With matching gifts, nonprofit organizations can double the impact of their donors’ contributions with just a tiny amount of effort. In fact, an estimated $2-3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually. But if you need funds by a specific deadline or want to finish out your fundraising campaign with a bang, a matching donation challenge is more suited to your needs.
When organized thoughtfully, matching donation challenges can greatly increase the gifts your nonprofit receives. To help you get started, we’ll cover the following topics:
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to confidently host a matching gift challenge of your own. Let’s get started!
What is a Matching Donation Challenge?
With matching gifts, your nonprofit essentially asks your donors to check with their employers to see if they offer donation matches. If these matches are offered, then donors will typically need to fill out a form requesting the match. Then, your nonprofit receives the funds from both the donor and the employer’s match. Usually, matching gift programs work on an annual basis—even if the donation was made months ago, a donor can still request a match from their employer if it’s still the same year.
Where matching donation challenges differ from matching gifts is that they are generally a much more time-sensitive fundraising initiative. Rather than having individual donors request matches from their employers, during a challenge, a major donor or corporate partner pledges to match donations during a set time frame.
For example, they could pledge to match every dollar donated up to $20,000 at a 1:1 ratio for the weekend. This incentivizes supporters to make gifts during that time, as their donations will have a greater impact.
While matching gift challenges are usually for the benefit of a nonprofit, that doesn’t mean that only nonprofits organize them. For example, the popular convention Dragon Con designates a charity every year for a dollar-to-dollar match during the convention dates.
Benefits of Matching Donation Challenges
Matching donation challenges offer nonprofits a variety of benefits, including the following:
Additional funding. Since donations will be matched by your partner, your nonprofit will receive additional funding without having to ask donors to give more.
Increased engagement. Due to their time-sensitive nature, matching donation challenges create a sense of urgency for your supporters. This results in an increased amount of gifts and drives high levels of engagement.
Supporter retention. Through the power of donation matching, your supporters’ gifts will make a greater impact on your nonprofit. This empowers donors to play a more rewarding role for your organization, and when they witness the impact of their gifts, they’ll be more likely to give again.
Corporate partnerships. Depending on the partner you acquire, matching donation challenges provide an excellent opportunity to solidify relationships with corporations and businesses. This can lead to future partnership opportunities, such as event sponsorships.
These benefits make matching donation challenges uniquely suited to augment your existing fundraising efforts. For example, if you have a year-end giving strategy in place, take advantage of the increased generosity at the end of the year and create a matching challenge for the last few days of December. That way, you’ll maximize the gifts that your nonprofit receives.
How to Set Up a Matching Donation Challenge
To properly leverage the benefits of a matching donation challenge, you need to know how to organize your challenge. Follow these six steps to help ensure your fundraising success.
1. Identify challenge details.
The first step to creating a successful matching donation challenge is to identify the details of the challenge. Ask yourself the following questions:
Will the challenge be a part of a larger fundraising campaign?
When will the challenge take place?
Will the challenge fall on any significant dates or times?
Are there any legal requirements or restrictions to consider?
By answering these questions, you’ll lay the groundwork for a carefully planned challenge. For example, if you decide that your matching donation challenge will be your main fundraising event of the summer, your plans should look different than if it will be the grand finale of your year-end giving campaign. In the former instance, you’ll be structuring your summer fundraising around your matching donation challenge. In the latter, you’ll need to plan other fundraising events and initiatives on top of your matching donation challenge.
2. Establish your goals.
As with any other fundraising initiative, the main goal of a matching donation challenge is to increase donations to power your nonprofit’s mission. After identifying the details of your challenge, consider how your fundraising initiatives have fared in the past to help inform what your goal should be.
For example, let’s say that you’re the leader of an organization dedicated to funding breast cancer research. You host an annual Pinktober fundraising campaign, and you usually raise around $50,000. However, this year, you’d like to raise $75,000 instead—$25,000 more than usual. You can plan to use a matching donation challenge to raise this amount, making your goal $25,000.
What’s interesting about a matching donation challenge is that the match amount generally represents half of your goal. In the case of the Pinktober fundraising campaign, your goal is to raise an additional $25,000 with your challenge. To have a successful matching donation challenge and fundraising campaign, you need to secure a partner who’s willing to match at least $12,500 worth of donations.
3. Seek out a matching donation partner.
After deciding on the details of your challenge and determining your goal for it, your next step is to seek out your matching donation partner. This individual or group will be responsible for putting forth the funds to match the donations made by your supporters.
Individuals and groups that are commonly nonprofit matching donation partners include:
Local businesses. Since these businesses work in the same community as your nonprofit, they’re more likely to be interested in lending their support. Target businesses that work in a similar vertical to your nonprofit for best results. For example, if your organization is dedicated to solving food insecurity in your community, a restaurant may be open to partnering with you. Alternatively, you can work with businesses with similar values and visions for the future. For instance, an environmental conservation organization might partner with a sustainable clothing store since they both believe in preserving the world’s natural ecosystems.
Large corporations. Large corporations are also great prospects for matching partners, as they usually have larger budgets. When seeking a partner in businesses like these, check for companies that share your values or have corporate philanthropy programs. This demonstrates a vested interest in social good, making it more likely that they’ll partner with you.
Major donors.Major donors are some of your nonprofit’s staunchest supporters. You can propose a matching donation partnership in lieu of their generous annual donation, making them more likely to accept.
Board members. Your nonprofit’s board members may also be wealthy, making them another enticing option when seeking out matching donation partnerships.
Celebrities or influencers. Celebrities and influencers frequently align themselves with charitable causes—just look at Angelina Jolie, for example. If you have connections to these individuals, they have the funds to make the perfect partner.
When reaching out to potential partners, frame your ask in terms of the benefits that they’ll receive. For instance, if you share a similar target audience as a business, you might share your audience’s demographics and explain how, in exchange for their generosity, you’ll market their business in your advertising materials. As a result, they’ll gain exposure to new prospective customers. Plus, your corporate partner will get a boost in their reputation by working with your organization.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit yourself to a single partner! If multiple individuals or organizations are willing to be your partner for your matching donation challenge, don’t hesitate to accept multiple partnerships to help you reach your goal.
4. Promote your matching donation challenge.
It’s estimated that over $4 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year, yet 84% of individuals say that they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered. This shows that the biggest barrier to nonprofits claiming funds from matching gifts is a lack of awareness.
Generating enough awareness is also critical to matching donation challenges. To create that sense of urgency and entice your supporters into giving, you need to have a strong marketing strategy. Spread information about your challenge through the following marketing channels:
Announce your matching donation challenge in advance of the challenge’s start date to build excitement. Be sure to include the dates of the challenge, the dollar amount of donations that will be matched, and any restrictions on donations. For example, if your partner will match $25,000 at a 1:1 ratio but only if the donations are $100 or less, include that information in your materials.
By thoroughly marketing your challenge, you’ll be able to create a sense of immediacy to support your cause, resulting in more donations for your organization.
5. Monitor challenge progress.
When your matching donation challenge begins, monitor your donation progress toward the match maximum. Be sure to provide this information to your supporters as well—transparency about funds received will create a sense of trust. Additionally, if individuals see that you are nearing your match goal, they may be more likely to donate to your nonprofit.
For the best results, consider investing in a matching donation or matching gift software solution. These tools simplify matching donation challenges with data and analytics features. With the right solution, you can create fundraising thermometers or leaderboards that automatically update as gifts are made. Plus, you can even leverage your software to receive employer matches during your matching donation challenge, effectively tripling the impact of donations made during this time.
6. Follow up after the event.
At the close of your matching donation challenge, report the results to your match partner and supporters. That way, your partner will know how much they’ll need to match, and your supporters will know if you met your goal or not.
Regardless of whether your goal was met, be sure to thank all parties involved in the challenge. For instance, you might email thank you notes to all of your supporters, write handwritten thank you notes to your top donors, and spotlight your match partner on social media. By properly stewarding these relationships, you’ll ensure future support for your nonprofit.
3 Best Practices for Successful Matching Donation Challenges
Now that you know how to set up your matching donation challenge, let’s take a look at three best practices to ensure your success.
1. Simplify your matching donation challenge with software.
Without dedicated tools, your matching donation challenge will require a large amount of manual, time-consuming work from your nonprofit’s team members. The right software solutions will simplify your challenge, reduce work for your staff, and make it easier for you to garner support.
Useful tools for matching donation challenges include:
Fundraising platforms. You may already be using a fundraising platform to collect donations from supporters. These tools allow donors to conveniently and securely make gifts to the causes they care about. Leverage your fundraising platform to create a unique donation form for your matching gift challenge to increase support.
Matching gift software. Many individuals work at companies that offer matching gifts of their own. With matching gift software, you’ll be able to triple the impact of a single donation, as it will be matched by both your challenge partner and the donor’s employer.
Marketing solutions. Remember that the biggest obstacle to matching donation challenges and matching gifts is awareness. Invest in marketing tools, like a social media management platform or email marketing solution, to boost your promotional efforts and ensure that you get your challenge in front of the right people.
Nonprofit constituent relationship management (CRM) software. Even after your matching donation challenge ends, your work isn’t over. Using a nonprofit CRM, you can collect donor data, track interactions with supporters, and create histories of support. With this information, you’ll be able to tailor your communications and properly steward relationships with new donors.
Data and analytics tools. Monitoring challenge progress can be a challenge in and of itself without a data and analytics solution. Use this to monitor challenge progress and gain insights into donor behavior. Plus, at your challenge’s close, you’ll be able to conveniently generate reports to demonstrate results and impact.
Set your nonprofit up for success by investing in the right tools for your matching donation challenge. Thoroughly research your options to find the right choice for your nonprofit’s unique needs.
2. Strategically choose when to host your challenge.
At certain times of the year, individuals are more likely to give to nonprofits. If you host your matching donation challenge during these moments, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of increased generosity.
For example, the end of the year is a well-known season of giving, with 30% of annual giving happening in December. Aside from the holidays, GivingTuesday, a day of global generosity, also occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This makes year-end a particularly appealing time for a matching donation challenge, as it’s more likely that donors will give.
Other periods of increased giving include cause months, which is a month or period that is dedicated to a specific cause. For instance, February is Black History Month, March is Women’s History Month, June is Pride Month, and so on. If your nonprofit’s mission aligns with a cause month, consider hosting your matching donation challenge during that month for increased visibility for your cause.
3. Emphasize increased impact.
As you’re constructing your marketing materials for your matching donation challenge, keep in mind that the increased impact of gifts is not just the challenge’s primary benefit for your nonprofit. It is also a compelling reason for donors to lend their support.
Emphasize this benefit to donors as you make your appeal for donations. Stress that there’s no extra financial obligation on their end, as your matching partner will provide the additional funds.
Consider using the following language in your marketing materials:
Did you know you can double your donation if you make a gift between May 5th and May 11th?
Between December 1st and December 10th, our generous partner will automatically double any donation you make!
Our partner is providing a dollar-for-dollar match for donations made before July 25th. Increase the impact of your gift by donating now!
For the last 24 hours of our fundraiser, our partner will donate two dollars for every dollar you donate!
Remember, your donation helps us raise $2 for every $1 you give with our partner’s match!
Encourage donors to make gifts by strategically positioning the impact they’ll be able to generate for your organization. Since your matching donation challenge only lasts for a limited amount of time, make sure to use time-bound language like “Donate by midnight” and “Give by Friday” to spur action.
Additional Resources
Matching donation challenges are opportunities for nonprofits to generate a greater-than-usual amount of monetary support for their cause. By investing in the right software solutions, strategically choosing your challenge timing, and emphasizing the increased impact of gifts made during your challenge, you’ll be well on your way to generating the funds your nonprofit needs to power your mission.
If you’d like to learn more about matching gifts, take a look at the following resources:
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are an effective way for businesses to engage employees while also boosting their reputation through corporate citizenship. In fact, 72% of consumers state they are more likely to recommend a brand that supports a good cause over one that doesn’t.
However, deciding you want to launch a CSR program is just the first step. To be effective, philanthropy needs to be organized. This enables you to maximize your resource allocation, ensure you’re helping reputable causes, and accurately report your impact to employees and consumers.
One key element of modern CSR programs is software. CSR software for businesses enables you to track every aspect of your philanthropic activities, helping you make the biggest impact possible.
To help, this guide will explore the essentials of CSR software by looking at:
Sponsorships, corporate volunteerism, workplace giving, and other CSR efforts have the potential to make a real difference in your community. The right software will aid your efforts to keep you on track, make your processes more efficient, and help you do good in the world.
What is CSR Software?
CSR software is essentially any business-oriented software solution that enables for-profit organizations to participate in CSR activities. As such, CSR software encompasses platforms with a variety of functionalities, including management tools for:
Employee giving
Corporate volunteerism
Grants
Relief funds
Scholarships
Sponsorships
Essentially, any philanthropic activity that your company might participate in is likely to have a corresponding CSR software solution you can invest in. Note that many CSR platforms will have features to facilitate multiple types of corporate giving. However, different software has different focus areas, so consider what type of program you want to launch before looking into platforms.
5 Features to Look for in CSR Software
Once you know what type of philanthropy program you want to launch, you can start creating a list of top CSR platforms you’re considering. Assess these candidates based on their user-friendliness, how well they align with your budget, and whether they have the necessary features.
While your priorities will depend on your specific corporate giving program, a few top features to look for include:
1. Employee Giving Features
While there are types of corporate philanthropy that don’t involve employees, using a solution with employee giving program features will put your business in a good position to start one if you later have an interest in doing so. And many corporations end up launching some sort of giving program for their employees as it lets them have an active role in helping their communities.
For example, one popular type of employee giving program that highly benefits from software is matching gifts. Here’s a breakdown of technology’s role in this specific CSR program:
Employees check their matching gift eligibility. Create a dedicated space on your website or through your employee CSR portal that outlines your matching gift requirements. Putting this information online makes it easy for matching gift databases to access it. That way, employees who donate to nonprofits that use matching gift software can easily check their eligibility.
Employees access matching gift applications. Let employees conveniently fill out your matching gift application online. Some CSR software (which are recognized as Certified Leaders in Matching Automation) even offer matching gift auto-submission features, which allow employees to complete their applications in just a few clicks. Here’s a video walking through the basics of our auto-submission software:
The business receives and approves applications. Once applications are submitted, your CSR platform can keep them organized. This allows for a more streamlined review process compared to paper applications where it’s possible to lose forms or receive incomplete ones.
Matching gifts are an especially effective type of CSR program because they give employees an extra incentive to participate. After all, 84% of donors state that they’re more likely to make a donation if they know it will be matched.
2. Reporting Tools
Employees and consumers want to interact with businesses that engage in corporate philanthropy. Make sure your CSR software will equip you with the reporting tools you need to gather data, keep it organized, and create reports showing your impact.
Reporting tools allow you to understand how well your CSR initiatives are performing, if resources should be allocated differently, and what tangible difference you have made. For a real-life example, let’s talk about a trend we saw in 2023. Many companies that previously paused their matching gift programs started them back up partly due to data demonstrating their importance.
Additionally, reporting helps you maintain transparency. Employees who participate in a workplace giving program want to know that their contributions are going to specific nonprofits that then use them to fulfill their missions. Plus, straightforward reports on your philanthropic spending will be useful when completing your business’s tax forms.
3. Nonprofit Vetting
Some CSR platforms connect corporations with a list of trusted nonprofits or provide them with the tools to vet nonprofits’ credentials. Ensuring you’re working with reputable organizations is essential for making an impact through your philanthropic efforts.
Software that provides a database of nonprofits looking for sponsorships, business partnerships, and other CSR assistance can also help you find new organizations to support. For example, you might search for small local nonprofits that do important work but get overlooked when compared to nationally known charitable organizations.
If your business only wants to work with specific types of nonprofits, databases with filtering tools can be incredibly useful. For example, you might set your parameters to exempt religious organizations, show only organizations that receive a certain amount of revenue annually, and sort by proximity to your business’s headquarters.
You can use this information to determine which organizations you’ll support and even provide a list to employees as part of your workplace giving program. They might appreciate having a range of organizations to support.
When choosing a CSR vendor, ask them about their vetting process, specifically what criteria they use. Some systems have different weights that can inadvertently penalize small but still reputable organizations.
4. Vendor Support
Purchasing any new software application is a major investment, and businesses need CSR software solutions that come from reliable vendors. Research vendor reviews from past clients to get trustable opinions on their professionalism, experience, and helpfulness. Specifically, look up whether the vendor provides the following:
Onboarding. Does the vendor hold onboarding sessions with companies to help them set up their software? Some vendors will have a team member walk you through the implementation process. In contrast, others will refer you to their trusted technology consulting partners, and a few may even leave your organization to figure it out yourself.
Training resources. Along with the software, what other resources does the vendor provide? This will likely come in the form of documentation about how to use basic features of the software, but some providers go above and beyond by creating training video series you can watch at any time. Thorough training resources are especially important to have for growing companies and those in high-turnover fields as you’ll regularly need to get new employees up to speed.
Technical support. If you encounter a technical issue, will the vendor be able to help? Vendors offer multiple types of technical support systems such as emailed support tickets, phone support, and 24-hour live chat. Ensure whatever vendor you partner with is easy to get in touch with and will provide support from a human.
Buying new software can be a lengthy process, so make the most of this time by getting to know your potential providers. Request demos, ask questions, and check reviews of their software to make a fully informed decision before committing to a purchase.
5. User Convenience
It’s possible but difficult to run a low-tech CSR program. This method involves keeping physical forms organized long-term, which means you’ll need a good printer and lots of file cabinet space. These systems also tend to be slower and require more effort on both your employees and leadership’s parts, lowering participation.
In contrast, software enables you to keep all relevant program information in one location that anyone with a computer and internet connection can access. This can help you engage remote employees, speed up your programs, and stay organized.
For example, let’s take a closer look at one CSR feature we discussed earlier: matching gift auto-submission.
Auto-submission is a new technology in the CSR space, but it can make matching gifts a significantly faster and easier process. Here’s a comparison of the matching gift request process with and without auto-submission:
Without Auto-Submission
A donor makes a contribution as normal.
A donor is provided with their match eligibility information if the nonprofit has matching gift software. If not, the donor will need to look up their employer’s matching gift information themselves.
The donor navigates to your CSR portal to fill out a matching gift application.
The donor looks up information required for the application, such as the nonprofit’s tax ID and mailing address.
If your CSR has a matching gift search feature, the donor can be automatically connected with the information they need about the nonprofit they gave to. Otherwise, they will need to fill in the information by hand and hope that it’s correct.
The donor provides the rest of the needed information about their gift, such as how much they gave, when they donated, and what payment method they used.
The donor confirms this information is accurate and submits the matching gift request.
The matching gift request is submitted and sent to the appropriate parties at your business for review.
With Auto-Submission
A donor makes a gift on the nonprofit’s website as normal.
If the nonprofit has matching gift software (which is required for auto-submission), the donor can enter their workplace email to be connected with their employer’s application form.
The donor chooses to have the gift automatically completed for them, and the matching gift request is sent to your business for review.
Any technology that can cut down an eight-step process to a three-step process is worth considering. Participating in CSR programs is entirely voluntary, and user-friendly software can make all the difference in whether or not your employees decide to engage.
How to Implement Your CSR Software: 5 Steps
Once you’ve chosen your CSR software, you’ll need to plan your implementation. This involves not just setting up your software but gaining employee buy-in as well.
This process will vary based on your business’s past experiences with CSR programs, but in general, businesses can follow these five steps:
1. Develop Your CSR Program
Your chosen software manages your CSR program, so ensure you know what type of CSR program you intend to launch and how you’ll configure the software to facilitate it.
For example, you might choose a CSR software solution with matching gift functionalities to promote your employee giving program. From there, you’ll need to develop that matching gift program and set up your CSR software to:
Allow employees to complete matching gift applications online. Consider the requirements your business will put in place for this CSR initiative, such as minimum and maximum donation amounts, which types of organizations are supported, and whether part-time and retired employees can also participate. Then, make your forms accessible on your website or an employee portal through your CSR software.
Review matching gift applications. Once applications are submitted, your software should keep them organized for review and approval. Determine how you’ll conduct the review process or even if it will be automated if all form fields are filled correctly.
Distribute matching gift funds. Consider how matching donations will be delivered. Will you use your CSR software to handle contributions automatically? How will you ensure you have enough funds available for matching gifts? Is there a target amount you want your program to distribute through matching gifts?
These questions are a combination of fleshing out your CSR program and your software’s role. Make sure the process for participating in any CSR programs is fully ironed out before presenting it to employees or consumers to avoid questions, confusion, or mishaps.
2. Host a Training Session
As with any new software you implement, determine how you will train employees to use it. This might involve sending out a recording and detailed instructions on how to use the software, hosting a live demo, or even having members of your CSR vendor’s team conduct the training session for you.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to create detailed documentation that covers how to use the software, fixes for recurring technical issues, and information on how to handle system updates. When you hire new employees or if a member of your technical team leaves, this documentation will speed up training and ensure knowledge is maintained.
3. Promote CSR Participation
Once your software is set up, it’s time to promote your CSR activities like corporate volunteer days and employee giving. To do this, you need to make your employees aware of your programs and motivate them to participate.
Lack of knowledge of CSR programs is more prevalent than you might realize. For instance, 78% of donors are unaware of whether their employer offers a matching gift program, leaving a lot of money on the table that’s earmarked for philanthropy.
Make sure your employees know about and are incentivized to participate in CSR by implementing strategies like these:
Provide regular program updates. Make updating your employees about your CSR programs a routine part of your communication. This helps communicate your impact and reminds employees to participate.
Offer freedom of choice. Employees want to give to the causes they care about in the method that works best for them. While you may want to impose certain limitations on what types of nonprofits your business will support, opening up your employee giving program to a wide range of organizations can boost participation by giving individual employees more control over their contributions.
Organize structured activities. Sometimes the easiest way to get employees involved in CSR activities is to make it a part of their day. Rather than encouraging employees to volunteer on their own time, you might plan a formal corporate volunteer day where your entire team volunteers at a nonprofit together. Or, you might discuss signing up for automatic payroll deductions with employees when they first join your business to get them to contribute to an employee assistance fund.
Additionally, employees may advocate for the creation of new CSR programs. Consider employee requests, the costs and benefits of these programs, and whether your current software is equipped to handle them. In some cases, you might find your CSR platform can already facilitate what your employees are asking for.
4. Gather Employee Feedback
After rolling out your new CSR software, be open to employee questions, suggestions, and frustrations. Workplace giving programs only succeed when employees buy into them, and ensuring that employee voices are heard and concerns are addressed is the first step to attaining that buy-in.
Create formal surveys and ask questions like:
How easy is the software to use?
Does it feel like any features or processes are missing?
Is it clear how your donations are being collected and used?
Have you experienced any technical difficulties since the software’s implementation?
Have there been any notable improvements to CSR programs since the software’s implementation?
This feedback can help you make targeted improvements to your CSR program and point to future software upgrades. For example, you might learn that many employees are unaware your CSR software has corporate volunteerism functionality and send out written directions or a recording of someone navigating the platform showing how to access them. Or, you may learn that certain processes are slow and dissuade employees from participating in them, leading you to consider a new CSR software solution altogether.
Keep a record of employee feedback and refer back to it when announcing changes in your CSR program to demonstrate your commitment to listening to employees. This can not only boost buy-in for specific CSR initiatives but also help improve your workplace culture in general.
5. Explore Newly Added Features
When implementing your CSR software, take the time to explore all of its features. CSR vendors continuously update their platforms to provide better, more convenient corporate giving experiences, and a new update might bring new functionalities that improve your CSR program.
For one example, we previously discussed new technology for matching gifts, auto-submission. As the technology sees wider adoption, more CSR vendors may allow users to turn on auto-submission, enabling businesses’ employees to submit their matching gift applications in seconds.
Since your initial purchase, check if your CSR platform offers new tools like auto-submission or any other feature that will improve your corporate philanthropy programs.
CSR Software: Final Thoughts
CSR software has evolved over the last few years, providing new, innovative ways to make corporate philanthropy as easy as possible. These platforms will continue evolving as well, inventing new features to improve convenience, transparency, and impact.
For businesses interested in getting started with CSR, choosing a software solution is a major first step. Along with what you’ve learned here, continue exploring the ins and outs of CSR with resources like these:
Corporate giving programsenable businesses to work alongside their employees to make a positive difference in the world. These programs are often driven by employee giving, allowing your team to play an active role in helping the causes they care about.
However, while most employees enjoy working for employers with giving programs, even the most passionate employees sometimes need a little push to participate. This can be for a number of reasons, from being unsure how the program works to simply forgetting about it to even not knowing it exists at all!
To help your business make better, more effective contributions to good causes, this guide will explore eight ways you can encourage employees to donate through your workplace giving program. But first, let’s dig into just why employee giving is so important.
Why does employee giving matter?
Employee giving is a win-win-win situation for businesses, employees, and nonprofits. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these groups can gain from a healthy employee giving program:
The Business Perspective
At first businesses, especially small organizations, may have reservations about jumping into corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives due to the associated costs. However, along with making a positive difference in the world, these donations can pay for themselves in a number of ways.
Today’s employees, especially economically-present Gen Z workers and consumers, are socially conscious and want to associate with businesses committed to charitable causes. Let’s take a look at just a fraction of the research on CSR:
CSR efforts can improve customer relationships as 70% of consumers state that they want to know what the brands they buy from are doing to address social and environmental issues.
Strong CSR programs have been linked to increased employee engagement, improved productivity, and even reduced turnover by as much as 50%.
86% of employees want the opportunity to participate in corporate giving.
An employee giving program is one of the easiest ways your business can get started with CSR. It’s employee-driven and is at least partially funded by them, sharing the potential financial burden.
All your business needs to do is invest in the proper resources to facilitate employee giving, vet promoted causes, establish giving requirements, provide impact reports, and regularly promote the program.
The Employee Perspective
Quite plainly, donating to a good cause makes the individual who donates feel good. They know they’re actively contributing to a cause that makes a positive difference in the world. Plus, when their employer also cares about and supports that same cause, employees know they’re working for an organization that shares their values, making them more engaged and invested in the organization.
Employee giving programs can incentivize donating. If an employee gets quarterly reports about how much the business has contributed to good causes, that can remind them to chip in a contribution of their own. Some employee giving programs even allow employees to opt-in to automatic paycheck deductions, making the donation process automatic.
The Nonprofit Perspective
Foremost, nonprofits earn valuable fundraising revenue from employee giving programs. While each individual’s donation alone is helpful, entire teams of like-minded donors all giving together can make a massive impact.
Employee giving programs are also an opportunity for nonprofits to attract attention to their organization. Nonprofits can partner with local businesses to receive funds (or get highlighted to employees looking to give in more open programs), spreading awareness of their cause and attracting new donors.
8 Strategies to Spark Employee Giving
Employee engagement programs like workplace giving programs can essentially run themselves after launch with businesses just needing to send the occasional reminder and impact report. However, to get them to that state, you’ll need to attain employee buy-in and make participation in your giving program a regular part of your company culture.
Whether you’re starting a new employee giving program or trying to reinvigorate your current one, here are eight strategies that will inspire your employees to participate:
1. Plan a formal launch.
Brand new employee giving programs face two major hurdles: letting employees know the program exists and teaching employees how to participate. You can accomplish both of these by treating your giving program’s launch like you would any other business initiative.
For instance, consider preparing the following materials for your giving program launch:
Announcement video. Part of inspiring your team means getting them excited, and a video announcement can do just that. Consider making a video announcement that both employees and customers can watch. You can use the video to present the program to your employees and then add it to your website to demonstrate your CSR to consumers.
Process documentation. Giving to charity is an uplifting but ultimately serious matter. Make sure your approach feels anything but slapdash by creating a formal policy for your giving program that’s accessible to employees. Explain the program’s goal, how it relates to your company’s values (or philanthropic statement if you have one), why certain giving requirements are in place, and what steps employees need to take to participate.
Q&A session. Plan a meeting with employees to present your employee giving program to them directly and answer any questions. This could involve a tutorial on how to navigate your giving software’s interface, receive feedback on improvements employees would like to see, and generally get a sense of how your team feels about the new program.
If you already have an employee giving program that’s seeing lackluster results, consider planning a formal re-launch to reintroduce it to employees. This can be an opportunity to respond to questions employees may have had but never got answered, re-confirm your commitment to social good, and make charitableness a more notable part of your company culture.
2. Provide bonus match incentives.
In a survey, over 84% of donors stated they were more likely to give if their donation would be matched. Companies looking to increase employee giving can leverage this data’s findings by offering a matching gift program.
In addition to encouraging more donations, corporate matching gift programs also signal to employees that their employer cares about the same causes they do. This can help increase employee loyalty and create a sense of teamwork as you and your employees contribute in equal measure to causes that matter.
Minimum and maximum donations. Establish how much employees have to give in order for their gifts to be matched. Setting a floor can help encourage larger donations, but be careful to strike a balance as too high of a minimum can also dissuade donations at all. Additionally, many companies also establish a maximum amount that they will match each year per employee.
Match ratio. Most companies match at a 1:1 rate, but some organizations offer 1:2, 1:3, or even rarely 1:4. In contrast, others go lower with a 1:0.5 rate. While a lower rate is certainly an option, it will likely result in fewer employee gifts.
Causes and types of organizations. What causes and types of charitable organizations will you match donations to? Narrowing your range of eligible organizations focuses your corporate philanthropy efforts but provides less freedom for employees.
Employee status. Can only full-time employees apply for matching gifts or can part-time and retired employees also participate? If you’re looking for an extra generous approach, some companies even match gifts for their employees’ spouses.
Application deadline. When do employees need to submit their matching gift application forms? When setting a deadline, be conscious of the end-of-year giving rush and how donors who give in late December may not have the time to fill out a matching gift application by January 1st. You can accommodate for these types of giving patterns by setting a deadline for a certain number of months after a gift is made rather than establishing a static calendar date.
If you decide to incorporate matching gifts into your employee giving program, check if your CSR software has features that can help you create and process matching gift request forms.
3. Be transparent.
Employees want to work for businesses with robust CSR programs. However, it’s also common for employees to be doubtful of corporate philanthropy, especially if businesses aren’t open about their charitable practices and spending.
You can instill buy-in for both employees and customers by being as transparent about your employee giving program as possible. For example, make it a point to:
Share program goals. Be clear about why you are launching an employee giving program, how it will work, and what you hope to accomplish through it. This is an opportunity to share your official philanthropic mission statement and cement it as part of your business’s brand.
Provide reports. Use your CSR software to monitor your philanthropic spending, what organizations you’ve donated to, and what impact those nonprofits have made. On a regular basis, such as quarterly or annually, share this report with employees and consumers.
Answer questions. If employees aren’t sure why a decision is being made or how funds bookmarked for CSR are being spent, invite them to ask questions and give honest answers. Consider holding a Q&A session when first launching or restarting your employee giving program to clear up any confusion.
Part of transparency involves having organized data so you can provide accurate reports and answers to questions. Use a CSR database that lets you keep track of all relevant activities and helps you maintain any relevant compliance regulations.
4. Provide freedom of choice.
Businesses often only match donations for specific types of nonprofits. For example, it’s common to see businesses that match employee donations to all types of nonprofits, except for religious organizations. These limitations can help focus philanthropic efforts and ensure you’re only supporting reputable organizations your business has taken the time to vet.
However, limiting employee freedom of choice can also limit employee giving. Many employees are motivated to participate in employee giving when they have the option to support causes they have a personal connection to, and not having that option can cause them not to give.
Consider your employee giving program’s goals and meet with your team to learn what causes matter to them. Then, you can determine the level of freedom you want to grant employees. This might involve allowing them to choose from a range of nonprofits that tackle a variety of issues, nonprofits with a focus area relevant to your business, any nonprofit employees can think of, or something in between.
5. Facilitate in-kind gifts.
Some members of your team may be interested in giving back in ways other than monetary donations. For these employees, consider adding in-kind donation options to your employee giving program. In-kind donations can be broken up into two categories:
Physical objects. Many nonprofits accept item donations, such as homeless shelters appreciating donations of clothes and blankets. To encourage this type of giving, run a donation drive and designate a place in your main office where employees can bring their physical donations. Seeing items, whether they’re clothes, food, dog toys, or anything else, pile up can encourage other employees to donate as well.
Professional services. Employees can donate their specific skills to nonprofits. This is similar to volunteering but involves the employee performing a service the nonprofit would otherwise have to pay for, such as taking professional photographs, creating graphic design assets, or helping run a first aid tent at a 5K fundraiser. Research local nonprofits that could benefit from your employees’ unique skill sets.
Your business can also participate in in-kind giving as part of your CSR program. For example, you might agree to donate all of your company’s old-but-usable computers when you upgrade to a new system. Or, you might combine in-kind gifts with your employee giving program, such as by promising to match employees’ donations of perishable goods to a food bank.
6. Expand to employee volunteering.
Do your employees want a more hands-on approach to doing good in your community? If so, consider expanding your employee giving program with volunteer grants. Volunteer grants are donations businesses make to the charitable organizations their employees volunteer at. The grant amount usually depends on how long the employee volunteered.
Here are the basic steps for how employees at most organizations that offer volunteer grants apply for one:
The employee volunteers. Use your CSR software to help employees find local nonprofits they can volunteer with and record their hours.
The employee looks up their grant eligibility. Similar to matching gifts, your business will need to consider your volunteer grant eligibility requirements. Specifically, consider how many hours employees must volunteer. Some businesses provide grant amounts on a per-hour basis whereas others have minimum and maximum hour requirements.
The employee submits a grant application. Determine what information you’ll need from employees to assess their grant applications. This may include hours volunteered, the nonprofit’s tax ID, contact information for the volunteer supervisor, and anything else that helps you verify the volunteer work.
Use CSR software that allows you to track volunteering along with other relevant employee giving metrics. Encourage volunteering, and report to your employees how many total hours they spent helping charitable causes.
7. Leverage matching gift auto-submission.
While small businesses can run employee giving programs without CSR software, operating at scale makes it necessary. Luckily, CSR platforms have continued to advance to make workplace giving programs easier to participate in than ever.
One important new technology is matching gift auto-submission, which recently completed its beta testing. Businesses that have CSR software with auto-submission capabilities can essentially turn on the feature and have their matching gift form connected with matching gift databases. As a result, employees can then have their matching gift applications completed for them automatically, dramatically speeding up the process.
Take a look at the following video to see the auto-submission process in action:
Essentially, your employees can opt into matching gift auto-submission when donating to a nonprofit that uses Double the Donation. So long as your CSR software integrates with our tools, your employees won’t have to fill out a form to submit to your team.
Check to see if your CSR software has matching gift auto-submission capability and, if so, what you need to do to turn it on.
8. Set broad employee giving participation rules.
Lower the barriers for participating in your workplace giving program. The easier it is to participate, the more likely you are to inspire your employees to get involved!
Rethink employee eligibility requirements. Chances are, you’ll allow all full-time employees to get involved in initiatives like matching gifts and volunteer grants. Think about your part-time employees and retirees, too. If you’re feeling extra generous, you can even extend some of the same perks to employees’ spouses. For example, you might offer to match their donations to approved nonprofits, even if it’s at a lower rate.
Consider generous nonprofit eligibility requirements. While you can restrict which nonprofits are eligible, consider allowing any 501(c)(3) organization to benefit from your employee giving program. By allowing more nonprofits to be eligible, you’ll communicate that you care about the same causes your employees do.
Set low minimums and high maximums for matching gifts. If you offer a matching gifts program, set low minimums and high maximums. A minimum that’s too high may make it difficult for employees to meet requirements. The same goes for volunteer grants. Lower hour requirements are more likely to spark participation.
Provide flexibility for submission request deadlines. Your employees lead busy lives outside of work hours. Provide some flexibility as to when they have to submit a matching gift or volunteer grant request. Otherwise, deadlines that arrive too quickly might turn people away. One popular option is to set a deadline one year after the contribution is made.
You want employees to participate in workplace giving, so why wouldn’t you make it easy for them? Doing so will show that your company is serious about its social responsibility efforts.
Employee Giving: Final Thoughts
Your employee giving program allows your business to make a positive social impact and invite your team to participate. Give employees the opportunity to support the causes they want to, help facilitate their giving with matching gifts, and provide regular updates about the impact they’ve made.
Of course, employee giving is a complex subject, and this overview might just be the beginning of your research. Continue learning about employee giving with these resources:
At Double the Donation, we maintain the industry’s most comprehensive and up-to-date matching gift database—with records for more than 24,000 companies with matching gift programs. Since each company that offers matching gifts is able to determine its own minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit types, and more, we end up with a ton of innovative and unique matching gift programs.
And truthfully, all matching gift programs are great. But there are a few that really stand out to us as offering something particularly special for their employees and the nonprofits they support.
Corporate giving engages employees’ passions and provides additional funding for nonprofits, which in turn helps entire communities. And offering creative programming and unique incentives for getting involved is a great way to drive participation and, therefore, impact.
Let’s look at a few employers with unique programs and what makes them stick out from the crowd. In this guide, we’ll explore the following companies’ initiatives:
There are a number of creative ways that businesses get their employees more involved in charitable giving. The ideas differ, but they all do a great job of helping charitable organizations increase fundraising revenue and better support their overall missions.
And when nonprofit fundraisers like yourself keep these companies at top of mind, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of such opportunities as they arise.
Let’s jump in!
Microsoft — Highest Employee Participation
This major company is well-represented in the philanthropic world. Since 1983, it’s hosted an annual Giving Campaign that makes a considerable impact on eligible nonprofits. It also hosts another program called Hack for Good, which tackles pressing societal problems.
But one of its most impressive successes is its matching gift program. In fact, Microsoft is currently the largest contributor of matching gift and volunteer grant funds, and it also boasts the highest level of employee participation at over 65% involvement.
Our matching gift statistics indicate that, inclusive of the corporate match, Microsoft employees have donated more than $1 billion to nonprofit causes.
When it comes to matching gift innovation, General Electric is likely going to top every list. That’s because GE pioneered the first matching gift program in 1954, and its 60+ years of matching gift history and generous donation limits continue to lead the way for other businesses to follow.
Since the inception of its matching program, the company has donated over $1 billion in employee matching gifts. That means that GE is a matching gift leader not only for being first but also for staying at the top of the pack for all this time.
Today, employees may request matching gifts up to $5,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio through the GE matching gift program.
Each year, BP (formerly British Petroleum) gives employees $300 to donate to nonprofits of their choosing. That’s it—no strings attached. BP is committed to helping local communities, and they let employees feel more involved by letting them choose where the money goes. This program, known as the Fabric of America Program, is open to every current BP employee.
In addition to its charitable grant initiative, BP also offers a traditional matching gift program that matches up to $5,000 worth of donations per employee at a 1:1 ratio.
CVS Health — Incorporates Fundraising Event Matches
Some companies, such as CVS, want to prioritize certain forms of giving. CVS incentivizes its employees to raise money for nonprofit events, like the popular run/walk/ride, which is also known as peer-to-peer fundraising. To encourage participation, the company matches the donations raised by employees between $250 and $1,000 per year.
For teams of volunteers, they offer even high fundraising grant donation caps. When five or more CVS employees fundraise for an eligible organization together, CVS will match up to $5,000 worth of fulfilled pledges, with a minimum of $500 raised across the team.
Matching gifts aren’t just for American companies, either. For example, Expedia and its subsidiaries have employees in over 30 countries. But for a long time, they did not match donations to nonprofits in all of those locations.
Now, Expedia offers matching gifts to eligible nonprofits across the globe! Donations are matched at a 1:1 ratio, and employees can request matches on as much as $4,000 worth of charitable gifts per year.
Through the Expedia Cares Program, employees can give back to their communities in a number of ways, such as through matching gifts, a global ambassador program, and more.
Employing more than 58,000 people, HP is a leader in the information technology sector. It’s also a leader in the matching gift world, specifically through its Good Cards program.
Each quarter, any employee who volunteers for at least 10 hours (and tracks their time through the company’s innovative internal volunteer system) receives a $50 grant which they can donate to a charity of their choosing. Plus, HP also offers a generous matching gift program where it’ll match philanthropic employees’ donations of up to $2,500 per year.
RealNetworks matches employee donations at a 1:1 ratio up to $10,000 per team member per year. That’s a whole lot of good—but RealNetworks doesn’t stop there.
After five years with the business, employees receive a $500 grant that can be contributed to any eligible nonprofit. This unique corporate giving offering helps increase staff retention with the company, rewards long-term employees with a significant, mission-focused incentive, and ultimately benefits the nonprofits their employees support.
Soros Fund Management — Highest Maximum Match Amount
Because this successful company encompasses fewer than 500 people, it can afford to offer generous donation maximums and matching ratios that are significantly higher than the typical employer.
Today, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 ratio for gifts up to $100,000 per year, with partners being eligible to request donation matches at a 1:1 ratio. Most nonprofits qualify to receive funding through the matching program, with an additional volunteer grant initiative available as well.
Pew Charitable Trusts — Religiously Inclusive Program
The Pew Charitable Trusts is a generous matching gift provider for all sorts of nonprofit causes. In fact, full-time and part-time employees qualify to request matches at a 2:1 rate for personal gifts made up to $10,000 on an annual basis. That makes the company cap per employee a bountiful $20,000 per year!
But one thing that really makes this company’s matching initiative stand out is the fact that the program is inclusive of just about all kinds of religious organizations. This encompasses places of worship like churches, synagogues, mosques, and more—which are generally excluded from many companies’ match offerings.
So if your nonprofit group is religious in nature, the Pew Charitable Trusts is a top matching gift company to be aware of!
Nike is another company that matches employee donations to most nonprofit causes, including educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural organizations, civic and environmental groups, and more.
Then, in order to further amplify impact for the causes most closely aligned with the company’s athletics-focused mission, Nike offers a unique triple match for employees giving to community sports-related organizations. For qualifying nonprofits, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 rate, ultimately tripling the initial donor contribution up to $25,000 per team member per year.
Blue Shield of California — Special Board Member Match
Some companies also want to incentivize employee participation with nonprofits on a deeper level—such as by volunteering on the organization’s board of directors. That’s exactly what Blue Shield of California does!
This company offers a traditional matching gift program open to all current employees who support qualifying California-based nonprofits and select national organizations. Then, they offer an additional matching initiative for employees who serve as board members of nonprofit causes. This unique board member match goes above and beyond the typical match program, offering elevated match rates and increased maximum donation amounts.
Speaking of innovation, legal services provider Innovative Discovery offers a particularly standout matching gift program in the way that employees can get involved. By introducing matching gift auto-submission through their corporate giving platform in partnership with Double the Donation, ID team members can complete their part of the matching gift request process more easily than ever before.
Now, with just a few clicks from their favorite nonprofits’ donation confirmation screens, employees can authorize Double the Donation to submit the matching gift request on their behalf—no separate forms or redirected pages required!
While these programs are certainly unique, there are tens of thousands of other companies that match gifts, too. It’s too many to keep up with on your own! Thus, to effectively uncover available opportunities and identify your organization’s eligibility, you’ll likely need the help of a matching gift database like Double the Donation.
Double the Donation is the industry’s leading provider of matching gift software, and we work with some of the largest organizations across the globe. We also boast the most accurate and up-to-date database of information regarding these programs. As such, we work to equip nonprofits and their donors with the tools they need to implement matching gift efforts in their overall fundraising strategies with ease.
The matching gift tool, which can be integrated across your organization’s website, donation form, email communications, and more, allows fundraisers to maximize corporate giving revenue by…
Enabling donors to search for their employers with an auto-completing company information field to identify and flag match-eligible donors;
Providing users with company information and matching gift eligibility criteria in real-time;
Guiding donors to request their matches with direct links to their employers’ online submission portals;
Tracking donors’ progress throughout the matching gift request and fulfillment processes.
Not to mention, it’s all automated—allowing your team to reallocate more time and effort to your highest-value priorities!
Next Steps
Plenty of companies offer matching gift programs, so it’s important for nonprofits to promote corporate giving to donors. After all, one of the biggest roadblocks facing matching gift success is a lack of awareness of corporate giving. According to our research, that results in more than $4 to $7 billion dollars worth of potential matching gift funds going unclaimed each year.
Don’t let your nonprofit add to that statistic. Now that you know how to pinpoint available matching gifts, get started boosting your corporate fundraising efforts.
Stay up-to-date with your donors’ employers and keep your eyes peeled for top matching gift opportunities. You’ll be sure to come across even more unique programs!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DTD_Companies-with-Unique-and-Innovative-Matching-Gift-Programs_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-10-15 13:44:342025-02-25 16:33:07Companies with Innovative and Unique Matching Gift Programs
At Double the Donation, our commitment to improving our offerings and ensuring alignment with advancements in the industry—and, more importantly, with the needs of our clients—has always been at the forefront of our operations. Today, in order to meet the growing need, we offer varying subscription tiers for our flagship product, Double the Donation Matching.
In this guide, we want to overview our most popular feature tier, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan—and everything an organization should know about upgrading its account to benefit from this plan.
When it comes to maximizing matching gifts with automation, it’s important to us that our users are connected with the right tools for the job. For tons of nonprofits and schools, that means Double the Donation’s Standard Plan.
Keep reading to see if it’s what you need to power your matching gift efforts!
The Double the Donation Difference
Double the Donation is the industry-leading matching gift automation provider, supplying powerful workplace giving tools to thousands of organizations across its network of users. The platform covers matching gifts and more—including volunteer grants, volunteer time off, and even corporate sponsorships programs.
What is Double the Donation’s Standard Plan?
Double the Donation Matching is our most popular feature tier—a complete matching gift automation solution. The platform incorporates the matching gift plugin tool but also goes several steps further to proactively identify and pursue matching gifts.
Specifically, our Standard Plan incorporates…
A multi-faceted approach to uncovering match-eligible donors;
Timely and personalized follow-up email cadences;
Complete branding and personalization options;
Optimized data reporting and synchronization.
Check out this 60-second overview to learn more:
By transitioning to our standard plan, more matching gifts are driven to completion, resulting in substantial corporate and overall fundraising revenue growth for its users. Not to mention, the entire process is automated for fundraising organizations and their donors, producing an optimized matching gift experience for everyone involved. This also provides organizations with more time to devote to the most lucrative opportunities without worrying about potential matches slipping through the cracks.
Double the Donation’s Pricing Tiers: FAQ
Choosing the right Double the Donation plan for your organization is essential for maximizing matching gift revenue. With multiple feature tiers available, nonprofits may have questions about which plan best suits their needs.
In order to address any uncertainty, we’ve compiled a list of frequent inquiries below:
What pricing plans does Double the Donation offer?
Double the Donation offers multiple pricing tiers designed to meet the needs of nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Each plan provides access to the company’s industry-leading matching gift automation platform, but the features available vary based on the selected tier.
Today, available plans include:
Essentials — For organizations with less than $1M in total annual revenue, the Essentials Plan can be a great starting point—especially for nonprofits looking to introduce matching gifts into their fundraising strategy for the first time. The starter plan provides access to Double the Donation’s matching gift database, allowing donors to search for their employer’s matching gift eligibility. However, this tier includes limited integration (one donation form integration per Essentials account) and customization capabilities, meaning organizations have a more restricted view of their efforts overall.
Standard — Next, the Standard Plan is our most popular option, offering a balance of automation and customization to maximize matching gift revenue for nonprofits and schools using the tools. This plan is ideal for organizations of all sizes looking to scale their matching gift efforts while reducing administrative workload. It’s currently recommended for organizations raising more than $1M in total annual revenue.
Enterprise — Finally, the Enterprise Plan is the most advanced option, designed for large nonprofits and institutions handling high donation volumes and with a need for advanced customization functionality. It includes everything within the Standard plan, plus parent/child accounts, multichannel messaging, custom APIs, and more.
Who qualifies for the Essentials plan?
The Essentials Plan is designed for smaller nonprofits looking to take advantage of corporate matching gifts without the need for advanced automation. To qualify for this plan, organizations must meet specific criteria, including having annual revenue under $1 million. In other words, in order to register for the Essentials plan, organizations must have reported less than $1 million in total revenue per year on their most recent Form 990.
As organizations grow and generate additional revenue, they may need to transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan to take full advantage of exclusive features like CRM integrations, advanced customization, and one-off matching gift program management. Why? Those additional features are going to better accommodate their needs and help them unlock even more growth opportunities.
Why are mid-size and larger organizations better suited for the Standard plan?
While the Essentials Plan is an excellent entry-level option for smaller fundraising groups, it is exclusively available to organizations with less than $1 million in total annual revenue. If your nonprofit exceeds $1 million in nonprofit revenue, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan—such as the Standard—to continue service.
However, even beyond meeting basic qualifications, we recommend that most organizations go with the Standard Plan to maximize their matching gift potential. In addition to expanded functionality, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan can also be the more cost-effective option for large-scale causes.
Rather than being billed by usage, the Standard plan incorporates a flat annual fee. For growing nonprofits handling a high volume of donations, this is generally going to be the best fit, providing the tools and automation needed to scale efficiently and maximize matching gift revenue in the long run.
Benefits of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan: Impact + Value
Over time, it’s become evident that transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is more than an upgrade. It’s an opportunity to employ a transformative tool for nonprofits and education causes looking to implement effective matching gift fundraising with ease.
The overall benefits it offers are multi-faceted and include (but are certainly not limited to) the following…
Automated Matching Gift Marketing and Workflows
Through its advanced functionality and extensive database, Double the Donation identifies matching gift opportunities at the moment of donation. It then guides donors through the process, driving these opportunities to completion and potentially doubling or tripling your matching gift fundraising revenue.
By automating this process with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, you can secure more matching gifts without adding extra work for your team. This means less time wrestling with data and more time focusing on your cause. In fact, the platform’s intuitive design and functionality make managing your fundraising efforts a breeze. It’s a comprehensive platform that provides actionable insights, automates follow-ups, and offers streamlined reporting.
Seamless Data Ecosystem
Double the Donation Matching integrates seamlessly with over 100+ donation tools and CRM systems. This means a smooth flow of data between your various platforms, reduced manual input, and enhanced accuracy.
Even better? Transitioning to Double the Donation’s standard plan includes all integrations—donation forms and CRMs alike—at no additional cost! (Hint: we recommend integrating both a donation form provider and a donor database to ensure fuller coverage of your network.)
Enhanced Donor Engagement
With automated, personalized outreach, Double the Donation ensures that donors are always aware of matching gift opportunities. Meanwhile, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan not only drives donor engagement but also encourages repeat donations. By providing donors with information about their employer’s matching gift programs, you empower them to make their donations go even further.
More and Larger Donations
By making it easy for donors to discover and apply their employer’s matching gift programs, Double the Donation Matching can help you increase the size and impact of donations. After all, donors who know their gifts will be matched are often more motivated to give and give more generously.
Elevated Matching Gift Conversion Rates
More corporate matches are submitted and received by donors and organizations utilizing Double the Donation’s Standard Plan than any other matching gift solution—including Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan.
As supporters walk through the initial donation and subsequent matching gift processes, Double the Donation is known for driving individuals further down the respective funnels. All in all, users see more individual donation revenue in addition to elevated matching gift success.
Double the Donation Essentials vs. Our Standard Plan
Double the Donation Standard includes everything offered by Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan, plus innovative new features that bring nonprofit and educational fundraising to new heights.
Take a look at the additional functionality offered by our flagship automation solution:
Key Feature
Double the Donation Essentials
Double the Donation Standard
Hosted Matching Gift Page
✓
✓
Matching Gift Plugin
✓
✓
High-Level Summary Statistics
✓
✓
Donation Form Integrations
✓
✓
CRM Integrations
✗
✓
Automated Email Streams
✗
✓
Matching Gift Auto-Submission
✗
✓
Detailed Analytics Dashboard
✗
✓
CSV Data Import
✗
✓
Company Exclusions
✗
✓
Advanced Customization Settings
✗
✓
Unlimited Users
✗
✓
Volunteer Essentials Included
✗
✓
Not to mention, additional differences between the two subscription plans include…
Multiple Fundraising Software Integrations
Another fundamental advantage of transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is that it integrates directly with nearly all of the most popular donation tools, CRMs, and peer-to-peer fundraising platforms out there. This makes it easier than ever for nonprofits and educational institutions to incorporate matching gifts in every phase of the fundraising process. And with Double the Donation Standard, you can benefit from connecting multiple integrations at once (including donor management software!) to ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.
If we don’t already integrate with your favorite giving solution? Don’t worry—we’re developing new partnerships every day. Not to mention, there’s still a lot you can do by transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, even without a native integration with your fundraising software.
One-Off Matching Gift Program Management
One-off matching gift program management allows organizations to create and oversee custom matching gift programs tailored to their specific fundraising needs. This feature is currently exclusive to Double the Donation’s Standard and Enterprise Plans, enabling eligible nonprofits to add unique matching gift programs directly into the database platform.
With this capability, organizations can ensure that donors working for companies with exclusive or cause-specific matching gift opportunities—such as limited-time campaigns or event-based matches—can easily access and utilize these programs.
In contrast, our Essentials Plan does not include this feature, meaning nonprofits must track and communicate these opportunities externally rather than integrating them into the Double the Donation platform.
More In-Depth Data Reporting
Though the Essentials Plan provides access to birds-eye view statistics, such as the top companies searched in an organization’s matching gift plugin, transitioning to Double the Donation Standard brings the scope of matching gift data reporting to a new, comprehensive level.
Pictured in a sample dashboard below, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan empowers fundraisers with smart insights into their current matching gift efforts as well as lucrative opportunities for expanding initiatives.
This 360-degree view includes analytics such as:
Total revenue, number, and percentage of donations marked as match-eligible
Total revenue, number, and percentage of matching gifts submitted
Total revenue, number, and percentage of verified matches received
Email delivery, open, and click rates
Campaign comparisons
Top workplace giving companies
Repeat donors
And more!
Getting Started with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan
As we make this critical transition together, we want new Double the Donation Standard users to feel ready for the change—and empowered with the tools and knowledge they need to make the most of the platform.
Here are a few things your team can do to prepare!
Understand the Unmatched Value
The cost of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan reflects the significantly increased value and capabilities it offers. Not to mention, our pricing is scaled based on a number of factors. These include the size of an organization and its individual fundraising amounts. The result is that smaller organizations pay less than larger ones.
All in all, pricing plans are designed to provide a significant return on investment—producing an average 20-50% increase in match revenue.
Some organizations have even identified enough matching gifts using Double the Donation’s Standard Plan in a single day to cover the subscription cost for a year!
Utilize Personalized Assistance
During your transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, our dedicated client success team will reach out to provide assistance. Our goal is to help maximize your Double the Donation platform, ensuring you’re leveraging its features to their fullest potential.
We’re here to support you every step of the way as you navigate this process. Feel free to contact our support team with any questions or for assistance with your Double the Donation Standard account.
Learn More About Double the Donation Matching
To support your transition, we’ve prepared several materials that dive deeper into the benefits of Double the Donation Matching—and how you can make the most of the platform.
Check out the following recommended resources to get started:
After all, the more you know about our platform and the functionality available to you, the better you can make an informed decision about the tools you need to supercharge your efforts.
Onward and Upward with Your Matching Gift Revenue
We’re beyond excited about this new chapter—and the opportunity to showcase what Double the Donation’s Standard Plan will bring. As always, we’re grateful for your continued support and trust. Plus, we’re eager to help you unlock new levels of success as you transition to our Standard Plan.
Here’s to the next chapter of your fundraising journey!
For any further queries or support, please feel free to reach out to our team today.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DTD_Transitioning-to-Double-the-Donations-Standard-Plan_Feature.png6001600Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-10-09 13:08:052025-03-12 19:10:45Transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan
The #1 reason why donors don’t submit matching gift requests is that they don’t know their employers offer such programs. Corporate giving can be a significant source of revenue for nonprofits, and promoting these engagement opportunities to donors can substantially increase your giving revenue. That’s why more and more organizations like yours are crafting strategies to drive this funding source—including marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.
In fact, studies show that mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. Not only do matching gift programs double individual donations, but they also encourage more donors to give in the first place and to increase their original contribution. In the end, that makes the matched gift larger, too!
In this guide, we’ll discuss a few of the most impactful and efficient ways to inform donors about gift-matching programs by utilizing digital communications. These typically include:
Incorporating corporate giving into your digital outreach strategy can put you on the path to reaching your fundraising goals in a fraction of the time. Let’s get started!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Emails
Email outreach is a vital component of digital communications and overall fundraising. Email provides instantaneous outreach to donors, so you can essentially ask “Have you thought about doubling donations with matching gifts today?” Then, people can reply (or request their match!) just as quickly.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email streams include:
Embedding a text link and a visual graphic within your email that directs readers to your matching gift page, attracting supporters’ attention and guiding them to additional information to continue growing their knowledge on the topic.
Encouraging supporters to perform a search to see if their company matches donations. If so, your embedded database tool makes it easier than ever for users to access the appropriate forms, guidelines, and instructions to complete their match submissions.
This will allow you to capture donors’ continued support while they’re in the giving mindset. Not to mention, meet them right where they are: on their mobile devices or computers!
A successful email marketing strategy hinges on a well-paced, steady procession of the right moves rather than a reckless bombardment of emails. With enough space to write a quick blurb and/or link to a full-length article, email messages are a great place to educate donors about matching gifts.
Keep in mind that a personalized email or digital newsletter dedicated to matching gifts is likely going to be the most effective strategy. However, incorporating matching gifts in a larger email resource can work well, too. Loyal donors will likely read your regular emails, so it’s a good place to provide in-depth information about the benefits of corporate giving.
Example Content:
“Do you work for a match-maker? Instantly find out if your employer will double or even triple your donation to the National Kidney Foundation with a quick search of our online database!”
“Thousands of companies will match donations made by their team members, retirees, and even employee spouses. Search now to access your employer’s matching gift forms and complete the simple, minutes-long process to drive additional support toward our cause.”
When it comes to timing, we recommend following up with donors soon after they complete their initial gifts. However, you don’t want to include your matching gift messaging within an existing thank-you email, as those are more likely to be overlooked.
Our matching gift research indicates that emails sent within 24 hours of a donation produce a 53% open rate. That’s 2-3x times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Email Signatures
Chances are that your organization sends a ton of emails—including fundraising messages, mission-related content, and more. But did you know that every message you send can be an opportunity to promote matching gifts? Just use your email signature!
An email signature typically includes an individual’s personal contact details, nonprofit information, and even a relevant image or organization logo—but it’s also a great place to promote matching gifts.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email signatures include:
Modifying the email signatures for everyone on your membership and/or development teams to promote matching gifts at as many touch points as possible.
Linking to additional resources to which recipients can navigate to learn more about matching gift opportunities (such as your dedicated matching gift page on your website).
A simple blurb alongside a flashy graphic about corporate giving can increase awareness and be the needed push for donors to take a quick five minutes to submit matching gift requests. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to promote matching gifts year-round.
Example Content:
“Your donation may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at catrescueclub.com/matching-gifts/.”
“Your membership contribution may be eligible for a matching gift from your employer. Find out at doublethedonation.com/CRC/.”
Marketing matching gifts effectively involves making the most of every opportunity and resource at your disposal. And your staff email signatures offer a valuable source of promotional real estate that can go a long way in your day-to-day interactions!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Social Media Posts
People flock to social media to discover the internet’s best content. Though you don’t need to produce viral posts every day, you do need to provide compelling and engaging information on a consistent basis. And some of the most impactful content you can share has to do with corporate gift-matching opportunities!
There are nearly as many social media outlets as there are stars in the universe, so it’s best to focus on really optimizing your strategy on just a few sites. Depending on your organization and its typical donor base, this might include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and more. Regardless of the platforms you choose, each networking site requires a nuanced approach to get your information out there and best engage with your audience.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your social media platforms include:
Sharing educational resources about matching gift programs and the companies that offer them to educate and empower donors to take action.
Engaging your digitally savvy donors and volunteers and encouraging them to submit matching gifts to increase the likelihood of submission.
Scheduling messages on a recurring basis as a way to appeal to supporters without asking for an additional donation.
Whether or not you employ a matching gift service, a simple tweet, Facebook post, or LinkedIn article can spread the word about these programs to thousands of donors.
Social media sites like these offer a great way to keep people up-to-date on your nonprofit’s campaigns, inform your audience about matching gift opportunities, and encourage donors to look into the process. Just be sure to include a direct link to a location where users can uncover additional information and the next steps!
Example Content:
“It takes just a few minutes to submit a corporate employee matching gift form…have you submitted yours?”
“What do Microsoft, Bank of America, IBM, and Verizon all have in common? Each one matches donations made by their employees to nonprofit organizations. Many major employers offer similar employee matching gift programs. Search atlantauniversity.edu/employer-matching-gifts/ to find out if your employer offers something like this, as well as to access program guidelines, how-to instructions, and relevant forms.”
Social media offers an excellent opportunity to get matching gift information in front of a wide audience at a time. Not to mention, it allows supporters to interact with your content in personal ways, strengthening their connections with your cause and allowing them to spread the word even further.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Text Messages
Another form of digital communication that is becoming increasingly popular among nonprofits and their donors is texting. In fact, studies show that SMS marketing reports average open and response rates of 98% and 45%, respectively. As a result, text messaging, or SMS, can be a fantastic way to reach donors quickly and affordably using direct marketing strategies.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with SMS communications include:
Automating your organization’s outgoing text messaging efforts to donors identified as matching gift eligible to save time while growing revenue.
Keeping your texts short and sweet to get your message across quickly (typically 1,000 characters or less) and grab your audience’s attention.
Utilizing personalizable SMS templates and customizing names, donation amounts, employing companies, and more to increase likelihood of engagement.
Luckily, there are a number of tech solutions designed to streamline and simplify the processes involved with mass, pre-scheduled text messaging. For example, Double the Donation utilizes programmable communications company, Twilio to offer automated matching gift text marketing services for its enterprise clients.
Example Content:
“David, thank you for your generous donation of $200 to the Cat Rescue Club. Did you know that your gift is likely eligible for a corporate match from Johnson & Johnson? View your employer’s matching gift guidelines and forms here!”
“Have you submitted your matching gift request for your most recent contribution? Get your donation doubled and increase the impact brought to Atlanta University.”
SMS marketing continues to grow in popularity as text is a quick, easy, and effective way to get your message in front of donors. And with a mobile-friendly matching gift solution like Double the Donation, supporters can choose to take the next steps and submit matches from their smart phones from wherever they are!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Start / End-of-Year Reminders
Matchable donations have limited lifespans, so you need to promote matching gifts to eligible donors before the clock runs. In other words, a supporter can’t donate and submit a matching gift request for that donation half a decade later.
Although program specifics vary by company, most corporations adhere to one of the following types of standards for matching gift submission deadlines:
A set number of months from the date of the donation (the standard is one year, though it can range from one to twelve months)
The end of the calendar year
The end of January or February in the year following when the donation was made
That’s why year-end and new-year appeals can be such a great way to remind donors about impending matching gift deadlines.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your start or end-of-year reminders include:
Providing context about matching gift programs and the importance of submitting matching gift requests before it’s too late.
Stressing that previously made donations are often eligible to be matched for up to a year after being submitted.
Ramping up your matching gift marketing efforts with increased communications during the year-end giving season.
Utilizing social media as a great way to spread the word to your supporters and reach the widest audiences possible.
Optimizing communications by staying up-to-date on your donors’ employers and their specific deadline requirements.
Ideally, your organization will encourage donors to submit their matching gifts at the time of their initial donation. However, many companies have an extended grace period during which they’ll accept requests. Ending or starting a new year is a fantastic chance to remind donors about an opportunity they may have overlooked.
Don’t miss out on a final chance to double donations from the year!
Example Content:
“Did you donate to us this year? There’s still time to submit a matching gift request from your employer—submit your match here before the end of the year!”
“Many matching gift companies offer a several-month grace period in the year following the year a donation was made. Now, many deadlines are quickly approaching at the end of January and February! Find out how to access your employer’s guidelines and complete your match request here.”
Bonus: Multiply your impact with these recommended marketing resources!
According to Nonprofits Source research, an estimated 80% of nonprofits report having difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources. That’s where we come in at Double the Donation. Our aim is to equip organizations with the tools they need to successfully market matching gifts through digital engagement.
Read on to explore our suggested ways to elevate matching gift results with these available assets.
Double the Donation automation platform
First things first, you don’t want to have to schedule and send each digital correspondence on your own. Nor do you want to be tasked with the manual research involved with screening and identifying match-eligible donors.
Instead, Double the Donation’s complete matching gift automation solution equips organizations to trigger the right messaging at the right time. This ensures more donors are being informed of their matching gift opportunity and encouraged to take part when eligible—helping you to grow funding at your mission!
Check out this 60-second overview to see how it works:
And incorporating eye-catching and attention-grabbing visual elements in your outreach can go a long way!
Double the Donation’s customizable digital marketing templates
A lot of successful digital outreach involves content creation—written, video, graphic, and more. This is especially true when it comes to engaging your audience with a multimedia marketing strategy. For example, one study indicates that social media content with video produces more than 10x the engagement rate of content without video. Meanwhile, another report found that including images in social posts results in over 650% higher engagement than text-only content. And these findings are consistent across views, clicks, likes, replies, shares, and more.
Yet many organizations don’t feel they have the time to devote to the creation of such materials. That’s why the Double the Donation team provides its users with access to free, editable marketing templates. This includes pre-designed graphics and customizable animations for email, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And this arsenal of marketing materials should make it quick and easy to promote matching gifts online.
Note: For current clients looking to obtain these assets, log into your Double the Donation account at https://doublethedonation.com/members/login/. From there, navigate to the “Resources” tab and select the option for “Marketing Assets.”
Then, scroll to browse our library of more than 24 pre-made Canva templates, eBooks, and graphics—and begin editing to your liking!
Plus, Double the Donation users also have the opportunity to download a free matching gift videoor purchase a custom-branded 60-second overview that can be implemented across digital marketing channels.
For those who do not yet employ Double the Donation’s services, request a demo to get in touch with our team and explore our top matching gift marketing tools.
Matching gift learning materials and expert insights
Finally, Double the Donation is proud to provide a wide array of educational resources—including blog posts, live and on-demand webinars, downloadable guides, templates, and more—for nonprofit fundraisers looking to get better acquainted with matching gifts. After all, your team will be able to market matching gifts to supporters more effectively when those behind the scenes are intimately familiar with the programs.
And one of our top recommended resources for organizations is our online Matching Gift Academy. As the industry’s first and only digital learning platform centered on effective match fundraising, this content on building a matching gift strategy, overcoming common pitfalls, best practices for identifying eligible donors, and an entire module dedicated to matching gift marketing efforts.
Plus, we offer free access to the Academy for all current Double the Donation users as another way to boost our clients’ success.
Wrapping Up & Further Reading
Nonprofits need every dollar they can grab. Luckily, matching gifts are an effective way to increase fundraising without demanding too much out of donors. The first step is simply making donors aware of the opportunities. And one of the best ways to do so is by marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.
You may choose to promote matching gifts using social media, texts, emails, and more (or a combination of such methods). Incorporating online outreach in your strategy allows you to showcase matching gifts in a simple, affordable, and effective way.
Get ready to maximize your matching gift funding! Explore our other suggested educational resources on the topic below:
Top 30 Matching Gift Companies: Find Your Match. Thousands of businesses large and small offer matching gift programs to employees. Browse this list of thirty companies with noteworthy giving initiatives and see how you can leverage their support.
How Donor Employer Information Can Boost Your Fundraising. Knowing where your donors work is essential for optimizing your matching gift outreach with company-specific program guidelines. Plus, explore other benefits with this post!
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DTD_Marketing-Matching-Gifts-In-Your-Digital-Communications_Feature-2-1.png5501450Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-10-06 18:49:432025-02-28 21:37:15Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Digital Communications
As a fundraising professional, you know the year-end giving season is crucial for your nonprofit, especially the time of year between GivingTuesday and New Year’s. In fact, nonprofits received 5% of all 2022 revenue on December 31 of that year.
What’s right in the middle of this productive fundraising period? The Christmas season!
Christmas is a fun, festive time to spread good cheer and raise more for your nonprofit’s mission. People tend to feel more charitable this time of year, meaning it’s an effective time to hold fundraising campaigns or events to support your organization. Plus, you can use Christmas-themed fundraisers to get people excited about submitting their year-end donations.
In this guide, we’ll explore these festive Christmas fundraising ideas:
Holiday eCards
Matching gift drive
Holiday 5K
Christmas present auction
Polar Plunge
Bake sale
Christmas tree sale
Holiday gala
House decorating contest
Gratefulness challenge
Concert or singalong
Online shopping fundraiser
Holiday photoshoot
Gift catalog
In-kind donation drive
Gingerbread decorating contest
Online baking or cooking class
Holiday lights festival
Pictures with Santa
Holiday movie marathon
Above all, your holiday fundraisers and events should focus on spreading goodwill among your supporters and showing appreciation for their continued involvement. Keep that in mind as you consider the following ideas.
1. Holiday eCards
Holiday eCards spread the Christmas spirit and allow donors to show their loved ones that they’re thinking of them. You can leverage holiday eCards in multiple types of campaigns. For example, donors can purchase eCard packages to send to family and friends. Or, give donors the option to send eCards notifying their loved ones that they made a tribute gift on their behalf. You can also send donors festive thank-you eCards to show your gratitude for the gifts they made that year.
Personalizable, with space for donors to add each recipient’s name.
Designed with the holiday spirit in mind, using festive imagery like Christmas trees or reindeer.
Branded to your nonprofit, with your logo incorporated into the design.
Here’s an example of an eCard from UnitingWorld, a faith-based international aid agency:
These eCards are available as online purchases through the organization’s eStore.
Consider investing in holiday eCard software to make it easier to design and distribute these messages. These platforms simplify the design process with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy even for beginners. Then, you can immediately embed your eCards into your website or donation page for donors to start using them.
In matching gift programs, businesses match donations that their employees make to eligible nonprofits. You can expand this idea into a matching gift drive, where companies pledge to match all donations made to your nonprofit within a given time period or up to a certain amount.
Matching gift drives can be highly motivational for supporters because they’ll feel that their gifts are more impactful, since they will be doubled. Launch a successful matching campaign by taking the following steps:
Reach out to new or existing corporate partners asking if they would like to partner with your nonprofit this holiday season. Highlight the benefits of getting involved, such as a positive PR boost.
Ask corporate sponsors to match donations made within a specific time period, such as December 25-31.
Promote your matching gift opportunities on multiple platforms, including your website, social media, and email newsletter.
Be sure to thank your corporate sponsors by spotlighting them in your social media posts and email newsletters.
A 5K or fun run can inspire friendly competition among your supporters and raise money for your nonprofit. Ask runners to pay an entry fee to participate in your 5K.
Choose a wintry theme for your 5K such as:
Reindeer Trot
Hot Chocolate Dash
Santa Sprint
Add a fun, engaging element to your event by encouraging participants to dress up in festive garb, such as Santa suits, reindeer antlers, or ugly sweaters.
To generate an additional revenue stream, create branded merchandise, such as t-shirts and mugs, that reflects your theme to generate. Make sure to include cute Christmas imagery on your merchandise to make it more appealing to supporters.
4. Christmas present auction
Christmas shopping tends to be an anxiety-inducing activity for many people. Take away some of the holiday stress by hosting a Christmas present auction. Attendees can bid on items and then gift the items to their friends and loved ones.
Lessons or classes, such as golf lessons or painting classes
Event tickets for experiences like concerts or sporting events
Custom art
Autographed memorabilia
Ask current supporters like your corporate sponsors or major donors to contribute auction items to your event.
5. Polar Plunge
Invite daring supporters to participate in a Polar Plunge fundraising event. In a Polar Plunge, participants jump into cold bodies of water to raise awareness and funds for a charitable cause.
Every Polar Plunge needs these elements to be successful:
Medical personnel on-site in case of any emergencies
Snacks and (warm) drinks for when participants emerge from the icy waters
Collect donations throughout this event by asking participants to gather pledges ahead of time. Donors will fulfill their pledges after participants have completed the plunge.
Take a look at a real-life example of a Polar Plunge event held by Special Olympics:
Special Olympics uses Polar Plunge events to raise awareness and funds for their efforts to make sports more inclusive and accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. Their Polar Plunge events routinely attract dozens of participants and spectators for local events.
6. Bake sale
No holiday party or gathering is complete without tasty treats to share! Host a bake sale for supporters to swing by and pick up their favorite sweets. This can be a great way to ease some of the stress that goes along with baking during the holiday season.
Offer items such as:
Christmas cookies
Pies
Cakes
Bread
Trifles
Bars
Gingerbread
Allow supporters to pick up their baked goods on Christmas Eve so they stay fresh.
7. Christmas tree sale
The Christmas tree is the most iconic symbol of the holiday season, with approximately 25-30 million trees sold annually in the U.S. Partner with a local Christmas tree farm or seller to see if they can host a donation box for your nonprofit or donate a portion of their sales to your cause. Ask if your nonprofit can also set up a booth or table at their tree farm to share information about your mission.
8. Holiday gala
Give supporters the excuse to dress up for a night on the town in the form of a holiday gala. Make your gala a night to remember with the following tips:
Engage attendees with a performance.
Provide a tasty meal and dessert.
Highlight your nonprofit’s accomplishments from the year.
Host a silent auction alongside your other gala activities to give attendees another way to support your organization.
You can even host a raffle or giveaway during the event to open another fundraising stream and give attendees something to look forward to at the end of the evening.
9. House decorating contest
Decorations like Christmas lights, blow-up figures, wreaths, and candles are staples of the holiday season. Everyone has that one neighbor who takes things up a level with a vibrant Christmas display.
Turn this phenomenon into a fundraising opportunity by asking supporters to send in photos of their decked-out homes. Have participants vote on their favorite house using their donations. This can look like having a unique donation page link for each house or putting a space on your donation form for donors to note their favorite entries.
Announce your winner on your social media page and offer a first-place prize, such as cash or a gift basket.
10. Gratefulness challenge
Challenges are popular social media trends, especially on platforms like Facebook that make it easy to fundraise and spread awareness of a cause at the same time. Invite supporters to participate in a holiday gratefulness challenge. Every day for a week in December, encourage participants to post a photo or description of something they are grateful for, whether loved ones, pets, special places, etc. Then, request that supporters tag a family member or friend in their posts to invite others to get involved in the challenge as well.
To raise funds and awareness for your nonprofit, ask participants to share a link to your online donation page, along with some background information. For example, you might provide text for them to use that says “I’m participating in [your organization’s name]’s Gratefulness Challenge to spread awareness of [your mission]. Here is a link to their online donation page: [link here]. I challenge @[friend or family member’s name] to get involved!”
The holiday season tends to inspire people to reflect on the people and places they’re grateful for, so a gratefulness challenge is an effective way to spread goodwill while enhancing awareness of your cause.
11. Concert or singalong
During the Christmas season, Christmas carols are practically unavoidable. Allow supporters to come together and share in the joy of the holiday season with a holiday-themed concert or carol singalong.
You might feature local performers such as the high school band or a locally famous singer-songwriter to foster a stronger sense of community. Round out your event by offering themed refreshments, like hot chocolate and cookies.
12. Online shopping fundraiser
Online shopping continues to grow, especially around the holiday season — 57% of U.S. consumers said they intended to shop online during the 2021 and 2022 holiday seasons. With an online shopping fundraiser, consumers can support your nonprofit while conducting their regular holiday shopping.
Download an online shopping fundraiser app, like ShopRaise.
Make purchases online from participating retailers.
Automatically contribute a percentage of their sales to your nonprofit without having to take any action themselves.
Online shopping fundraisers represent the ultimate convenience for supporters. After downloading the app, they won’t have to alter their daily plans in any way, and they can support your organization while shopping for friends and family.
13. Holiday photoshoot
Give supporters the chance to take Christmas card photos by hosting a holiday photoshoot. Recruit a few local photographers or your staff photographers to volunteer their services. Provide plenty of props, such as Santa hats and Christmas trees. And, make sure to send out the printed photos or digital files several weeks before Christmas so participants can get their holiday cards out in a timely manner.
14. Gift catalog
During the holiday season, plenty of folks like to send their family members or friends thoughtful gifts to let them know they’re thinking of them. Consider hosting a gift catalog fundraiser to make it easier for supporters to send these gifts and support your nonprofit at the same time.
Your gift catalogs may feature a variety of products, such as:
Mail your gift catalogs to supporters several weeks before Christmas so they have time to choose the right gifts and send them before the holiday begins.
15. In-kind donation drive
In-kind donations are noncash gifts that supporters donate to your nonprofit, typically in the form of goods or services. With an in-kind donation drive, you can ask supporters to contribute items that your nonprofit typically needs the most.
Depending on your mission, you may ask for gifts like:
Toys
Canned goods or other nonperishable food items
Personal care items and clothing
Gardening supplies
Pet supplies, like food, leashes, and bowls
Recognize your donors by sharing photos of their in-kind donations on your social media pages or email newsletter.
16. Gingerbread decorating contest
Decorating gingerbread houses is another time-honored Christmas tradition. Invite participants to compete in a gingerbread decorating contest to see who can come up with the most creative or elaborate structure. Require an entry fee for the competition or have participants “vote” with their dollars by placing money into a cash box next to their favorite design.
17. Online baking or cooking class
Online classes allow supporters to learn a new skill from the comfort of home. Plus, the holiday season is full of opportunities to try out a new baked good or dinner recipe.
Invite supporters to participate in an online cooking or baking class with a qualified instructor. Reach out to chefs or bakers within your community to see if someone would be willing to donate a couple of hours of their time to teach the class.
Be sure to send out an ingredient list ahead of time so participants can gather everything they need for the day of the class. Supporters will be able to impress their family members and friends at their next gathering with the new skills they’ve picked up!
18. Holiday lights festival
Deck your nonprofit’s halls by creating a Christmas light display for your community to come see. If you have access to several roads on the grounds surrounding your facility, you can create a drive-by light display for visitors. Request donations at the start of the display and offer treats throughout, such as hot chocolate and cookies, that participants can snack on as they explore the winter wonderland.
19. Pictures with Santa
Along with Christmas card photos, pictures with Santa can be cherished memories for families. Recruit volunteers to be Santa and the elves, and ask a staff member or local photographer to take photos. Set up a picture-perfect backdrop with festive lights and a Christmas tree.
Charge a small fee for the photos to earn donations for your nonprofit.
20. Holiday movie marathon
Host a drive-in movie marathon where supporters can tune in to watch a classic holiday film or two. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas Story, and It’s a Wonderful Life are just a handful of classic movies to consider showing at your event. Offer a snack stand where attendees can pick up popcorn, candy, and hot chocolate.
These ideas will help raise more for your nonprofit’s mission while spreading positivity throughout your community. When community members see your nonprofit’s efforts to generate goodwill, they’ll feel much more connected to your cause and be more likely to donate.
Engaged employees are productive, loyal, and ready to go the extra mile. As such, every business hopes to cultivate an engaged, dedicated team. However, many employees report feeling unengaged—or even actively disengaged—at work.
To help your business motivate its workforce, this guide will share how any organization can turn its team from uninspired to highly engaged. We’ll cover:
Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to amplify your existing employee engagement initiatives, these insights will help you create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and fully invested in their work.
Employee Engagement FAQ
Before you attempt to engage your employees, ensure that you have foundational knowledge to guide your strategies.
What is employee engagement?
Employee engagement refers to employees’ commitment to their work, team, and organization. It measures how motivated employees are to go to work each day and how passionate they are about contributing to the company’s success.
While employee happiness and well-being can impact employee engagement, these are ultimately different metrics. For instance, an employee can feel safe and taken care of in their current position but still not feel particularly invested in their work.
Why is employee engagement important?
Research on the impact of employee engagement is extensive and thoroughly demonstrates that engaged employees provide higher levels of innovation, better customer service, and enhanced job performance. They are also less likely to leave your company, reducing turnover and the associated recruitment and training costs.
Let’s look at a few statistics related to employee engagement:
Highly engaged businesses achieve 59% less turnover.
77% of employees agree a strong work culture allows them to do their best work.
Highly engaged employees result in a 23% increase in profitability.
85% of employees are not engaged at work.
Only 22% of companies know what’s driving their employee disengagement.
Actively disengaged employees cost their organizations between $483 to $605 billion per year.
As the numbers show, employee engagement dictates how your team performs, which ultimately impacts your business’s overall success. Let’s look at a few specific benefits of employee engagement:
Retention
Employees who are motivated and committed to their work are far more likely to stick around. Engaged employees feel a personal stake in their projects, meaning they are committed to completing them and ensuring your business succeeds.
Productivity
When employees feel connected to their work, they’re more likely to stay focused, produce high-quality results, and endeavor to find productive solutions. Additionally, engaged employees are often described as willing to go the extra mile, meaning that if you ever do need team members to do more, you can count on your engaged employees.
Profitability
Work completed by engaged employees tends to be high-quality, helping your business produce better products and services. Also, engaged employees are likely to commit 100% when they’re at work, meaning every hour they are on the clock is dedicated to your company.
Safety and Wellness
Engaged employees are more attentive to their work, meaning fewer workplace accidents. This results in fewer delays, higher productivity, and a healthy, secure workforce. Plus, many strategies designed to improve employee engagement also positively impact employee wellness by reducing burnout, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, and supporting mental health initiatives.
Customer Experience
While employee engagement and employee happiness are two different things, engaged employees tend to also be happy, sociable, and patient. As a result, engaged employees in customer-facing positions tend to create better experiences for consumers.
What are the levels of employee engagement?
Employee engagement is a spectrum, and it’s possible for employees to move from one end of it to the other. This means disengaged employees can become motivated and committed team members, and conversely, previously passionate employees can become burnt out and unengaged.
To understand your team’s current level of engagement, let’s look at the three key stages of engagement:
Engaged. Highly engaged employees have a personal investment in their work, strive to do their best, are productive, participate in a range of business activities, and feel invested in your business’s success.
Unengaged. Unengaged employees tend to do exactly what their job descriptions require and nothing more. These employees usually don’t attend additional work activities, aren’t particularly committed to their workplace, and only adjust their work quality if they receive complaints.
Disengaged. Unlike unengaged employees—who are at least usually benign—disengaged employees commonly sabotage their workplaces. These employees actively dislike their employer, often complain or spread negative sentiments to others, and turn in poor-quality work.
If you feel your workplace primarily has unengaged employees, rest assured that that is common. As long as you only have a few disengaged employees, most employee engagement programs can do the heavy lifting of turning your workplace into a productive, motivated one.
However, if you do feel a significant amount of your team is disengaged or new employees often become disengaged, that might be a sign of bigger underlying problems in your work setup. Remember, no employee enters a new job with the intention to become disengaged, and those who do may be suffering from burnout, lack of support, and isolation.
What factors impact employee engagement?
While every employee and workplace is unique, there are a few common factors that impact employee engagement, no matter the industry. Gallup, well known for its extensive polling and research on employee engagement, shares that these are the five main drivers of employee engagement:
A sense of purpose: If an employee isn’t sure what the point of their job is, it’s hard for them to get invested in their work. Ensure employees not only understand your company’s goals but also how each individual role contributes to your organization’s overall success.
Professional development: While some employees reach a level in their careers where they are satisfied, many wish to continue to develop and move up the ladder. Employees who feel they have a path forward at your business to bigger and better things are more likely to be engaged.
A caring manager: There’s a common saying: “People don’t leave bad jobs; they leave bad managers.” Poor managers can make otherwise engaged employees feel stressed, undervalued, and unsupported. In contrast, caring managers can address unengaged employees’ concerns and get them re-committed to your business.
Open communication: Employees who feel listened to and like they are part of an ongoing conversation about their place at your company are more likely to feel valued and, thus, engaged. Additionally, open communication provides engaged employees with the ability to share their ideas, which can improve your business’s efficiency, introduce creative solutions, or innovate your processes.
Focus on strengths: Employees feel more confident, capable, and engaged when they have positions that align with their skills. While it’s good to occasionally challenge employees, ensuring they have the resources and abilities they need to complete their jobs will not only produce high-quality work but also improve engagement levels.
In most cases, one or more of these factors play a role in why employees are or are not engaged in their work. To learn exactly what is impacting your employees’ engagement levels, consider surveying them to understand their thoughts on their roles, place at your organization, and feelings of support.
Who should be in charge of employee engagement?
Employee engagement is a collective responsibility that involves multiple stakeholders within an organization. While there may not be a single individual solely in charge of employee engagement, the HR department often plays a central role. HR professionals can develop programs aimed at increasing engagement—such as training, recognition, and feedback mechanisms—and monitor the success of these initiatives through surveys.
Managers also significantly influence employee engagement, as they interact directly with their teams and can motivate, mentor, and provide suggestions for growth opportunities. Therefore, it’s crucial for organizations to foster a shared responsibility for engagement, where everyone contributes to creating a positive and engaging workplace culture.
6 Effective Employee Engagement Ideas
Now that you have a basic understanding of what employee engagement is and why it’s important, you can begin implementing strategies to engage, retain, and empower your workforce.
1. Encourage Corporate Giving.
If you haven’t already, launch a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that emphasizes your commitment to ethical, social, and environmental justice. CSR activities often involve collaboration, whether it’s choosing a charitable cause to support or volunteering as a group. These experiences can strengthen team bonds and foster a sense of community among employees, leading to improved working relationships and a more engaged workforce.
Two of the most impactful employee giving programs are matching gifts and volunteer grants. Both emphasize that you want to support the same causes your employees care about. Thankfully, these are also the easiest programs to implement!
Matching Gift Programs
Through a matching gift program, you agree to match an employee’s donation based on a predetermined ratio. Let’s say they give $50 to an eligible organization. If your company matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio, you’d also give $50, effectively doubling the initial contribution. If you offer a generous 2:1 ratio, you’d contribute $100, totaling $150 for the nonprofit.
Employees often seek more from their jobs than just a paycheck; they look for purpose and meaning in their work. They feel part of something bigger when their employer matches their donations to causes they care about. When employees see that you value their charitable efforts, they’re more likely to take pride in being part of your company.
If this seems like an employee engagement opportunity you can’t pass up, here’s what the process looks like:
An individual donates to a nonprofit organization.
Using an employer search tool, they research their eligibility.
If eligible, they fill out a match request form.
Your company reviews the request and confirms the donation with the nonprofit.
Once confirmed, your company donates to the nonprofit.
While developing your matching gift program, eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible. Traditionally, submitting a match request involves some hands-on effort, requiring employees to manually fill out forms and upload donation receipts. Instead, try auto-submission.
Auto-submission is a trailblazing feature made available through Double the Donation and its CSR platform partners—including Millie, Selflessly, POINT, and more. These platforms have earned a CLMA designation for their seamless integration of matching gifts and auto-submission functionality, making employee engagement in the programs easier than ever.
When your company leverages one of these corporate giving solutions to facilitate its matching gift program, all employees have to do is provide their corporate email address (or another piece of identifying information) when donating, and the software will take care of the rest.
Volunteer Grant Programs
Our corporate volunteer research indicates that 84% of employers think volunteerism is an effective way to engage employees. Try organizing company volunteer days to encourage groups of employees to volunteer together, or offer volunteer time off (VTO) to let individual employees volunteer during work hours.
To make employees’ impact go further, offer volunteer grants. Through a volunteer grant program, your company will provide financial donations to nonprofits where your employees volunteer. You can either donate on an hourly basis or donate a predetermined amount once a certain threshold is met. For example, you might offer $20 per volunteer hour, or you might offer a $500 grant once an employee volunteers 25 hours.
This type of volunteer program acknowledges and monetizes the personal time employees dedicate to philanthropy. You’ll reinforce a culture of giving and boost morale by valuing employees’ passions.
Overall, aligning corporate giving with employees’ volunteer interest will help your company amplify its social impact and foster a more engaged and committed workforce.
2. Promote Professional Development.
Employees are more likely to feel engaged when they see a clear path forward within your organization. Create opportunities to sharpen their skills, knowledge, and career development through:
Training: In addition to initial onboarding and orientation, offer ongoing training programs that focus on both job-specific skills and soft skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Use a mix of training methods, including in-person workshops and online courses, to accommodate various learning styles. For instance, our Matching Gift Academy provides a variety of video-based training modules that teach strategies to solve roadblocks and manage the matching gift business process. While ideal for nonprofits, this example shows how you can help employees develop their skills.
Advancement: Encourage employees to create Individual Development Plans (IDPs) that outline their career goals. Managers should review IDPs with employees during one-on-one meetings and provide guidance on the skills and experience needed for advancement in different roles or departments.
Mentorship: Implement mentorship or coaching programs where experienced employees can guide and support those looking to advance their careers. These programs can provide valuable insights and networking opportunities for employees.
Continued education: Offer financial assistance or time off for employees pursuing additional education or certifications related to their roles. Create partnerships with educational institutions or online learning platforms to make learning resources more accessible to employees.
Professional development is an investment in your company’s human capital. Allocate the necessary resources, including budget, time, and personnel, to develop and deliver effective programs.
3. Recognize Employees With Creative eCards.
Chances are, your business already has employee recognition practices in place. For instance, you might offer performance bonuses, public praise, and awards like “Employee of the Month.” While these methods can be effective in engaging employees, they may feel unappreciated if recognition feels routine and uninspired.
Switching things up with an innovative solution like eCards keeps recognition fresh and exciting. Digital thank-you notes can be shared quickly through email, making them a popular choice for instant recognition.
To create thoughtful recognition eCards like the one above, here’s what you should do:
Choose an eCard creation platform with employee recognition capabilities. It should also offer a variety of templates, customization options, and scheduling features.
Create eCards that match various occasions or purposes for recognition, whether it’s for a birthday, work anniversary, outstanding performance, or another event.
Personalize each eCard by adding the recipient’s name and a heartfelt message. Consider tailoring the message to highlight the specific reason for recognition, such as a recent achievement or milestone.
Choose the delivery date and method. You can send the eCard immediately or schedule it for later, depending on your preferences.
For more information on how eCards can boost employee engagement, watch this video from our friends at eCardWidget:
Everyone loves receiving a thoughtful greeting card, so make your employee recognition memorable with eCards! Whether managers send them to standout employees or coworkers send them to one another, you’ll create a positive culture in no time.
The Best Times To Send eCards
While eCards are a powerful employee engagement idea, you need to strategize when you’ll send them for maximum impact.
Here are some of the best times to send eCards to employees:
Work Anniversaries: A celebratory eCard on each employee’s work anniversary is a great way to recognize their commitment to your organization.
After Achievements: Send eCards immediately after someone completes a significant project, receives positive customer feedback, or reaches a major milestone to communicate that you value their contributions.
Holidays: Reach out on festive occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s to spread joy and show appreciation.
Birthdays: Make employees feel special on their birthdays by sending well wishes with an eCard. Your eCard can explain how much you appreciate their contributions and hope they have a wonderful day.
You can even schedule some of these emails to be sent on a specific date, like on holidays, work anniversaries, or other special occasions. For example, eCardWidget offers automated birthday eCards. By turning this feature on, you can automatically send personalized birthday eCards on each employee’s special day.
Simply upload your employees’ birthdays and contact information to the platform. Then, select your birthday eCard and write a message or two wishing recipients a happy birthday. If you add multiple birthday eCard designs or messages, the platform will rotate through them, providing a combination that makes each recipient feel special. Timely recognition like this will work wonders for employee engagement!
4. Launch A Workplace Wellness Program.
Prioritizing workplace wellness directly impacts employee health, morale, and productivity and demonstrates your company’s investment in employees’ well-being. This commitment not only fosters a supportive work environment but also enhances employee retention and performance, contributing to a more resilient and thriving company.
Show your employees you care by creating a wellness program to promote healthy behaviors and support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional health through activities and resources. By creating this type of program, you can ultimately foster a healthier and happier workplace.
Best of all, you can use social wellness platforms to streamline your program. As our top recommendation, Givhero offers a suite of features designed to engage employees in wellness and social responsibility efforts, such as:
Customizable Challenges: Create personalized health and wellness challenges tailored to your workforce, encouraging participation in a fun and engaging way.
Charitable Donations: Achievements within these challenges are rewarded with donations to charities, linking employee wellness efforts directly to social impact. Employees can choose from Givhero’s Partner Network of over 2.3 million charitable causes.
Activity Tracking: The platform includes tools for tracking various wellness activities, such as exercise, meditation, or healthy eating. Employees can sync Givhero with apps like Apple Health, Fitbit, and Strava, allowing for easy progress tracking.
Social Engagement: Features for sharing achievements and participating in group challenges help build a sense of community among employees. People can even support colleagues with applause and badges.
Historically, Givhero has increased employee wellness program participation by 50%+ and reduced HR administration time by up to 80%. Using an app like this will not only motivate employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle but also foster a culture of giving back. Best of all, adminstration is a breeze.
Overall, Givhero helps companies invest in their employees’ health and the community, making it a powerful tool for boosting employee engagement and fostering a positive workplace culture.
5. Promote Work-Life Balance.
Promoting work-life balance is essential for engaging employees and fostering a healthier, more productive workplace. Set reasonable working hours and encourage employees to disconnect from work when they are off the clock.
Keep in mind that a culture of work-life balance should be cultivated from the top down. Leaders and managers should model this balance by respecting employees’ time and encouraging them to prioritize self-care. Encourage employees to take regular breaks and vacations, setting realistic expectations for response times to emails or work requests outside regular hours.
By demonstrating a commitment to work-life balance and providing the necessary support, you can create an environment where employees feel engaged in their roles and fulfilled in their personal lives.
6. Foster an Inclusive Work Environment.
Inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging among employees, regardless of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. When employees feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged because they are comfortable being themselves and contributing their unique perspectives.
Here are a few ways to promote a positive and inclusive workspace:
Implement inclusive hiring practices that consider candidates from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Ensure that job postings and interview panels are free from bias.
Establish policies that prohibit discrimination and harassment in all forms, including that based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and age.
Foster a culture of open and transparent communication where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas without fear of retribution.
Creating a positive and inclusive work environment is an ongoing process that requires commitment from all levels of the organization. It’s essential to continually assess and refine your efforts, seek feedback from employees, and adapt to evolving best practices in diversity and inclusion to create a thriving workplace for everyone.
After launching your engagement initiatives, analyze turnover rates, absenteeism, and performance metrics to determine their effectiveness. Additionally, send out surveys and have one-on-one discussions with employees to gauge their level of commitment to your organization.
Focus on metrics like:
Attendance. Track employee attendance, paying particular attention to how your absenteeism rate changes before and after implementing your engagement program. Engaged employees tend to miss fewer days of work and show up on time.
Productivity. Check employees’ productivity rates and the quality of their work. Engaged employees should provide work that shows an investment in your success.
Participation in cultural activities. Host cultural events, such as after-work activities, and take note of which employees attend.
Retention. Over all, your engagement programs should correspond with an uptick in employee loyalty and retention.
Identify and take measures to re-engage disengaged employees to prevent further decline in morale and performance.
A Final Note About Employee Engagement
Remember, employee engagement is not a one-time initiative. It’s a continuous journey that requires commitment, dedication, and a genuine desire to create a workplace where employees feel inspired to do their best.
For more information on employee engagement, check out these additional resources:
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Employee-Engagement_From-Disengaged-to-Inspired-A-Guide-to-Employee-Engagement.jpg7301920Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-09-29 11:01:182025-03-03 21:03:44From Disengaged to Inspired: A Guide to Employee Engagement
Double the Donation and Little Green Light have worked together to provide nonprofit organizations with an advanced matching gift integration between Little Green Light donation forms and Double the Donation.
“Nonprofits are always looking for ways to deepen their relationships with donors and raise more with every visit to their giving pages,” said Hunter Williams, VP Product Marketing at Little Green Light. “We’re excited to answer the call for boosted revenue with new matching gifts capabilities.”
Now, mutual clients of Little Green Light and Double the Donation can connect their accounts to raise more from matching gifts by educating donors at the time of giving.
“Engaging donors while they’re in the giving mindset is a key mover toward matching gift success,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “Now that Double the Donation integrates with Little Green Light donation forms, nonprofits have the power to interact with their donors about their match potential when it matters most.”
Read on to learn more about the Double the Donation and Little Green Light integration.
Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!
Getting started with the Little Green Light and Double the Donation integration is simple. All a nonprofit organization needs to do is enter their Double the Donation credentials into their Little Green Light account to get started, then select the Double the Donation option on the desired forms and confirmation pages.
Once the integration is activated, donations will begin flowing from Little Green Light forms into Double the Donation and donors can search for their company name directly from the confirmation page. When a company is identified, the Double the Donation plugin will share company program details and next steps.
Nonprofits also have the option to send their donors customized follow up emails about their match potential. This way, orgs can catch as many match eligible donors as possible!
Drive Donations to Completion with Double the Donation!
Corporate philanthropy can have an incredible impact on nonprofits if those nonprofits are provided with effective and easy-to-use tools. Double the Donation and Little Green Light’s new integration ensures organizations can see even more value from corporate philanthropy.
Little Green Light offers a simple, centralized, and secure way for your nonprofit to drive donations, and the Double the Donation plugin follows suit with endless features designed to take the stress out of gift-matching marketing.
Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: Double the Donation enables you to automatically collect matching gift eligibility from donors using email domains, within donation forms, on confirmation screens, or by email. The more matching gift opportunities Double the Donation discovers and shares with donors, the more matching gift requests your donors will successfully submit.
Drive more matches to completion, from form submission to corporate payment: Direct donors immediately to their matching gift forms after the donation process is complete. Then, provide the right information to the right donors at the right time with custom emails based on match eligibility. Target follow-ups drive more completed submissions than ever before, bringing exponentially more matching gift checks from companies through your door.
Reallocate your time from routine follow-up to your top opportunities: Your time is valuable, so why spend it chasing small dollar-value matching gifts? Let Double the Donation automate your matching gift outreach while flagging your highest-value opportunities, allowing your team to personalize follow-ups to the most valuable match-eligible donations. Rest easy knowing that Double the Donation can handle the rest.
Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using Little Green Light? Request a demo today.
About Little Green Light (LGL): LGL is an affordable online donor management and fundraising software solution built for the needs of busy nonprofit professionals. Our suite of tools helps to streamline essential fundraising tasks and manage communications with all of your nonprofit’s most important supporters, including donors, volunteers, members and more. Learn more at www.littlegreenlight.com/getting-started.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DTD_Little-Green-Light-partnership-announcement.png290775Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-09-12 13:00:412025-02-28 14:37:32Little Green Light and Double the Donation Team Up to Offer Matching Gifts Integration
REACH and Double the Donation have teamed up to boost nonprofit fundraising efforts with a seamless matching gifts integration, powered by 360MatchPro. The partnership and integration bring matching gifts directly to nonprofits REACH donation forms.
“REACH provides nonprofits with a software that truly serves them. The 360MatchPro integration automates the corporate matching gift process, using Double the Donation’s extensive matching gift database,” said David McWilliams, CEO at REACH. “This gives our nonprofits’ donors the tools needed to easily double their contribution and in turn, extend the nonprofits’ reach and global impact. It’s an integration that just makes sense.”
Now, when nonprofits connect their 360MatchPro account to their REACH donation forms, donors can discover their match eligibility in real time and take their next steps directly after making their initial gift.
“Despite the great strides we’ve taken toward matching gift awareness, there are still huge populations of donors who are unaware of their employers’ programs,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “By partnering with REACH, Double the Donation can assist nonprofits to connect with even more members of their supporter community about matching gifts.”
Want to see more details about the REACH and 360MatchPro integration? Keep reading!
Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!
Integrating 360MatchPro with REACH forms takes only a few steps. A mutual client of REACH and Double the Donation will simply enter their 360MatchPro API keys into their REACH portal to connect their accounts. Once this is complete, it’s just a matter of choosing which forms on which to add 360MatchPro’s donor-facing tools.
Once integrated on a REACH form, 360MatchPro immediately goes to work helping donors discover their company’s matching gifts program. From a simple search of Double the Donation’s database to clear next steps on REACH confirmation pages, donors are guided every step of the way to matching gift success.
The donation record, with associated company information, is then immediately sent to 360MatchPro, where the nonprofit has the power to automatically send follow up emails personalized to the organization’s branding and the donor’s status in the match process.
Drive Donations to Completion with 360MatchPro!
The new REACH and Double the Donation partnership empowers fundraisers to deepen their relationships with donors, and empowers donors to deepen their impact on the causes they care about.
Some other key features of matching gifts automation you can look out for:
Identify more matching gift revenue opportunities: 360MatchPro enables you to automatically collect matching gift eligibility from donors using email domains, within donation forms, on confirmation screens, or by email. The more matching gift opportunities 360MatchPro discovers and shares with donors, the more matching gift requests your donors will successfully submit.
Drive more matches to completion, from form submission to corporate payment: Direct donors immediately to their matching gift forms after the donation process is complete. Then, provide the right information to the right donors at the right time with custom emails based on match eligibility. Target follow-ups drive more completed submissions than ever before, bringing exponentially more matching gift checks from companies through your door.
Reallocate your time from routine follow-up to your top opportunities: Your time is valuable, so why spend it chasing small dollar-value matching gifts? Let 360MatchPro automate your matching gift outreach while flagging your highest-value opportunities, allowing your team to personalize follow-ups to the most valuable match-eligible donations. Rest easy knowing that 360MatchPro can handle the rest.
Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using REACH? Request a demo today.
About REACH:REACH helps your nonprofit work smarter and operate more efficiently. We provide nonprofits with robust software to help you manage your donors, fundraise and run your sponsorship programs.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The 360MatchPro platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. 360MatchPro integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
https://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DTD_REACH-Partnership-announcement-Feature.png290775Adam Weingerhttps://doublethedonation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/logo-dtd.svgAdam Weinger2023-09-05 15:00:392024-11-21 21:21:16Double the Donation and REACH Partner with New Matching Gifts Integration
Matching Donation Challenges: A Guide to Increasing Gifts
/in Learning Center, Fundraising Ideas, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerWith matching gifts, nonprofit organizations can double the impact of their donors’ contributions with just a tiny amount of effort. In fact, an estimated $2-3 billion is donated through matching gift programs annually. But if you need funds by a specific deadline or want to finish out your fundraising campaign with a bang, a matching donation challenge is more suited to your needs.
When organized thoughtfully, matching donation challenges can greatly increase the gifts your nonprofit receives. To help you get started, we’ll cover the following topics:
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to confidently host a matching gift challenge of your own. Let’s get started!
What is a Matching Donation Challenge?
With matching gifts, your nonprofit essentially asks your donors to check with their employers to see if they offer donation matches. If these matches are offered, then donors will typically need to fill out a form requesting the match. Then, your nonprofit receives the funds from both the donor and the employer’s match. Usually, matching gift programs work on an annual basis—even if the donation was made months ago, a donor can still request a match from their employer if it’s still the same year.
Where matching donation challenges differ from matching gifts is that they are generally a much more time-sensitive fundraising initiative. Rather than having individual donors request matches from their employers, during a challenge, a major donor or corporate partner pledges to match donations during a set time frame.
For example, they could pledge to match every dollar donated up to $20,000 at a 1:1 ratio for the weekend. This incentivizes supporters to make gifts during that time, as their donations will have a greater impact.
While matching gift challenges are usually for the benefit of a nonprofit, that doesn’t mean that only nonprofits organize them. For example, the popular convention Dragon Con designates a charity every year for a dollar-to-dollar match during the convention dates.
Benefits of Matching Donation Challenges
Matching donation challenges offer nonprofits a variety of benefits, including the following:
These benefits make matching donation challenges uniquely suited to augment your existing fundraising efforts. For example, if you have a year-end giving strategy in place, take advantage of the increased generosity at the end of the year and create a matching challenge for the last few days of December. That way, you’ll maximize the gifts that your nonprofit receives.
How to Set Up a Matching Donation Challenge
To properly leverage the benefits of a matching donation challenge, you need to know how to organize your challenge. Follow these six steps to help ensure your fundraising success.
1. Identify challenge details.
The first step to creating a successful matching donation challenge is to identify the details of the challenge. Ask yourself the following questions:
By answering these questions, you’ll lay the groundwork for a carefully planned challenge. For example, if you decide that your matching donation challenge will be your main fundraising event of the summer, your plans should look different than if it will be the grand finale of your year-end giving campaign. In the former instance, you’ll be structuring your summer fundraising around your matching donation challenge. In the latter, you’ll need to plan other fundraising events and initiatives on top of your matching donation challenge.
2. Establish your goals.
As with any other fundraising initiative, the main goal of a matching donation challenge is to increase donations to power your nonprofit’s mission. After identifying the details of your challenge, consider how your fundraising initiatives have fared in the past to help inform what your goal should be.
For example, let’s say that you’re the leader of an organization dedicated to funding breast cancer research. You host an annual Pinktober fundraising campaign, and you usually raise around $50,000. However, this year, you’d like to raise $75,000 instead—$25,000 more than usual. You can plan to use a matching donation challenge to raise this amount, making your goal $25,000.
What’s interesting about a matching donation challenge is that the match amount generally represents half of your goal. In the case of the Pinktober fundraising campaign, your goal is to raise an additional $25,000 with your challenge. To have a successful matching donation challenge and fundraising campaign, you need to secure a partner who’s willing to match at least $12,500 worth of donations.
3. Seek out a matching donation partner.
After deciding on the details of your challenge and determining your goal for it, your next step is to seek out your matching donation partner. This individual or group will be responsible for putting forth the funds to match the donations made by your supporters.
Individuals and groups that are commonly nonprofit matching donation partners include:
When reaching out to potential partners, frame your ask in terms of the benefits that they’ll receive. For instance, if you share a similar target audience as a business, you might share your audience’s demographics and explain how, in exchange for their generosity, you’ll market their business in your advertising materials. As a result, they’ll gain exposure to new prospective customers. Plus, your corporate partner will get a boost in their reputation by working with your organization.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to limit yourself to a single partner! If multiple individuals or organizations are willing to be your partner for your matching donation challenge, don’t hesitate to accept multiple partnerships to help you reach your goal.
4. Promote your matching donation challenge.
It’s estimated that over $4 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year, yet 84% of individuals say that they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered. This shows that the biggest barrier to nonprofits claiming funds from matching gifts is a lack of awareness.
Generating enough awareness is also critical to matching donation challenges. To create that sense of urgency and entice your supporters into giving, you need to have a strong marketing strategy. Spread information about your challenge through the following marketing channels:
Announce your matching donation challenge in advance of the challenge’s start date to build excitement. Be sure to include the dates of the challenge, the dollar amount of donations that will be matched, and any restrictions on donations. For example, if your partner will match $25,000 at a 1:1 ratio but only if the donations are $100 or less, include that information in your materials.
By thoroughly marketing your challenge, you’ll be able to create a sense of immediacy to support your cause, resulting in more donations for your organization.
5. Monitor challenge progress.
When your matching donation challenge begins, monitor your donation progress toward the match maximum. Be sure to provide this information to your supporters as well—transparency about funds received will create a sense of trust. Additionally, if individuals see that you are nearing your match goal, they may be more likely to donate to your nonprofit.
For the best results, consider investing in a matching donation or matching gift software solution. These tools simplify matching donation challenges with data and analytics features. With the right solution, you can create fundraising thermometers or leaderboards that automatically update as gifts are made. Plus, you can even leverage your software to receive employer matches during your matching donation challenge, effectively tripling the impact of donations made during this time.
6. Follow up after the event.
At the close of your matching donation challenge, report the results to your match partner and supporters. That way, your partner will know how much they’ll need to match, and your supporters will know if you met your goal or not.
Regardless of whether your goal was met, be sure to thank all parties involved in the challenge. For instance, you might email thank you notes to all of your supporters, write handwritten thank you notes to your top donors, and spotlight your match partner on social media. By properly stewarding these relationships, you’ll ensure future support for your nonprofit.
3 Best Practices for Successful Matching Donation Challenges
Now that you know how to set up your matching donation challenge, let’s take a look at three best practices to ensure your success.
1. Simplify your matching donation challenge with software.
Without dedicated tools, your matching donation challenge will require a large amount of manual, time-consuming work from your nonprofit’s team members. The right software solutions will simplify your challenge, reduce work for your staff, and make it easier for you to garner support.
Useful tools for matching donation challenges include:
Set your nonprofit up for success by investing in the right tools for your matching donation challenge. Thoroughly research your options to find the right choice for your nonprofit’s unique needs.
2. Strategically choose when to host your challenge.
At certain times of the year, individuals are more likely to give to nonprofits. If you host your matching donation challenge during these moments, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of increased generosity.
For example, the end of the year is a well-known season of giving, with 30% of annual giving happening in December. Aside from the holidays, GivingTuesday, a day of global generosity, also occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This makes year-end a particularly appealing time for a matching donation challenge, as it’s more likely that donors will give.
Other periods of increased giving include cause months, which is a month or period that is dedicated to a specific cause. For instance, February is Black History Month, March is Women’s History Month, June is Pride Month, and so on. If your nonprofit’s mission aligns with a cause month, consider hosting your matching donation challenge during that month for increased visibility for your cause.
3. Emphasize increased impact.
As you’re constructing your marketing materials for your matching donation challenge, keep in mind that the increased impact of gifts is not just the challenge’s primary benefit for your nonprofit. It is also a compelling reason for donors to lend their support.
Emphasize this benefit to donors as you make your appeal for donations. Stress that there’s no extra financial obligation on their end, as your matching partner will provide the additional funds.
Consider using the following language in your marketing materials:
Encourage donors to make gifts by strategically positioning the impact they’ll be able to generate for your organization. Since your matching donation challenge only lasts for a limited amount of time, make sure to use time-bound language like “Donate by midnight” and “Give by Friday” to spur action.
Additional Resources
Matching donation challenges are opportunities for nonprofits to generate a greater-than-usual amount of monetary support for their cause. By investing in the right software solutions, strategically choosing your challenge timing, and emphasizing the increased impact of gifts made during your challenge, you’ll be well on your way to generating the funds your nonprofit needs to power your mission.
If you’d like to learn more about matching gifts, take a look at the following resources:
How to Implement Corporate Social Responsibility Software
/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerCorporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are an effective way for businesses to engage employees while also boosting their reputation through corporate citizenship. In fact, 72% of consumers state they are more likely to recommend a brand that supports a good cause over one that doesn’t.
However, deciding you want to launch a CSR program is just the first step. To be effective, philanthropy needs to be organized. This enables you to maximize your resource allocation, ensure you’re helping reputable causes, and accurately report your impact to employees and consumers.
One key element of modern CSR programs is software. CSR software for businesses enables you to track every aspect of your philanthropic activities, helping you make the biggest impact possible.
To help, this guide will explore the essentials of CSR software by looking at:
Sponsorships, corporate volunteerism, workplace giving, and other CSR efforts have the potential to make a real difference in your community. The right software will aid your efforts to keep you on track, make your processes more efficient, and help you do good in the world.
What is CSR Software?
CSR software is essentially any business-oriented software solution that enables for-profit organizations to participate in CSR activities. As such, CSR software encompasses platforms with a variety of functionalities, including management tools for:
Essentially, any philanthropic activity that your company might participate in is likely to have a corresponding CSR software solution you can invest in. Note that many CSR platforms will have features to facilitate multiple types of corporate giving. However, different software has different focus areas, so consider what type of program you want to launch before looking into platforms.
5 Features to Look for in CSR Software
Once you know what type of philanthropy program you want to launch, you can start creating a list of top CSR platforms you’re considering. Assess these candidates based on their user-friendliness, how well they align with your budget, and whether they have the necessary features.
While your priorities will depend on your specific corporate giving program, a few top features to look for include:
1. Employee Giving Features
While there are types of corporate philanthropy that don’t involve employees, using a solution with employee giving program features will put your business in a good position to start one if you later have an interest in doing so. And many corporations end up launching some sort of giving program for their employees as it lets them have an active role in helping their communities.
For example, one popular type of employee giving program that highly benefits from software is matching gifts. Here’s a breakdown of technology’s role in this specific CSR program:
Matching gifts are an especially effective type of CSR program because they give employees an extra incentive to participate. After all, 84% of donors state that they’re more likely to make a donation if they know it will be matched.
2. Reporting Tools
Employees and consumers want to interact with businesses that engage in corporate philanthropy. Make sure your CSR software will equip you with the reporting tools you need to gather data, keep it organized, and create reports showing your impact.
Reporting tools allow you to understand how well your CSR initiatives are performing, if resources should be allocated differently, and what tangible difference you have made. For a real-life example, let’s talk about a trend we saw in 2023. Many companies that previously paused their matching gift programs started them back up partly due to data demonstrating their importance.
Additionally, reporting helps you maintain transparency. Employees who participate in a workplace giving program want to know that their contributions are going to specific nonprofits that then use them to fulfill their missions. Plus, straightforward reports on your philanthropic spending will be useful when completing your business’s tax forms.
3. Nonprofit Vetting
Some CSR platforms connect corporations with a list of trusted nonprofits or provide them with the tools to vet nonprofits’ credentials. Ensuring you’re working with reputable organizations is essential for making an impact through your philanthropic efforts.
Software that provides a database of nonprofits looking for sponsorships, business partnerships, and other CSR assistance can also help you find new organizations to support. For example, you might search for small local nonprofits that do important work but get overlooked when compared to nationally known charitable organizations.
If your business only wants to work with specific types of nonprofits, databases with filtering tools can be incredibly useful. For example, you might set your parameters to exempt religious organizations, show only organizations that receive a certain amount of revenue annually, and sort by proximity to your business’s headquarters.
You can use this information to determine which organizations you’ll support and even provide a list to employees as part of your workplace giving program. They might appreciate having a range of organizations to support.
When choosing a CSR vendor, ask them about their vetting process, specifically what criteria they use. Some systems have different weights that can inadvertently penalize small but still reputable organizations.
4. Vendor Support
Purchasing any new software application is a major investment, and businesses need CSR software solutions that come from reliable vendors. Research vendor reviews from past clients to get trustable opinions on their professionalism, experience, and helpfulness. Specifically, look up whether the vendor provides the following:
Buying new software can be a lengthy process, so make the most of this time by getting to know your potential providers. Request demos, ask questions, and check reviews of their software to make a fully informed decision before committing to a purchase.
5. User Convenience
It’s possible but difficult to run a low-tech CSR program. This method involves keeping physical forms organized long-term, which means you’ll need a good printer and lots of file cabinet space. These systems also tend to be slower and require more effort on both your employees and leadership’s parts, lowering participation.
In contrast, software enables you to keep all relevant program information in one location that anyone with a computer and internet connection can access. This can help you engage remote employees, speed up your programs, and stay organized.
For example, let’s take a closer look at one CSR feature we discussed earlier: matching gift auto-submission.
Auto-submission is a new technology in the CSR space, but it can make matching gifts a significantly faster and easier process. Here’s a comparison of the matching gift request process with and without auto-submission:
Without Auto-Submission
With Auto-Submission
Any technology that can cut down an eight-step process to a three-step process is worth considering. Participating in CSR programs is entirely voluntary, and user-friendly software can make all the difference in whether or not your employees decide to engage.
How to Implement Your CSR Software: 5 Steps
Once you’ve chosen your CSR software, you’ll need to plan your implementation. This involves not just setting up your software but gaining employee buy-in as well.
This process will vary based on your business’s past experiences with CSR programs, but in general, businesses can follow these five steps:
1. Develop Your CSR Program
Your chosen software manages your CSR program, so ensure you know what type of CSR program you intend to launch and how you’ll configure the software to facilitate it.
For example, you might choose a CSR software solution with matching gift functionalities to promote your employee giving program. From there, you’ll need to develop that matching gift program and set up your CSR software to:
These questions are a combination of fleshing out your CSR program and your software’s role. Make sure the process for participating in any CSR programs is fully ironed out before presenting it to employees or consumers to avoid questions, confusion, or mishaps.
2. Host a Training Session
As with any new software you implement, determine how you will train employees to use it. This might involve sending out a recording and detailed instructions on how to use the software, hosting a live demo, or even having members of your CSR vendor’s team conduct the training session for you.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to create detailed documentation that covers how to use the software, fixes for recurring technical issues, and information on how to handle system updates. When you hire new employees or if a member of your technical team leaves, this documentation will speed up training and ensure knowledge is maintained.
3. Promote CSR Participation
Once your software is set up, it’s time to promote your CSR activities like corporate volunteer days and employee giving. To do this, you need to make your employees aware of your programs and motivate them to participate.
Lack of knowledge of CSR programs is more prevalent than you might realize. For instance, 78% of donors are unaware of whether their employer offers a matching gift program, leaving a lot of money on the table that’s earmarked for philanthropy.
Make sure your employees know about and are incentivized to participate in CSR by implementing strategies like these:
Additionally, employees may advocate for the creation of new CSR programs. Consider employee requests, the costs and benefits of these programs, and whether your current software is equipped to handle them. In some cases, you might find your CSR platform can already facilitate what your employees are asking for.
4. Gather Employee Feedback
After rolling out your new CSR software, be open to employee questions, suggestions, and frustrations. Workplace giving programs only succeed when employees buy into them, and ensuring that employee voices are heard and concerns are addressed is the first step to attaining that buy-in.
Create formal surveys and ask questions like:
This feedback can help you make targeted improvements to your CSR program and point to future software upgrades. For example, you might learn that many employees are unaware your CSR software has corporate volunteerism functionality and send out written directions or a recording of someone navigating the platform showing how to access them. Or, you may learn that certain processes are slow and dissuade employees from participating in them, leading you to consider a new CSR software solution altogether.
Keep a record of employee feedback and refer back to it when announcing changes in your CSR program to demonstrate your commitment to listening to employees. This can not only boost buy-in for specific CSR initiatives but also help improve your workplace culture in general.
5. Explore Newly Added Features
When implementing your CSR software, take the time to explore all of its features. CSR vendors continuously update their platforms to provide better, more convenient corporate giving experiences, and a new update might bring new functionalities that improve your CSR program.
For one example, we previously discussed new technology for matching gifts, auto-submission. As the technology sees wider adoption, more CSR vendors may allow users to turn on auto-submission, enabling businesses’ employees to submit their matching gift applications in seconds.
Since your initial purchase, check if your CSR platform offers new tools like auto-submission or any other feature that will improve your corporate philanthropy programs.
CSR Software: Final Thoughts
CSR software has evolved over the last few years, providing new, innovative ways to make corporate philanthropy as easy as possible. These platforms will continue evolving as well, inventing new features to improve convenience, transparency, and impact.
For businesses interested in getting started with CSR, choosing a software solution is a major first step. Along with what you’ve learned here, continue exploring the ins and outs of CSR with resources like these:
Why Do Employees Give? 8 Ways to Inspire Employee Giving
/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerCorporate giving programs enable businesses to work alongside their employees to make a positive difference in the world. These programs are often driven by employee giving, allowing your team to play an active role in helping the causes they care about.
However, while most employees enjoy working for employers with giving programs, even the most passionate employees sometimes need a little push to participate. This can be for a number of reasons, from being unsure how the program works to simply forgetting about it to even not knowing it exists at all!
To help your business make better, more effective contributions to good causes, this guide will explore eight ways you can encourage employees to donate through your workplace giving program. But first, let’s dig into just why employee giving is so important.
Why does employee giving matter?
Employee giving is a win-win-win situation for businesses, employees, and nonprofits. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these groups can gain from a healthy employee giving program:
The Business Perspective
At first businesses, especially small organizations, may have reservations about jumping into corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives due to the associated costs. However, along with making a positive difference in the world, these donations can pay for themselves in a number of ways.
Today’s employees, especially economically-present Gen Z workers and consumers, are socially conscious and want to associate with businesses committed to charitable causes. Let’s take a look at just a fraction of the research on CSR:
An employee giving program is one of the easiest ways your business can get started with CSR. It’s employee-driven and is at least partially funded by them, sharing the potential financial burden.
All your business needs to do is invest in the proper resources to facilitate employee giving, vet promoted causes, establish giving requirements, provide impact reports, and regularly promote the program.
The Employee Perspective
Quite plainly, donating to a good cause makes the individual who donates feel good. They know they’re actively contributing to a cause that makes a positive difference in the world. Plus, when their employer also cares about and supports that same cause, employees know they’re working for an organization that shares their values, making them more engaged and invested in the organization.
Employee giving programs can incentivize donating. If an employee gets quarterly reports about how much the business has contributed to good causes, that can remind them to chip in a contribution of their own. Some employee giving programs even allow employees to opt-in to automatic paycheck deductions, making the donation process automatic.
The Nonprofit Perspective
Foremost, nonprofits earn valuable fundraising revenue from employee giving programs. While each individual’s donation alone is helpful, entire teams of like-minded donors all giving together can make a massive impact.
Employee giving programs are also an opportunity for nonprofits to attract attention to their organization. Nonprofits can partner with local businesses to receive funds (or get highlighted to employees looking to give in more open programs), spreading awareness of their cause and attracting new donors.
8 Strategies to Spark Employee Giving
Employee engagement programs like workplace giving programs can essentially run themselves after launch with businesses just needing to send the occasional reminder and impact report. However, to get them to that state, you’ll need to attain employee buy-in and make participation in your giving program a regular part of your company culture.
Whether you’re starting a new employee giving program or trying to reinvigorate your current one, here are eight strategies that will inspire your employees to participate:
1. Plan a formal launch.
Brand new employee giving programs face two major hurdles: letting employees know the program exists and teaching employees how to participate. You can accomplish both of these by treating your giving program’s launch like you would any other business initiative.
For instance, consider preparing the following materials for your giving program launch:
If you already have an employee giving program that’s seeing lackluster results, consider planning a formal re-launch to reintroduce it to employees. This can be an opportunity to respond to questions employees may have had but never got answered, re-confirm your commitment to social good, and make charitableness a more notable part of your company culture.
2. Provide bonus match incentives.
In a survey, over 84% of donors stated they were more likely to give if their donation would be matched. Companies looking to increase employee giving can leverage this data’s findings by offering a matching gift program.
In addition to encouraging more donations, corporate matching gift programs also signal to employees that their employer cares about the same causes they do. This can help increase employee loyalty and create a sense of teamwork as you and your employees contribute in equal measure to causes that matter.
To start your matching gift program, consider the following matching stipulations:
If you decide to incorporate matching gifts into your employee giving program, check if your CSR software has features that can help you create and process matching gift request forms.
3. Be transparent.
Employees want to work for businesses with robust CSR programs. However, it’s also common for employees to be doubtful of corporate philanthropy, especially if businesses aren’t open about their charitable practices and spending.
You can instill buy-in for both employees and customers by being as transparent about your employee giving program as possible. For example, make it a point to:
Part of transparency involves having organized data so you can provide accurate reports and answers to questions. Use a CSR database that lets you keep track of all relevant activities and helps you maintain any relevant compliance regulations.
4. Provide freedom of choice.
Businesses often only match donations for specific types of nonprofits. For example, it’s common to see businesses that match employee donations to all types of nonprofits, except for religious organizations. These limitations can help focus philanthropic efforts and ensure you’re only supporting reputable organizations your business has taken the time to vet.
However, limiting employee freedom of choice can also limit employee giving. Many employees are motivated to participate in employee giving when they have the option to support causes they have a personal connection to, and not having that option can cause them not to give.
Consider your employee giving program’s goals and meet with your team to learn what causes matter to them. Then, you can determine the level of freedom you want to grant employees. This might involve allowing them to choose from a range of nonprofits that tackle a variety of issues, nonprofits with a focus area relevant to your business, any nonprofit employees can think of, or something in between.
5. Facilitate in-kind gifts.
Some members of your team may be interested in giving back in ways other than monetary donations. For these employees, consider adding in-kind donation options to your employee giving program. In-kind donations can be broken up into two categories:
Your business can also participate in in-kind giving as part of your CSR program. For example, you might agree to donate all of your company’s old-but-usable computers when you upgrade to a new system. Or, you might combine in-kind gifts with your employee giving program, such as by promising to match employees’ donations of perishable goods to a food bank.
6. Expand to employee volunteering.
Do your employees want a more hands-on approach to doing good in your community? If so, consider expanding your employee giving program with volunteer grants. Volunteer grants are donations businesses make to the charitable organizations their employees volunteer at. The grant amount usually depends on how long the employee volunteered.
Here are the basic steps for how employees at most organizations that offer volunteer grants apply for one:
Use CSR software that allows you to track volunteering along with other relevant employee giving metrics. Encourage volunteering, and report to your employees how many total hours they spent helping charitable causes.
7. Leverage matching gift auto-submission.
While small businesses can run employee giving programs without CSR software, operating at scale makes it necessary. Luckily, CSR platforms have continued to advance to make workplace giving programs easier to participate in than ever.
One important new technology is matching gift auto-submission, which recently completed its beta testing. Businesses that have CSR software with auto-submission capabilities can essentially turn on the feature and have their matching gift form connected with matching gift databases. As a result, employees can then have their matching gift applications completed for them automatically, dramatically speeding up the process.
Take a look at the following video to see the auto-submission process in action:
Check to see if your CSR software has matching gift auto-submission capability and, if so, what you need to do to turn it on.
8. Set broad employee giving participation rules.
Lower the barriers for participating in your workplace giving program. The easier it is to participate, the more likely you are to inspire your employees to get involved!
For inspiration, Re:Charity’s list of ways to drive employee giving suggests the following:
You want employees to participate in workplace giving, so why wouldn’t you make it easy for them? Doing so will show that your company is serious about its social responsibility efforts.
Employee Giving: Final Thoughts
Your employee giving program allows your business to make a positive social impact and invite your team to participate. Give employees the opportunity to support the causes they want to, help facilitate their giving with matching gifts, and provide regular updates about the impact they’ve made.
Of course, employee giving is a complex subject, and this overview might just be the beginning of your research. Continue learning about employee giving with these resources:
Companies with Innovative and Unique Matching Gift Programs
/in Lists and Rankings, Learning Center, Company Spotlights, Company Updates, Matching Gift Companies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAt Double the Donation, we maintain the industry’s most comprehensive and up-to-date matching gift database—with records for more than 24,000 companies with matching gift programs. Since each company that offers matching gifts is able to determine its own minimum and maximum donation amounts, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit types, and more, we end up with a ton of innovative and unique matching gift programs.
And truthfully, all matching gift programs are great. But there are a few that really stand out to us as offering something particularly special for their employees and the nonprofits they support.
Corporate giving engages employees’ passions and provides additional funding for nonprofits, which in turn helps entire communities. And offering creative programming and unique incentives for getting involved is a great way to drive participation and, therefore, impact.
Let’s look at a few employers with unique programs and what makes them stick out from the crowd. In this guide, we’ll explore the following companies’ initiatives:
There are a number of creative ways that businesses get their employees more involved in charitable giving. The ideas differ, but they all do a great job of helping charitable organizations increase fundraising revenue and better support their overall missions.
And when nonprofit fundraisers like yourself keep these companies at top of mind, you’ll be better equipped to make the most of such opportunities as they arise.
Let’s jump in!
Microsoft — Highest Employee Participation
But one of its most impressive successes is its matching gift program. In fact, Microsoft is currently the largest contributor of matching gift and volunteer grant funds, and it also boasts the highest level of employee participation at over 65% involvement.
Our matching gift statistics indicate that, inclusive of the corporate match, Microsoft employees have donated more than $1 billion to nonprofit causes.
Learn more about Microsoft’s matching gift program.
General Electric — First Matching Gift Program
Since the inception of its matching program, the company has donated over $1 billion in employee matching gifts. That means that GE is a matching gift leader not only for being first but also for staying at the top of the pack for all this time.
Today, employees may request matching gifts up to $5,000 per year at a 1:1 ratio through the GE matching gift program.
Learn more about General Electric’s matching gift program.
BP — Offers Charitable Giving Stipends
In addition to its charitable grant initiative, BP also offers a traditional matching gift program that matches up to $5,000 worth of donations per employee at a 1:1 ratio.
Learn more about BP’s matching gift program.
CVS Health — Incorporates Fundraising Event Matches
For teams of volunteers, they offer even high fundraising grant donation caps. When five or more CVS employees fundraise for an eligible organization together, CVS will match up to $5,000 worth of fulfilled pledges, with a minimum of $500 raised across the team.
Learn more about CVS’s matching gift program.
Expedia — Internationally Eligible Program
Now, Expedia offers matching gifts to eligible nonprofits across the globe! Donations are matched at a 1:1 ratio, and employees can request matches on as much as $4,000 worth of charitable gifts per year.
Through the Expedia Cares Program, employees can give back to their communities in a number of ways, such as through matching gifts, a global ambassador program, and more.
Learn more about Expedia’s matching gift program.
HP, Inc. — Offers Volunteer Grants
Each quarter, any employee who volunteers for at least 10 hours (and tracks their time through the company’s innovative internal volunteer system) receives a $50 grant which they can donate to a charity of their choosing. Plus, HP also offers a generous matching gift program where it’ll match philanthropic employees’ donations of up to $2,500 per year.
Learn more about HP’s matching gift program.
RealNetworks — Unique 5-Year Anniversary Grant
After five years with the business, employees receive a $500 grant that can be contributed to any eligible nonprofit. This unique corporate giving offering helps increase staff retention with the company, rewards long-term employees with a significant, mission-focused incentive, and ultimately benefits the nonprofits their employees support.
Learn more about RealNetworks’ matching gift program.
Soros Fund Management — Highest Maximum Match Amount
Today, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 ratio for gifts up to $100,000 per year, with partners being eligible to request donation matches at a 1:1 ratio. Most nonprofits qualify to receive funding through the matching program, with an additional volunteer grant initiative available as well.
Learn more about Soros Fund Management’s matching gift program.
Pew Charitable Trusts — Religiously Inclusive Program
But one thing that really makes this company’s matching initiative stand out is the fact that the program is inclusive of just about all kinds of religious organizations. This encompasses places of worship like churches, synagogues, mosques, and more—which are generally excluded from many companies’ match offerings.
So if your nonprofit group is religious in nature, the Pew Charitable Trusts is a top matching gift company to be aware of!
Learn more about Pew Charitable Trusts’ matching gift program.
Nike — Sports-Related Triple Match Program
Then, in order to further amplify impact for the causes most closely aligned with the company’s athletics-focused mission, Nike offers a unique triple match for employees giving to community sports-related organizations. For qualifying nonprofits, employee gifts are matched at a 2:1 rate, ultimately tripling the initial donor contribution up to $25,000 per team member per year.
Learn more about Nike’s matching gift program.
Blue Shield of California — Special Board Member Match
This company offers a traditional matching gift program open to all current employees who support qualifying California-based nonprofits and select national organizations. Then, they offer an additional matching initiative for employees who serve as board members of nonprofit causes. This unique board member match goes above and beyond the typical match program, offering elevated match rates and increased maximum donation amounts.
Learn more about Blue Shield of California’s matching gift program.
Innovative Discovery — Seamless Auto-Submission Functionality
Now, with just a few clicks from their favorite nonprofits’ donation confirmation screens, employees can authorize Double the Donation to submit the matching gift request on their behalf—no separate forms or redirected pages required!
Learn more about Innovative Discovery’s matching gift program.
How a Matching Gift Database Can Help
While these programs are certainly unique, there are tens of thousands of other companies that match gifts, too. It’s too many to keep up with on your own! Thus, to effectively uncover available opportunities and identify your organization’s eligibility, you’ll likely need the help of a matching gift database like Double the Donation.
Double the Donation is the industry’s leading provider of matching gift software, and we work with some of the largest organizations across the globe. We also boast the most accurate and up-to-date database of information regarding these programs. As such, we work to equip nonprofits and their donors with the tools they need to implement matching gift efforts in their overall fundraising strategies with ease.
The matching gift tool, which can be integrated across your organization’s website, donation form, email communications, and more, allows fundraisers to maximize corporate giving revenue by…
Not to mention, it’s all automated—allowing your team to reallocate more time and effort to your highest-value priorities!
Next Steps
Plenty of companies offer matching gift programs, so it’s important for nonprofits to promote corporate giving to donors. After all, one of the biggest roadblocks facing matching gift success is a lack of awareness of corporate giving. According to our research, that results in more than $4 to $7 billion dollars worth of potential matching gift funds going unclaimed each year.
Don’t let your nonprofit add to that statistic. Now that you know how to pinpoint available matching gifts, get started boosting your corporate fundraising efforts.
Stay up-to-date with your donors’ employers and keep your eyes peeled for top matching gift opportunities. You’ll be sure to come across even more unique programs!
Transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan
/in Press Releases, About Double the Donation /by Adam WeingerAt Double the Donation, our commitment to improving our offerings and ensuring alignment with advancements in the industry—and, more importantly, with the needs of our clients—has always been at the forefront of our operations. Today, in order to meet the growing need, we offer varying subscription tiers for our flagship product, Double the Donation Matching.
In this guide, we want to overview our most popular feature tier, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan—and everything an organization should know about upgrading its account to benefit from this plan.
Follow along to explore these key topics:
When it comes to maximizing matching gifts with automation, it’s important to us that our users are connected with the right tools for the job. For tons of nonprofits and schools, that means Double the Donation’s Standard Plan.
Keep reading to see if it’s what you need to power your matching gift efforts!
The Double the Donation Difference
Double the Donation is the industry-leading matching gift automation provider, supplying powerful workplace giving tools to thousands of organizations across its network of users. The platform covers matching gifts and more—including volunteer grants, volunteer time off, and even corporate sponsorships programs.
What is Double the Donation’s Standard Plan?
Double the Donation Matching is our most popular feature tier—a complete matching gift automation solution. The platform incorporates the matching gift plugin tool but also goes several steps further to proactively identify and pursue matching gifts.
Specifically, our Standard Plan incorporates…
Check out this 60-second overview to learn more:
By transitioning to our standard plan, more matching gifts are driven to completion, resulting in substantial corporate and overall fundraising revenue growth for its users. Not to mention, the entire process is automated for fundraising organizations and their donors, producing an optimized matching gift experience for everyone involved. This also provides organizations with more time to devote to the most lucrative opportunities without worrying about potential matches slipping through the cracks.
Double the Donation’s Pricing Tiers: FAQ
Choosing the right Double the Donation plan for your organization is essential for maximizing matching gift revenue. With multiple feature tiers available, nonprofits may have questions about which plan best suits their needs.
In order to address any uncertainty, we’ve compiled a list of frequent inquiries below:
What pricing plans does Double the Donation offer?
Double the Donation offers multiple pricing tiers designed to meet the needs of nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Each plan provides access to the company’s industry-leading matching gift automation platform, but the features available vary based on the selected tier.
Today, available plans include:
Essentials — For organizations with less than $1M in total annual revenue, the Essentials Plan can be a great starting point—especially for nonprofits looking to introduce matching gifts into their fundraising strategy for the first time. The starter plan provides access to Double the Donation’s matching gift database, allowing donors to search for their employer’s matching gift eligibility. However, this tier includes limited integration (one donation form integration per Essentials account) and customization capabilities, meaning organizations have a more restricted view of their efforts overall.
Standard — Next, the Standard Plan is our most popular option, offering a balance of automation and customization to maximize matching gift revenue for nonprofits and schools using the tools. This plan is ideal for organizations of all sizes looking to scale their matching gift efforts while reducing administrative workload. It’s currently recommended for organizations raising more than $1M in total annual revenue.
Enterprise — Finally, the Enterprise Plan is the most advanced option, designed for large nonprofits and institutions handling high donation volumes and with a need for advanced customization functionality. It includes everything within the Standard plan, plus parent/child accounts, multichannel messaging, custom APIs, and more.
Who qualifies for the Essentials plan?
The Essentials Plan is designed for smaller nonprofits looking to take advantage of corporate matching gifts without the need for advanced automation. To qualify for this plan, organizations must meet specific criteria, including having annual revenue under $1 million. In other words, in order to register for the Essentials plan, organizations must have reported less than $1 million in total revenue per year on their most recent Form 990.
As organizations grow and generate additional revenue, they may need to transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan to take full advantage of exclusive features like CRM integrations, advanced customization, and one-off matching gift program management. Why? Those additional features are going to better accommodate their needs and help them unlock even more growth opportunities.
Why are mid-size and larger organizations better suited for the Standard plan?
While the Essentials Plan is an excellent entry-level option for smaller fundraising groups, it is exclusively available to organizations with less than $1 million in total annual revenue. If your nonprofit exceeds $1 million in nonprofit revenue, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan—such as the Standard—to continue service.
However, even beyond meeting basic qualifications, we recommend that most organizations go with the Standard Plan to maximize their matching gift potential. In addition to expanded functionality, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan can also be the more cost-effective option for large-scale causes.
Rather than being billed by usage, the Standard plan incorporates a flat annual fee. For growing nonprofits handling a high volume of donations, this is generally going to be the best fit, providing the tools and automation needed to scale efficiently and maximize matching gift revenue in the long run.
Benefits of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan: Impact + Value
Over time, it’s become evident that transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is more than an upgrade. It’s an opportunity to employ a transformative tool for nonprofits and education causes looking to implement effective matching gift fundraising with ease.
The overall benefits it offers are multi-faceted and include (but are certainly not limited to) the following…
Automated Matching Gift Marketing and Workflows
Through its advanced functionality and extensive database, Double the Donation identifies matching gift opportunities at the moment of donation. It then guides donors through the process, driving these opportunities to completion and potentially doubling or tripling your matching gift fundraising revenue.
By automating this process with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, you can secure more matching gifts without adding extra work for your team. This means less time wrestling with data and more time focusing on your cause. In fact, the platform’s intuitive design and functionality make managing your fundraising efforts a breeze. It’s a comprehensive platform that provides actionable insights, automates follow-ups, and offers streamlined reporting.
Seamless Data Ecosystem
Double the Donation Matching integrates seamlessly with over 100+ donation tools and CRM systems. This means a smooth flow of data between your various platforms, reduced manual input, and enhanced accuracy.
Even better? Transitioning to Double the Donation’s standard plan includes all integrations—donation forms and CRMs alike—at no additional cost! (Hint: we recommend integrating both a donation form provider and a donor database to ensure fuller coverage of your network.)
Enhanced Donor Engagement
With automated, personalized outreach, Double the Donation ensures that donors are always aware of matching gift opportunities. Meanwhile, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan not only drives donor engagement but also encourages repeat donations. By providing donors with information about their employer’s matching gift programs, you empower them to make their donations go even further.
More and Larger Donations
By making it easy for donors to discover and apply their employer’s matching gift programs, Double the Donation Matching can help you increase the size and impact of donations. After all, donors who know their gifts will be matched are often more motivated to give and give more generously.
Elevated Matching Gift Conversion Rates
More corporate matches are submitted and received by donors and organizations utilizing Double the Donation’s Standard Plan than any other matching gift solution—including Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan.
As supporters walk through the initial donation and subsequent matching gift processes, Double the Donation is known for driving individuals further down the respective funnels. All in all, users see more individual donation revenue in addition to elevated matching gift success.
Double the Donation Essentials vs. Our Standard Plan
Double the Donation Standard includes everything offered by Double the Donation’s Essentials Plan, plus innovative new features that bring nonprofit and educational fundraising to new heights.
Take a look at the additional functionality offered by our flagship automation solution:
Not to mention, additional differences between the two subscription plans include…
Multiple Fundraising Software Integrations
Another fundamental advantage of transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan is that it integrates directly with nearly all of the most popular donation tools, CRMs, and peer-to-peer fundraising platforms out there. This makes it easier than ever for nonprofits and educational institutions to incorporate matching gifts in every phase of the fundraising process. And with Double the Donation Standard, you can benefit from connecting multiple integrations at once (including donor management software!) to ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.
If we don’t already integrate with your favorite giving solution? Don’t worry—we’re developing new partnerships every day. Not to mention, there’s still a lot you can do by transitioning to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, even without a native integration with your fundraising software.
One-Off Matching Gift Program Management
One-off matching gift program management allows organizations to create and oversee custom matching gift programs tailored to their specific fundraising needs. This feature is currently exclusive to Double the Donation’s Standard and Enterprise Plans, enabling eligible nonprofits to add unique matching gift programs directly into the database platform.
With this capability, organizations can ensure that donors working for companies with exclusive or cause-specific matching gift opportunities—such as limited-time campaigns or event-based matches—can easily access and utilize these programs.
In contrast, our Essentials Plan does not include this feature, meaning nonprofits must track and communicate these opportunities externally rather than integrating them into the Double the Donation platform.
More In-Depth Data Reporting
Though the Essentials Plan provides access to birds-eye view statistics, such as the top companies searched in an organization’s matching gift plugin, transitioning to Double the Donation Standard brings the scope of matching gift data reporting to a new, comprehensive level.
Pictured in a sample dashboard below, Double the Donation’s Standard Plan empowers fundraisers with smart insights into their current matching gift efforts as well as lucrative opportunities for expanding initiatives.
This 360-degree view includes analytics such as:
Getting Started with Double the Donation’s Standard Plan
As we make this critical transition together, we want new Double the Donation Standard users to feel ready for the change—and empowered with the tools and knowledge they need to make the most of the platform.
Here are a few things your team can do to prepare!
Understand the Unmatched Value
The cost of Double the Donation’s Standard Plan reflects the significantly increased value and capabilities it offers. Not to mention, our pricing is scaled based on a number of factors. These include the size of an organization and its individual fundraising amounts. The result is that smaller organizations pay less than larger ones.
All in all, pricing plans are designed to provide a significant return on investment—producing an average 20-50% increase in match revenue.
Some organizations have even identified enough matching gifts using Double the Donation’s Standard Plan in a single day to cover the subscription cost for a year!
Utilize Personalized Assistance
During your transition to Double the Donation’s Standard Plan, our dedicated client success team will reach out to provide assistance. Our goal is to help maximize your Double the Donation platform, ensuring you’re leveraging its features to their fullest potential.
We’re here to support you every step of the way as you navigate this process. Feel free to contact our support team with any questions or for assistance with your Double the Donation Standard account.
Learn More About Double the Donation Matching
To support your transition, we’ve prepared several materials that dive deeper into the benefits of Double the Donation Matching—and how you can make the most of the platform.
Check out the following recommended resources to get started:
After all, the more you know about our platform and the functionality available to you, the better you can make an informed decision about the tools you need to supercharge your efforts.
Onward and Upward with Your Matching Gift Revenue
We’re beyond excited about this new chapter—and the opportunity to showcase what Double the Donation’s Standard Plan will bring. As always, we’re grateful for your continued support and trust. Plus, we’re eager to help you unlock new levels of success as you transition to our Standard Plan.
Here’s to the next chapter of your fundraising journey!
For any further queries or support, please feel free to reach out to our team today.
Marketing Matching Gifts In Your Digital Communications
/in Marketing Strategies, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerThe #1 reason why donors don’t submit matching gift requests is that they don’t know their employers offer such programs. Corporate giving can be a significant source of revenue for nonprofits, and promoting these engagement opportunities to donors can substantially increase your giving revenue. That’s why more and more organizations like yours are crafting strategies to drive this funding source—including marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.
In fact, studies show that mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average donation amount. Not only do matching gift programs double individual donations, but they also encourage more donors to give in the first place and to increase their original contribution. In the end, that makes the matched gift larger, too!
In this guide, we’ll discuss a few of the most impactful and efficient ways to inform donors about gift-matching programs by utilizing digital communications. These typically include:
Incorporating corporate giving into your digital outreach strategy can put you on the path to reaching your fundraising goals in a fraction of the time. Let’s get started!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Emails
Email outreach is a vital component of digital communications and overall fundraising. Email provides instantaneous outreach to donors, so you can essentially ask “Have you thought about doubling donations with matching gifts today?” Then, people can reply (or request their match!) just as quickly.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email streams include:
This will allow you to capture donors’ continued support while they’re in the giving mindset. Not to mention, meet them right where they are: on their mobile devices or computers!
A successful email marketing strategy hinges on a well-paced, steady procession of the right moves rather than a reckless bombardment of emails. With enough space to write a quick blurb and/or link to a full-length article, email messages are a great place to educate donors about matching gifts.
Keep in mind that a personalized email or digital newsletter dedicated to matching gifts is likely going to be the most effective strategy. However, incorporating matching gifts in a larger email resource can work well, too. Loyal donors will likely read your regular emails, so it’s a good place to provide in-depth information about the benefits of corporate giving.
When it comes to timing, we recommend following up with donors soon after they complete their initial gifts. However, you don’t want to include your matching gift messaging within an existing thank-you email, as those are more likely to be overlooked.
Our matching gift research indicates that emails sent within 24 hours of a donation produce a 53% open rate. That’s 2-3x times higher than the average nonprofit open rate!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Email Signatures
Chances are that your organization sends a ton of emails—including fundraising messages, mission-related content, and more. But did you know that every message you send can be an opportunity to promote matching gifts? Just use your email signature!
An email signature typically includes an individual’s personal contact details, nonprofit information, and even a relevant image or organization logo—but it’s also a great place to promote matching gifts.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your email signatures include:
A simple blurb alongside a flashy graphic about corporate giving can increase awareness and be the needed push for donors to take a quick five minutes to submit matching gift requests. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to promote matching gifts year-round.
Marketing matching gifts effectively involves making the most of every opportunity and resource at your disposal. And your staff email signatures offer a valuable source of promotional real estate that can go a long way in your day-to-day interactions!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Social Media Posts
People flock to social media to discover the internet’s best content. Though you don’t need to produce viral posts every day, you do need to provide compelling and engaging information on a consistent basis. And some of the most impactful content you can share has to do with corporate gift-matching opportunities!
There are nearly as many social media outlets as there are stars in the universe, so it’s best to focus on really optimizing your strategy on just a few sites. Depending on your organization and its typical donor base, this might include Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and more. Regardless of the platforms you choose, each networking site requires a nuanced approach to get your information out there and best engage with your audience.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your social media platforms include:
Whether or not you employ a matching gift service, a simple tweet, Facebook post, or LinkedIn article can spread the word about these programs to thousands of donors.
Social media sites like these offer a great way to keep people up-to-date on your nonprofit’s campaigns, inform your audience about matching gift opportunities, and encourage donors to look into the process. Just be sure to include a direct link to a location where users can uncover additional information and the next steps!
Social media offers an excellent opportunity to get matching gift information in front of a wide audience at a time. Not to mention, it allows supporters to interact with your content in personal ways, strengthening their connections with your cause and allowing them to spread the word even further.
Marketing Matching Gifts With Text Messages
Another form of digital communication that is becoming increasingly popular among nonprofits and their donors is texting. In fact, studies show that SMS marketing reports average open and response rates of 98% and 45%, respectively. As a result, text messaging, or SMS, can be a fantastic way to reach donors quickly and affordably using direct marketing strategies.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with SMS communications include:
Luckily, there are a number of tech solutions designed to streamline and simplify the processes involved with mass, pre-scheduled text messaging. For example, Double the Donation utilizes programmable communications company, Twilio to offer automated matching gift text marketing services for its enterprise clients.
SMS marketing continues to grow in popularity as text is a quick, easy, and effective way to get your message in front of donors. And with a mobile-friendly matching gift solution like Double the Donation, supporters can choose to take the next steps and submit matches from their smart phones from wherever they are!
Marketing Matching Gifts With Start / End-of-Year Reminders
Matchable donations have limited lifespans, so you need to promote matching gifts to eligible donors before the clock runs. In other words, a supporter can’t donate and submit a matching gift request for that donation half a decade later.
Although program specifics vary by company, most corporations adhere to one of the following types of standards for matching gift submission deadlines:
That’s why year-end and new-year appeals can be such a great way to remind donors about impending matching gift deadlines.
Best practices for marketing matching gifts with your start or end-of-year reminders include:
Ideally, your organization will encourage donors to submit their matching gifts at the time of their initial donation. However, many companies have an extended grace period during which they’ll accept requests. Ending or starting a new year is a fantastic chance to remind donors about an opportunity they may have overlooked.
Don’t miss out on a final chance to double donations from the year!
Bonus: Multiply your impact with these recommended marketing resources!
According to Nonprofits Source research, an estimated 80% of nonprofits report having difficulty building strong workplace giving strategies due to limited staff and resources. That’s where we come in at Double the Donation. Our aim is to equip organizations with the tools they need to successfully market matching gifts through digital engagement.
Read on to explore our suggested ways to elevate matching gift results with these available assets.
Double the Donation automation platform
First things first, you don’t want to have to schedule and send each digital correspondence on your own. Nor do you want to be tasked with the manual research involved with screening and identifying match-eligible donors.
Instead, Double the Donation’s complete matching gift automation solution equips organizations to trigger the right messaging at the right time. This ensures more donors are being informed of their matching gift opportunity and encouraged to take part when eligible—helping you to grow funding at your mission!
Check out this 60-second overview to see how it works:
And incorporating eye-catching and attention-grabbing visual elements in your outreach can go a long way!
Double the Donation’s customizable digital marketing templates
A lot of successful digital outreach involves content creation—written, video, graphic, and more. This is especially true when it comes to engaging your audience with a multimedia marketing strategy. For example, one study indicates that social media content with video produces more than 10x the engagement rate of content without video. Meanwhile, another report found that including images in social posts results in over 650% higher engagement than text-only content. And these findings are consistent across views, clicks, likes, replies, shares, and more.
Yet many organizations don’t feel they have the time to devote to the creation of such materials. That’s why the Double the Donation team provides its users with access to free, editable marketing templates. This includes pre-designed graphics and customizable animations for email, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And this arsenal of marketing materials should make it quick and easy to promote matching gifts online.
Note: For current clients looking to obtain these assets, log into your Double the Donation account at https://doublethedonation.com/members/login/. From there, navigate to the “Resources” tab and select the option for “Marketing Assets.”
Then, scroll to browse our library of more than 24 pre-made Canva templates, eBooks, and graphics—and begin editing to your liking!
Not familiar with Canva? Register your organization for free access to Canva Premium!
Plus, Double the Donation users also have the opportunity to download a free matching gift video or purchase a custom-branded 60-second overview that can be implemented across digital marketing channels.
For those who do not yet employ Double the Donation’s services, request a demo to get in touch with our team and explore our top matching gift marketing tools.
Matching gift learning materials and expert insights
Finally, Double the Donation is proud to provide a wide array of educational resources—including blog posts, live and on-demand webinars, downloadable guides, templates, and more—for nonprofit fundraisers looking to get better acquainted with matching gifts. After all, your team will be able to market matching gifts to supporters more effectively when those behind the scenes are intimately familiar with the programs.
And one of our top recommended resources for organizations is our online Matching Gift Academy. As the industry’s first and only digital learning platform centered on effective match fundraising, this content on building a matching gift strategy, overcoming common pitfalls, best practices for identifying eligible donors, and an entire module dedicated to matching gift marketing efforts.
Plus, we offer free access to the Academy for all current Double the Donation users as another way to boost our clients’ success.
Wrapping Up & Further Reading
Nonprofits need every dollar they can grab. Luckily, matching gifts are an effective way to increase fundraising without demanding too much out of donors. The first step is simply making donors aware of the opportunities. And one of the best ways to do so is by marketing matching gifts in your digital communications.
You may choose to promote matching gifts using social media, texts, emails, and more (or a combination of such methods). Incorporating online outreach in your strategy allows you to showcase matching gifts in a simple, affordable, and effective way.
Get ready to maximize your matching gift funding! Explore our other suggested educational resources on the topic below:
20 Festive Christmas Fundraising Ideas to Spread Good Cheer
/in Fundraising Ideas /by Adam WeingerAs a fundraising professional, you know the year-end giving season is crucial for your nonprofit, especially the time of year between GivingTuesday and New Year’s. In fact, nonprofits received 5% of all 2022 revenue on December 31 of that year.
What’s right in the middle of this productive fundraising period? The Christmas season!
Christmas is a fun, festive time to spread good cheer and raise more for your nonprofit’s mission. People tend to feel more charitable this time of year, meaning it’s an effective time to hold fundraising campaigns or events to support your organization. Plus, you can use Christmas-themed fundraisers to get people excited about submitting their year-end donations.
In this guide, we’ll explore these festive Christmas fundraising ideas:
Above all, your holiday fundraisers and events should focus on spreading goodwill among your supporters and showing appreciation for their continued involvement. Keep that in mind as you consider the following ideas.
1. Holiday eCards
Holiday eCards spread the Christmas spirit and allow donors to show their loved ones that they’re thinking of them. You can leverage holiday eCards in multiple types of campaigns. For example, donors can purchase eCard packages to send to family and friends. Or, give donors the option to send eCards notifying their loved ones that they made a tribute gift on their behalf. You can also send donors festive thank-you eCards to show your gratitude for the gifts they made that year.
The most effective Christmas eCards are:
Here’s an example of an eCard from UnitingWorld, a faith-based international aid agency:
These eCards are available as online purchases through the organization’s eStore.
Consider investing in holiday eCard software to make it easier to design and distribute these messages. These platforms simplify the design process with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy even for beginners. Then, you can immediately embed your eCards into your website or donation page for donors to start using them.
2. Matching gift drive
In matching gift programs, businesses match donations that their employees make to eligible nonprofits. You can expand this idea into a matching gift drive, where companies pledge to match all donations made to your nonprofit within a given time period or up to a certain amount.
Matching gift drives can be highly motivational for supporters because they’ll feel that their gifts are more impactful, since they will be doubled. Launch a successful matching campaign by taking the following steps:
Be sure to thank your corporate sponsors by spotlighting them in your social media posts and email newsletters.
3. Holiday 5K
A 5K or fun run can inspire friendly competition among your supporters and raise money for your nonprofit. Ask runners to pay an entry fee to participate in your 5K.
Choose a wintry theme for your 5K such as:
Add a fun, engaging element to your event by encouraging participants to dress up in festive garb, such as Santa suits, reindeer antlers, or ugly sweaters.
To generate an additional revenue stream, create branded merchandise, such as t-shirts and mugs, that reflects your theme to generate. Make sure to include cute Christmas imagery on your merchandise to make it more appealing to supporters.
4. Christmas present auction
Christmas shopping tends to be an anxiety-inducing activity for many people. Take away some of the holiday stress by hosting a Christmas present auction. Attendees can bid on items and then gift the items to their friends and loved ones.
Gather enticing auction items like:
Ask current supporters like your corporate sponsors or major donors to contribute auction items to your event.
5. Polar Plunge
Invite daring supporters to participate in a Polar Plunge fundraising event. In a Polar Plunge, participants jump into cold bodies of water to raise awareness and funds for a charitable cause.
Every Polar Plunge needs these elements to be successful:
Collect donations throughout this event by asking participants to gather pledges ahead of time. Donors will fulfill their pledges after participants have completed the plunge.
Take a look at a real-life example of a Polar Plunge event held by Special Olympics:
Special Olympics uses Polar Plunge events to raise awareness and funds for their efforts to make sports more inclusive and accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. Their Polar Plunge events routinely attract dozens of participants and spectators for local events.
6. Bake sale
No holiday party or gathering is complete without tasty treats to share! Host a bake sale for supporters to swing by and pick up their favorite sweets. This can be a great way to ease some of the stress that goes along with baking during the holiday season.
Offer items such as:
Allow supporters to pick up their baked goods on Christmas Eve so they stay fresh.
7. Christmas tree sale
The Christmas tree is the most iconic symbol of the holiday season, with approximately 25-30 million trees sold annually in the U.S. Partner with a local Christmas tree farm or seller to see if they can host a donation box for your nonprofit or donate a portion of their sales to your cause. Ask if your nonprofit can also set up a booth or table at their tree farm to share information about your mission.
8. Holiday gala
Give supporters the excuse to dress up for a night on the town in the form of a holiday gala. Make your gala a night to remember with the following tips:
You can even host a raffle or giveaway during the event to open another fundraising stream and give attendees something to look forward to at the end of the evening.
9. House decorating contest
Decorations like Christmas lights, blow-up figures, wreaths, and candles are staples of the holiday season. Everyone has that one neighbor who takes things up a level with a vibrant Christmas display.
Turn this phenomenon into a fundraising opportunity by asking supporters to send in photos of their decked-out homes. Have participants vote on their favorite house using their donations. This can look like having a unique donation page link for each house or putting a space on your donation form for donors to note their favorite entries.
Announce your winner on your social media page and offer a first-place prize, such as cash or a gift basket.
10. Gratefulness challenge
Challenges are popular social media trends, especially on platforms like Facebook that make it easy to fundraise and spread awareness of a cause at the same time. Invite supporters to participate in a holiday gratefulness challenge. Every day for a week in December, encourage participants to post a photo or description of something they are grateful for, whether loved ones, pets, special places, etc. Then, request that supporters tag a family member or friend in their posts to invite others to get involved in the challenge as well.
To raise funds and awareness for your nonprofit, ask participants to share a link to your online donation page, along with some background information. For example, you might provide text for them to use that says “I’m participating in [your organization’s name]’s Gratefulness Challenge to spread awareness of [your mission]. Here is a link to their online donation page: [link here]. I challenge @[friend or family member’s name] to get involved!”
The holiday season tends to inspire people to reflect on the people and places they’re grateful for, so a gratefulness challenge is an effective way to spread goodwill while enhancing awareness of your cause.
11. Concert or singalong
During the Christmas season, Christmas carols are practically unavoidable. Allow supporters to come together and share in the joy of the holiday season with a holiday-themed concert or carol singalong.
You might feature local performers such as the high school band or a locally famous singer-songwriter to foster a stronger sense of community. Round out your event by offering themed refreshments, like hot chocolate and cookies.
12. Online shopping fundraiser
Online shopping continues to grow, especially around the holiday season — 57% of U.S. consumers said they intended to shop online during the 2021 and 2022 holiday seasons. With an online shopping fundraiser, consumers can support your nonprofit while conducting their regular holiday shopping.
Here’s how supporters can shop for a cause via an online shopping fundraiser:
Online shopping fundraisers represent the ultimate convenience for supporters. After downloading the app, they won’t have to alter their daily plans in any way, and they can support your organization while shopping for friends and family.
13. Holiday photoshoot
Give supporters the chance to take Christmas card photos by hosting a holiday photoshoot. Recruit a few local photographers or your staff photographers to volunteer their services. Provide plenty of props, such as Santa hats and Christmas trees. And, make sure to send out the printed photos or digital files several weeks before Christmas so participants can get their holiday cards out in a timely manner.
14. Gift catalog
During the holiday season, plenty of folks like to send their family members or friends thoughtful gifts to let them know they’re thinking of them. Consider hosting a gift catalog fundraiser to make it easier for supporters to send these gifts and support your nonprofit at the same time.
Your gift catalogs may feature a variety of products, such as:
Mail your gift catalogs to supporters several weeks before Christmas so they have time to choose the right gifts and send them before the holiday begins.
15. In-kind donation drive
In-kind donations are noncash gifts that supporters donate to your nonprofit, typically in the form of goods or services. With an in-kind donation drive, you can ask supporters to contribute items that your nonprofit typically needs the most.
Depending on your mission, you may ask for gifts like:
Recognize your donors by sharing photos of their in-kind donations on your social media pages or email newsletter.
16. Gingerbread decorating contest
Decorating gingerbread houses is another time-honored Christmas tradition. Invite participants to compete in a gingerbread decorating contest to see who can come up with the most creative or elaborate structure. Require an entry fee for the competition or have participants “vote” with their dollars by placing money into a cash box next to their favorite design.
17. Online baking or cooking class
Online classes allow supporters to learn a new skill from the comfort of home. Plus, the holiday season is full of opportunities to try out a new baked good or dinner recipe.
Invite supporters to participate in an online cooking or baking class with a qualified instructor. Reach out to chefs or bakers within your community to see if someone would be willing to donate a couple of hours of their time to teach the class.
Be sure to send out an ingredient list ahead of time so participants can gather everything they need for the day of the class. Supporters will be able to impress their family members and friends at their next gathering with the new skills they’ve picked up!
18. Holiday lights festival
Deck your nonprofit’s halls by creating a Christmas light display for your community to come see. If you have access to several roads on the grounds surrounding your facility, you can create a drive-by light display for visitors. Request donations at the start of the display and offer treats throughout, such as hot chocolate and cookies, that participants can snack on as they explore the winter wonderland.
19. Pictures with Santa
Along with Christmas card photos, pictures with Santa can be cherished memories for families. Recruit volunteers to be Santa and the elves, and ask a staff member or local photographer to take photos. Set up a picture-perfect backdrop with festive lights and a Christmas tree.
Charge a small fee for the photos to earn donations for your nonprofit.
20. Holiday movie marathon
Host a drive-in movie marathon where supporters can tune in to watch a classic holiday film or two. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Christmas Story, and It’s a Wonderful Life are just a handful of classic movies to consider showing at your event. Offer a snack stand where attendees can pick up popcorn, candy, and hot chocolate.
These ideas will help raise more for your nonprofit’s mission while spreading positivity throughout your community. When community members see your nonprofit’s efforts to generate goodwill, they’ll feel much more connected to your cause and be more likely to donate.
Looking for even more Christmas fundraising ideas? Check out eCardWidget’s guide to 25 creative ideas to continue brainstorming.
From Disengaged to Inspired: A Guide to Employee Engagement
/in Corporate Consulting, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerEngaged employees are productive, loyal, and ready to go the extra mile. As such, every business hopes to cultivate an engaged, dedicated team. However, many employees report feeling unengaged—or even actively disengaged—at work.
To help your business motivate its workforce, this guide will share how any organization can turn its team from uninspired to highly engaged. We’ll cover:
Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to amplify your existing employee engagement initiatives, these insights will help you create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and fully invested in their work.
Employee Engagement FAQ
Before you attempt to engage your employees, ensure that you have foundational knowledge to guide your strategies.
What is employee engagement?
Employee engagement refers to employees’ commitment to their work, team, and organization. It measures how motivated employees are to go to work each day and how passionate they are about contributing to the company’s success.
While employee happiness and well-being can impact employee engagement, these are ultimately different metrics. For instance, an employee can feel safe and taken care of in their current position but still not feel particularly invested in their work.
Why is employee engagement important?
Research on the impact of employee engagement is extensive and thoroughly demonstrates that engaged employees provide higher levels of innovation, better customer service, and enhanced job performance. They are also less likely to leave your company, reducing turnover and the associated recruitment and training costs.
Let’s look at a few statistics related to employee engagement:
As the numbers show, employee engagement dictates how your team performs, which ultimately impacts your business’s overall success. Let’s look at a few specific benefits of employee engagement:
Retention
Employees who are motivated and committed to their work are far more likely to stick around. Engaged employees feel a personal stake in their projects, meaning they are committed to completing them and ensuring your business succeeds.
Productivity
When employees feel connected to their work, they’re more likely to stay focused, produce high-quality results, and endeavor to find productive solutions. Additionally, engaged employees are often described as willing to go the extra mile, meaning that if you ever do need team members to do more, you can count on your engaged employees.
Profitability
Work completed by engaged employees tends to be high-quality, helping your business produce better products and services. Also, engaged employees are likely to commit 100% when they’re at work, meaning every hour they are on the clock is dedicated to your company.
Safety and Wellness
Engaged employees are more attentive to their work, meaning fewer workplace accidents. This results in fewer delays, higher productivity, and a healthy, secure workforce. Plus, many strategies designed to improve employee engagement also positively impact employee wellness by reducing burnout, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, and supporting mental health initiatives.
Customer Experience
While employee engagement and employee happiness are two different things, engaged employees tend to also be happy, sociable, and patient. As a result, engaged employees in customer-facing positions tend to create better experiences for consumers.
What are the levels of employee engagement?
Employee engagement is a spectrum, and it’s possible for employees to move from one end of it to the other. This means disengaged employees can become motivated and committed team members, and conversely, previously passionate employees can become burnt out and unengaged.
To understand your team’s current level of engagement, let’s look at the three key stages of engagement:
If you feel your workplace primarily has unengaged employees, rest assured that that is common. As long as you only have a few disengaged employees, most employee engagement programs can do the heavy lifting of turning your workplace into a productive, motivated one.
However, if you do feel a significant amount of your team is disengaged or new employees often become disengaged, that might be a sign of bigger underlying problems in your work setup. Remember, no employee enters a new job with the intention to become disengaged, and those who do may be suffering from burnout, lack of support, and isolation.
What factors impact employee engagement?
While every employee and workplace is unique, there are a few common factors that impact employee engagement, no matter the industry. Gallup, well known for its extensive polling and research on employee engagement, shares that these are the five main drivers of employee engagement:
In most cases, one or more of these factors play a role in why employees are or are not engaged in their work. To learn exactly what is impacting your employees’ engagement levels, consider surveying them to understand their thoughts on their roles, place at your organization, and feelings of support.
Who should be in charge of employee engagement?
Employee engagement is a collective responsibility that involves multiple stakeholders within an organization. While there may not be a single individual solely in charge of employee engagement, the HR department often plays a central role. HR professionals can develop programs aimed at increasing engagement—such as training, recognition, and feedback mechanisms—and monitor the success of these initiatives through surveys.
Managers also significantly influence employee engagement, as they interact directly with their teams and can motivate, mentor, and provide suggestions for growth opportunities. Therefore, it’s crucial for organizations to foster a shared responsibility for engagement, where everyone contributes to creating a positive and engaging workplace culture.
6 Effective Employee Engagement Ideas
Now that you have a basic understanding of what employee engagement is and why it’s important, you can begin implementing strategies to engage, retain, and empower your workforce.
1. Encourage Corporate Giving.
If you haven’t already, launch a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that emphasizes your commitment to ethical, social, and environmental justice. CSR activities often involve collaboration, whether it’s choosing a charitable cause to support or volunteering as a group. These experiences can strengthen team bonds and foster a sense of community among employees, leading to improved working relationships and a more engaged workforce.
Two of the most impactful employee giving programs are matching gifts and volunteer grants. Both emphasize that you want to support the same causes your employees care about. Thankfully, these are also the easiest programs to implement!
Matching Gift Programs
Through a matching gift program, you agree to match an employee’s donation based on a predetermined ratio. Let’s say they give $50 to an eligible organization. If your company matches gifts at a 1:1 ratio, you’d also give $50, effectively doubling the initial contribution. If you offer a generous 2:1 ratio, you’d contribute $100, totaling $150 for the nonprofit.
Employees often seek more from their jobs than just a paycheck; they look for purpose and meaning in their work. They feel part of something bigger when their employer matches their donations to causes they care about. When employees see that you value their charitable efforts, they’re more likely to take pride in being part of your company.
If this seems like an employee engagement opportunity you can’t pass up, here’s what the process looks like:
While developing your matching gift program, eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible. Traditionally, submitting a match request involves some hands-on effort, requiring employees to manually fill out forms and upload donation receipts. Instead, try auto-submission.
Auto-submission is a trailblazing feature made available through Double the Donation and its CSR platform partners—including Millie, Selflessly, POINT, and more. These platforms have earned a CLMA designation for their seamless integration of matching gifts and auto-submission functionality, making employee engagement in the programs easier than ever.
When your company leverages one of these corporate giving solutions to facilitate its matching gift program, all employees have to do is provide their corporate email address (or another piece of identifying information) when donating, and the software will take care of the rest.
Volunteer Grant Programs
Our corporate volunteer research indicates that 84% of employers think volunteerism is an effective way to engage employees. Try organizing company volunteer days to encourage groups of employees to volunteer together, or offer volunteer time off (VTO) to let individual employees volunteer during work hours.
To make employees’ impact go further, offer volunteer grants. Through a volunteer grant program, your company will provide financial donations to nonprofits where your employees volunteer. You can either donate on an hourly basis or donate a predetermined amount once a certain threshold is met. For example, you might offer $20 per volunteer hour, or you might offer a $500 grant once an employee volunteers 25 hours.
This type of volunteer program acknowledges and monetizes the personal time employees dedicate to philanthropy. You’ll reinforce a culture of giving and boost morale by valuing employees’ passions.
Overall, aligning corporate giving with employees’ volunteer interest will help your company amplify its social impact and foster a more engaged and committed workforce.
2. Promote Professional Development.
Employees are more likely to feel engaged when they see a clear path forward within your organization. Create opportunities to sharpen their skills, knowledge, and career development through:
Professional development is an investment in your company’s human capital. Allocate the necessary resources, including budget, time, and personnel, to develop and deliver effective programs.
3. Recognize Employees With Creative eCards.
Chances are, your business already has employee recognition practices in place. For instance, you might offer performance bonuses, public praise, and awards like “Employee of the Month.” While these methods can be effective in engaging employees, they may feel unappreciated if recognition feels routine and uninspired.
Switching things up with an innovative solution like eCards keeps recognition fresh and exciting. Digital thank-you notes can be shared quickly through email, making them a popular choice for instant recognition.
To create thoughtful recognition eCards like the one above, here’s what you should do:
For more information on how eCards can boost employee engagement, watch this video from our friends at eCardWidget:
The Best Times To Send eCards
While eCards are a powerful employee engagement idea, you need to strategize when you’ll send them for maximum impact.
Here are some of the best times to send eCards to employees:
You can even schedule some of these emails to be sent on a specific date, like on holidays, work anniversaries, or other special occasions. For example, eCardWidget offers automated birthday eCards. By turning this feature on, you can automatically send personalized birthday eCards on each employee’s special day.
Simply upload your employees’ birthdays and contact information to the platform. Then, select your birthday eCard and write a message or two wishing recipients a happy birthday. If you add multiple birthday eCard designs or messages, the platform will rotate through them, providing a combination that makes each recipient feel special. Timely recognition like this will work wonders for employee engagement!
4. Launch A Workplace Wellness Program.
Prioritizing workplace wellness directly impacts employee health, morale, and productivity and demonstrates your company’s investment in employees’ well-being. This commitment not only fosters a supportive work environment but also enhances employee retention and performance, contributing to a more resilient and thriving company.
Show your employees you care by creating a wellness program to promote healthy behaviors and support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional health through activities and resources. By creating this type of program, you can ultimately foster a healthier and happier workplace.
Best of all, you can use social wellness platforms to streamline your program. As our top recommendation, Givhero offers a suite of features designed to engage employees in wellness and social responsibility efforts, such as:
Historically, Givhero has increased employee wellness program participation by 50%+ and reduced HR administration time by up to 80%. Using an app like this will not only motivate employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle but also foster a culture of giving back. Best of all, adminstration is a breeze.
Overall, Givhero helps companies invest in their employees’ health and the community, making it a powerful tool for boosting employee engagement and fostering a positive workplace culture.
5. Promote Work-Life Balance.
Promoting work-life balance is essential for engaging employees and fostering a healthier, more productive workplace. Set reasonable working hours and encourage employees to disconnect from work when they are off the clock.
Keep in mind that a culture of work-life balance should be cultivated from the top down. Leaders and managers should model this balance by respecting employees’ time and encouraging them to prioritize self-care. Encourage employees to take regular breaks and vacations, setting realistic expectations for response times to emails or work requests outside regular hours.
By demonstrating a commitment to work-life balance and providing the necessary support, you can create an environment where employees feel engaged in their roles and fulfilled in their personal lives.
6. Foster an Inclusive Work Environment.
Inclusive workplaces foster a sense of belonging among employees, regardless of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. When employees feel like they belong, they are more likely to be engaged because they are comfortable being themselves and contributing their unique perspectives.
Here are a few ways to promote a positive and inclusive workspace:
Creating a positive and inclusive work environment is an ongoing process that requires commitment from all levels of the organization. It’s essential to continually assess and refine your efforts, seek feedback from employees, and adapt to evolving best practices in diversity and inclusion to create a thriving workplace for everyone.
Looking for even more ideas? Check out our list of 50+ employee engagement ideas!
How to Measure Employee Engagement
After launching your engagement initiatives, analyze turnover rates, absenteeism, and performance metrics to determine their effectiveness. Additionally, send out surveys and have one-on-one discussions with employees to gauge their level of commitment to your organization.
Focus on metrics like:
Identify and take measures to re-engage disengaged employees to prevent further decline in morale and performance.
A Final Note About Employee Engagement
Remember, employee engagement is not a one-time initiative. It’s a continuous journey that requires commitment, dedication, and a genuine desire to create a workplace where employees feel inspired to do their best.
For more information on employee engagement, check out these additional resources:
Little Green Light and Double the Donation Team Up to Offer Matching Gifts Integration
/in About Double the Donation /by Adam WeingerDouble the Donation and Little Green Light have worked together to provide nonprofit organizations with an advanced matching gift integration between Little Green Light donation forms and Double the Donation.
Now, mutual clients of Little Green Light and Double the Donation can connect their accounts to raise more from matching gifts by educating donors at the time of giving.
“Engaging donors while they’re in the giving mindset is a key mover toward matching gift success,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “Now that Double the Donation integrates with Little Green Light donation forms, nonprofits have the power to interact with their donors about their match potential when it matters most.”
Read on to learn more about the Double the Donation and Little Green Light integration.
Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!
Getting started with the Little Green Light and Double the Donation integration is simple. All a nonprofit organization needs to do is enter their Double the Donation credentials into their Little Green Light account to get started, then select the Double the Donation option on the desired forms and confirmation pages.
Once the integration is activated, donations will begin flowing from Little Green Light forms into Double the Donation and donors can search for their company name directly from the confirmation page. When a company is identified, the Double the Donation plugin will share company program details and next steps.
Nonprofits also have the option to send their donors customized follow up emails about their match potential. This way, orgs can catch as many match eligible donors as possible!
Drive Donations to Completion with Double the Donation!
Corporate philanthropy can have an incredible impact on nonprofits if those nonprofits are provided with effective and easy-to-use tools. Double the Donation and Little Green Light’s new integration ensures organizations can see even more value from corporate philanthropy.
Little Green Light offers a simple, centralized, and secure way for your nonprofit to drive donations, and the Double the Donation plugin follows suit with endless features designed to take the stress out of gift-matching marketing.
Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using Little Green Light? Request a demo today.
About Little Green Light (LGL): LGL is an affordable online donor management and fundraising software solution built for the needs of busy nonprofit professionals. Our suite of tools helps to streamline essential fundraising tasks and manage communications with all of your nonprofit’s most important supporters, including donors, volunteers, members and more. Learn more at www.littlegreenlight.com/getting-started.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The Double the Donation platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. Double the Donation integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/
Double the Donation and REACH Partner with New Matching Gifts Integration
/in About Double the Donation /by Adam WeingerREACH and Double the Donation have teamed up to boost nonprofit fundraising efforts with a seamless matching gifts integration, powered by 360MatchPro. The partnership and integration bring matching gifts directly to nonprofits REACH donation forms.
Now, when nonprofits connect their 360MatchPro account to their REACH donation forms, donors can discover their match eligibility in real time and take their next steps directly after making their initial gift.
“Despite the great strides we’ve taken toward matching gift awareness, there are still huge populations of donors who are unaware of their employers’ programs,” said Adam Weinger, President at Double the Donation. “By partnering with REACH, Double the Donation can assist nonprofits to connect with even more members of their supporter community about matching gifts.”
Want to see more details about the REACH and 360MatchPro integration? Keep reading!
Activate in Seconds and Start Raising More from Matching Gifts!
Integrating 360MatchPro with REACH forms takes only a few steps. A mutual client of REACH and Double the Donation will simply enter their 360MatchPro API keys into their REACH portal to connect their accounts. Once this is complete, it’s just a matter of choosing which forms on which to add 360MatchPro’s donor-facing tools.
Once integrated on a REACH form, 360MatchPro immediately goes to work helping donors discover their company’s matching gifts program. From a simple search of Double the Donation’s database to clear next steps on REACH confirmation pages, donors are guided every step of the way to matching gift success.
The donation record, with associated company information, is then immediately sent to 360MatchPro, where the nonprofit has the power to automatically send follow up emails personalized to the organization’s branding and the donor’s status in the match process.
Drive Donations to Completion with 360MatchPro!
The new REACH and Double the Donation partnership empowers fundraisers to deepen their relationships with donors, and empowers donors to deepen their impact on the causes they care about.
Some other key features of matching gifts automation you can look out for:
Ready to get started with matching gifts automation using REACH? Request a demo today.
About REACH: REACH helps your nonprofit work smarter and operate more efficiently. We provide nonprofits with robust software to help you manage your donors, fundraise and run your sponsorship programs.
About Double the Donation: Automate your matching gift fundraising with the industry-leading solution from Double the Donation. The 360MatchPro platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. 360MatchPro integrates directly into donation forms, CRMs, social fundraising software, and other nonprofit technology solutions to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts. To learn more about Double the Donation, visit https://doublethedonation.com and request a demo at https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/.