Matching gift opportunities can double or even triple the donations you receive at the end of the year. We often see these during Giving Tuesday or year-end campaigns, but have you considered how matching gifts can accelerate your campaigns year-round?

Let’s look at the many benefits matching gifts can bring your organization. We’ll also bust some common myths about this fundraising tactic and share best practices to help you maximize this strategy.

Where Do Matching Gifts Come From?

You might have individual or groups of donors offer to match gifts in a specific campaign, but the most common matching gifts come from corporate partners. Through these programs, companies match employee donations to registered 501(c)(3) organizations at a predetermined ratio — typically one-to-one, although some will do two- or three-to-one.

If an employee donates $50 at a one-to-one match, their employer will also donate $50, doubling the gift. Around 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer corporate matching gift programs, covering about 26 million individual workers.

Unlike a one-time matching gift challenge, these programs are built into a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. They allow businesses to support causes their employees care about and demonstrate a track record of social good.

Most matching gift programs cover donations made throughout a calendar year. That means if a worker donated in May 2024, their employer can still match it.

Benefits of Matching Gifts

Taking advantage of and promoting a corporate matching gift can significantly benefit nonprofits. According to research from Double the Donation, matching gifts act as a generosity motivator to fuel donor engagement.

For instance, 84% of donors are more likely to give if they know a match is offered. Moreover, 70% more donors respond to fundraising appeals that mention matching.

In short, if you tell donors their gifts will be matched, you’re more likely to see a substantial increase in donor frequency and amount. Your supporters can double or triple their impact without extra cost to them.

How Matching Gifts Boost Year-End Giving

It’s crucial to take advantage of matching gift partnerships at year-end. About half of all nonprofits get most of their funding through end-of-year giving, so there’s a lot of revenue potential.

Again, most companies have an eligibility window for matching gifts — typically by the end of the calendar year. So, now is the time to nudge donors who gave in 2024 to see if their business offers a matching gift program.

Thank-you messaging is an excellent and easy way to do this. For instance: “Thank you so much for your generous gift. Did you know it could go twice as far through your company’s matching gifts program?”

Common Misconceptions About Matching Gifts

As impactful as corporate matching gift programs can be, your supporters may not fully understand them. About 80% of donors don’t know they can submit a matching gift request. The program is often covered toward the end of an employee handbook, so this option is rarely top-of-mind when people donate.

Also, matching gift programs aren’t standard from company to company. Different businesses have different matching ratios and maximum matching amounts, which can be confusing.

On the nonprofit side, many fundraisers think gathering matching gift information is too time-consuming. That’s true if you track individual donations — no team is big enough to track every match-eligible donation within their database.

Best Practices for Matching Gifts

There are a few ways to make your corporate matching gift partnerships visible. Intentionally promoting these opportunities will make employees more likely to participate in them.

Create Educational Resources

One of the best ways to raise donor awareness is to create educational resources. Dedicate a webpage to your matching gifts program that explains how it works and lists top employers that match gifts to you. You can share these resources with your donors year-round via campaign promotions and thank-you messaging.

Also, provide corporate partners with these resources and impact statistics to share with their employees. This is a proactive way to educate workers already donating to your cause.

Include in Marketing and Communication Strategies

You don’t have to create a new campaign to promote matching gifts. Instead, include this opportunity in your current channels and communication techniques. It’s often a simple matter of adding one or two lines about how their gift can be matched and linking to the online resources.

Lean on Donor Employment Data

Learn where your donors work to see if their employer offers a matching gift program. This enables you to structure more relevant asks and remind your donors of their specific program eligibility.

If you notice patterns among your donors — for instance, if many of them work for the same company — contact the business directly to share the impact its workers have already made. Encourage the company to promote its corporate giving program before the end of the year.

Use Software to Automate Matching Gifts

Look for software that makes it easy for donors to determine whether they qualify for a matching gift. For example, Double the Donation can integrate donation forms with easy-to-use tools that enable people to check their eligibility as they donate.

Through our partnership with Double the Donation, donors can access the next steps for matching gifts directly from the donation form and then visit their company portal from their confirmation page.

A person would enter their company name on your donation form, receive a confirmation of their gift, access their company portal, and submit a matching gift request in one simple process. The software can also send automatic follow-up emails that remind them their gift can be matched and include a link to their company’s portal. 

Double Your Impact Through Matching Gifts

Corporate matching gifts aren’t just one-time year-end initiatives. Promoting these programs throughout the year will increase the number of gifts you receive and their amounts. More importantly, you’ll give donors an opportunity to double or triple their impact.

At Allegiance Group + Pursuant, we’ve partnered with Double the Donation to make the matching gifts process straightforward for your supporters. They can find their corporate program and request a matching gift in just a few clicks.

Contact us today to learn how to maximize your corporate matching gifts program and accelerate giving year-round.

This article is based on a recent episode of the Go Beyond Fundraising podcast. Listen to the entire conversation now: Matching Gifts, Maximized: Uncovering Year-Round Potential to Drive Donations