Matching gift programs allow employees to send a request to their employer to match their donation amount, making it possible for companies both large and small to essentially double donation amounts. Corporate giving initiatives like these are especially critical toward the end of the year when giving potential is at its greatest (nearly a third of annual giving occurs in December alone).
Presenting opportunities to make a larger impact means donors are even more likely to give, and you can make the most of year-end giving campaigns with a company matching gift program. However, that’s easier said than done. Today, we’ll discuss garnering corporate support to maximize year-end donation revenue.
3 approaches to maximizing matching gift programs at year-end
The end of the year has the greatest donation potential, so this season is incredibly competitive. Meeting donors where they are is more challenging because nonprofits are competing with similar organizations for the same dollars. Luckily, Fundraise Up features help you break through the noise with the following capabilities:
1. Make it easy for companies to get involved with automated donor outreach.
Ideally, you’ll want to remove friction in the donation process wherever and whenever possible, including for corporate sponsors. In other words, make it simple for organizations to sponsor and promote their matching gift program. Fundraise Up, in partnership with Double the Donation, integrates with its 360MatchPro solution to upsell to eligible match amounts, encouraging larger donations and a greater number of match requests and closing the donor awareness gap.
Your nonprofit can also use automated email campaigns to inform and remind donors about matching gift opportunities. Personalize these emails with information about their employer's matching policies, including amount minimums, maximums, and the ultimate fundraising goal.
Fundraise Up already uses innovative technology to drive donor conversion rates and satisfaction, so we are very excited to add an enhanced matching gift touchpoint to their donation flow. This enhancement will ensure no matching gift opportunities fall through the cracks. — Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation
2. Demonstrate campaign success viability by enhancing online donation forms.
An optimized donation page is essential for converting website visitors. Widely accepted research states that nonprofit donation pages experience anywhere from a 50-70 percent abandonment rate on average, most likely attributed to unnecessary friction in the donation process. Essentially, the longer it takes a user to finalize the donation (i.e., the more fields they have to fill out or steps they have to take), the higher the chance they’ll abandon the page altogether.
Incorporate a matching gift search tool in your online donation forms so donors can easily and quickly check if their employer offers a matching gift program during the donation process. This effectively reduces steps for donors and increases match opportunities for your nonprofit.
3. Assure companies and donors that their impact makes a real difference with in-depth tracking and reporting.
Show companies that their impact is real by using analytics to show the results of campaigns. Many company leaders look for concrete data that offers actionable insights into how their organization is inspiring change. The Fundraise Up Insights Dashboard, for example, enables you to track performance, spot trends, and analyze key metrics such as campaign donation comparisons, donation frequency tracking, and popular giving times.
Additionally, the Recent Donations Element is a great feature for illustrating how donors are rallying around a cause. Try the Demo! This component allows you to show a list of up to 10 recent donations from your supporters, complete with customizable styles and settings. Other digital fundraising Elements, such as the Goal Meter, clearly display the total impact of giving by automatically updating after a donation is made.
Engage supporters with corporate gift matching and more
Seamless and effective corporate gift matching programs are just one way that Fundraise Up maximizes giving and makes supporting a meaningful cause easier for everyone. Our suite of UI Elements, global tools, and integrations are designed to make fundraising simpler, more engaging, and more rewarding. Ready to upgrade your matching program? Our platform experts can walk you through it. Let’s set up a call.