Your homepage is the first thing people see when they visit your site, and priority number one is letting people know who you are and what you do. Part of what you do is receive donations, and matching gifts for those donations, so including links to information about matching gift programs is a good idea.
The two approaches (which can be combined, of course) are placing matching gift links such that people can find them if they are looking for them (navigation bars) and inserting links so that they jump out at site visitors, such that the link is more or less an advertisement for matching gifts (banner ads).
Let’s take a closer look at each approach through proven strategies.
Navigation Bars
Every useful website has a navigation bar that helps people to discover relevant information. Including a link to matching gift programs in your navigation bar puts matching gifts in a visible location where donors can easily find and access the information. A link in the navigation bar won’t advertise matching gifts to unknowing donors, but if a donor is on your site and looking for how to apply for a matching gift then he will easily be able to navigate to a page to learn how.
To get a better idea of how navigation bars work, here’s an example from Lafayette Partners in Education:
Screenshot of Lafayette Partners in Education’s Website
(http://lpie.org/)
This is a clean, modern site, with an easily visible and useable navigation bar. They incorporate matching gifts under the fundraising tab, so it’s part of a larger topic. This link won’t function as an advertisement, but, for someone who is looking for matching gifts or ways which they can contribute to the organization, the website provides an intuitive way to access that information.
When a website visitor clicks on the “Matching Gift Program” link they’re taken to Lafayette Partner In Education’s dedicated matching gift page:
If you want to advertise matching gifts on your homepage then banner ads are a great way to go. A banner ad will catch eyes and make people think about matching gifts. This informs donors about matching gifts when they may be visiting your site for other purposes.
Here’s a banner ad in action from Autism Speaks:
Screenshot of an Event Page for Autism Speaks
Highlighted by the green box, this banner ad works because it’s clean, easy to read, and its color stands out from the color scheme of the homepage. People notice when something stands out in a crowd. A 2011 study in the journal Emotion claimed that reaction times become faster and more forceful when people see a bright color, so the choice of color was well selected. Little factors such as color can play vital roles in whether or not people respond to your banner ads, so if you have the time to get intricate with your banners it will be time well spent.
Autism Speaks also created their own custom matching graphics to include throughout their website. Examples of individualized banners used by Autism Speaks include:
Everything about these banners is clean and easy to read. The iconic puzzle piece logos add a touch of intimate personality that separates the images from plain text graphics. The difference in shapes, square versus rectangle, highlights that your banner can and should be tailored to the size that works best on your website.
Still clean and basic, this banner adds simple details, such as a faded color scheme and the orange ribbon in the top right corner. The image works great on donation confirmation screens, and make sure to link the graphic to your dedicated matching gift page.
The picture of the gift box is enough to signal to the user that this banner has something to do with giving or gifts prior to the user engaging with the white text. And the white text is easy to read and the large, capitalized letters, which will likely be the first words you read, tell you exactly what the box is addressing. As for the psychological effects of the color, green is commonly associated with balance and harmony, such as the balance a matching gift brings to the original donation and the harmony between you and donors. There are serious benefits to thinking out the minor details of banner ads in order to leverage major psychological impacts.
Your nonprofit does not have to advertise for matching gifts on its homepage, but it’s a good idea if you want to raise awareness for matching gifts. Regardless, including information about matching gifts in a logical place, such as a navigation bar, is a must.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Untitled-design.png321845Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2015-02-02 13:03:002022-06-20 07:54:20Feature Matching Gifts on Your Homepage and Across Your Website
According to recent studies, more than 26 million individuals work for companies that match employee gifts. However, an estimated 78% of the group has never been informed about the available philanthropic programming. Thus, in order to maximize funding, it’s important to increase matching gift awareness across your network of support.
In this guide, we’ll touch on some impactful marketing efforts to get your donors ramped up to submit those matching gift forms to their employers. But we’ll also cover why awareness is crucial to matching gift success, how you can set your staff up to champion your efforts, and what to do after educating donors about the opportunities at hand.
Surely, your organization aims to maximize the impact of each donation you receive. Matching gifts are one of the best ways to do so—but in order to drive results, your supporters need to know about them.
Let’s get started!
Why increasing matching gift awareness matters
Ensuring donors are aware of matching gifts is one of the biggest obstacles your organization will face. However, it’s essential for increasing funding through these programs.
There are billions (yes, billions—to the tune of $4,000,000,000 to $7,000,000,000 worth) of corporate giving dollars left unclaimed each year. Why? Largely because the majority of eligible donors have never been informed of the opportunity.
In fact, without a strategic approach to increase matching gift awareness…
78% of donors do not know if their company offers a matching gift program;
15% of donors know their company has a program but are unsure if they’re eligible or how to submit a matching gift request;
Only 7% of donors are aware that their company matches gifts, know they’re eligible, and understand how to submit their matching gift requests.
Not to mention, donors love participating in matching gift programs—so long as they know they exist. These initiatives allow them to double or even triple the impact of their giving to the charitable organizations they support. And they don’t even have to reach back into their own wallets to do so!
An analysis of donor behavior even indicates that nonprofit supporters are more likely to give—and to give more—when they know their donations will be matched. In fact, 84% of survey participants say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered. And 1 in 3 donors would give a larger gift if matching is applied!
As a result, organizations saw a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount when matching gifts were mentioned.
That means when donors are aware of the opportunities, your organization can benefit not only from more corporate matches but from increased individual giving altogether.
Starting with your staff; driving awareness internally
Increasing matching gift awareness among donors is critical for a nonprofit to maximize its fundraising potential. However, before a nonprofit can effectively communicate the benefits of matching gifts to donors, it is crucial that its internal team fully understands the opportunity themselves.
After all, a nonprofit’s staff (or volunteers) are likely the primary point of contact with supporters. Therefore, it’s essential that the internal team understands the concepts behind corporate matching gifts and is equipped to support donors interested in participating.
Here’s what we recommend:
Conducting regularly scheduled dedicated matching gift training sessions for all donor-facing staff and volunteers;
Incorporating matching gift information in new team member onboarding materials going forward;
Developing easily accessible internal materials that provide an overview of matching gifts, frequently asked questions and answers, benefits, and more;
Establishing a matching gift team leader to whom the rest of the team can direct inquiries regarding matching gifts to learn more.
Luckily, Double the Donation offers a wide range of free resources that can help guide you through the process—from educational blog posts to immersive webinars and more.
Staff members who are familiar with matching gift programs can best serve as advocates for the opportunity to eligible donors. By equipping staff members with the knowledge and tools necessary to promote corporate matching, a nonprofit can effectively communicate the benefits of matching gifts to donors and maximize its fundraising potential.
10 marketing methods to increase matching gift awareness among donors
Now it’s time to make your donors aware of the available programming that can double their impact on your cause.
There are a ton of ways to do so—but we’ve selected a few of our favorite marketing strategies to increase matching gift awareness for your audience here.
1. Create a matching gift web page.
To make it easy for donors to learn about matching gift programs, create a dedicated matching gift web page on your nonprofit’s website.
This centralized hub of matching gift information should provide an overview of corporate donation-matching, explain the tangible benefits of these programs for your cause, and include an intuitive database search tool for donors to uncover their own eligibility.
You’ll also want to include basic information about your organization, including contact details for your matching gift coordinator, your tax ID number, and more.
In doing so, you can target supporters who are perusing your website—which can actually drive them further down the donation funnel and encourage them to give more—and provide donors with a trusted resource with everything they need to get started.
Then, you can link to this hub in your other marketing materials, demonstrating how donors can learn more about the opportunity. You might even use your match page to train your internal staff on matching gifts!
2. Highlight matching in fundraising appeals.
We mentioned previously that when donors are informed of matching gift opportunities prior to making their contributions, they’re more likely to give and give in larger amounts. In order to drive awareness beforehand, your fundraising appeals can really come in handy.
As you craft your next donation appeal, incorporate a quick blurb about matching gifts and the amplified impact they bring. This can be just what you need to drive on-the-fence supporters into action-taking donors!
Here’s an example: “Dear [donor], Do you work for a match-maker? Thousands of companies—employing millions of qualifying donors—agree to match the charitable gifts their team members contribute to nonprofits like ours. Find out if your company participates by searching here. Then, head to our donation form to make a match-eligible gift (or request a match from a previous and still-eligible donation)!”
3. Embed in online donation pages.
If an individual navigates to your nonprofit donation page, chances are that they’d like to support your cause. That makes your online giving forms the perfect place to promote gift-matching.
And it’s also one of your best opportunities to request employment information. [Hint: Once collected, this detail can directly aid your team in uncovering and pursuing match-eligible donations.]
We recommend embedding Double the Donation’s smart company search tool that allows donors to choose from auto-completing search results. It even takes into account common typos and company subsidiaries for the most accurate results, ensuring users can quickly select their employer from our robust database and move on to the next steps without slowing down the giving experience.
To encourage donors to complete the optional field, you’ll also want to include a short blurb about matching gifts that provides context as to why you’re asking for employment data. Here’s an example: “Millions of donors qualify to have their charitable gifts matched by their employers. See if your company offers such a program by entering your employer’s name in the box.”
4. Mention on your confirmation screen.
Immediately after completing an online donation, nonprofit supporters typically remain at a high level of engagement. It’s important to take advantage of this momentum and immediately encourage eligible donors to secure a matching gift.
And your donation confirmation or thank-you screen is a great place to begin! After all, matching gifts make a great “Next Steps” option for supporters looking to increase their impact after they submit their donations.
Consider adding a message to your confirmation screen such as this: “Thanks for your donation! Did you know your employer may match your gift and double its impact? Check if your contribution is eligible by searching for your company here.”
And when you embed Double the Donation’s matching gift plugin, you can provide quick and easy access to company-specific guidelines, forms, and more. Plus, if the individual provides their employer’s name during the giving process, the plugin tool will automatically populate with that company’s program details and direct links to submission forms!
This allows individuals to quickly move from the “general awareness of matching gift programs as a concept” phase to the “specific knowledge of their company’s initiatives and guidelines” in no time. And remember—the latter is where you want your donors to be!
5. Include matching gift information in donation acknowledgments.
If your nonprofit organization is not already including information about matching gift opportunities in donor acknowledgment letters, it’s super easy to start. Keep in mind, though, that you won’t want this to be your sole matching gift promotion. Automated donation acknowledgments and gift receipts are often quickly discarded and may ultimately end up in a “trash” box before the donor arrives at the included matching gift mention.
Still, including a brief section about corporate matching gift opportunities can be an excellent way to whet your supporters’ appetites regarding the programs. Direct donors to your aforementioned matching gift web page, and let them know that they should soon expect to receive an additional email follow-up dedicated to matching gifts.
It can be as simple as this: “Did you know that many corporations offer employee giving programs where they match donations to [your organization’s name]? Search for your company on our matching gift page to see if they provide matching gifts! Or keep an eye out for detailed next steps in a separate email.”
6. Send separate matching gift follow-up emails.
Chances are, some donors are likely to miss out on your confirmation page and/or acknowledgment promotions. But you still want to ensure that all of your supporters are exposed to matching gift information so they can make an informed decision about their next steps.
The best way to do this?Send dedicated matching gift emails after each donation you receive.
(This is also a great reminder avenue for donors who did become aware of matching gifts previously but ultimately opted to procrastinate their requests.)
If you have a record of a donor’s employer, you can even incorporate detailed and company-specific program guidelines. This will help recipients quickly determine match eligibility and lead them directly to their companies’ online submission forms to complete the request. If you’ve yet to identify a supporter’s employer, encourage them once again to provide that information so you can guide them through the matching process.
By highlighting matching gifts while your organization and its cause are still fresh on donors’ minds, you increase the likelihood that they will take action to double their gifts. That’s why we recommend sending these follow-up messages within 24 hours of receiving the initial gift. In fact, organizations that do so see an estimated 53% open rate, which is more than two to three times the average nonprofit email open rate.
7. Engage on social media.
Social media sites can be a great way to increase matching gift awareness across a wider audience. Plus, you can encourage supporters to interact with and share your content with their own followers.
Make sure to schedule regular messages throughout the year, noting occasions like Matching Gift Month and more. Use your social platforms to share stories about how the money raised for your organization is helping grow your mission—and how doubling those gifts helps amplify impact.
For the best results, adjust your messaging based on the platform on which you plan to share it. For example…
Twitter is great for short-and-sweet blurbs about matching gifts;
Facebook posts can be a bit longer and more in-depth;
Instagram is designed for image-sharing—so be sure to choose eye-catching graphics that help demonstrate the power of matching gifts.
And don’t forget about vide0-sharing sites, either—YouTube and even TikTok offer excellent opportunities for sharing matching gift videos and more.
Regardless of what you post or where you post it, you’ll want to provide direct links to resources users can access for additional information.
8. Enlist snail-mail promotions.
While electronic communication is speedy and efficient, there are still donors who would still rather the personal touch of a tangible mailing. If your organization employs direct mail outreach in your fundraising, consider exploring the tactic to increase matching gift awareness among your direct-mail-preferred donor segment.
However, you’ll want to keep in mind that the investment for this strategy can add up quickly—so make sure you’re still expecting an appropriate return.
There are a number of ways to keep your costs low, too. For example, if you’re already hosting a direct mail campaign, you might include an insert on matching gifts into your existing fundraising packet. Or similarly, you can even print matching gift information directly onto your donation return envelopes!
Still, we recommend retaining physical mailings for only your most lucrative matching gift opportunities.
9. Host a live-stream event.
If they’ve never heard of the programs before, your donors are likely to have a number of questions about matching gifts. As you begin to integrate donation-matching promotions into your overall fundraising efforts, consider hosting a live-stream event.
This will allow you to engage with your audience in real-time, encouraging supporters to attend, ask questions, and learn more about getting involved with their employers’ corporate giving programs.
Not to mention, it will also provide a unique opportunity for your team to show the persons behind your organization with a virtual, yet face-to-face experience.
10. Employ end-of-year reminders.
Unfortunately, donations typically have a limited time span during which they qualify for corporate matching. Though it can differ from company to company, many program windows close at the end of the year. Thus, it’s critical that you increase matching gift awareness among donors before it’s too late.
And end-of-year reminders can be a great way to do so.
As the year comes to a close, consider sending additional outreach that reiterates the availability of matching gifts. This can be especially beneficial for those who had been marked match-eligible despite not seeming to have submitted their matches.
Remember: the urgency at the end of the year can be an excellent tool for driving action along with awareness. So make the most of it!
After awareness — next steps to consider
Informing individuals about matching gift opportunities is phase one in securing additional financial support. But you can’t stop there!
After ensuring awareness of matching gifts, there are a few next steps we recommend to ultimately drive matches to completion, determine success, and thank donors for their above-and-beyond support.
Remind supporters about matching gifts.
Sometimes the initial steps you take to inform your audience about matching gifts won’t be enough to actually produce results. In those cases, take the extra step to remind qualifying donors about their matching gift eligibility after the fact.
To do so, it helps to track which identified matches have been submitted by donors and which ones appear to remain unclaimed. Then, follow up on incomplete matches by reminding donors about the opportunity and how easily they can get involved.
Here’s a hint: manually tracking and following up on matching gifts can be quite the undertaking. We recommend employing automation software like 360MatchPro to identify, pursue, and monitor matches throughout the process.
Thank donors for their submissions.
Once you’re notified that an individual has completed their end of the matching gift request process, be sure to thank them for doing so. Communicate the amplified impact of an individual donation when matched, and show your appreciation accordingly.
To make your gratitude stand out in your recipients’ inboxes, consider employing customizable donor recognition eCards. It’s a fun and creative way to thank your matching gift donors for taking the next steps to amplify their giving impact. And it will keep your organization at the forefront of the recipient’s mind for longer, too!
Communicate gratitude for completed matches.
Your supporters also want to know if and when your organization receives the associated match to their donation. Despite the matching gift not coming from an individual’s own wallet, it’s important to recognize that the additional contribution would not have been possible without their actions on your behalf.
Plus, it helps close the loop with the original donor, confirming with them that the match was ultimately successful. Otherwise, they might never know it was completed, and they wouldn’t be as likely to request a match in the future.
Bonus tip: In your acknowledgments, you can even link a survey that asks donors how they learned about matching gifts. Consider listing your primary marketing efforts along with an “other” field or free response option. This will help determine which efforts are worth prioritizing in the future as well as which may be less impactful for your particular audience.
Identify ongoing opportunities.
Your organization should also be able to determine if a majority of matching gifts are coming from one company in particular or from a wide array of employers.
This is noteworthy because if your matching gifts seem to be coming from a few major employers, consider publicly recognizing the company as a valuable partner to your organization.
You can even reach out to pursue additional corporate sponsorships. This might include upcoming events, cause marketing opportunities, in-kind donations, workplace giving campaigns, and more.
Measure matching gift marketing impact.
Our final recommended step involves ensuring that your above-mentioned marketing efforts are actually working. One key piece of advice we have is to visualize your data with a chart or graph. This way, you can easily view the total (number, revenue, or percentage) of matching gifts received in a set time period.
Then, compare that figure to your previous month, year, etc., to show the difference between your results pre- and post-marketing strategy. Can you see a discernible difference in the number of matching gifts being sent in?
But to scale up your reporting capabilities, the right matching gift software can make a big difference here as well. For example, Double the Donation empowers organizations to easily track metrics such as their:
Total individual donations
Percentage of donations flagged as match-eligible
Total number of matching gifts submitted
Number of matching gifts verified by your organization
Number of matching gifts ultimately received
Percentage of matching gifts completed
Value of received matching gifts
Percentage increase due to matching gift revenue
And more!
From there, you can take a look at your data, locate apparent trends, identify successes, and explore areas with room for improvement.
Wrapping Up
There are a variety of ways to market matching gifts to your donors, and increasing awareness of the opportunity can go a long way.
Too much money goes unclaimed by nonprofits and their donors due to a lack of awareness about corporate giving initiatives. This shouldn’t be the case!
Make sure you’re educating your supporters on a consistent and ongoing basis, and you could be well on your way to a substantial increase in matching gift fundraising success.
Interested in learning more about matching gift opportunities and how to drive participation for your nonprofit cause? Check out these additional recommended resources:
How to Get Matching Gifts Trending at Your Organization. How can you use current marketing trends to get the word out about matching gift opportunities? We share several innovative ideas, from social media usage to artificial intelligence, in this recent blog post.
Top Matching Gift Practices | Actionable Insights & Examples. Explore real-world examples of matching gift success. This guide walks through tried-and-true tips from the nation’s leading nonprofits—and how they promote matching gifts to their audiences.
Interested in learning more about communicating the value of matching gifts and securing buy-in from your stakeholders? Check out our immersive webinar on the topic!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/DTD_How-to-Increase-Donor-Awareness-about-Matching-Gift-Programs_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2014-08-25 21:31:022023-07-21 14:23:05Increase Matching Gift Awareness [And Revenue!]
Many nonprofits host special event fundraisers like galas to boost them toward their revenue goals. However, only a few organizations realize that tickets and donations made during the event might be eligible for corporate matching gifts.
When brainstorming ideas for your next fundraiser, don’t steer clear of special events. Instead, research your donors’ employers and your corporate match opportunities. To kick off your research, review the following key examples and commonalities between companies’ giving programs:
Ready to learn more about matching gifts for special event fundraisers? Let’s get started!
1. Examples of Donations at Annual Galas and Special Events
Because of your familiarity with the nonprofit world, you likely know that organizations typically incorporate donations with their special events.
Let’s take a look at some notable special events hosted by some major, well-known organizations:
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association gives individuals an opportunity to name one of its animals. For donations between $1,000-$50,000, you can name an animal, receive recognition in the zoo publication, have your photo taken with the animal, and get a VIP tour.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden has its Garden of Eden Gala, the organization’s largest annual fundraiser. Tickets range in price from a few hundred dollars to $25,000 if you want to be the presenting sponsor. Benefits include tickets to the organization’s Ball, a Patron Party, and much more.
NEXT for Autism (formerly New York Collaborates for Autism) hosts its annual “Night of Too Many Stars”. Celebrities such as Jon Stewart, Katie Perry, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Seth Rogan, and many others auction off once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to hang out with them. For instance, becoming “best friends with Amy Poehler & Tina Fey” for an evening was auctioned for thousands of dollars a few years ago.
Most nonprofits aren’t quite on this huge event level, but it’s a great place to start researching. Take the time to look at special events hosted by major nonprofits whose missions are similar to yours. Who knows? Their major fundraisers may inspire your next event!
2. Eligibility of Donations Made at Galas and Special Events
It may come as a surprise, but many companies that offer matching gift programs will match donations made at special events!
When reviewing a company’s matching gift form, you may notice a sentence similar to “the corporation will not match tickets or subscriptions.” For instance, if your organization is a symphony selling a concert ticket or a science museum selling an IMAX ticket, companies won’t match the ticket price.
The reason for this is that donors are receiving a tangible benefit that would be charged by other for-profit organizations. For example, an IMAX movie could be compared to a regular movie ticket while the symphony could be compared to a sporting event ticket.
If that’s the case, then why are gala tickets and special event tickets often eligible?
If you look at the fine print on many nonprofits’ special event tickets, you’ll notice that it mentions a tax-deductible amount for each ticket. The tax-deductible dollar amount is what’s eligible to be matched.
In general, at galas, you must subtract the cost of a similar meal and any gifts that guests receive. Otherwise, it won’t be considered matching-gift eligible. For instance, if you host a gala and sell $500 tickets, you have to determine the fair market value of the benefits. In other words, how much would someone spend on the event if it wasn’t a fundraiser?
Let’s say people would typically spend $100 for a gala like yours plus $50 on the meal at a local restaurant. That makes the fair market value $150, meaning the tax-deductible amount is $350. In this case, $350 is the amount that would eligible for matches.
The Bottom Line: A significant percentage of a gala ticket’s price is tax-deductible and is often eligible to be matched by an employee’s company. However, corporate guidelines do vary by company.
3. Matching Gifts for Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers
When researching corporate match programs, you may come across some companies that match the fundraising efforts of its employees. In other words, if their employees voluntarily fundraise for your cause (i.e. peer-to-peer fundraising), a company that offers this program will match the entire amount up to a certain limit.
Some of the major companies that offer these generous programs are:
Peer-to-peer fundraising is a common strategy for boosting nonprofit revenue. With these campaigns, your volunteer fundraisers receive their own personalized webpages where they raise money for your cause. The most common example of these effective fundraisers is walkathons. Though these campaigns are heavily reliant on online tactics, once you master the peer-to-peer approach, you’ll boost your fundraising potential!
4. Tips for Promoting Matching Gifts to Special Event Attendees
Unfortunately, for organizations, it’s less common to receive employee matching gifts for galas and special events than it is for regular donations or annual fund contributions.
As with all donations, you have to raise awareness and make it easy for donors to submit matching gift requests. However, there’s an extra component when it comes to galas and special events.
Even if an individual knows about their company’s matching gift program, they rarely realize a portion of their recently purchased ticket is tax-deductible and often match-eligible. Therefore, you need to promote this. Start by doing the following:
Include the tax-deductible amount on the ticket with a line such as “Did you know $X of your ticket is tax-deductible? If your employer offers a matching gift program, it may be eligible to be matched.”
If you subscribe to Double the Donation’s matching gift service, consider setting up a laptop with your organization’s page about matching gifts that’s easily accessible at your event.
At payment stations where donors pay for auction items, make sure your staff asks each individual or his or her spouse if they work for a company with a matching gift program.
Do you give donors an acknowledgement card after they buy a ticket or make an additional donation? If so, this is a great time to encourage donors to see if their employer or their spouse’s employer offers a matching gift program.
In addition to helping your day-to-day fundraising strategy, a matching gift database (like Double the Donation) can help your organization pinpoint additional revenue opportunities at special events.
Your nonprofit should promote corporate giving at any special fundraising event. Before going into ways to do this, here’s how Double the Donation works:
A nonprofit embeds the tool on its website or online donation page.
A donor (or volunteer) starts typing his/her employer’s name.
The database autocompletes the search, suggesting companies for the user to click.
The user receives all available updated information on his/her employer’s giving program.
Best of all, the tool easily integrates with other fundraising software. Larger nonprofits might benefit more from 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, which streamlines the process even more through email automation and email domain screening.
There are multiple ways you can promote corporate philanthropy with Double the Donation’s services:
At your event, set up a laptop with your page that has the search tool embedded.
Analyze your guest list prior to the event and research attendees’ employers. That way, you’ll have more insight on who to approach at your event.
For your event, create and hand out educational pamphlets on matching gifts and local employers that offer them.
Get creative with your matching gift promotion! Think your nonprofit can benefit from Double the Donation?
Corporate philanthropy represents a major opportunity for nonprofits. By taking the time to incorporate it into your fundraising and outreach strategies, you set your nonprofit up for success. Few nonprofits take the time to do proper research on these programs. Because of that, they overlook major revenue opportunities.
Now that you know special event tickets and donations can be matched by most employers, get started boosting your revenue!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Special-Fundraising-Events_Feature.jpg285725Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2014-04-25 13:06:232023-03-06 17:45:36Matching Gifts for Special Fundraising Events
Does your organization have a strategy in place to maximize fundraising from employee matching gift programs? If not, taking donors and members to company specific matching gift forms is a great place to start.
Directing donors and members directly to matching gift forms is far more effective than suggesting they “reach out to HR”. In fact, it’s one of the most effective ways your organization can increase fundraising from corporate matching gift programs.
At Double the Donation, we utilize four different approaches to directing your organizations donors and members to the forms they need to submit matching gift requests. We know each method isn’t created equal, so we’ve prioritized the information we provide to donors to maximize the likelihood they’ll submit a matching gift request.
This post is designed to shed light on the prioritization process we use to ensure your donors can easily double their donations. Feel free to contact us via email or schedule time to chat with someone from our team if you have any questions.
Direct Donors to the Electronic Matching Gift Submission Process (1st Preference)
Many of the largest companies offer an electronic matching gift submission process. While a few companies have developed their own proprietary process, the majority of companies contract the matching gift administration process out to a vendor (ex. Easymatch, Cybergrant, etc.)
Fortunately for nonprofits, in the majority of instances the electronic login page is actually publicly available on a website which anyone can access. We direct donors to the login page where they enter their username and password and then proceed through the matching gift submission process.
Rationale: Your donors are already online and looking for company specific matching gift information. They’re most likely to submit a match request electronically, especially since once at the proper location, it only takes a few minutes.
Link to the company’s matching gift website where forms are located (2nd Preference)
While more and more companies continue to migrate over to an electronic submission process, many still require donors to print out / fill out a paper matching gift form. In many cases the form is posted out on a publicly accessible website so we direct donors to the company page where the matching form can be downloaded.
The two possible approaches were for us to download these forms and host them on Double the Donation’s servers or direct donors to the actual company page where the forms are hosted. After testing both strategies, we ultimately decided on the latter
Rationale: While directing donors to a company page to download the form involves an extra step, we see it as the preferred method for providing donors with the form. It ensures they have access to the most up-to-date form as well as reassures them the matching program is still active form.
Click here to view an example of Marathon Oil’s matching gift details page where we direct donors to an electronic submission page
Provide Donors with the Matching Gift Form on our Servers – (3rd Preference)
If a company requires employees to submit a paper matching gift form, we do our best to provide the donor with a copy of the form. If it isn’t posted publicly on the company’s website, we request that the company provide us with a copy of the form.
In these cases we host the form on our server (typically as a PDF) so your donors can easily download it.
Rationale: Providing a copy of the form enables a donor to submit the matching gift request without having to dig around for additional information.
Redirect Donors to the Company Intranet or HR / Community Relations Contact
Unfortunately we don’t always have the best access to the matching gift forms your donors need. Typically this is for one of the following two reasons:
There’s an electronic submission process which can only be accessed over the company intranet.
The form is posted on the company intranet, but the company didn’t want to share a copy with Double the Donation.
In these cases we typically redirect donors to the company intranet. If it’s an online submission process, we notify the donor of this and ask them to go to a specific location on the intranet or to search for “matching gifts.” If there’s a paper form, we provide it via a link or host the form on our servers.
Rationale: While this is less than ideal, just telling donors “Hey, company XYZ will match your donation up to $5,000 and your organization is eligible” increases the likelihood they’ll log into the company intranet to retrieve the form.
Learn How to Raise More Money from Employee Matching Gift Programs.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Untitled-design2.png321845Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2013-01-20 21:41:412024-07-09 17:42:50Directing Donors to Matching Gift Forms | 4 Standard Methods
Social media – we all use it in one way or another. Whether we’re connecting with friends or catching up on the latest breaking news, social media has become an integral part of the daily routines of many.
But are you maximizing the impact of your social media platforms for your fundraising efforts, specifically in regards to matching gift programs?
Remember: With corporate matching gift programs, your organization is able to collect two donations for the price of soliciting one. Through these programs, employers pledge to match the donations made by their employees to nonprofit organizations such as yours, effectively doubling the impact of the original gift. These programs present a huge opportunity to increase your fundraising revenue,and you want to capitalize on them whenever possible.
Promoting corporate matching gift options using Twitter, Facebook, and the like is a quick, easy and cost-effective way (read: free) to reach your digitally savvy masses.
Social media is incredibly efficient, as you’re able to schedule posts in advance and on a recurring basis. This means you don’t have to remember to continue posting– the networks will do it for you! This paired with the extensive network available to you through these platforms makes social media an opportunity to use to the fullest.
We’re going to examine marketing matching gifts on social media through the following:
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook
However, before you begin posting about matching gifts on social media– which will inevitably bring forth donors interested in the programs– ensure your internal matching gifts processes are comprehensive.
The Best Way to Market Matching Gifts
Once you begin posting about matching gifts on social media, there’s a decent chance you’ll have a few interested donors inquiring about their eligibility. The easiest way to push donors in the right direction and get them started with the matching gift process is by simply directing them to a comprehensive matching gift tool!
For example, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro is the perfect tool for nonprofits looking to build their matching gifts solicitation processes. Embed this comprehensive, searchable database directly on your donation form and website, and then link to it in your social media posts. Then, when donors see your posts and are interested, they know exactly where to look to search for their own eligibility!
Additionally, this automated matching gifts tool allows for the immediate searching of a donor’s eligibility upon making a donation. Once an eligible donor is identified, the software sends automated marketing communications to inform the donor of matching gift opportunities.
Matching gift software provides you with an easy way to manage the influx of interest generated by social media posting. Now, let’s check out the following 12 sample posts to inspire your Twitter and Facebook-based matching gift marketing.
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Because of Twitter’s 280-character limitation, be concise and to-the-point in your communications. Further, include a quick link to your organization’s giving page, website, or dedicated matching gift page so interested donors can access it on-the-fly via tweet
Here are some example matching gift tweets:
1. Did you know your gift can be doubled, tripled & even quadrupled? Your employer might offer matching gift programs.
2. Did you donate to us this year? There’s still time to submit a matching gift request from your employer!
3. It’s February – do you love us? We love you, too! Click here to see if your company will double your donations: <insert URL>
4. Ever wonder if your employer matches donations? Search our database to learn more about your employer at <insert URL>.
5. Last year, we raised $X from corporate matching gift programs – help make 20XX a better year!
6. Did you know that tons of organizations offer matching gift opportunities? Check to see if yours does.
7. It takes just a few minutes to submit corporate employee matching gift forms… have you submitted yours?
Additionally, with retweets, donors can also easily share the word about your organization’s offering. The platform was made with efficiency in mind—so if you want to simply and quickly inform your donors, Twitter is a great place.
However, to educate donors about matching gifts through more in-depth communications, consider using Facebook.
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook
Facebook doesn’t present the challenge of character limitations as Twitter does, but that doesn’t mean you can ramble on. The following examples balance offering more in-depth information with catering to the shorter attention span associated with the internet.
Here are some example matching gift posts for Facebook:
1. We sincerely appreciate all donations to <Your Organization’s Name>! Did you know that your generosity has the potential to be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled? Check to see if your employer offers a matching gift program!
2. What do Microsoft, Bank of America, IBM, and Verizon all have in common? Each one matches donations made by their employees’ to nonprofit organizations. This means that if you donate, or have donated to <Your Organization’s Name>, and work for one of these four companies, the company will double your donation. Many major employers offer similar programs. Search <insert URL> to find out if your employer offers something like this, as well as to access program guidelines, how-to instructions, and relevant forms.
3. A huge thanks to all of our donors, and a double thanks to those who submit matching fund requests from their employers! Does your employer offer a program like this? Check today!
4. Help us <Your Organization’s Mission>. Ask your employer to match, double, or even triple your donation today! Check out your organization’s matching gift options here: <insert URL>
5. We like to brag that our donors are the best. Not only do they contribute to us, but they also take the extra step to see if their employer offers a matching gift program that may double the total donation to our organization! Have you checked to see if your company offers a matching gift option? Thanks for being a super donor if so! Check here to see if your company has a program like this: <insert URL>
Just as with Twitter, donors can easily share your Facebook posts with their friends and family. It’s a great way to get in front of new donors you might not reach otherwise!
If used correctly, social media can be a valuable resource in marketing matching gift opportunities. For more information on how to use social media to market matching gift programs, check out some additional social media ideas.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Matching-Gifts-Social-Media_Feature.jpg270720Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2013-01-18 16:53:232022-06-20 07:53:55Social Media: 12 Matching Gift Posts to Schedule Today
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Twitter
Sample Matching Gift Posts for Facebook