Corporate matching gifts are one of the most impactful yet underutilized resources available to nonprofits. These programs allow companies to match the charitable contributions of their employees, effectively doubling (or sometimes tripling) the original donation.
When strategically integrated into an annual fundraising plan, matching gifts can drive significant growth in revenue while strengthening donor relationships.
This guide explores the synergy between matching gifts and annual giving and
provides actionable tips to incorporate them into your nonprofit’s strategy.
Matching Gift Basics
Matching gifts are a form of corporate philanthropy where companies match donations made by their employees to eligible nonprofits. Typically, companies match donations at a 1:1 ratio, though some offer higher matches or additional incentives.
To claim a match, donors must submit a request through their employer’s matching gift program, and nonprofits must verify the donation to complete the process.
Key Benefits of Matching Gifts:
Increased
Revenue:
Doubling or tripling
donations has a direct
impact on your bottom line.
Enhanced
Donor
Engagement:
Informing donors about matching gifts shows your commitment to maximizing their
contributions. Not to
mention, donors are
often eager to make a
larger impact.
Strengthened
Corporate
Relationships:
Partnering with
businesses in this way
allows you to build
long-term connections
and boost your visibility.
Despite these benefits, billions of dollars in matching gifts go unclaimed each year, largely due to a lack of donor awareness or misunderstanding of the matching gift process. By addressing these challenges, your organization can unlock a substantial funding source and do more for its mission overall.
Annual Fundraising Basics
Annual fundraising is the cornerstone of most nonprofit revenue streams. It encompasses all the efforts your organization undertakes to raise funds over the course of a year, including major campaigns, events, and recurring donor programs. A strong annual fundraising plan ensures consistent revenue, builds donor loyalty, and supports ongoing mission-related activities.
Key Components of an Annual Fundraising Plan:
A successful annual plan provides the structure necessary to integrate additional strategies, like matching gifts, seamlessly into your fundraising efforts.
How Matching Gifts + Annual Giving
Go Hand-in-Hand
Matching gifts and annual fundraising share a common goal: maximizing donor contributions. Integrating matching gifts into your annual strategy enhances your campaigns by amplifying individual donations and inspiring increased giving.
Key Benefits of Matching Gifts:
Key Benefits of Matching Gifts:
Donors are more likely
to give when they know
their gift will be matched,
effectively doubling their
impact.
Campaign
Boosts:
Matching gift appeals
can add a compelling
element to campaigns
like Giving Tuesday or
year-end drives.
Enhanced
Engagement:
Promoting matching
gifts demonstrates your
dedication to maximizing
donors’ contributions,
fostering trust and
loyalty.
Tips for Incorporating Matching Gifts
in Your Annual Fundraising Plan
Integrating matching gifts into your annual plan requires intentionality and strategic execution. Here are a few actionable tips to get started:
1. Educate Your Team
First, it’s crucial to ensure that your internal team is well-educated on matching gift programs, as they play a vital role in promoting these opportunities to donors. When your staff and volunteers are knowledgeable about matching gifts, they can actively incorporate them into their conversations and outreach strategies.
This understanding will also empower your team to identify potential matching gift donors and guide them through the submission process. To achieve this, provide regular training sessions, share resources, and update your team on new trends or company policies that may impact matching gifts. By fostering this knowledge internally, you can maximize the potential of matching gifts as part of your overall fundraising plan.
2. Market Matching Gifts to Your Donors
Many donors may be unaware of their eligibility for matching gift opportunities, which is why actively marketing these programs is essential. After all, raising awareness about matching gifts can help you tap into a significant source of additional funding.
To effectively market matching gifts, make sure to prominently feature them in
your donor communications, such as emails, newsletters, and social media posts. Providing easy-to-understand instructions and examples can encourage donors to take action and submit their matching gift requests.
By highlighting matching gift opportunities, you increase the chances that donors will take advantage of these programs, boosting your overall fundraising efforts.
3. Leverage Technology
Incorporating technology into your matching gift strategy can greatly streamline operations, making it easier to manage and track donations. Leading software solutions (like Double the Donation) are available to automate the matching gift process, from identifying eligible donors to providing them with the necessary information to submit their matches. Plus, you can even integrate the platform with your existing fundraising tools, such as FlexFormz!
These tools can also help you track the progress of matching gift requests,
ensuring that you never miss an opportunity for additional funding. By leveraging technology, you reduce manual effort and ensure a more efficient matching gift program, allowing your team to focus on other aspects of your fundraising efforts.
4. Track and Measure Results
To determine the success of your matching gift initiatives, it’s essential to track and measure your results with the right metrics and KPIs. Monitoring the number of matching gifts submitted, the total amount raised through these programs, and the engagement level of donors can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your strategy.
This data can help you understand what’s working well and where improvements may be needed. Regularly assessing your results will also allow you to refine your approach over time, ensuring that matching gifts continue to be a valuable part of your annual fundraising plan. By setting clear goals and tracking progress, you can optimize your efforts and boost the impact of matching gifts.
Matching gifts are a powerful tool to amplify the success of your annual fundraising efforts. By educating donors, leveraging technology, and partnering with corporations, your nonprofit can unlock significant additional revenue while deepening donor engagement.
As you refine your annual fundraising plan, remember to position matching gifts as a central element of your strategy. Doing so will not only maximize your fundraising potential but also strengthen your impact on the communities you serve.
Keep learning! Find out more about matching gift strategies and tools from Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/get-a-demo/.
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