Check out these 40+ marketing ideas for nonprofits to help spread your mission.

40+ Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits to Spread Your Mission

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Nonprofits are always pressed for funds, especially when it comes to their marketing budgets. There are so many exciting marketing ideas for nonprofits, but your organization might not have the resources to pull them off.

It’s important for your organization to know how to market on a budget. Effective nonprofit marketing allows people to find your organization, learn about your cause, and show their support. Without a strong marketing strategy, your organization cannot grow and reach its intended audiences.

Your organization can create a successful marketing strategy without spending tons on extra resources, though. In this article, we’ll walk you through over 40 marketing ideas for nonprofits that will help promote your organization without breaking the bank.

We’ll teach you how to use the resources you already have and introduce you to free and affordable resources you can leverage. Here’s a sneak peek at the categories of nonprofit marketing ideas we’ll cover:

It’s our job at Double the Donation to connect nonprofits with matching gift opportunities. Since we work with organizations looking to maximize their fundraising potential, we know just how important every last penny in your budget is. That’s why we’ve created this guide to marketing ideas for nonprofits that will help you promote your organization at little to no cost.

Now that we know where we’re headed, let’s jump right into these proven marketing ideas for nonprofits!Interested in earning $10,000 per month for your online marketing? Work with our recommended provider.

Nonprofit Marketing Basics

The term “nonprofit marketing” refers to the use of typical marketing strategies for nonprofit purposes such as amplifying your organization’s cause and mission, soliciting donations, and recruiting supporters.

As a nonprofit, your main goal is accomplishing your organization’s mission. To make your aspirations a reality, you’ll need to get others involved in your organization. It takes donors, volunteers, board members, and event attendees among others to ensure that your nonprofit can give back to the community it serves.

To let others know about the great work you’re doing, you’ll need to leverage a combination of proven marketing ideas for nonprofits.

Benefits of Effective Nonprofit Marketing

However, it’s easier said than done to pull off a nonprofit marketing campaign. There’s a lot of planning involved in developing a well-thought-out marketing plan. Despite the challenges that may come with nonprofit marketing, the resulting benefits will help your organization soar.

Nonprofit marketing can empower your organization to:Nonprofit marketing has many benefits for your organization.

  • Rally support for your cause. Educating people about your mission is a crucial part of nonprofit marketing. It allows people to understand not only the work your organization does but also why you do it and how they can help.
  • Fundraise. Perhaps the most concrete way to measure your organization’s success is by the amount of money you’re able to raise for your cause. Sharing your nonprofit with others will help your fundraising efforts immensely.
  • Foster donor relationships. One-time donations are not a sustainable fundraising source for your organization. Studies show that recurring donations are better for maximizing your fundraising potential. The best way to ensure regular donations is to curate good relationships with donors through consistent marketing.
  • Recruit other supporters. While donors are great assets to your organization, they’re not the only people who can help. Volunteers, board members, and event attendees all serve important roles for your organization. Marketing your nonprofit effectively will allow you to gather all the support you need.
  • Advertise your services. Before contributing to your cause, most people will want to know exactly what your organization does in service of its mission. With effective marketing ideas, you can make sure potential supporters understand the services your nonprofit provides.

It’s clear to see that nonprofit marketing offers so many advantages for your organization. However, you might be wondering where to start in the marketing process. To help you out, we’ll go over the best marketing ideas for nonprofits in a variety of useful categories.

The Top Nonprofit Marketing Idea: The Google Ad Grant

When looking for more information about a nonprofit, a cause, or truly anything, most people turn to Google first. That’s what makes the Google Ad Grant program so powerful. If you’re a qualifying nonprofit, Google will give your organization $10,000 per month in ad credits for free. With these funds, you can promote a variety of programs, including:

  • Educational content
  • Upcoming events
  • Volunteer registration forms
  • Advocacy activities
  • Donation and sponsorship opportunities
  • Nonprofit services

Of possible content to advertise, your educational content is likely to see the best results. This is because most people using Google to find nonprofit causes are entering queries related to the issues they’re most interested in. By marketing your high-quality educational content, you’ll earn clicks from these visitors who will then see your nonprofit as a reputable source of knowledge, leading them to continue exploring your website and even donating.

Of course, you can promote more than just your educational content, and most nonprofits using the Google Ad Grant do! Google Ad Grant campaigns allow nonprofits to create ads targeting multiple goals at once. Here’s a breakdown of the Google Ad structure:

As the image depicts, each Google Ad Grant account can run multiple campaigns. Each of these campaigns has an overarching goal, like educating supporters, attracting volunteers, or raising funds. In each of these campaigns are ad groups. Each ad group focuses on a specific keyword, like “volunteer opportunities,” “pet adoptions,” “Chicago homelessness,” and so on depending on the ad campaign’s goal.

Finally, each ad group contains multiple ads which are different messages targeting the ad group’s keyword. Individual ads will use different language and strategies to appeal to different audiences, helping you attract a variety of supporters searching your target keyword.

To get started with Google Ads, all you have to do is apply and follow all program requirements.

If you need help wielding this amazing resource, reach out to a Google Grants agency. We recommend Getting Attention! They’ll assist you with every step, including applying for the program, choosing keywords to target, and making sure your account is compliant with all requirements.

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits Building Their Missions

As we’ve mentioned before, your nonprofit’s mission is central to its goals and aspirations. It should also be one of the main focuses of your marketing efforts. Since it lays the groundwork for your organization’s values, your mission should inform your branding, outreach tactics, and promotional content.

If you don’t have a well-developed mission or want to give yours a refresh, try some of these nonprofit marketing ideas for building your organization’s mission:To build your organization's mission, you'll want to leverage some of these marketing ideas for nonprofits.

  • Write a powerful tagline. When it comes to marketing, people absorb more information when it’s concise. Your mission is one of the most important aspects of your organization, so you’ll want prospective supporters to understand it right away. Take the time to condense your mission into a short tagline that you can use in your marketing materials.
  • Establish standards for design, personality, and attitude. Make a good first impression with cohesive branding. From the way your website looks to the way your employees act, every aspect of your organization should work together to form a perfect picture of your nonprofit.
  • Rework your nonprofit’s appearance. Speaking of branding, changing yours up can bring new life to your organization. A funky new logo or elevated graphics can entice potential supporters and demonstrate your willingness to improve your nonprofit. You can even reach out to a graphic design company for help with your organization’s new look.
  • Be upfront about your organization’s goals and results. People interested in your organization want to know what you’re trying to accomplish and what you’ve been able to achieve so far. Being open about your nonprofit’s operations lays a solid foundation for great relationships with potential supporters.
  • Share what you do well. It never hurts to brag a little! Your organization is doing amazing work, and people should see that. If you show confidence in your nonprofit and highlight its strengths, people will be more eager to get involved.
  • Use storytelling. Giving people specific examples of individuals you’ve helped fosters deeper connections between your supporters and your organization. Stories make your marketing more personal and digestible for prospective supporters.
  • Create a marketing plan. To stay focused and organized, you’ll need a comprehensive marketing plan. That way, you’ll have all of your goals and intentions in one place for you to easily go back and reference.

Your mission is the foundation of your marketing efforts, but now it’s time to expand them! Head to your nearest computer or phone to start sharing your incredible organization with others.

Bonus Tip: Include your nonprofit’s values in all of your marketing values, including your Google Ads!

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits Advertising Their Services

Letting others know what your organization does is essential to earning their support. Your nonprofit does great work, so why not show it off? Advertise your services with the following online and offline marketing ideas for nonprofits.

There are so many nonprofit marketing ideas for advertising your organization’s services.

Online Advertising Ideas

The internet allows you to share your services with a variety of people with the click of a button. Whether you want to invest in paid advertising or create eye-catching merchandise, there are endless ways to stand out in the digital space. In addition to the Google Ad Grant, try out these online marketing ideas for nonprofits:

  • Tell your supporters about peer-to-peer fundraising. Your supporters can help fundraise for your organization and advertise your nonprofit in the process. With peer-to-peer fundraising, people raise money by collecting donations from their friends and family. To encourage your supporters to participate, teach them how to set up a peer-to-peer fundraising page. An even easier method is to leverage the built-in peer-to-peer fundraising options on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. This fundraising option is especially popular around holidays and birthdays, so if you know your supporters’ birthdates, you can proactively reach out and encourage them to create a fundraiser on your nonprofit’s behalf
  • Track your analytics. Data is the key to figuring out which of your marketing efforts are effective. Use Google Analytics or another similar tool to track and review website traffic and the actions people take once they’re there. That way, you can see if there are any patterns or areas where you can improve. For example, if a certain landing page on your site isn’t getting much traffic, it might be time to refresh it to make it more worthwhile for your supporters.
  • Sell branded merchandise. Turn your supporters into walking advertisements with branded merchandise! It’s a win-win situation because you’ll get to collect more for your cause and receive free advertising, while your supporters will get to show the world what they believe in. Branded t-shirts are always a great idea, but you could also go with hats, tote bags, or mugs depending on your audience’s preferences. Once you work with a graphic design company to bring your merchandise to life, you can set up an online store and let your supporters know all about it!

Online advertising is a proven way to connect with larger audiences than ever before. Break down geographical barriers by leveraging some of these marketing strategies.

Work with Getting Attention to leverage paid advertising!

Offline Advertising Ideas

Digital marketing is all the rage these days, and for good reason. However, that doesn’t mean that more traditional offline marketing efforts should go extinct. While online marketing can expand your reach, offline marketing can help create a personal experience for your supporters. Use these offline marketing ideas for nonprofits in conjunction with your online ones:

  • Create flyers. A good old-fashioned flyer is a great way to grab potential supporters’ attention. It allows you to fit an abundance of information about your organization into a small, foldable, and engaging handout. You can send flyers in your direct mail campaigns, hand them out at events, or keep them in your organization’s office for walk-ins. People will love the opportunity to learn about your organization’s services in an easily digestible format.
  • Recruit brand ambassadors. Influencer marketing is a fairly new yet powerful way to promote your organization. Finding people with an online presence who truly care about your nonprofit’s mission and are willing to spread the word can help you reach new audiences quickly. These brand ambassadors can also help you host in-person events or sell your branded merchandise to get people excited about your organization.
  • Research larger organizations. If you want to be the best, you’ll have to learn from the best. Look into what larger, more experienced nonprofits are doing and see if yours can replicate it. You can even reach out to someone on the team of an organization you admire and ask if they’d be willing to give you some advice for your nonprofit.
  • Personalize your outreach. Reaching out to people using offline methods allows you to create more personal connections with them. For example, you could go up to a volunteer at an event to learn more about them or send your donors more information about matching gift opportunities in a customized postcard. People will appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes into these outreach methods and associate that quality with your organization.

For the best results, use a combination of online and offline marketing ideas. That way, you’ll reach different audiences and see which methods work best for which supporter segments.

Your mission is the foundation of your marketing efforts, but now it’s time to expand them! Head to your nearest computer or phone to start sharing your incredible organization with others.

Bonus Tip: Use your Google Ads to support other marketing efforts! Link to your peer-to-peer ambassador page and merchandise store.

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits Leveraging Technology

These days, there’s so much technology at our disposal to help us improve and innovate our everyday lives. For nonprofits, leveraging technology appropriately can expand their impact and help them reach new audiences through different channels.

To make sure your nonprofit knows how to use each type of technology effectively, we’ve split our technology nonprofit marketing ideas into three separate categories.

Website

Like all organizations, nonprofits use their websites to teach others about what they do and what they stand for. Ensure your organization’s website is the best it can be with these website nonprofit marketing ideas:

This image lists website marketing ideas for nonprofits.

  • Update your nonprofit’s website.From Squarespace to Wix to WordPress, there are so many website-building platforms that make the process easy. Include information about current and upcoming events and initiatives to entice potential supporters to become involved in your organization.
  • Make SEO a habit. If you’re leveraging the Google Ad Grant, you’ll still need to do your part to promote your website. Optimize your ads and your website to help internet searchers find your content. Research which relevant keywords you should include on your website often to keep up with any new trends. Additionally, make sure your website is mobile-friendly to improve your ranking in mobile search results.
  • Start a blog. Keeping an up-to-date blog allows you to display news about your organization and industry with long-form, informative content. Writing blog content about nonprofit-related topics also establishes your organization as a reputable source of information in the field.

As you create informational pages and blog articles for your nonprofit’s website, be sure to focus on quality content creation. Take the time to make sure your copy is clear and concise, and break the text up with graphics wherever possible to help the reader follow along. If you have the resources, hiring a qualified copywriting team will help to make sure the copy across your site is strong and cohesive.

Event Landing Page

Your nonprofit may already use event management software to plan and execute its fundraisers. Depending on the type of fundraiser and the software you use, you’ll be able to utilize different features to promote your fundraising initiatives.

Oftentimes, these platforms can help you build customized event landing pages to spread the word about your upcoming events. These pages can include:

  • Information about the event: This can include anything from the fundraiser’s date and time to event-specific details. For example, where will your annual walk-a-thon be held this year? Will your charity auction involve mobile bidding or physical bid sheets?
  • Forms to take action: Registration and donation forms can easily be embedded into your event landing page. This way, supporters are encouraged to immediately commit to a donation or participation in your event.
  • Information about your nonprofit: Include your mission or vision statement, a synopsis of your work, and other information about your nonprofit on your landing page. This draws visitors in and urges them to continue exploring your nonprofit’s website to learn more about the cause they’ll support by participating in your event.

Plus, the customizable nature of these landing pages allows you to incorporate your nonprofit’s branding, reinforcing supporters’ trust in your organization. By associating your brand with your fundraising events, you’ll attract attention to the heart of your fundraising and outreach efforts: your mission.

Social Media

Social media is not only how people stay connected to their family and friends, but also to the companies and organizations they care about. With nearly every organization out there maintaining a social media presence, it’s important to understand how you can make yours stand out. Here’s what we suggest:

  • Utilize different platforms. To connect with as many people as you can, your organization should create social media accounts on several different platforms. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are great places to start. Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat also offer unique ways to engage with your younger supporters.
  • Participate in trends. Perhaps the most important part of your social media presence is playing into current trends like using humor and short videos over images. That way, your content stays fresh and engaging for your supporters.
  • Create marketing videos. While images can be very informative, videos are better for eliciting emotion. Creating and sharing videos about your mission on social media will allow you to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
  • Take advantage of social media advertising. If you don’t feel that you’re reaching the correct audience organically, you can create ads on the social media platforms you’re using. For example, Facebook allows you to set up campaigns that target people based on a variety of factors such as age, gender, location, and interests. This approach can help you segment your supporters into different groups and communicate with them accordingly.
  • Connect your online assets. To promote your online presence, make it easy for people to jump from platform to platform. For example, you can create a social media post about a new blog article and add a link to the article in your social media account’s bio. That way, you’ll drive traffic from your social media page to your website’s blog. Doing so can allow people to interact with your organization in a different way and perhaps learn more about what your nonprofit does.Check out these social media marketing ideas for nonprofits.

Your nonprofit’s website and social media accounts are your biggest online assets. Now that we’ve covered them, it’s time to learn some general online marketing ideas for nonprofits.

General Online Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits

To get the most out of your online presence, it’s important to follow general digital marketing best practices. Check out these marketing ideas for nonprofits looking to rule the marketing game online:

  • Leverage multi-channel marketing. Just as it’s useful to have multiple social media platforms, it’s also important to take advantage of every digital marketing opportunity. Post on social media and update your website, but combine them with more traditional marketing methods such as emails, phone calls, and direct mail. This way, you’ll increase your chances of reaching out to your supporters with their preferred communication method.
  • Encourage your supporters to take action. Informing your supporters about your organization is great, but what exactly do you want them to do to help you out? Use calls to action across your marketing materials to work towards your goals. For example, include the link to your donation page in your Instagram bio and create a post encouraging people to contribute. To help promote your events, add your event registration link to your regular email newsletter. Note that the most effective calls-to-action start with determining what actions you want your supporters to take and making it easy for them to do so.
  • Host virtual events. In the past couple of years, we’ve seen virtual events take off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t still use them as a marketing tool. Hosting events online, such as webinars and panels, allows more people to participate than ever before. Since no physical space is required, people can easily participate in virtual events from wherever they are, presenting a unique opportunity to engage with all different types of supporters at once.Check out these general marketing ideas for nonprofits leveraging technology.

Leveraging technology effectively allows you to reach your intended audience and rally support for your cause. We know that your nonprofit is likely working with a tight marketing budget, though. To make sure your organization has the resources it needs to create the best online content possible, we’ll teach you how to save money in other marketing areas.

Bonus Tip: The Google Ad Grant can be a central part of your SEO strategy. The pages you create to promote through the Google Ad Grant should be highly valuable and keyword-optimized, setting them up to rank in organic search results, as well.

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits On a Budget

Marketing can get expensive. However, there are ways that nonprofits can promote their organizations while still keeping costs low. Maximize your marketing potential while minimizing your spending with these marketing ideas for nonprofits on a budget:Try these marketing ideas for nonprofits on a budget.

  • Determine your marketing budget. It’s easiest to keep costs down when you have a clear budget in mind. That way, you’ll know exactly how much you can spend on your nonprofit’s marketing and allocate your resources accordingly. Include costs such as those for physical marketing collateral, marketing software, and staff time.
  • Plan your printing. Printing can get expensive very quickly. Besides, there are so many digital marketing methods your organization can leverage. Only print what needs to be printed, and try to print double-sided and in batches.
  • Use unbranded envelopes for direct mail. If you do need to print materials for a direct mail campaign, there are ways to keep your costs down. Sending unbranded envelopes will help you save money. Just remember to indicate that the mail is from your organization in a different way so recipients don’t mistake it for junk mail.
  • Add a “Donate Now” button to your Facebook page. As we mentioned before, calls to action are key to motivating your supporters to contribute to your cause. Adding a “Donate Now” button to your nonprofit’s Facebook page is an easy way to encourage donations. The best part is that it’s free as long as your nonprofit qualifies for Facebook’s fundraising tools.
  • Work with a local business. To help you out financially, many companies are happy to pair up with a nonprofit. While you get extra funding or resources for your marketing efforts, they get to give back to their community. Before you look for a local business willing to work with you, determine what you want to get out of the partnership. Examples of corporate philanthropy include companies donating money directly to your organization, keeping a donation bucket in their store, or contributing food or supplies for your event.

It’s important to create a marketing budget and try to conserve resources when possible to save up for more expensive marketing efforts. These budget-friendly marketing ideas for nonprofits are a great place to start to maximize every dollar your organization earns!

Bonus Tip: The Google Ad Grant provides free ad credits, making it a low-cost way to attract attention to your website. All you need to do is put in the initial effort to get your site up to Google’s quality standards and complete the application process. From there, you’ll just need to create and maintain your ads.

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits Forming Stakeholder Relationships

There are so many different stakeholders involved in your organization. Donors, partners, volunteers, board members, sponsors, and event attendees all play a huge role in your nonprofit’s success. With that, it’s important to form good relationships with your stakeholders so you can build a strong support network.

In this section, we’ll go over some marketing ideas for nonprofits starting and stewarding relationships with their stakeholders.

Starting the Stakeholder Relationship

Building a good foundation for your relationships with stakeholders is essential to making sure your connections are long-lasting. Here are some marketing ideas for nonprofits beginning new stakeholder relationships:With these marketing ideas for nonprofits, you can start stakeholder relationships off right.

  • Look for opportunities to form new connections. For newer organizations especially, it can be tough to find stakeholders to work with. You have to put your organization out there and seek out potential partnerships. Leverage any connections you may already have and form new ones by reaching out on social media or attending a nonprofit conference in your industry. That way, you can start to meet people who may be potential stakeholders and have their own network of potential stakeholders they’re willing to share with you.
  • Create a welcome package. Once you initiate a relationship with a new stakeholder, it’s time to make them feel welcome in your community. Curate a package of information and branded merchandise to introduce new stakeholders to your nonprofit. You can include items as small as stickers of your logo to yard signs they can display to show their support for your organization. No matter what you send your new stakeholders, you’re showing them that you care.
  • Treat them to a meal. To form a more personal connection with a stakeholder, take them out to lunch or coffee. Learn more about your stakeholders and teach them more about your organization. You can answer any questions they may have and gather their feedback about their work with you so far. Not to mention, this is a great opportunity to learn more about who they are and what drives them to support causes like yours
  • Inform new donors of matching gift opportunities. Some of your new donors may not know what matching gifts are or if they’re eligible to participate. Make it easy for donors to identify matching gift opportunities by providing matching gift software that shows if their employers are willing to match their donations. That way, you can earn more, and your new donors can feel good about making an even bigger impact on your organization.

Now that you know how to start your stakeholder relationships off strong, it’s time to learn how to keep them that way with effective stewardship.

Stewarding the Stakeholder Relationship

Maintaining relationships with your stakeholders requires care and commitment. You must communicate with them well and respond to their needs. That way, you can build long-lasting connections that drive your work forward.

Practice good supporter stewardship with these marketing ideas for nonprofits:Use these marketing ideas for nonprofits to steward stakeholder relationships.

  • Communicate regularly and strategically. Like with any relationship, maintaining supporter relationships requires communication. Establish effective communication habits with your stakeholders by reaching out to them individually and sending email newsletters for each stakeholder type. You may want to assign different people to manage different stakeholder relationships so you don’t overwhelm any one person on your team. Additionally, you’ll want to choose an opportune time to communicate with your stakeholders. Factors that might influence the messages, timing, and platforms you use to communicate with supporters might include their age, career, lifestyle, or time zone.
  • Reach out to lapsed donors. Sometimes, donors will only contribute to your organization once. If so, you can encourage them to up their support, or inform them of different ways they can still support your nonprofit without contributing monetarily, such as by volunteering or sharing your social media posts. For recurring donors who haven’t contributed in a while, try sending them a gift or explaining new features of your donor program to spark that relationship once again.
  • Collect feedback. Listen to your stakeholders and any feedback they give you, whether it’s solicited or not. Stay true to your organization’s stakeholder guidelines, but also hear your stakeholders out. You want to provide them with a positive experience with your organization, and they may have some valuable suggestions for how to improve that experience.

If you’ve learned anything from this section, it should be that stakeholder relationships require effective communication. In the next section, we’ll dive into more nonprofit marketing ideas specifically focused on improving your organization’s communication skills.

Bonus Tip: Google Ad Grants are an opportunity to make a first impression on a large number of potential supporters. Start off on the right foot with strong ad copy, high-quality content, and a modern website.

Marketing Ideas for Nonprofits Staying in Touch with Their Supporters

It takes a lot of effort to keep up relationships with your supporters. With effective and regular communication, your nonprofit can keep supporters around and continue to grow your network. We’ll give you some marketing ideas for nonprofits working on their communication style and supporter involvement.

Once you develop relationships with partners and donors, communicate effectively to keep them with these marketing ideas for nonprofits.

Communication Style

You already know that the messages you communicate to your supporters are vital, but how you communicate those messages is just as important. Here are a few pointers to make sure you send the right messages to the right people in ways that will resonate with them.

  • Be timely. Simply responding to your supporters’ messages quickly shows that you care. Not only does it communicate that you want to address their concerns, but also that you want to respect their time.
  • Stay positive. Keeping a positive attitude in your communications will help supporters create a positive association with your nonprofit. Besides, it’s always more enjoyable to interact with organizations that have an optimistic outlook and kind employees.
  • Store individuals’ preferences in your supporter database. Organizing your supporters’ information in a database not only helps you learn more about them but also how they like to communicate. If you ask for supporters’ communication preferences and store that information in your database, then you can interact with supporters in the ways they prefer.
  • Create supporter segments. Segmentation is when you divide your supporters into categories based on certain characteristics in order to communicate with each group more effectively. There are various ways to segment your supporters. You may choose to divide them by stakeholder type with categories like donors, partners, clients, and board members. Another way to group supporters is by age, location, or length of involvement with your organization. That way, you can send relevant messages to the right people without flooding their inboxes with unnecessary messages.

Communicating with your supporters effectively will create a better reputation for your organization and lead to stronger stakeholder relationships.

Supporter Involvement

Communication goes both ways. You inform your supporters about what’s going on within your organization, but they report back to you with their thoughts and feelings about your nonprofit. These marketing ideas for nonprofits will help you get supporters more involved in your organization:

  • Survey your supporters. Your staff can brainstorm ways to make your organization better, but you’ll never know what more your supporters need unless you ask them. Sending out a survey will allow you to collect valuable feedback and show that you care about improving your supporters’ experiences with your organization.
  • Engage supporters on social media. Social media is built to help people create connections with each other. Strengthen your bonds with your supporters by making your social media presence interactive. For example, take advantage of polls, live stream capabilities, and Q&A features in the platforms you use.
  • Host events. What better way to get people involved than by gathering together in person? Hosting an event allows you to show off your organization and get your supporters excited about it. Deck out your event in branded materials such as table runners for a cohesive look. You can also plan activities such as raffles and games to make the event fun for everyone involved.
  • Interview supporters. As we discussed before, storytelling is a great way to make your marketing personal. For storytelling to work, you’ll need to collect stories from real people involved in your organization. Interview interested supporters so you can learn more about their experiences with your organization and use their quotes to promote your nonprofit across different channels.

Treating your supporters with the utmost care and respect begins with proper communication. You should use a give-and-take approach in which you update supporters about your organization and they give you feedback about your nonprofit in response. That way, you can work together with your supporters to constantly improve your organization.

Bonus Tip: As part of maintaining your website, continue posting high-quality content. Valuable research reports and blog posts are likely to get shared around, improving your nonprofit’s search ranking placements.

Conclusion & Additional Resources

Nonprofit marketing encompasses a range of considerations. In addition to the regular business concerns of how to promote your organization effectively, nonprofits must also worry about how to do so on a budget. With these marketing ideas for nonprofits, we’ve given you a head start on your marketing strategy to save you time and money.

We went over a ton of marketing ideas for nonprofits in this guide, but there may be some that you want to learn more about. To help you out, we’ve provided some resources that will allow you to dive deeper into some of our suggested nonprofit marketing ideas, including:

  • Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits: The Complete Guide. The Google Ad Grant program is a proven way to push your cause forward. Learn more about marketing your cause using paid advertising with this guide from Getting Attention.
  • 7 Steps to Design Your Nonprofit Logo. Logos build brand recognition among your supporters. Whether you’re creating your organization’s very first logo or refreshing an old one, take a look at this guide to help you out.
  • Creating Your Best Fundraising Flyer: 8 FAQs. If you’re looking for an easy and effective way to promote your organization or upcoming fundraiser, consider creating flyers. This article will answer frequently asked questions about fundraising flyers.
  • 12 Best Nonprofit Graphic Design Tools. A huge element of nonprofit marketing is creating a cohesive experience for your supporters. Using the right graphic design tools will allow you to create images that align with your organization’s branding and design standards.Promote your nonprofit online and capture more leads. Contact Getting Attention's team of Google Ad Grant to learn how you can earn more website traffic. Get a free consultation.
Nonprofit CRM and Donor Management Software: A Buyer's Guide

Nonprofit CRM and Donor Management Software: A Buyer’s Guide

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A constituent relationship management (or CRM) solution allows an organization to track its relationships with key constituents. Nonprofit CRM software is a specific system designed for charitable organizations to manage and streamline their fundraising and engagement efforts. It serves as a central database that stores and organizes information about donors, supporters, volunteers, staff members, and other key stakeholders. And it should be an integral part of an organization’s fundraising tech stack!

A nonprofit CRM can also be referred to by many names⁠—including donor management software, donor database, fundraising CRM, and more. But regardless of what you call it, the basic premise is the same. CRM software records supporter data and tracks involvement with an organization. Nonprofits use the associated tools to organize data better, manage their supporter relationships more effectively, and practice more efficient and successful fundraising.

Nonprofit CRM and Donor Management Software

And whether you’re looking to purchase a CRM for the first time or you’re considering a system upgrade, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll walk you through key steps in the buying process, which include the following:

Build better relationships and organize your outreach effectively using top-notch donor management tools. By the end of this guide, you’ll have what you need to make an informed decision about your nonprofit’s CRM.

Assessing Your Nonprofit CRM Needs

When it comes to choosing a CRM for your organization, it’s essential to consider your needs before diving into the selection process. 

For smaller nonprofits, a CRM with all the bells and whistles may not be necessary at this stage. Not only can more complex software be increasingly costly, but it also requires a greater investment of time and effort to implement and maintain. Instead, focus on securing the basics⁠—such as comprehensive donor profiles and intuitive fundraising tools⁠—that allow you to better connect with your audience.

On the other hand, larger organizations may want to look for a solution that offers high levels of customizability. You likely have larger-scale technology needs as well as the development team to manage it.

In any case, scalability is another key factor. Your chosen CRM should have the capacity to grow with your organization as you continue to acquire supporters. Otherwise, you’ll be back shopping for a new solution sooner rather than later.

Thus, it’s important to strike a balance.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to identify the pain points in your current CRM or data management strategy⁠. This might include manual data entry, limited reporting capabilities, or difficulty in tracking donor interactions. Proactively assessing these challenges will help you seek out specific features and functionalities in the new software you choose.

Some CRMs even offer tools like membership, volunteer management, or event planning capabilities. However, as with most facets of CRM software, the features you’ll receive depend on the vendor you work with.

Take the time to evaluate your specific needs, prioritize key features, then scope out a vendor that provides the functionality you want. Remember: while CRM software can benefit any nonprofit, it’s best to find a solution that aligns with your organization’s unique goals and priorities.

Researching Donor Management Software Options

Once you know what you’re looking for, begin exploring potential vendors that might be a good fit for your team. CRM software is a significant investment, so it’s crucial to conduct thoughtful research before you sign the contract.

To hone your search, we recommend making a list of top possibilities. You can even make a pros and cons chart to help organize your thoughts!

Nonprofit CRM pros and cons chart sample

From there, it’s crucial to consider reviews and case studies. It never hurts to get a second opinion⁠—especially if the opinion is from an organization that has used the software. Many vendors also provide on-demand demos or recorded walk-throughs of the software, which can be helpful at this stage in the process.

Ultimately, you’ll want to shortlist vendors whose services and features might fit your needs. Then, compare and contrast your list of prospective CRMs based on the criteria listed below.

Factors to Consider in the CRM Selection Process

A lot goes into making the right software decision for your nonprofit team. We recommend weighing these essential factors and determining the best fit.

Finding the right nonprofit CRM

Integrations

Gone are the days when nonprofits kept their software in separate “silos.” Now, CRMs are designed to provide a centralized location for data management. Consequently, integrations with your fundraising software⁠ should including…

  • Donation tools — Donation tool integrations allow a nonprofit CRM a direct connection to receive and track donations, streamlining the donation process, enhancing donor security and trust, and enabling organizations to monitor fundraising efforts with ease.
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising platforms — Similarly, donations made through peer-to-peer initiatives should flow seamlessly into your organization’s CRM as well. For the same reasons, this enables nonprofits to raise more through social fundraising while maintaining effective engagement reporting strategies.
  • Event software — Nonprofit events produce a ton of constituent data, and an event software integration enables efficient management and coordination of event-planning and hosting. This should include automatic tracking of registrations, ticketing, and attendance that can help inform future fundraising event efforts.
  • Marketing tools — Your CRM may contain some basic marketing and engagement functionality, but dedicated marketing software can significantly expand your horizons. When your donor database integrates with your marketing tools, it’ll be easy to trigger personalized and segmented messaging to each donor through a range of communication channels.
  • Volunteer management software — Integrating with a volunteer management software system (or VMS) allows nonprofits to efficiently track, organize, and communicate with volunteers. This tool typically invovles volunteer-specific functionality, like online scheduling tools and automated shift reminders, and an integration ensures that engagement information makes its way back to your primary database.
  • Matching gift technology — A matching gift CRM integration automates the identification and tailored follow-ups for matching gift opportunities within your database. This type of software partnership is vital for successful fundraising as it doubles the impact of individual donations, increases revenue without requiring additional donor contributions, and maximizes the organization’s fundraising potential overall. Managing matching gifts manually is a fairly time- and labor-intensive process, and organizations that lack a seamless automation option typically miss out on a ton of funding from the source. So you’ll definitely want to keep this type of integration in mind as you make your choice!

A powerful CRM should be able to seamlessly connect to the other tools you use and automatically pull data from these sources and more. But not all CRMs are easily integrable with all fundraising platforms, so be sure to check with your vendor during the buying process.

It’s also important to recognize that some integrations, while available, can take a significant amount of time and money to configure. All in all, the ease of integration depends on the software you’re trying to integrate. Keep an eye out for turnkey or native integrations that are ready-built and require little to no development work to set up. Alternatively, anything involving custom APIs is going to require a more technical and hands-on process to establish.

Functionality

While CRMs vary widely in the scope of their offerings, the following key features should be offered by any data management system you consider.

In-Depth Donor Profiles: Track everything from demographics to historical involvement—providing a holistic view of your supporters. The more information you have, the more relevant and engaging your communications will be.

Data Reporting: Generate various in-depth reports, including a comprehensive birds-eye view and robust individual reporting. Not to mention, configure custom reports to receive organization-specific insights.

Email Automation: Consider your ability to send automated email campaigns to the donors in your database. Plus, customize outreach to reflect a tailored engagement approach and a consistent nonprofit brand.

List Segmentation: Craft highly relevant, tailored messages with list segmentation capabilities. Organize and trigger outreach to specific groups based on various criteria such as demographics, giving history, employer, engagement level, and more.

Matching gift capabilities

Matching gifts are essentially the “Buy One, Get One Free” sale of the nonprofit world. An estimated $2 to $3 billion is donated to charitable organizations through matching gift programs each year, although an additional $4 to $7 billion in available matches remain unclaimed. Not to mention, the offer of a matching gift program can also lead to increased individual giving! In fact, 84% of donors say they’re more likely to give charitably if a match is offered, while 1 in 3 donors would give more if matching is applied to their donation.

Thus, this powerful funding source has the potential to elevate any organization’s fundraising and engagement efforts, and the right CRM system can make it easy to do so. All it takes is integrating your CRM with a matching gift tool like 360MatchPro.

Matching gift capabilities should be your #1 consideration when choosing a CRM. If you don’t want to miss out on this already underutilized revenue stream, be sure the donor management software you buy integrates with a matching gift platform! (Explore our recommended nonprofit CRM partners here.)

Integrate 360MatchPro with your donor management system

When enabled, incoming donation records will flow into 360MatchPro from your CRM. From there, the industry leading matching gift software will screen donors and filter by matching gift eligibility. The system will then trigger tailored outreach that encourages donors to submit their matches and secure additional funds for your cause.

This sample flow showcases the way donor data moves through your nonprofit CRM and 360MatchPro to drive matching gifts.

This streamlines the processes involved with…

  • Promoting matching gift opportunities
  • Providing matching gift program guidelines and forms
  • Reminding donors to complete the process
  • Sharing customized and company-specific next step recommendations
  • Tracking matches every step of the way.

All in all, that means increased supporter engagement and increased funding with little to no extra work required of your staff! On the other hand, organizations that lack the tools and resources needed to power their matching gift fundraising efforts often leave significant amounts of funding on the table. But automation empowers organizations to increase their matching gift revenue by upwards of 61%!

With increased engagement, heightened funding, and efficient processes, integrating your donor management system with a matching gift tool opens up a world of possibilities for your nonprofit. The process of researching, buying, and onboarding a new CRM is enough work on its own⁠—you definitely want to make your efforts easier by working with a seamlessly integrable matching gift tool.

If you’re interested in connecting your CRM to the industry-leading matching gift software provider, request a demo to get in touch with a member of our team.

Cost

Unfortunately, it costs money to raise money, and fundraising software is no exception. Therefore, it’s important to set a clear budget⁠—and keep it in mind as you make your CRM selection.

Remember: the price listed on the vendor’s website usually doesn’t reflect the full investment. Donor management systems can have hidden costs, such as the number of profiles, payment processing fees, and training and support services.

User interface

A positive user interface (or UI) is critical because it directly impacts a CRM’s overall effectiveness. A well-designed UI enhances user satisfaction, improves productivity and efficiency, reduces the learning curve, and encourages widespread adoption within the organization.

Thus, you’ll want to look for a solution that offers a clean, well-organized layout with clear navigation and an intuitive design. Not to mention one that simplifies activities and automates repetitive processes to streamline workflows!

If you’re able to get a trial of the software before making a commitment, be sure to keep the user experience in mind as you explore the database.

Cloud-based vs. onsite

When it comes to the way you access your nonprofit CRM, there are two main types of systems⁠—cloud-based and onsite.

A cloud-based CRM software is accessed via the Internet through an online login portal. Staff members can typically use the software from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Many cloud-based CRMs even have mobile apps! This is ideal for organizations that need to operate their software on the go (such as during events and donor meetings). And it also enables you to provide users with varying levels of permissions access.

Onsite CRM software, on the other hand, is installed directly on a computer at your nonprofit’s office. A more traditional solution, it can only be accessed from a single device at a set location. This type of software is generally used by larger organizations with ample resources to install and maintain the system. An onsite solution is also generally more secure than cloud-based software, and therefore must be used by certain nonprofits⁠—like healthcare organizations⁠—for data protection purposes.

Security and data privacy

A nonprofit CRM deals with a lot of sensitive donor information, and your supporters are trusting that you’re handling it as such. Thus, data privacy and security should play a pivotal role in the decision-making process.

After all, protecting donor information, maintaining compliance with data protection regulations, and safeguarding against potential security breaches are crucial responsibilities for any organization. Items to consider include data encryption and tokenization, multi-factor authentication, PCI-compliance, customizable permissions settings, and more.

Making the Final Software Decision

Once you’ve conducted thorough research and narrowed your options for a new CRM, it’s time to make your final choice. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth and successful decision-making process:

1. Contact vendors to take the next step. Reach out to the CRM vendors you’re still considering. Work with the company to evaluate your specific needs and determine if their software aligns with your requirements. From there, the vendor will be able to provide further information and guidance.

2. Request a demo to see the software in action. Witness the CRM’s features firsthand and address any questions or concerns you may have. A live demo allows you to visualize how the software functions and assess whether it meets your nonprofit’s needs effectively.

3. Take advantage of free trials. Many CRM vendors offer free trials of their software. Seize this opportunity to get hands-on experience with the software. Testing it within your organization will give you a real sense of its usability and help determine if it’s the right fit.

4. Confirm matching gift integration availability. Take this time to ensure the new donor management system you’re considering can seamlessly integrate with your matching gift tool. Or, if your team isn’t already equipped with a matching gift platform in your software toolkit, double-check the CRM’s matching gift functionality to confirm that you’ll be able to get your gifts matched with ease.

5. Seek input from key stakeholders. Since CRM software will likely impact various staff members’ roles, it is crucial to involve them in the decision-making process. Gather input from your whole team to understand their expectations and the benefits they hope to gain from the platform—including integrations. By aligning everyone’s needs and goals, the implementation and training processes will run more smoothly, too.

6. Sign the contract! Once you’ve found the perfect CRM that meets your nonprofit’s needs and aligns with your budget, you’re ready to finalize the decision. Review the contract thoroughly, ensuring that all terms and conditions are clear and satisfactory. Once you’re confident with your choice, sign the contract and get started with the software.

Nonprofit CRM Implementation and Training

Ensuring proper training and onboarding for your staff is a crucial step in successful CRM implementation. To maximize the potential of your new database, be sure to invest in comprehensive training for all users.

From the start, it’s important to establish and maintain standardized data procedures. For example, you may find that certain information, such as email addresses and online giving transactions, are automatically logged into your CRM system. However, other data, like phone calls and face-to-face meetings, might need to be entered manually.

Setting guidelines for data sources and minimizing task overlap can help ensure that the data entered into the CRM is accurate and consistent. By providing clear instructions on how to input data and manage records, you can avoid duplication, errors, and inconsistencies that may hinder the effectiveness of your donor database.

You’ll also need to set up integrations between your CRM and any other software systems you use. These connections can streamline data exchange and automate processes, but they typically require independent setup. And depending on the ease of integration, you may need to consult an outside expert to do so.

(Double the Donation has an excellent support team that can assist in getting 360MatchPro connected to your new CRM! Contact us here to learn more.) 

Ultimately, a smooth transition from your existing systems to the chosen CRM is essential to minimize disruptions and ensure data integrity. Though you can surely expect a learning curve as you adopt the new system, proper training and onboarding can go a long way⁠—setting your team up for significant returns on your software investment.

Maximizing Your New Nonprofit CRM | Smart Tips

Once you’re up and running with your donor management software, use these tips to elevate your engagement efforts. With a powerful CRM at your fingertips, you’ll be well-equipped to maximize your nonprofit’s impact and forge stronger connections with supporters.

Take your fundraising and outreach strategies to the next level by incorporating the following recommended practices.

1. Collect as much supporter information as possible.

The more you know about your donors, the better you can connect with them and the more you can grow your relationship beyond the surface level. Therefore, it helps to use your nonprofit CRM to collect and store a wealth of information about each individual engaged with your organization.

This might include⁠—but is certainly not limited to:

  • Name (full and preferred)
  • Contact information (address, phone number, email, social media)
  • Birthdate
  • Giving history (donation amounts, frequency, date of last donation)
  • Preferred communication channel (email, phone, mail)
  • Engagement level (donating, volunteering, fundraising, attending events)
  • Preferred giving methods (online, check, stock donation)
  • Employer information (company name, position, workplace giving eligibility)
  • Relationship status (single, married, family)
  • Demographic information (gender, age, ethnicity)
  • Preferred acknowledgment method (private gratitude, public recognition)
  • Communication preferences (frequency of contact, content preferences)
  • Source of donation (event, campaign, online, direct mail)

Once you have this information⁠—or as much of it as you can for each donor⁠—you can use your CRM to segment supporter outreach accordingly. Even something as simple as addressing the individual by name in your next marketing campaign can go a long way. In fact, studies reported that including the recipient’s name in an email subject line significantly drove up open and click rates while reducing unsubscribes!

2. Use your CRM to drive more matching gifts to completion.

Speaking of donor data, one of the most essential pieces of information in your database involves knowing where your supporters work. Not only can this detail help uncover prospective corporate partners with which you already have a contact in common, but it can also empower your team with company-specific workplace giving insights.

For example, when you collect employment information in your nonprofit CRM, you can then screen for donors who work for companies that match team members’ charitable gifts. This allows donors to stretch their dollars even farther for your cause, ultimately producing greater fundraising impact and strengthening relationships overall.

In order to streamline the processes involved with identifying, researching, and following up with each opportunity, connecting your donor management system with an integrable matching gift software is a must.

3. Maintain a clean and organized donor database.

Maintaining a clean, healthy, and organized nonprofit CRM is essential to make the most out of your new system. Here are some key strategies that can help a nonprofit achieve this goal:

  • Regularly conduct data hygiene practices, eliminating duplicate records and outdated information when possible.
  • Establish clear data entry and management procedures to ensure consistency and accuracy. Standardization is key!
  • Encourage staff members to review and update CRM records regularly.
  • Provide ongoing training and support to keep staff members updated with software features and best practices.

By following these steps, your nonprofit can ensure that the CRM remains a valuable tool, powering smart data management and driving operational efficiency for years to come.

4. Track and analyze fundraising KPIs using CRM reporting capabilities.

Tracking and analyzing fundraising KPIs⁠—or key performance indicators⁠—using CRM reporting capabilities is vital for nonprofits looking to continuously improve their efforts.

To begin, identify relevant KPIs aligned with your organization’s specific goals. This might include:

From there, analyze the reports for trends and areas of improvement, comparing KPIs over time or across campaigns. Use the findings to make data-driven decisions, adjust strategies, and track progress toward objectives.

(Hint: Many CRMs offer robust visual reporting tools which can be particularly useful for communicating fundraising impact with ease.)

5. Keep an eye out for continuously developing features and improvements.

Technology is constantly evolving, and your nonprofit CRM is likely no different. Thus, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any new features and functionalities your provider may begin to offer. This will allow you to leverage the latest tools to enhance your nonprofit’s operations and overall effectiveness.

Whether it’s improved automation capabilities, advanced analytics, enhanced integration options, or cutting-edge AI functionality, embracing new CRM features empowers your nonprofit to stay competitive, streamline processes, and remain at the forefront of the ever-changing nonprofit landscape.

Wrapping Up + Final Thoughts

Nonprofit CRM software is crucial for organizations aiming to optimize their fundraising efforts and build strong relationships with donors. By walking through each of the steps in the buying process above, your team should have everything you need to weigh the key features, benefits, and considerations of a donor management system.

Remember: the right CRM will empower your organization to streamline operations, personalize donor interactions, and drive long-term fundraising success. It’s an investment that goes a long way.

Keep learning and building out your nonprofit tech stack. Check out other types of fundraising tools an organization may need:

Explore top nonprofit CRM software with our integration partners

Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Nonprofits

Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Nonprofits

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In today’s nonprofit world, the collaboration between individual giving and corporate philanthropy has become more essential than ever. Charitable organizations working tirelessly to provide relief and development services often rely on the generosity of both groups to fund their vital initiatives. And that’s how matching gifts and relief and development nonprofits go hand in hand.

In this guide, we’ll explore matching gifts and their role in bringing mission-focused organizations like yours to new heights. This includes:

Corporate matching gifts offer a win-win opportunity for nonprofit causes—including those in the relief and development sector. Growing your knowledge of these powerful initiatives can set you and your team up for long-term, ongoing success.

Let’s get started!

The Basics: Matching Gifts and Relief & Development Orgs

Before jumping into the specific tools and strategies that can aid your relief and development organization in maximizing matching gifts, it helps to build a solid understanding of the opportunity at hand.

By definition, matching gifts are a specific form of corporate philanthropy in which participating companies match donations their employees make to qualifying nonprofit causes.

Corporate matching gift opportunities offer widespread benefits to the participating parties. These include…

  • The recipient organization, which ultimately receives two gifts for the cost of soliciting one. Not to mention, the nonprofit can benefit from increased donor engagement and strengthened individual relationships.
  • The initial donor, who gets to see their charitable contribution stretch twice (or even three times!) as far for a nonprofit cause they care about.
  • The contributing company, as it’s positively impacted by elevated employee engagement, improved brand reputation for its social responsibility, significant tax benefits, and more.

From a nonprofit perspective, the opportunity is too big to overlook. Still, matching gifts are left on the table each year—to the tune of $4 to $7 billion in unclaimed match revenue.

In order to position your organization for matching gift success, it helps to familiarize yourself with some of the most popular matching gift programs and their eligibility criteria.

Companies That Match to Relief & Development Causes

Many companies provide employees with the opportunity to double their support for the nonprofits they care about. Here are a few businesses with standout program offerings in the relief and development sector!

Johnson and Johnson matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Johnson & Johnson

As a leading provider of matching gift funds, Johnson & Johnson is committed to supporting relief and development through its generous employee matching gift program and other philanthropic initiatives.

Employees who donate to eligible organizations can have their contributions matched by the company, enabling individuals to amplify their giving. Ultimately, it incentivizes team members and corporate leaders to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those served by relief organizations and beyond.

And here’s an overview of the company’s matching gift guidelines:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $20,000
  • Match ratio — 2:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations and nearly all other 501(c)(3) causes

Explore Johnson & Johnson’s matching gift program here.

Edgewell matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Edgewell Personal Care

Encompassing some of the most prominent grooming, skin, sun, and feminine care brands, Edgewell Personal Care recognizes the importance of supporting widespread nonprofit causes. Thus, Edgewell employees have the opportunity to double their donations to eligible relief and development organizations⁠—along with other nonprofit missions.

This empowers qualifying employees to contribute to positive change and aid in disaster recovery, community development, and more. And here’s an overview of the matching program:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $5,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time employees
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations and many others

Explore Edgewell Personal Care’s matching gift program here.

3M matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

3M Company

At 3M, employees are encouraged to make a greater impact through personal donations by participating in the company’s matching gift program. When individuals donate to eligible nonprofits⁠—like relief and development organizations⁠—3M Company matches at a dollar-for-dollar rate, effectively doubling the support provided.

This program aids in multiplying the reach of relief and development efforts to help communities grow and thrive. Take a look at the program overview below:

  • Minimum donation — $25
  • Maximum donation — $1,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, educational institutions, and most other nonprofits

Explore 3M Company’s matching gift program here.

Intel matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

Intel Corporation

Intel Corporation aims to make a global difference in relief and development initiatives, and one way it’s doing so is through a generous matching gift program. This effort encourages Intel employees to increase the impact of their donations to eligible organizations, supporting critical relief efforts, contributing to sustainable development projects, and improving the lives of communities around the world.

Here’s an overview of the matching gift program guidelines:

  • Minimum donation — $10
  • Maximum donation — $5,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, educational institutions, and many other nonprofits

Explore Intel Corporation’s matching gift program here.

JPMorgan Chase matches gifts to relief and development organizations.

JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase recognizes the importance of supporting relief organizations in their mission to foster sustainable development. Through its employee matching gift program, the company encourages employees to multiply the impact of their own donations to qualifying causes, thus demonstrating an ongoing commitment to supporting global communities.

And here’s an overview of the matching gift program:

  • Minimum donation — $10
  • Maximum donation — $1,000
  • Match ratio — 1:1
  • Qualifying employees — Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits — Relief and development organizations, health and human services, arts and cultural groups, civic and community organizations, and environmental nonprofits

Explore JPMorgan Chase’s matching gift program here.

Making the Most of Matching Gifts for Your Relief Group: Top Tips

At Double the Donation, we’ve worked with many relief and development organizations to aid in elevating their corporate matching gift fundraising. Here, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite tried-and-true tips to help your team unlock the full potential of matching gifts.

1. Utilize matching gifts to reach critical relief goals quickly.

When it comes to generating revenue for organizations that provide immediate assistance during and after natural disasters (such as food, water, shelter, and medical), it’s important to remember that great needs can arise very quickly. Luckily, matching gifts can play a key role in fundraising for these needs more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

After all, the offer of a corporate match does more than provide a free “bonus” donation⁠—which is a significant win in and of itself. It can also produce substantially heightened fundraising response rates and result in larger average gift amounts even before the match comes through.

Impact of matching gifts on relief and development organizations

2. Focus on doubling relief and development impact.

By participating in matching gift programs, eligible donors can contribute in even greater amounts to critical relief efforts, support sustainable development initiatives at new levels, and make an increasingly positive change in the lives of individuals and communities worldwide. Thus, it’s a good idea to communicate the amplified impact that matching gifts make possible in order to encourage your audience to participate.

For the greatest results, position the opportunity in terms of elevated tangible impact. For example, you might say something like this: “Double your contribution to support TWICE as many children in need,” or “Your donation plus a corporate match will enable our team to provide two kits of medical supplies for the cost of one.”

When you communicate the greater potential of each gift with an associated match, donors are more likely to get involved!

3. Automate the process so no matches are left unclaimed.

Our #1 tip for any organization has to do with streamlining matching gift operations with dedicated automation technology. Doing so allows nonprofit fundraisers to benefit from…

  • Better donor experiences (with guided assistance through the process);
  • More matches driven completion, ultimately producing additional matching gift funds for your cause;
  • Additional time not spent manually following up on matches that can be reallocated to other mission-critical activities.

Thus, automating matching gifts will be a game-changer for your relief organization. For example, Double the Donation’s industry-leading solution will identify more match-eligible gifts, integrate matching gifts directly into the giving process, trigger personalized follow-ups with company-specific guidelines and next steps, and track and report on matching gifts from start to finish.

See how it works in the video below:

Sample Matching Gift Messaging for Relief and Development Nonprofits

One of the best things you can do to drive matching gifts is to integrate matching gift promotions into your existing fundraising and marketing strategies. Check out these customizable templates to get started in your efforts!

Matching Gift Email Template:

Subject: Double Your Impact in Support of Relief and Development!

Dear [DONOR],

Your generous support has always made a significant difference in our relief and development efforts. Now, we have an exciting opportunity to make an even greater impact together.

Did you know that [COMPANY] has a matching gift program for employees like you? By simply submitting a matching gift request, you can double the impact of your donation to our organization. It’s an incredible way to amplify your support and help us provide vital relief, foster sustainable development, and transform lives.

Take a moment to check if your employer participates in a matching gift program and join us in this meaningful endeavor. Together, we can bring hope, resilience, and lasting change to communities in need.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our cause!

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Matching Gift Social Media Post Template:

Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] can go twice as far? Many companies, like [COMPANY], [COMPANY], [COMPANY], and [COMPANY], offer matching gift programs to support nonprofits like ours. Take a moment to find out if your employer matches donations and maximize the impact of your support⁠—click the link to search the database tool on our website and learn more [URL].

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those in need! #MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #ReliefAndDevelopment

Matching Gift Text Message Template:

Hey [DONOR]! Did you know your employer might match your donation to [NONPROFIT]? Double the impact of your support and make an even greater difference in our relief and development efforts.

Click here to search for your employer, [URL], or get in touch with your HR department about their matching gift program today!

Matching Gift Web Page Template:

Multiply Your Impact for [NONPROFIT] with Matching Gifts

Double Your Donation, Double the Difference

Many companies have matching gift programs to support relief and development organizations like ours. By taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program, you can double the impact of your donation and help us bring hope, support, and sustainable development to those in need. Check if your employer participates in a matching gift program and learn how to double your donation today.

[EMBEDDED COMPANY SEARCH TOOL]

Matching Gift Direct Mail Template:

Dear [DONOR],

Your support has been instrumental in our relief and development initiatives, and we want to share an exciting opportunity with you. Did you know that your employer may offer a matching gift program? By taking advantage of this program, your generous donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched, effectively doubling the impact of your support.

We encourage you to reach out to your employer’s HR department to inquire about their matching gift program or visit the “Matching Gifts” tab on our website to learn more.

As always, your action makes a world of difference and helps us provide vital assistance to those in need.

Warm regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Final Thoughts

Matching gifts have the remarkable ability to transform nonprofit fundraising. By making the most of individual donor gifts and their associated corporate matches, relief and development organizations like yours can increase funding, expand programming, and maximize benefits for more individuals in need. And equipping your fundraising team with the right knowledge and tools can go a long way toward achieving optimal matching gift success.

Best of luck!

Keep learning⁠—check out these additional resources to dive deeper into matching gift strategies for organizations like yours:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions | A Guide

Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions | A Guide

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As homelessness remains a persistent issue across the globe, the organizations that provide shelter and assistance to those in need are essential to our society. And in order to generate much-needed financial support for homeless shelters and nonprofit missions, impactful fundraising initiatives often come into play. Our favorite strategy for doing so is built around corporate matching gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

In this guide, we’ll provide an overview of corporate matching gift programs and share how these opportunities empower organizations to stretch their impact even further. Ultimately, it allows nonprofits like yours to maximize available resources that benefit widespread homeless communities⁠. In turn, those communities, as well as those supporting them, are also positively impacted.

It’s a win-win-win⁠—and an opportunity that your team should know more about. Dive in to explore the following topics:

A successful matching gift strategy produces more funds through both individual and corporate giving. This sets up nonprofit missions and shelters to do more to support the needs and lives of those experiencing homelessness.

It’s not an opportunity that you want to overlook.

What to Know About Matching Gifts for Homeless Shelters & Missions

Matching gifts can be a game-changer for organizations aiming to make the most of their fundraising efforts. Understanding the ins and outs of the programs is essential for maximizing their impact.

Here, we’ll cover the basics:

Corporate matching gifts are offered by companies to support their employees’ charitable contributions. When an employee donates to a qualifying nonprofit, the company matches the donation, typically at a dollar-for-dollar rate. These programs are designed to encourage philanthropy among employees and provide individuals with an active role in the company’s giving.

Each company establishes its own guidelines and requirements for matching gifts. While the guidelines vary from one employer to another, it helps to become familiar with common criteria⁠. For example, most companies determine minimum and maximum donation thresholds, match ratios, qualifying employees and nonprofit causes, and more.

Organizations interested in increasing revenue through matching gifts should proactively educate their donors. Though more than 26 million individuals qualify for corporate matching programs, an estimated 78% of the group has no idea their company participates. Thus, utilizing your website, emails, social media, and more to inform individuals about the potential to double their impact through matching gift programs can go a long way in driving submissions.

Donors love having the opportunity to get their gifts matched. In fact, studies indicate that the offer of matching gifts can even result in more donors giving⁠ (71% increase in response rate)—and giving in larger amounts⁠ (51% increase in average donation)—in the first place.

The matching gift process can be streamlined with automation. Managing matching gift programs can involve administrative tasks such as screening for potential matches, following up with qualifying donors, and tracking matching gift requests. Matching gift technology can significantly reduce the administrative workload, empowering your team to focus on mission-critical tasks.

Companies That Match Donations to Homeless Shelters

Matching gift programs can greatly benefit nonprofit homeless shelters like yours, providing them with additional funding to support their work. While there are far too many companies with mission-inclusive matching initiatives, take a look at a few exemplary companies with a focus on supporting nonprofit homeless shelters below.

The Home Depot matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

The Home Depot

Home Depot aims to support its employees’ philanthropic endeavors and make an impact on the communities in which it operates. With its corporate matching gift program, the company is able to do so!

Through this initiative, Home Depot employees have the opportunity to double their donations to eligible nonprofit organizations, including homeless shelters and missions, with a company match. This empowers employees to effectively double the impact of their own contributions, making a greater difference in supporting those in need.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— None
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $3,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and more

Dive deeper into Home Depot’s matching gift program.

Starbucks matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Starbucks

Similarly, Starbucks makes a point to financially back the nonprofit causes its employees⁠—or partners⁠—support. This produces a positive impact in the communities the company serves, including a focus on organizations that address homelessness and those affected by it.

Through the Starbucks Giving Match Program, employees have the opportunity to stretch their own dollars further, thus maximizing their donation impact.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $1,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Nearly all, including health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, and environmental nonprofits

Dive deeper into Starbucks’s matching gift program.

Kimberly-Clark matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

At Kimberly-Clark, employees’ charitable giving is valued and supported through a generous matching gift program. Qualifying employees are encouraged to donate to eligible nonprofit organizations⁠, with the company matching gifts for homeless shelters and other social good causes.

Kimberly-Clark also boasts a particularly high matching gift cap, encouraging high-level donors to get their gifts matched as well. (Not to mention, companies with lofty maximums tend to see heightened average participation rates of over 40%!)

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $50
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $10,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and most others

Dive deeper into Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s matching gift program.

Colgate-Palmolive matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Colgate-Palmolive Company recognizes the importance of supporting charitable organizations, including those focused on homelessness and shelter services. Thus, through its matching gift program, employees are encouraged to support such causes. From there, the company matches employee gifts to stretch their value even further for the nonprofits they support.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $8,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and select others

Dive deeper into Colgate-Palmolive Company’s matching gift program.

Caterpillar Inc. matches gifts for homeless shelters and missions.

Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Inc. values corporate social responsibility and provides a matching gift program as a key component of its dedication to supporting its employees’ charitable giving. Again, this company presents a generous donation maximum on an annual rolling basis⁠—and full-time, part-time, and retired employees are all encouraged to participate.

Here’s a summary of the program offered:

  • Minimum donation ⁠— $25
  • Maximum donation ⁠— $10,000
  • Match ratio ⁠— 1:1
  • Qualifying employees ⁠— Full-time, part-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits ⁠— Health and human services, civic and community organizations, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, environmental nonprofits, and most others

Dive deeper into Caterpillar Inc.’s matching gift program.

Top Tips to Maximize Matching Gifts for Your Shelter or Mission

By effectively leveraging matching gift programs, shelters can enhance their ability to address homelessness and create positive change in their communities. Implementing the following practices in your strategy can help!

1. Use multiple screening methods to identify match-eligible donors.

The more you know about your donors⁠—and particularly the companies they work for⁠—the better you’ll be able to uncover matching gifts. If you already have donor employment data on hand, use the information to identify employers that match donations to shelters like yours.

And if you don’t know where a supporter works, we recommend employing multiple methods for collecting and screening this information. This might include a combination of…

  • Donation forms requesting employment data
  • Dedicated matching gift software
  • Email domain screening
  • Post-donation follow-up outreach
  • Employer appends services

By using multiple methods, organizations can ensure they capture all potential matching gift opportunities and increase their chances of securing additional funding. In fact, studies indicate that taking more than one approach to identifying match-eligible donors results in 77% more identified match-eligible donations.

Matching gift statistics for homeless shelters and missions

2. Don’t discount companies that typically exclude religious organizations.

If your shelter is associated with a religious institution, as many are, keep this in mind: you don’t necessarily need to discount companies with restrictions on matching gifts to religious causes. While some companies won’t match gifts to houses of worship, many still have policies open to supporting missions serving a secular purpose—like homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and more.

Thus, it’s crucial to thoroughly research (and perhaps reach out to) these companies to determine eligibility. And when you do so, be sure to provide a clear understanding of your shelter’s mission and the impact their matching gift could have on your community. Some decisions are made on a one-off basis, so it helps to put your best foot forward in positioning your cause as a worthy match recipient.

3. Consider volunteer grant programs (Dollars for Doers) as well.

In addition to traditional matching gift programs, where a company offers a financial match for an employee’s monetary support, many businesses also offer volunteer grants. Sometimes referred to as Dollars for Doers programs, these grants provide nonprofit organizations with grants based on an employee’s donation of their time. And if your shelter has a solid volunteer base, corporate volunteer grants can go a long way to amplify the value provided by existing support!

Consider volunteer grants in addition to matching gifts for homeless shelters.

Just be sure to inform your volunteer base⁠—as well as your nonprofit audience as a whole⁠—about the potential for corporate grants. Like matching gifts, many qualifying volunteers likely have no idea that their employer will match their time devoted to nonprofits like yours. Leveraging the opportunity can not only produce additional funding but also result in increased volunteer and community engagement.

4. Leverage constituent stories to communicate matching gift impact.

Constituent stories have a powerful impact when connecting with donors and illustrating the mission of a nonprofit homeless shelter. Thus, when communicating the value and importance of matching gifts, consider incorporating personal stories from individuals who have directly benefited from your services.

To get started, take a look at the total funds you’ve received from corporate matching in the past. If your organization has collected $5,000 in donation matches, translate that revenue sum into tangible outcomes and success stories. You might even say something like this: “Matching gifts have produced over $[TOTAL] in value for [ORGANIZATION]. Thanks to this funding made available by matching gift donors going above and beyond for our cause, we’ve been able to serve more people like [SAMPLE CONSTITUENT].”

The more your supporters can understand the impact of corporate matching gifts, the more likely they’ll be to take the steps required to solicit a match from their employer! And it always helps to put a face to your fundraising efforts when possible.

5. Invest in matching gift software to automate your efforts.

Matching gifts offer an excellent opportunity to maximize corporate giving revenue, but pursuing the funding source can be time-consuming on your own. That’s why we recommend organizations employ matching gift software⁠—like 360MatchPro⁠—to automate the process from start to finish.

A matching gift automation platform streamlines the experience for both nonprofits (such as your shelter or mission) and their donors, driving more matching gifts to completion than ever before. With groundbreaking features that include multiple forms of matching gift identification, automated post-donation follow-up messaging for donors, and match tracking through the disbursement process, your team is able to optimize its matching gift fundraising without the added effort.

6 Matching Gift Templates for Missions and Homeless Shelters

Bring your matching gift marketing efforts to the next level and get a headstart on your strategy. Take advantage of these free, customizable templates to begin incorporating corporate matching in your donor outreach.

1. Fundraising Appeal Template

[DONOR],

As we navigate the challenges of providing shelter and support to those experiencing homelessness in our community, we wanted to reach out and share an exciting opportunity to maximize the impact of your generosity.

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs to their employees? This means that when you make a donation to our homeless shelter, your employer may be willing to match it, effectively doubling the impact of your gift. It’s like giving twice the help to those in need!

By taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program, you can significantly increase your contribution and provide even more critical resources to individuals and families seeking refuge and stability. This allows us to extend our reach and support more individuals in their journey toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

Here’s how you can make an even greater difference:

Make a donation: Your contribution, no matter the size, directly supports our efforts to provide a safe haven, nutritious meals, and essential services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Check if your employer matches gifts: Visit our matching gift page to inquire about your matching gift eligibility using our company search tool here: [URL].

Submit a matching gift request: If your employer offers a match, simply follow the instructions provided by your company to submit a matching gift request. It’s a simple process that can significantly amplify your impact!

Spread the word: Encourage your colleagues, friends, and family members to join you in supporting our mission.

Thank you again for your generosity and dedication to our cause. It makes a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve. By doubling the impact of your donation through matching gifts, we can work towards a future where homelessness is no longer a reality for anyone.

Best regards,

[NONPROFIT]

2. Email Matching Gift Marketing Template

Subject: Double your impact…your donation can make twice the difference for homeless individuals!

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for your continued support in helping us provide shelter and care for homeless individuals in our community. Did you know that your donation can have an even greater impact? Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the value of your contribution.

By taking a few minutes to check if your employer offers a matching gift program, you can amplify the impact of your support. Imagine this: your generous donation could help provide access to a warm bed for two people in need.

To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, please visit our matching gifts page here: [URL] or reach out to your HR department to learn more.

Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can make an even greater difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

3. Text Message Matching Gift Marketing Template

[DONOR] ⁠— Did you know your donation to [NONPROFIT] can go even further for our cause? Many companies offer matching gift programs that can double your impact. Check to see if your employer matches gifts by searching here: [URL].

Together, we can make a greater difference for homeless individuals in our community.

4. Social Media Matching Gift Post Template

Your support matters⁠—now more than ever! Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] may be matched by your employer? Take a moment to find out if your company offers a matching gift program and make an even greater impact on the lives of those experiencing homelessness in our communities. #MatchingGifts #DoubleImpact

5. Matching Gift Web Page Template:

Text: Get Your Donation Doubled! Check if your employer matches gifts and amplifies your impact on our shelters.

Make your donation go further with matching gifts.

Your contribution to [NONPROFIT] can have an even greater impact when you participate in a corporate matching gifts program! Many companies offer matching gifts that double or triple the value of your donation.

By making the most of these programs, you can provide essential support to our shelters as we serve the community with your help. Check if your employer offers a matching gift program today and multiply the difference you make. Together, we can help end homelessness once and for all.

6. Direct Mail Matching Gift Marketing Template

Dear [DONOR],

Your generosity has made a significant impact on the lives of homeless individuals in our community. We want to share an exciting opportunity with you that will allow your support to go even further.

Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means your donation could be matched dollar for dollar by your employer. Matching gifts for homeless shelters like ours means that for every dollar you give, two dollars can go towards providing shelter, meals, and vital support for those in need.

Please take a moment to reach out to your HR department or check if your employer participates on our matching gifts page. The simple act of submitting a match request could make an immense difference in the lives of homeless individuals in your community.

Thank you for your continued compassion and support.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Final Thoughts

By integrating matching gifts into your team’s overall fundraising, you have the chance to multiply the impact of each dollar you raise. Matching gifts for homeless shelters and other missions sets the organizations up to better provide vital resources and support to those who need it most.

Remember, the fight against homelessness is a collective effort. Your shelter should do what you can to partner with individual and corporate donors to make the largest impact possible. By leveraging matching gifts, spreading awareness about the opportunity, and encouraging supporters to participate, your organization can significantly enhance its operations thanks to access to new and growing funding streams.

Interested in learning more about matching gift fundraising strategies? Check out these additional recommended resources:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Matching Gifts and Environmental Nonprofits | What to Know

Matching Gifts and Environmental Nonprofits | What to Know

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In today’s world, where environmental challenges are at the forefront of global concerns, nonprofits dedicated to protecting and preserving our planet play a crucial role. These organizations rely heavily on the generosity of individuals and corporations to fund their initiatives and ultimately make a positive impact on the world around us. One effective way for supporters to maximize their contributions to such causes is through corporate donation matching⁠. And luckily, matching gifts and environmental nonprofits go hand in hand.

In this guide, we’ll explore all things matching gifts and how environmental nonprofits like yours can maximize their benefit. This includes:

Without further ado, let’s dive in and discover what you need to know about matching gifts and their significance for environmental causes.

The Basics of Matching Gifts and Environmental Organizations

Matching gifts offer a valuable opportunity for individuals to increase their charitable giving⁠ impact—and for nonprofits to maximize their fundraising. When an employee donates to an eligible organization, the company contributes an equal (or sometimes greater!) ratio of funds.

In order for a donation to be matched, the process typically follows a few critical steps:

  1. Employee donation: An employee supports a nonprofit through a financial contribution.
  2. Qualification: The employee determines if their employer offers a matching gifts program and whether their recent donation qualifies. (Gifts to environmental causes typically do!)
  3. Submission: The employee completes the necessary online forms or paperwork to request a match.
  4. Review and approval: The company reviews the employee’s matching gift request and confirms the nonprofit and donation eligibility.
  5. Disbursement: Once the employer approves the request, they allocate the matching funds to the organization.

Matching gift process for environmental nonprofits

The benefits of corporate matching gifts are significant and far-reaching for environmental nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Check out these impressive statistics that highlight the opportunity at hand:

  • 65% of Fortune 500 companies match gifts, along with thousands of smaller and mid-sized businesses.
  • $2 – $3 billion is donated through matching gift programs each year, while an additional $4 – $7 billion goes unclaimed.
  • Over 26 million individuals work for companies with matching gift programs. (However, 78% of this group is unaware of their employers’ initiatives.)
  • 84% of donors are more likely to give, while 1 in 3 would give more if a match is applied.
  • An awareness of matching gifts produces a 71% increase in response rate and a 51% increase in average gift amount.

Matching gift marketing statistics

All in all, employee matching gifts positively impact your organization, its donors, corporate partners, and beyond. In other words, it establishes quite a mutually beneficial relationship!

Companies That Match Donations to Environmental Groups

Tons of companies match charitable gifts by their employees to environmental causes. Check out these five standout examples with sustainable values of their own that actively support employee giving by matching environmental donations.

Patagonia matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Patagonia

Patagonia is renowned for its dedication and commitment to environmental sustainability. The company’s employee matching gift program supports nonprofit organizations focused on environmental conservation and activism and encourages current full- and part-time team members to do the same.

Employees are encouraged to donate to eligible environmental (or most other) nonprofits of their choice, and Patagonia will match their contributions up to $10,000 per year, doubling the impact of their support.

Note: Patagonia employees are encouraged to get donations of $2,000 and above pre-approved by the company by contacting employee.match@patagonia.com in order to guarantee the full match.

Learn more about the Patagonia matching gift program here.

Citadel Environmental matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Citadel Environmental

As an employee-owned Environmental, Health, Safety, & Sustainability consulting firm, Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. (or Citadel EHS) values environmental stewardship and supports employees who share this passion. Through its targeted matching gift program, Citadel Environmental employees can contribute to environmental nonprofits, and the company will match their donations.

Not to mention, the company has also acquired RMD Environmental Solutions, thus significantly increasing the number of match-eligible team members. This growing initiative empowers employees to make a difference in the environmental sector (as well as select other nonprofit causes) and amplify the impact of their giving.

Learn more about the Citadel EHS matching gift program here.

ADM matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company

The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (also known as ADM) recognizes the importance of protecting the environment and thus supports employees in their philanthropic efforts to do so. The company’s matching gift program extends to nonprofit organizations that focus on addressing environmental conservation, sustainability, climate change, and other societal needs.

Employees can donate to these causes, and ADM will match their gifts between $100 and $5,000 per year, effectively doubling the support provided to environmental nonprofits and beyond.

Learn more about the ADM matching gift program here.

Ecolab matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Ecolab

A global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies, Ecolab understands the critical role environmental nonprofits play in creating a sustainable future. Through their matching gift program, employees and retirees can contribute to environmentally focused nonprofits, and the company will match their donations. (Note: Current employee gifts are matched at a dollar-for-dollar rate, while retiree donations are matched at fifty cents on the dollar.)

However, the company does stipulate that match-eligible donations must be made through its CSR platform on the Ecolab Giving Site. In addition, Ecolab employees qualify for generous Dollars for Doers and/or Board Leadership grants to further amplify their support.

Learn more about the Ecolab matching gift program here.

Pioneer Natural Resources matches gifts to environmental nonprofits.

Pioneer Natural Resources

As a powerful way to recognize the significance of environmental conservation and support its employees’ commitment to sustainability efforts, Pioneer Natural Resources matches team members’ donations to such nonprofits. Through this matching gift program, full-time and part-time employees can donate to environmental nonprofits (as well as educational institutions, health and human services, arts and cultural groups, community organizations, and more), and the company will match contributions accordingly.

This initiative encourages employees to support organizations dedicated to the environment, with qualifying individuals eligible to request between $50 and $5,000 each year.

Learn more about the Pioneer Natural Resources matching gift program here.

Growing Matching Gifts with a Sustainable Strategy | Key Tips

Encouraging donors to get involved with their employers’ matching gift programs can generate additional funding to support critical environmental initiatives. As you look to integrate matching gifts into your overall giving strategy, keep these recommended practices in mind.

1. Highlight environmental impact in matching gift communications.

When promoting employee giving opportunities to your donors, be sure to emphasize the environmental impact that corporate matching can have. Take the time to explain how an individual’s contributions, in addition to their match, will directly support initiatives like conservation, clean water and energy, and climate change mitigation⁠—or whatever your focus is.

By aligning matching gifts with your organization’s mission, you can better inspire donors to take advantage of the opportunity and make an even greater, tangible impact. Just imagine the results made possible when you’re able to plant two trees for the cost of every one!

This ultimately leads to more sustainable funding and enhanced donor engagement as your supporters feel increasingly connected to your mission.

2. Use donor employment information to your advantage.

The information you have about your donors is the key to developing a targeted matching gift strategy. And the most important data involves your supporters’ employment details. 

For example, if an organization knows which company a donor works for, the fundraising team (or its employer database tool) can research and gather information about the specific matching gift program. This enables the nonprofit to share tailored guidelines and forms required to request a match. And it ultimately simplifies the process and increases the likelihood of donor participation.

Employment information helps drive matching gifts for environmental nonprofits

Additionally, it’s worth noting that donors who back environmental nonprofits like your own tend to be increasingly likely to work for socially conscious companies. And these companies are more likely to offer matching gifts. As a result, your supporters may have a greater chance of eligibility in the programs in the first place than the average corporate employee!

This presents a significant advantage when promoting matching gifts, as you can target donors who are more likely to work for companies that match employee contributions.

3. Establish a seamless matching gift technology ecosystem.

Just like a healthy physical ecosystem is essential for maintaining a balanced environment, so too is an optimized technology ecosystem when it comes to successful fundraising. And one of the most crucial aspects of your organization’s technology system is a fundraising tool that integrates seamlessly with a matching gift platform.

Matching gift ecosystem for environmental nonprofits

This allows your team to enact a coordinated effort that incorporates matching gift opportunities directly into every step of the fundraising process⁠—from donation appeals and other promotions to the giving experience itself and associated follow-ups.

Doing so makes it easier for supporters to get involved with tailored guidance and information while your fundraising team doesn’t have to lift a finger. All in all, you can expect to receive more matching gift revenue and save time and resources that can be reallocated to your highest-value mission activities⁠—not to mention heightened donor engagement!

5 Free Templates to Encourage Matching Gift Participation

It’s time to begin promoting the matching gift opportunity to your network of support. Feel free to work off these provided messaging templates that overview matching gifts and their benefits, explain how donors can get involved, and encourage them to do so accordingly.

Template #1: Social Media Post

Did you know that your donation to [NONPROFIT] could have double the impact? Many companies offer matching gift programs for their employees⁠—and environmental causes like ours are often eligible recipients.

Want to multiply the value of your gift? Take a moment to check if your employer participates and unlock the potential for your donation to be matched! Together, we can make an even greater difference for the world around us. #MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #SaveThePlanet #SupportEnvironmentalCauses

Template #2: Fundraising Appeal

Subject: Your gift has twice the power to protect the environment…

Dear [DONOR],

We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. We are reaching out today because we know you care deeply about the environment and our organization’s cause. With your continued generosity, we have accomplished remarkable things together, but there’s still so much more we can achieve.

We wanted to share an incredible opportunity to make an even greater impact with your donation. Many companies offer matching gift programs to their employees, which means your gift to [NONPROFIT] can go twice as far in protecting our planet.

Imagine the difference we can make if your donation is matched dollar-for-dollar⁠. Your $50 contribution becomes $100, $100 becomes $200, and so on. It’s an extraordinary chance to amplify your support without any additional cost!

To see if your employer participates in a matching gift program, visit our matching gift page to search our company database here: [URL]. Once you confirm eligibility, just submit your initial donation and follow your company’s instructions to initiate the matching gift process.

We are immensely grateful for your unwavering support and belief in our mission. Your commitment to environmental conservation has made a tangible difference. We invite you to join us once again in this extraordinary opportunity to double the power of your gift.

With heartfelt gratitude,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template #3: Follow-Up Email

Subject: Double Your Impact: Your Gift Can Go Twice as Far!

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for your dedication to building a sustainable future through your ongoing support of [NONPROFIT]. We’d like to share an exciting opportunity for you to double the impact of your recent donation: corporate matching gifts.

Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means they match donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations. Take a few minutes to explore your company’s matching gift program. In doing so, you can unlock the potential to double the value of your contribution to our environmental initiatives.

Find out if your employer participates in matching gifts! Just click on the ‘Matching Gifts’ tab on our website for more information. Your generosity, combined with your employer’s support, can make a significant difference in our efforts to protect the planet.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to maximize your impact. Together, we can create a sustainable future for generations to come.

Best regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template #4: Website Copy

Calling all eco-conscious donors! Did you know that your employer might double your donation to [NONPROFIT]? Tens of thousands of companies offer these generous giving initiatives. And more than 26 million individuals qualify to have their donations matched to charitable causes like ours!

And the process to do so is simple —

  • Step 1: Look into your company’s matching gift program by searching the matching gift database embedded in the page.
  • Step 2: Locate your employer’s matching gift submission requirements and complete the dedicated request process.
  • Step 3: Wait while your company processes the request, approves your match, and contributes to our organization on your behalf.

Remember: together, we can create a greener world!

Template #5: Direct Mail Insert

Header: Double Your Impact for a Greener Tomorrow!

Your dedication to preserving our environment through your support of [NONPROFIT] is truly inspiring. We want to share an exciting opportunity with you to make an even greater impact!

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs for their employees? This means that your employer might be willing to match your donation, doubling the impact of your gift. By leveraging a matching gift program, you can amplify your contribution and help us protect our planet for future generations.

Take a moment to check if your employer participates in matching gifts. Scan the QR code below to visit our website for more information. Together, we can create a greener tomorrow for a more sustainable world.

Wrapping Up

As you continue your journey to protect and preserve the world around you, matching gifts should remain at the forefront of your fundraising strategy. After all, this valuable⁠—yet continually underutilized⁠—source of support is crucial for maximizing fundraising efforts.

Remember, the key lies in effectively communicating the matching gift opportunity to your nonprofit audience. In doing so, you can empower supporters to strengthen their commitment to your cause. And together, with the support of matching gifts, you can play a key role in establishing a sustainable future.

Interested in learning more about matching gifts for your organization? Check out these additional recommended guides:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

Make the Most of Matching Gifts for Arts & Culture Groups

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Matching gifts are a powerful yet continuously underutilized source of funding for all sorts of nonprofits. If you’re looking to amplify matching gifts for your arts and culture organization, you’ve come to the right place.

At Double the Donation, we work with thousands of nonprofits to empower their matching gift strategies⁠—arts and cultural groups included. In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know to bring your organization’s corporate matching efforts to life. And we’ll walk through the following topics to do so:

Fundraising for the arts is essential. Smart strategies empower organizations and their communities to benefit greatly from increased access to art and cultural programming⁠.

By effectively leveraging matching gifts alongside existing fundraising efforts, arts organizations can continue to enrich the lives of their constituents, foster creativity, drive economic growth, and establish a vibrant cultural ecosystem.

Let’s dive in.

Painting a Picture of Matching Gifts | The Basics

One of the most popular examples of corporate philanthropy, companies that offer matching gift programs agree to match the charitable donations their employees make to nonprofit causes.

This means that when a donor gives to your arts and culture group, their employer contributes an equal (or sometimes even greater!) amount of funds to match the initial donation. But in order to secure a matching gift on your behalf, the individual donor must first submit a request to their employer.

And that’s where qualifying matches often go unclaimed⁠—ultimately leading to an estimated $4 – $7 billion in matching gift funds being left on the table each year.

When leveraged effectively, though, matching gifts allow donors to double or even triple the value of their contributions to arts and culture groups and other nonprofit causes. This allows your organization to secure additional funds without putting increased strain on donors’ wallets.

Companies That Match Donations to Arts and Culture Nonprofits

Tens of thousands of companies offer generous matching gift programs, and arts and cultural organizations qualify to benefit from many of them. Here, we’ll highlight a few businesses within the creative industries that match employee donations to nonprofits like yours.

Adobe matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Adobe Incorporated

Adobe Incorporated is an American software company with a focus on creating technology that empowers professional and amateur graphic designers, photographers, marketers, illustrators, and more. In addition, Adobe is committed to supporting nonprofits, including (but not limited to) those in the arts and culture sector.

Through its employee matching gift program, the company matches team member donations to eligible organizations, empowering its workforce to give back to the communities in which they live and work.

Adobe has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: None
  • Maximum donation: $10,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

Additionally, Adobe has been known to periodically increase its matching gift ratio, sometimes offering a particularly generous two-to-one employee donation match. Knowing this, we recommend keeping an eye out for specific campaigns or employee giving pushes throughout the year!

Etsy matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Etsy

As an online marketplace designed for selling unique and handmade goods, Etsy values creativity and craftsmanship in its bottom line. Additionally, Etsy is known for supporting charitable giving, empowering employees with generous paid volunteer time off initiatives and employee matching gifts.

Etsy has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: None
  • Maximum donation: $500
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

This program encourages Etsy employees to give back to the arts community and contributes to the sustainability and growth of arts and cultural nonprofits overall.

Marvel matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Marvel Entertainment (The Walt Disney Company)

Marvel Entertainment recognizes the importance of creativity and storytelling in the arts and entertainment industry. Through its nonprofit partnerships, and specifically its generous matching gift program, Marvel Entertainment (and other Disney subsidiaries) supports employees’ charitable endeavors by matching their donations to eligible nonprofits.

Marvel Entertainment (along with the rest of the Walt Disney Company) has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $25
  • Maximum donation: $25,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other nonprofits

Arts and cultural nonprofits like yours can benefit from this program greatly as supporters who work at Marvel can double their contributions, effectively amplifying the financial support the cause receives.

Sony matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Sony Entertainment (Sony Corporation of America)

Sony Entertainment, including Sony Pictures and Sony Music, values the arts and its power to inspire and bring communities together. Thus, Sony’s matching gift program allows its employees to make donations to eligible nonprofits, including arts and cultural organizations.

Sony has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $50
  • Maximum donation: $2,000
  • Match ratio: 1:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, retired
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, and select other nonprofits

By generously matching donations, Sony Entertainment (and the greater Sony Corporation) encourages its employees to support the arts and enhance the impact of their giving on the causes they care about.

Netflix matches gifts for arts and cultural organizations

Netflix

As a significant entertainment company, Netflix has a strong commitment to supporting the arts and other creative industries. In order to incentivize employees to give to such causes, the streaming television service also offers a generous matching gift program for its workforce.

Netflix has established the following criteria for its matching gift initiative:

  • Minimum donation: $1
  • Maximum donation: $10,000
  • Match ratio: 2:1
  • Qualifying employees: Full-time, part-time
  • Qualifying nonprofits: Arts and cultural organizations and most other 501(c)(3) nonprofits

With this initiative, employees’ donations to arts and cultural nonprofits (as well as many other nonprofit causes) can be matched by Netflix, further bolstering financial support for these organizations.

Drive Matching Gifts for Your Org with These Tips

By effectively leveraging matching gifts, arts and culture groups can attract more donors, increase funding, and support their missions to inspire creativity and cultivate a thriving cultural landscape.

And implementing these helpful practices can go a long way toward doing so! Consider these top recommendations for your art- or culture-focused nonprofit.

1. Collect donor employment information to identify match opportunities.

The #1 piece of information you’ll need to drive your organization’s matching gift strategy is the companies where your donors work. Thus, collecting donor employment information as part of your donor database is crucial.

It’s typically easy to do so within the donation process itself (by incorporating an optional donation page field requesting employment data or embedding an intuitive company search tool in the form). However, other data solicitation methods include follow-up communications, data appends, and more.

We recommend regularly updating and maintaining accurate information for your donors to ensure you can leverage matching gifts as effectively as possible. Once you have this data, cross-reference your donors’ employers against participating companies (like the ones listed above) to uncover opportunities. From there, you’ll have what you need to provide them with the right information to initiate the matching gift process.

2. Employ dedicated software to streamline matching.

Handling step #1 on your own can be a significant undertaking for your fundraising team. That’s why we recommend streamlining the matching gifts process using dedicated matching gift software.

This type of tool⁠—like Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro⁠—automates matching gifts from identification and awareness to follow-ups and submission tracking. Ultimately, it empowers nonprofits to efficiently manage their matches without dedicating a ton of time and resources to the task. Plus, it makes things easier on your donors, walking them through the process with personalized guidance every step of the way.

For the simplest and most impactful results, we suggest looking for platforms that integrate with your existing fundraising tools and donor management system. This ensures seamless coordination and further streamlines the process for your team and your supporters.

3. Communicate the doubled impact made available through matching gifts.

Donors love participating in matching gift programs. In fact, research indicates that nonprofit supporters are more likely to donate⁠—and to donate in larger quantities⁠—when they know that matching gifts are being offered.

Why? It’s generally believed that the desire to make a greater impact on the causes they care about incentivizes donors to support their favorite nonprofit groups at even higher levels.

Thus, when promoting matching gifts, it’s essential that you emphasize the doubled⁠—and sometimes even tripled⁠—impact that donors can have on your mission. Use engaging storytelling strategies and incorporate real-life examples to demonstrate the transformative power of matching gifts on your overall mission.

4. Prioritize impactful imagery in your matching gift promotions.

Like any fundraising appeal or other donor-facing messaging, the visuals you choose in matching gift communications play a critical role in capturing the attention and interest of your audience. Especially when your nonprofit mission is a visual one (think: museum, gallery, etc.), using impactful imagery that resonates with the arts and cultural sector can establish a highly compelling narrative.

Consider showcasing vibrant artwork, photos from captivating performances, or iconic cultural landmarks to evoke an emotional connection with potential donors. Then, pair these visuals with concise and engaging messaging that emphasizes the significance of matching gifts.

Make the most of matching gifts for arts and culture groups with impactful imagery.

Establish promotional materials that are visually appealing across various platforms, such as social media, email newsletters, and your organization’s website. And ensure they match your organization’s overall branding to maintain a coherent narrative with your other efforts.

5. Express gratitude and recognize matching gift donors.

Finally, we recommend sending personalized thank-you letters or emails to participating matching gift donors. These messages can acknowledge their generosity and recognize the fact that they went above and beyond in their support for your organization.

And you have a few key opportunities to do so. These include:

  • After a donor indicates that they’ve submitted their matching gift request form.
  • Once your organization receives the company’s completed match.

Plus, you can even acknowledge their generosity publicly through social media shout-outs, newsletters, or donor spotlights. For a museum or another institution with a large, in-person presence, a matching gift donor wall can be an excellent idea!

Expressing gratitude not only strengthens donor relationships but also encourages others to consider matching gift opportunities⁠—making it a strategic marketing tactic as well. Not to mention, it can help retain matching gift donors from one year to the next.

Matching Gift Scripts: 5 Templates to Promote Matching

Jumpstart your matching gift efforts with these sample promotional messages. Feel free to dive in with these donor outreach templates perfect for any arts or cultural organization. Then, enlist 360MatchPro to automate and customize your messaging⁠—and segment by matching gift eligibility⁠—with ease!

Template 1: Social Media Post

🎨 Double Your Impact! 🎨 Did you know your gift to [NONPROFIT] can go even further? Many companies offer matching gift programs, which means your donation can be matched by your employer. See if your company participates in matching gifts to make an even greater impact on the arts today! Click here to learn more: [MATCH PAGE URL] #MatchingGifts #SupportTheArts #DoubleYourImpact

Template 2: Email Campaign

Subject: Your Gift Can Make a Greater Difference! 💫

Dear [DONOR],

Thank you for supporting [NONPROFIT] and our mission to bring art and culture to our community. We have an exciting opportunity to amplify the impact of your recent donation!

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs? This means your gift could be doubled or even tripled by your employer. We encourage you to check if your company participates in matching gifts and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to make an even greater difference for our cause.

To find out if your company offers matching gifts, simply visit our website and use our matching gift search tool here: [MATCH PAGE URL]. It’s quick and easy! Your support, combined with your employer’s match, will go a long way in supporting our programs and initiatives.

Thank you for being a champion of the arts. Together, we can create a vibrant and culturally rich community!

Warm regards,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

Template 3: Text Message

Hi [DONOR]! 🌟 Did you know your donation to [NONPROFIT] could be matched by your employer? Double the impact of your gift today by checking if your company participates in matching gifts. Visit our website here for more info: [MATCH PAGE URL]. As always, thank you for supporting the arts! 🎭🎨

Template 4: Donation Appeal

Dear [DONOR],

Unlock the Power of Your Donation with Matching Gifts!

We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. As a valued supporter of [NONPROFIT], you understand the transformative impact that arts and culture have on our lives and communities. Today, we are reaching out to share an incredible opportunity to amplify the impact of your generous contribution: matching gifts.

Did you know that many companies offer matching gift programs? Through these programs, your donation can be matched, dollar for dollar, by your employer. That means every dollar you contribute could produce double the impact on our organization and the meaningful projects we undertake.

Checking if your employer participates in matching gifts is simple. Visit our matching gift page here [URL], where you will find resources and instructions to guide you through the process. You can also reach out to your company’s HR department to inquire about their matching gift program.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make your contribution go even further. We are excited to have you join us in this endeavor and look forward to continuing our journey together.

With heartfelt appreciation,

[NAME]

[NONPROFIT]

P.S. Remember, by exploring matching gifts, you can double your impact without any extra cost to you. Let’s unlock the full potential of your generosity and inspire a world where art thrives and enriches lives.

Template 5: Thank-You Postcard

Front:

[Image of a vibrant piece of art or a behind-the-scenes photo]

Back:

[DONOR],

Thank you for your generous contribution to [NONPROFIT].

Did you know that many employers offer matching gift programs? Your gift could be matched, doubling the impact of your support. Check with your company’s HR department or scan the QR code to learn more about matching gift opportunities. Your continued support helps us bring art and culture to our community.

Thank you!

Wrapping Up

Maximizing matching gifts involves a strategic approach to corporate philanthropy that can unlock tremendous potential for arts and cultural organizations.

By harnessing the power of corporate matching, your nonprofit can amplify its fundraising efforts and secure additional resources to make a greater impact. And in the end, you’ll be better equipped to advance your overall mission.

Good luck!

Keep exploring! Check out these additional recommended resources to continue your matching gift education:

Learn more about matching gifts for animal rescues with Double the Donation.

Engaging Multigenerational Donors With Workplace Giving

Engaging Multigenerational Donors [With Workplace Giving]

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Tons of companies offer workplace giving programs as a way to incentivize employees to give back to their communities. To make the most of these philanthropic initiatives, qualifying nonprofits are taking increasingly proactive steps to drive supporter participation. But with a need for engaging multigenerational donors in the workforce, promoting the opportunities is not a one-size-fits-all task.

Instead, we recommend exploring effective strategies as you tailor your approach to each age group. And you’ve come to the right place to do so! In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about engaging varying generations of supporters, including:

Remember: the more you adjust your fundraising approach to your intended audience, the more likely the segment is to actively engage with your efforts.

Ready to create impactful and inclusive workplace giving programs that resonate with every generation in your supporter base? Let’s dive in.

The Unmatched Value of Multigenerational Donor Engagement

Your organization is likely backed by a wide range of donors of all ages, races, genders, backgrounds, and more. But do you take a universal approach to engagement? How exactly does a person’s stage in life factor into their relationship with your organization? Where do employee giving opportunities come into play for any age group?

These are the questions you should be asking yourself if you’re looking to develop a multigenerational engagement strategy.

A look at the different generations to engage with your workplace giving strategy

And doing so is essential. After all, facilitating long-lasting connections with supporters of all age ranges empowers your organization to build a sustainable donor network.

As of findings from 2022 annual giving, the estimated generational giving breakdown is as follows:

  • Matures ⁠— 20.2%
  • Baby Boomers ⁠— 40.8%
  • Generation X ⁠— 22.9%
  • Millennials ⁠— 13.9%
  • Gen Z ⁠— 2.2%

Meanwhile, the makeup of the current workforce looks like this:

  • Matures ⁠— 1.3%
  • Baby Boomers ⁠— 25.6%
  • Generation X ⁠— 33.1%
  • Millennials ⁠— 35%
  • Gen Z ⁠— 5%

All in all, workplace giving programs continue to go significantly underutilized, with an estimated $4 to $7 billion in corporate funds going unclaimed from matching gifts each year⁠—with volunteer grants and other employee giving initiatives falling short as well.

Ultimately, a strategy that focuses too narrowly on the older generations is likely to miss out on the immense opportunities made available by the up-and-coming (and, in many cases, already here) younger donors in your network. Conversely, centering too much on younger donors can cause missed potential from older generations who remain and still possess invaluable experience, deep connections, and a strong commitment to philanthropic support.

The answer? A well-balanced, multigenerational fundraising and workplace giving strategy that prioritizes the strengths of each group to maximize overall success.

Top Fundraising + Workplace Giving Strategies by Generation

With different characteristics defining each segment, effective workplace giving efforts can vary accordingly. Here, we’ll provide an overview of the five generations currently in the workforce⁠—and partaking in philanthropy⁠—and our recommended practices for engaging with the group.

Source: Giving USA’s Special Report – Giving by Generation
How to engage Mature donors with workplace giving

The Matures

  • Age in 2023: 77 years and older
  • Key Characteristics: Dependable, straightforward, and reliable
  • Influenced by: Tradition, loyalty, recognition, and authority
  • Preferred Communication Channels: Direct mail, phone calls
  • Preferred Giving Methods: Direct mail, check/cash donations

Born prior to 1946, the Matures (also known as the Traditionalists or the Silent Generation) exhibit strong values of loyalty, discipline, and respect for authority. They have a powerful sense of duty and often prioritize stability and tradition. Though the causes they support are widespread, the Matures tend to be drawn to established institutions with long-standing, positive reputations.

Though the vast majority of the Mature generation is now retired, the group continues to give generously to the organizations they care about. In fact, retirees contribute an estimated 42% of all charitable dollars in the U.S. each year.

Our Top Tip: Familiarize yourself (and your team) with matching gift and volunteer grant programs that are inclusive of retirees!

Luckily, a lot of companies include retired employees in their workplace giving programs⁠—such as ⁠the Coca-Cola Company, Johnson and Johnson, Chevron, Gap (and its subsidiaries), and many more.

However, there’s a good chance that eligible retirees (or even those still working for the companies) remain unaware of these programs. Thus, it’s a good idea for your organization to research available programs and communicate the opportunity to your audience.
How to engage Baby Boomer donors with workplace giving

Baby Boomers

  • Age in 2023: 59 to 77 years old
  • Key Characteristics: Optimistic, driven, and value personal growth
  • Influenced by: Social change, civil rights, and economic prosperity
  • Preferred Communication Channels: Meetings, phone calls, Facebook
  • Preferred Giving Methods: Online donations, check/cash donations

Born between 1946 and 1964, Baby Boomers are a generation known for their strong work ethic and dedication to social causes. This group believes in making a tangible impact on specific communities or individuals through their charitable contributions. Plus, they often seek opportunities to actively engage with causes they care about.

When engaging Baby Boomers in workplace giving, it is crucial to emphasize the outcomes and measurable results of their doubled donations. Recognizing their long-standing commitment to making a difference and providing volunteer opportunities can also resonate well with this generation.

Our Top Tip: Highlight the opportunity for Baby Boomers to leave a lasting (and multiplied) legacy through workplace giving.

As this group approaches or enters retirement age, Boomers often take the time to reflect on their life’s accomplishments⁠—and the impact they want to have made. By emphasizing how their contributions, combined with corporate funding, can create a meaningful and enduring impact on the causes they care about, nonprofits can tap into their desire to leave a positive mark on the world.

Be sure to provide tangible examples and motivational stories that demonstrate how matching gifts and volunteer grants have made a difference for your organization!How to engage Gen X donors with workplace giving

Generation X

  • Age in 2023: 43 to 58 years old
  • Key Characteristics: Independent, adaptable, and familiar with significant changes
  • Influenced by: Authentic storytelling and tangible giving outcomes
  • Preferred Communication Channels: Email, social media
  • Preferred Giving Methods: Online donations, event-based giving

Born between 1965 and 1980, Generation X is known for their independent, resourceful, and self-reliant nature. Gen Xers often seek causes that align with their personal beliefs, and they appreciate efficiency in communications. Plus, this group values flexibility and giving experiences that provide a sense of meaning.

When engaging Generation X donors in workplace giving, it’s a great idea to offer options that cater to their individual wants and needs. Providing customizable and streamlined ways to get involved with matching gifts, volunteer grants, and more, highlighting tangible outcomes, and offering opportunities for skills-based volunteering that align with their professional expertise can be effective ways to engage with this generation.

Our Top Tip: Harness Gen X’s desire for financial efficiency by promoting the potential to double their donation impact through matching gifts.

Generation Xers, who are often at the peak of their earning potential, appreciate maximizing the value of their giving. Highlight the fact that their donations can be matched by their employers, effectively doubling the impact they make on the causes they care about. And it’s all without reaching back into their own wallets at all!

How to engage Millennial donors with workplace giving

Millennials

  • Age in 2023: 27 to 42 years old
  • Key Characteristics: Tech-savvy, socially conscious, and outcome focused
  • Influenced by: Peer-to-peer communication, transparency, and impact
  • Preferred Communication Channels: Email, text messaging
  • Preferred Giving Methods: Online donations, peer-to-peer fundraising

Born between 1981 and 1996, Millennials are a generation characterized by their tech-savviness, passion for social justice, and desire for meaningful experiences. They grew up in the age of technological advancements and are often highly connected through social media and other digital platforms.

Overall, this group values transparency and tangible impact and is typically more motivated to give to causes rather than specific institutions. Millennials saw a 40% increase in average annual household giving from 2016 to 2022⁠—the only generation with a positive change in the period. Providing opportunities for hands-on involvement, peer-to-peer fundraising, and highlighting the collective impact of their contributions can further engage this segment.

Plus, the group is already highly involved in workplace giving, with more than 86% of Millennial employees donating to nonprofit causes. Not to mention, a 2020 study reported that 58% of young professionals had given through an employee giving program, compared to only 37% overall.

Millennials also volunteer at a higher rate than any other generation, which means that volunteer grants are an excellent opportunity to pursue.

Our Top Tip: Mention workplace giving opportunities in your Millennial-focused donation appeals to incentivize giving in the first place!

A recent study indicated that while 64% of donors say that the presence of a matching gift is likely to motivate them to give, Millennials are more likely to be impacted by a match (over 78%) than any other generation.

Not to mention, younger generations of donors are increasingly likely to work for socially conscious companies that offer matching gift and volunteer grant programs, thus elevating their chances of eligibility.

How to engage Gen Z donors with workplace giving

Gen Z

  • Age in 2023: 11 to 26 years old
  • Key Characteristics: Tech-native, prioritizes diversity, and values social justice
  • Influenced by: Desire to create social change
  • Preferred Communication Channels: Messaging, texts
  • Preferred Giving Methods: Online donations, crowdfunding, monthly giving

Gen Z represents the youngest group entering the workforce and, subsequently, becoming potential donors. Born between 1996 and 2012, Gen Z is often overlooked for its relatively limited capacity to give. However, this group currently has the “fastest growing economic power across all generational cohorts.”

With an estimated $360 billion in disposable income in 2021, Gen Z is expected to grow its aggregate income to over $33 trillion by 2030. As their disposable income grows, organizations can expect donation amounts to follow. And securing them as supporters now can go a long way in the end!

Also worth noting is that Generation Z is the most likely to opt for monthly giving (62%), which is often attributed to their familiarity with paying for subscription-based services. They favor regular communications as well, typically preferring monthly updates from the organizations they support.

Our Top Tip: Communicate the potential of workplace giving initiatives to further amplify recurring donations.

A common misunderstanding surrounding matching gift programs is that recurring donations do not qualify for employer matching. But in most cases, that’s generally not true! Make an effort to research your monthly donors’ corporate giving guidelines and communicate relevant information to your supporters.

By participating in their employers’ philanthropic initiatives, recurring donors can make an even greater impact on the causes they care about. You just need to break down the myths that are holding your match potential back and take a proactive approach to marketing workplace giving opportunities to your youngest donors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH YOUNG DONORS

Collecting Donor Data to Segment Your Engagement Strategy

As with any effective segmentation strategy, you’ll need the right information to inform your organization’s efforts. As you aim to elevate your workplace giving initiatives with generational data, you’ll need two key types of details.

Demographic Information

What is it? Defined as “quantifiable attributes of a population, group, or individual,” demographic information includes details such as age, gender, income, education level, marital status, location, and more. Regarding multigenerational engagement, the most essential metric you’ll need is your donors’ (as well as volunteers’ and other supporters’) age groups.

Why does it matter? Having this information will allow you to target your workplace giving strategies accordingly! For example, you might determine that a top matching gift opportunity falls into the “Mature Generation” category. In that case, you may decide to send a direct mailing that highlights the opportunity and shares the information they need to participate rather than rely solely on digital outreach.

How can I get it? The easiest way is just to ask. But you don’t have to come right out and ask for their exact age. Instead, add an optional donation form field that prompts donors to enter their date of birth (hint: you can also send a birthday card!).

Collect age data to engage multigenerational donors with workplace giving

Or, ask supporters to check a box for the age range they fall into (ex: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+).

Employment Data

What is it? The other key information you’ll need to market workplace giving strategies effectively has to do with your supporters’ employment data. Though the companies your audience works (or worked) for is the most essential piece, it can also help to know their working status⁠—such as full-time, part-time, or retired.

Why does it matter? This information will help your team (or your software) identify available opportunities for workplace giving programs. When you see that your donors work for companies that match gifts or your volunteers work for companies that provide volunteer grants, you’ll want to follow up with information about how they can get involved.

How can I get it?Add another field to your donation form that prompts supporters to enter the name of their company, or embed our employer search tool directly into your giving page or confirmation screen. With Double the Donation, you can even enlist follow-up messaging to provide another opportunity for donors to share the information with ease. Jump to the next section to learn more about how automation helps drive results!

Collect employment data to engage multigenerational donors with workplace giving

Top tip: When you provide context for the ask (e.g., “See if your company will match your gift! Select your employer here.”), donors typically respond particularly well. On the other hand, a data appending service can help fill in the blanks for those who don’t provide it themselves.

Our #1 Recommendation for Engaging All Generations: Automating Workplace Giving

When it comes to engaging multigenerational donors in workplace giving, there is one strategy that stands out above the rest… And that is automating the process.

Workplace giving automation not only streamlines the process for your team behind the scenes but also enhances convenience, accessibility, and engagement for donors across all age groups.

Here’s how automation elevates matching gifts and volunteer grants:

Increases awareness of the opportunity for all supporters.

There’s a significant knowledge gap regarding workplace giving programs among every generation. In fact, an estimated 78% of eligible donors have no idea that their employer matches. Luckily, workplace giving technology automates marketing and promotions around the opportunity, ensuring that every donor receives information regarding the programs. When supporters are aware of their chance to stretch their impact further with matching gifts and volunteer grants, they’re often eager to participate!

Facilitates easy personalization.

Individuals of all generations appreciate personalized outreach. From seeing their name in an email subject line to being provided with insights for their employer’s giving program, tailored messaging strengthens relationships⁠—and produces results. With a matching gift tool, the software fills in the blanks in customizable templates, providing highly specific communications with no added effort.

Appeals to all levels of tech savviness.

In today’s digital age, younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z often prefer digital engagement. After all, they tend to have ample experience with online transactions. And while older generations may not be as familiar with the technology, an automated tool can go a long way in helping guide them through the process with detailed assistance and step-by-step instructions. Now, they won’t need to go searching in their company’s intranet for a matching gift form to complete⁠—because they were provided with a direct link to the submission portal in their email.

Tracks and drives more matches to completion.

Ultimately amplifying giving with more matches making it across the finish line, automation allows for seamless matching gift tracking and follow-ups. The end result is fewer matches left unclaimed and more corporate funds available to your organization. And when supporters of all ages see the impact of their contributions being multiplied, they’ll become increasingly engaged with your cause.

Engaging multigenerational donors with workplace giving software

Final Thoughts

Engaging multigenerational donors is a dynamic and multifaceted process that requires careful consideration of your audience. After all, each segment plays a key role in your overall fundraising and workplace giving success. Thus, you’ll want to account for the diverse needs and preferences of every generation.

The better you understand the primary characteristics, values, and motivations that describe each group, the more effectively your organization can tailor its giving programs. Plus, there are a few key strategies that can lend themselves to powerful workplace giving results across all generations⁠—such as investing in dedicated matching gift and volunteer grant technology⁠—that you certainly don’t want to miss.

In the end, your nonprofit will be better funded, your donors feel strengthened connections to your cause, and the communities you serve experience greater programming made available through workplace giving revenue.

Best of luck!

Sources:

Engaging multigenerational donors through workplace giving is easy with Double the Donation.

Prioritizing accessibility in matching gift fundraising

Prioritizing Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

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Matching gifts can be a powerful tool for nonprofits. Corporate donation matching and matching challenges allow teams to amplify the value of individual donations and maximize their impact on the cause. However, the matching gifts process can often be a complex and overwhelming one for donors⁠—ultimately leading to billions of dollars in available match funding going unclaimed. In light of this challenge, it’s crucial to prioritize accessibility in matching gift fundraising to simplify participation where you can.

We’ve written before on powerful ways to overcome common matching gift challenges and make the most of the opportunity for your mission. What you don’t want to do is cause supporters to face needless barriers due to an inaccessible matching gift experience. Thus, highly accessible software is a must-have in all situations.

So here, we’ll explore the impact of accessibility for matching gifts and discuss practical strategies to unlock your full potential. This includes:

Accessibility is not just an ethical obligation in fundraising. It’s also a strategic decision that can significantly impact matching gift results by maximizing the inclusivity of your efforts.

And the more you know, the better you can position your team for success.

The Importance of an Accessible Matching Gifts Strategy

The importance of accessibility in matching gift fundraising cannot be overstated.

Adhering to accessibility standards aids organizations in creating inclusive digital experiences that cater to individuals with disabilities, improving their overall access to information and services. Regarding matching gifts, prioritizing accessibility means that all of your donors will be able to receive and interpret the information needed to get involved.

Not only will this result in more completed matching gifts coming your way, but it also ensures that participating donors have a more optimal experience doing so. This allows you to continue fostering positive relationships with supporters, who will appreciate your team’s commitment to inclusivity.

Plus, if you receive funding from government sources or other grantmakers with accessibility regulations, you can ensure your organization is up to par⁠—and won’t miss out on any opportunities available to you.

Components of Accessibility in Matching Gift Fundraising

A matching gift fundraising strategy typically involves a multifaceted approach to promoting the workplace giving opportunity. As a result, an effective accessibility plan should expect to account for multiple aspects of your overall engagement strategy.

This should include the following items, as well as any other matching-gift-related donor touchpoints and supporter-facing materials.

Written Matching Gift Information

Much of your audience is likely coming from a place with no prior knowledge regarding corporate gift matching. Thus, you’ll likely produce written content to explain the significance and process of matching gifts, encouraging donors to get involved.

From dedicated matching gift letters to quick blurbs in online content, it’s essential that you keep accessibility in mind. To ensure inclusivity in written matters, we recommend implementing the following practices:

Prioritize clear and concise language. Avoid complex or jargon-filled messages to increase readability and comprehension among your audience. It’s generally suggested that online content targets a 6th to 8th-grade reading level!

Follow a logical heading hierarchy. Organizing content using proper heading structure  (i.e., H1, H2, H3, etc.) helps facilitate navigation and understanding for users employing assistive technologies.

Utilize appropriate formatting. Formatting techniques like short paragraphs, bulleted and numbered lists, and sufficient line spacing makes it easier to consume written materials. Plus, it increases “skimmability,” which is often the key to online content.

Enlist descriptive links for CTAs. When encouraging readers to take a specific action in digital communications, use descriptive link text when possible. This provides meaningful context as to the purpose of the intended action. For example, instead of a generic “Click here,” you might say, “Click here to search our employer matching tool.”

Multimedia Matching Gift Marketing Materials

An effective matching gift marketing plan typically encompasses a number of multimedia elements to attract and retain your audience’s attention. When incorporating images and videos to complement your written materials, accessibility should be a key consideration.

For matching gift videos, include closed captions to accommodate viewers with hearing impairments. This ensures inclusivity and allows everyone to engage with your content. Additionally, when using images, provide descriptive alternative text (ALT text) that accurately describes the visual content. This will assist users who rely on screen readers to understand the context and meaning of digital images.

Online Donation Platforms

In addition to the content you create yourself, it’s vital that any third-party resources are accessible as well. For example, your online donation pages may be created by a fundraising technology provider and embedded into your organization’s website. Still, it’s your organization’s responsibility to ensure that the forms meet your predetermined standards. This will likely include screen reader compatibility, form field accessibility, clear navigation, responsive design, and more.

Otherwise, you may end up with frustrated potential donors abandoning the giving process⁠. And without that initial donation, your nonprofit won’t qualify for the subsequent matching gift.

Looking for an online giving platform that will offer an optimal supporter experience? Double the Donation integrates with some of the industry’s top donation tools. Check out our 75+ partners here!

Dedicated Matching Gift Technology

Similarly, you’ll want to ensure that your matching gift software is committed to meeting accessibility standards as well. Typically a separate tool that integrates directly into your online donation platform, matching gift technology should also focus on offering an inclusive matching gift experience for your donors.

This should encompass every aspect of your matching gift promotions, from an embedded company search tool in your giving forms and confirmation page plugin to personalized email follow-ups. Key elements to remember include screen reader and other assistive technology compatibility, responsive design, form field accessibility and color contrast, and more.

And to ensure your technology provider continues to adhere to ongoing accessibility standards, it’s a good idea to look for a solution that conducts regular accessibility testing and complies with relevant standards.

At Double the Donation, we continually prioritize accessibility and strive to provide all users with a seamless matching gift experience. (Hint: Click here to skip to an in-depth look at Double the Donation’s accessibility criteria.)

Understanding Key Accessibility Standards

There are several accessibility frameworks and guidelines that help ensure tech-based products and services are accessible to individuals with varying abilities. Understanding the scope, priorities, and value of each criterion can go a long way as you develop your own organization’s approach to accessibility in matching gift fundraising.

Here are some of the main standards you might see when discussing digital accessibility:

Section 508

Section 508, established in 1973 and revised in 1998, is a U.S. federal law that mandates accessibility standards for electronic and information technology used by federal agencies. It outlines specific requirements for software applications, websites, and other digital content to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Compliance with Section 508 is crucial for federal agencies, organizations providing goods or services to government agencies, and organizations receiving federal funding.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, is a widely recognized set of guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It provides detailed technical specifications and success criteria to make web content more accessible. WCAG has different levels of conformance, including A (minimum), AA (intermediate), and AAA (highest), which provide varying degrees of accessibility.

Accessible Rich Internet Applications

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) is a set of technical specifications that enhance the accessibility of web content and applications. It provides additional attributes and properties that developers can use to make dynamic web content and interactive components more accessible to assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

European Accessibility Act

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is legislation the European Union adopted in 2019 to harmonize accessibility requirements for various products and services as a way to build on the EU’s Web Accessibility Directive. The EAA aims to ensure equal access to digital technology across member states and improve the accessibility of information society services throughout the European Union.

Canadian Accessibility Standards

In Canada, there are different accessibility standards depending on the province or territory. For example, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets accessibility standards for Ontario, including requirements for accessible websites and software. Meanwhile, the British Columbia Accessibility Act dictates standards for British Columbia, and the Act to Secure Handicapped Persons in the Exercise of Their Rights with a View to Achieving Social, School, and Workplace Integration establishes standards for Quebec.

These differing standards provide specific recommendations (and, in some cases, requirements) to ensure that developers design digital content with accessibility in mind. It’s important to remember that no one framework is above any other. Instead, it’s important to determine which set of criteria most closely aligns with your organization’s needs, audiences, and objectives.

Establishing a framework for your nonprofit⁠—and utilizing software and other technology that does the same⁠—ultimately certifies that your matching gift and other fundraising strategies comply with the applicable standards above. In the end, the goal is to produce an optimized and accessible matching gift experience for your supporters.

Double the Donation’s High-Level Accessibility Framework

At Double the Donation, we understand the importance of providing highly accessible tools for our clients and their end users. Of the various accessibility standards highlighted above, the most applicable criteria regarding accessibility in matching gift fundraising is that of Section 508⁠—the U.S. Federal accessibility standard. Thus, this is the framework that our team has committed to ongoing compliance with. Plus, our tools meet the criteria for ADA and WAI-ACT compliance as well.

In 2018, Double the Donation became the first matching gift provider to receive a VPAT (or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) to reflect and communicate this compliance. As of June 2023, we have renewed our VPAT to meet updated standards, reflecting the continuous development of both our tools and the accessibility guidelines to which we adhere.

In other words, Double the Donation’s matching gift technology surpasses the U.S. federal government’s revised standards for accessibility, as outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

And to this date, we remain the only matching gift software provider with a VPAT⁠. This demonstrates not only our ongoing commitment to accessibility but our user-centric product design and general stature as the leader in matching gift technology.

Want to know what that entails? The following elements are flagged as compliant by Double the Donation’s tools, according to WCAG 2.1.

Prioritizing accessibility in matching gift fundraising with these checklist items

Non-Text Content

Images on the website contain relevant alternative text.

Info and Relationships

The website has consistent headers and global table structures to establish clear information and relationships within the website. Screen readers properly identify most of the information available on the website. Visually impaired users are easily able to perceive the relationships between a particular element and its role.

Meaningful Sequence

The sequence of the content present on the website is meaningful and appropriate and does not affect the meaning of the provided content.

Sensory Characteristics

No information is present on the website which is based on sensory characteristics such as shape, size, location, sound, etc.

Use of ⁠Color

Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

Keyboard

The website supports standard keyboard navigation and input functions (including swiping to move between input fields and pressing [Double tap] to make selections). Keyboard focus moves sequentially throughout the website without the focus getting trapped in any section, and it is convenient to access the functionality.

Pause, Stop, Hide

A mechanism is provided to stop, pause, or hide the moving/ scrolling content.

Page Titles

Descriptive and correct page titles are present for pages throughout the website.

Focus Order

The focus moves in a correct sequence order on the website from left to right and top to bottom.

Link Purpose

All links are provided with appropriate link text, and the user would be able to understand the purpose of the link from its link text.

Pointer Gestures

All functionalities present in the website can be operated with a single pointer without a path-based gesture unless a multipoint or path-based gesture is essential.

Pointer Cancellation

No down-event of the pointer is used in the website to execute any part of the action.

Label in Name

All labels on the website include text, and the same text is defined in the code as well to assist speech recognition technologies.

Language of Page

The language attribute is correctly defined for the web pages.

On Focus

No interactive element is triggered automatically on receiving the focus.

On Input

Change of context does not happen when the user changes the setting of any input controls.

Labels or Instructions

The website provides support for motor-impaired and cognitive users as the labels and instructions are provided for the form fields, which are clearly visible and readable to such users.

Parsing

The markup of the website has complete start and end tags, attributes, and unique IDs.

Name, Role, Value

All the website elements have a proper label associated with their role, and the screen reader recognizes them correctly with updated values as well.

Orientation

The website does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation.

Contrast

The website adheres to minimum contrast standards.

Resize Text

The website is fully responsive. At a zoom of 200%, the site responds to that resolution by adjusting the UI as it would if the user were on a smartphone.

Images of Text

No information is conveyed to the user via an image of the text.

Reflow

The website does not require scrolling in two dimensions to present content without loss of information in 400% zoom.

Non-Text Contrast

The website user interface components have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent color(s).

Text Spacing

The website is compliant with WCAG text spacing requirements.

Content on Hover or Focus

The content that is triggered by hover or focus is dismissible, hoverable, and persistent.

Headings and Labels

Headings and Labels on the website provide sufficient detail of the content they are describing.

Focus Visible

All the elements present in the website have focus visibility.

Consistent Identification

Components that provide the same functionality throughout the website can be easily identified by the user.

Status Messages

The updated content automatically notifies the visually impaired users via a screen reader.

In other words, Double the Donation takes accessibility seriously⁠—and we continue to pursue a positive user experience for donors and nonprofit teams of varying abilities.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

By making a tangible effort to highlight and prioritize accessibility in your organization’s matching gift strategy, you can foster a sense of inclusivity within your fundraising. After all, you surely want all your donors to be able to support your cause in this way.

So take the steps to test your existing matching gift strategy. Is your website up to standard? Does your matching gift platform adhere to a fully accessible framework? (Hint: if you already use Double the Donation’s tools, the answer is yes. If you’re not already a client, click here to get a personalized demo!)

When everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations, can contribute to your nonprofit’s matching gift success, you’ll be set to make the most of the workplace giving opportunities in your network.

Best of luck!

Interested in uncovering more ways to improve your matching gift fundraising strategy? Check out these recommended resources to keep learning:

Prioritize accessibility in matching gift fundraising with Double the Donation.

Double the Donation launches Matching Gift Academy: New Training and Insights for Fundraisers

New Matching Gift Academy: Training + Insights for Fundraisers

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Double the Donation is excited to announce the launch of our Matching Gift Academy, a new learning platform that will help organizations gain a deeper understanding of matching gift best practices and identify opportunities to maximize their 360MatchPro account usage.

The launch of the Matching Gift Academy represents Double the Donation’s continued commitment to helping organizations of all sizes fully harness the power of corporate matching gift education. The content covered will span a variety of topics that include marketing matching gifts, verifying matching gift requests, fine-tuning your corporate partnership plans, and using your matching gift technology to its fullest potential.

No matter the volume of matching gifts your organization receives, the Academy contains valuable insights that, when incorporated into your strategy, will help you raise more⁠—without all of the guesswork.

Interested in learning more about the Matching Gift Academy and how you can use it to propel your matching gift efforts to the next level? You’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Let’s dive in and learn more about this exciting launch!

Who Can Benefit from Enrolling in the Academy?

As the matching gift landscape continues to expand, fundraising organizations must cultivate strong matching gift knowledge among team members. The content in our Matching Gift Academy offers succinct, valuable resources to aid in that knowledge cultivation.

Whether you are a matching gift coordinator, a director of development, a marketing professional tasked with incorporating matching gifts into campaigns, or a finance professional that handles incoming matching gift funds, our content will enhance your ability to articulate matching gift opportunities and incorporate them seamlessly into your ongoing operations.

Matching Gift Academy beneficiaries

Plus, we will offer unique insights that will help 360MatchPro users fully understand their account and take advantage of all of the features available within that account. Whether your organization is new to 360MatchPro, has a new team member accessing the account, or just wants to identify opportunities to better utilize your subscription, you will want to sign up and dive deep into our platform.

Tip! We recommend using the Matching Gift Academy as an onboarding tool for new team members. Get your new hires up to speed on matching gifts and how your organization prioritizes this fundraising source!
Check out our overview of 360MatchPro's matching gift automation functionality

What Types of Content Does the Academy Offer?

Within Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy, you will receive access to two learning courses. Content will be released in phases.

Our first learning course “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights,” that already has some modules launched, will cover an expanse of matching gift fundraising best practices. As you progress through the content in this course, you will gain a robust understanding of the matching gift landscape.

Topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Marketing matching gifts;
  • Capturing matching gift metrics;
  • Encouraging donors to submit requests;
  • Cultivating strong relationships with matching gift donors and companies;
  • And more!

The curated content can be used to get your team up-to-speed on the industry and will enrich your ability to use matching gifts as a value-add in your fundraising efforts.

Our second learning course “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” will launch soon, and it will offer training that dives deep into 360MatchPro. The content provided will help you optimize your 360MatchPro account to unlock greater matching gift revenue growth. By following the best practices and familiarizing yourself with 360MatchPro’s standout features, you’ll feel equipped to finetune your strategy moving forward and derive the most value from your subscription.

How is the Content Structured?

Content within the Matching Gift Academy is primarily delivered through video lessons, taught by our instructor, a matching gift expert with plenty of insights to share. However, to supplement your learning, we have also compiled relevant blog articles, PDF resources, and slide decks that can be leveraged to enhance your knowledge. These resources will be accessible from within the course.

Matching Gift Academy structure overview

Each course will be divided into modules that are broken down even further into lessons. This content structure allows you to digest information and self-pace your learning according to your schedule.

While the course content is parsed out in this structure, you will not need to watch the content in any particular order. If there are certain modules or lessons that you think would benefit you more than others, or if you want certain teams to only watch certain modules, you have the ability to skip around as you please! This structure ultimately makes socializing matching gifts at your organization easier than ever before.

To develop the most robust understanding of matching gifts and transform your strategy though, we recommend progressing through all of the learning content as it is released in both our “Leveraging Matching Gifts: Strategy Insights” course and our “Understanding 360MatchPro: Account Usage Best Practices” course. Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate that demonstrates your mastery of content and complete knowledge of matching gifts and matching gift technology!

How Can I Enroll and Get Started?

Through the month of July, we are waiving enrollment fees associated with the Matching Gift Academy. If you are a current 360MatchPro user, you will receive an email soon that contains your coupon code! Within your 360MatchPro account, you will soon also find more information on how to access the content for free. If you are not yet a 360MatchPro user, don’t worry – we are still offering you this content for free for a limited time. Email sales@doublethedonation.com to receive your coupon code.

We are excited to introduce this new content to teams and give you the opportunity to leverage this knowledge at your organization. You can take just three simple steps to get the most out of this offer.

  1. Enroll in the Matching Gift Academy.
  2. Progress through the content in both courses.
  3. Earn a certification to highlight your knowledge.

Ordinarily, enrollment to the Matching Gift Academy will cost $199, so we recommend getting started today.

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy can be used to integrate matching gifts into your organization’s fundraising and set you up for ongoing, sustainable success from this revenue source. Whether you use the Matching Gift Academy during new team member onboarding or in your day to day work, you’ll find you can quickly gather insights that will help you better leverage match opportunities.

Get started with Double the Donation's Matching Gift Academy.

Smart Resources for Essential Matching Gift Education

Smart Resources for Essential Matching Gift Education

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Matching gifts are a continuously underutilized funding source for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising organizations. One of the biggest challenges leading to the underutilization is a significant and widespread knowledge gap. As a result, the solution to such a problem is strategic matching gift education with accessible resources for doing so.

And Double the Donation is here to help! Our primary objective is to provide organizations with the tools and understanding necessary to implement effective long-term matching gift strategies. To bridge the knowledge gap and empower nonprofit teams like yours, we’ve published (and continue to produce) a number of valuable resources on the topic.

These include:

Ready to explore our top recommended educational materials and see how they can guide your organization’s efforts? Let’s dive in.

(Hint: Use these resources to train your nonprofit staff and volunteers. An effective matching gift strategy often begins with your internal team!)

Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Academy

Interested in exploring matching gifts in an online learning environment? Double the Donation now offers the industry’s first-ever Matching Gift Academy.

Double the Donation's Matching Gift Academy

Currently, this academy contains four built-out modules, more than seventeen lessons, three hours of video content, and exclusive downloadable resources to provide learners with a comprehensive look at all things matching gifts. Topics include:

  • Matching Gift Crash Course: The Basics
  • Understanding Common Matching Gift Challenges & Finding Solutions
  • Assessing Your Current Matching Gift Strategy: Improving Outcomes
  • Marketing Matching Gifts: Effective Strategies
GO TO THE MATCHING GIFT ACADEMY

Expert Workplace Giving Webinars

Webinars have become a go-to resource for organizations seeking practical and engaging training opportunities. This type of “web-based seminar” offers a platform for experts to share their insights, strategies, success stories, and more. As a result, the Double the Donation team typically hosts a few webinar sessions each week, with a primary focus on matching gifts and corporate philanthropy opportunities for nonprofits!

Check out the quick overview video below to learn more:

If you’re looking for engaging matching gift educational resources, we strongly urge organizations like yours to participate live in our upcoming webinars or access recorded sessions by exploring the Webinar Hub on our site. We’ve even compiled a list of on-demand recordings below to ensure flexible training materials are available whenever you need them.

GO TO THE WEBINAR HUB

A few of our favorite matching gift webinars

Free Matching Gift eBooks & Downloadable Resources

In addition to our live and on-demand webinar presentations, our team has also created numerous free downloadable resources to serve as practical guides and tools for supporting successful matching gift fundraising. Often taking the form of eBooks, checklists, templates, and more, these resources aim to provide nonprofits and other fundraising organizations with comprehensive knowledge surrounding corporate giving opportunities.

Explore Double the Donation's matching gift education resources

We recommend utilizing these resources for team-wide training and to aid in implementing a well-thought-out matching gift fundraising plan.

GO TO THE RESOURCE CENTER

A few of our favorite matching gift eBooks

Our Continuously Updated Matching Gifts Blog

Double the Donation takes pride in our matching gift blog, which is intended to provide helpful knowledge regarding just about every aspect of the matching gift process for nonprofits, schools, and other fundraising institutions.

By exploring our in-depth blog, nonprofit staff and volunteers can gain a deeper understanding of the potential impact of matching gifts, discover creative strategies for donor engagement, and learn from real-life examples of successful appeals.

Explore Double the Donation's matching gift education resources

Not to mention, our blog is constantly being updated with timely insights into matching gift fundraising practices, current trends, success stories, and much more. So don’t forget to check back regularly to explore new posts each week.

GO TO THE BLOG

A few of our favorite matching gift blog posts

Still looking to bring your matching gift strategy to new heights? Streamline matching for everyone involved with Double the Donation’s complete automation platform, 360MatchPro. You can even kickstart the process by requesting a personalized demo here!

Already a Double the Donation user and looking for specific insights regarding the software? Browse our Knowledge Base for answers to frequently asked questions, detailed integration guides, and more.

Bottom line: Equipping your team with essential knowledge and strategies can help inform and improve your organization’s matching gift plans. Good luck!

Increase your matching gift education with Double the Donation