4 Ways for Nonprofits to Maximize Revenue from Employee Matching Gifts

Companies of all sizes often choose to participate in employee matching gift programs. After employees of the participating companies donate to a nonprofit organization, they can request a match from their employer, doubling the initial donation. Following are four ways nonprofit organizations can maximize revenue from employee matching gifts.

1. Incorporate matching gifts in the donation process

In order to receive more employee matching gifts, you need to make it clear to donors that this option is available to them. Start by including a call to action on the confirmation page after a donation has been submitted to provide donors with a quick explanation of employee matching gifts and encourage them to check with their employer about their match-eligibility.

You can also offer a matching gift search tool on the confirmation page to help donors find company-specific information and take immediate action toward getting their donations matched. Make sure the matching gift information provided on this page is detailed, digestible, and actionable. Present them with the applicable minimum and maximum donation amounts, the match ratio, and a link to where they can actually submit their matching gift request.

2. Spread the word about matching gifts

Since some donors may not have heard of employee matching programs, and sometimes have limited knowledge of their own match-eligibility, it is important to spread the word about matching gifts. Lack of donor awareness is one of the biggest hurdles organizations must overcome to maximize matching gift revenue. Therefore, you must bridge that knowledge gap for your supporters.

Be sure to provide donors with the definition of matching gifts, breakdowns of the elements commonly found in matching gift guidelines, and directions on how to submit a matching gift request. You can also present a list of companies that match employee donations.

You can share this information with your supporters on your website, social media, or via email.

3. Make timely matching gift appeals

Timing is everything when it comes to successful matching gifts campaigns. Email follow-ups should be sent directly to donors after they’ve contributed to explain what matching gifts are and emphasize how they impact your organization. These emails can be used to convey how much your organization appreciates the donors’ support, make them feel like a crucial member of the team, and show how much further the matching gift takes their donation.

Additionally, consider including matching gifts in all of your seasonal or time-sensitive campaigns. For example, one of the most opportune times to mention matching gifts is during year-end fundraising. You can appeal to both new and existing donors, emphasizing the opportunity to double the impact of their donation.

It’s helpful to remember that matching gifts provide an opportunity to talk to your donor base without sending another donation appeal. They have already donated, but you’re now reaching out and showing that those donations can go twice as far with a match from their employer.

4. Make the most of matching gift software

Leveraging the right software can help reduce some of the effort required to encourage and elicit matching gift requests from your donors.

For example, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro automatically identifies matching gift opportunities and filters them into the appropriate automated email stream. These donations are tracked so you can see when a match-eligible donor has submitted a request. They are then synthesized into actionable insights, such as match-eligible donations, submitted match requests, and the amount collected in matching gifts.

By automatically reaching out to your donor base regarding matching gifts, the software affords you more time to achieve your organizational goals while increasing your donations.

Maximizing Your Revenue

By leveraging the right software in conjunction with proper awareness strategies, your organization can maximize its revenue with employee matching gifts. For more information on how PlainsCapital Bank can help generate revenue and manage finances for nonprofits, call a PlainsCapital representative today at 866.762.8392.