Double Giving Tuesday Donations: Leveraging Matching Wednesday
Giving Tuesday, celebrated annually after Thanksgiving, is a significant fundraising event for nonprofits. In 2023, nearly $3.1 billion was raised, with over $1 billion coming from online donations. However, amidst the excitement of Giving Tuesday, many nonprofits miss out on a key opportunity to further increase their donations through matching gift programs: the following day, also known as Matching Wednesday.
Matching gift programs are a crucial strategy for nonprofits, enabling donors to double their contributions through employer-sponsored matching programs. But leveraging matching gifts effectively requires a well-thought-out approach. This post will explore how nonprofits can increase their matching gift revenue on Giving Tuesday and beyond, focusing on both basic and advanced strategies.
In this guide, we will cover the following:
By understanding the full potential of matching gift programs and planning ahead, nonprofits can turn Giving Tuesday into a multi-day fundraising opportunity. From educating donors about employer matches to strategically timing communications around Matching Wednesday, your organization can significantly increase revenue without incurring additional donor acquisition costs.
In the sections below, we’ll provide actionable tips and proven strategies to help your nonprofit maximize matching gifts, strengthen donor relationships, and make the most of this critical giving season. Let’s begin.
Essential Strategies for Leveraging Matching Gifts on Giving Tuesday
For nonprofits just beginning to tap into the potential of matching gifts, here are several basic but crucial strategies to ensure you’re capturing as many matching gifts as possible on Giving Tuesday:
1. Make Matching Gifts Front and Center
To increase the likelihood that donors will take advantage of matching gift opportunities, it’s critical to make matching gifts a central part of your fundraising messaging. Many donors are unaware that they can double their contributions through employer programs, so it’s essential to clearly highlight this option wherever donations are being collected.
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On Your Donation Page: Clearly state that donations may be eligible for matching. Use a prominent banner or call-to-action button that links to more information about matching gifts.
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Emails and Social Media: Include a callout in your email and social media appeals. For example, a banner in your email could say, “Double your impact today at no cost to you! See if your employer offers matching gifts!” Ensure that this messaging is included in any outreach materials, as donors may not think to search for this option unless prompted.
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On the Confirmation Screen: After a donor has contributed, include a strong message on your confirmation or thank-you page encouraging them to submit a matching gift request if they are eligible.
2. Clarify the Matching Process and Eligibility
Many donors are unaware of how to determine if their employer offers a matching gift program or how to submit a request. Therefore, it’s vital to simplify the process as much as possible.
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Create Easy Access to Information: Utilize an automated matching gift tool that enables donors to search for their employer’s matching gift program directly on your donation page. This will help eliminate any barriers to action.
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Provide a Step-by-Step Guide: On your website, provide a clear, step-by-step guide on how donors can submit their matching gift requests. Include any necessary forms or links that will take them directly to the relevant pages of their employer’s matching gift program.
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Email Reminders: After the donation is made, send a reminder email that highlights the matching gift process and explains how to complete their submission. Ensure the email includes a clear link to the matching gift portal.
3. Incorporate Urgency with Deadlines
Matching gift programs often have strict deadlines for submissions. To increase the likelihood that donors take advantage of matching gifts, create a sense of urgency by emphasizing matching gift deadlines.
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Promote Deadlines on All Channels: On Giving Tuesday, use real-time updates to remind donors that they only have a limited window to submit their matching gift requests. This can be done through social media posts, email reminders, and even a countdown timer on your donation page.
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Create a Sense of Urgency: Encourage donors to act quickly by sending a final reminder a few hours before the Giving Tuesday campaign ends.
4. Use Matching Gifts as a Way to Maximize Donations
One of the best features of matching gift programs is that they multiply donations. Donors appreciate the idea that their contribution will have a greater impact. It’s essential to promote this idea.
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Include Match Multiples: When promoting matching gifts, it can be helpful to highlight exact matching amounts; for instance, if an employer will match $100 for every $100 donated. Donors may be more inclined to give larger amounts if they know their donation will be matched dollar for dollar.
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Incorporate Matching Gift Examples: Use real-life examples of how matching gifts can benefit your cause. For instance, “For every $50 you donate, your employer could match it with another $50, helping us feed more families in need.” You can adapt the specific language to your mission and goals, but a simple mention of the impact can go a long way in empowering actions!
Advanced Practices for Maximizing Matching Gifts
For nonprofits that already have a basic matching gift strategy in place, it’s time to look at advanced techniques that can significantly increase your matching gift revenue.
1. Engage Corporations for Matching Gift Campaigns
Corporations often seek ways to engage their employees in philanthropic efforts. By creating a one-off matching campaign specifically for Giving Tuesday, you can encourage companies to double their employees’ donations to your nonprofit.
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Reach Out to Companies: If you know that a donor works for a company that offers matching gifts, reach out to that company’s HR or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department directly. Offer them an opportunity to match employee donations made on Giving Tuesday.
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Offer Special Recognition: Acknowledge companies that participate in your matching campaign with special recognition. This could include acknowledgment on your website or social media channels, a dedicated page for corporate supporters, or even a thank-you note from your team.
2. Use Social Media and Digital Tools for Real-Time Updates
Social media can be a powerful tool for driving urgency and excitement around matching gifts. By posting real-time donation totals and matching gift progress, you can encourage donors to contribute more quickly.
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Track Donations and Matching Gifts: On platforms like Twitter and Facebook, provide frequent updates about how much has been raised and how much matching support is available. You can create custom hashtags for your campaign to track progress and keep the conversation going.
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Highlight Matching Gift Milestones: For example, post updates like, “We’ve raised $5,000 so far, and with matching gifts, that’s now $10,000! We can’t wait to see the impact this has. Keep it up!”
3. Send Custom Follow-Up Emails
One of the most effective ways to maximize matching gift revenue is through custom follow-up emails. After donors give on Giving Tuesday, send them a targeted email that:
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Thanks them for their donation.
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Reminds them about matching gift opportunities for which they may be eligible.
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Includes a direct link to their matching gift portal (if available).
The more personalized these emails are, the better. You can segment your email list by donor type (e.g., corporate, individual) to send more relevant and customized messages.
4. Incentivize Donors with Recognition
To motivate donors to give larger amounts and submit matching gift requests, consider offering incentives. These can include:
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Donor Recognition: Feature donors who have made a donation and submitted a matching gift request on a special donor wall or on social media.
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Exclusive Access: Offer donors who contribute at a specific level or have their donations matched exclusive access to premium content, events, or thank-you gifts.
The Importance of Matching Wednesday (& Tips for Success)
While Giving Tuesday is undoubtedly the primary focus for many nonprofits, Matching Wednesday (the day directly afterward) can be just as important, especially when it comes to matching gift opportunities. Here’s why:
1. Matching Wednesday Builds on the Momentum of Giving Tuesday
Matching Wednesday allows you to continue the momentum generated on Giving Tuesday. Many donors may not have completed the matching gift process on the day itself, so offering a second chance to claim matching funds is crucial.
For the best results, reinforce the collective purpose. Similar to Giving Tuesday, Matching Wednesday fosters a sense of shared purpose. You can position it as a continuation of the collective action on Giving Tuesday, encouraging donors to keep contributing to reach the campaign’s goals.
2. Matching Wednesday Offers a Second Chance for Donors
Some donors may not have been aware that their gifts were eligible for matching. At the same time, others may require more time to process their request. Matching Wednesday gives them another opportunity to take action and increase their impact.
For the best results, implement targeted follow-ups. Schedule outreach designed explicitly for Matching Wednesday, reminding donors that they can still submit their matching gift requests.
3. Matching Wednesday Boosts Your Overall Campaign
By extending your fundraising efforts into Matching Wednesday, you’ll increase your overall revenue by capturing donations and matching gifts that might have otherwise been missed.
For the best results, track the impact of Matching Wednesday. Just like with Giving Tuesday, be sure to monitor your progress throughout Matching Wednesday. Let donors know how much matching gift money you’ve received (or has been pledged) and how much more is needed to hit your fundraising goal.
Conclusion and Resources for Nonprofits
Maximizing matching gift revenue is crucial for nonprofits seeking to optimize their Giving Tuesday campaign. By incorporating both basic strategies and advanced techniques, you can significantly increase your matching gift revenue.
Additionally, Matching Wednesday is a powerful tool for extending the fundraising period and maximizing donations. By reminding donors of the matching gift opportunity the day after Giving Tuesday, you can increase overall engagement and participation.
For nonprofits looking to streamline their matching gift efforts, Double the Donation offers matching gift templates and resources to make the process smoother and more efficient. If you’re already using Double the Donation, you can access Matching Wednesday templates in the marketing section of your account. These templates help you efficiently communicate with donors and ensure you’re maximizing every dollar.
Not yet using Double the Donation’s platform in your matching gift efforts? Reqeust a free demo using the button below. 👇
