Key Statistics on Challenge Grants and Matches

Challenge grants and challenge matches are effective ways to increase donations by giving your supporters an extra incentive to give. This page provides key statistics and insights on how nonprofits can use these programs to boost fundraising efforts.

Empower your donors with challenge grants and matched donations

Challenge grants and matches boost fundraising by encouraging donors to give now and give more. This drives engagement, increases donations, and attracts new supporters, making them highly effective tools for growing a cause.

Explore key challenge match and challenge grant statistics below to understand why they are crucial for a successful fundraising strategy.

Matching Challenges: A Key Strategy for Top Fundraising Success

Our industry research shows that nonprofits are increasingly integrating challenge matches and grants into their fundraising efforts. The results are impressive and demonstrate these initiatives amplify nonprofit impact. Here’s a look at some key insights from our surveys and analysis:

100% of the top surveyed peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising organizations participate in some form of matching challenge or matching campaign to boost fundraising.¹

100% of nonprofits surveyed reported that challenge matches and grants led to an increase in campaign fundraising.¹

95% of people surveyed believe that challenge grants either increase donations or have no negative impact.¹

58% of surveyed nonprofits say email campaigns are their primary channel for promoting challenge grants and matches.¹

64% of surveyed nonprofits conduct year-end challenge match campaigns.¹

One missed opportunity?

Only 16% of surveyed nonprofits report promoting challenge grants on their website. ¹

Statistics on nonprofit challenge grant usage

These results indicate that nonprofits have a powerful opportunity to grow their fundraising through challenge grants and matching campaigns. When these opportunities are communicated effectively, fundraising success tends to follow.

To see more impact, nonprofits must expand how they promote challenge matches and grants, particularly on their websites where giving is occurring. Nonprofits also need to simplify the setup and management of these campaigns to encourage broader, year-round participation.

Matching Challenges Increase Donor Generosity

84% of donors reported that a match made them more likely to give. ²

36% of recent nonprofit donors would not have given if a match had not been offered. ²

A recent survey showed that the presence of a challenge match increases the likelihood of giving by ~22%. ³

It also increases dollars raised per solicitation by ~19% compared to appeals without a match.³

Why Pursue Matching Challenges and Challenge Grants?

These statistics highlight the impact of incorporating matching challenges and challenge grants into your strategy. Here’s what you can achieve by incorporating these initiatives into your strategy:

Boost Donor Engagement: Matching challenges create a sense of urgency and excitement, motivating donors to give more.
Increase Donations: Challenge grants often result in higher average gift sizes, as donors want to maximize the match.
Attract New Donors: Matching challenges can help you reach potential supporters who might not have donated otherwise.
Maximize Fundraising Efficiency: With a challenge grant, your nonprofit gets more funding in a short period of time!