Nonprofits and Employer Matching: Doubling the Impact of Donations

As a nonprofit organization, you rely on fundraising to support your mission and make a difference in the world. But with so many causes out there vying for donors' attention, it can be challenging to stand out and attract support. That's where employer matching comes in - a powerful tool that can help you maximize your fundraising efforts and increase donations.

According to Double the Donation:

• 18 million individuals work for companies that offer gift matching programs,
• Only 7% of donors actually take advantage of this opportunity to double their donations. This represents a missed opportunity for nonprofits to increase their fundraising efforts.
• 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer gift matching programs, representing a significant opportunity for nonprofits to tap into corporate philanthropy. Yet, despite the clear benefits of employer matching, many donors are not aware of this option.

🚨 As a nonprofit, it's your responsibility to take steps to promote and incorporate employer matching into your fundraising program.

Why should you offer employer matching?

By offering employer matching, you can potentially double the impact of a donor's contribution, which means more funds to support your programs and services.

Here's why:

• Increased donations: With employer matching, you can potentially double the amount of a donor's contribution, leading to more funds to support your mission.
  
  
• Improved donor engagement: By offering a matching option, you can encourage donors to give more and feel more connected to your organization. It shows donors that their contributions are valued and appreciated, leading to improved donor engagement.
  
  
• Enhanced visibility and credibility: Companies that offer gift matching are often seen as socially responsible and committed to giving back to the community. By partnering with such companies and promoting the matching option, you can increase your visibility and credibility.
  
  
• Strengthened corporate partnerships: Offering employer matching can also strengthen your partnerships with companies. By showcasing the benefits of gift matching, you can encourage companies to support your cause and potentially increase their matching contribution over time.

Successful examples of employer matching

Several nonprofits have successfully incorporated employer matching into their fundraising programs.

For instance...

The American Red Cross launched a matching gift program in 2019 to increase the impact of donations. The program allowed donors to double the impact of their contributions, as their employer would match the donation dollar for dollar. To promote the program, the Red Cross utilized social media to encourage donors to take advantage of the matching option. As a result, the organization was able to raise an impressive $10 million through employer matching in 2019.

In addition to the American Red Cross's successful matching gift program in 2019, they continued to use this fundraising tactic in 2021. Recently, the energy company AES made a $30,000 donation to the American Red Cross to kick off a matching gift campaign. Through this campaign, AES will match up to $30,000 in donations made to the American Red Cross, effectively doubling the impact of donors' gifts. This type of partnership between a corporation and a nonprofit is a win-win situation as the nonprofit is able to raise more funds, and the corporation is able to demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility and philanthropy.

In addition to the American Red Cross, the Humane Society of the United States has also seen great success with employer matching programs. In fact, they recently launched a $250,000 matching gift campaign, which was announced on Parkland Talk in 2021. The Humane Society's dedicated matching gifts team works hard to secure matching donations from corporations, and they provide donors with the necessary resources to navigate the process. Thanks to their efforts, the organization was able to raise an impressive $2.4 million through employer matching in 2020 alone.

Last, but not least, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research facility that is focused on curing and preventing childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. To help support their mission, St. Jude has a gift-matching program that encourages donors to increase the impact of their donations.

Thanks to these efforts, St. Jude was able to raise over $53 million through matching gifts in 2020 alone. This substantial amount helped them continue their important work of providing life-saving treatment and support to children and families in need.

How to incorporate employer matching into your fundraising program

Incorporating employer matching into your fundraising program is easier than you might think. By providing this option on your donation forms, you can make it easy for your donors to double their contributions with just a few clicks.

Harness Giving has recently launched Employer Gift Matching with the new release of our Donations forms 2.0, making it even easier for nonprofits to take advantage of this powerful fundraising tool. By partnering with Harness Giving, you can increase your donations, engage your donors, and strengthen your partnerships with companies.

Bring it all together

Employer matching is a valuable fundraising tool that can help nonprofits make a bigger impact on their cause.

By offering employer matching, you can potentially double the impact of a donor's contribution, leading to increased funds to support your programs and services. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to maximize your fundraising efforts and attract more support for your mission. Book a demo with our team today to learn more about how Harness Giving can help you incorporate employer matching into your fundraising program

Want to learn more?

Watch the on-demand webinar on Gift Matching and learn how you can incorporate it into your fundraising program today!

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