The key to growing corporate relationships? Matching gifts!

Good morning, DonorDreams readers! As the Beatles sang so many decades ago, “I get by with a little help from my friends“. As you know, I’ve been relying on a number of guest bloggers to get me through a busy period. Today’s guest post is from Adam Weinger over at Double the Donation blog.Adam shares  I hope you enjoy this morning’s post.  Here’s to your health!  ~Erik


How Your Nonprofit can use Matching Gifts to Grow Corporate Relationships

By Adam Weinger
Double the Donation
matching giftMatching gifts are a great way for your nonprofit to receive twice as many donations from donors and their employers. While this benefit is obvious, did you know that matching gifts can also help your nonprofit create and cultivate relationships with corporations?
Nearly every company is looking to expand and improve its culture of corporate social responsibility. Your nonprofit can help these businesses achieve their goals while you simultaneously promote matching gifts to your donors!

Here are three ways that your nonprofit can use matching gifts to cultivate corporate relationships.

If your nonprofit has existing partnerships with corporations that provide stellar matching gift programs to their employees, thank those companies for encouraging employee giving and helping your nonprofit accomplish its mission.
Take a look at Double the Donation’s list of the top matching gift companies to see if any of your corporate partners made the cut!

1. Press releases

Sending out a press release is one of the best ways for your nonprofit to put the spotlight on your corporate partners. Not only is this a highly visible and simple way to let people know about the good that your organization’s corporate partner is doing, but it also gives you an opportunity to let others know more about your nonprofit in general.
A sample press release should include information about:

  • Past donations.
  • How long your nonprofit has been partnered with the company.
  • How many employees have taken advantage of the matching gift program.
  • The other types of corporate giving programs that the company offers.
  • Any other pertinent information.

Press releases draw attention to the philanthropy of the companies that help your nonprofit and educate the general public about your nonprofit and the work that you’re doing. Plus, the company’s employees feel good knowing that they work for a business that regularly gives back to causes that they feel deeply about. They’re a win for everyone involved!

For help on getting started forming partnerships, check out these best practices.

2. Use your nonprofit’s website to acknowledge corporate partners

Many donors are already using your organization’s website to make their donations. Why not use the opportunity to promote the generosity of the corporations that offer matching gift programs?
If you already have a dedicated matching gift page on your nonprofit’s website, add some information about companies that have outstanding matching gift programs to educate donors about doubling their donations while simultaneously thanking and acknowledging those companies.
If you don’t have a dedicated matching gift page on your website, set one up so that donors know exactly how they can maximize their donations and can research the companies that offer them.
Additionally, promoting your corporate partnerships and their matching gifts can help ensure that those partnerships thrive and continue down the line.
For ways to use ePhilanthropy to secure matching gifts, check out this article.

3. Recognize corporate partnerships and matching gift programs at events

Whether your nonprofit is hosting a gala, auction, walkathon, or other fundraising event, you can make the most of a captive audience to thank your corporate partners and laud the matching gift programs that they offer their employees.
Obviously, don’t overshadow the corporate sponsors that have made your fundraising event possible. But it’s a good idea to give a shout out to all of the companies that have helped your organization in one way or another.
When you publicly announce and promote the businesses that have assisted your nonprofit with their matching gift programs, you not only strengthen the existing nonprofit-company relationship that you have, but you also let other individuals know about matching gifts.

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There are many benefits that nonprofit-corporate partnerships can produce. When those companies offer matching gift programs, your nonprofit is doubly rewarded. Recognizing your corporate partners online and in person is your nonprofit’s way of acknowledging their generosity and drawing attention to their outstanding matching gift programs.

How does your organization use ePhilanthropy strategies to secure matching gifts?

Good morning, DonorDreams readers! As I’ve shared in recent posts, my work schedule has become chaotic in recent months thanks to a few fun and challenging contracts that I signed. Since there is only so much time in a day, I sometimes inadvertently end up dropping the ball with writing a blog post. I promised you that I will do my best to keep this blog platform a priority and try to engage guest bloggers to fill some of the gaps created by my schedule. This morning I’m grateful to Adam Weinger, who is the president of Double the Donation, for agreeing to be one of those guest bloggers. I hope you enjoy this morning’s post about online matching gift strategies.  Here’s to your health!  ~Erik


6 Tips to Increase Your Online Matching Gift Strategy

Letting your donors know about matching gift programs doesn’t have to be a headache. Having a great team and crafting an effective online presence will help you get the word out about matching gifts and will result in more donations for your nonprofit.

Here are 6 tips that will enable you to give your online gift matching strategies a boost.

1. Appoint a Matching Gift Coordinator

Before beefing up your online matching gift strategy, it’s a good idea to designate one person or a small team of people who will be able to effectively market matching gifts online. While the entire staff should be aware of matching gift programs, making one person the established go-to source for matching gifts can help streamline the online donation and matching gift process.

2. Raise Awareness on Your Website

When people visit your nonprofit’s website, they’re usually looking for information about your organization and ways to donate to your cause.
Why not use that opportunity to let them know about corporate giving programs such as matching gift programs?
For example, you can spread the word about matching gifts on your website in a variety of ways:

  • Include matching gifts on your “ways to give” page. When potential or existing donors find their way to an online donation page, have a prominent link that points them in the direction of matching gift information.
  • Consider implementing an entire page dedicated to matching gift programs. Creating a comprehensive page that lets donors know more about matching gift programs is a great way to give them the most information in one central location.

3. Update Your Website

Nothing can irritate a donor more than going to a nonprofit’s website and getting nothing but broken links and unhelpful pages. The most recent Millennial Impact Report found that over 30% of millennial employees who make donations do so online. Contributions made online are becoming increasingly popular due to the ease and accessibility of donation pages. Don’t miss out on getting these donations plus the matching gifts that go along with them by having a subpar website.

4. Inform Donors about Matching Gifts Throughout the Donation Process

Keeping individuals in the know about matching gifts at every stage of the donation process will help maximize the number of donors that look into doubling their donation.

Provide an option when they donate

If your donors are using your website to donate, use the opportunity to let them know about matching gifts while they’re giving. Offering donors an option to learn more about matching gifts while their contribution is being made will increase the chances that they’ll look into matching gifts.
For tips on making online donations easier, check out this article.

Use your confirmation page

Donors want to make sure their online donation went through without a hitch. Since they’ll be directed to the confirmation page anyway, it’s worthwhile to let donors know about matching gift programs, just in case they missed it on the actual donation page.

Thank You Email

You should always say thank you after receiving a donation, but you can also use your thank you email to let donors about matching gifts. Not only will they feel appreciated for giving to your organization, but they’ll also know more about doubling their contribution.
One idea: Send a short creative video in an email to let donors know you appreciate their gift and show them what your donation is going toward.
Check out these great tips on sending out thank you notes.

5. Pair up Wealth Screenings and Matching Gifts

Using wealth screenings and prospect research to get the most out of your existing donations can be the perfect way to make them go farther.
It’s essential to know who your donors are, who has greatest capacity to give, and who they’re connected to. And spending time learning about your donors or prospective donors will help you maximize the number of donations you receive, and better enable your organization to get the word out about matching gifts.
Learn more about wealth screenings and look into how they pair well with matching gifts.

6. Use Social Media

matching-donations-cmta-facebookWith so many people posting updates, Tweeting the latest news, and hashtagging photos of their lunch, it’s a good idea to jump on the social media bandwagon and utilize different sites to promote matching gifts programs. Keeping the message short and sweet is the key, here. No one wants to read a novel when scrolling through their Facebook newsfeed.
The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association has a perfect example of how to capture followers’ attention and let them know about matching gifts without overwhelming them with information. The picture highlights doubling donations by showing two scoops of ice cream and as well as using the “double scoop” pun to draw followers’ attention to matching gift information. The post also provides donors with a helpful link to find out whether or not their employer uses a gift matching program.
Learn more about using social media to promote matching gifts.
Using a combination of these different tools will help your nonprofit succeed in letting your donors know about matching gift programs, resulting in more donations for your organization.