With matching presents, nonprofit organizations can double the impression of their donors’ contributions with only a tiny quantity of effort. In reality, an estimated $2-3 billion is donated by way of matching present packages yearly. However for those who want funds by a particular deadline or wish to end out your fundraising marketing campaign with a bang, an identical donation problem is extra suited to your wants.
When organized thoughtfully, matching donation challenges can vastly enhance the presents your nonprofit receives. That can assist you get began, we’ll cowl the next matters:
By the top of this text, you’ll have the ability to confidently host an identical present problem of your personal. Let’s get began!
What’s a Matching Donation Problem?
With matching presents, your nonprofit primarily asks your donors to test with their employers to see if they provide donation matches. If these matches are supplied, then donors will sometimes must fill out a type requesting the match. Then, your nonprofit receives the funds from each the donor and the employer’s match. Normally, matching present packages work on an annual foundation—even when the donation was made months in the past, a donor can nonetheless request a match from their employer if it’s nonetheless the identical yr.
The place matching donation challenges differ from matching presents is that they’re usually a way more time-sensitive fundraising initiative. Moderately than having particular person donors request matches from their employers, throughout a problem, a serious donor or company accomplice pledges to match donations throughout a set timeframe.
For instance, they may pledge to match each greenback donated as much as $20,000 at a 1:1 ratio for the weekend. This incentivizes supporters to make presents throughout that point, as their donations may have a larger impression.
Whereas matching present challenges are often for the advantage of a nonprofit, that doesn’t imply that solely nonprofits arrange them. For instance, the favored conference Dragon Con designates a charity yearly for a dollar-to-dollar match throughout the conference dates.
Advantages of Matching Donation Challenges
Matching donation challenges provide nonprofits quite a lot of advantages, together with the next:
- Further funding. Since donations will probably be matched by your accomplice, your nonprofit will obtain extra funding with out having to ask donors to present extra.
- Elevated engagement. Attributable to their time-sensitive nature, matching donation challenges create a way of urgency to your supporters. This ends in an elevated quantity of presents and drives excessive ranges of engagement.
- Supporter retention. By way of the ability of donation matching, your supporters’ presents will make a larger impression in your nonprofit. This empowers donors to play a extra rewarding function to your group, and after they witness the impression of their presents, they’ll be extra seemingly to present once more.
- Company partnerships. Relying on the accomplice you purchase, matching donation challenges present a wonderful alternative to solidify relationships with companies and companies. This may result in future partnership alternatives, resembling occasion sponsorships.
These advantages make matching donation challenges uniquely suited to reinforce your present fundraising efforts. For instance, if in case you have a year-end giving technique in place, reap the benefits of the elevated generosity on the finish of the yr and create an identical problem for the previous couple of days of December. That manner, you’ll maximize the presents that your nonprofit receives.
How you can Set Up a Matching Donation Problem
To correctly leverage the advantages of an identical donation problem, it’s essential know easy methods to arrange your problem. Observe these six steps to assist guarantee your fundraising success.
1. Establish problem particulars.
Step one to making a profitable matching donation problem is to determine the main points of the problem. Ask your self the next questions:
- Will the problem be part of a bigger fundraising marketing campaign?
- When will the problem happen?
- Will the problem fall on any vital dates or occasions?
- Are there any authorized necessities or restrictions to contemplate?
By answering these questions, you’ll lay the groundwork for a rigorously deliberate problem. For instance, for those who determine that your matching donation problem will probably be your predominant fundraising occasion of the summer season, your plans ought to look totally different than if it is going to be the grand finale of your year-end giving marketing campaign. Within the former occasion, you’ll be structuring your summer season fundraising round your matching donation problem. Within the latter, you’ll must plan different fundraising occasions and initiatives on prime of your matching donation problem.
2. Set up your objectives.
As with all different fundraising initiative, the principle aim of an identical donation problem is to extend donations to energy your nonprofit’s mission. After figuring out the main points of your problem, take into account how your fundraising initiatives have fared prior to now to assist inform what your aim ought to be.
For instance, let’s say that you just’re the chief of a corporation devoted to funding breast most cancers analysis. You host an annual Pinktober fundraising marketing campaign, and also you often increase round $50,000. Nevertheless, this yr, you’d like to lift $75,000 as a substitute—$25,000 greater than traditional. You’ll be able to plan to make use of an identical donation problem to lift this quantity, making your aim $25,000.
What’s fascinating a few matching donation problem is that the match quantity usually represents half of your aim. Within the case of the Pinktober fundraising marketing campaign, your aim is to lift an extra $25,000 along with your problem. To have a profitable matching donation problem and fundraising marketing campaign, it’s essential safe a accomplice who’s keen to match no less than $12,500 price of donations.
3. Search out an identical donation accomplice.
After deciding on the main points of your problem and figuring out your aim for it, the next step is to hunt out your matching donation accomplice. This particular person or group will probably be chargeable for placing forth the funds to match the donations made by your supporters.
People and teams which can be generally nonprofit matching donation companions embody:
- Native companies. Since these companies work in the identical group as your nonprofit, they’re extra prone to be desirous about lending their assist. Goal companies that work in an analogous vertical to your nonprofit for greatest outcomes. For instance, in case your group is devoted to fixing meals insecurity in your group, a restaurant could also be open to partnering with you. Alternatively, you may work with companies with related values and visions for the long run. For example, an environmental conservation group would possibly accomplice with a sustainable clothes retailer since they each consider in preserving the world’s pure ecosystems.
- Giant companies. Giant companies are additionally nice prospects for matching companions, as they often have bigger budgets. When searching for a accomplice in companies like these, test for firms that share your values or have company philanthropy packages. This demonstrates a vested curiosity in social good, making it extra seemingly that they’ll accomplice with you.
- Main donors. Main donors are a few of your nonprofit’s staunchest supporters. You’ll be able to suggest an identical donation partnership in lieu of their beneficiant annual donation, making them extra prone to settle for.
- Board members. Your nonprofit’s board members may additionally be rich, making them one other attractive choice when searching for out matching donation partnerships.
- Celebrities or influencers. Celebrities and influencers continuously align themselves with charitable causes—simply take a look at Angelina Jolie, for instance. When you have connections to those people, they’ve the funds to make the right accomplice.
When reaching out to potential companions, body your ask when it comes to the advantages that they’ll obtain. For example, for those who share an analogous target market as a enterprise, you would possibly share your viewers’s demographics and clarify how, in trade for his or her generosity, you’ll market their enterprise in your promoting supplies. Consequently, they’ll acquire publicity to new potential clients. Plus, your company accomplice will get a lift of their fame by working along with your group.
Understand that you don’t must restrict your self to a single accomplice! If a number of people or organizations are keen to be your accomplice to your matching donation problem, don’t hesitate to simply accept a number of partnerships that will help you attain your aim.
4. Promote your matching donation problem.
It’s estimated that over $4 billion in matching present funds goes unclaimed yearly, but 84% of people say that they’re extra prone to donate if a match is obtainable. This reveals that the largest barrier to nonprofits claiming funds from matching presents is a lack of understanding.
Producing sufficient consciousness can be vital to matching donation challenges. To create that sense of urgency and entice your supporters into giving, it’s essential have a robust advertising and marketing technique. Unfold details about your problem by way of the next advertising and marketing channels:
- Web site
- Junk mail
- E mail newsletters
- SMS
- Social media
Announce your matching donation problem prematurely of the problem’s begin date to construct pleasure. You’ll want to embody the dates of the problem, the greenback quantity of donations that will probably be matched, and any restrictions on donations. For instance, in case your accomplice will match $25,000 at a 1:1 ratio however provided that the donations are $100 or much less, embody that info in your supplies.
By completely advertising and marketing your problem, you’ll have the ability to create a way of immediacy to assist your trigger, leading to extra donations to your group.
5. Monitor problem progress.
When your matching donation problem begins, monitor your donation progress towards the match most. You’ll want to present this info to your supporters as nicely—transparency about funds acquired will create a way of belief. Moreover, if people see that you’re nearing your match aim, they could be extra prone to donate to your nonprofit.
For the most effective outcomes, take into account investing in an identical donation or matching present software program resolution. These instruments simplify matching donation challenges with information and analytics options. With the fitting resolution, you may create fundraising thermometers or leaderboards that robotically replace as presents are made. Plus, you may even leverage your software program to obtain employer matches throughout your matching donation problem, successfully tripling the impression of donations made throughout this time.
6. Observe up after the occasion.
On the shut of your matching donation problem, report the outcomes to your match accomplice and supporters. That manner, your accomplice will know the way a lot they’ll must match, and your supporters will know for those who met your aim or not.
No matter whether or not your aim was met, make sure to thank all events concerned within the problem. For example, you would possibly electronic mail thanks notes to your entire supporters, write handwritten thanks notes to your prime donors, and highlight your match accomplice on social media. By correctly stewarding these relationships, you’ll guarantee future assist to your nonprofit.
3 Finest Practices for Profitable Matching Donation Challenges
Now that you know the way to arrange your matching donation problem, let’s check out three greatest practices to make sure your success.
1. Simplify your matching donation problem with software program.
With out devoted instruments, your matching donation problem would require a considerable amount of handbook, time-consuming work out of your nonprofit’s staff members. The suitable software program options will simplify your problem, cut back work to your workers, and make it simpler so that you can garner assist.
Helpful instruments for matching donation challenges embody:
- Fundraising platforms. You could already be utilizing a fundraising platform to gather donations from supporters. These instruments enable donors to conveniently and securely make presents to the causes they care about. Leverage your fundraising platform to create a novel donation type to your matching present problem to extend assist.
- Matching present software program. Many people work at firms that supply matching presents of their very own. With matching present software program, you’ll have the ability to triple the impression of a single donation, as it is going to be matched by each your problem accomplice and the donor’s employer.
- Advertising and marketing options. Keep in mind that the largest impediment to matching donation challenges and matching presents is consciousness. Put money into advertising and marketing instruments, like a social media administration platform or electronic mail advertising and marketing resolution, to spice up your promotional efforts and make sure that you get your problem in entrance of the fitting individuals.
- Nonprofit constituent relationship administration (CRM) software program. Even after your matching donation problem ends, your work isn’t over. Utilizing a nonprofit CRM, you may acquire donor information, observe interactions with supporters, and create histories of assist. With this info, you’ll have the ability to tailor your communications and correctly steward relationships with new donors.
- Information and analytics instruments. Monitoring problem progress could be a problem in and of itself and not using a information and analytics resolution. Use this to observe problem progress and acquire insights into donor habits. Plus, at your problem’s shut, you’ll have the ability to conveniently generate experiences to show outcomes and impression.
Set your nonprofit up for achievement by investing in the fitting instruments to your matching donation problem. Totally analysis your choices to search out the fitting alternative to your nonprofit’s distinctive wants.
For example, for those who select to spend money on matching present software program, search for an answer that additionally affords auto-submission instruments. One of many biggest boundaries to matching presents is that it takes effort on the a part of the donor—they’re required to navigate to their employer’s matching present administration portal, find the group that they donated to, after which fill out an identical present type.
Auto-submission removes this barrier to participation by permitting donors to robotically submit their match request. All they should do is give their company electronic mail deal with, and your software program will do the remaining. This performance empowers you to seize all eligible matches, triple donations throughout your matching present problem, and generate the impression that you just want.
2. Strategically select when to host your problem.
At sure occasions of the yr, people usually tend to give to nonprofits. For those who host your matching donation problem throughout these moments, you’ll have the ability to reap the advantages of elevated generosity.
For instance, the top of the yr is a widely known season of giving, with 30% of annual giving occurring in December. Other than the vacations, GivingTuesday, a day of world generosity, additionally happens the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This makes year-end a very interesting time for an identical donation problem, because it’s extra seemingly that donors will give.
Different durations of elevated giving embody trigger months, which is a month or interval that’s devoted to a particular trigger. For example, February is Black Historical past Month, March is Ladies’s Historical past Month, June is Delight Month, and so forth. In case your nonprofit’s mission aligns with a trigger month, take into account internet hosting your matching donation problem throughout that month for elevated visibility to your trigger.
3. Emphasize elevated impression.
As you’re establishing your advertising and marketing supplies to your matching donation problem, remember that the elevated impression of presents is not only the problem’s major profit to your nonprofit. Additionally it is a compelling cause for donors to lend their assist.
Emphasize this profit to donors as you make your enchantment for donations. Stress that there’s no additional monetary obligation on their finish, as your matching accomplice will present the extra funds.
Think about using the next language in your advertising and marketing supplies:
- Do you know you may double your donation for those who make a present between Might fifth and Might eleventh?
- Between December 1st and December tenth, our beneficiant accomplice will robotically double any donation you make!
- Our accomplice is offering a dollar-for-dollar match for donations made earlier than July twenty fifth. Improve the impression of your present by donating now!
- For the final 24 hours of our fundraiser, our accomplice will donate two {dollars} for each greenback you donate!
- Bear in mind, your donation helps us increase $2 for each $1 you give with our accomplice’s match!
Encourage donors to make presents by strategically positioning the impression they’ll have the ability to generate to your group. Since your matching donation problem solely lasts for a restricted period of time, make sure that to make use of time-bound language like “Donate by midnight” and “Give by Friday” to spur motion.
Further Assets
Matching donation challenges are alternatives for nonprofits to generate a greater-than-usual quantity of financial assist for his or her trigger. By investing in the fitting software program options, strategically selecting your problem timing, and emphasizing the elevated impression of presents made throughout your problem, you’ll be nicely in your solution to producing the funds your nonprofit must energy your mission.
For those who’d prefer to be taught extra about matching presents, check out the next assets:
