation Who to send to: Recent donors Why send: To thank individuals for their recent donations and provide information as to how they can amplify their giving impact
Keep in mind that this should not be a primary form of matching gift communication that you rely on to get the word out about the opportunity. Donation acknowledgments are often discarded without a thorough look, so you’ll want to incorporate other types of letters in your strategy as well.
Letter #3 – Matching Gift Emails
Nowadays, email is a popular outreach method for nonprofits looking to engage their supporters in the virtual realm. Thus, you’ll want to make the most of the channel by using it to promote matching gift opportunities.
Note: this section covers general matching gift emails that can be sent to all of your organization’s donors at various points year-round. Keep reading to learn about more targeted messaging that you might opt to trigger with donor- and company-specific insights below.
Take a look at this matching gift email you might send:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Inspire interest from the start with an engaging subject line;
Direct readers to the organization’s dedicated matching gift web page;
Leverage specific and prominent calls to action that encourages donors to seek the opportunity;
Emphasize the increased donation impact made possible through matching gift programs.
Get started with this free matching gift email template:
Subject: Double Your Impact with Matching Gifts!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Did you know that many companies have matching gift programs in place to support their employees’ charitable giving? Through these programs, your donation can be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of your generosity. Some companies even offer a 2:1 or 3:1 match, meaning your gift could have an even greater effect.
Seeking a matching gift is easy! Here’s how you can get started:
Check if your employer offers a matching gift program. You can do this by searching our matching gift database here [link] or by reaching out to your HR department.
Then, obtain and complete the necessary forms or information required by your employer. Be sure to follow any specific instructions provided by your company.
By taking a few moments to seek a match from your employer, you can double the impact of your donation, making an even greater difference in [Nonprofit]’s mission of [describe the specific impact of their contribution].
We are here to assist you throughout the matching gift process. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Thank you once again for your support and dedication to our cause. Together, we can create positive change and make a lasting impact.
With gratitude,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
To further streamline the matching process, consider equipping your nonprofit with a comprehensive matching gift database search tool. In that case, you can send supporters to the tool from your matching gift outreach and inspire them to see if their employer offers a program!
When to send: A few times throughout the year Who to send to: All donors who have yet to submit match requests Why send: To increase matching gift awareness and inspire donors to uncover their own eligibility
Letter #4 – Matching Gift Inserts
Direct mailings can go a long way toward enhancing donor engagement and getting your fundraising message in front of supporters. Since snail mail is on the pricier end of communications, you’ll likely want to do what you can to get your money’s worth out of the channel. And that means using your mail packages to promote matching gift opportunities.
However, you shouldn’t have to re-work your existing printed resources. Instead, we recommend creating new materials that can be included alongside your established fundraising letters. These inserts can simply be printed and slipped into your envelopes prior to sending. Then, you’re ready to go!
Here’s an example:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Incorporate an eye-catching graphic to grab your recipients’ attention;
Provide an easy way for donors to request additional information—such as an easy-to-type URL or scannable QR code;
Be short, sweet, and to the point. Just a quick matching gift blurb will do!
Get started with this free matching gift insert template:
Double Your Impact with Matching Gifts!
Did you know that your donation to [Nonprofit] could be matched by your employer? Many companies have matching gift programs that can double or even triple your contribution.
It’s a simple process – scan the QR code (or go to the URL here: [link]) to learn more. By taking a few minutes to seek a match, you can multiply the value of your gift and help us continue our important work.
Thank you for considering a matching gift – together, we can make an even greater difference!
The good news is that paper inserts can be mailed along with almost any direct mail outreach. Consider sending them in newsletters, gift acknowledgments, event invitations, volunteer information, and more. Each communication will remind donors of the possibility of matching gifts, thus inspiring generosity and driving action.
When to send: Any time you send direct mail communications Who to send to: All donors and prospects receiving direct mail outreach Why send: To break through the digital clutter and drive matching gift awareness
Letter #5 – Matching Gift Postcards
If you’re looking to promote matching gifts via direct mail but want to take a more unique approach than a typical fundraising letter, consider sending a postcard instead.
To start, postcards have a friendly feel—like a note from a loved one who’s thinking of you. Consider incorporating them into your direct mail fundraising strategy to make your efforts stand out; specifically as a matching gift marketing tactic.
You’re sure to keep your organization (and its additional giving opportunities) at the forefront of the donor’s mind for a longer period of time. It might even end up on the recipient’s fridge!
Here’s what a matching gift postcard might look like:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Grab your audience’s attention with a visually appealing design that is strategically branded to match your organization’s style;
Include a clear and specific call to action for the recipient, such as determining their matching gift eligibility or submitting a request, if applicable;
Keep any URLs short, sweet, and easy to type—or incorporate a scannable QR code.
Get started with this free matching gift postcard template:
Front
[Nonprofit logo]
Double Your Impact on [Nonprofit] with Matching Gifts!
Back
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Thank you for your recent support of [Nonprofit]. Did you know that your donation could go twice as far? Scan the QR code below to find out how. [link to matching gifts page]
Thank you for considering a matching gift – your support makes a difference!
Plus, you’ll always want to consider personalization. While you likely won’t have the time to handwrite every postcard, merely signing your name at the bottom can do wonders to let donors know that you took time out of your day to engage them.
Nowadays, we often refer to direct mail as ‘snail mail.’ But what it lacks in speed, it often makes up for in emotional impact!
When to send: A few days to a week after an individual has made a donation Who to send to: High-value supporters who you’ve determined are likely to be eligible for a matching gift Why send: To cut through the unnecessary obstacle of getting your fundraising letters opened in the first place
Top tip!If you’re looking to save on shipping costs, a digital postcard can make your efforts stand out as well. Consider sending a fundraising eCard that highlights matching gift opportunities and directs donors to your matching gift web page to learn more.
Letter #6 – Matching Gift Newsletters
Without a promotional strategy in place, more often than not, potential and current donors won’t know about matching gift opportunities–let alone what they entail. A good remedy for this is to include it in one of your most valuable marketing resources: your newsletter.
A nonprofit newsletter is a popular way for supporters to stay up to date on current happenings at an organization they support. This regular publication may be a physical resource sent through the mail or a digital one that makes its way to your audience’s email inboxes. Regardless, it likely provides details on upcoming events, ways to get involved, and more. And it’s perfect for matching gift information!
Check out this sample matching gift newsletter:
This type of matching gift letter should:
Make matching gifts a regular feature in newsletters sent to donors and prospects;
Incorporate an overview of the fundamentals of matching gift programs;
Provide step-by-step instructions for donors interested in getting involved in the initiatives;
Share real examples of ways your organization has benefited from matching gifts in the past.
Get started with this free matching gift newsletter template:
Double Your Fundraising Power With Matching Gifts
Many companies have matching gift programs that can double or even triple your donations, allowing you to make an even greater difference in the causes you care about.
Here’s how it works: When you donate to [Nonprofit], you can easily check if your employer offers a matching gift program. With a few additional steps, you can unlock new sources of funds that directly benefit our organization.
For example, a $100 contribution can produce over $200 worth of value, thanks to your employer’s workplace giving initiative. This additional funding allows us to expand our programs, reach more individuals in need, and create lasting positive change in our community.
We encourage you to explore the matching gift opportunities available to you. Together, we can make an even greater impact on our mission.
Depending on your needs, you may decide to include a section about matching gifts within a larger publication or devote an entire edition just to corporate gift-matching. Other enticing topics to cover may include a list of popular matching gift companies, facts and figures relating to your nonprofit’s prior matching success, research demonstrating the prevalence of such programs, and more.
When to send: Once or twice throughout the year Who to send to: Donors, volunteers, prospects, and others on your nonprofit’s newsletter mailing list Why send: To inform donors about the prevalence of matching gift opportunities and how they can get involved
Letter #7 – Eligible Donor Matching Gift Letters
An eligible donor matching gift letter is a specific type of outreach sent only to supporters who you’ve identified as being likely eligible for a corporate match through their employer. This targeted messaging typically aims to inform donors about not only the existence of matching gift programs in a general sense but also to provide company-specific details pertaining to their own employer.
Plus, it will often include personalized instructions on how the recipient can initiate the request process now that they’ve been deemed eligible.
If you’ve determined that a donor works for a matching gift company, you’ll want to send a matching gift letter like this:
This matching gift letter should:
Address the donor by name and acknowledge their initial gift amount;
Encourage the reader to submit their matching gift request;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the supporter to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift eligible donor letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are pleased to inform you that your recent donation of $[gift] qualifies for a matching gift from your employer, [Company]. Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Best regards,
[Name]
[Title]
[Nonprofit]
If you’re looking for a more efficient way to uncover match-eligible donors and trigger personalized matching gift letters like these, consider investing in an automation tool like 360MatchPro.
The 360MatchPro platform scans information donors provide during the giving process to determine likely eligibility, sending personalized and actionable email streams that drive more qualifying matches to completion.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors who you’ve identified as likely eligible for a matching gift program through available employment information Why send: To provide company-specific matching gift program guidelines and links to submission forms
Letter #8 – Ineligible Donor Matching Gift Letters
On the other hand, an ineligible donor matching gift letter is a type of outreach that informs the recipient that, according to the nonprofit’s records, they likely do not qualify for a matching gift from their employer. However, it’s vital to keep a positive approach, encouraging donors to consider amplifying their support for the organization in other ways.
Check out this sample matching gift letter you might send to a donor you’ve marked as likely ineligible for a match:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial support of the organization;
Encourage the reader to confirm with their employer the existence (or lack thereof) of a corporate matching gift program;
Inspire the individual to consider advocating for their employer regarding the establishment of a new matching gift program;
Include or link to additional resources that can aid an employee in championing a matching gift program.
Get started with this free matching gift ineligible donor template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We really appreciate your recent donation to our organization.
One way that you can amplify your giving impact for [Nonprofit] is with matching gifts. Does your employer match?
We don’t have a record of your employer in our database. But they may have a program nonetheless! Consider reaching out to your company’s HR Department to discuss the possibility of a matching program.
If your employer does match, please add your company to our matching gift database or email a copy of your form to data@doublethedonation.com.
If your company does not currently offer a matching program, they might be willing to start! Check out this guide to see how you can advocate for a new matching gift program to your employer.
Thank you again for your support.
Best regards,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
You never know–an ineligible donor may be just the person to influence a brand-new matching initiative. And your communications to these individuals can go a long way toward providing updated data points, deepening engagement opportunities, corporate partnership potential, and more.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors who have indicated that they work for a company that does not offer a matching gift program Why send: To encourage such supporters to double-check for the existence of a matching program and provide resources to aid in new program advocacy
Letter #9 – Unknown Donor Matching Gift Letters
After giving, there’s a third category in which donors may be placed–and that is unknown eligibility. Unknown donor matching gift letters are those sent to that segment.
A donor may be sorted into this category based on a few reasons. First, an individual may have simply completed their initial gift without providing their employment details. In this case, you can’t know if a donor will qualify for a matching gift if you don’t know where they work.
On the other hand, another donor may be marked as “unknown eligibility” if they did provide their current employer, but your organization lacks information regarding the availability of the company’s matching gift programs.
If a donor’s eligibility is unknown, consider sending a letter like this one:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor for their initial contribution;
Encourage the individual to look up their employer using the provided company search tool;
Inspire the reader to take the applicable next steps depending on their determined eligibility status;
Ask the supporter to let the sender know whether their employer offers a matching program and/or when they’ve submitted their match request.
Get started with this free matching gift unknown donor template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Warm greetings from [Nonprofit]! We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. We are writing to express our deepest gratitude for your recent donation to support our cause. Your generosity is making a significant impact on the lives of those we serve.
We wanted to take this opportunity to inform you about an incredible opportunity to increase the impact of your contribution – matching gifts. Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the value of your donation.
To find out if you qualify for such a match, please click here to search for your employer in our matching gift database lookup tool! It’s quick and easy, and can even provide you with the forms you need to complete your match in seconds.
Then, once you’ve submitted your matching gift request, click here to let us know.
Thank you again for your ongoing support of [Nonprofit] and our mission.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Nonprofit]
Overall, this type of outreach should be used to drive donors further down the funnel. Whether they do or do not ultimately qualify for matching gifts, following the instructions provided in the letter allows them to provide the sending organization with additional information that can help guide further efforts.
When to send: Within 24 hours of an individual making a donation to your nonprofit Who to send to: Donors for which you do not have current employment information to determine eligibility or those whose employers lack updated matching gift guidelines Why send: To encourage donors to provide up-to-date employment data and uncover their matching gift eligibility
Letter #10 – Board Member Matching Gift Letters
You know your board members are some of your most valuable supporters. And they often come with lucrative matching opportunities, as well!
Board member matching gift letters are a type of communication sent exclusively to your nonprofit’s board of directors. Most often, these messages will be sent following a recent donation, encouraging the recipient to pursue a matching gift from their employer. This allows board members to take a more active role in fundraising for your nonprofit, which is a common challenge identified in board assessments.
After all, many companies offer exceptionally generous matching gift programs (which often incorporate higher donation ratios and maximums) for even greater corporate matching impact when an employee serves on a nonprofit board.
Here’s an example of a board member matching gift letter:
This matching gift letter should:
Address the donor/board member by name and thank them for their recent contribution to the organization;
Explicitly acknowledge the individual’s status as a member of the nonprofit’s board of directors;
Encourage the reader to submit a board member match request to their company;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the individual to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift board letter template:
Get on Board With Matching Gifts!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are eternally grateful for your generous support of [Nonprofit] – both regarding your recent donation of $1,000 as well as your ongoing dedication in serving on our nonprofit board.
Did you know that your employer, [Company], offers a special matching gifts program for employees who serve on a nonprofits’ Board of Directors? Thus, your $[gift] donation qualifies for a [matching gift ratio] match from your company – multiplying the value of your initial gift!
Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Warmly,
[Name]
[Nonprofit]
Keep in mind that your board members have already shown great dedication toward your cause. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be on the board in the first place. Take the opportunity to promote matching gift programs for qualifying board members–especially if you know that their employer is one that provides a special match initiative.
When to send: Soon after receiving a donation from a board member Who to send to: Donors who currently serve on your organization’s board of directors or board members who aren’t currently giving Why send: To inform board members that many companies offer unique matching gift programs when their employees serve on a nonprofit’s board
Letter #11 – Peer-to-Peer Fundraiser Matching Gift Letters
Even among those who’ve been informed about traditional donation match programs, many are still unaware that other companies offer fundraising match programs. The difference? Donation matching involves an individual requesting that their employer matches a gift they personally contributed to a nonprofit. Fundraising matches, on the other hand, encompass a company matching all the funds an employee raises on a nonprofit’s behalf—even those not made by the company’s employees themselves.
So if you’ve recently hosted a peer-based fundraising event (such as a run/walk/ride), a peer-to-peer matching gift letter can be an excellent follow-up for eligible individuals.
Here’s a sample matching gift letter you might send to a recent peer-to-peer fundraiser:
This matching gift letter should:
Acknowledge the volunteer fundraiser by name and recognize their total amount of fulfilled pledges from the P2P campaign;
Encourage the reader to submit a fundraising match request to their employer;
Provide direct links to match submission forms or online portals for the individual’s employing company;
Ask the supporter to notify the organization once they’ve completed their request.
Get started with this free matching gift peer-to-peer fundraiser template:
Your Pledges Could Be DOUBLED!
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are so grateful that you’ve supported [Nonprofit] by taking on a peer fundraising role in our recent campaign.
Did you know that your employer, [Company], offers a special matching gift program in which it offers to match the fulfilled pledges an employee collects on behalf of a nonprofit cause? That means the $[total collected pledges] you raised for our [campaign name] is eligible to be multiplied!
Requesting your match is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to complete the process.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
On behalf of the whole team at [Nonprofit], we are SO grateful for your continued support of our mission. We hope you take the opportunity to amplify your giving impact with a corporate match!
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Best wishes,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Peer fundraising initiatives often produce significantly higher funding amounts than a single donation. Fundraising match letters can help bring that success to the next level!
When to send: In the days or weeks following the conclusion of a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign Who to send to: Peer-to-peer fundraising volunteers who have recently collected donations on your organization’s behalf Why send: To inform peer-to-peer fundraisers that many companies offer unique matching gift programs that allow employees to request corporate matching for their total fundraising amounts
Letter #12 – Giving Season or End-of-Year Matching Gift Letters
Donors often increase their charitable giving at the end of the year. This is when individuals are most aware of their finances and how much they have left to give. Plus, the holiday season tends to bring out an increase in generosity.
Because of this, many nonprofits make their big pushes for donations during this end-of-the-year giving season, such as through matching donation challenges. This is also an excellent time to pursue corporate matching gifts.
And an automation platform like 360MatchPro by Double the Donation can help! That’s why Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro offers a dedicated year-end email stream that you can use to contact donors about the donations they’ve already made during the year.
Here’s what a year-end matching gift email can look like:
This matching gift letter should:
Be personalized to the donor;
Include the donation amount and date;
Provide pertinent information about the donor’s employer and their matching gift eligibility;
Establish urgency by reminding the donor that many companies close their request windows at the end of the year in which the donation was made;
Leverage clear calls-to-action that encourage donors to kickstart the matching gift process.
Get started with this free matching gift end-of-year fundraising letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
It’s not too late! Did you know that you can still request a matching gift for your donation of $[gift] made on [donation date]?
Thousands of companies have matching gift programs in place that can significantly increase the value of employees’ donations. However, it’s important to note that many employers close their matching gift request windows at the end of the calendar year in which a gift is made.
So that means the time is now to complete the matching gift process and amplify your support of [Nonprofit] and its mission. Luckily, a submission is easy, and we’ve provided you with the forms and instructions you need to finalize your match.
Step 1: Click here to access [Company]’s matching gift forms. Fill out the online form and submit it to your employer!
Step 2: After completing your request, please click this link to let us know that it’s been submitted.
If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to our matching gift coordinator at [contact information].
Season’s greetings,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Many people have already donated for the year, and the giving season is an ideal opportunity to remind supporters how they can do more to help your cause.
When to send: The end of the calendar year Who to send to: Match-eligible donors who have not indicated that they’ve submitted their matching gift request Why send: To remind donors about matching gifts and encourage submissions while their gifts still qualify
Letter #13 – Matching Gift Request Thank You Letters
We’ve previously recommended that organizations employing matching gift letters to drive match submissions should encourage eligible donors to let them know when they’ve completed their requests. This enables easier tracking through the matching gift lifecycle and better forecasting (and, thus, budgeting) for incoming matches.
However, it also provides an additional opportunity to engage with your matching gift donors. And that’s where matching gift request acknowledgment (or thank-you) letters come in!
Upon being notified of a recent matching gift submission, consider sending a matching gift thank you note like this:
This matching gift letter should:
Let the recipient know that they’ve been notified of the individual’s recent matching gift request;
Thank the matching gift donor for their above-and-beyond support of the organization;
Reiterate the vast benefits of matching gifts on the nonprofit’s overarching mission.
Get started with this free matching gift request thank-you letter template:
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We are writing to let you know that we so appreciate your recent matching gift submission on behalf of [Nonprofit].
Donors like you going the extra mile to support our cause allow us to make an even greater difference for our mission.
Thanks again! We’ll be in touch throughout the completion of the [Company] matching gift process. Feel free to let us know if you have any additional questions.
Best,
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
Depending on the employing company’s submission requirements, you might choose to inform the donor that you’ll begin your part of the matching gift process (such as filling out a separate form or confirming that the initial gift was made).
When to send: Within 24 hours of a matching gift submission notification Who to send to: Donors who have recently indicated that they completed their employer’s matching gift request process Why send: To confirm that your organization was notified of a submitted matching gift request by a donor
Letter #14 – Completed Matching Gift Thank You Letters
Our last recommended matching gift letter is another thank-you. But this time, it’s sent after a matching gift is completed by the company.
This letter allows your organization to reiterate your gratitude for the individual going the extra mile, which has resulted in double (or perhaps triple!) the funding for your cause. Plus, it allows you to close the loop, ensuring the donor understands their match was successful.
After you’ve received a completed match from a donor’s employer, send a final acknowledgment like this one:
This matching gift letter should:
Thank the donor once again for their willingness to pursue a matching gift on your nonprofit’s behalf;
Acknowledge that the company match has been successfully received and processed.
Get started with this free completed matching gift thank-you letter template:
[Donor],
We’re SO excited to let you know that we recently received the matching gift funds from your employer, [Company]. Once again, we thank you for all your support.
And please consider requesting a match again if you decide to make another gift in the future!
Much appreciation,
[Name]
Matching Gift Team
[Nonprofit]
You can also use this matching gift letter to encourage donors to keep their employer’s matching program in mind in regard to future engagement opportunities. After all, you now know for certain that the individual qualifies for corporate matching. Make sure to set your team up for ongoing match success but encourage future participation as well!
When to send: In the days after you receive a completed matching donation from an individual’s employer Who to send to: Donors whose matching gifts were recently fulfilled by their employing companies Why send: To wrap up the matching gift process and reiterate gratitude for the individual who requested the match
Bonus! How a Matching Gift Database Can Help
As you now know, nonprofits can boost their revenue by promoting matching gifts to their audiences. When eligible, donors can double (and sometimes triple!) their contributions with the help of employer matches. The key is to make them aware of the available opportunities and to simplify the processes involved.
Luckily, the right technology can make a big difference.
Identify Matching Gifts with Double the Donation
Double the Donation offers the #1 matching gifts database, with thousands of the sector’s largest organizations using it in their efforts. The searchable database includes records for more than 24,000 companies and subsidiaries, representing 26+ million individuals.
More specifically, 360MatchPro by Double the Donation recognizes match-eligible donors with giving form integrations, donation follow-ups, email domain screening, and more. From there, it encourages donors to complete the matching gift process through a series of personalized and automated outreach.
As the most comprehensive source of matching gift forms and instructions, corporate employees can quickly uncover their eligibility and submit requests to their employers.
The end result? More funding for your mission.
Your staff will save time while still providing donors with the necessary guidance for completing their matching gift requests promptly, too.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Final Thoughts
There you have it: fourteen types of matching gift letters for all of your workplace giving needs. By incorporating these recommendations in your organization’s outreach strategy, you can boost your fundraising revenue by increasing awareness among and encouraging matches from your generous donors.
And matching gift software will empower you to scale your efforts beyond the possibilities of manual sending and tracking, too! This allows your team to make the most of their time and effort, reinvesting more of your resources into your highest-value tasks and opportunities.
Learn more—Explore other educational resources to drive fundraising impact from the Double the Donation team below:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DTD_Types-of-Matching-Gift-Letters-Every-Nonprofit-Should-Send_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-05-04 19:00:142024-03-05 13:31:1214 Types of Matching Gift Letters Every Nonprofit Should Send
As with any type of outreach, the wording in your matching gift appeals is vital. Thus, it should be carefully considered when revamping your nonprofit’s matching gift strategy. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about writing matching gift blurbs that drive results.
Matching gifts can produce a great source of additional revenue for nonprofits. In fact, an estimated $2 to $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs every year. That means that lackluster appeals could cause your organization to miss out on a lot of potential revenue.
After all, choosing the right message when promoting matching gifts can be the determining factor in whether or not a donor participates in their employer’s match program. Considering this, be sure to take the time needed to craft and integrate dedicated matching gift blurbs throughout your donor outreach.
To make sure you send the most effective message possible, first familiarize yourself with the following topics:
By learning and implementing the specific language of effective appeals, your nonprofit will be one step closer to maximizing its revenue potential. And your donors will be that much more likely to take the intended action in your appeals.
Ready to revamp your matching gift outreach? Let’s dive in with the basics.
What Are Matching Gift Blurbs?
The first step in boosting revenue through matching gifts is to produce effective copy promoting the programs. In other words, you need to create well-written resources for donors and prospects to learn about matching gifts.
One of the most impactful (and easiest) ways to do so? Implement matching gift blurbs throughout your messaging.
[Note: If you’re not sure what a blurb is—don’t worry. More than likely, you’ve come across the idea in action already, even if you’re not familiar with the terminology.]
A blurb is essentially a short piece of writing, typically a brief and attention-grabbing description or promotional statement. Regarding corporate matching, a matching gift burb is a quick explanation (think: 1-3 sentences) of the opportunity that aims to inspire participation among donors.
Examples may include:
Advertisements about matching gifts appearing alongside your online resources;
Printed inserts included in physical communications;
Notes incorporated beneath team members’ email signatures;
And more.
While wording and placement can vary, the ultimate goal is for your messaging to entice readers to get involved in their companies’ initiatives—even if they’d never been made aware of the initiative prior.
Best Practices for Impactful Matching Gift Blurbs
The text you use in your matching gift appeals—specifically, your matching gift blurbs—is an essential component of your fundraising. It should be straightforward and to the point, aiming to persuade your audience and drive action.
We’ve compiled a list of tried-and-true tips for drafting matching gift messaging. Read through these suggested practices and see which ideas you can implement in your own outreach!
Employ donor-focused language.
When discussing matching gifts, your chosen wording can mean the difference between a supporter clicking the link or moving on without any further thought.
For example, let’s say you’re planning to link your dedicated match page from your website’s main navigation. What should you name that tab on the menu? We suggest something along the lines of “Matching Gifts,” “Double your Donation,” or “Matching Gift Company Search.”
What we recommend against is wording such as “Corporate Matching” or “Corporate Giving” since these phrases often don’t resonate with individual donors. You don’t want users skipping over the page due to an assumption that the resource is targeting companies rather than individual supporters!
Keep this in mind as you frame matching gift language in all of your donor-facing blurbs—but especially regarding headings, titles, and other elements designed to grab your audiences’ attention.
Keep your copy short and sweet.
Your matching gift blurb doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, brevity is crucial—you want to get the message across before the reader loses interest.
The perfect length can vary based on placement, purpose, and audience. Still, most matching gift blurbs can and should be short, sweet, and to the point. We recommend no longer than a single paragraph unless you’re dedicating a larger piece of communication (e.g., an entire email blast) to the topic.
Make the most of action-driven verbiage.
When making a fundraising appeal, the wording in your message is important. More specifically, your choice of verbs can directly affect the success of a campaign.
For example, people—even dedicated supporters—often need a direct call to action in order to get involved. The key is to ask your donors to do something, to take a particular action.
In other words, matching gift appeals need action verbs. Otherwise, donors won’t be entirely sure what their next steps should be.
In an email or web page, phrases like “Get Started” or “Read More” tell your audience what you’re asking them to do. But more specific calls to action can drive even greater results. Instead of “Click Here,” try “Search Your Employer Here” if you utilize a matching gift search tool like Double the Donation. This way, donors know exactly what’s being asked of them in order to support your cause.
Why? Donors care about your mission—and they want to help. Too often, however, they’re held back by a lack of information and no clear directions for how they can be of service. Using clear and concise verbiage can help inform and clarify the steps your donors need to take next.
The result? More matches!
Prioritize impact in communications.
Donors like to see that their hard-earned dollars are making a difference for the causes they care about. Thus, it’s important to emphasize amplified mission impact as a key benefit of employee matching opportunities in the associated messaging.
As you craft your matching gift blurbs, be sure to emphasize the potential of a donor’s contribution to stretch beyond the amount of their initial gift.
When possible, try using tangible examples pertaining to your organization’s mission. If you run a food pantry, for instance, that might mean informing supporters that, with matching gifts, you can feed twice as many individuals and families with the same initial donation amount.
Locate and follow up on match opportunities with Double the Donation.
When revamping your corporate fundraising appeals strategy, a matching gift database can help pinpoint these opportunities with ease. This way, you can employ automated and targeted outreach—in addition to broader matching gift blurbs—throughout your messaging.
Specifically, Double the Donation’s platform is designed to assist nonprofits in increasing awareness among donors. From there, it also simplifies the process for individuals to submit subsequent match requests.
Once you integrate it across your online fundraising channels, here’s what the tool does:
Exposes supporters to matching gift information at multiple points throughout the giving experience;
Enables donors to search for more than 24,000 companies and subsidiaries, empowering them to quickly locate their employers and eligibility criteria;
Allows your nonprofit to identify match opportunities through email domain screening, an intuitive search tool, and more;
Provides direct links to updated forms and guidelines for each company, thus streamlining the submission tasks for supporters;
Follows up with match-eligible donors via personalized emails to drive more matches to completion;
Tracks donors throughout the process to easily assist with stuck matches and more accurately forecast incoming revenue.
Now that you understand what matching gift blurbs are—and which strategies will empower you to write the best copy possible—you’ll need to consider optimal placement. In other words…where should you insert your newly crafted or finetuned matching gift promotional blurbs?
The short answer is this: wherever you see the opportunity to promote corporate giving opportunities, do it. The more, the merrier! The more familiar donors are with the concept of corporate gift-matching, the more likely they are to participate.
The longer answer involves just about any place where you interact with donors—before, during, and after giving. Check out this list of some of the most popular blurb locations for organizations like yours.
A Dedicated Matching Gifts Page
If you want to create high-traffic matching gift outreach, a good place to begin is where the most supporters are: online! Your website is likely the first impression most people have of your organization, so you want to make it count.
An easy way to increase the visibility of your matching gift promotion is to create a dedicated page for matching gifts. On the page, you’ll want to highlight the basics of employee match initiatives and provide instructions for typical programs within your matching gift blurbs.
(Tip: If you employ matching gift software like Double the Donation, don’t forget to embed the search tool on this page alongside your blurb. That way, users won’t have to go out of their way to research their companies’ programs on their own after discovering the opportunity!)
Your “Ways to Give” Page
Similarly, your organization may already have a “Ways to Give” page on its website that is designed to provide ample opportunities for supporters to get involved with your cause. This might include planned giving, donations of stock and other gifts-in-kind, monthly recurring giving programs, and more.
And one thing you don’t want to forget on this page is matching gifts.
Include a quick blurb about the impact of getting a donation matched and how a donor can uncover their own eligibility. You can even embed your matching gift company search tool here, as well!
Fundraising Appeals
Did you know that recent studies on matching gifts and donor behavior report that 84% of individuals are more likely to donate to a nonprofit if a matching gift is being offered? This finding results in a 71% increase in donation response rate when matching gifts are mentioned in fundraising appeals.
This ultimately means including a matching gift blurb in a donation ask can produce significantly more revenue for your giving campaign. Not only can you expect funding from corporate matches that ultimately come through, but you’ll also benefit from elevated giving rates in the meantime.
Email Communications
As an established nonprofit, your team is likely already using email to maintain contact with donors. But do you utilize email to effectively promote matching gifts? You should!
Incorporating matching gift blurbs within email marketing can bring awareness of the opportunity to a wide range of nonprofit supporters. And your entire message doesn’t have to be dedicated to matching gifts, either. Consider adding a quick blurb on the topic to broader email communications such as newsletters, campaign or project updates, end-of-year reports, and more.
The text you use in your outreach should be persuasive but to the point. Consider emphasizing key points with bolding to increase skimmability and convey the importance of matching gifts for your organization.
Email Signatures
One of the easiest places to incorporate a matching gift blurb is within your organization’s staff email signatures. All it takes is a few seconds for each team member to adjust their automatic sign-off (hint: simplify the process by providing individuals with the text they should add), and you’ll be all set to promote matching gifts in every email you send year-round.
Keep in mind that you’ll want this blurb to be as succinct as possible. A quick sentence with a link to your matching gift page will typically do!
Donation Page
Another key location for matching gift blurbs is your online donation form. At this point in the process, the user is already ready to donate. Why wouldn’t they want to double the impact of their gift without having to part with any additional dollars?
In fact, donors might even be willing to give more after learning about the matching gift opportunity. The aforementioned studies indicate that 1 in 3 donors would contribute a larger gift if a match is applied to their donation—ultimately resulting in a 51% increase in the average donation amount.
We recommend using your giving form to collect employment data from your supporters (made easy with our embedded company search tool!). And when you add context to the request in the form of a matching gift blurb, donors will be increasingly likely to provide the information.
Keep in mind that this should likely be the briefest blurb of all to ensure that you don’t slow the donor down as they make their way through the giving experience.
Confirmation Screen
After a donor clicks “submit” on their completed giving form, they’re typically redirected to a confirmation page. This resource often thanks them for their contribution and provides them with details as to suggested next steps to further their impact. For example, a supporter may be encouraged to share their recent gift on social media, become a recurring donor, or even take on a peer-to-peer fundraising role.
And your confirmation screen is also the perfect location for a matching gift blurb!
Plus, when you utilize matching gift software, you can even provide employer-specific program insights and submission forms based on the company an individual selected within the giving form. This allows you to personalize your blurbs, providing relevant details in real time.
Donor Acknowledgements
Soon after a donor makes their initial contribution is the best time to remind them about matching gift opportunities. That said, mentioning matching gifts in your gift acknowledgments (regardless of channel) can go a long way.
Your donors are typically passionate about your mission. Most would jump at the chance to make their recent gifts stretch even farther without having to reach back into their wallets. All you have to do is make them aware of the chance to do so and guide them in the right direction.
You can even take your acknowledgments—and, thus, your matching gift blurbs—to the next level with unique and engaging eCards! When you ensure your messaging stands out in a supporter’s inbox, you can increase the likelihood that they’ll engage with your content and ultimately take the action you’re driving them toward.
Social Media
In today’s digital age, your organization’s social media profiles are likely some of your most valuable marketing assets. Of course you’ll want to share matching gift blurbs using this channel!
Doing so can encourage existing donors to complete unclaimed matching gift requests, inspire on-the-fence supporters to give in the first place, and more. By leveraging the power of social media, nonprofits like yours can reach a wider audience and engage with their communities in a meaningful way.
Keep in mind that when it comes to social media, your matching gift blurbs can take the form of shareable content (e.g., graphics or videos), post captions, or both!
Direct Mailings
If you utilize direct mail in your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy, consider including a matching gift blurb that accompanies your other materials.
This can include:
Inserts
Envelopes
Postcards
Letters
And more
Regardless of the types of mailings you send, make sure it’s quick and easy for recipients to learn more about matching gifts. We recommend directing readers to your online matching gift page using an easy-to-type URL or a scannable QR code!
Bonus! Free Matching Gift Blurb Templates to Use
Ready to get started with impactful matching gift blurbs? These copy-and-pasteable templates can serve as an excellent jumping-off point.
Fill in the blanks with details about your organization and its mission, then plug in the finalized messaging throughout your donor outreach.
Thanks for the gift, [DONOR]! Did you know you may be able to double your donation with a match from your employer? See if you qualify for a matching gift by searching our employer database here.
[NONPROFIT] receives thousands of dollars each year through corporate matching gift programs. Does your company participate? Find out if you can do more for our mission with a match.
Matching gifts allow generous donations to go twice as far for our goal of [MISSION STATEMENT]. And it’s easy to request a match—locate your employer’s program guidelines and request forms here!
Double your impact! Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple your donation to [NONPROFIT]. Explore our matching gifts page or check with your HR department to see if your employer participates.
Many companies offer to match their employees’ charitable contributions, which means your gift to [NONPROFIT] could go twice as far. Contact your HR department—or click here to use our matching gift search tool—to learn more.
Don’t miss the chance to amplify your impact! Many employers offer matching gift programs, which means your donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched dollar-for-dollar. Contact your employer or use our search tool to see if they participate.
Did you know that your employer could help you make an even bigger impact on [MISSION]? Check with your HR department to see if your company offers a matching gift program and take advantage of this opportunity to support [NONPROFIT] even more.
Your recent gift to [NONPROFIT] could be doubled… Many employers offer matching gift programs, so be sure to check if your company participates. Contact your HR department or explore our dedicated matching gifts page for more information.
Wrapping Up
To drive awareness of the matching gift opportunity, integrating well-crafted matching gift blurbs throughout your communications is essential.
Implement the above tips for wording and verbiage—or jump in with one of our sample messages. Then, insert your blurbs in the recommended locations for optimal exposure to donors.
Paired with a dedicated matching gift service, you’ll be all set to boost your organization’s matching gift revenue (and subsequent impact!) going forward.
Interested in learning more about matching gifts—and how to promote them with effective messaging? Check out these suggested resources for further reading:
How to Get Matching Gifts Trending at Your Organization. Stay up to date on current matching gift and overall marketing trends to ensure your messaging is as impactful as possible. See which strategies we recommend in this guide.
5 Fundraisers with Standout Matching Gift Success. See some powerful matching gift blurbs in action! Read up on several nonprofit organizations that have employed successful matching gift strategies to raise more for their missions.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DTD_Matching-Gift-Blurbs-Sample-Wording-Best-Practices_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-04-19 16:00:322024-09-30 20:59:08Matching Gift Blurbs | Sample Wording & Best Practices
Billions of dollars are contributed to nonprofits and schools each year through corporate matching gift programs. But these initiatives can do more than offer funding for your institution. If you’re wondering how matching gift appeals can fuel alumni engagement, you’ve come to the right place.
Alumni engagement is critical for colleges, universities, and other educational institutions, so much so that there are entire conferences dedicated to it. After all, most schools seek to build a strong community and foster lifelong relationships with their graduates. Not to mention, a school’s alumni can also be some of its most valuable assets in terms of fundraising and overall financial support.
However, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep alumni connected to your school in the long run.
In order to inspire alumni giving, strengthen relationships with your institution’s former student base, and deepen connections to your overall cause, we recommend incorporating matching gift appeals into your strategy.
In this guide, we’ll provide ample insights that can be used to integrate employee gift-matching and alumni relations for optimal results. And we’ll do so by exploring the following topics:
Benefits of Matching Gift Appeals for Alumni Engagement
Matching gift appeals are an excellent way to connect (and reconnect) with alumni and drive engagement with your school. Tens of thousands of companies agree to match employee donations to their favorite charitable causes—often including educational institutions.
However, the opportunity is often underutilized, with only a fraction of qualifying donors going on to submit their matching gift requests. That’s where well-written appeals can come in, promoting matching gift information and ultimately leading to increased philanthropic support for institutions like yours.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most valuable benefits of matching gift appeals on your alumni engagement strategy.
Elevated gift conversion rates
One significant (yet often overlooked) advantage of matching gift appeals is their ability to drive elevated gift conversion rates. In fact, recent studies show that over 84% of individuals indicated that they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered. As a result, incorporating matching gifts in an organization’s fundraising appeals results in an average 71% increase in response rate.
Increased donation amounts
Moreover, matching gift appeals have been shown to also increase the average donation amounts an organization receives, as supporters are typically motivated to give more when they know their gifts will be doubled. 1 in 3 donors indicates they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied, and highlighting the opportunity in matching gift appeals before a donation is made leads to 51% growth in average gift size.
This can also be an effective way to push alumni donors into the next giving tier. For example, an alumnus who typically gives $100 may be inspired to give $200 in response to a matching gift appeal—thereby increasing their giving level and the impact of their contribution. And that’s before their employee even makes their match!
Heightened likelihood of match eligibility
Another reason why you want to incorporate matching gift appeals in your overall engagement strategy is that your alumni may be increasingly likely to qualify for such programs in the first place.
After all, young alumni, in particular, often work for companies that match employee gifts. Tens of thousands of businesses (including 65% of the Fortune 500) agree to match donations to nonprofits and educational institutions, with tech companies being one of the most involved sectors overall.
This presents a unique opportunity for institutions to engage with this demographic and inspire them to give by highlighting this additional incentive.
Matching gifts effectively double individual contributions, empowering alumni donors to make twice the impact on their alma mater. When this group sees their gifts being matched, they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that their contribution is making an even greater, tangible difference. This can lead to increased loyalty to the institution and a greater willingness to give in the future.
Expanded corporate giving revenue
One of the most apparent benefits of matching gift appeals is the additional corporate revenue contributed as a result. Impactful and actionable match appeals drive more matching gift requests to completion, ultimately leading to a significant increase in match revenue overall.
Not to mention, a well-built-out matching gift strategy can also open doors for broader corporate partnership opportunities. Companies that match gifts have already proven to be charitable-minded in nature. And targeting your donors’ employers is a great way to communicate shared values and audiences in your next sponsorship pitch.
How to Drive Alumni Engagement with Matching Gift Appeals
Whether you’re looking to launch an alumni matching gift campaign for the first time or are seeking to improve your existing efforts, we’re here to help. These fundamental steps will provide valuable insights and strategies to help your team maximize alumni engagement, giving, and more.
Identify potential match-eligible alumni.
One of the first things you’ll need to drive alumni engagement with matching gift appeals involves identifying those of your alumni that qualify for the corporate giving programs. And to do so, you’ll need to know which companies your alumni are working for.
Your school may already track this information in your CRM. But if not (or for those who you don’t have post-education employment records for), there are a few ways you can uncover this detail. Not to mention, employment data can go out of date fairly quickly, so it’s important to continually refresh this information for your alumni and other supporters.
Adding an optional employment field to your online donation form.
Scanning contact information for corporate email domains.
Leveraging a matching gift company search tool in post-transaction messaging (i.e., confirmation screens, follow-up emails, etc.).
Keep in mind that the benefits of alumni employment data go far beyond that of matching gift appeals, too! Understanding where graduates end up after leaving your school can also aid in personalizing communications, estimating wealth levels, and more.
Educate your audience about matching gifts.
Another important step is to educate your audience about matching gifts. Without incorporating strategic methods for increasing awareness of the programs, there’s a significant knowledge gap regarding matching gifts. In fact, the aforementioned studies indicate that over 78% of individuals have never been informed about their companies’ matching gift programs.
The solution? Crafting a comprehensive plan for promoting the opportunity yourself.
Specifically, we recommend…
Mentioning matching gifts in all of your school’s fundraising appeals.
Establishing a dedicated matching gift web page on your school website (if you don’t already have one), complete with matching gift details, your company search tool, and helpful contact information for your institution.
Incorporating matching gift information directly within your donation experience (within your online giving forms, on the confirmation screens, etc.).
Highlighting matching gift information (and relevant imagery) on your school’s social media pages.
Producing and sharing educational matching gift videos that overview the programs and how to get involved.
Considering direct mail materials such as postcards, inserts, printed envelopes, and more for your most lucrative donors and prospects.
In all of your favorite channels, be sure to provide clear and concise information about how matching gifts work—and how they can increase the impact of donations to your school. Once aware of the programs, alumni will be increasingly inspired to participate in their employers’ giving initiatives on your institution’s behalf, ultimately driving completed matches through the roof.
Incorporate various matching gift appeals in your messaging.
There’s no one way to integrate matching gift appeals into your institution’s fundraising strategy. The possibilities are endless, and we recommend exploring matching gifts as a key tenet of all essential engagement activities.
For example, you may decide to implement matching gift promotions throughout the donor journey year-round. This can come in handy when looking to drive support for your general operating fund at any point, using matching gift appeals to encourage growth in individual giving and corporate funding alike.
However, many schools also choose to host a dedicated matching gifts campaign alongside their academic giving days to collect even more during that limited time span. (Note: several institutions have reported raising multiple times the cost of their matching gift software on their Giving Days alone—allowing them to see a return on their investment almost immediately.)
The good news is that it’s not an either/or question; in fact, the recommended answer is both. You can market matching gifts to your alumni and other donors 365 days a year—made easy with the right technology—and institute an elevated push for matching at the time of a specific campaign. When it comes to matching gift outreach, the more, the merrier!
Best Practices for Effective Alumni-Centric Matching Gift Appeals
Bring your matching gift appeals to the next level! We recommend the following tried-and-true practices for streamlining the process while also amplifying alumni matching gift results.
Start with a well-crafted appeal template.
Your matching gift appeals should be well-written, concise, and compelling to grab—and retain—the attention of your alumni audience. Make sure to clearly explain what matching gifts are, the impact of employee donation-matching opportunities, and how corporate funding will be used to benefit your school.
You can jump right into it with the free matching gift templates found here. Just be sure to finetune and personalize these sample appeals to best fit your institution’s needs, goals, and audiences.
Set clear and attainable goals.
Before launching your matching gift campaign, establish clear goals regarding matched gifts, total corporate funding, and more. We always recommend defining your objectives using the SMART framework—or setting goals that are…
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
For example, you might state that you aim to collect $5,000 worth of corporate matching gifts from alumni donors by the end of the fiscal year.
Be sure your development team is aware of and on board with your goals, and begin taking steps toward achieving them!
Make it easy for alumni to donate and request matches.
In order to drive the most gifts and matches to completion, it’s crucial that the associated processes are as quick and easy as possible.
Our recommendation? Make the most of intuitive donation tools—such as these top education-focused platforms—that seamlessly integrate with powerful matching gift software.
This way, you can…
Collect employment details within your online giving forms;
Automatically screen for match-eligible donations;
Provide company-specific guidelines, instructions, and links to digital submission forms.
By guiding alumni donors through the matching gift process, you’ll reduce critical roadblocks and ultimately receive more fulfilled matches.
On the other hand, an experience that is primarily donor-led (i.e., asking alumni to get in touch with their HR department to locate their matching gift instructions) is likely to result in a ton of matches going unclaimed and corporate funding being left on the table.
Follow up and show appreciation.
Your matching gift donors are likely some of your school’s most dedicated supporters. When alumni participate in these programs, it’s essential that you promptly acknowledge their above-and-beyond efforts for your institution.
Throughout the donor journey, there are a few fundamental phases in which gratitude should be incorporated. These include:
After receiving an initial donation — “Thanks, [Donor]! We’ve received your recent gift—and it’s because of dedicated alumni like yourself that our school is able to be what it is today. Did you know that you might be able to double your impact with a corporate matching gift? Click here to learn more and submit your match request [link to matching gift page].”
After a match has been submitted — “Our records indicate that you requested a corporate matching gift from [company]. Thank you greatly for taking this next step to amplify your giving impact on our institution. Feel free to reach out if there’s anything we can do to help complete the matching process with your employer.”
After a match has been received — “[Donor], we are writing today to inform you that we’ve received the completed match from your employer. Once again, we thank you for taking the extra steps to submit your matching gift. We truly appreciate your ongoing support to [school]. We couldn’t do it without you!”
Effectively communicating your gratitude throughout the process is a surefire way to reiterate the importance of donation-matching. And ultimately, it increases the likelihood that match-eligible alumni ultimately give and get their gifts matched time and time again.
Though corporate matches do not come directly from an individual donor’s wallet, remember that the additional funding would not be possible without their involvement.
Idea: send an eCard to thank alumni for partaking in matching gift programs on your behalf!
Employ automation to increase efficiency.
Our final tip is one that can help boost the results of our other recommended practices as well—from increasing awareness of the programs to following up on eligible matches. And that is equipping your fundraising team with smart automation technology.
After all, launching a matching gifts campaign on your own can be overwhelming. But when you employ automation, you can do more for your school with less time and resources. Not to mention, leveraging a matching gift automation tool (like 360MatchPro) grows matching gift revenue for nonprofits by an average of 61%!
And the time you save triggering automated matching gift appeals—with just a click of a button—can be reallocated to other critical projects that benefit your school.
Example Schools with Successful Alumni Matching Gift Appeals
Establishing an effective matching gift appeal strategy that resonates with your alumni doesn’t have to be difficult. Let’s take a look at a few schools that implemented matching gift appeals and produced significant results.
Get inspired by these institutions’ fundraising efforts—and take note of any tactics you’d like to employ in your own.
Marietta College
Marietta College is an excellent example of a higher education institution that employs matching gift appeals successfully throughout its efforts.
To begin, check out this college’s dedicated matching gifts page:
You’ll note that this page incorporates a brief summary of corporate matching gift programs, has embedded an easy-to-use company search tool for individuals to uncover eligibility information, and is easily accessible from the site’s Giving Opportunities menu.
Marietta College has also crafted an alumni-specific web page designed to target previous students looking to give back to the school. And the site mentions matching gift opportunities here, as well!
Throughout their range of matching gift appeals, which included online giving forms, post-transaction emails, and more, in addition to the website content seen above, Marietta College produced standout results to be inspired by.
University of Georgia
Next, we have the University of Georgia, which also offers a robust matching gift strategy that aims to engage alumni donors and other school supporters alike.
This school’s matching gift page employs Double the Donation’s matching gift tool, allowing interested donors to quickly research their companies’ program guidelines. The University of Georgia also uses this page to promote a unique incentive for donors to get their gifts matched—driving individual giving levels to qualify for the exclusive Presidents Club!
Additionally, the UGA team has consistently leveraged its social media platforms to raise awareness of matching gift opportunities. Check out these posts they’ve shared on Twitter, Facebook, and more.
And, all in all, the university has seen some pretty substantial results!
Syracuse University
Similarly, Syracuse University also incorporates matching gift appeals in its alumni and overall donor engagement strategies. From its dedicated match page pictured below to its personalized and automated matching gift email communications, the Syracuse team works hard to ensure all supporters are exposed to information about matching gift programs—and are encouraged to take the next steps.
In addition to its matching gifts page, Syracuse University has also created a free giving toolkit for alumni and other university donors interested in getting involved. This toolkit provides detailed information about online giving, contributing from donor-advised funds, beneficiary designations, and, of course, corporate matching gifts.
The bottom line is that Syracuse University has seen a lot of success with its matching gift appeals—inspiring alumni and donor engagement, driving awareness of matching opportunities, and more.
Wrapping Up
Matching gift appeals can be a powerful tool for educational institutions seeking to increase alumni engagement and philanthropic support. By leveraging your alumni’s generosity alongside that of companies matching contributions to your school, institutions like yours can encourage more significant levels of giving while also fostering a sense of community among graduates.
This type of strategic outreach can also serve as a smart way to reconnect with alumni who may have lost touch with their alma mater, providing them with a compelling reason to get involved once again. By making it easy for alumni to give back and amplify their support, academic fundraisers can help ensure continued success and maximized impact for years to come.
And there’s no better time to incorporate matching gift appeals in your alumni engagement strategy than the present. Best of luck!
Looking to continue your education on matching gift topics to best position your school for corporate fundraising success? Check out these recommended resources:
Matching Gifts & Higher Education: Companies That Match [+Tips]. Identify matching gift opportunities for your college or university. Explore this list of well-known companies that match gifts to higher ed, along with a few insightful practices to consider.
110+ Incredible School Fundraising Ideas to Raise Money Now. Amplify your broader fundraising strategies with this compilation of unique and impactful fundraisers. Plus, a lot of these tried-and-true ideas pair well with matching gifts to double your impact!
Increase Matching Gift Awareness | Get Your Donors on Board. To get alumni on board with matching gift participation, they need to know that the opportunities exist. Check out these suggested methods to launch a matching gift awareness campaign at your school.
Interested in learning more about matching gift appeals? Check out our immersive webinar on the topic!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DTD_How-Matching-Gift-Appeals-Can-Fuel-Alumni-Engagement_Feature-1.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-04-17 15:43:572024-10-01 14:44:09How Matching Gift Appeals Can Fuel Alumni Engagement
Corporate social responsibility (often referred to as CSR) is a practice followed by many companies where they work to improve society in some form as a part of corporate citizenship. CSR is often seen in terms of philanthropy, environmental leadership, ethical labor practices, and economic responsibility.
If you’re wondering what the impact of CSR is—particularly for the businesses that enact these practices in the first place—the advantages are expansive.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the benefits of corporate social responsibility and everything your company needs to know to maximize its effectiveness. We’ll explore the following topics:
Ready to get up to speed on socially responsible efforts and see what you can do to take your business to the next level? Let’s begin!
FAQs about the Impact of CSR
Does your company have an existing CSR plan in place that you’d like to improve, or are you looking to dive into strategic corporate social responsibility for the first time? Either way, you’ll likely have some questions regarding the practice and its effectiveness. Let’s walk through five common questions and their answers.
What are the types of corporate social responsibility?
Corporate social responsibility is an overarching term used to describe a wide range of corporate efforts that are designed to make the world a better place. Most CSR initiatives will encompass these key values:
Environmental: Historically, corporations have been responsible for the vast majority of global emissions and other causes of climate change. Now, many businesses are working to reverse the damage through environmentally friendly initiatives in the way they manage their operations.
Social: The “social” component of corporate social responsibility refers to a company’s impact on its community and the individuals within. Businesses following this practice should work to bring a positive net impact to people as a whole.
Economic: CSR also incorporates responsible economic business practices where companies give generously to their communities through nonprofit donations, fair wages, and more. The idea behind economic responsibility is that companies should bring economic benefit to all stakeholders—including employees, customers, suppliers, and overall communities.
Some CSR efforts may incorporate elements from multiple categories. For example, a company financially contributing to an environmentally-focused nonprofit (whether through grants, matching gifts, etc.) can fall under both environmental and economic responsibilities. Matching gift programs often fall under multiple categories, boosting the impact of CSR on your business in each of these key areas.
How does a company become more socially responsible?
There are tons of practices that businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectors can adopt to increase their level of corporate social responsibility. Here are a few things a company might do:
Offer competitive wages and benefits packages to employees.
Provide generous parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.
Support philanthropic causes in the form of monetary and in-kind donations.
Use recycled materials while producing goods that are also recyclable.
Reduce carbon emissions from business operations.
Keep up with and pay corporate taxes dutifully.
The tactics you choose to employ at your business can also play a role in the benefits you see overall. For example, prioritizing staff wages and employee benefits can have a significant effect on the company’s internal culture and team member engagement. While this will likely also result in improved consumer relations (i.e., shoppers like to buy from businesses they know treat employees well), the impact seen might be lesser as compared to the effect on the employees.
And the same is true the other way around! Producing ethical goods with sustainable practices can bring positive results to both consumers and employees, though consumer relations may see a larger, more tangible impact in terms of sales.
What is ESG and how does it compare to CSR?
ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance, and it’s a measure of the extent to which a business makes a positive impact on society beyond its own shareholders.
While ESG goes hand in hand with CSR, they’re not entirely synonymous. CSR is a business model used to hold a company accountable for its actions to society, while ESG is a quantifiable measurement of a company’s social impact outcome.
How do employees participate in CSR?
Positive employee relations are a major benefit for companies that prioritize CSR. But did you know that the employees themselves can participate (and benefit) as well? Employee-driven programs can even drive positive results for your workplace!
For example, employees who participate in a company’s matching gifts or volunteer grant programs benefit from knowing their own nonprofit donations or volunteer hours are making even more significant impacts on charitable causes that they care about. Plus, they know their employers are making an effort to support their favorite charities as well. Consequently, employees can feel more satisfied in their jobs.
Try the following ideas to drive participation in CSR at your company:
Promote new and existing CSR initiatives to employees, including specific instructions on how to get involved.
Highlight your company’s social impact efforts during conversations with candidates and new hires.
Gamify CSR with interactive elements such as badges, rewards, trophies, and more for top participants.
Encourage friendly competition among employees to see which teams or individuals are the most CSR-involved.
Set company-wide goals for participation, along with rewards or benefits for reaching those goals.
Empower employees to suggest new ideas and feedback for existing efforts in order to continually refine your CSR strategy.
Consider using CSR software to encourage employees to get involved in your philanthropic efforts and track their engagement. CSR software provides a centralized platform for employees to access information and opportunities related to your initiatives. Plus, it can facilitate collaboration among employees, fostering a sense of community and purpose around your CSR activities.
What CSR trends are businesses adopting?
As new social, environmental, and economic needs arise, the CSR movement will continue to evolve. Here are a few CSR trends you can expect to see in the near future!
Many companies are transitioning to more employee-driven CSR programs—especially when it comes to philanthropy. In fact, our research reports that 39% of companies aim to expand their workplace giving initiatives in the next two years!
Companies are doing this by starting new matching gift programs, as well as expanding existing ones and making it easier for employees to participate by simplifying the matching gift request process. For example, this video explains how companies can use CSR platforms that integrate with Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro to fully automate the submission process:
Additionally, more and more companies are taking a stand on social issues and other current events. A 2020 study reported that nearly 60% of consumers expect the brands they support to have a position on topics such as racial discrimination, social justice, climate change, income inequality, and more. About 50% of survey respondents even reported conducting online research to see how a business reacts to social issues before making a buying decision!
4 Top Benefits of CSR for Businesses
Corporate social responsibility tactics provide participating companies with powerful business benefits. Consumers, employees, and other essential shareholders will be more inclined to support your efforts, and you’ll see impactful results such as these!
1. Increased employee engagement
People want to work for companies that they feel good about contributing to. When an individual knows that their efforts at a business help drive social good, they’ll be motivated to produce elevated results in their roles. And for that reason, there’s a significant positive correlation between employee engagement and corporate giving.
Pride in the company, along with belief in senior leadership, are some of the most essential drivers of employee engagement levels—and luckily, both components see benefits from social responsibility as well.
When employees are particularly engaged, the company will also see high levels of productivity, increased retention rates, and more.
2. New talent attracted to your team
Just like effective CSR efforts drive existing employees to want to do more in their roles at your company, the same efforts can also be used to attract new employees to the team.
As a result, many HR representatives are prioritizing corporate social responsibility in their recruiting efforts and within conversations with prospective candidates. Individuals looking to join a company that participates in CSR will be drawn to your business, and you’ll have a competitive advantage against other potential employers.
3. Improved company culture
Companies often see positive impacts of CSR on their internal company cultures, which, of course, helps drive increased levels of engagement and retention. For example, the following types of CSR initiatives can bring about a more positive business culture:
Matching gifts. By matching your employees’ donations to the causes they care about most, you’ll show them that you support their personal charitable interests and want to help them make a difference.
Group volunteer opportunities. Volunteer outings work well as team-building activities that boost morale and get staff members better acquainted with one another. Employees get to spend time with their colleagues in an informal setting while making a positive impact on their community.
Annual giving campaigns. Encourage employees to come together once a year to give to a good cause. You can even turn it into a competition between departments and give out a prize. This sense of friendly competition brings team members closer together.
Utilizing philanthropic initiatives as a way to build a positive company culture is a common practice for many businesses. But remember, the most successful efforts involve hands-on involvement by leadership as well. When employees see their managers and company leaders participating, they’ll be more inclined to do so themselves!
4. Unique marketing opportunities
Cause marketing (or cause-related marketing) is a form of CSR in which a business supports a charitable cause while receiving strategic marketing benefits from the relationship. These types of CSR campaigns often involve a company offering to give a certain amount of money to a nonprofit in response to increased sales results (for example, 10% of a company’s profits may be donated to charity, or a business may donate $1,000 for every 100 products sold).
When done well, cause marketing enables consumers to feel good about their purchases from socially responsible companies. As a result, the consumers are willing to pay a higher price, switch brand loyalties, or increase quantities of their purchases due to it benefiting a good cause.
For your business, not only will you have the opportunity to participate in charitable efforts, but you can also gain more customers and more dollars toward your bottom line.
Key Statistics That Demonstrate the Impact of CSR
The facts about the impact of CSR speak for themselves. Take a look at these facts and figures that demonstrate the effects of CSR on employees and consumers alike:
72% of consumers believe companies should have a legal responsibility to society.
77% of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place.
Over 90% of consumers worldwide are likely to switch to brands supporting a good cause.
More than 66% of consumers would pay more to buy from socially and environmentally responsible businesses.
Creating value for the customer, positively impacting society, and inspiring innovation and positive change are the three highest-ranking components of a company’s purpose.
88% of people want to know about a company’s CSR efforts when considering making a purchase.
5 Examples of Businesses Doing CSR Right
Looking to get started with CSR efforts but not sure how to begin? Get inspired by these popular companies that have exemplified what it looks like to be socially responsible and philanthropic.
When it comes to philanthropic corporations, Gilead Sciences has led the pack for several years in a row. This biotechnology company contributes an average of $400 million each year to nonprofit causes, which comes out to nearly 3% of their pre-tax profits. Plus, they offer a matching gift program for current full-time employees, agreeing to match donations of up to $2,000 per year to most nonprofit organizations!
They’ve also published a number of lofty goals to further elevate their CSR by 2030—including achieving net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring 100% of their packaging is recyclable, eliminating all unnecessary plastics, and significantly increasing Black, Hispanic, and female representation in the company.
Johnson & Johnson has prioritized reducing their company’s impact on the planet over the last three decades by highlighting the importance of sustainable business practices. One key pillar of this effort was accomplished by harnessing wind power to significantly reduce pollution from their operations and ultimately offering up a renewable (and economically friendly) alternative to traditional electricity.
In addition to the company’s environmental efforts, Johnson & Johnson also donates generously to many nonprofit organizations, including schools, health and human services, civic and community organizations, and more. Much of this funding is contributed through workplace giving programs as well, matching team member donations at a 2:1 rate up to $20,000 per employee per year!
Google is another example of a highly regarded business with multiple effective CSR efforts in place. As a result, the company has earned the Reputation Institute’s highest CSR score, due in part to its philanthropic initiatives, renewable energy projects, and environmental impact reduction.
Not only do their data centers use 50% less energy than other comparable institutions, but they’ve also committed more than $1 billion to develop environmental efforts in the future. Plus, they have a generous donation-matching program, offering up to a $10,000 gift match for full- and part-time employees. They even offer additional nonprofit grants through the Google Ad Grants program, which gives eligible organizations $10,000 in free monthly ad credits per month to promote their work.
One example of a business hosting a successful cause marketing campaign as a component of an overall CSR strategy is Lyft. Through their partnership with organizations like Bread of Life, United Way, and the National Council on Aging, Lyft offered free rides to essential workers and vulnerable populations through an initiative called LyftUp during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this model in place, Lyft has elevated its brand reputation as one that cares about the underserved in its communities, thus driving popularity and sales.
Since 1988, Ben & Jerry’s has been known for being a particularly outspoken advocate for all sorts of social causes. The company has partnered with nonprofit organizations such as 1% for Peace, Farm Aid, Children’s Defense Fund, Rock the Vote, Alaska Wilderness League, MyClimate, NativeEnergy, and many more to provide aid for social, environmental, economic, and scientific causes.
They’ve also launched more than one ice cream flavor dedicated to their favorite social causes, which include “Save Our Swirled,” “Empower Mint,” “Justice ReMix’d,” and “Peace Pop.”
Final Note on the Impact of CSR
Corporate social responsibility is often framed as a win-win-win situation because companies, nonprofits, and the greater community all benefit greatly from its existence. As you consider how CSR impacts businesses like yours, think about all the good you can do for your employees, your business, and your community!
Want to learn more about the impact of CSR and philanthropy on businesses like yours? Check out these other guides:
Why Workplace Giving Matters for Nonprofits + Companies. Workplace giving brings the advantages of CSR to the next level by prioritizing employee participation in philanthropy. Not to mention, nonprofits benefit from increased funding as well!
Corporate Giving and Matching Gift Statistics. These powerful facts and figures about corporate philanthropy, matching gifts, and other giving programs will inspire your team to make an even more significant impact.
Corporate Philanthropy: The Ultimate Guide to Giving. Interested in diving deeper into corporate philanthropy for your company? This complete guide to corporate giving shares key details about types of programs, business impact, and more.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Impact-of-CSR_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-03-23 20:03:512024-10-02 18:56:25What’s the Impact of CSR? FAQ & Key Benefits for Businesses
Picture this: you’re scrolling through your social media feed. You see a video of your niece taking her first steps, posts about a good friend recovering from a hard-fought battle against cancer, and pictures from a family friend’s wedding.
Among those posts, you see a virtual event flyer for a local upcoming 5K that promises to donate its proceeds to support skin cancer research. After seeing posts about your friend’s situation, you’re intrigued. You visit the organization’s website to learn more and ultimately register to attend. That’s the power of effective nonprofit marketing!
A well-thought-out nonprofit marketing plan is a must. From fundraising to recruiting volunteers to selling your programs and services, a coordinated marketing plan is theonly way to stand out from businesses and other nonprofits alike vying for consumers’ attention.
If your nonprofit marketing strategy needs a refresh, you’ve come to the right place! This article will give you everything you need to build and maintain an effective marketing plan. Here’s what we’ll cover:
By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how to develop an effective marketing program for your nonprofit. From crafting persuasive messages to monitoring performance analytics, we’re confident you’ll have everything you need to spread awareness for your cause.
What Is Nonprofit Marketing?
Nonprofit marketing encompasses all activities and strategies designed to raise awareness and generate interest in a nonprofit organization’s mission and services. It involves communicating with potential donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders to increase donations, sales for services, engagement, and participation in the organization.
Nonprofit marketing typically involves using a combination of traditional outreach (e.g., print, radio, and TV) and digital marketing (e.g., email, social media, search engine optimization, and online advertising). Nonprofit organizations should also develop branding guidelines, a website, and other assets to craft professional outreach that resonates with supporters.
Why Nonprofits Need a Marketing Strategy
Nonprofits do incredibly important work, but they need the support of others to make their work possible. With a proper marketing strategy, your nonprofit can:
Raise awareness for your mission and services. Nonprofit marketing spreads the word about what your organization stands for and what it does to help its beneficiaries. People who could benefit from your programs will discover how to get the help they need, and individuals unaware of your cause will increase their knowledge and start their supporter journeys.
Promote products, services, and programs for sale. Some nonprofits aim to attract customers. For instance, museums sell memberships, publishers sell books, and training professionals sell courses. With your marketing strategy, you can target your core audience for sales and promote your offerings.
Persuade those who feel connected to your work. Let’s say you run an animal shelter. Many people are passionate about rescuing animals, but why should they care about your organization specifically? Inspire those passionate about your work to get involved by emphasizing what makes your organization unique, showcasing the positive work you’ve already done, and discussing the urgency of your target issue through your nonprofit marketing.
Create meaningful, sustainable relationships. Personalizing your outreach allows you to learn more about your supporters’ specific interests and preferences. As a result, you’ll build long-term relationships with donors, volunteers, customers, and other stakeholders that can lead to reliable support for years to come.
Drive greater outcomes for your mission. The more people that know about your mission, the more support you can earn for your beneficiaries.
Raise funds for your work. Nonprofits are always looking for additional funding to put toward their missions. With nonprofit marketing, you can promote your products and services, share your work, and draw attention to ongoing campaigns that inspire people to give.
Share engagement opportunities. There are likely multiple ways people can get involved in your organization beyond donating. Encourage people to lend their support in non-monetary ways by sharing upcoming news about events and projects supporters can participate in.
Boost volunteerism. Volunteers are vital to helping your nonprofit run smoothly. By promoting volunteer opportunities and sharing volunteer registration information, your organization can expand its volunteer base.
Successful marketing for nonprofit organizations extends beyond getting your content in front of as many eyes as possible. It requires emotionally connecting with supporters through relationship-building and storytelling strategies, while also providing information about how they can help your cause.
Types of Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations
New marketing channels emerge constantly. As a nonprofit marketer, it’s up to you to determine which ones will be the most effective for your cause. We recommend using a multichannel technique. Doing so will allow you to reach a wider audience and engage supporters on multiple levels.
For example, you can use social media to reach a younger demographic while leveraging direct mail and email marketing to reach an older audience. Using multiple channels also allows you to track campaigns more effectively, showing you which channels generate the best return on investment (ROI).
However, marketing research has found that only 30% of marketers are highly confident in their ability to deliver a multichannel strategy. By developing a strong multichannel nonprofit marketing strategy, you’ll already be one giant leap ahead of 70% of marketers!
To get started, let’s dive into the most popular nonprofit marketing channels.
Search Ads
Nonprofits can leverage search advertising to increase their digital presence and attract more donations and volunteers. With this nonprofit marketing strategy, your nonprofit will pay to have your content appear at the top of search results pages for mission-critical keywords (like “donate to end homelessness” or “volunteer at a homeless shelter”) and create ads for your nonprofit that target those terms.
Organizations have a couple of options to tap into paid search advertising, but the top one is Google Ads.
This Google Ad Grant Impact Report explains that Google owns over 92% of the global search engine market. What’s more, Google Ads have an average ROI of $4.78, making it a cost-effective route for tight budgets.
With a thoughtful approach, search advertising can help to increase website traffic, improve your organization’s visibility, and drive donations and volunteer registrations.
Best of all, you can tap into free search advertising through programs like the Google Ad Grant.
We recommend working with a Google Grants manager to make the most of Google’s program. As our suggested agency, Getting Attention will work with you to understand your nonprofit marketing goals and design Google ad campaigns that champion your cause.
Instead of learning the intricacies of keyword research, you can focus on the areas of nonprofit marketing you’re comfortable with while Getting Attention handles search results ads.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine ads are a strong way to drive traffic quickly, but reports show that top-ranking organic search results can actually have higher click-through rates than ads. Of course, claiming the top positions for your target keywords doesn’t happen by accident. To turn search engine results into a reliable channel for reaching new donors, customers, volunteers, and other supporters, you need a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
Search engines prioritize ranking high-value, user-friendly content that meets users’ needs, and SEO is the practice of making your content meet those standards. As such, SEO has a few main components:
Keyword strategy. What keywords are your potential supporters searching for that might lead them to your nonprofit? For example, a nonprofit book publisher looking to reach customers might target keywords like “[X city] bookstores,” “independent publishers,” or “books about X.” When choosing your keywords, there are several factors to consider, including search traffic, audience intent, competition, and relation to your cause.
Content strategy. Once you have a list of keywords to target, it’s time to start creating unique content optimized for those keywords. Add the specific keywords strategically throughout the content, but prioritize being natural above all else. Search engines can spot websites that add needless keywords, a practice known as “keyword stuffing,” and punish organizations that do so.
Technical strategy. Search engines like Google want to recommend websites that work. As such, websites with fast loading times, functional links, and mobile adaptiveness tend to rank higher than those with technical errors.
Any nonprofit can invest in SEO, but it’s most effective for nonprofits selling products and services. Few individuals use search engines to find new nonprofits to give to, because they need to build a relationship with a nonprofit over time before donating. In contrast, people ready to buy use search engines to find the products and services they’re ready to purchase.
Social Media Marketing for Nonprofits
With the right nonprofit marketing strategies, you can use social media to spread the message about your mission and goals, attract volunteers and donors, and build relationships with supporters. Here are a few ways to make the most of this channel:
Gather feedback. Social media can be used to ask questions, prompt conversations, and gather feedback from supporters to help shape your organization’s strategy and plans. MemberClicks’ event feedback survey guide notes that only 38% of people already use social media to collect feedback on their events. However, with convenient features like polls, collecting feedback has never been simpler.
Share success stories and updates. Social media is a great channel for demonstrating impact through testimonials and project updates. By sharing stories about helping those in need, nonprofits can increase engagement, build relationships, and inspire others to take action.
Interact with supporters. Social media makes two-way communication easier than ever. Respond to comments, shine the spotlight on dedicated followers, and join conversations related to your mission.
Incorporate these nonprofit marketing strategies to get more out of your social media campaigns. Spend time identifying key platforms, understanding each platform’s audience, and creating a content calendar for the best results.
Email Marketing
Email marketing can help increase donations, boost event attendance, earn sales, and build a larger support base. By sending out regular email newsletters, nonprofits can keep current supporters engaged and informed about important projects and events.
To drive greater engagement through this channel, you might:
Segment your email list. Create groups for donors, customers, recurring supporters, volunteers, match-eligible donors, corporate sponsors, and so on. That way, you can personalize content and deliver tailored engagement opportunities to each segment.
Use creative subject lines that grab attention. Research has shown that creative subject lines are more likely to be opened, so brainstorm interesting and engaging subject lines for each email. Remember to keep your subject lines short, as emails with long subject lines are more likely to be overlooked.
Through email marketing, nonprofits can create compelling content that resonates with their target audiences and encourages them to take action.
Cause Marketing
Cause marketing is a unique type of marketing for nonprofit organizations that involves collaborating with for-profits. It often refers to social or charitable campaigns created by for-profit brands. As its popularity has grown, companies often use this strategy to show their commitment to social responsibility. The goal is to create awareness around a cause and synthesize a message that resonates with the company or influencer’s target audience.
Take the collaboration between the shoe company TOMS and charity: water for example. Together, they launched a cause marketing campaign in which TOMS released a limited-edition collection of charity: water eyewear to raise money for clean water. For every pair sold, TOMS contributed $10 to help bring water to households in Orissa, India.
In the past, TOMS also created two limited-edition shoes and donated $5 from the sale of each one to charity: water. These cause marketing campaigns successfully raised awareness and funds for both organizations, while also positioning TOMS as a socially responsible brand. Check out this video about the partnership that charity: water created:
As with any type of corporate partnership, we recommend partnering with people and companies whose values and mission align with your nonprofit. After all, they’ll be associated with your nonprofit and can influence your brand’s image.
Direct Mail Marketing for Nonprofits
Direct mail marketing for nonprofit organizations can help connect with audiences more personally than other channels. You can customize content to specific segments, especially those who may not be online or active on social media. While this channel isn’t as popular as it once was, many people still prefer the personal touch of physical outreach.
Printing costs can add up, so consider how this channel plays into your overall nonprofit marketing strategy. For example, you might craft personalized membership renewal letters, postcards with a donation solicitation, brochures about a big capital campaign, or any other materials.
Depending on your exact materials, include some sort of call-to-action, such as your donation page URL, a QR code that leads to an event registration form, an ad for a new sale or promotion, a perforated donation slip, or your nonprofit’s contact information. This will go a long way in encouraging future interactions and building relationships.
Do you have poor deliverability rates for your nonprofit’s direct mail marketing? Conduct an address append to make sure you have the right addresses on file!
Radio Advertisements
Radio ads empower nonprofits to reach large audiences in a relatively short amount of time. Ads can be tailored to a specific region or demographic, and with the right messaging, they can be quite powerful in getting your cause’s message out to the public.
Radio ads can help drive donations, event registrations, volunteer sign-ups, and awareness of your nonprofit’s mission. Additionally, radio ads are often cost-effective, making them a great way to reach potential donors, volunteers, and supporters.
Best of all, your organization might qualify for free public service announcements on local radio stations. The Federal Communications Commission requires radio stations to allot a certain amount of radio time to nonprofits. There’s one caveat, though; your messages should be formatted as announcements rather than ads, meaning nonprofits looking to promote their products and services should look to other marketing channels.
Newspaper Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations
Ads and newspaper articles are a great way to connect with local audiences, especially if you have a particularly newsworthy cause. With the ability to include visuals and compelling copy, newspaper ads and news stories can be used to create awareness of a nonprofit.
Maybe you have a specific campaign or upcoming event that your community might be interested in participating in. That’d be a great opportunity to buy ad space or reach out to your local newspaper with a story proposal. It’s also a fantastic place to share your impact on the community. Include a call to action, encouraging readers to get involved and make a difference in their community.
Content Marketing for Nonprofits
Content marketing involves creating and distributing relevant, valuable content to attract, engage, and retain supporters. It’s also a reliable way to establish trust with your audience. Content can come in several forms, such as:
Blogging: This nonprofit marketing strategy is great for creating engaging articles about your cause, sharing relevant stories, promoting your products and services, and providing information about upcoming initiatives.
Videos: Visual content like videos can forge an emotional connection with your audience by demonstrating the impact of your cause.
Ebooks, webinars, and podcasts: This form of nonprofit marketing provides unique educational content that can help you share samples of your offerings and connect with and grow your audience.
Infographics and other interactive content: As a highly shareable form of content marketing for nonprofit organizations, infographics can provide in-depth information about your cause in a visually engaging way.
This form of nonprofit marketing can help position your nonprofit as a reliable resource for news and information about your cause. Plus, it’s easy to distribute across different channels, including your website, social media, and email.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing
There’s no better way to market your cause than by relying on those who feel passionate about it. Word-of-mouth marketing enables you to leverage the power of social proof.
If you’re new to this concept, social proof is the idea that people conform to the behaviors of others in order to feel accepted. So, when someone speaks positively about your organization, their friends and family are likely to trust their recommendations.
Semrush’s marketing statistics page estimates that 88% of people had the highest level of trust in a brand when a friend or family member recommended it.
For nonprofits with products and services for sale, word-of-mouth is based heavily on the quality of your offerings and customer service. If you offer a subscription service or a product customers are expected to buy multiple times, provide an easy way to contact you with questions.
For other nonprofits, encourage your volunteers to share their experiences, reach out to their loved ones, and post on social media to spread awareness. Some nonprofits even develop referral programs to reward those who spread the word and help attract new supporters. Note that the success of this nonprofit marketing strategy depends on strong relationships with supporters.
Mobile Nonprofit Marketing
Leverage text outreach to make supporting your nonprofit incredibly convenient. Compared to other forms of marketing for nonprofit organizations, texts have an astoundingly high open rate. Some sources estimate that SMS open rates are as high as 98%.
Text messages are a great way to send out reminders, project updates, and calls to action. You might send out a volunteer registration form or an event registration page. With text-to-give tools, nonprofits can even use SMS text marketing to collect donations.
If you’re not already leveraging this form of nonprofit marketing, consider whether it’s a viable option for engaging your supporters and keeping them updated on your mission, goals, and product offerings. If you’re having trouble contacting supporters, you might want to double-check that you have the right phone numbers on file with a phone number append.
How to Create Your Nonprofit Marketing Plan
As a nonprofit marketer, you already know you’re working with limited resources. That’s why it’s vital to create a nonprofit marketing plan. Developing a solid nonprofit marketing plan requires thoughtful planning and research, as well as a thorough understanding of your organization’s objectives.
While each organization’s plan will vary, there are some common steps you can take to create yours.
Conduct a nonprofit marketing audit.
Evaluate your organization’s current marketing strategy and activities to identify areas for improvement. Assessing past performance helps you build off what works and what doesn’t, so you can avoid the same mistakes.
When conducting your nonprofit marketing audit, we recommend analyzing:
The platforms you used. Did they help you reach your target audience? Did certain ones yield better results and engagement than others?
The tools you leveraged. What marketing apps or software features did you use? Were they effective? Or do you need to invest in new marketing apps for nonprofits?
The progress you made toward goals. Were your goals too ambitious, or did you blow them out of the water?
The KPIs you chose. Did they accurately gauge success? If you could go back, which metrics would you monitor instead?
Essentially, you’re determining what worked well and what could be improved for future outreach during this stage.
As a helpful tip, determine if you can reuse any old marketing materials (like photography, written content, or videos) during this step. Even if you can tweak existing collateral, that’ll save your team time that can be spent on other areas of your mission.
Define your nonprofit marketing goals.
Actionable goals will ensure every team member is on the same page when crafting messages. For example, let’s look at a real-world case study of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA). This nonprofit sells courses and hosts events focused on helping nonprofit professionals improve their skills.
The NLA partnered with Nexus Marketing to set reasonable goals related to promoting its services and take these actions to achieve those objectives:
Create blog content focused on nonprofit management and professional learning
Audit their website to increase user-friendliness and improve search engine rankings
Conduct keyword research and submit articles for publication to third-party sites to maximize search engine rankings
Participate in webinars aimed at nonprofit professionals to share their strategies and thought leadership directly with their target audience
As a result of these efforts, the NLA saw its click-through rate increase by over 100% in the span of six months, bringing in new sales leads and turning search engines into a revenue-generating channel.
When setting your own goals, we recommend using the SMART method to ensure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. That means you’ll need to create a clear goal, attach metrics, and set a deadline. To ensure it’s within reach, your goal should be incrementally higher than past performance.
Determine your audiences.
Each nonprofit has a variety of audiences. Define each group you’re attempting to target, so you can create messages that resonate with each segment. For example, common nonprofit audiences include:
Donors
Customers
Volunteers
Advocates
Beneficiaries
Business partners
A quick way to organize your audiences is by using your constituent relationship management (CRM) software’s segmentation features. By separating your contacts with tags and lists, you can send the most inspiring outreach to the right groups.
Create a nonprofit brand guide.
Every piece of communication should strengthen brand awareness. The second someone sees outreach from your organization, they should immediately know it’s associated with your cause. Define elements like:
Your nonprofit’s voice and personality
What makes your nonprofit unique from similar organizations
Your official fonts and colors
Imagery standards
Knowing how to position your nonprofit makes it easier to create cohesive messages. In turn, your nonprofit will connect with supporters on a deeper level and gain their trust.
For a reliable framework, check out Getting Attention’s nonprofit marketing plan guide. You can explore common methods for reviewing past performance, setting benchmarks, and spreading brand awareness.
Nonprofit Marketing Strategies to Drive Results
Following the steps laid out above, you’ll establish a solid foundation for your outreach. Now, it’s time to tweak your nonprofit marketing plan with strategies that drive meaningful results for your cause.
Promote Matching Gifts.
Getting supporters involved with corporate giving opportunities like matching gifts is an easy way to generate support while tapping into another revenue stream at the same time. However, many corporate matching gifts go unclaimed, adding up to about $4-$7 billion in unclaimed funds each year.
To boost matching gift awareness, here are a few channels you can use:
Your website: Create content on your website about corporate giving. We suggest starting by embedding our employer search tool into your donation page, which inserts corporate giving into the donation process. Then, dive further into it by developing a ‘Ways to Give’ page and a dedicated matching gifts page.
Search ads: Use Google Ads to promote your website’s corporate giving content. You can target general terms related to supporting your nonprofit, helping to connect with individuals who might not know about matching gifts. Our guide to promoting matching gifts with Google Ads takes a deep dive into this nonprofit marketing strategy.
Using matching gift auto-submission, you can even cut out a few steps in the match request process. Donors can conveniently select that they’d like our tools to check their eligibility and submit a match request to their employer for them. Marketing matching gifts as a convenient way to give will go a long way in pushing your mission forward.
SEO is a long-term strategy that requires several months of dedicated work to see results and continuous upkeep to maintain your search engine rankings. Outsourcing the bulk of the work can pay off so your nonprofit can focus on its mission and other marketing strategies while your SEO strategy gets off the ground.
If you’re a nonprofit with products, programs, or services for sale, it can be worthwhile to invest in your SEO strategy by working with a nonprofit marketing agency. When assessing potential agencies, we recommend looking for ones with:
A focus on ROI. SEO has several metrics to consider, such as traffic volume, click-through rates, and keyword ranking positions. However, at the end of the day, the primary metric that matters is conversions. Find an SEO agency that is ready to help you find your audience and create a solid plan for generating revenue.
Connections in the mission-driven space. The more high-quality, relevant websites that link to yours, the higher your search engine rankings can be. An SEO agency with connections in your space can facilitate introductions and set up blog submission opportunities, getting your content out there and in front of your target audience, all while boosting your link portfolio.
High-quality content creation and optimization. As seen with our keyword stuffing example, it’s easy to make keyword-optimized content that isn’t very good. However, actual users will bounce right off of this content. Partner with an SEO agency that’s committed to putting in the hard work of creating high-quality content that represents your nonprofit’s expertise and thought leadership.
Our favorite SEO agency is Nexus Marketing, which ticks all of these boxes and more. With 10+ years cultivating SEO strategies for organizations in the nonprofit space, Nexus Marketing has repeatedly taken clients with limited to no search engine presence and put them on the map, boosting traffic and turning clicks into sales.
Make the Most of Google Ads.
As we explored earlier Google Ads are an incredible way to market your mission. However, their team understands that most nonprofits are limited on resources, which is why they offer free access to the platform to eligible organizations.
By applying for Google Grants, you’ll receive $10,000 to spend on the platform every month. Don’t let this free nonprofit marketing money go to waste, though! Here are a few ways to maximize your success:
Carefully research your keywords. You’ll need to choose keywords that will connect you with the right users. Keywords should relate to your mission and services and target a specific user intent, like donating or volunteering.
Leverage geotargeting. Search advertising platforms allow you to target specific geographic areas and demographic groups, allowing you to reach the right people with the right message. Use this feature to make the most of your Google Ad Grant.
Use strong headlines and effective copy to grab attention. Your ad’s headlines and copy will be displayed on the search results pages for keywords you bid on. Spend time crafting ones that capture people’s attention. To simplify A/B testing, Google offers Responsive Search Ads (RSAs). You’ll enter a variety of headlines and copy. Then, Google will automatically test different combinations to drive better results.
While incredibly beneficial, the Google Ads interface can take some time to master. Keyword research might be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with Google Keyword Planner, and adhering to compliance regulations can be a bit tricky. That’s why we recommend working with the Google Grants experts at Getting Attention. They’ll help you apply for the program, set up your account, and create ads that take your nonprofit marketing to the next level!
Show Off Your Supporters
While you’re busy communicating what your nonprofit does and the reason why it works toward that mission, don’t forget to include the how! Your donors are at the core of what your nonprofit can accomplish, and you must make their contributions known in your marketing materials.
Highlighting your donors shows them the direct connection between their contributions and tangible impact. When they know the importance of their donations, they’ll be compelled to give again. Plus, this will urge others to get involved when they see the potential impact of their participation as well as the lengths your nonprofit will go to recognize its donors.
Make your donors the face of your marketing campaign by:
Sharing donor testimonials: Interview your donors and ask about their experiences with your nonprofit. With their permission, you can share information about supporting your nonprofit from the supporter’s perspective! Ask them questions
about why their involvement is so fulfilling and what they love about your organization.
Providing the numbers: Share the impact of what your donors’ contributions can accomplish by sharing statistics and numbers associated with your work. For example, how many dollars were raised by a fundraising campaign, and how was that money spent? Organize this data in visually appealing infographics and include your nonprofit’s branding. Then, share the information on all your marketing channels.
Illustrating the work: Sometimes, seeing the nonprofit community at work speaks more volumes than just describing the impact donors make. Use photos and videos of fundraising events, volunteer activities, and other ways your donors give to truly capture the heart of your nonprofit’s supporters.
As you turn the spotlight on your supporters, be sure to make your appreciation efforts meaningful and genuine. After all, you don’t want them to feel used as a marketing ploy! Make sure your public recognition supplements your other, personal signs of gratitude, and don’t share any donor information without their permission.
Final Thoughts
Nonprofit marketing is essential for driving donations, earning sales, and growing awareness for your cause. Through targeted outreach, nonprofits like yours can engage potential donors, volunteers, customers, and other supporters to build relationships that will then help to further worthwhile missions.
By practicing effective marketing strategies, you’ll naturally boost visibility for your work and foster a sense of community around your cause, inspiring others to participate in your events and purchase your offerings. Monitor your results every step of the way, so you can make adjustments and generate greater results for your brand awareness.
The best nonprofit marketers never stop learning! As you start to build out your nonprofit marketing plan, explore these additional resources:
Matching Gift Videos | Examples and Best Practices. Video marketing for nonprofit organizations can be powerful. Even if you don’t work for a higher education institution, this guide can help you create effective matching gift videos.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Nonprofit-Marketing_Feature-1.png7602000Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-03-09 16:35:012024-06-24 16:30:22Nonprofit Marketing: How to Spread Awareness & Win Support
Nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising groups are always on the lookout for new and improved ways to fund their missions. Corporate matching gifts offer an excellent fundraising lift, but many organizations have an underdeveloped strategy for pursuing this funding source. That’s why we recommend taking a look at matching gift practices from nonprofits that are already seeing high levels of success.
Recent findings have analyzed the highest revenue-generating peer-to-peer-based fundraisers and compiled a number of top strategies followed by each. Based on the report, we’ve created our own list of matching gift best practices that we suggest nonprofits employ:
Over the course of this guide, we’ll provide actionable insights and real-world examples of fundraisers having successfully implemented these practices. In the end, we hope that these exemplary organizations and practices will inspire you to take your matching gift program to the next level.
1. Understand the importance of matching gifts in overall fundraising.
The first step in optimizing your matching gift fundraising plan has to do with understanding its value. After all, when you (and your team) know why you’re doing what you’re doing to pursue matching gift opportunities, you’ll tend to be more motivated to see results.
So here’s why. The benefits of matching gifts for nonprofits are generally threefold —
Increased corporate philanthropy funding. One of the most apparent advantages of matching gift programs is the corporate match donations that an organization receives. Think of it like the “free” part of a “buy one, get one free” promotion. When donors participate, they funnel additional corporate revenue from their employing companies to your organization. And doing so produces substantial results!
Increased individual giving revenue. Not only do matching gift programs increase nonprofit fundraising by making more corporate funds available, but they also elevate individual giving in a few key ways. In fact, Double the Donation research reports that over 84% of survey participants are more likely to donate, and 1 in 3 donors would contribute a larger amount if matching is applied to their donation.
Increased donor engagement. Nonprofits that employed strategic matching gift follow-ups saw up to 6x more post-donation engagement opportunities. Each outreach message is another chance to keep your cause at the top of donors’ minds for longer. This encourages supporters to get further involved with (and make a larger impact on) your organization without reaching back into their own wallets.
All in all, fundraising research demonstrates a positive correlation between matching gift practices and overall fundraising success.
Check out this graph from the Top Nonprofits report that illustrates the finding, with each point representing a top P2P event according to its total revenue and matching gift score:
This shows us that the more developed an organization’s matching strategy, the higher fundraising revenue they can expect. And at the same time, the higher the fundraising revenue an organization sees, the more developed its matching gift strategy likely is.
In other words, exploring matching gift practices like the ones outlined below typically produces multi-faceted fundraising success.
2. Appoint a dedicated Matching Gift Specialist.
In the ideal situation, everyone on your organization’s team will be well-versed in matching gift programs. However, by appointing an expert to lead your team, you’ll have the time and resources to implement matching gifts into your overall fundraising strategy.
Your nonprofit will be more prepared after hiring a matching gift specialist than it would be having your whole staff know just a few basic facts about matching gifts. The coordinator is the expert, but the rest of your employees should know enough to field the questions that they can and pass along the rest as needed.
The specialist is the designated point person for all matching gift queries and problems and the staff member in charge of ensuring the donations are received.
Your coordinator will be able to keep your various departments in the loop about what’s going on and need-to-know information. All staff members should be promoting matching gifts when relevant, but the matching gift coordinator is the coach leading your team to victory.
If the matching gift specialist position is new territory for your organization, why not consider hiring an executive search firm? Consultants can help you craft the perfect job description and lead you through the entire hiring process, ensuring that everything runs smoothly!
3. Establish a plan to drive matching gift participation in fundraising efforts.
Once you understand the value of matching gifts, it’s time to begin developing (and/or finetuning) your plan to maximize the funding source. Why?
Another key finding from the Top Nonprofits report saw that 100% of the P2P Top 30 fundraisers have some sort of dedicated matching gift strategy in place. While the extent of their efforts varies from one organization or event to the next, the fact that every nonprofit that made the list incorporated matching gifts in their fundraising plan in one way or another remains significant.
Follow these leading organizations’ examples and be sure that your team takes the time and effort to establish a well-thought-out plan regarding corporate matching. For the best results, we recommend training your team in the basics of matching gifts and incorporating the rest of these impactful matching gift practices pursued by the top fundraising organizations in your overall strategy.
4. Create a detailed and easily accessible matching gift page.
As a nonprofit fundraiser, you likely understand that your organization’s website is one of your most valuable assets for marketing, donor engagement, and more. It makes sense that you’d want to use that resource to promote matching gifts to your audience.
Hosting a dedicated matching gift web page is one of the best ways to do so—and 93.3% of the P2P Top 30 agree!
Let’s take a look at an inspirational example from one of the Top 30 fundraisers included in the study.
Here’s what this organization did well in its matching gift web page:
Shared a brief explanation of matching gift programs and their value for donors and nonprofits;
Embedded an auto-completing matching gift database search tool, providing access to tens of thousands of companies’ matching gift program guidelines with a few clicks;
Overviewed the process involved for donors to get their gifts matched on behalf of the organization;
Provided contact information often required in donors’ submission forms, ensuring everything they need is all in one, readily available hub;
Ensured the page was easily accessible from the website’s main “Get Involved” tab.
The organization even provided an additional tab on its workplace giving page that targets potential corporate sponsors, highlighting details such as the number of companies involved, matching donations made, and total revenue raised through such programs.
5. Incorporate matching gifts within the donation form.
We’ve long stated that including matching gifts directly within the donation experience itself is one of the best ways to get the ball rolling for donors. And if the fundraisers whose practices were analyzed during the research report are any indication, many top nonprofits agree.
For one, a donation page provides an excellent opportunity to collect much-needed employment information from donors. Once you have this data, your team can then trigger targeted communications to drive more matches to completion.
Plus, simply mentioning matching gift opportunities within your online form allows your donors to begin familiarizing themselves with the idea of the programs as early as possible.
Here’s one organization that made the most of its online giving page to promote matching gifts.
Here’s what this organization did well on its donation page, specifically in regard to matching gifts:
Established a dedicated section within the form, clearly labeled “Matching Gifts,” to grab supporters’ attention as they give;
Provided a brief overview of matching gift programs and how to use the embedded search tool to locate company information;
Shared next steps in the matching gift process, ensuring donors can expect additional information pertaining to their gifts and matches on the confirmation page.
By implementing these matching gift practices and more, the nonprofit was able to see standout match success through key peer-to-peer programs and additional fundraising efforts. Not to mention similar donation form tactics were also employed by many other high-ranking organizations included in the matching gift report.
6. Provide company-specific program details on the confirmation screen.
The next recommended practice has to do with the step directly after an individual completes an online donation form. In nearly all cases, the user then automatically reroutes to a gift confirmation screen. This page acknowledges that the donation was submitted, thanks the supporter for their contribution, and provides additional opportunities for involvement.
And throughout the matching gift research report, we saw that the vast majority of top nonprofits (~83.3%) also use this valuable piece of real estate to further promote matching gift participation.
Let’s take a look at one example of this practice.
Here’s what this organization did well on its confirmation page, specifically regarding matching gifts:
Provided detailed information about an individual’s contribution, enabling them to easily compare against their company’s established matching gift eligibility criteria;
Embedded an auto-populating matching gift widget, complete with specific program information for the company they selected on the previous page;
Inspired immediate action with links straight to company guidelines and online submission forms.
Offering a simpler matching gift experience following an initial donation increases the likelihood of donor participation. That said, fundraisers like this team aim to streamline the process while making the most of still-high levels of supporter engagement. And when done so effectively, many donors choose to initiate their matches right from the confirmation screen.
7. Send personalized matching gift emails post-transaction.
For donors who ultimately don’t choose to get their gifts matched directly from the confirmation screen, we know that sending follow-up emails can be the next best step. That’s why 86.6% of the P2P Top 30 are pursuing matching gift opportunities with post-transaction messaging.
Let’s take a look at one leading organization’s post-donation communications—and how they highlight matching gifts.
First, here’s the donation receipt an individual receives in the minutes after submitting their gift:
And this is what the follow-up matching gift email looks like:
Here’s what this organization did well in its post-donation matching gift communications:
Thanked donors for their initial support, acknowledging their gift impact and the opportunity for amplified results from corporate matching;
Leveraged customizable messaging, using the nonprofit’s own consistent branding (fonts, images, colors) and email domain;
Included matching gift information in both the gift confirmation email/donation receipt;
Sent messages in a timely manner, with the donation receipt and initial matching email coming in within the first hour after the gift being made;
Let donors know within the gift receipt that they will receive additional email correspondence with next steps for matching gifts;
Referenced personalized details, such as the donor’s name, acknowledgment of a recent gift, and the company they work for;
Shared company-specific matching gift eligibility criteria, including minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, request deadlines, and more;
Provided direct links to the online submission portal for the donor’s employer, empowering them to initiate a match with ease.
The matching gift email also encourages supporters to follow up with the organization for a quick matching gift status update after submitting their request. This enables the nonprofit’s development team to better track and forecast incoming match revenue.
8. Strive for ease and accessibility.
For a donor, securing a matching gift is an easy process that has the misfortune of sounding complicated. To remedy this, brand it better by simplifying the process.
Clear and concise language with straightforward directions will encourage your donors to seek out matching gifts. Donors who have already been generous enough to donate should not have to follow up with a lot of paperwork.
To better explain matching gifts, you can:
List the typical steps involved in the process on your matching gifts explainer page.
Insert a matching gift widget that can help the donor search for their company’s program.
Mail out informational materials about corporate philanthropy.
Highlight key matching gift statistics in your educational resources.
Point out a few of the companies that commonly match gifts for your nonprofit.
Ensure that your nonprofit is a one-stop shop for all things matching gifts! That way, donors won’t have to seek out this information themselves. Get ahead of the game and give your supporters all the information they need to fully understand their opportunities.
9. Keep a record of individuals’ matching gift statuses.
Maintaining ongoing records of donors’ matching gift statuses falls under the matching gift coordinator’s jurisdiction. Essentially, you’ll want to know what requests have been made, when they are processed, and when they have been fulfilled.
Keeping accurate records will guarantee that no revenue opportunities slip through the cracks. There can be a lot of moving parts in the process among the donor, donor’s employer, and the nonprofit, and there will be some level of back-and-forth. A clear trail of what has happened and what needs to happen will make interactions a lot easier and a lot more efficient.
Regardless of what you choose, the more standardized and systematic the process you use is, the better the results will be. And the right software can help, too—complete with trackable email buttons and all!
10. Thank donors for their matching gift participation.
Donors involved with matching gifts have gone the extra mile for your cause, so your appreciation should match that level of energy.
Just like matching gifts have doubled your donations, matching gift thank yous should be doubled as well. Thank them once for the initial donation and a second time when the matched gift goes through.
In fact, you may even want to put together a special event to honor matching gift donors. The goal is to show genuine gratitude towards what they’ve done to help, and something like a special event will also promote the program to those who are unaware of it.
If you don’t have the resources for an entire event, try publicly thanking those involved on social media. This is a great place to promote matching gifts and is also a top outlet for acknowledgment. For instance, a strategic Facebook post can kill two birds with one stone by thanking a matching gift donor while getting the idea of matching gifts into the heads of your Facebook community.
11. Cultivate relationships with donors’ employing companies.
You should also consider thanking your donors’ companies as well. The donor has brought the company to you, so go ahead and cover all your bases. That’s why it’s so important to collect employment data!
After all, matching gifts can provide a much-desired introduction to major corporations with top-notch corporate giving.
When an employee asks their company to match their gift, by nature of the process, the company will be exposed to your nonprofit. If you want to foster a new relationship, your nonprofit is going to have to impress the company. In some cases, you’ll even develop long-term partnerships with them.
By having all of your matching gifts ducks in a row, your staff can focus on building those corporate relationships instead of troubleshooting submission issues.
Plus, whenever you need an extra helping hand at one of your events, these companies will likely be more than happy to help out through their corporate volunteer program since you’ll already be on their radar.
12. Leverage innovative matching gift software.
While it’s technically possible to develop a matching gift strategy without the aid of dedicated technology to power your efforts, doing so is likely to require substantial investments of time, effort, and resources. On the other hand, matching gift software can go a long way toward streamlining and automating the process.
As you consider the possibilities, it’s worth noting that, of the organizations’ practices analyzed in the Top Nonprofits report, those that use matching gift software saw average matching gift scores more than twice as high as those that did not appear to use matching gift software.
Still, choosing the right software provider is essential, as well. The study reports that 73.3% of the P2P Top 30 fundraisers—and 90% of the 10 highest-earning events—leveraged Double the Donation’s match software.
Not to mention, employing a best-in-class technology solution like Double the Donation can also help your team incorporate the above best practices into your matching gift strategy—from hosting a dedicated matching gift page (complete with an embedded company search tool) to highlighting matching gifts throughout the giving experience and beyond.
If you’re interested in exploring Double the Donation’s automation platform, 360MatchPro, you can request a demo here to get started.
Plus, keep in mind that your more general fundraising technology can play a significant role here, as well. For example, Top Nonprofits indicates that organizations using tools without sufficient matching gift integration and customization options saw significantly lower matching gift scores overall—compared to fundraisers whose giving tools integrated seamlessly with a matching gift solution.
Whether your team is just getting started with matching gifts or you’re looking to optimize an existing strategy, taking a look at tips and tricks followed by organizations with impactful matching gift efforts can go a long way.
Integrating the above matching gift practices in your nonprofit’s fundraising has the potential to bring your overall giving to previously unimaginable heights. And now’s the best time to get started!
Keep up the learning—explore additional resources from Double the Donation and other matching gift industry experts below:
As a nonprofit marketer, brand awareness is at the top of your priorities list. While nonprofits have limited funding to grow their prospect lists, digital marketing for nonprofits opens up a world of opportunities for causes trying to get the most out of their budgets. Plus, your potential reach has never been so large! You can reach supporters across the globe in a matter of mere seconds, whether you’re promoting matching gifts, marketing your products and services, or sharing volunteering opportunities.
From social media to email to search engine marketing, you have so many incredible, low-cost options at your disposal to make your cause known. If you really want to stand out online, you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to help you harness the power of digital marketing for nonprofits by covering these key topics:
Here at Double the Donation, we work with nonprofits to raise more money through matching gifts. A big part of that involves nonprofits proactively marketing corporate giving opportunities to supporters, and we’ve seen the power the online space holds. We’re hoping to share some of what we’ve learned so you can expand your reach.
With a little research, you’ll be a nonprofit digital marketing whiz in no time! However, if you need a bit of guidance for your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy, we recommend turning to the experts at Nexus Marketing. They specialize in search engine optimization (SEO) marketing and offer services tailored to nonprofits that sell products and services.
What Is Digital Marketing for Nonprofits?
Digital marketing for nonprofits is a specific subset of marketing for organizations that relies on the internet and online-dependent technologies, such as desktop computers and mobile devices. Nonprofits use digital outlets to spread mission awareness, solicit donations, sell products and services, increase volunteer numbers, promote events, and publicize their services.
Common outreach strategies include social media, texting, search engine optimization, search advertising, or any other internet-based approach at an organization’s disposal.
Why Is Digital Marketing for Nonprofits Important?
A strong digital presence is a must for any organization that wants to thrive in the modern age. You might be wondering, “What exactly will establishing a digital presence do for my cause?” Great question!
Here’s a breakdown of some of the best parts of effective online marketing for nonprofit organizations like yours:
Eliminate geographical barriers. Supporters are more accessible than ever. By sending an email, publishing on social media, or sending a mass text, you can connect with people within seconds.
Make supporting your nonprofit convenient. Your supporters are already online. They’re scrolling through social media, shopping, and Googling stuff they care about. Going digital allows you to make learning about and donating to your cause easy.
Generating leads for products and services. Many nonprofits sell products and services to benefit their communities. If this description fits your nonprofit, then digital marketing channels can help you discover and build relationships with high-quality sales leads to grow your customer base.
Open up two-way communication. Just like going digital makes your supporters more accessible, it does the same for your marketing team! Instead of talking at your supporters, you can engage in meaningful conversations when they comment on your social media posts or email you.
Raise more. By engaging in storytelling tactics and leveraging online fundraising tools, you can inspire people to donate to your cause. You can also promote engaging fundraising opportunities, like corporate giving!
Reduce marketing costs. We already touched on this, but digital marketing for nonprofits has minimal upfront costs, making it a cost-effective option.
The list of pros goes on and on! The examples above only scratch the surface. To experience any benefits, you’ll need a strong nonprofit digital marketing strategy to serve as the foundation of your outreach.
Creating Your Nonprofit Digital Marketing Strategy
It’s no secret that digital marketing for nonprofits is insanely powerful. However, it’s not enough to post on social media sporadically or send generic emails to constituents. The online space is competitive, so you need a holistic strategy that defines your objectives and how you’ll reach them. Otherwise, your efforts might be disjointed and not contribute much to strengthening your digital presence.
While each nonprofit’s marketing strategy will vary, there are some common steps to craft a plan that works for your cause. Let’s walk through those now!
1. Define your nonprofit’s digital marketing goals.
Laying out clear goals will help you craft the right messages to the right audiences who will get you there. Every digital communication you send will get you one step closer to reaching whatever goals you set, so spend plenty of time hashing your objectives out with your marketing team.
Generally speaking, you might want to boost awareness for corporate giving, increase membership renewals, or increase sales for your nonprofit’s services. Think through how these goals correlate with your overall mission and how your digital marketing efforts can support that. Let’s take a look at a specific example of a bad goal vs. a SMART goal:
Goal 1) Grow our email subscriber list and use that channel to earn more sales.
Goal 2) Add 1,000 more subscribers to our email list and use that channel to raise an additional $50,000 in sales revenue by the end of the year.
Notice how the second goal is much clearer, defines how your nonprofit’s digital marketing can support your mission, and gives you solid metrics to work toward. That’s because it’s what we call a SMART goal.
The SMART Goal Framework
As a marketer, you might already be aware of this approach. The SMART goal framework allows you to set clear goals that anyone on your team can understand. The acronym stands for:
Specific: Be as clear as possible when setting nonprofit digital marketing goals. That way, everyone will know what you’re attempting to achieve! Returning to our example above, we’re clearly aiming to raise more money specifically through matching gifts by leveraging email rather than all channels.
Measurable: Your goal should have clear metrics attached to measure performance. In our example, the key performance indicators are 1,000 more subscribers and $5,000 in matching gift revenue sourced from that channel.
Attainable: Your goal should be reasonable yet still aspirational. You want to challenge your team without deterring them. For example, let’s say that you grew your email list by 800 subscribers and sourced $4,250 in matching gifts through that channel last year. That makes your new goal attainable yet aspirational!
Relevant: Your nonprofit’s digital marketing goal should play into your overall mission. In the example above, it’s clear that growing email subscriptions will provide valuable fundraising dollars.
Time-Based: Your goal needs a clear deadline to establish a sense of urgency! In the example above, we made the goal time-based by setting the end of the year as the deadline.
By following this framework, you can set objectives that make sense for your organization, make the most of digital outlets, and push your mission forward in meaningful ways.
2. Choose the right nonprofit digital marketing platforms.
There’s no shortage of nonprofit digital marketing platforms that you can leverage. Whether you’re trying to reach tech-savvy teens or email-reliant boomers, there’s a platform for reaching every segment of your audience.
Let’s walk through some of the most common ones:
Search ads. Paid advertising is a fantastic way to promote your cause. Plus, many paid digital marketing platforms offer free or discounted rates for nonprofits. For example, the Google Ad Grants program offers $10,000 in free monthly funding to eligible nonprofit organizations that apply. Then, these nonprofits can spend that funding to create ads promoting their website at the top of Google search results pages for mission-specific keywords. Using search ads like Google Ads, you can promote anything from donation forms to educational content, bringing more visibility to your cause on search engines.
SEO. In contrast to paid search ads, nonprofits can also drive website traffic with organic search results through search engine optimization, also known as SEO. Ranking number one among organic search results is a free way to attract new visitors to your website, which can be especially beneficial for nonprofits that depend on revenue-generating sales. However, to rank highly, nonprofits need to create content likely to get picked up and seen as valuable by search engines, which is where SEO comes in. SEO is the process of creating and adapting your content to be search engine friendly to boost online traffic.
Social media. Channels like Instagram and Facebook are great organic channels for nonprofit digital marketing. Regularly post updates, engage in visual storytelling, and expand your audience by encouraging social sharing. Platforms like Facebook even offer unique fundraising features for supporters to drive donations on your behalf.
Email. As our nonprofit fundraising statistics page explains, email-based marketing and promotional campaigns generate around 28% of all online nonprofit revenue. That makes email an essential channel for your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy! Create eye-catching subject lines, send a regular newsletter, and promote relevant opportunities to each supporter group using your email marketing platform’s segmentation tools.
Texting.SMS marketing has an incredible open rate of over 98%, compared to just 20% for emails. By leveraging texting in your online outreach, you can send succinct updates directly to supporters’ phones and tap into fundraising tools like text-to-give. While a great way to connect with supporters, this nonprofit digital marketing channel isn’t for every organization! Organizations that find this strategy most useful are those with younger audiences.
These platforms will serve as the foundation of your organization’s outreach. When getting started, think through your audience for each platform carefully. Then, craft messages that support your objectives and play to each channel’s strengths.
For example, if you’re aiming to boost awareness for your animal shelter’s adoption services, you might use search ads to amplify your adoption page, social media to share a testimonial video about an animal that found its forever home, email to promote an upcoming adoption event, and text to share a quick announcement and a link to your adoption page.
Pro tip: Use a mixture of platforms to connect with supporters. Multichannel marketing allows you to expand the number of people you’re able to reach, bringing more exposure to your cause online.
3. Push your digital marketing campaign live.
At this point, you’ll need to write your digital marketing messages and publish them on relevant platforms.
There’s a lot of competition online, so your team needs to do everything it can to stand out online. Get creative in how you present your messages. Lean into storytelling tactics, use visual techniques like video and images, and offer different engagement opportunities to garner as much attention as possible.
Remember, digital marketing for nonprofits offers two-way communication opportunities, so pay attention to people’s interactions with your posts and messages. You might like their comments, respond to their emails, or show them you appreciate their interactions with your team in some other way.
Finally, you’ll want to create a schedule for each platform, so your team creates a pattern of consistency. That way, supporters will regularly see your nonprofit’s updates in their inboxes and newsfeeds, keeping your cause top of mind.
4. Monitor your nonprofit’s digital marketing performance.
Once you send your first round of outreach, the work’s just beginning! One of the best parts of going digital is that you can gather insightful metrics to inform future campaigns. Data-driven digital marketing for nonprofits is a must if you want to proactively grow your digital presence and provide value to your supporters.
During and after your campaigns, evaluate how successful your nonprofit digital marketing efforts are. Modern platforms make it easy to pull performance metrics and create reports to see how your efforts measure up against your goals.
Let’s break down the most common key performance indicators (KPIs) you can measure on each platform:
Email: Open rates, click-through rate (CTR), and unsubscribe rates are a few engagement metrics that your team should pay attention to.
Search ads: Your CTR and conversions (e.g., donations, event registrations, etc.) are the best metrics for determining the effectiveness of your search ads.
SEO. SEO shares many of the same metrics as search ads but also takes rankings into account. What keywords you rank for, fluctuations in your rankings, and whether ranking pages see increased traffic and lead generation should all be monitored.
Social media: Likes, shares, comments, and impressions can help you estimate your reach and engagement.
Text: Delivery rate, opt-out rate, and conversions can let you know if your text outreach is performing as expected.
If your outreach is underperforming, make adjustments as you go. Do you have low email open rates? Experiment with your subject lines to capture more attention. Do you have exceptionally high social media impressions but minimal shares, likes, and comments? Your content might be reaching plenty of people, but it’s not quite doing the trick and inspiring them.
Do you have low delivery rates for texts? That may mean your supporters have changed their phone numbers. Don’t worry; this happens! Use a phone number append to make sure you have accurate phone numbers for supporters if your delivery rate is alarmingly low.
No matter what metrics you monitor, you need to pay attention to your performance. Successful digital marketing for nonprofits rides on these numbers!
Tips To Take Online Marketing for Nonprofits Up a Notch
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to digital marketing for nonprofits. As you get into the swing of things, test out different strategies to discover what works for your organization!
Let’s explore several best practices you can use to tailor your plan and maximize your marketing ROI.
Promote Your Website with Google Ads.
We touched on Google Ads earlier, but there’s so much more to it than what we’ve covered! Search ads are one of the most effective digital marketing outlets for nonprofits.
In fact, Getting Attention’s Google Ad Grant Impact Report explains that search ads have the highest ROI of any nonprofit paid advertising channel, returning an incredible $4.78 for every dollar spent.
As we touched on, you’ll need to apply for the Google Grants program and meet the eligibility requirements to receive the $10,000 in ad credits. From here, you can create ads that promote your website’s content and use your free funding to bid on relevant keywords.
With a thoughtful bidding strategy, you can bring more visibility to your cause than ever before. Plus, the grant will automatically renew every month, so you’ll have a reliable source of funding as long as you comply with the compliance requirements.
It’ll take some time to learn the intricacies of the program, which is why we recommend working with a Google Grants manager. Our preferred agency is Getting Attention! They work with you to craft your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy for Google Ads. They’ll help you apply for the program, create your ads, and monitor metrics to make sure you’re driving meaningful results.
Optimize your website for search engines.
Your website is the hub of all your nonprofit’s digital marketing efforts. It’s where first-time supporters go to learn more about your cause and long-term supporters go to find new engagement opportunities. It also enables you to raise online donations and sell your products and services.
As such, your website should be as easy to find as possible. With SEO, you can attract new customers for your services and products through search engine traffic. To improve your SEO rankings, nonprofits should get started with:
Keyword research. What words and phrases are your target audience likely searching for? For example, a nonprofit selling products related to continuing education courses might check the search results for keywords like “adult education classes.” By creating content targeting relevant keywords, you can attract audiences interested in your nonprofit’s offerings.
Content creation. After identifying target keywords, consider what type of content is needed by users searching for that keyword. Then, be the organization that creates that high-value, original content. Doing so will cause visitors who click on your website to engage with your content, share it with others, and potentially make a conversion.
Partnership building. Search engines evaluate websites based on several factors, including what websites link to yours. By building relationships with other organizations in your space, you can get your content in front of their audience and also improve your search engine rankings by building your pages’ linking profiles.
SEO can be a particularly effective sales lead-generation tool for nonprofits that sell products and services. If this description fits your nonprofit, consider partnering with our favorite SEO agency, Nexus Marketing.
Nexus Marketing’s approach to SEO is designed to turn search engine platforms into revenue-generating channels. With keyword research and strategic partnerships, Nexus Marketing will create high-quality content that showcases your products and thought leadership to prospective buyers and boosts your search engine rankings.
Automate your nonprofit’s digital marketing when possible.
Marketing automation allows you to automate monotonous marketing work. With the right tools, your marketing team can automate routine tasks such as email marketing, social media posting, and ad campaigns. Not only will this boost efficiency, but it’ll help you provide a personalized experience for your supporters.
While automation certainly doesn’t replace manual outreach, the two can be used in conjunction to provide a timely, valuable experience to your supporters. This can lay the ground for healthy, long-term relationships.
Let’s take a look at a few areas where you can leverage automation:
Email streams. Let’s say you set up an email stream for a volunteer opportunity. The second someone registers to volunteer, your software might trigger a confirmation email. Then, you might have a reminder email within this stream to follow up a few days before the actual volunteer event. After the opportunity, you can automatically follow up with a well-written volunteer thank-you letter that’s customized with their volunteer details.
Google Ads.Google Ad Grants can be confusing, which is why Google’s advertising platform allows you to leverage search ad automation tools. Using features like responsive search ads (RSAs), your ads will adapt to show relevant messages to users. You’ll submit a variety of headlines and descriptions. Then, Google will swap them out to find the best fit for users and improve your results.
Matching gifts. Through the use of our matching gift tools, you can drive more corporate giving revenue through automation. You can set up email streams that follow up with match-eligible donors, encouraging them to submit their employer requests. We also launched an autosubmission function, which allows donors to skip steps in the employer request submission process. By selecting a box on your donation confirmation page, they can opt-in to have our tools automatically check their eligibility and submit their requests to their employers on their behalf. No need for your team to step in when you have automation handling the hard work for you!
No matter how you leverage it, automation can be a powerful strategy when it comes to digital marketing for nonprofits. Think carefully about how it can play into your plans without risking the personalized touch of manual outreach, and explore the best tools to help you leverage marketing automation. Depending on your needs and existing technology, these might include matching gift tools, nonprofit Salesforce apps, or software designed to automate communications on a specific channel, like a text marketing app.
Tailor your outreach with segmentation.
Generic outreach won’t get you very far. Instead, personalize your outreach. This conveys that you care about your supporters, helping to capture their attention and build a stronger connection with each message you send.
Put yourself in a donor’s shoes. You receive an email that starts with “Dear generous donor.” Chances are, you won’t read the whole email. At the most, you might skim it. Your nonprofit’s online marketing tools should make it easy to customize your emails with recipients’ names.
Personalization should go further than adding their name to an email, though. That’s where segmentation comes into play!
You’ll want to create meaningful supporter segments, so you can send relevant appeals to those who are most likely to engage. To get started, you might create segments based on:
Past engagement history. Try creating groups based on past engagement with your organization—whether they’ve donated, attended events, volunteered, or engaged in other ways. That way, you can send volunteer opportunities primarily to volunteers, fundraising campaign details to committed donors, and so on. Common segments include first-time donors, recurring donors, match-eligible donors, volunteers, advocates, and peer-to-peer fundraisers.
Contact method. As you can tell by how many digital marketing outlets there are, there are countless ways to contact supporters. Consider noting their preferred communication methods in your CRM. That way, you can be sure to contact them using the channels to which they’re most responsive.
Age. Categorizing supporters by age allows you to determine the types of messages and platforms your supporters will be most receptive to. Even if they haven’t indicated their communication preferences, you can predict the best channels to use for each supporter. For instance, those under 25 might be more active on social media or be likely to interact with text messages, while supporters over 45 might prefer email.
Thoughtful segmentation can go a long way toward improving your nonprofit’s digital marketing. While primarily used in email marketing for nonprofits, it’s also a great strategy for any other channel!
Improve your nonprofit’s website.
With all that rides on your website, it’s well worth putting some thought behind your site’s design to create a valuable experience for each visitor. As a starting point, follow these best practices:
Use a mobile-responsive design.Half of all nonprofit web traffic comes from mobile users. By optimizing your site for mobile users, you’ll make it easy for all supporters to learn about your cause, no matter what device they’re using! Use a mobile-responsive CMS to resize your web content to fit any device automatically. From here, compress your images, minimize the number of pop-ups you include, and reduce the number of fields you include on any form.
Reduce load time. The longer it takes your website to load, the more likely people are to leave. In fact, research from Google estimates that the probability of bounce increases by 32% as page load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds. Page speed also plays a pivotal role in your SEO performance since Google uses it as one of its ranking factors. To reduce your site’s load time, compress images, reduce redirects, enable browser caching, and minify any unnecessary coding.
Feature corporate giving. Your website is the perfect place to increase awareness for corporate giving! Include our employer search tool on your donation form to encourage more users to research their eligibility for their employers’ programs. Then, get crafty by developing a dedicated matching gifts page that defines what they are, covers common guidelines, and walks through the process. If you already have a Ways to Give page, you can include information about matching gifts, volunteer grants, and other corporate giving opportunities there, too!
There’s plenty you can do to make your website as valuable as possible for your nonprofit marketing strategy. For other recommendations, we recommend checking out the site requirements for Google Ad Grants. While specific to the program, these rules provide guidance tailored for all nonprofits to help them create valuable web content that speaks to their mission and inspires supporters to donate, volunteer, and buy their products and services.
Wrapping Up
Digital marketing for nonprofits is an incredible opportunity to spread more awareness for your mission than ever before. From promoting corporate giving to increasing event attendance, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish for your mission.
Remember to spend time crafting a thoughtful nonprofit digital marketing strategy that plays to your organization’s strengths and connects you with your unique audience. Leverage all sorts of channels like social media, Google search ads, and email to make a lasting impression on supporters. In no time, you’ll strengthen your digital presence and drive greater outcomes for your work.
To continue enhancing your nonprofit’s outreach, explore these resources:
If your nonprofit is serious about driving more matching gift revenue, it’s time to step up and get creative with your outreach. As one of the most innovative outreach channels, Google Ads might just be the missing piece to your matching gift marketing strategy.
For those who are paid marketing rookies, Google Ads is an online advertising platform where advertisers can display short ads that promote their web content to users on Google Search. Nonprofits that use the platform typically promote content related to fundraising, volunteering, and services.
Pay-per-click marketing can add up, though. Luckily, Google realizes this! That’s why they offer eligible nonprofits free access to Google Ads, making it the perfect opportunity to strengthen your organization’s digital presence. Crafting a high-performing ad campaign for matching gifts takes a bit more than writing a few sentences, directing people to your website, and calling it a day, though.
To help supercharge your marketing, we’ll share everything we know about promoting matching gifts with Google Ads. Here’s what we’ll cover:
A lot of work goes into managing a Google Ad Grants account and creating winning ads for your fundraising initiatives. That’s why we recommend working with a professional Google Grants manager! From pinpointing the right keywords to creating inspiring ads for matching gifts, our friends at Getting Attention know what it takes to stand out using Google Ads.
While waiting to discuss your Google Ad needs with their team, explore our suggestions below. That way, you can come prepared with some ideas for your Google Ad Grants marketing strategy!
An Overview of Promoting Matching Gifts with Google Ads
Before diving headfirst into specific marketing strategies, take some time to learn the basics of the Google Ad Grant program. You’ll find that a carefully-crafted Ad Grants strategy can amplify several parts of your mission, including everything from corporate giving to volunteer registrations.
What Are Google Ad Grants?
Created in 2003, Google Ad Grants has transformed into a popular corporate giving program that provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 in free advertising credits every month. Organizations can spend these credits to bid on different mission-related keywords and promote their web content.
Nonprofits most often promote donation pages, service pages, and educational content, depending on the keywords they’re bidding on. Then, ads are placed strategically on the search engine results pages for those keywords, such as at the very top above the organic results.
Getting Attention’s Google Ad Grants guide explains that you should “think of it as your secret weapon for spreading awareness for your cause, expanding your donor and volunteer network, sharing essential updates with your supporters, and ranking higher on Google.”
The bottom line: The Ad Grants program makes it easy to fold Google Ads into your matching gift marketing strategy without blowing your marketing budget.
Corporate giving makes up a sizeable portion of any nonprofit’s revenue. In fact, fundraising research estimates that corporations donate roughly $3 billion through matching gifts alone each year. Even with these incredible contributions, around 78% of match-eligible donors are unaware that their companies offer matching gift programs. That’s why effective marketing is vital!
If your donors aren’t aware of their match eligibility, they won’t follow through with submitting their requests. While matching gift automation will deliver automated email reminders to donors, using other avenues to promote matching gifts will help you reach prospects who haven’t donated yet.
From emails to Google Ads, there’s a lot you can do to spread awareness to donors and prospects who need an extra push to donate.
Why Nonprofits Promote Matching Gifts With Google Ad Grants
One of the reasons that the Google Ad Grant is a game-changer is that you can create highly-customized ads that showcase your cause.
Using a feature called sitelink extensions, you can build out your ads with additional landing pages, providing users with a variety of ways to engage with your cause. In other words, you can share several touchpoints all within the same ad.
Not to mention, you have complete control over the keywords you target. That means you can make sure you’re only targeting search queries that connect you with qualified leads. Plus, you can use Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) to test out different versions of your ads to drive more clicks.
Above all, Google Search empowers you to connect with donors from all over the world. Available to organizations in 51 countries, the Google Ad Grant breaks down geographical barriers, so you can connect with motivated supporters wherever they are.
Google processes about 3.7 billion search queries every day and owns over 84% of the desktop search engine market.
With an average ROI of $4.78, search ads have the highest ROI for nonprofits using paid advertising.
View-through revenue (revenue from donors who saw but didn’t click on an ad) accounts for 35% of all giving sourced from digital ads.
In other words, the Google Ad Grants program gives you the power to supercharge your digital marketing and increase matching gift awareness more than ever before. By carefully selecting keywords and creating persuasive ads, you can connect with donors who are ready to donate and submit their matching gift requests to employers.
Types of Matching Gift Website Content to Promote with Google Ads
So you’re convinced that Google Ads is a viable way to grow matching gift awareness. Great! We wholeheartedly agree. Now, it’s time to take the next step: determining what content to promote with Google Ads. Or, if you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to create matching gift content on your website to attach to your ads.
One of the rules of the Google Ad Grant program is that your nonprofit must have high-quality website content. After all, that content is what you’ll be promoting with your ads. Let’s explore a few pages related to matching gifts you’ll want to create on your site.
Your Donation Form
A donation form is one of the most popular pages that nonprofits promote using the Google Ad Grant. Luckily, the donation process is the perfect time to encourage users to check their matching gift eligibility! Anyone visiting this page is clearly already thinking about donating, and they might even increase their donation if they know their employer will match it.
Using one of 360MatchPro’s donation form integrations, simply embed your employer search tool into this page. This will empower donors to take action immediately after clicking one of your Google Ads.
While creating brand-new matching gift content takes some time, updating your existing donation page with an employer search tool is a quick way to incorporate Google Ads into your matching gift promotion.
A Matching Gifts Page
While the concept of matching gifts is simple, companies’ programs can be tricky to navigate. They each have their own requirements and processes donors must follow to qualify. That’s why you’ll want to create a landing page that guides users through the process and allows them to determine their eligibility.
Your page should feature:
Basic information regarding what matching gift programs are
How the process of requesting a matching gift works
Your employer search tool so that users can research their companies’ programs
A dedicated matching gifts page will play a vital role in your Google Ads strategy. Your goal with this page should be to teach donors about matching gifts and spur them into action to submit the necessary forms. Then, when they click through to your site from your ad, they’ll know exactly what next step to take.
A Ways to Give Page
A Ways to Give page covers every way a prospect can support your work, from monthly giving to volunteering to matching gifts. Best of all, you probably already have this type of page published on your site.
Easily update your Ways to Give page with matching gift content. At a minimum, we recommend that you:
Direct donors to your dedicated matching gift page to learn more.
As an added bonus, this page is great to include in other ads! You can expand your other ad campaigns using the sitelink extension feature. Then, link to your Ways to Give page, directing all types of prospects to it to learn more about supporting your work.
Blog Articles
Occasionally, you’ll encounter donors who are confused about matching gifts, the process, and how to determine their eligibility. Clear up any confusion by publishing blog articles about matching gifts. This is also a great opportunity to share stories about how corporate giving has impacted your cause.
As you brainstorm your approach, here are a few other ways to create motivational blog articles about matching gifts:
Post insightful stories about matching gifts and the effects these programs can have on your organization’s mission.
Incorporate a graphic that advertises matching gifts on the side of all blog posts to help increase awareness.
Review the basics of matching gifts and give donors clear steps for checking their eligibility and submitting requests to their employers.
Like we mentioned, you can promote all sorts of content with the Google Ad Grant, including educational content about matching gifts! Dedicate some of your marketing team’s time to creating these articles. Then, when you create a particularly captivating article, you can promote it using Google Ads.
Choosing Keywords for Your Matching Gift Google Ads
One of the main components of your Google Ads is your keywords. Your keywords can make or break your Google Ads. Picking the right search terms will help you connect with motivated prospects who are likely to donate and submit matching gift requests to their employers.
Through Google for Nonprofits, you’ll gain access to helpful keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner. Use these tools to pinpoint the terms your donors are searching on Google. Or, if you’re feeling wary about picking your keywords, a Google Grants manager can step in to do the research for you.
Think like your donors. Ask, “What would a donor search to find out more about supporting our organization?” Then, think about how to promote matching gifts through those terms.
Select general keywords to expand your reach. As we mentioned, a lot of donors don’t know about matching gifts. To reach a large audience, target generic keywords that relate to supporting your cause. Then, you can direct users to specific pages that promote matching gifts.
Narrow your audience with specific keywords. To reach donors who already know about matching gifts, you might bid on more specific terms. Know that specific keywords tend to be less competitive, meaning your ads are more likely to be shown to users. However, keep in mind that keywords that are too specific will limit who you’re able to reach with your Google Ads since not many people will search these terms.
Know that you don’t have to add every variant of every keyword. Your keywords can capture traffic from closely related variations of whichever ones you choose. In other words, you don’t need to add every search query you come up with.
Let’s give a quick example so that you can see how this might look in practice. Let’s say you work for a heart disease prevention organization. Your donors might be looking to learn more about supporting heart disease research.
In this case, you might target search queries like “ways to give to heart disease research” and “donate to fight heart disease.” Then, you can direct traffic to your donation form and expand your ad with additional links to your Ways to Give page and dedicated matching gift page.
More specific matching gift keywords, like “matching donations to heart disease research” won’t receive much traffic. Targeting terms like this means you’ll severely limit your audience and likely won’t increase matching gift awareness very much.
So considering that your goal is to promote matching gifts with the Google Ad Grant, we suggest leaning into the first strategy of choosing more generic keywords. Then, you can use more specific keywords to spread awareness among knowledgeable donors.
Examples Showing How to Promote Matching Gifts with Google Ads
You can read all day about how to promote matching gifts with the Google Ad Grant. However, it’s much more useful to see some examples from real organizations! Here are a few of the ways we’ve seen nonprofits increase matching gift awareness through well-written Google Ads.
ASPCA
For this Google Ad, ASPCA targets focused keywords like “matching gifts for ASPCA.” The intent for this keyword shows that the user is knowledgeable about matching gifts and is likely wondering if they can have their donation to the organization matched.
That’s why the Google Ad directs the user to their dedicated matching gifts page. Then, it showcases the nonprofit’s Ways to Give page by using a sitelink extension, giving the user an additional way to engage with the organization.
Muslim American Society
In this Google Ad example, the Muslim American Society promotes matching gifts to users who are ready to donate. Someone who searches “give to Muslim American Society” is clearly on the verge of donating, making it the perfect time to promote matching gifts!
The landing page for this Google Ad is the organization’s donation form which prominently features matching gifts. There’s information about common guidelines and the process for submitting a match request alongside the form. Then, donors can research their eligibility using an embedded employer search tool.
Getting Started Promoting Matching Gifts with Google Ads
Now that you know the basics of promoting matching gifts with Google Ads, it’s time to dive in and create your campaigns!
If you need some additional help, you don’t have to go into it alone! We suggest turning to the Google Grant managers at Getting Attention. These experts know everything there is to know about the Google Ad Grant. They devote their time to learning the intricacies of the program, empowering their nonprofit partners to connect with new prospects on Google Search.
Ongoing account management to comply with Google’s rules
Landing page relaunch (including design work)
Account reactivation for lapsed or deactivated accounts
So, if promoting matching gifts with Google Ads sounds out of your wheelhouse, trust these experts to handle it for you! They’ll help you create compelling ads that drive real results for your cause. Plus, you can chat with their team about how the Google Ad Grant falls into your marketing strategy as a whole.
When you get creative, the Google Ad Grant can transform your digital marketing and increase visibility for corporate giving opportunities. Whether you’re advertising your donation form or a dedicated matching gifts page, there’s a lot you can do to make donors aware of their matching gift potential through the program.
For the quickest results, we highly recommend working with a Google Grants manager. These experts know the ins and outs of the program, so you can focus on other aspects of your mission while they design compelling ads.
As you get up and running, check out these resources to learn more about Google Ad Grants and how to promote matching gifts:
Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Digital Communications. Want to expand beyond Google Ads and promote matching gifts across all your digital communications? This guide will walk you through some key platforms to include in your outreach.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-to-Promote-Matching-Gifts_Feature.jpg3861030Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-02-09 19:17:202023-06-01 17:01:03How to Promote Matching Gifts with the Google Ad Grant
Organizations with effective nonprofit marketing strategies utilize many tools to reach their audiences. From email blasts to social media posts, these organizations leverage numerous platforms to communicate valuable information. Among all these platforms, one source of truth remains constant—your nonprofit’s website. Whether you’re promoting matching gifts or an upcoming fundraising event, most communications point back to your nonprofit’s website for more information.
If your nonprofit takes advantage of the $10,000 Ad Grant from Google, you’re taking the right steps to promote your site and your organization’s most valuable information. However, the Google Ad Grant program isn’t a single-step process.
Nonprofits are not only required to maintain their eligibility for the Google Ad Grant but also must optimize their ads and accounts to drive real results from the program. In this guide, we’ll show you how to optimize your Google Grant by covering the following topics:
Truly making the most of this grant means managing it on a regular basis. When you do, you’ll expand your outreach as you increase website traffic and consistently appeal to new internet searchers. Understand what it means to optimize your Google Grant so you can develop a strategy that will effectively reach a large audience of potential supporters.
What is Google Grant optimization?
Google Grant optimization means managing your nonprofit’s Google Ad Grant account and the advertisements you’ve created to ensure everything stays compliant with Google’s management policies and relevant to users’ search intents. Although you can optimize almost any aspect of your Google Ad Grant participation, some common areas for improvement include:
Keyword specificity: Ensure your ads target specific keywords (preferably long-tail, non-competitive terms). Look for opportunities to refine your keyword choices so that they’re more relevant to your organization’s current operations or goals. For example, an increase in the kitten population during the spring months might prompt an animal shelter to target keywords such as “spring kitten adoptions.”
Data organization: In order to keep keywords relevant to your cause, your nonprofit will have to keep hygienic keyword data. This means regularly checking the quality and relevance of your keywords so that you can adjust any keywords that aren’t performing well. An animal shelter might remove the keyword “pet adoptions as Christmas gifts” in February when it becomes irrelevant to the ad’s landing page. To determine when a keyword becomes outdated or nonvaluable, nonprofits should track keyword metrics, such as click-through rate (CTR), to understand how the keyword is performing.
Website improvements: Ensure that your website is relevant to the advertisement and provides a positive user experience for searchers who click on your ad. For starters, you can check to make sure the page is branded to your nonprofit, provides valuable information for the user, and includes the keyword targeted in the ad. Don’t stop at your landing page, though; ensure your website as a whole is valuable and easy to use for its visitors.
Account structure:Google’s guidelines for the way you use your Google Ad Grants account require nonprofits to maintain an orderly account structure. For example, you must include more than one ad per ad group and at least two ad groups per campaign. If your nonprofit doesn’t already follow this structure, you’re not only at risk of account deactivation but also missing out on valuable keyword insight.
These aspects of your Google Ad Grant participation are just a few elements that need regular maintenance. Remember, there are countless opportunities for optimization, and it’s a crucial part of leveraging Google Ads for your nonprofit’s outreach efforts. Both the account itself and the ads you create must be refreshed to meet your audience’s needs.
It’s natural for this to seem overwhelming—after all, the Google Ad Grant is free marketing funding. Shouldn’t it make nonprofit marketing easier? If you didn’t want a Google Ad Grant agency’s help during the application process, this is where their services can be especially helpful. They’ll manage your account so that all optimization tasks are completely handled while your nonprofit’s leaders focus on fulfilling your mission.
How to manage your nonprofit’s Google Ad Grant compliance
To break down optimization even further, it can be approached in two stages: account compliance and ad updates. Start with your account—make sure you’re in compliance with all the Google Ad Grant requirements. After all, optimized ads will be no good if your account is suspended!
The list of requirements is long, but there are a few crucial ones that your nonprofit should keep in mind:
Maintain regular activity within your account.
Make sure your ads are specifically targeted and relevant to your nonprofit.
Conduct monthly keyword research and optimize your list where necessary.
Maintain a minimum of a 5% click-through rate (CTR).
Track and report conversions and CTR.
Since your ads will lead users to your nonprofit’s website, Google also has specific website guidelines, including:
Your nonprofit must own the domain.
You must add any additional domains that your nonprofit owns to your Google Grants account.
Your website should host high-quality and well-maintained web pages.
Avoid commercial activity that is irrelevant to your nonprofit’s mission.
Bookmark Google’s guidelines and check regularly for updates. You’ll be notified when anything big changes, but it’s always a good idea to stay on top of the rules and make sure your account is compliant. Especially as you optimize your website and advertisements, keep the account criteria in mind so you don’t accidentally violate the guidelines amidst new changes.
How to gauge your nonprofit’s campaign performance
You may have heard the saying about not trying to fix something that isn’t broken. The implied first step in that statement is actually knowing something is broken. In the same way, your nonprofit will have to gauge its campaign performance before knowing what should be optimized. Evaluate your campaign performance by tracking:
CTR. Compare the number of people who clicked on your ad to the amount that saw it. A high click-through rate might indicate that your ad is compelling enough to prompt viewers to take action. Consider how you can adjust your other ads to match this quality or plan how your future ads will be similar.
Conversion data. Conversions, which refer to the users who take a desired action after seeing your ad, are likely the goal of your campaign. Track this data to determine if your Google Ads are producing the desired results. For example, an ad that invites users to register for a volunteer event is effective if the number of volunteer registrations has increased due to your Google Ad.
Cost-per-conversion. Consider the cost of your desired results. How much did an ad and keyword cost your nonprofit? How many conversions can you attribute to this ad? Although you won’t specifically pay for conversions, this comparison can give your nonprofit an estimate of how much of its budget is spent producing the ad’s desired results.
Most metrics can be tracked by Google Analytics when you link your accounts. However, you’ll need to compare this to your organization-specific metrics to see the tangible impact of your Google Ads performance. For example, to see the impact of a Google Ad on your matching gift program, you’ll have to combine your own data of the number of gifts matched with the ad’s CTR.
For this reason, it’s crucial that you keep your own data organized, as well. Consider using a database to host all this information in the same place, or hiring a Google Ad Grant agency to track and report your data for you.
How to optimize your nonprofit’s Google Grant account ads
As you evaluate your campaign metrics, change your perspective of underperformance. Optimization doesn’t strictly target failing elements of your Google Ad Grant efforts but makes every aspect of your advertising more successful.
As you narrow your optimization from account structure to individual ads, consider which ones produce the greatest results. Then, adjust the rest of your ads to mimic this strategy. For example, if you find that your highest-performing ad highlights a unique attribute of your organization’s work, you might incorporate that fact into the copy of your other ads. In general, to improve your ads, you can:
Rephrase your ad copy. The ad copy is the meat of your advertisement. Make it compelling but concise, and use the keyword or its variations to draw in your audience. A tempting call to action will also prompt searchers to click on your ad, especially if it’s specific and relevant to the search.
Link to targeted landing pages. You’ll have varying ads for different keywords, and specificity here is key. If your ad’s headline is misleading, users will quickly become disinterested in the content of your landing page. In contrast, a landing page that is highly specific to the purpose of the ad will retain site visitors and ultimately prompt them to get involved.
Revise your ad groups. Make sure that the associated keywords for your ad groups are still relevant to your target audience. Also, build out your ads so that you’re using 3-5 ads per group. This variety allows you to try different targeting methods to determine what tactic is most successful.
Organize your campaigns. Campaign management can also impact the way you plan and develop your ads. Assign a theme to each campaign and use those categories to target broader ideas with specific keywords. For example, an animal shelter’s campaign theme might be “adoptions” and the targeted keywords for different ad groups could be “spring kitten adoptions” and “no-fee dog adoptions.” Another theme would be “animal fosters” with keywords such as “dog foster application” and “cat foster fees.”
Although some tactics for Google Ad Grant management require technical account optimization and research, your actual ads are the component that has the potential to convert a user into a supporter. Adjust your ads based on what you know about your supporters and revisit them regularly to make changes as needed.
Conclusion and additional resources
Once you’ve identified the changes you need to make to your Google Grant account, you can proceed with optimizations to ensure you’re making the most of this free marketing funding. Remember, optimization is not a one-time update. It’s important that you frequently check your Google Grant account and advertisements and make adjustments whenever it’s necessary.
This can be a big undertaking, both initially and as optimizations become a regular part of your account maintenance. Research Google Ad Grant agencies to determine if hiring one will benefit your nonprofit. Our recommendation, Getting Attention, is a full-service agency that can manage every aspect of your grant.
If you’re interested in other types of free marketing funding or methods of donor engagement, check out these additional resources:
Google Grants Eligibility: Is Your Nonprofit Eligible? Our guide talked a lot about the importance of maintenance and compliance. For more information on your organization’s initial eligibility when applying for the Google Ad Grant, read this article.
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Matching gift donors are individuals who not only contribute their own dollars but also amplify their support by requesting matching gifts on your organization’s behalf.
