8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Matching Gift Requests

8 Ways to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests

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As a fundraising leader, you may have put a lot of thought into how to market matching gifts before and during the donation process. For example, you might host a matching donation challenge and mention matching gifts as a way to increase the impact of donations. That’s great—doing so lays a solid foundation and begins increasing awareness about the opportunity. Not to mention, it allows your team to collect much-needed data points regarding your donors’ employing companies.

But for the donor, clicking submit or mailing a check often feels like the final step. And for this reason alone, many eligible matches go unclaimed⁠—thus, resulting in available funds being left on the table.

The solution? Strategic follow-ups post-donation.

Getting in touch with donors after they complete their gifts allows you to remind individuals of matching gift programs at hand and encourage them to take the next steps to submit their matching donation requests. Plus, it provides a unique opportunity to retain your organization and its purpose at the forefront of supporters’ minds, reiterate your mission and vision and highlight key opportunities for furthering engagement.

And in this guide, we’ll share eight of the best ways to do so. These include the following:

  1. Educate your staff.
  2. Share guidelines on the confirmation page.
  3. Link to request forms and next steps.
  4. Send a follow-up email.
  5. Pick up the phone.
  6. Utilize snail mail.
  7. Incorporate SMS outreach.

Don’t let your organization’s matching gift opportunities fall through the cracks! Incorporating these follow-up methods enables your team to drive more corporate matches to completion, ultimately ensuring you get the biggest bang for your fundraising buck.

1. Educate your staff.

One of the first things you can do to easily raise your match submission rates among donors involves looking inward. In other words, make sure that, when it comes to matching gifts, your organization is cultivating a knowledgeable staff.

At the very least, every employee should understand:

When your team is equipped with a solid foundation of matching gift information and feels confident explaining the process, benefits, and more, you can work together to create an outreach strategy that is specific to your donor base. And don’t forget about volunteers, either!

We recommend hosting dedicated internal training sessions to cover all of the above information, providing in-depth resources for learning more, and incorporating matching gift information in team-wide onboarding going forward.

2. Share guidelines on the confirmation page.

Immediately following the donation process, many donors’ engagement levels remain high. That said, a nonprofit’s confirmation page or thank-you screen can be a valuable resource for promoting actionable next steps. In this case, it’s one of the best opportunities to begin actively encouraging individuals to submit their matching gifts.

When communicated effectively, match information on the confirmation screen can be positioned as a logical extension of the giving experience. And when you’ve collected employment information within the donation form, you can use the opportunity to provide company-specific eligibility criteria.

When available, this should include minimum and maximum match thresholds, corporate donation ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofits, submission deadlines, and more.

When available, this should include:

  • Minimum and maximum match thresholds (on average, between $34 and $3,728);
  • Corporate donation ratios (most typically 1:1, though some companies go lower, such as .5:1, or higher, such as 2, 3, or even 4:1);
  • Qualifying employees (full-time, part-time, retired, spouses);
  • Qualifying nonprofit mission types (education, community service, religious, etc.);
  • Submission deadlines (# of months post-donation, end of the calendar year, end of calendar year plus a grace period);
  • And more.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests on the confirmation page

3. Link to request forms and next steps.

Each company that offers a matching gift program is able to establish its own submission process. These typically range from paper forms to online request portals. However, not all employers take a proactive approach to communicating the process to their employees. And many donors can be overwhelmed by a lack of direction⁠—even if the experience itself is quick and easy.

Thus, you don’t want your donors to have to do a ton of research on their own to determine how to submit their matching gift. If that’s the case, they’re significantly more likely to abandon their potential match altogether.

In order to streamline the experience for your donors, providing direct links to the forms they need can go a long way. And if that information is unavailable, sharing contact information for a person or team at the company to reach out to can be helpful as well.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with links to request forms

5. Send a follow-up email.

Looking to re-engage your donors after they leave your donation page? Send a quick email that specifically asks them to follow up and submit their matching gift requests.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with email follow-ups

Make sure to incorporate an explanation of matching gifts and the benefits they can bring to your organization. Plus, demonstrate the simplicity with which a donor can complete their request by walking them through the process.

Top tip ⁠— Send your follow-up email within 24 hours of receiving an individual donation in order to retain giving momentum. Matching gift emails sent within this time frame see a 53% open rate, which is more than 2-3 times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!

Here’s a sample:

“Dear Jody, thank you for your generous donation to the Cat Rescue Club. Did you know that your employer, Home Depot, will match your gift of $100 to our organization?

Matching gifts enable us to support twice as many furry friends. And it’s quick and easy for you to complete your match. Click here to log into your company’s matching gift request portal and submit your request.”

Even better, use Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro platform to trigger personalized outreach to donors. When individuals contribute to your cause, they are automatically triaged by match eligibility. Thus, they’re sent a targeted email that incorporates employer-specific program information. This typically includes the company’s minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, and direct links to online forms.

Not to mention, emails can be sent from your organization’s domain and branded to match your colors, fonts, and overall styles. And when you leverage automation, you can ensure each donor receives timely and actionable follow-ups. No more worries about prospective matches slipping through the cracks, and it’s less legwork for your team to handle!

6. Pick up the phone.

To make your efforts really stand out, consider sorting through recent donations and identifying your top contributors. Then, call these donors to thank them for their gifts and encourage them to submit their matching gift requests.

Many donors would be happy to support your organization in this way, and taking the time to make a phone call demonstrates the importance of donation matches to your team.

Lack of donor awareness is one of the biggest hurdles to increasing matching gift revenue. If you’re able to briefly walk a donor through the process and provide them with the information they need, they’ll be more likely to complete their end of the matching gift request.

Feel free to use this sample phone script as a jumping-off point for your efforts: “Hi Jeff! It’s Anita from the Cat Rescue Club. We just wanted to call and let you know that we are so appreciative of your generous support for our mission. Because of you, we’re able to feed and care for more than 100 furry friends while they wait for their forever homes.

Did you know that tens of thousands of companies offer corporate matching gift programs where they agree to match employee donations to their favorite charitable causes? Our records indicate that your recent donation of $1,000 is likely eligible for a match from your employer, Apple! All it takes is to fill out a brief online form, which we can send directly to your email address on file for easy access.

Would you be willing to double your impact on our cause by submitting a matching donation request to your employer? Thanks again!”

7. Utilize snail mail.

Good old-fashioned postage is still a great way to touch base with your donors! Physical mailers can work as impactful calls to action that encourage donors to submit their matching gift requests.

This might include:

  • Letters (handwritten or printed)
  • Postcards
  • Direct mail inserts
  • Thank-you notes
  • Return envelopes

Many companies have very generous matching gift request submission deadlines. In fact, this window is often open between three months and over a year. This gives donors plenty of time to get their donations doubled—even when leveraging so-called snail mail to promote the opportunity.

And by sending tangible follow-ups to your supporters’ mailboxes (likely in tangent with alternative outreach as well), it can help your team break through the ever-increasing digital clutter. In order to keep your costs down, consider reserving direct mail marketing for your highest-value matching gift opportunities.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with direct mail

8. Incorporate SMS outreach.

Mobile outreach is becoming an increasingly popular method of communication for nonprofit fundraising. Consider incorporating this channel into your organization’s strategy as well. It’s a great way to reach your donors exactly where they are⁠—wherever they are⁠.

In fact, recent studies indicate that text message marketing boasts open rates of up to 98%, compared to only 20% open rates for emails. People tend to always have their cell phones on them⁠, making SMS an effective outreach method, particularly for the on-the-go donor.

For the best results, matching gift text messaging should be short, sweet, and to the point⁠—as compared to a follow-up email that may incorporate longer blocks of text. Inform or remind donors about matching gift opportunities and provide direct links to additional resources and next steps.

Encouraging donors to submit matching gift requests with SMS outreach

Interested in streamlining and elevating your text messaging efforts? Currently, automated matching gift text streams are available for 360MatchPro Enterprise clients to make use of!

Next Steps

The most effective way to encourage donors to submit their matching gift requests is to mention matching gifts as often as possible. Include corporate matching information in your acknowledgment letters, emails, text messages, and more. You can even integrate a more generalized approach by leveraging your website, social media posts, and regular newsletters, too.

The bottom line is that the more your donors hear about matching gift opportunities (and the widespread benefits that are involved), the more likely they are to take part when the time comes. And the more personalized your outreach, the better!

Ready to learn more? Dive into our other educational resources on matching gift tips and best practices:

How to Encourage Donors to Submit Employee Matching Gift Requests

Encourage donors to submit employee matching gift requests with Double the Donation

This guide explores how nonprofits can start a donor retention program.

How to Start A Donor Retention Program for Your Nonprofit

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The importance of donor engagement is no mystery to nonprofit leaders. Engaged donors are loyal to your organization, meaning they’re more likely to support your nonprofit long-term. These supporters provide reliable revenue, attend events, and promote your cause to those around them. 

For donors to form strong connections that inspire continued support, your nonprofit will need an effective donor retention program. 

A structured donor retention program, backed by the right strategies and software, can keep your supporters coming back for years or even decades to come. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about standardizing your nonprofit’s donor retention practices:

Returning donors are fundamental for a nonprofit’s success. However, nonprofits are likely to approach creating a donor retention program in numerous ways. Let’s start our deep dive into how to retain more donors by going over the fundamentals.

Get connected with one of the most powerful retention strategies: matching gifts. Download our guide.

What are donor retention programs?

Donor retention refers to the rate at which a nonprofit’s donors continue to give after their first gift. Retained donors continue to give repeatedly over time and often participate in other activities the nonprofit offers, such as volunteering, attending events, or buying branded merchandise. 

A donor retention program is the standardized process your organization follows for implementing donor retention strategies. Taking a wholly unique approach to relationship cultivation with each donor is not practical or even possible for most nonprofits. Donor retention programs provide set guidelines your nonprofit can follow for nearly every donor to encourage them to continue giving. 

In order to engage first-time donors, donor retention programs should take into account their entire support journey. This timeline includes:

The graphic depicts the donor retention program cycle, written out below.

  • Before the donation. During initial contact, nonprofits should aim to inspire interest and an emotional connection to their cause. To pivot potential first-time donors to recurring supporters smoothly, nonprofits should consider emphasizing the importance of continued support in their outreach. 
  • During the donation process. Many donors will decide whether they will offer recurring support while making a donation. Ensure the process is streamlined, and make becoming a recurring donor as easy as checking a box or pressing a button. 
  • Donation confirmation. Confirm to donors that you successfully processed their gift. Follow up your initial confirmation and donation receipt delivery with a thank-you message within 48 hours of when the gift was made. 
  • Follow-up. Stay in touch with new donors to stoke their interest in your nonprofit and encourage them to pursue other engagement opportunities. For example, you might invite them to subscribe to your newsletter, explore your website’s content, attend an event, or volunteer. 
  • The next donation request. For supporters who did not opt into recurring donations, plan to ask for a follow-up donation after a reasonable amount of time has passed since their last donation. For supporters who choose to become recurring donors, continue engaging them and thanking them for each gift. 

Additionally, a donor retention program also takes lapsed donors into account. These donors used to give regularly but have recently stopped. The recapture rate for lapsed donors is only 4%, which means it’s often more effective for nonprofits to proactively focus on identifying donors at risk of lapsing and re-engaging them rather than waiting until they’ve stopped giving to take action.

What are the benefits of a donor retention program?

It’s easy to get caught up in the drive to attract new donors. After all, nonprofits need to continually grow their donor bases to scale their programs and better serve their beneficiaries. Acquiring new donors is also often a long and resource-intensive process, with it taking about eight touchpoints on average to earn a conversion. 

With such high costs, nonprofits can maximize their resources by earning recurring support from as many donors as possible. For example, if you attract five new donors who only give once, you have to pay the costs for attracting them five times. However, if you attract one new donor who gives five times, you only spend the resources to earn those five donations once. 

Along with being cost-effective, a donor retention program also systemizes your supporter engagement strategy. With processes in place for how to thank, communicate with, and re-engage donors, you can act more quickly, remove indecision paralysis, and grow your donor base. 

How to calculate donor retention rate

You can calculate your donor retention rate by dividing the number of donors who gave in a previous year by the number of donors who gave in the present year. Then, multiply the quotient by 100 to get a percentage.

This graphic illustrates the equation for calculating donor retention rate.

For example, let’s say 500 donors gave to your nonprofit last year and 275 of them gave again this year. 275 returning donors divided by 500 previous donors, multiplied by 100, would give you a 55% donor retention rate. This statistic means that more than half of last year’s donors stayed involved, beating the nonprofit sector average of 42.6%!

This graphic illustrates a 55% donor retention rate from the example in the text above.

After calculating your retention rate, determine what that rate means for your organization and what rate you’d like to achieve. For example, you might make the following determinations about different retention rates:

  • 0%-25%: Your nonprofit may have a lower rate in its early stages when cause and brand awareness are low. In this stage, share compelling calls to action that encourage active supporters to continue engaging with your nonprofit and focus on building relationships, such as by creating an email welcome series introducing them to your nonprofit. If you’re seeing rates like these, and your organization is not newly established, this should be a wake-up call that it’s time to make changes and reassess your donor outreach strategy. 
  • 25%-50%: If your donor retention rate falls in the 25-50% range, you’re likely about at or just below that nonprofit industry average. Pay close attention to your donors to spot signs that they may be at risk of lapsing and reach out before that can happen. 
  • 50%-75%: This range of retention is on the higher end, and your nonprofit should feel proud of its ability to forge strong connections with supporters. Keep hosting your engagement activities, showing your appreciation, and building a positive community that keeps supporters invested in your cause.  

Keep in mind that donors give for all sorts of reasons, and attaining a 100% retention rate is virtually impossible. For instance, if you run a peer-to-peer campaign, your nonprofit will likely get a burst of support from new donors who give to your cause because of a personal connection to one of your fundraisers. Most of these new supporters will be one-time donors, but their support for that specific campaign is still valuable.

Tools to help retain donors

You wouldn’t start cooking before making sure you have all the ingredients, and the same is true about starting a donor retention program. Consider what tools you’ll need to reach out to and build connections with donors. We recommend exploring the following software solutions.  

Auto-submission

What’s better than receiving regular gifts from a donor? Receiving regular gifts that are then doubled without your supporters having to spend a penny more!

Matching gifts are contributions corporations make to nonprofits that supplement their employees’ gifts, usually at a dollar-per-dollar ratio. For instance, if a donor regularly gives just $25 monthly but qualifies for a matching gift program, their employer will give an additional $25, totaling $50 each month. Over the course of a year, that donor and their employer will donate $600 to your nonprofit, all while barely impacting the donor’s budget. 

However, the matching gift request process does require donors to take extra steps after making their initial contribution, which can result in them deciding that pursuing a match isn’t worth the effort, especially if they have to do it every time they give. 

Fortunately, with Double the Donation’s matching gift auto-submission tool, your donors will have drastically less work to request a match. Auto-submission technology lets supporters jump from step two in the matching gift process all the way to step seven:

This graphic shows each step of making a matching gift from a donor’s point of view and how autosubmission can simplify that process.

The normal process goes something like this:

  1. Donor makes a gift.
  2. Donor determines their matching gift eligibility.
  3. Donor searches for the necessary forms and guidelines.
  4. Donor fills out a matching gift request.
  5. Donor submits the request. 
  6. The company assesses the donor’s match request. 
  7. The company approves the donor’s matching gift application. 
  8. Your nonprofit receives the matching gift funds. 

With auto-submission, donors are done as soon as they determine their matching gift eligibility and agree to use auto-submission. From there, the tool completes the form for them and sends it off to their employer. Interested in learning a bit more about just how auto-submission technology accomplishes this? Here’s a breakdown of our revolutionary new tool:

To get started with matching gift auto-submission, your nonprofit will need matching gift software. Currently, Double the Donation is proud to be the only matching gift vendor that offers this cutting-edge feature. Qualifying supporters will also need to work for a company that uses CSR software that integrates with Double the Donation. This means not all of your recurring donors can take advantage of auto-submission, but those who can will have the easiest matching experience of their lives. 

Interested in learning more about matching gifts technology? Discover auto-submission!

eCards

Picture this: you make two donations, one to nonprofit A and one to nonprofit B. 

Nonprofit B sends you a confirmation email, but you don’t hear from them again until they send another donation request a month later. 

Nonprofit A sends a personalized thank-you message shortly after your confirmation email. Then, they get in touch to give you an update on the program you donated to support. The following week, they let you know about an upcoming event in your area where you can meet other supporters in your community. Finally, they send a request for another donation. 

Which nonprofit’s follow-up donation request are you more likely to answer? Most would say nonprofit A because they showed appreciation, helped the donor understand their impact, and made an effort to get them involved in their community rather than just jumping straight to asking for more money. 

To be like nonprofit A, you need to follow the first essential step of showing your appreciation. There are numerous ways to recognize your donors, and one technology-driven strategy combines timeliness with memorability: eCards. 

eCards are digital greeting cards that allow you to send eye-catching messages to donors through email, text, and even social media. Here’s a breakdown of how to use eCards in your retention strategy: 

  • Create branded eCards. Most eCard platforms will have basic templates you can use to start designing your cards, including image assets and fun fonts. To make your cards memorable, upload your brand images and any other graphic design elements you might want to include. Then, create a series of eCards you can send off to donors to thank them for their support, celebrate special occasions, invite them to events, or engage them in any other way you want. 
  • Determine when they’ll get sent out. You can set your eCards to get sent off automatically in response to a trigger, like a supporter donating, or you can choose to send out an entire batch of eCards at once. For instance, you might send all of your donors an eCard around the holiday season to remind them to get their gifts in before the end of the year.
  • Continue sending cards. Don’t just send one eCard after a donor’s first gift! Continue designing and sending eCards throughout the year to keep your nonprofit fresh in your donors’ minds. You can even set up your donation process so supporters can send eCards to their friends and family after making a gift, spreading awareness of your nonprofit even further. 

So just what does an eCard look like? eCards are fully customizable, which means they can look like just about anything! However, they’ll usually be a decorative postcard-like image next to a short but meaningful message. For example, consider this eCard created by the Maryland Food Bank:

This screenshot shows an eCard created by the Maryland food bank, which retains donors by piquing their interest in the card’s message.

Donor database

Most donor engagement strategies depend heavily on communication. Use the donor data you’ve gathered from your supporters’ past involvement with your organization to send personalized messages that make supporters feel remembered, recognized, and valued.

To target your outreach, you’ll need organized donor data. Invest in a donor database to track important donor information, such as:

  • Contact information
  • Preferred method of communication
  • Giving and involvement history
  • Participation in other organizations
  • Employer information
  • Payment method preference

Properly managed data is the key to collecting and using this information. If you’re missing data, consider conducting a data append to find missing or updated information, such as birthdays and mailing addresses. As you update information, look out for duplicate entries or irrelevant details that are cluttering your database.

Even if you only have a few details about your donors, you can encourage them to continue giving in specific ways. For example, with only a donor’s contact information and giving history, you might notice they only give at in-person events. Send an email inviting that donor to your next in-person fundraiser for a higher chance of retaining them.

Donor retention program strategies

Once you’ve set a target retention goal and acquired the tools you need, it’s time to develop your program’s strategies. The right approach depends on your unique community of supporters, but some time-tested strategies include: 

Identify at-risk donors.

The best way to combat donor lapse is to catch them before they’re gone. To do that, you need to understand why donors stop giving. Gather data about your lapsed donors to analyze patterns in their behavior before they stopped giving by:

  • Surveying lapsed donors. Most of your lapsed donors are gone, but a few of them might still be willing to answer a few questions about their decision. Ask straightforward questions, and be prepared for tough responses, such as not feeling appreciated, forgetting about your organization, or assuming your nonprofit doesn’t need their gifts anymore. 
  • Analyzing engagement data. For most of your lapsed donors, the signs were likely there. For instance, many lapsed donors will stop opening your emails or engaging with your content weeks or even months in advance before they finally cancel their donations. 
  • Considering external factors. Sometimes donors stop giving not because they no longer support your cause but because of outside factors. These can be as easily fixed as a recurring donor’s on-file credit card expiring or more troubling like supporters needing to tighten their budgets in times of economic downturn. 

With this data, craft an at-risk donor strategy. For instance, if donors tend to drop during times of economic hardship, keep them engaged during the rough patch with non-giving related opportunities. Or, if a donor stops opening your emails, send them ones with subject lines that are likely to catch their attention by acknowledging the situation, like “It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you, [donor name]!”

Personalize communication.

Donors engage with nonprofits that offer activities that interest them. Of course, it’s unlikely that a single donor will want to engage with every activity your nonprofit has to offer. Personalize your outreach to share the opportunities that are the most relevant to each donor. 

For instance, when promoting your planned giving program, younger donors and supporters new to your profit are unlikely to show much interest. Show your donors that you understand their individual preferences by tailoring the content you send to their interests. 

You can better personalize your communication by dividing your donors into segments. Donor segments are groups of supporters who share relevant characteristics, and nonprofit CRMs often come equipped with segmentation features to simplify this process. For instance, you might divide your donors based on:

  • Location 
  • Age
  • Gift size
  • Length of time giving to your organization 

After determining your segments, create messaging strategies for each group. You can use email templates to help you get started, then use the information stored in your donor database to personalize each message even further by referencing donors’ names, past donation amounts, and engagement history.

Make opting into recurring donations easy. 

The easiest way to retain supporters is to make giving automatic with a recurring donation program. Recurring donations are gifts donors make automatically, usually on a monthly basis. Since these gifts are deducted from donors’ bank accounts without needing any additional input from the supporter, they’re a simple set-it-and-forget-it method of donor retention. 

Make joining your recurring donation program as easy as possible. You can do this by including a check box to make the gift recurring on your donation form. Or, offer suggested recurring donation amounts alongside higher suggested giving amounts for one-time donors to subtly push them toward becoming recurring supporters. 

The image depicts suggested monthly giving amounts with monthly donations significantly lower than one-time donations.

Recurring donations are lower than one-time donation amounts but add up over time. When donors see the low financial commitment of a recurring gift in comparison to higher one-time amounts, they may decide a recurring gift is the way to go. 

Keep in mind that research shows that when offered a range of giving options, donors are most likely to choose the second lowest option. Additionally, always let donors enter a custom amount to give in case they want to give more or less than your suggested options.

Show your gratitude.

We’ve already discussed how you can use eCards to express your gratitude, but there’s even more you can do to show donors you care. For example, you could:

  • Send letters in the mail. eCards are an amazing piece of technology, but traditional mail still has its place in many nonprofits’ donor appreciation strategies. Write personalized donor thank-you letters your supporters will want to hold onto and send out fundraising appeals at strategic times of the year, such as the week before Giving Tuesday to remind supporters to send in their gifts. 
  • Call donors. For donations above a certain amount, get on the phone, and give your donors a brief call. Write a script that volunteers can easily follow to knock out these calls, or go the extra mile and get your board members involved to make donors feel extra important. 
  • Send gifts. Celebrate the donors who have been with you for years by sending physical gifts in the mail. For example, on a donor’s birthday, you might mail them a t-shirt branded to your organization, or you might put together a welcome package to new donors who gave over a certain amount to persuade them to stick around. 

These ideas are just the beginning, but if you need more inspiration for how to thank your donors, there’s an easy solution: ask them. Send out a survey asking donors how they want to be recognized so you can be sure you’re showing your thanks in a way they’ll appreciate. 

Promote non-giving engagement opportunities.

As discussed in our earlier example of nonprofits A and B, if your only communication with supporters is strictly about donations, donations are likely to go down. Give your supporters more opportunities to get involved with your cause that don’t require spending, like: 

  • Volunteering. Invite your donors to take a more hands-on approach to supporting your mission by promoting volunteer opportunities. If your donors’ employers have a volunteer grant program, often called dollars-for-doers, they can fill out an application with their company and get their employer to donate to your nonprofit depending on how much they volunteered. 
  • Attending events. If a donor makes friends with other supporters in your community, they’re more likely to continue engaging with your nonprofit. The easiest way to introduce donors to the rest of your community is to invite them to events, whether they’re in-person or online, formal or casual, or meant for appreciation, fundraising, or spreading awareness. 
  • Exploring your content. Written a new blog post? Hosted a webinar or lecture about topics relevant to your cause? Or maybe you recorded a new video of your volunteers in action? Whatever your latest content is, let your supporters know about it. Giving them regular updates on your mission and inviting them to visit your website shows your community that your nonprofit is an active, dynamic organization that’s putting its donations to good use. 

Not every donor will become a dedicated member of your community who wants to participate in extra opportunities. However, even for donors who are content to give quietly, seeing that your nonprofit does care about them beyond just cashing in their monthly gift is likely to make them think more highly of your nonprofit.

Conclusion and Additional Resources

After creating your retention program, keep testing and revising it as needed based on your donors’ changing needs. Track your donor retention rate to measure your progress, and get feedback from supporters to see how you can improve your program. Remember, donor retention is always ongoing, and the strategies that work today will need to adapt to keep up with your donor base five years from now. 

For more information about revamping your strategy or expanding your audience, check out these additional resources:

Retain donors and earn more at the same time. Try out our cutting-edge matching gift platform. Request a demo.

Learn everything you need to know about Microsoft Ad Grants with this guide.

Microsoft Ad Grants: A Q&A Guide for Nonprofit Marketers

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The Microsoft Ad Grant is a program that’s quickly emerging as a powerful way to amplify charitable causes. With a monthly allocation of $3,000, participating nonprofits can create well-written ads and bid on keywords that will connect them with new supporters.

Similar to the Google Ad Grant in many ways, this program enables nonprofits to strengthen their digital presence and drive greater results for their work. The grant amount may be smaller than Google’s sizeable $10,000 monthly grant, but Microsoft’s search engines provide access to new audiences with less competition for bottom-of-the-sales-funnel keywords, making it just as valuable.

This program is fairly new, meaning there are still a lot of questions surrounding how to leverage its features to maximize ad performance. Microsoft has paused on accepting new applications, but it’s still worthwhile to be prepared as soon as it’s up and running again.

Based on what’s already been released about the program and what we know about the Google Ad Grant, we’re here to help you perfect your Microsoft Ad Grant management strategies! In this guide, we’ll answer the following questions:

At Double the Donation, we help nonprofits amplify their funding through matching gifts. We’ve seen the tremendous impact that corporate giving programs have on nonprofits, which is why we’re excited to teach you about Microsoft’s latest charitable initiative.

While incredibly valuable, getting started with the Ads for Social Impact program and managing your campaigns takes quite a bit of work. We recommend learning all you can about the program, but we also suggest working with a dedicated professional to handle your account maintenance for you. As our recommended Microsoft Grant management agency, Getting Attention can take the guesswork out of managing your campaigns, so you can focus more on your mission.

Get started with Getting Attention, our recommended Microsoft Ad Grants agency.

Let's walk through the basics of Microsoft Ad Grants.

What Is the Microsoft Ad Grant?

Microsoft Advertising offers approved nonprofits a $3,000 monthly grant that can be used to promote their web content across its digital search network. Ads are displayed across Microsoft’s search engines, including Bing, Yahoo, AOL, outlook.com, MSN, and Microsoft Edge.

Nonprofits can use this funding to bid on keywords that their prospects are searching online. They’ll pick a landing page that matches the searcher’s intent for the selected keywords, such as a donation page or matching gifts page. Then, they’ll write ad copy that encourages users to click the linked page and get involved.

Here’s an example of the World Wildlife Fund promoting its content through the Microsoft Advertising platform:

Here's an example of an ad that you can create using the Microsoft Ad Grant funding.

Advertisers can also build out your ads with additional features, such as ad extensions that link to additional pages. Note that the grant will only apply if your account is in Expert Mode. For now, the program is also currently only available to nonprofits located in the United States. Microsoft has also stopped accepting applications as the work on improving the program and platform to support onboarding more nonprofits.

Microsoft Ad Grants and Google Ad Grants differ in several ways.

What’s the Difference Between Microsoft Grants and Google Grants?

If your nonprofit already participates in the Google Ad Grants program, many aspects of the Microsoft Ad Grant probably sound familiar to you. However, there are some key differences that advertisers have already noticed.

Let’s walk through a few of these dissimilarities, so you can determine how your Microsoft Grant management strategy will differ from Google Grants.

Difference #1) How Ads Are Displayed

Both platforms display ads at the top of the search results for specific terms. However, the designs of the ads vary slightly.

Google displays ads prominently by featuring ‘Ad’ in bold text at the top of the listing. Microsoft makes it less apparent that particular results are ads.

While it looks slightly different across Microsoft’s search engines, they primarily include it in standard, non-bold text within the meta description. Marketers speculate that this results in a better user experience, considering that it looks more like organic results.

Ads look different based on whether you're using Google Grants or Microsoft Grants.

Difference #2) Reach

Google is marked as the world’s most popular search engine, accounting for 61.4% of search queries in the United States, according to Statista. Microsoft’s search engines account for 26.8% of search queries.

While Google clearly connects you with the most individuals possible, Microsoft still makes up a notable portion of users who you might not otherwise reach without creating content for their platforms.

In fact, 653 million unique PC users rely on Microsoft’s search engines, reaching 49 million users who don’t use Google.

Leveraging the Microsoft Ad Grant will empower you to tap into the extensive Microsoft Search Network audience.

While you might interpret a lower number of users as a drawback, there’s actually an advantage that Microsoft has over Google in this regard.

Competition on Microsoft’s advertising platform is much lower since advertisers aren’t pursuing it as heavily as Google’s platform due to the difference in the number of users. In turn, the cost of reaching people is much lower for Microsoft’s program.

Difference #3) Audience Demographics

Considering that you’ll be reaching a different subset of web users, that naturally means your audience for Microsoft Advertising will have different characteristics.

Microsoft pulled user demographics and found that their U.S.-based users tend to be:

  • Educated. 48% have a college degree.
  • Family-oriented. 50% are married, and 60% have children living at home.
  • Wealthier. 41% have a household income in the top 25%.
  • More likely to spend money. The Microsoft Search Network audience spends 32% more online than the average user.

Knowing these details can help you craft ads that are tailored to different audiences across Google and Microsoft’s advertising platforms.

Difference #4) Ad Scheduling

Across both platforms, nonprofit advertisers can target their ads and make bid adjustments with ad scheduling. They can choose the day of the week and the time of day that they want their ads to be shown. They can also schedule certain times to make bid adjustments.

However, there’s one key difference in scheduling. When you adjust your Google Ads schedule, Google will remind you what time zone your account is in. That’s because any adjustments in your ad schedule are based on your time zone rather than users’.

So, if you set your ad campaign to run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, users on Eastern Time would see the ads from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is a workaround, though. You’ll need to create separate campaigns and adjust each campaign’s schedules to account for different time zones.

For Microsoft Advertising, ad scheduling is a bit simpler. Scheduling is based on the user’s location. In other words, you’d only need to create one campaign to target every user during specific hours.

Difference #5) Targeting Capabilities

While Google has several targeting capabilities, Microsoft has even more robust options. You’ll notice that a lot of the targeting capabilities are the same, such as geotargeting and remarketing. However, Microsoft’s options go more in-depth.

For one, the primary difference is that you can set targeting at the Ad Group level with the Microsoft Ad Grant, whereas Google requires you to do it at the campaign level.

What’s more, you can use LinkedIn profile information with Microsoft to inform you who your audience is to better target qualified users.

Also, Microsoft enables advertisers to target specific audiences based on device type and OS, simplifying device targeting. With this, they also provide the option not to display campaign ads on desktops. This feature isn’t available on Google, giving Microsoft Advertising a leg up.

Difference #6) Restrictions

While both programs have restrictions, Google is slightly stricter than Microsoft. Both have initial eligibility requirements, but Google’s ongoing compliance requirements cause the program to vary from Microsoft’s Ads for Social Impact quite a bit.

Here are some of the differences in limitations between the two platforms:

  • Impressions. Google Ads limits your impression share to 10%, meaning fewer people will see your ads. With Microsoft, there are no limitations on impressions since you’re creating ads on a paid account.
  • Ongoing requirements. Google requires nonprofit advertisers to meet a series of ongoing requirements, such as maintaining a 5% click-through rate each month and not using one-word or overly generic keywords. At the moment, Microsoft only requires Microsoft Ad Grant advertisers to occasionally attest to their donor rules to maintain eligibility.

Overall, the Microsoft Ad Grant currently comes with fewer restrictions, making it more accessible to nonprofits.

Get started with Getting Attention, our recommended Microsoft Ad Grants agency.

Make sure you meet the eligibility requirements for Microsoft Ad Grants before applying.

What Are the Eligibility Criteria for Microsoft Ad Grants?

Like the Google Ad Grant program, Microsoft implements eligibility criteria to ensure that only organizations that will benefit from the program can participate. The idea behind this is that it will result in higher quality ads, promote reputable organizations, and reflect well on the program.

Microsoft breaks down these criteria into three categories.

This checklist outlines the basic eligibility requirements for Microsoft Ad Grants.

1. Type of Organization

Only specific types of organizations can participate in the Microsoft Ad Grant program. Organizations must be a:

  • Nonprofit or non-governmental organization with recognized legal status
  • Public library that provides services without charge to all residents in a given area
  • Museum that’s open to the public and conserves tangible objects for purposes of cultural preservation, education, or aesthetic enjoyment

If your organization doesn’t meet these requirements, it will automatically be rejected from the program when applying.

2. Mission

Eligible organizations must operate on a not-for-profit basis, and their mission should benefit the local community.

Examples include improving social welfare, providing relief to the needy, preserving the environment, and establishing a civil society.

3. Non-Discrimination

When it comes to corporate giving, businesses recognize that any participating organizations should share their values. In Microsoft’s case, they’re committed to providing an inclusive environment that’s free from discrimination. That’s why they also require participating nonprofits to not discriminate in their mission or policies.

Nonprofits can’t discriminate in:

  • Hiring
  • Compensation
  • Retirement
  • Training
  • Programs
  • Activities
  • Services

Any organization that has a mission or engages in discriminatory acts in any of the areas listed above will be rejected from the program.

Examples of Ineligible Organizations

If you’re still questioning your eligibility for the Microsoft Ad Grant, let’s walk through examples of ineligible organizations.

Ineligible organizations may include but are not limited to:

  • Nonprofits that have not obtained legal status in their respective country (e.g. U.S.-based organizations must be registered as 501(c)(3)s with the IRS).
  • Professional, commerce, and trade associations
  • Schools, colleges, and universities. However, philanthropic arms of educational institutions are still eligible.
  • Healthcare organizations, including hospitals, healthcare networks, outpatient healthcare organizations, and more.
  • Political, labor, and fraternal organizations

Note that the person completing registration on behalf of the nonprofit must be an employee or a strategic volunteer. Otherwise, the application will be rejected.

There are several benefits of applying for Microsoft Ad Grants.

Why Should You Apply for Microsoft Ad Grants?

With the clear impact that the program can have on your mission, applying for the Microsoft Ad Grant once they start accepting applications again should be a no-brainer. If you’re still on the fence about applying, here are just a few of the advantages that participating will give you:

  • Increase visibility for your most important landing pages. Place your web pages at the top of search results pages for valuable, mission-centric keywords.
  • Connect with new supporters. Existing and prospective supporters are already searching for terms related to your cause online. Meet them where they are by bidding on the right keywords and creating ads that inspire them to get involved.
  • Deal with lower competition. Since nonprofits operate on a paid account, ads paid for using the Microsoft Ad Grant are treated as traditional paid ads. That way, their ads won’t be automatically placed lower than others.

Chances are, your nonprofit doesn’t want to miss out on free funding. If your organization already has a website, the Microsoft Ad Grant can be a fantastic way to launch your marketing efforts forward and strengthen your digital presence.

Participating in the Microsoft Ad Grant program is free.

Is It Free To Use the Microsoft Ad Grant?

Yes, any organization that’s eligible to participate will receive the Microsoft Ad Grant free of charge. However, note that the grant will be attached to a paid account, which requires a credit card to be attached.

You’ll also want to consider the time spent on applying for the grant, setting up your campaigns, and monitoring results. You might rely on an in-house staff member to do this, which means you might factor part of their salary into the maintenance costs. Alternatively, you might outsource the work to a third-party agency, which would incur fees.

Applying for Microsoft Ad Grants is easy.

How Do You Apply for the Microsoft Ad Grant?

Applying for the Microsoft Ad Grant is a straightforward process. Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, you can breeze through the process and get your first campaign set up.

Let’s walk through the 3-step process that your nonprofit will need to follow once Microsoft starts accepting applications again. And remember, Microsoft only allows staff members and strategic volunteers to complete this process on behalf of a nonprofit. However, a third-party agency may be able to guide you through applying.

These are the steps you'll need to take to apply for the Microsoft Ad Grant program.

1. Apply for Microsoft for Nonprofits.

Beyond Ad Grants, Microsoft provides nonprofits with grants and discounts for a variety of their tools and services, like Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Dynamics 365. Applying to their general nonprofit program is a prerequisite for the Microsoft Ad Grant program.

At this stage, you’ll need to do the following to register for Microsoft for Nonprofits:

  • Share information about your role and your nonprofit
  • Agree to Microsoft’s nonprofit discount and donation policies
  • Share your contact details

The first part of the application should only take about 10 minutes to complete. Then, Microsoft For Nonprofits will reach out via email within 7 business days.

Microsoft partners with TechSoup to validate nonprofits’ information, so be aware that they may share your registration data with TechSoup who may contact you for more details.

2. Fill out the Microsoft Ad Grants application.

Upon acceptance into the program, you can access the Ad Grants application within the Microsoft Nonprofit Hub. At this point, you’ll simply need to provide some additional information about your organization and role, such as:

  • The URL for your nonprofit’s website
  • The number of employees at your organization
  • Your nonprofit’s phone number

Microsoft will send an email confirming whether you’ve been accepted within 10 business days. Be aware that this timeline can be impacted if they request additional information or documentation from your nonprofit.

3. Meet with a Microsoft representative to set up your first campaign.

Microsoft wants to set participating organizations up for success, especially since this is a new program. Before you start creating your own campaigns, they require you to meet with one of their representatives.

During your meeting, they’ll work with you to set up your first campaign to make sure your account, ads, and keywords are structured correctly.

From here, you’re free to start creating your own ad campaigns, using that initial one to guide your efforts.

Try out these Microsoft Grant management strategies.

How Can I Make the Most of the Microsoft Ad Grant?

While it’s still a fairly new program, there are already some tips we can draw from the resources Microsoft has shared and from what we already know about the Google Ad Grant program.

Creating a Microsoft Grant management strategy before applying will help determine whether the program will be a worthwhile investment for your cause. Let’s jump into a few core tips to guide your strategy.

Consider what goals you want to achieve.

Leveraging the Microsoft Ad Grant allows you to pursue a range of goals. Before setting up your campaigns, determine the end goal you want to achieve with each ad campaign.

For instance, many nonprofits leverage the Microsoft Ad Grant to:

  • Increase fundraising efforts by promoting donation and sponsorship pages.
  • Boost corporate giving participation by raising awareness for matching gifts and volunteer grants.
  • Boost volunteer registrations by sharing volunteer opportunities.
  • Grow event attendance by promoting conferences, webinars, and other events.
  • Educate the public about your cause by promoting educational content and services pages.

These are common goals that nonprofits choose for the Microsoft Grant management strategy.

Determining your objectives upfront means you can choose the right landing pages for your ads and effectively guide your users to take actions that are meaningful to your organization. Otherwise, you might experience fewer conversions.

Vary your Microsoft Ad Grant Strategy from your Google Grants strategy.

While similar in many respects to Google Ad Grants, the Microsoft Ad Grant program varies a good bit. That means you shouldn’t treat Microsoft’s program the same as Google’s.

Don’t simply replicate the same ads across both platforms. For instance, you’ll want to:

  • Use more bottom-of-the-sales-funnel keywords for Microsoft. Microsoft Advertising has a higher impression share and cheaper costs-per-click (CPCs), making it more affordable to bid on these terms. Plus, competition is lower, so you’re more likely to rank for these search terms.
  • Vary your ads to target different audiences on the two platforms. Remember, Microsoft users tend to be educated, wealthier, and more likely to spend money online. Google’s audience is younger and more tech-savvy. Make sure the tone of your ads speaks to these different groups.

Pay attention to the results on each advertising platform. Determine what inspires users on each platform to convert. Then, make adjustments to make the most out of each program.

In any case, you’ll want to leverage both programs if you’re able to. After all, that totals to $13,000 in free marketing money each month for your cause!

If participating in both programs is out of reach for your team, turn to a grant manager to help. They can take the guesswork out of your advertising and make sure you’re set up for success across both platforms.

An agency can help you create your Microsoft Grant management strategy.

How Can a Microsoft Ad Grants Manager Help?

While an incredibly powerful digital marketing resource, Microsoft Ad Grants can take a lot to manage effectively. Between applying for the program and monitoring ad performance, you’ll need to set aside extra time and resources each month to manage your account.

To harness the grant’s full potential, consider turning to a professional agency. A professional can tackle every aspect of the Microsoft Grants management process through services like:

  • Eligibility verification: A professional will understand the Microsoft Ad Grant eligibility requirements through and through and will be able to confirm whether you’re eligible for the program. Note that Microsoft requires an employee or strategic volunteer to apply on behalf of your organization, though.
  • Ad creation: A Microsoft Grant manager will help you develop ads that drive users to get involved in your cause. Between picking your landing pages and writing ad copy, they’ll make sure you stand out on search engines.
  • Keyword research: Professionals can research keywords related to your mission and pick the ones that are most likely to connect you with prospects who are ready to give, volunteer, or whatever you’re aiming to accomplish through Microsoft Ads.
  • Landing page optimizations: Your landing pages are a major part of your ads. The right agency will help you improve the landing pages associated with your ads, so you can drive more users to give, participate in your programs, or take another meaningful action.
  • Ongoing campaign management: An agency will monitor your campaign performance and make adjustments as needed. That way, you can be confident that you’re targeting the best keywords with the best possible ads and landing pages.

These are common Microsoft Ad Grant services that professional agencies offer.

Instead of spending your time learning the intricacies of the program, we recommend turning to a trusted professional that offers the exact services you need. That way, you can focus on pursuing your mission and trust that your search engine marketing needs are taken care of!

As our recommended agency, Getting Attention understands what it takes to make its nonprofit partners stand out on search engines. Backed by their team, you can harness the power of Microsoft Ad Grants and Google Ad Grants simultaneously.

Get a Free Consultation!

Check out these additional resources to learn more about Microsoft Ad Grants and digital marketing.

Additional Resources

If you’re looking to venture into the world of search engine marketing, the Microsoft Ad Grant is the ultimate addition to your nonprofit’s digital marketing strategy. Considering that it’s a fairly new program, you can get a jump start on the program and start showing up for mission-related keywords that drive traffic to your site.

With a thought-out management strategy, you’ll be well-equipped to drive real value for your cause. Start enhancing your volunteer recruitment efforts, raise more awareness for corporate giving, or accomplish whatever your nonprofit wants with the Microsoft Ad Grant!

Remember, a professional agency will help you make the most of the program and make sure you represent your organization in the best way possible online.

In the meantime, continue learning about Microsoft Grants and other strategies that will enrich your digital marketing plans with these educational resources:

Strengthen your Microsoft Grant management strategy with help from our recommended agency.

The Benefits of Acquiring and Retaining Young Donors

The Benefits of Acquiring and Retaining Young Donors

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How the Next Generation Influences Fundraising and Workplace Giving

According to charitable giving research, overall giving revenue was reportedly elevated in 2021. However, the number of individual donors giving had dropped.

So what does that mean for organizations like yours that rely on contributions from supporters to bankroll mission programming? More than likely, you have an opportunity to reach new, previously under-targeted segments of supporters to continue growing your donor base—and with it, your total funding. One of the best markets to consider is that of young donors.

Many nonprofits, educational institutions, and other fundraising organizations are interested in learning how to engage donors to drive the best results. At the same time, donor retention remains at top-of-mind for most. Young donors are a critical piece of the puzzle, and yet they continue to be overlooked in terms of fundraising potential.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the basics of young donor fundraising, how it can differ from traditional engagement efforts, and how you can make the most of those relationships as they grow. We’ll cover:

Adapting your marketing, fundraising, and overall donor engagement strategies to attract and connect with individuals of all ages is one of the greatest ways to ensure your team is leveraging your supporter base to its fullest potential.

Want to find out how to do so⁠—particularly in regards to the youngest of donors in your network? Read on!

Why young donors matter

Why Engaging With Young Donors Matters

Engaging with all of your donors is an essential component of a successful fundraising strategy. What many organizations are seeing, however, is that young donors continue to be an under-targeted market when it comes to seeking donations.

Gen Z and young millennial donors are often referred to as “the donors of tomorrow” or “the donors of the future.” But the truth is that these up-and-coming generations are the donors of NOW. So why are organizations overlooking their potential? It might be because young donors tend to have more limited funding at their disposal to contribute as compared to older, more established supporters.

But consider this: is it easier to ask a new donor for a $10,000 donation and hope they spring for it, or to start out small with a $20-50 donation ask from a young donor who will then become increasingly engaged with your organization over time? In most cases, the answer is the latter.

Not to mention, young donors bring with them nearly unlimited potential. That college-aged individual making a $25 gift out of their part-time paycheck could very well become the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company that doesn’t even exist yet. And as their income grows, their gifts would likely grow alongside it.

The bottom line?

Be willing to start small and watch the impact of continuous engagement increase drastically over time.

Acquiring and retaining young donors

Acquiring & Retaining New Generations of Donors

Like any group, to engage with young donors, you’ll need to focus on two crucial components of your strategy—getting them and keeping them. As far as the basics of the donor lifecycle go, this refers to acquisition and retention.

Here’s what you should know about each pertaining to younger generations of donors;

Acquiring Young Donors

Young donor fundraising involves bringing young donors into your network of support, to begin with. And you may need to take an adjusted approach than what you might use with your general, middle-aged-and-older audience.

For one, attracting young donors can be particularly impactful when using social proof to your best advantage. Social proof, or the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see their peers doing the same—and a founding principle behind peer-to-peer fundraising—tends to be even more effective among the younger generations.

In other words, once you get one young donor in your corner, you have one of the best tools to draw in others in their circle. At the same time, other key practices include reaching donors where they are, such as on social media sites and mobile technology⁠—but more on those tips later.

Retaining Young Donors

Once you’ve laid the groundwork for a supporter relationship and even secured your first donation, you’ll want to put in the time and effort to elevate the connection to new heights.

Even more than your typical donor, Gen Z and young millennials desire to feel connected to the organizations with which they get involved. They want to know that their funding is going to impactful causes, so excellent financial stewardship efforts are essential (top tip: demonstrate that you’re making the most of each dollar you receive by emphasizing corporate matching opportunities!).

It’s also a great idea to offer streamlined recurring giving options⁠—and to ensure donors of all ages are aware of the opportunities. After all, what better way is there to ensure your new donors return time and time again than to essentially get them set up on auto-pay? In fact, research into young donor trends reports that young donors are more likely than the average donor to be enrolled in a monthly giving program (36% overall enrollment rates, with donors aged 18-29 coming in at 48%). Be sure to give them what they want, and market the ability accordingly.

Factors that can impact gifts over time from young donors

Factors That Can Impact Gift Size Over Time

Many young donors are likely to start out by giving low-level donations to the organizations they support. But every dollar counts and their potential to give can increase exponentially as time goes on.

Young donors giving more over time

Here are a few factors that can impact gift size and lead to continually growing donations;

Increasing income

The average person’s income tends to rise over time, whether by receiving promotions, moving employers, diving into new industries, or even exploring an entrepreneurial spirit. As donors of all ages benefit from elevated incomes, their ability to give to the causes they care about tends to rise proportionately as well⁠—oftentimes at an even higher rate than the income or salary increase itself.

Deepening connections to the organization

Finally, an individual’s personal connections to a nonprofit can be a significant factor when it comes to determining their gift size. Sure, a charitable-minded donor might make a $25 gift to a random organization when asked, but they’re likely to reserve more substantial funding for the causes and groups they feel most passionate about. And when you start developing that personal relationship early on, these individuals (i.e., your young donors) will be more likely to continue supporting your organization⁠ in larger and larger amounts as time goes on.

Young donors and workplace giving

Young Donors & Workplace Giving

Another key factor that can have a substantial effect on young and old donors’ giving alike is employer giving⁠—otherwise known as workplace giving or philanthropy. Thousands of companies offer employee or workplace giving programs such as matching gifts and volunteer grants, and over 26 million individuals can qualify for the opportunities through their personal nonprofit contributions. Obviously, these programs benefit the nonprofits receiving the corporate funding⁠, but there’s a lesser-known benefit as well: employer giving eligibility tends to drive increased individual engagement.

In fact, our corporate giving data reports that 84% of individuals are more likely to donate if a corporate match is offered, while 1 in 3 donors indicate they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation. All in all, this brings about findings that donor messaging that mentions matching gifts leads to a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in the average donation amount, thus resulting in elevated conversions, gift sizes, and donor engagement. Though the exact reasoning behind the increase is unknown, organizations theorize it has to do with donors aiming to meet their employers’ minimum match requirements along with the understanding of magnified donation impact.

So what does that have to do with the young donors in your network? As these individuals enter the workforce, and more specifically, the corporate world, their chance of qualifying for donation matching, volunteer grants, and other forms of workplace giving skyrockets⁠—and with it, their individual donations.

Not to mention, young donors are increasingly demanding corporate social responsibility from the brands they buy from and work for. In fact, nearly 2/3 of young employees won’t take a job at a company with poor CSR practices. Thus, your younger supporters are more likely to work for businesses that match employee donations in the first place, effectively elevating their chances at eligibility.

Meanwhile, as Gen Z and millennials continue taking up more and more of the workforce and consumer population, more and more companies are following suit by implementing and improving their workplace giving programs. And when offered, young donors partake in employer giving in droves with studies showing that over 59% of young professionals gave through a workplace program in 2022, compared to 37% of professionals overall.

Best practices for young donor fundraising

Best Practices for Strategic Young Donor Fundraising

The better you engage with your donors of all generations, the more likely you are to raise funding effectively. Prepare your team to deepen relationships with young donors by incorporating the following tips;

1. Segment fundraising efforts by age group.

Fundraising is not a one-size-fits-all effort, and as a result, one-size-fits-all donor engagement strategies are not likely to be particularly effective. And, as you likely know, one of the largest segmenting factors has to do with donor age.

Young donors want to get involved with the organizations and causes they care about, but you’ll want your tactics to reflect a targeted approach. A 22-year-old, fresh-out-of-college graduate and a 70-year-old retired schoolteacher can each be excellent supporters of your nonprofit⁠—but it might take different initiatives to reach them both.

Giving trends according to young and old donors alike

For example, giving studies indicate that younger donors tend to be most inspired to donate via social media, while older supporters are more impacted by email fundraising⁠—and that’s not even taking Gen Z-ers into consideration!

Overall, we recommend reaching younger supporters and prospects by prioritizing mobile and digital engagement strategies, incorporating valuable and eye-catching visuals (through images and video), and demonstrating donation and organization impact whenever you can.

2. Offer multiple ways to get involved with your organization.

Young donors often desire diversity in the ways they engage with an organization. And not receiving that can lead to donor fatigue and, ultimately, lapsing support.

Thus, be sure to provide a plethora of methods for individual donor involvement⁠—whether they involve financial support or not.

So, what kinds of opportunities can you establish (and promote to) your donors? These might include (but are certainly not limited to):

  • Volunteering at a dedicated event or on a regular basis;
  • Taking part in a corporate giving program like matching gifts or volunteer grants;
  • Attending a fundraising event like an auction, gala, or walk-a-thon.
  • Participating in the organization’s board of directors;
  • Exploring a peer-to-peer fundraising role by soliciting donations from friends and family on the nonprofit’s behalf.

Regardless of the many ways an individual chooses to get involved, remember to communicate your gratitude as well as the tangible ways their engagement impacts your cause.

3. Increase suggested donation amounts over time.

As online giving becomes more and more prevalent, studies have been conducted to determine the impact of suggested donation amounts on total fundraising revenue. And overall, organizations tend to see elevated average donation amounts when they do so (meaning if you’re not already providing gift size suggestions, you should be).

Taking this concept a step further, however, is the idea that your team can increase the amount you request from donors over time to continue growing relationships and donor contributions.

For example, an individual might bring in four times the salary they had when they started giving to your organization. But if they donate on a regular basis, they might never take the initiative to increase their gift size⁠—that is, unless your team chooses to coax them in that direction. And it can be as simple as requesting $100 from Donor A in your next annual fund appeal after determining they’ve contributed $50 for the last few years.

4. Inform donors about workplace giving programs.

We mentioned that donors often choose to give more often and in larger amounts when workplace giving opportunities⁠ (like matching gifts⁠) are in place. And with many young donors becoming eligible for these programs for the first time, it’s essential that they’re made aware of the programs.

After all, over 78% of individuals employed by companies that match employee donations have no idea that they do so⁠—or that they themselves would be eligible to participate. This knowledge gap regarding the programs is one of the leading causes of billions of dollars in unclaimed matching gift funding being left on the table each year.

So get proactive about it! Be sure donors are informed about matching gifts and other employee giving initiatives by highlighting the programs within your organization’s —

Workplace giving marketing is a particularly impactful engagement tool, driving participation in corporate philanthropy programs alongside individual contributions. And if you’re looking to take your young donor engagement to new heights, you won’t want to overlook these initiatives and the impact they bring.

Interested in learning more about engaging young donors? Check out our immersive webinar on the topic!

Reaching Young Donors Webinar

Find out how Venmo for nonprofits can help your organization raise more.

How Venmo for Nonprofits Can Help Organizations Raise More

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Every day, millions of people use Venmo to send and receive money from each other. Nonprofits receive money in the form of donations all the time, so of course, they also benefit from using Venmo!

While there isn’t a specific version of Venmo for nonprofits, organizations can still leverage regular Venmo accounts to effectively collect donations on the app. Venmo simplifies the fundraising process and allows nonprofits to reach a wider audience of supporters, including younger donors.

Whether you’re familiar with Venmo or not, we’ll make sure you understand how to use it effectively for your nonprofit.

At Double the Donation, we connect nonprofits with matching gift opportunities. We know how important it is to maximize your organization’s fundraising potential. Just like matching gifts, Venmo fundraising is another way to ensure that you’re collecting as many donations as possible. We’re happy to share this guide to Venmo for nonprofits to help you reach your fundraising goals and continue running your organization smoothly.

Here are the topics we’ll cover in this article:

Follow along to learn how Venmo works, why your nonprofit should use it, and how you can leverage it to its fullest potential.

Maximize your Venmo fundraising with matching gift software.

These are the basics of Venmo for nonprofits.

The Venmo for Nonprofits Basics

Let’s start with a basic definition of Venmo. Venmo is a peer-to-peer mobile payment service that allows people to request and accept funds from each other. Instead of using cash, checks, or direct bank transfers, Venmo securely deducts money from users’ bank accounts and sends it to the intended recipients. That way, transactions are easy and protective of your sensitive information.

Venmo is one of many payment processing apps, but it’s certainly one of the most popular options. Check out these statistics about Venmo’s size and scope:

  • Venmo has more than 83 million users.
  • Its largest user age group is 25-34-year-olds.
  • The app processed about $230 billion in payments in 2021.

Here are some important Venmo for nonprofits statistics.

Why do so many people rely on Venmo for their payment processing needs? For starters, it’s extremely simple to use. Once you link your bank account, debit card, or credit card to your account, all you have to do is find who you want to pay, type in the payment amount, and send it.

Another useful feature of Venmo is that you can keep money in your account to use in the future or transfer it to your bank account for safekeeping. For a combination of the two, you can input the amount you’d like to transfer and leave the rest in your account.

You might already use a more traditional payment processing platform like PayPal. While Venmo supports nonprofits in the same way PayPal does, it’s still an effective and secure fundraising method.

Check out the advantages of Venmo for nonprofits.

Advantages of Venmo Fundraising

People use Venmo all the time to pay their friends, family, and even some businesses. Making a Venmo account for your nonprofit changes the game for donations. Instead of going through the formal process of filling out your donation form, donors can now send you money just like they would for people they know. That way, the process is easy and familiar to donors.

These are the advantages of Venmo for nonprofits and donors.

Benefits for Donors

Venmo fundraising provides a whole new donation experience. Here are some of the key benefits the app offers to donors:

  • Ease of use. Since people are familiar with Venmo, using it for donations makes it easier for donors to lend their support. The app itself has a simple interface that new users can quickly pick up on. Instead of navigating to your donation page, donors now have the ability to donate to as many nonprofits as they would like all within the same app.
  • Reliability. Venmo is a reputable payment processing platform with ample encryption. They take care to protect your account information and monitor your account activity to thwart suspicious transactions. Using Venmo, donors can feel comfortable donating to their favorite causes without worrying about their information being compromised.
  • Smaller transactions. With an average transaction amount of around $60, Venmo invites donors of all giving capacities to contribute. People can feel comfortable giving $10, $100, or $1,000 through Venmo because of the nature of the app.

Donors will appreciate the opportunity to donate through a well-trusted, easy-to-use platform.

Benefits for Nonprofits

While Venmo is a great platform for prioritizing the donor experience, it also boasts many advantages for nonprofits that create an account, such as:

  • Affordability. Nonprofits are always looking for ways to keep their costs down. Venmo makes it easy because they don’t charge any monthly fees. They also don’t charge any fees for sending money with a linked bank account or debit card. When accepting donations, the associated fee is only 1.9% + $0.10. Other than that, the only other fees are for sending money with a credit card or initiating instant transfers to your bank account, both of which are optional.
  • Free publicity. One of the unique features of Venmo is that it functions like a social media app. You can add your friends and family to see their transactions and vice versa. This feature allows donors to show off their support for your cause and encourage others to do the same.
  • Stronger donor relationships. Since people use Venmo primarily with friends and family, they associate the app with people they know. Therefore, using Venmo to donate to your organization may help donors feel a more personal connection to your nonprofit. Additionally, nonprofits can comment on the donations they receive to thank donors and even start a conversation with them.

Using Venmo for nonprofits is a win for both donors and organizations accepting donations. The app is easy to use and invites donors to form a deeper connection to the causes they care about. Your nonprofit can obtain all the benefits we’ve discussed by simply setting up an account.

We'll walk you through how to create your Venmo fundraising account.

Creating Your Venmo for Nonprofits Account

Just as using the app is easy, creating your nonprofit’s Venmo account is even simpler. While Venmo doesn’t yet have a nonprofit account option, they are performing a private beta test for a select group of nonprofits, so nonprofit Venmo accounts could be coming soon.

For now, though, nonprofits can create regular accounts following these steps:

Follow these steps to create your Venmo for nonprofits account.

  1. Download the Venmo app or visit the Venmo website.
  2. Choose your sign-up method and create your password.
  3. Verify your phone number and email address.
  4. Add and verify your bank account.
  5. Change your username and add a profile picture that represents your nonprofit.

It couldn’t be easier to create your account. As soon as your nonprofit sets up its Venmo account, you can spread the word to your donors so they can start taking advantage of your new fundraising method.

We'll give you tips for how to promote your Venmo for nonprofits account.

Promoting Your Nonprofit’s Venmo Account

Once you create your nonprofit’s Venmo account, the next step is to let your supporters know about it. Current donors will be excited about this new and easy way to donate, and prospective donors may be more enticed to start giving with this option.

There are several ways that you can tell your donors about your new capacity for Venmo fundraising. Check out some of our ideas:

Promote your Venmo for nonprofits account using these methods.

  • Create a Venmo donation tutorial. It’s safe to assume that many of your supporters know how Venmo works, but not all of them. Help them out by filming a video tutorial that teaches donors how to set up their own Venmo account and how they can use it to donate to your cause. Post the video on your website and social media to spread the word.
  • Link your Venmo account to your social media. Speaking of social media, it’s one of the most powerful tools for communicating with your supporters. Create a post introducing the concept of Venmo donations and provide a link to your account in your bio. Additionally, include your Venmo username in all email newsletters alongside your other social media profiles.
  • Share your Venmo QR code. Venmo provides each account with a unique QR code, making it easier to find the Venmo account you’re looking for. You can post your nonprofit’s QR code on social media, include it in email newsletters, and print physical copies to hand out at events.
  • Indicate Venmo as an option on your donation page. You likely feature a donation form on your nonprofit’s website. However, telling visitors on this page that Venmo is another option for donations can allow people to decide which method they prefer and donate accordingly.

Your supporters will be thrilled to hear that your nonprofit is making strides to create a seamless donor experience with Venmo. However, there are extra steps your organization can take to strengthen relationships with your supporters through the app.

Venmo fundraising provides opportunities to connect with donors.

Connecting with Donors Through Venmo Fundraising

Venmo presents a unique opportunity to build relationships with your donors when they lend you their support. While the format of the app itself allows you to interact with others like on other social media platforms, there are additional ways your organization can intentionally connect with donors on Venmo.

Connect with donors using Venmo fundraising.

Ask for small donations.

Of course, large donations are always appreciated, but every donation counts. Considering that Venmo has a younger audience, you might be better off encouraging smaller donations. That way, you can acquire new donors who never would’ve considered donating before through more traditional methods.

Try asking your nonprofit’s social media followers to direct message your organization with their Venmo username and how much they’re willing to donate. Then, you can send them a request for that amount so that they won’t forget.

Respond to each donor.

It’s important to show your appreciation for your donors. Venmo makes it easy by allowing you to like and comment on Venmo transactions. Use it as an opportunity to thank donors and maybe even start a conversation about your cause.

You can ask donors why they chose to donate to learn more about them. Then, feature the best answers on your social media with their permission. This way, you can show others why your donors feel compelled to support your organization.

Know your audience.

Younger generations dominate Venmo, so it’s important to keep that in mind when running your account. Make your responses fun by using emojis and GIFs that Venmo provides.

You also might want to select certain donors and give them a shoutout on your social media. Younger donors will love being recognized for their fundraising efforts.

Incentivize donations.

A little healthy competition can make donating more fun. Plus, you’ll raise even more for your cause. Try hosting a fundraising competition by splitting supporters into teams. You can let people form their own teams, create teams based on demographic factors, or choose groups randomly.

Each team will compete for who can raise the most money. Give the winning team a prize such as a social media shoutout, gift cards, or free branded merchandise. Turning donating into a game will encourage more people to join in on the fun.

Bear in mind that this serves as a form of peer-to-peer fundraising, and some employers will match the amount their employees raise for an organization. Promote the opportunity to incentivize participation and drive greater fundraising results!

Encourage more Venmo donations with matching gifts.

Matching gifts allow you to double or even triple the amount you earn for your organization. Plus, donors will feel good knowing they had an even larger impact on your organization than they anticipated.

Using employer appends, you can determine which of your donors’ employers have matching gift programs. Then, you can reach out to those donors letting them know that their employers will match their donations to your nonprofit, even those made through Venmo. That way, you can maximize your fundraising potential and highlight Venmo as a viable donation platform.

With Venmo, you can really get to know your donors, make the donation process fun, and raise more for your cause.

Check out these additional resources that will help you maximize the impact of your Venmo fundraising.

Additional Resources

Nonprofits are always looking for ways to increase their donations. While most typically search for new ways to promote their organization as a whole, why not try out a different fundraising platform altogether?

Using Venmo for nonprofits is the best way to encourage donations by connecting with younger supporters on an app they already use regularly. For Venmo users, donating to your cause can become just another part of their Venmo routine alongside splitting checks and paying rent.

Once you’ve set up your nonprofit’s Venmo account, you might start looking for new ways to maximize your fundraising potential. Matching gifts allow you to gain the support of your donors’ employers. With your new Venmo donations rolling in, you’ll want to check out these resources to see how you can double or even triple them:

Double the Donation can help you maximize your Venmo fundraising with matching gifts.

Matching gift videos, tips and examples

Matching Gift Videos | Examples and Best Practices

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Corporate matching gifts can significantly benefit any institution’s fundraising efforts. Raising awareness of the programs is essential, however, as available opportunities are often overlooked, especially for organizations developing a new matching gift program. For nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations, matching gift videos may be just the answer you were looking for.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the basics of matching gift videos (and how to create the most impactful content for your audience), as well as share high-performing examples from organizations to be inspired by. Feel free to explore the following topics:

In the age of YouTube, TikTok, social media reels, and more, video is a favorite channel for content creators to share important information and engage with their audiences. And, when done well, viewers love to watch them⁠ (on average, for a total of 100+ minutes a day).

When it comes to matching gifts, you may already have a good amount of content on your website⁠—perhaps a dedicated match page, informative blog posts, and even a matching gift widget on your donation forms.

But did you know that research indicates viewers retain significantly more of a message when they watch it in video format (95%) compared to written text (10%)? Thus, matching gift videos can be a powerful tool for effectively marketing matching gift opportunities to your institution’s supporters.

Let’s dive in with a few tried-and-true tips and tricks for creating optimized matching gift video content.

6 Best Practices for Producing Impactful Matching Gift Videos

A well-made video has the ability to engage its audience from beginning to end, share vital information that is processed and retained, and remain at the top of the viewers’ minds for long after the last second is up. Plus, video has only gotten increasingly popular according to shifting trends.

Follow these tips to create a video that elevates your matching gift strategy and meets the above standards and more.

1. Embed the video on your matching gift web page.

In order for your matching gift video to produce the greatest results, you’ll want to ensure it reaches the widest audience. One of the best ways to do so is by embedding the video directly into your organization’s matching gift page. After all, this is where supporters will navigate to learn more about matching gift program opportunities, so it makes sense that it’s the key location in which your video will live. Then, be sure to share your matching gift page with supporters and potential donors alike.

We also recommend incorporating your video in donor-facing communications such as donation receipts and gift acknowledgments, as well as any campaign landing pages for giving days, peer-to-peer fundraisers, annual fund campaigns, and more. The more opportunities you have for donors to engage with your video, the better you’ll fare!

2. Start by introducing matching gifts as a concept.

Before you dive into the nitty gritty of matching gifts in your donor-facing video, it’s a good idea to cover the basics. After all, tons of donors will have never heard of matching gifts prior to being introduced via your newly developed content.

Thus, we recommend starting at the beginning. Explain what corporate matching gift programs are, provide an overview of the wide availability of the initiatives, and emphasize how matches are made possible through the direct actions of individual donors.

3. Highlight how quick and simple the matching process is.

Most companies with matching gift programs offer a simple request process that can be kicked off online in less than five minutes. However, donors who don’t understand what’s involved in matching gift programs may assume that it’s a significant undertaking.

Be sure to emphasize the speed and simplicity of the donor’s end of the process! Typically, all it takes is some basic information about the donor, their initial donation, and the organization they supported.

You might even mention how it’s typically an entirely digitized submission experience, often involving an online portal or PDF form to complete. Plus, some companies now offer auto-submission, allowing their employees to submit a request in just a few clicks without ever leaving the organization’s giving page!

4. Keep your content short, sweet, and to the point.

There’s a ton you could say about matching gifts if you were, for example, giving a multi-hour lecture on workplace giving programs. In your matching gift video, however, it’s best to keep it short and sweet.

You’ll want to cover the basics of matching gifts and provide enough of a foundation to draw donors in and inspire them to participate. But you don’t want to lose your audience’s attention, so you’ll want to stick with an overview (with a call to action to dive in). 60 seconds is our recommended run time!

5. Incorporate closed captioning for increased accessibility.

If your matching gift video will include a voiceover or other speaking parts, it’s important to add closed captioning for the text. This will allow for optimal accessibility, enabling individuals who are hard of hearing and those watching without volume to get the most out of your video content.

6. Direct viewers to additional resources.

Your matching gift video is great for providing an overview of matching gift programs quickly and effectively. But it’s not the only source of information on matching gifts you should make available to your supporters. Thus, in your video, we recommend directing viewers to additional resources as well. This may include your dedicated matching gift web page, company search tool, or even resources on Double the Donation’s website.

Sample Matching Gift Videos Created That Work

See our best practices in action by exploring existing matching gift videos created and utilized by organizations like yours. As you watch these videos, consider which elements can be brought into your own video production strategy to drive success.

Virginia Commonwealth University ⁠— You could double your donation! | Matching Gifts

Virginia Commonwealth University produced this video in early 2020 to educate donors about the impact and availability of matching gifts. Get inspired by their matching gift video here:

Summary of the Matching Gift Video

Virginia Commonwealth University’s matching gift video stars two sets of look-alikes, each donning VCU apparel to represent matching gift opportunities to their audience.

The video shows the pairs walking through three key steps that a viewer can take to get their donation matched to VCU⁠. These include navigating to the school’s matching gift page with its embedded company search tool, making an individual donation at the provided giving page URL, and following the instructions provided to request a match.

Here are a few standout screengrabs:

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What this Matching Gift Video Does Well

Virginia Commonwealth University’s matching gift video stands out for its:

  • Creative utilization of look-alike individuals to represent corporate gift-matching;
  • Communication of school spirit through the incorporation of branded apparel;
  • Step-by-step overview of the donation and matching gift processes;

Case Western Reserve University ⁠— CRWU Annual Giving Matching Gifts

Case Western Reserve University is another example of a higher education institution that uses a top-notch matching gift video to communicate the importance of corporate matching opportunities. Take a look at their video here:

Summary of the Matching Gift Video

CWRU’s matching gift video utilizes animated elements to highlight matching gift opportunities to viewers. The video begins by likening matching gifts to more common “deals” such as BOGO (buy one, get one free) sales, instant rebates, and more to establish the value of these programs.

From there, they continue to convey that matching gifts are widely available and allow donors to create a greater impact with their gifts while directing the audience to their dedicated matching gift web page to learn more. Finally, they concluded with a powerful data point that states that the school collected nearly $300,000 in matching gift funds the previous year, encouraging viewers to follow suit.

Here are a few standout screengrabs:

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What this Matching Gift Video Does Well

Case Western Reserve University’s matching gift video stands out for its:

  • Engaging use of animation to tell the story of matching gifts;
  • Incorporation into CWRU’s dedicated matching gift page, in addition to being posted on the institution’s YouTube page;
  • Symbolism regarding 2-for-1 and BOGO sales as a way to reiterate the impact of corporate gift matches for donors and organizations;
  • Utilization of statistics to effectively communicate the power of matching gifts the school has seen in the past.

Other Unique Ideas for Nonprofit Matching Gift Videos

We’ve shared several tips and examples for effective matching gift videos⁠—but what exactly should your video contain?

Here are some content ideas that can help guide the creation of your nonprofit or school’s matching gift video to ensure it stands out, resonates with your supporters, and drives impact.

Share a constituent story.

One of the main reasons donors participate in matching programs is because they want to increase their impact on a cause they care about. Make the most of that idea by telling specific constituent stories that will connect with your audience and urge them to do more.

For example, consider sharing about one student we’ll call Jack. Jack was able to pursue a degree and thrive at your university thanks to a scholarship opportunity made possible by generous donor funding. Now, enter Jill. When donors request matching gifts on behalf of your institution, it allows you to support twice as many students⁠—including Jack’s sister, Jill.

Use relevant imagery to help visualize matching.

Videos rely on incorporated imagery to grab and maintain viewers’ attention and interest. In order to represent an abstract concept such as matching gifts, we recommend utilizing applicable symbols.

A few of our favorites include a pair of matching (or mismatched) socks and identical gift boxes. Other ideas may include twins or look-alikes (human or otherwise), multiple briefcases or stacks of cash, matching games, or complementary puzzle pieces. The more creative, the better!

Example of imagery in matching gift videos

Conduct a brief matching gift FAQ.

Many donors will have questions about matching gift programs, the role they play in fundraising, and how an individual would get involved. Answer some of the most commonly asked questions rapid-fire style to provide all the information an individual would need to get started and remove possible roadblocks before they even arise.

Alternatively, you could ask your audience what questions they might have about corporate gift-matching, then create a matching gift video for your organization based on the inquiries provided.

Highlight matching gift fundraising statistics.

Matching gift statistics can be one of the most effective ways to communicate the power and prevalence of matching gift program opportunities to your audience.

When a donor hears something like, “$4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed per year,” or “Over 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs,” they may be more inclined to look into their own matching gift eligibility status and, as a result, request a match on your behalf.

Interested in including matching gift stats? Here are a few of our other favorites:

  • 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer matching gift programs;
  • An estimated $2-$3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually;
  • 84% of donors say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered;
  • 1 in 3 donors indicates they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied to their donation.

Matching gift statistics to include in matching gift videos

Emphasize local businesses with matching gift programs.

Many businesses have local roots, which means there are likely many opportunities for corporate matching programs right in your neighborhood. Research a few companies’ programs and consider highlighting the opportunities in your matching gift videos!

For example, if you’re fundraising for an organization in Atlanta, you may choose to highlight companies based out of the city, such as Coca-Cola, Home Depot, IBM, and more. Then, don’t forget to inform your audience that tons more companies across the country or even the globe offer these programs as well. They’re typically not restricted to a single geographic location, meaning all donors should look into their employers’ available matching initiatives.

Bonus! Get a Matching Gift Video From Double the Donation

In case you don’t have an in-house production team, we wanted to make it as quick and as easy as possible to acquire an impactful matching gift video for your audience. That’s why Double the Donation is now offering matching gift video production services!

Existing Double the Donation clients have two options…

Free Generic Matching Gift Video

Getting started with a Double the Donation-branded, 60-second overview of the matching gift opportunity and how Double the Donation’s tools can help is easy⁠—and free!

Ready to download your matching gift video? Simply navigate to the Marketing tab in your account. From there, scroll to the Matching Gift Videos section, locate the FREE Matching Gift Video for Donors, and select Download Now. The video will instantly begin to download to your device, and from there you can upload it to your matching gift page and other fundraising resources.

Free Double the Donation-branded matching gift video

Custom-Branded Matching Gift Video

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a video that will match your organization’s branding and style⁠—complete with your logos, colors, and more⁠—a personalized matching gift video is the way to go. And now, you can request one from the Double the Donation team in seconds for a small fee.

To do so, head to the Marketing tab in your Double the Donation account, and locate the Matching Gift Videos module. Select the Learn More button from the Personalized Video for Your Nonprofit section, and you’ll be prompted to complete a brief form that requests your organization name, logo image file, and primary brand color.

Custom-branded matching gift video

From the time you submit your inquiry, you can expect to receive the completed video in approximately five business days⁠—and it will be delivered straight to the email address indicated on the video request form!

Learn more about requesting a matching gift video from Double the Donation here.

That’s a Wrap!

Matching gift videos can be a particularly effective (and memorable) way to communicate information about matching gift programs and encourage donors to participate. With these tips, tricks, and examples in your back pocket, you should be well on your way to creating impactful videos for your nonprofit or educational institution. Best of luck!

Interested in learning more about strategic matching gift marketing best practices? Check out our other blog posts here:

Get started with matching gift best practices, like matching gift videos, with Double the Donation.

We're here to answer all your email append questions.

What Is an Email Append? All Your Questions Answered

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Email marketing is an extremely cost-effective way to reach out to your supporters. Compared to other types of marketing, email campaigns don’t require any physical materials or the same level of staff time. Not to mention, they also offer a higher response rate than other marketing methods such as direct mail or phone calls.

Therefore, email marketing is an effective communication channel for getting in touch with your supporters and sending them valuable information.

However, the email addresses in your supporter database may not be accurate or may be missing entirely for some supporters. With email appends, you can stay on top of your email address data and have more time to focus on your campaigns’ content.

We’re here to answer your questions about email appends, so you can successfully deliver more emails and ultimately boost your marketing ROI. To cover all of the essential topics, we’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked email append questions, including:

At Double the Donation, we help connect nonprofits with matching gift opportunities. Email is one of our primary forms of communication with our clients and their match-eligible donors, so we understand how important it is to have the correct email addresses for each of your contacts. That’s why we’ve written this guide to email appends. Our goal is to make sure your nonprofit can leverage this useful data for easier communication with your supporters.

Since we have a lot to cover in this guide, let’s should get started!

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Find out what an email append is.

What Is an Email Append?

An email append occurs when an organization submits information from its supporter database to an email append service and receives updated supporter email addresses in return.

To help correctly locate email addresses, some of the identifying information the nonprofit might share with the data appends provider can include full names, postal addresses, past email addresses, and other details they have on file. The provider will then match the information against their database to obtain the most recent contact information. Since it’s easy for email addresses to become outdated, email appends are extremely helpful in making sure you can stay in touch with your supporters.Read on for why your organization might need email appends.

Why Does My Organization Need Email Appends?

It’s very common for email addresses in your supporter database to be incorrect. Think about how many times you’ve changed an email address, abandoned one, or gotten a new one. Here are some examples of situations that could cause email addresses to be incorrect or become outdated:

  • Typos
  • People using fake email addresses when signing up for your email list
  • People moving
  • Changing jobs or graduating
  • Switching to a different email address
  • Abandoning email addresses or forgetting passwords
  • Passing away
  • Missing email addresses from some supporters entirely

There are several reasons why the email addresses in your supporter database could be incorrect.

With this lengthy list in mind, it’s clear to see how it’s incredibly likely that your supporter database includes invalid email addresses, which can make your communication with your supporters less effective.

These are the email append benefits.

How Will My Nonprofit Benefit from Email Appends?

As we previously discussed, you may have missing or inaccurate information regarding your supporters’ email addresses. Email appends will help fill in the gaps so you can communicate with as many of your supporters as possible.

When you have a strong collection of supporter email addresses, opportunities open up for how you can communicate and share information with them. Check out these six areas that will improve by using email appends:

  • Newsletters. Your organization likely already sends out email newsletters to your supporters. However, using email appends will allow you to expand your newsletter audience.
  • Online donations. When you have the right email addresses for your supporters, it’ll be easier to increase conversions for donation requests.
  • Survey feedback. Since more people will receive your surveys, you’ll be able to get more feedback and apply it to your organization.
  • Relationships with supporters. It’s possible that you could lose your relationships with some of your biggest donors and supporters due to outdated email address data. Retain the bonds you’ve created with your supporters by keeping accurate contact information for them.
  • Time saved. Think about how long it would take people on your team to manually search for the matching email addresses for every supporter in your database. Save time that could be reallocated for better purposes by using email appends.
  • Matching gifts. Equipped with email appends, your organization can easily follow up with donors about matching gift opportunities. If a donor shares their business email with your organization, then your nonprofit can easily determine whether their employer has a matching gift program.

These are the six areas that will improve by using email appends.

How Email Appends Will Impact Your Marketing Performance

In addition to the ones listed above, there are so many other benefits that email appends provide, specifically for the quality of your email communications. Some of the most impactful benefits you can expect on your marketing performance include:

  • Improved email deliverability. Sometimes, emails won’t go through for various reasons. They might bounce back and send you a notification, but it’s difficult to address the reason each email didn’t go through individually. Email appends will improve your email deliverability by providing you with the most current email addresses for your supporters.
  • Increased open rates. The more emails that go out to the correct email addresses, the more people will open them. Make sure your email campaigns don’t go to waste by sending them to the wrong email addresses.
  • Protection against spam traps. Spam traps are email addresses used to catch senders sending spam emails. Some organizations will repurpose outdated email addresses to create spam traps. If your organization falls for a spam trap, it can have serious repercussions for your email deliverability, bounce rates, and overall sender reputation. Cleaning your supporter database periodically will help to prevent spam traps.

Check out the benefits of email appends for your nonprofit's communication quality.

Email appends can help you with your marketing efforts and overall data hygiene. To add the updated contact information to your supporter database, you’ll need to work with an email append service for help with the process.

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Here's how your organization can get email appends.

How Can My Organization Obtain Email Appends?

If your organization is interested in email appends, you’ll need some help getting the necessary data. That’s where an email append service comes in.

Hiring an email append service simplifies the email append process. It will be your job to give them access to the relevant identifying donor data from your supporter database. In return, they’ll send you the email appends they find.

Here’s a list of different information types you can send an email append service to utilize as they search for your supporters’ current email addresses:

  • Unique ID number
  • Name
  • Region
  • Past email addresses
  • College or university
  • Class year and major/degree
  • Last gift amount
  • Date of last donation
  • Date entry was last updated

Email append service providers will know that you probably don’t have all of this information on hand, and that’s okay. Just give them as much as you have to make their job easier.

Using the data you provide them, your email append service provider will find your email appends in different online databases. To ensure that they’re accurate, most providers will perform some sort of accuracy check or scan before sending them back to your organization.

Check out the other types of data appends in addition to email appends.

Are There Other Types of Data Appends Beyond Email Appends?

Email appends aren’t the only data append type out there. If you’re missing other data from your supporters, chances are there are appends available to help acquire that information.

Here are some kinds of data appends that data append services typically offer:

These are the types of data appends that append services can provide.

  • Employer. Finding out your supporters’ employers can help you to identify matching gift opportunities. People may be more likely to donate to your cause if they know their employer will match their donation. With employer appends, you can inform potential donors of the expanded impact their donation could have.
  • Postal address. Improve your direct mail campaigns with address appends. Request donations, send important updates, or thank your donors with a letter for a personal touch.
  • Phone number. Contacting people by phone is a highly effective outreach strategy. Use phone number appends to host a successful phone-a-thon or text-to-give campaign.
  • Date of birth. Knowing your supporters’ birthdates can help you create customized campaigns based on age. Date of birth appends also provide the opportunity to send your supporters birthday gifts or perks.

Combining your appended email addresses with other data appends can create even more value for your nonprofit. For example, you can use date of birth appends to segment your supporters by age. Then, you can leverage your email appends to send personalized newsletters to each age group with relevant organization updates and opportunities.

To knock out all your data appends at once, it’s best to find a data append service that will provide all the data append types you need. That way, they can extract all the information and import it into your CRM all at once.

Here are some ideas for how to use email appends.

How Can Different Nonprofits Leverage Email Appends?

Organizations of all kinds communicate with their supporters via email. Therefore, there’s a high chance your nonprofit could benefit from email appends by emulating the ways other organizations leverage them.

If you’re not sure how your organization could best leverage email appends, we have a couple of examples of how different nonprofits use them to assist them in their communication with their supporters.

Bear in mind that to leverage email appends to their fullest potential, you’ll need to contact an email append service provider and chat about your nonprofit’s unique needs.

To start, use these examples for inspiration:

Environmental Nonprofits

It’s important that your organization’s operations align with your nonprofit’s values. That’s why environmental nonprofits choose to communicate in ways that are better for the environment. Direct mail can waste paper that can be saved by communicating through email instead.

Email appends ensure that these organizations can stay true to their missions while still fostering effective communication with their supporters.

Schools

Schools and universities rely on their alumni for donations, volunteers, and feedback. However, once people graduate, they typically abandon their university email accounts. Additionally, young alumni may start new jobs or enroll in graduate school, acquiring new email addresses as they go.

With the help of email appends, schools and universities can make sure they continue their relationships with alumni wherever they go after graduation.

Associations

It can be difficult to reach association members through direct mail, especially if they’re spread out around the globe. Staying in contact with members through email is important because it reminds them of the perks of their membership and updates them about upcoming events and initiatives.

Cultural Institutions

Cultural institutions such as museums, zoos, and aquariums are nothing without their members and visitors. They depend on membership fees and ticket revenue to stay running. Therefore, it’s necessary to keep supporters engaged through email to encourage them to come back and check out new events and exhibits.

Political Organizations

Informing people about important issues can be difficult over the phone and through text messages. Emails from political organizations allow people to digest the information on their own time and refer back to it when it’s time to vote.

All Nonprofits

Any nonprofit can use email appends to identify matching gift opportunities. With business email appends, your organization can easily identify your supporters’ employers and research their matching gift programs. If you already know your supporters’ employers, you can leverage email appends to reach out to potential donors and inform them of their employers’ matching gift programs to encourage them to donate.

 

These are the qualities of a good email append service.

What Qualities Should a Good Email Append Service Possess?

There are lots of email append services out there, so what makes one right for your organization? If you’ve never used an email append service before, it can be difficult to know what to look for and which claims are actually important.

Here’s a list of qualities that every reliable email append service should possess:

  • Verifies your email appends for accuracy. There can be some uncertainty surrounding whether email appends are actually accurate or not. Ensure that your email append service has the necessary measures in place to check for correctness.
  • Offers other kinds of appends. It’s way easier to use one data append service for all of your data append needs than to hire an individual service for each one. Think about which types of data you’re looking for and find a service that supplies all of them.
  • Accepts entire data files. Effective email append services will allow you to send complete data files from your supporter database and pick out the information they need. That way, you don’t have to spend time selecting certain columns or clearing out unnecessary information.
  • Gets back to you quickly. Once you decide to append email addresses, you’ll probably start planning how you’ll want to implement them fairly quickly. Find an email append service that can return accurate results efficiently so you can use your new data right away.
  • Provides quotes. It’s extremely helpful to know ahead of time how much a service will cost your nonprofit. Some email append services will take a look at your data needs ahead of time and offer you a quote for their assistance.

There are several qualities that a good email append service provider should have.

When you’re looking for your email append service, keep these qualities in mind to find the best service for your organization. NPOInfo by Double the Donation possesses all of the qualities we’ve mentioned above. They’ll be happy to assist you with email address appending!

Check out NPOInfo by Double the Donation for your email append needs.

Here are some additional resources about data appends.

Conclusion

Considering how widespread email newsletters, updates, and general communications are for nonprofits, it makes sense that any organization would benefit from email appends.

At their core, email appends ensure that you’re reaching your intended audience and retaining relationships with your supporters. Additionally, they’ll provide more information about your supporters, which is always helpful for guiding your decisions as an organization.

Now that you know all about email appends, you might want to learn more about other types of data appends that could benefit your organization. Check out these data append resources below:

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Find out how date birth appends could help your nonprofit.

What Is a Date of Birth Append? A Comprehensive Guide

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When collecting information from your supporters, you’ll probably capture bits and pieces of who they are. You’ll learn their names, email addresses, and phone numbers just to name a few. However, there are probably some snippets of information you don’t collect that could really benefit your organization’s understanding of your supporters.

Date of birth is one such category of information you might not gather from supporters, and that’s where a date of birth append comes in handy. Some people might not want to offer their date of birth to an organization to reveal how old they are. Additionally, they may not see how that information could improve their experience with your nonprofit. Frankly, you might not understand how having one’s date of birth could help your organization either.

However, gathering date of birth appends can actually help your organization communicate more effectively with your supporters once you know a little more about them.

In this guide, we’ll answer questions you may have about what a date of birth append is and how it works. The questions we’ll be covering include:

Here at Double the Donation, we help make the matching gift process easy for nonprofits. Considering our focus on efficiency, we know how important it is for nonprofits to have easy access to the data they need to improve their communications with supporters. This guide will walk you through date of birth appends and how they can help out your organization.

With that in mind, let’s get started learning about date of birth appends!

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Get a clear definition of date of birth appends.

What Is a Date of Birth Append?

A date of birth append comprises an individual’s day, month, and year of birth sourced from a public database of demographic information. You use the information supporters have already shared with your organization to successfully identify them and pull the correct birthdate. This might include their full name, contact information, and education.

Knowing your supporters’ dates of birth can allow you to send customized messages based on age and birthday, resulting in a higher ROI for your marketing efforts.

Check out the benefits of date of birth appends.

What Are the Benefits of Date of Birth Appends?

Data about supporters, such as their email addresses or phone numbers, have obvious benefits. They allow you to get in touch with your supporters in different ways to share important updates, request donations, or let them know about upcoming events.

The benefits of knowing a supporter’s birthdate may not be as clear to you, so we’ve developed a list of some of the top advantages of using date of birth appends, including:

There are many advantages of leveraging date of birth appends.

  • Birthday newsletters and gifts. Simply wishing your supporters a happy birthday can help you build lasting relationships with them. If you want to take it a step further, send your supporters a birthday gift such as a branded t-shirt or mug to show that you care about them and their life milestones.
  • Personal fundraisers. Speaking of birthdays, many people like to celebrate their special day by asking for donations to their favorite cause on social media. Remind your supporters that they can fundraise on your behalf in honor of their birthday.
  • Better understanding of supporters’ habits. Perhaps some of your supporters are more likely to give donations to your cause themselves to celebrate a milestone birthday. If you know the date of birth of a donor who typically lends their support around their special day, you can better plan for which times of year you’ll be receiving more funds.
  • Voter age verification. It would be a waste of time and resources to contact people about upcoming elections who aren’t even eligible to vote. Make sure you’re only sending messages about voting to those who can actually vote using birthdate appends.
  • Segmentation. Do you have a campaign that only applies to an audience of a certain age? Maybe you work to provide Medicare to those who need it or help low-income students with their college applications. Perhaps you want to send the same message to all of your supporters but through different platforms based on which ones each age group prefers. You can use date of birth appends to easily segment your supporters by age so you only send relevant communications to them.
  • More complete understanding of your supporters as a whole. No matter what kind of nonprofit data you have, the more you collect, the better you can understand who your supporters are. Having a complete picture of your supporter base will make your outreach more targeted and effective.

If any of these birthdate append benefits seem useful to your organization, you might be wondering how to move forward with the date of birth append process. Let’s make sure you fully understand the process so that you can experience all of the great advantages we just covered!

Follow along to learn about the date of birth append process.

How Does the Date of Birth Append Process Work?

Once you’ve decided that you want to conduct a date of birth append, it’s important to know how the process works so you can be prepared. To conduct a date of birth append, most organizations use a date of birth append service that finds the information for them. These services make it way easier for you to secure the data you need without wasting your team’s time.

For a date of birth append service to help you out, you must first give them the data you currently have for each of your supporters. They accept a variety of information, including:

  • Unique identification number
  • Name
  • Mailing address
  • Region
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • College or university
  • Class year and major/degree
  • Last gift amount
  • Date of last donation
  • Date entry was last updated

Don’t worry if your nonprofit doesn’t have all that information, though! As with any data append, just provide as much information as you can. That way, it’s easier for the date of birth append service to correctly identify your supporters and find the birthdates you’re looking for.

After receiving the information you’ve provided, date of birth append services will search public demographic information databases to match birthdates to your supporters. To ensure they pull accurate records, most service providers perform some sort of accuracy scan or check. They may also assign an accuracy rating to each birthdate append based on the results of the scan to share with your team.

At the end of the process, your date of birth append service provider will send you your birthdate appends and related accuracy information if applicable.

These are the steps of the date of birth append process.

Hopefully, you’ll leave the process satisfied with the data you’ve received and have a more complete picture of your supporters. However, you might be missing other information that similar data append services can also help you with.

Check out the other data append types that are available to nonprofits.

What Other Types of Data Appends Are There Aside from Birthdate Appends?

Most date of birth append services offer much more than just birthdates. If you find a comprehensive data append service, they will be able to help you with all kinds of data appends. Here are some other common types of data appends your organization might benefit from:

  • Address appends. Address appends allow you to build successful direct mail campaigns.
  • Employer appends. Identify matching gift opportunities with employer appends.
  • Email appends. Make sure you have all your supporters’ email addresses so you can inform them about upcoming events and opportunities.
  • Phone number appends. Try text-to-give fundraising or a phone-a-thon with the help of phone number appends.

These are the types of data appends that append services can provide.

The best part about using a general data append service is that they’ll likely provide you with all your data appends at once. That way, there’s no need to go through multiple rounds of pulling data, resulting in a quicker experience for your team. Equipped with all your new data, you’ll be able to immediately update your supporter database and start sending out more personalized campaigns.

There are several different ways nonprofits use date of birth appends.

How Do Organizations Use Date of Birth Appends?

Earlier on, we introduced some of the benefits of date of birth appends, but what might they look like for your nonprofit in particular? Different organizations use date of birth appends to personalize their marketing efforts and offerings based on age and birthday.

To help you gauge what this might look like for your organization, here are some specific ways nonprofits take advantage of birthdate appends:

  • Museum and zoo ticket or membership perks. Who wouldn’t want to visit a museum or zoo at a discounted rate for their birthday? Cultural organizations like to give out special birthday deals, and date of birth appends can ensure that they offer them to as many of their supporters as possible.
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising. Social media birthday fundraisers have grown significantly in the past couple of years. Sending a message to your supporters around their birthday to remind them of this opportunity can help you maximize your fundraising efforts.
  • Voter outreach. Political advocacy groups are the perfect example of an organization type that could benefit from age segmentation. Only send messages about voting to constituents who are of voting age. To engage constituents in certain age groups, reach out to them with new information about causes that apply to them and let them know what they can do to help besides voting.

Hopefully, these use cases gave you a better idea of how your organization could leverage date of birth appends. If so, you’ll want to move forward by leveraging a date of birth append service provider.

Make sure you use the right date of birth append provider with these tips.

Which Date of Birth Append Service Provider Is Right for Me?

If you’re researching date of birth append service providers, you might be overwhelmed by the number of options you have. It’s helpful to know what to look for when selecting which service you’ll work with. After all, you’ll be entrusting them with sensitive data and will expect them to provide efficient, accurate results.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of guarantees every good birthdate append service should provide, including:

  • Accuracy scans. If the date of birth appends you receive aren’t accurate, then you could be sending your supporters birthday messages on the wrong dates or segmenting your supporters by age incorrectly. Make sure your date of birth append service has a system in place for checking the accuracy of the data they collect.
  • High match rate. Beyond performing accuracy scans, you’ll want to know that your date of birth append service provider has a history of accurate data matches. For example, NPOInfo by Double the Donation has a 40-70% match rate for date of birth appends, which is quite high compared to other providers.
  • Additional append types. A dedicated date of birth append service would be great, but a general data append service for all your data append needs would be even better. Find a provider that offers all the appends you’re looking for.
  • Efficiency. The quicker your provider can get you the data you need, the better — as long as they don’t sacrifice accuracy. With timely results, you’ll be able to immediately start working on new campaigns and fixing up old ones with your new date of birth append data.
  • Quotes. Before you start working with a birthdate append service provider, you’ll want to make sure their services are within your budget. Reliable birthdate append service providers will offer you a quote if you let them know how much data you’re looking for.

Follow this checklist to make sure you're using the right date of birth append service.

Keep these qualities in mind when looking for a date of birth append service provider, and you’re sure to find one that will handle your supporters’ data with care and give you the information you need.

Request a quote from NPOInfo by Double the Donation.

Check out these resources for more information about collecting and managing supporter data.

Additional Resources

With date of birth appends, you’ll be able to communicate with your supporters in more personalized ways. Whether you send them birthday wishes or include them in an age-specific campaign, gathering date of birth information will get you one step closer to a complete picture of who your supporters are and how you can best reach out to them.

As we mentioned before, you may be looking for other types of appends or resources about supporter data. If so, we’re here to help you out with these relevant articles:

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Learn how the phone number appending process works.

What Is Phone Number Appending? How the Process Works

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These days, people are glued to their phones, and most would probably consider either texting or calling as their primary form of communication with others. Therefore, making sure the phone numbers you have for your supporters are up to date is essential for smooth and effective communication with them.

Even if you know how important it is to have phone numbers for your supporters, you may not know how to go about gathering that information. Of course, you could periodically ask your supporters if they’ve gotten a new phone number. However, phone number appending is a much simpler way to collect phone numbers without bothering your supporters.

Phone number appending ensures that you have accurate phone numbers so that you can effectively reach out to your supporters and keep them engaged with your organization. Whether you’re updating contact information or missing phone numbers from several individuals, phone appends can help you round out your supporter data without your supporters having to lift a finger.

Before seriously considering this type of service, you might have some questions about the phone number appending process. Here are some questions we’ll go over in this article:

At Double the Donation, our main focus is educating nonprofits about matching gift opportunities and software. Matching gift software makes the process of acquiring matching gifts easier, just as phone appends make gathering current contact information for your supporters more efficient. We’re happy to help nonprofits find ways to get the resources they need that will make their operations run smoother. That way, they can save time and reallocate it where it’s really needed.

Click on the questions you’re wondering about to learn more or keep scrolling to answer them all!

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

We'll start off with a quick definition of phone number appending.

What is Phone Number Appending?

Phone number appending is the process of inputting supporter data into phone append software and receiving missing and updated phone numbers back.

When leveraging a data append provider, you’ll simply provide them with identifying information for each supporter. Then, they’ll use that information to correctly identify them within their comprehensive database of phone numbers. That way, you can contact your supporters using the correct information. Doing so will ensure that you’re reaching your target audience.These are the advantages of phone number appending.

What Advantages Does Phone Number Appending Provide?

Your organization likely already has phone numbers for some or all of your supporters. However, people change their phone numbers all the time, so the ones you have may no longer be accurate.

Phone number appending provides several general benefits for your organization, such as:

  • Updated contact information. Having the most current contact information for your supporters not only ensures that you can reach them but also that you can continue building relationships with them. Plus, you can do so without ever having to ask them to update their information.
  • Less time wasted on unviable numbers. Even if your organization has phone numbers for all of your supporters, chances are some of them are outdated. Calling or texting old or incorrect phone numbers wastes your time and energy that could be used to contact the people who will lend you their support.
  • Well-rounded supporter database. With any type of data, the more you have of it, the more robust and well-informed decisions you can make. Phone appends are no different. Having correct phone numbers for your supporters can help you to focus on the content of your campaigns rather than the method of communication.

In addition to these general advantages of phone appending, there are certain types of fundraising and outreach that your organization can leverage or improve with updated supporter phone number data.

Check out the benefits of phone number appending.

Specific Use Cases for Phone Number Appends

Of course, the top advantage of phone number appending is being able to actually reach your supporters, but what does that look like in different scenarios? Here are three different areas where phone number appending is particularly useful:

  • Phone banking. Calling people up and asking them to donate to your cause can be a more personal way of gathering funds. Take advantage of this fundraising method by using the most current phone numbers for your donors.
  • Text messaging. While calling is a great way to reach people, texting can elicit even quicker responses and opens up the opportunity for text-to-give. With cell phone appends, you can reach your supporters and receive donations even faster than before.
  • Phonathons. Schools and universities in particular love to fundraise by having current students call alumni and request donations. To reach your fundraising goals and avoid any mixups, you’ll want to make sure your students have accurate contact information for the people they’re calling.

If we’ve convinced you how important phone appends are, you might want to jump right into the process. Lucky for you, we’ll walk you through it step by step.We'll explain exactly how the phone number appending process works.

What Does the Phone Number Appending Process Look Like?

Hiring a reliable phone append service provider makes phone number appending a breeze. All you have to do is supply them with the supporter information you do have so they can give you the phone numbers you need.

The process of phone number appending

Examples of information you can provide to a phone append provider include:

  • A unique ID number
  • Full name
  • Region and postal address
  • Email address
  • Education information such as school, year, and major
  • Last donation amount and date
  • Date entry was last updated

You don’t need to have all of this information to go through the phone number appending process. However, the more data you give to your phone append provider, the easier it will be for them to find accurate data.

Once your phone append service provider has your supporters’ information, they can use it to find recent numbers for your constituents. In most cases, they’ll obtain the numbers from a variety of data sources online.

To help you determine how accurate the phone appends they’ve found are, some phone append providers will run the numbers through software that checks for accuracy and may even conduct manual checks. They will then rate the accuracy of each append so you know how much you can trust each one.

Lastly, your phone append service will send you the complete phone appends. From here, update your nonprofit’s CRM with the new and missing phone numbers for your supporters.There are other kinds of data appends besides phone appends.

Can I Get Other Kinds of Data Appends?

Yes! There are plenty of other kinds of data appends, and most phone append services will offer them in addition to phone appends. If your nonprofit needs other data appends, check which ones your phone append service provides. Since they’ll likely pull the data all at once, they’ll probably them back to you at the same time as your phone appends.

Our quick guide to nonprofit data appends explains that there are several common types of data appends you can leverage, including:

  • Employer appends
  • Email appends
  • Address appends
  • Date of birth appends

These are the types of data appends that append services can provide.

While employer appends can help you identify matching gift opportunities, email, postal address, and date of birth appends can improve your communication with supporters. Ultimately, strengthening your database with this information will allow you to cultivate stronger relationships and push your work forward altogether. Here are some examples of how nonprofits use phone number appending.

What Are Some Examples of How Nonprofits Actually Use Phone Appends?

If you’re still unclear about whether your nonprofit could benefit from phone appends, it might help to hear some real examples of how organizations have used them in the past. That way, you can compare these organizations’ situations to your own to figure out if you should move forward with the phone number appending process.

Here are some organization types that use phone appends and what they use them for:

Universities

We mentioned before how phonathons are a great way to connect with alumni and potentially receive donations from them. Besides phonathons, universities can also use phone appends to update alumni about current campus initiatives and invite them to alumni-specific events.

Political Organizations

Especially in the midst of election seasons, it’s important to communicate your most important issues to voters and how your organization aims to solve them. However, these issues can be too complicated to spell out in a text or email. Contacting constituents over the phone presents the opportunity for you to actually converse with them about important topics and answer any questions they may have.

Advocacy Groups

If any of your supporters are young adults, you’ll want to contact them in their preferred style of communication: texting. With phone appends, advocacy groups can share information about their causes with younger supporters using SMS outreach. That way, they can be sure that they’re reaching out to their supporters in ways that work best for them.

Public Broadcasting Services

Does your organization run pledge drives on the radio or TV? Chances are, it’d be helpful to feature testimonies from real supporters. By calling previous donors and asking them to give a statement about their involvement with your nonprofit, you can encourage new donors to donate and one-time donors to convert into recurring donors.

Takeaway: Phone appends provide all sorts of benefits depending on your organization’s needs. If you’re unsure how it might play into your team’s strategies, feel free to ask your service provider about how they’ve seen other organizations leverage them. With that in mind, it’s time to find a phone append service that will provide you with accurate results.

Here are some guidelines for choosing a phone append service.

Are There Guidelines for Selecting a Phone Append Service?

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing a phone append service. After all, picking the right one could make the process quick and easy whereas selecting one that does not fit your organization’s needs or standards could be a waste of your time.

There are some guidelines for picking the phone append service provider that’s right for your nonprofit. For example, you’ll want to find a phone append provider that:

  • Checks your current phone numbers. Receiving missing phone numbers is helpful, but what about the incorrect or outdated ones hiding in your supporter database? A good phone append service will check the phone numbers you currently have and update any that are no longer viable.
  • Offers other types of appends. If you need multiple kinds of data appends, it’s best to get them all from the same service provider. This cuts down on costs and time needed to receive your data. To make the process easier, look for a phone append service that offers other types of appends in addition to phone appends, such as postal address and employer appends.
  • Provides landline and cell phone numbers. These days, most people communicate using their cell phone numbers, but some may prefer their landlines. It’s important to find a phone append service provider that can find all relevant phone numbers no matter what type.
  • Checks for accuracy. The whole point of phone appends is that they will prevent you from calling the wrong numbers and wasting your time. Make sure that’s the case by selecting a phone append service that has checks in place for accuracy.
  • Finds phone appends for individuals and businesses. Perhaps your organization has some businesses they need to update contact information for in addition to individuals. A good phone append service will be able to find appends for both individuals and businesses.
  • Works quickly. You probably won’t want to wait long to incorporate your phone appends into your CRM and start putting them to use. See if your phone append service can provide an estimate of how quickly they’ll be able to return your phone appends.
  • Gives nonprofits quotes. It’s likely your organization has a budget for how much they’re willing to spend on phone appends. Get an idea of how much a phone append service will cost you with a quote.

Try to find a phone append service with these characteristics.

Think about which of these guidelines are most important to your organization and prioritize them when you conduct your phone append service search. It’s even possible to find a phone append provider that has it all. For example, NPOInfo by Double the Donation offers everything we’ve listed above.

Request a quote from NPOInfo!

After you've gone through the phone number appending process, you'll want to continue building relationships with donors and volunteers.

Wrapping Up

Communication with your donors and volunteers is what ensures lasting relationships and support. To make sure you can effectively reach out to your supporters through texts or phone calls, reach out to a phone append service and learn more about how they could help you find the phone numbers you need.

Once you have your phone appends, you might be looking for more tips that will help you keep donors and volunteers around. Check out these resources for advice on how to retain your supporters and put your phone appends to good use:

  • Improving the Donor Journey with Matching Gifts. Knowing that their employer will match their donations to your cause can get donors excited about the expanded impact they can have on your organization. Make sure to use your phone appends to inform your donors of any matching gift opportunities available to them.
  • Donor Thank-You Letters: What You Need to Say. Showing donors how much you appreciate them is an important part of your relationships with your supporters. Sending a simple thank-you text message or making a thank-you call can show how much you care.
  • Volunteer Engagement | Strategies for Smart Organizations. The best way to keep volunteers around is to make sure they’re engaged and excited about helping your organization. This article will provide you with some tips for retaining volunteers. You’re already off to a great start with phone appends because they’ll allow you to stay in touch with your volunteers.

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

 

Find out more about what an address append is and how it could help your organization.

What Is an Address Append? Ultimate Guide for Nonprofits

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As a nonprofit professional, you know that reaching out to your supporters is an essential part of your fundraising and marketing strategy. You’ve built relationships with these people, and in order to strengthen them, you must stay in touch using effective communication. However, you might not have all of the correct contact information that will allow you to connect with your supporters. That’s where address appends come into play.

Donors, volunteers, and board members among other supporters have probably provided you with information such as their email addresses or phone numbers on registration or lead forms. Other information such as mailing addresses may be more difficult to obtain, especially if you don’t want to ask people outright for their addresses.

An address append will allow you to take existing supporter data to verify someone’s identity and fill in the missing postal address information. Instead of directly asking your supporters for their addresses, you can work with an address append service to efficiently obtain that information and keep your direct mailing efforts alive.

Now you know that address appends could be useful to your organization, but what exactly are they? We will answer the following questions to help you better understand the basics of an address append:

At Double the Donation, we make matching gifts easy for nonprofits. We know the importance of efficiency and easy access to the data you need to grow your organization. That’s why we’re providing you this guide to address appends to make sure your nonprofit has the information it needs to reach its supporters.

With that, let’s dive into address appends and how they could help out your nonprofit!
Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.

Read on for the basics of address appends.

What Is An Address Append?

An address append when you use an online database or service to find the correct, most recent mailing address for someone based on other information about them such as their name, phone number, or email address.

With address appends, you can send direct mail to individuals without having to ask them for their mailing address. You can also use these services to verify that the past postal address you have for someone is still accurate. Therefore, address appends make it easier for nonprofits to communicate with their supporters without having to scour the Internet for the necessary information.

Explore the fundamentals of nonprofit appends in our data appending quick guide.

Check out the benefits of address appends.

Why Are Address Appends Useful?

You might be wondering why address appends are important, especially if most of your marketing occurs online. However, direct mail is still an effective marketing method that your organization should leverage.

Address appends can have many benefits for your organization.

With the help of address appends, your organization could put together a stellar direct mail campaign. Additionally, address appends are useful because they can help you do the following:

  • Change up your marketing methods. These days, many nonprofits solely focus on digital marketing. While digital marketing is certainly a great way to reach people, don’t forget the old-school methods of communication! Adding direct mail to your mix of marketing efforts will allow you to reach supporters in a different and perhaps more engaging way.
  • Keep direct mail alive for a personal touch. Getting a physical letter in the mail is always more personal than an email or social media message sent with the click of a button. Your supporters will recognize the thought that went into sending them real mail.
  • Segment your marketing campaigns. When you have a full picture of who your supporters are, you can communicate with them more effectively. Knowing more about the location of your supporters can help you customize the mail you send to them based on their location. For example, if you’re hosting an event in Atlanta, GA, you’ll likely only want to send mail about the event to nearby supporters who may be able to attend.
  • Update supporter contact information. It’s possible that you already have mailing addresses for some of your supporters. Luckily, address appends also account for address changes to ensure all of your supporter contact information is up to date.
  • Reduce the time you spend researching supporter data. Think about how time-consuming it would be to manually search public records and other information sources to pluck out the addresses you’re looking for. Address append services save you time that you can allocate to more important projects and tasks.
  • Maximize your target audience. The more correct mailing addresses you have on file, the more people you can send mail to who could actually contribute to the cause or event you’re informing them about. Sending direct mail to people is important, but sending it to the right people is even more vital.
  • Save money you could be wasting by sending mail to the wrong addresses. Not only is it a waste of time and energy to send mail to incorrect addresses, but it’s also a huge waste of your nonprofit’s marketing budget! Direct mail campaigns are naturally more expensive than digital marketing campaigns, but the investment can be worth it if you’re sending mail to people you know will give back to your organization.

Clearly, address append data can help you learn more about your supporters and in turn run a successful direct mail campaign. However, you’re probably curious about how address append services obtain the information you need. Let’s take a closer look at the process so you can experience all the great benefits of postal address appending.

We'll walk you through the address append process.

How Do Address Appends Work?

As we’ve mentioned previously, an address append service can make the process extremely easy for nonprofits. Before reaching out to a provider, you’ll want to make sure you understand how the process works, so you’re fully prepared.

The way address appends work is that you first provide an address append service with the existing supporter information in your CRM. It works best if you give them as much information as possible, which could include:

  • A unique identification number
  • Name
  • Region
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • College or university
  • Class year and major/degree
  • Employer
  • Last donation amount
  • Date of last donation
  • Date entry was last updated

After receiving your supporters’ information, an address append service provider will match that information with the data they have in their own database or find in public records.

Check out how address append services take the information you have to give you the information you need.

While the process is pretty straightforward, you may be wondering how these address append services know that the information they’re providing you is correct. The answer is that they typically ensure the information is accurate before they send it to you by performing different types of accuracy scans and checks. Some may even provide an accuracy rating so you have an idea of how accurate the data you’re receiving is.

Most address append services also offer other types of appends.

What If I’m Missing Other Information?

You might just be missing mailing addresses from your supporters, but you could also be missing other information. Not to worry, though! Most address append services also supply nonprofits with other types of appends, including:

These are the types of data appends that you can get beyond address appends.

If your organization is looking for other categories of information in addition to address appends, most data append services will append everything at once based on the information you provide them. That way, you can get all the information you’re looking for as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Check out how different organizations use address appends.

How Can My Nonprofit Use Address Appends?

The great thing about address appends is that they’re not limited to one type of nonprofit. Any nonprofit organization can benefit from address appends if they’re looking to improve their direct mail campaigns. Check out these examples of how different organizations can use this service:

Advocacy Groups

Some causes depend on having supporters located in certain areas. For example, political campaigns often target specific regions where support is strong to remind them to vote or where support is weak to see if they can capture their attention. Address appends can help you identify where supporters live so you can segment them based on location.

Associations

Associations depend on communication with their members to ensure that they keep their membership programs alive. Ensuring you’re sending mail to the correct addresses will make it easier for members to renew their memberships, stay up to date with your association, and continue to engage with your organization.

Schools

Support from alumni can really help take your initiatives off the ground. These are the people who comprise the legacy of your school and want to see it continue to prosper. By sending them magazines and newsletters, you can stay in touch with alumni and continue to foster their relationships with your school. In turn, they may be more willing to donate or volunteer when needed.

Broader Nonprofits

Is your organization having trouble retaining volunteers? Could your organization benefit from recurring donations? For most nonprofits, the answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes.

Address appends can help you to seamlessly communicate with your supporters and remind them of any upcoming opportunities available to them. Hopefully, your regular communication with them will make them feel more connected to your organization and therefore more willing to offer their help, whether through volunteering or donating.

Takeaway: No matter what type of organization you’re a part of, you can benefit from address appends. You’ll just have to find an address append service provider that is efficient and acts as an extension of your team.

Before getting started with address appends, you'll have to select an address append service.

How Do I Choose the Right Address Append Service Provider?

If you’ve decided address appends would be useful to your organization, the next step is to look for an address append service provider. Since you’re entrusting an external party with your supporters’ information, you’ll want to make sure you do your research and pick the right provider.

Here are some qualities to look for in an address append service provider:

  • Uses accuracy checking. Address appends are useless if they don’t contain accurate addresses for your supporters. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure the address append service you choose conducts scans and checks to ensure the data they give you is accurate.
  • Provides other kinds of appends. If you’re looking for address appends, chances are you could benefit from another type as well. Address append services that provide other kinds of appends will make sure that you can gather all the information you need at once and go through the process more efficiently.
  • Sources data from reputable information sources. It’s helpful to know where your address append service provider is gathering their information. For example, NPOInfo primarily uses National Change of Address screenings from USPS.
  • Gives address information in a standard format. Once you receive your address appends, you’ll want them to be ready for you to use right away. Look for an address append service provider that provides all of their data in a standard format that meets USPS’s requirements for bulk mailing.
  • Has a quick turnaround. The quicker you receive your address appends, the quicker you can put your direct mail campaigns into action. Check your provider’s website to see if they give an estimate of how long their services take.
  • Offers free quotes. It’s always helpful to have an idea of how much a service for your nonprofit will cost. Good address append service providers will allow you to submit information about your organization and indicate how much data you’re looking for so that they can offer you a free quote for their services.

Qualities of an address append provider

While this is a long list of requirements, there are address append service providers out there that can satisfy all of your organization’s needs, like NPOInfo! After all, you’re entrusting them with your supporters’ data.

Check out our recommended address append service provider, NPOInfo.

Read on for more resources on data appends.

Conclusion & Additional Resources

By now, you’ve learned all about address appends and how they help nonprofits maximize their direct mail campaigns. Any information you can add to the supporter data you already have can help you to foster better, more meaningful relationships with them, and address appends are no different.

From segmented campaigns based on location to donation request letters ending up in the hands of your supporters, there are so many benefits that address appends can have for your organization.

If you’re interested in learning more about data appends, check out the resources we’ve listed below:

Enhance nonprofit fundraising by appending donor data with Double the Donation.