Most nonprofits are accustomed to matching presents. However what number of organizations truly pursue them with a devoted technique? Based on Double the Donation, $4-$7 billion in company matching reward funds goes unclaimed yearly. When 78% of donors don’t know if their employer matches presents, the group is just not finishing the matching reward kinds their firms require to safe company income.
To be able to bridge the hole, nonprofits are taking more and more proactive approaches to coach donors and supply them with the matching reward kinds they want. We’re right here to indicate you do exactly that. Provide donors with the fitting kinds, streamline the request course of, and drive extra matches to completion.
On this information, we’ll cowl all of the necessities of matching reward kinds, together with:
In the long run, you’ll know increase extra income to your nonprofit by strategically selling matching presents. Let’s get began!
What Are Matching Items?
Matching presents are a novel and impact-driven fundraising initiative through which one donation is matched by one other, in the end producing double the worth. These contributions happen when an organization or different entity agrees to match particular person donations—both to a particular group (reminiscent of with a one-off matching reward program) or a variety of charitable missions.
Whereas varied varieties of packages embrace private matching presents (e.g., a beneficiant supporter matches donations as much as a certain quantity for a corporation throughout a marketing campaign) and bigger matching reward campaigns (e.g., a enterprise, basis, group of supporters, or one other benefactor matches presents as much as a certain quantity), the commonest by far is company matching presents. In these packages, employers match the donations their workers make to eligible nonprofits, thereby incentivizing philanthropy amongst their staffs.
Most firms have a set match ratio (normally 1:1, although it may be increased or decrease), however a number of workers don’t know their firms even provide these packages. That’s why it’s essential to advertise matching presents in your advertising and marketing technique. Many supporters gained’t know to examine with their employers till you counsel it!
Usually, the company matching reward course of appears to be like like this:
- A person donates to a nonprofit.
- The person appears to be like up their eligibility for an identical reward and accesses the kinds wanted to submit their request (it is a large a part of it, and the aim of this text!).
- The person submits the match request to their employer.
- Their employer opinions the request and verifies the donation with the nonprofit.
- The employer matches the donation.
However as you get into the nitty-gritty particulars of matching reward insurance policies, there are a couple of different belongings you want to remember.
Eligibility
Each your donors and your group need to be eligible for an identical reward. First, donors ought to verify that their employment standing (full-time, part-time, or retired) permits them to submit a match request. From there, you’ll need to confirm that your group falls into one of many particular nonprofit classes the corporate donates to.
Minimal and most reward quantities
Most matching reward firms set up a restrict on the amount of cash they’ll match, sometimes stating the utmost every worker can request every year. Companies additionally decide a minimal quantity, although that is typically set at round $25 or much less.
For an worker’s matching reward request to be permitted, their current reward ought to fall inside the threshold their firm has outlined.
Match ratios
Although it ranges from one firm to the subsequent, most employers provide a dollar-for-dollar (or 1:1) match, with most ratios starting from .5:1 to 4:1.
Earlier than a donation will be matched, all of these issues have to be addressed. That’s the place matching reward kinds come into play!
What Are Matching Reward Varieties?
Matching reward kinds are a particular kind of doc accomplished by a person donor and utilized by an identical reward firm to evaluate the person’s eligibility. This kind typically captures particular info relating to the donor, their current reward, and the recipient group to make sure the requested match adheres to the corporate’s program tips.
As donors provoke their requests, there are a couple of sorts varieties of matching reward kinds they may count on to make use of: paper, digital, and automatic. Let’s check out every format beneath.
Paper Matching Reward Varieties
Whereas paper matching reward kinds aren’t quite common nowadays, it’s nonetheless essential to supply entry to a paper model if it’s accessible. That is particularly essential for older supporters preferring paper supplies or for sure (although few) firms that require them.
Regardless, the paper kind consists of the next key parts:
- Donor Title
- Worker Identification Quantity
- Mailing Tackle
- Telephone Quantity
- Donation Quantity
- Recipient Group
- Donation Date
Right here’s the way it works: The donor will sometimes want to offer official documentation of their reward (reminiscent of a donation receipt, which your nonprofit might want to create), in addition to details about the kind of group (cultural, academic, and many others.) and the donation date.
As soon as the paper kind has been stuffed out, the donor can submit it by way of the employer’s most popular methodology (mail, fax, and many others.), and the corporate will evaluate the request.
Digital Matching Reward Varieties
Digital matching reward kinds make it simpler for workers to submit their matching reward requests, which is nice to your group! The whole course of is extra streamlined, which leads to extra donors filling them out.
Plus, digital kinds can be utilized along side matching reward software program (extra on that beneath), which nonprofits use to encourage matching reward request submissions and automate your entire course of.
Listed here are the important thing parts of digital matching reward kinds:
- Worker sign-in web page: To be able to entry their employer’s digital matching reward kinds, workers sometimes must signal into the corporate web site utilizing their worker username and password. Retirees might need to register and log in utilizing a third-party firm, however from there, it’s fairly easy to navigate.
- Submission kind: Just like paper kinds, workers might be requested to offer details about their donation. This would possibly embrace the recipient group’s title and information together with the donation quantity and date.
As soon as the digital kind has been submitted, the employer opinions it and determines whether or not the donation is eligible for a match. Then, your group might want to confirm the donation for the matching reward firm by confirming receipt of the unique reward and verifying your 501(c)(3) standing.
Automated Matching Reward Varieties (From Double the Donation)
The ultimate class of matching reward kinds are these unique to Double the Donation, the trade’s main supplier of matching reward software program. They’ve not too long ago rolled out a couple of new varieties of matching reward kinds that may make a major distinction in general program participation charges.
These embrace Double the Donation’s commonplace matching reward kind (for one-off matching reward packages) and full auto-submission performance (for firms utilizing CSR platforms that combine with 360MatchPro).
From a donor’s perspective, the important thing distinction between one of these automated submission and different varieties of matching reward kinds is that the request course of takes place solely behind the scenes. Actually, the donor is just not required to offer extra details about their donation to finish their match submission. As an alternative, Double the Donation leverages knowledge from the transaction file itself, together with particulars supplied immediately from nonprofit organizations, to finish the shape behind the scenes.
All of the donor sometimes must do is enter their company e-mail handle to confirm their id and authorize Double the Donation to submit a match request on their behalf. From there, the usual match kind is robotically accomplished and emailed to the donor’s using firm to evaluate, approve, and disperse funding as normal.
How Can Matching Reward Software program Assist?
You might need heard the time period matching reward software program floating round within the fundraising panorama. However has your staff ever invested in or actually thought of these choices?
Most main matching reward software program options (together with our high advice, Double the Donation) embody a couple of key parts.
Donation web page widget or search instrument
An identical reward database homes info on 1000’s of firms that provide matching reward packages. This implies the database consists of particulars in regards to the firm, their match ratio, minimal and most quantities, and, most significantly, a hyperlink to their matching reward kind.
By means of an embeddable search instrument that may go anyplace in your web site, donors kind within the title of their employer. The instrument then pulls up the entire information they want about submitting a match request.
Automated e-mail follow-ups
Some matching reward software program automates your entire course of. When a donor makes a present to your group utilizing a kind outfitted with one of these instrument, the platform robotically scans the knowledge they supply to find out in the event that they qualify for a match.
Then, relying on their eligibility, the platform triggers outreach outlining the subsequent steps the donor ought to take. For match-eligible people, emails typically comprise the recipient’s company-specific program tips, hyperlinks to the suitable matching reward kinds, and encouragement to finish the method.
When selecting matching reward software program, you’ll need to have a look at a couple of various factors:
- Degree of database comprehensiveness, to make sure maximal donor protection
- Variety of matching reward kinds, to simplify the submission course of and drive extra matches to completion
- Information accuracy and recency, to reinforce the standard of the knowledge supplied to donors and produce extra accomplished matches
- Search instrument ease of use, to offer a constructive person expertise to your donors interacting with the widget
- Integrations with present fundraising software program, to streamline the onboarding and knowledge administration processes
When you’ve settled on an answer, you’re able to get began!
Should you want just a little further recommendation, our suggestion is Double the Donation’s full automation system, 360MatchPro. (Take our phrase for it! Get a demo of Double the Donation right here.)
Double the Donation is the main supplier of matching reward options. Its matching reward database has collected knowledge on greater than 24,000 firms and subsidiaries, together with each’s matching reward program info. These companies make use of practically over 26 million people, who make up an estimated 99.68% of all match-eligible donors.
TLDR: You’re possible already conscious that the fitting instruments can enhance your nonprofit’s potential to lift assist and donations for its trigger. If you make use of matching reward instruments alongside your donation kind, you’ll be able to additional heighten your possibilities of receiving matching presents!
Learn how to Incorporate Matching Items into Your Donation Kind
When individuals come to your donation web page, they’re severely contemplating donating to your group They’re engaged along with your mission and due to this fact receptive right now to studying about matching reward alternatives.
Take the next state of affairs to assist this level:
Joe, a potential donor, visits your donation web page, able to make a present to your group.
Whereas on the web page, Joe notices a search instrument on the donation kind that claims, “See in case your employer will match your donation!”
Joe varieties within the title of his employer (Microsoft), and Microsoft’s matching reward tips and a hyperlink to the shape come up on his display screen.
Joe completes his donation and fills out the digital kind to submit a match request.
That is certainly one of a number of methods you’ll be able to incorporate matching presents into your donation course of. Alternatively, you’ll be able to embed your matching reward search instrument into your…
- Donation web page
- Affirmation web page
- Devoted matching reward web page
- Methods to offer web page
- And extra!
From there, an automation platform will robotically observe up with match-eligible donors and encourage them to submit an identical reward request. Utilizing instruments like these, reminiscent of Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro, you’ll be able to:
- Make it simpler for donors to entry the matching reward kinds they want.
- Enhance the variety of matching reward kinds in the end submitted.
- Develop your group’s matching reward income.
- Enhance engagement and particular person generosity amongst donors.
Incorporating matching presents into your donation kind and giving course of will increase much more consciousness round matching presents. And that’s precisely what must occur if you need donors to submit their match requests!
Learn how to Market Matching Items Successfully
So that you’ve invested in matching reward software program and paved the best way to begin accepting matched presents. However, apart from promotional techniques in your donation web page, how do your donors know to get on board?
Like some other alternative to offer, your nonprofit should do its half to tell supporters and request their donations by spreading the phrase about your fundraising efforts. The excellent news is that the message about matching presents will be included into all your traditional advertising and marketing channels. Right here’s how!
Social media:
Particularly since matching reward kinds and the fitting software program make the method really easy, a fast explainer submit about matching presents in your social media channels can encourage followers to examine their eligibility and submit a request!
E-mail advertising and marketing:
Whether or not you’re sending a post-donation acknowledgment or scheduling a mass digital e-newsletter, your group’s e-mail communications present a superb alternative to advertise matching presents to your viewers. It’s impactful, cost-effective, and will be automated along with your matching reward platform.
Your web site:
Create a web page devoted solely to matching presents. Embrace every thing your web site guests must know, like a definition of matching presents, probably the most often requested questions, your group’s contact info and tax identification quantity, and your embedded matching reward database.
The Google Advert Grant:
Should you’re already leveraging Google’s Advert Grant program for nonprofits to attract extra site visitors to your web site, it’s an ideal place to extend visibility and consciousness of matching presents. Should you haven’t already taken steps to safe $10,000 price of free promoting area to your group, now’s a superb time to look into it. Then, use your credit to advertise your matching presents web page or donation kind!
Flyers and promotional supplies:
Pique supporters’ curiosity by including a small part or reminder about matching presents in any of your promotional supplies. Embrace a hyperlink in your fundraising flyers or promotional posters to extra details about matching presents so supporters are reminded to examine into it.
Inspiring Matching Reward Kind Examples
Eager about exploring the method donors will take to request matching presents in your group’s behalf? We’ve pulled a pattern entry for you.
- Step #1: A donor locates the matching reward search instrument plugin on a nonprofit’s web site or donation kind.
- Step #2: The person varieties the title of their employer into the search instrument and selects the suitable firm.
- Step #3: Their employer’s matching reward program info populates, providing a direct hyperlink to the digital matching reward kind (or an choice to auto-submit the request from the giving web page).
- Step #4: The donor logs into their firm giving portal to entry the matching reward kind and submit the entire needed info.
From there, your nonprofit might be on its strategy to securing extra matching reward income!
Closing Ideas & Further Sources
Understanding use matching reward kinds is important to your nonprofit. For one of the best outcomes, your staff ought to have the ability to information donors to their appropriate kinds, present extra assist when requested, and lift extra income to your trigger consequently.
If you use matching reward software program to streamline this whole course of, you’ll make it simpler on donors and your self.
To be taught extra about matching presents, high firms that provide the packages, or company giving usually, take a look at the assets beneath!
