Power of Corporate Matching: A Win-Win for Nonprofit Fundraisers

Imagine this: You're a nonprofit with a big year-end fundraising goal to achieve. You're passionate about philanthropy and giving back to the world. 

But you lack the resources to pull it off all on your own. You need funds from donors who believe in your cause and are willing to help you reach your fundraising target, but they’re also on a budget. 

You wonder what to do.

Now, what if we told you that there is a way to amplify your efforts without asking your donors to give more? 

The answer lies in the power of corporate matching. 

In this blog post, we will look at how corporate matching can help your nonprofit achieve its fundraising goals and leave a lasting impact.

What is a Corporate Matching Gift Program?

Corporate gift matching is an initiative offered by many companies where they encourage their employees to donate money to eligible nonprofit organizations. 

What the companies do is they pledge to match donations made by their employees to nonprofits at a 1:1 ratio (mostly). 

For example, an employee of an organic skincare brand donates $10 to a local animal shelter. Now — the skincare brand — through its gift-matching initiative, will also donate $10 to the same local animal shelter, effectively doubling the impact of its employee donation. This means the local shelter will receive $20 in donations, which can help provide meals and shelter for the animals. 

This is corporate matching.

There are certain guidelines that companies follow for this initiative, and they also have minimum and maximum match amounts that we’ll look at in detail.

The Key Components of Gift Matching

Different companies have different sets of guidelines for gift matching programs, but there are certain essential components that are the same for all: 

• Eligible Nonprofits: Companies decide the kind of nonprofits they want to partner with for gift matching. These may include charities, educational institutions, libraries, etc.
• Matching Ratio: Here companies decide the matching ratio they will donate to match employee donations. The ratio varies from 1:1 to 5:1, but most companies settle at 1:1, where they donate the exact amount of employee donation.
• Donation requirements: The guidelines specify the minimum and maximum amounts that employees can donate to qualify for gift matching. Employees may also have to provide proof that they’ve donated to the nonprofit organization.
• Employee Eligibility: This ground rule decides what type of employees (full-time, part-time, or retirees) are eligible for the initiative. 
• Program Guidelines: This set of instructions includes procedures including deadlines, submission methods, and any other relevant information for employees to follow when requesting a matching gift.

These components are essential for a gift-matching program as they lay out the ground rules for employees to follow who are looking to sign up for the initiative.

What is the Effect of Matching Donations?

There are plenty of benefits of matched donations because they serve as an opportunity for nonprofits to level up their fundraising game. 

When a nonprofit approaches a corporation for a donation, and its budget is tight, they challenge the organization to find a matching donor to reach its fundraising target without asking the donor for more. This is a win-win situation for both the corporation and the nonprofit.

Let’s understand this with an example. A nonprofit needs to raise $50,000, but the corporation has a budget of $25,000 only. So the corporation asks the nonprofit to find a donor with a 1:1 ratio. This way, the nonprofit gets the $50,000 they need, the donor doesn't have to stretch their budget too much, and the nonprofit gets more supporters.

This whole process is a brilliant way to keep the spirit of philanthropy alive, making big corporations socially responsible and giving back to the community. Moreover, the nonprofit gets to accomplish its end-of-year fundraising goal and get a larger supportive community by the end. 

If you’re looking for ways to improve your fundraising efforts, reach out to BetterWorld. We are deeply committed to assisting non-profit organizations in reaching their online fundraising targets. 

Our automated tools are designed to reduce the time spent on administrative tasks, allowing you to concentrate on making a positive impact.

Why Do People Match Donations?

It doesn’t get clearer than this: people want to maximize their giving impact and do as much good as they possibly can. When they get to know that their contribution may be equaled, doubled, or even tripled, then they feel even better about their contribution to making this world a better place.

Data from multiple sources also reveals 84% of donors are more likely to donate if their contribution is matched.

Through matched donations, people get to support causes by being on a limited budget. Matching donations allow them to make a significant contribution while not stretching themselves too thin financially.

Matching donations can also be a way for donors to challenge others to give. By doing so, they instill a spirit of altruism and philanthropy by showing that they are willing to put their own money behind it.

Overall, matching donations is a way to encourage more people to give, make a greater impact, and make this world a better and more livable place.

Tips to Promote Corporate Gift Matching

There are several actionable tips nonprofits can follow to promote corporate gift matching to accomplish their fundraising goals.

Educate Donors

Most of the time, donors are unaware of the gift matching programs, so it’s your responsibility as a nonprofit to educate them about it. Here’s how you can do it:

• You can mention fundraising opportunities on your website or via email to inform the donors.
• You can also make the donors understand how gift matching works and how their donations can be doubled or tripled. Make them realize the impact of their donations through the gift-matching initiative. 
• Tell them about the list of companies that offer matching gift programs, step-by-step instructions on how to submit a matching gift request, and sample emails or letters that they can use to request a match.

Once you’ve educated the donors about matching gift programs and you feel they can confidently communicate the process and advantages, then you can collaborate to design a personalized outreach plan targeting your specific group of donors.

Make it Easy

You can try different methods of outreach or communication to inform your donors about the gift-matching program. 

Here’s what you can do to make it easy for your donors:

• Provide clear instructions about the gift-matching program. List down the ways they can submit a matching gift request. 
• Make your gift matching visible on the website, social media, and other marketing processes. Scream it from the rooftops, if you may.
• Highlight the impact of gift matching and make it easy for donors to see when their employer participates.
• Encourage donors to post about the gift matching on social media to increase awareness and reach about the program.

Personalize Your Outreach

When it comes to promoting corporate gift matching, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t cut it. You have to personalize your approach to maximize the impact. Here’s how you can tailor your outreach to inspire donors to participate in gift-matching programs:

• Research your donor (your target audience). Find out where they work.
• Look into their organization and see if they have a gift-matching program and what are the guidelines for it.
• Use that information to tailor your messaging.
• Send highly personalized messages highlighting how their employer's program can help amplify their impact.
• Send a thank you email immediately after they sign up for the gift-matching program.

Leverage Social Media

Social media can help you effectively increase your reach and awareness regarding corporate gift matching, and you must include it in your marketing strategy. Here are some ways you can use social media to promote the initiative:

• Share gift-matching success stories and what kind of impact they’ve made on the cause your organization supports.
• Use visuals in your messaging to make it more appealing and memorable. 
• Partner with influencers and make them use their platform and voice to amplify your program’s reach.
• Create a social media campaign around gift matching. Use a hashtag to make it easy for people to find and share your message.
• Respond to comments and messages from your followers, and engage with them in conversations about gift matching. Make them feel like a part of the campaign.

You can even share your campaigns with everyone with our pre-created templates and social media integrations. Our tools work seamlessly on all devices and require no downloads. 

Social media is a powerful tool, and you can use it strategically and organically to connect with your donors and inspire them to take action. 

Partner With Corporates

You can partner with corporations to promote gift matching. The partnership can help you increase donations and support for your nonprofit. Here are a few steps you can take to get started:

• Start by identifying corporations that align with your nonprofit’s mission and values. Look for companies that have a history of philanthropic giving or that have expressed interest in supporting causes like yours.
• Once you’ve identified potential partners, make a compelling case for gift matching. Highlight the benefits of gift matching, including the increased impact of donations and the potential for increased engagement from donors. Be sure to provide concrete examples of how gift matching has helped your nonprofit in the past.
• After following the above two steps, reach out to them to begin the conversation. Make sure to personalize your outreach and explain why you think their company would be a great fit for your nonprofit.

Partnering with corporations for gift matching is a win-win for both the nonprofit and the corporate partner. By working together, you can amplify the support for your cause and make a real difference in the world.

Share Success Stories

Success stories work like a charm every time. They are the social proof of the nonprofit world, and you must use them for your benefit. Success stories have a rippling effect. 

When people see the impact of other people’s contributions, they are inspired to do the same and take action. 

They also provide a way for donors to connect with the impact of their contributions. It's one thing to hear about the statistics and numbers behind a nonprofit's success, but it's another to hear a firsthand account of how a matching donation made a difference in someone's life.

By sharing stories of how donors' donations were used, you can demonstrate transparency and accountability, which can encourage more people to support your work.

Thank Donors

It goes without saying that thanking the donors is hands down the best way of validating their contributions. Not only does this make their heart swell, but this also makes them feel seen and heard. As a result, it creates a ripple effect and makes the donors come back to you with donations for years on end. 

When donors feel valued, they are more likely to talk about their positive experiences with others. This can lead to increased word-of-mouth referrals and potentially more donations and corporate gift-matching opportunities in the future.

Overall, thanking donors is not only a courteous gesture, but it can also help to promote corporate gift matching and build stronger relationships with donors. It's a win-win for everyone involved — your organization, the donor, and potentially the donor's employer.

Closing Thoughts on Corporate Matching

Corporate matching is a powerful strategy that can take your nonprofit fundraising to the next level. Not only does it give donors a chance to double their impact, but it also helps nonprofits raise more money without putting additional strain on their supporters' budgets. 

There’s immense power in corporate matching. It serves as a win-win strategy by encouraging more companies to participate in these programs and getting nonprofits more supporters. 

As nonprofits, we can thank our donors for their generosity in keeping the momentum going. With the help of corporate matching, we can make a real difference in the world and have some fun along the way!

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