Worker matching items are one of the crucial common types of company philanthropy. Nonetheless, the supply is broadly untapped, largely on account of a lack of information surrounding the applications. For those who’re seeking to drive participation at your group (with a purpose to maximize funding and elevate donor engagement), it’s time to get matching items trending amongst supporters.
However how will you go about doing so? Begin a buzz round matching items at your nonprofit with these useful ideas:
- Share a weblog put up.
- Use hashtags on social media.
- Prioritize video content material.
- Discover synthetic intelligence and tech for content material creation.
- Host a real-time Q&A on-line.
- Think about influencers and peer advocates.
- Take advantage of free promoting with Google Grants.
- Sustain with shifting developments.
Our hope is that, by incorporating our advisable practices, matching items will develop into a widely known and absolutely utilized supply of help amongst you and your supporters.
Let’s soar in with our first trick.
1. Share a weblog put up.
Weblog articles are an efficient medium for advertising and marketing matching items and different worker giving types to your
supporters. A well-written put up supplies a possibility to share an in-depth clarification of the philanthropy applications, together with exhibiting donors that your group is concentrated on maximizing fundraising from each supply.
Undecided the place to get began? We’ve written the next article that your staff can use to kick off your matching reward running a blog technique. From there, you’ll be able to ship a hyperlink to the newly revealed useful resource in your newsletters and different communications to make sure donors find out about this chance to extend their influence.
Company Worker Matching Reward Applications: The Secret to Boosting Income
For nonprofit organizations, each greenback counts. Company worker matching items supply the chance to show one greenback donated by a match-eligible worker into two, three, and even 4 {dollars}!
Do you know that greater than 26 million workers work for firms with matching reward applications? You may be one among them!
On this article, we’re going to discover precisely what to anticipate when working with matching items and how you can benefit from this unimaginable fundraising alternative.
What are company matching reward applications?
Worker matching reward applications are a sort of company philanthropy set as much as encourage workers to provide again to their communities. These firms encourage group outreach by making donations to the identical nonprofits that their workers have donated to.
These applications have develop into fairly widespread, however many donors haven’t heard of them or aren’t conscious of their very own match-eligibility. $4-7 billion in matching reward income is left on the desk annually, and we wish to work with our donors to assert as a lot of it as doable.
Whereas the specifics of those applications fluctuate from firm to firm, the weather that form these tips are usually the identical:
- Match ratio: This defines what sort of donation the corporate will make in relation to the worker’s preliminary contribution. A 1:1 ratio signifies that the corporate will donate the very same quantity, doubling the contribution to the worker’s chosen nonprofit.
- Minimal and most: The minimal refers back to the quantity an worker should donate to qualify for an identical reward. The utmost is the entire quantity that an organization will donate in matching contributions per worker yearly.
- Worker standing: Typically, the worker’s position on the firm can have an effect on the match that they qualify for. For instance, Hole Inc. affords a $1,000 most to part-time workers and a $10,000 most to Senior VP’s.
- Nonprofit eligibility: Some applications supply totally different matches based mostly on the mission of the group being donated to. Nevertheless, most firms supply “unrestricted” applications the place any registered nonprofit can obtain funds.
- Submission deadline: Each program identifies a deadline when the matching reward request have to be submitted by the worker. This deadline will be both a agency date (December thirty first is frequent) or a threshold based mostly on the date of the preliminary donation (90 days after donation is made).
Listed here are a couple of examples:
- Johnson & Johnson — Triples donations with a 2:1 match as much as $20,000 for present workers, whereas additionally doubling donations (1:1 match) for retirees
- Financial institution of America — Matches donations 1:1 between $24 and $5,000 yearly per worker
- House Depot — Matches donations 1:1 as much as $3,000 yearly per worker
The influence of those applications will be substantial! In truth, Microsoft has been recognized to match over $48 million value of worker donations to varsities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in a single yr.
Need to assist [your organization’s name]?
Rising income with matching items isn’t too tough, however we want our donors’ assist. Final yr we obtained [insert number] matching items, which helped us elevate [insert dollar amount]. We’ve set a purpose of elevating [insert dollar amount] from these applications.
If we meet our purpose, we’ll be capable of higher [insert organization’s mission and how the organization would use the additional funding].
You’ll be able to assist us attain these objectives by trying to find your individual match-eligibility. Instantly assess your eligibility and acquire entry to detailed details about your employer’s company giving program by looking out our database of firms with matching reward applications [link to your dedicated matching gifts page or Double the Donation hosted URL].
We’ll give you as a lot of the next as doable:
- Up-to-date, company-specific program tips in your employer
- Hyperlinks to the right on-line matching reward request types or downloadable PDFs
- Our contact info (Tax ID, tackle, fundraising contact), which you will want in your matching reward request
If your organization isn’t listed, be sure to verify together with your firm’s HR division. We admire you taking a couple of minutes to double the influence of your donation!
In the meantime, should you select to put in writing a weblog put up from scratch, we advocate:
- Offering an summary of worker matching reward and/or volunteer grant applications
- Sharing examples of firms that provide worker giving applications
- Explaining the constructive influence these extra funds may have in your group’s work
- Requesting that donors and volunteers seek for their employer’s matching reward info utilizing your matching reward search software from Double the Donationa
2. Use hashtags on social media.
Your group doubtless depends on social media as a core tenet of your digital advertising and marketing technique. However do you could have a plan in place to maximise your attain and engagement on key networking platforms?
Analysis signifies that incorporating hashtags in your posts goes a great distance by way of visibility, viewers engagement, and extra. A hashtag, which is basically an octothorpe image adopted by a key phrase or phrase, is a social media software used to prepare posts based mostly on content material matter. And together with a number of in your postings can drive engagement by as much as 100% in comparison with posts with out hashtags.
In your subsequent social media put up about matching items in your group, take into account using a couple of associated hashtags and see how your viewers responds. Listed here are a couple of examples you need to use:
- #match
- #matchinggifts
- #doubleyourdonation
- #donationmatch
- #amplifyingimpact
- #[nonprofit name]matchinggifts
- #getyourgiftmatched
- #nonprofitmatching
- #matchingdonations
- #corporatematching
- #doyoumatch
- #doublethelove
- #corporatephilanthropy
- #employeegiving
- #makeyourmatch
It’s additionally necessary to notice that the best way you employ hashtags can and will fluctuate relying on the social platforms you employ. For instance, research present that Tweets with 1-2 hashtags see greater than twice as a lot engagement as these with out hashtags. However Tweets with greater than two hashtags really see a drop in engagement.
In the meantime, the most-interacted-with Instagram posts sometimes embrace 11+ hashtags!
3. Prioritize video content material.
In line with content material advertising and marketing analysis for nonprofits, video content material is likely one of the most important parts of an optimized engagement plan. In truth, 66% of people discover short-form movies to be essentially the most partaking kind of fabric revealed on social media.
To not point out, of a corporation’s viewers…
- Over 75% discover movies helpful when figuring out whether or not to provide;
- 57% then go on to donate;
- 39% purposefully analysis the nonprofit inside 24 hours of watching a video.
Within the age of YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Snapchat, and extra, video-sharing is turning into an more and more integral a part of nonprofit advertising and marketing. And in relation to matching items, producing video content material can play a essential position in informing and galvanizing motion amongst donors.
For instance, take a look at this exemplary matching reward video that demonstrates the convenience with which a donor can full the method to amplify their influence on behalf of a trigger they care about:
As soon as they’d the video created, the group opted to share the content material on each its web site and social media channels to additional its attain.
Check out the Fb put up right here:
Need to make your individual video? Right here’s a pattern script you need to use to get began:
“Rising income with matching items isn’t too tough, however we want our donors’ assist. Final yr we collected $[total revenue] value of matching items. This yr, we’d wish to obtain much more. We’ve set a purpose to lift over $[revenue goal] from these applications by the tip of the yr. If we meet our purpose, we’ll be capable of [summary of your nonprofit mission and/or specific project or programming].
You’ll be able to assist us attain these objectives by trying to find your individual match eligibility. Instantly assess your eligibility and acquire entry to detailed details about your employer’s company giving program. All you must do is search our database of firms with matching reward applications. Click on the hyperlink within the caption [to your organization’s dedicated matching gift page] to be taught extra.”
4. Discover synthetic intelligence and expertise for content material creation.
A major roadblock going through all kinds of nonprofits is a scarcity of effort and time devoted to their advertising and marketing methods—particularly in relation to matching items. In truth, Nonprofits Supply finds that over 80% of nonprofits report issue constructing sturdy office giving methods on account of restricted employees and assets.
One distinctive and modern answer? Synthetic intelligence and good expertise.
AI-powered instruments are presently sweeping the nation, significantly in regard to manufacturers streamlining content material creation whereas placing extra time again into the palms of employees members. To supply some examples of how this could influence matching items, we examined a couple of synthetic intelligence instruments to see what they might provide you with.
Right here’s a pattern social media caption written by one AI chatbot software, ChatGPT (from the emojis to the hashtags and every thing in between):
“Do you know that matching items can double and even triple your influence as a donor? 💰💸 Not solely does this profit your favourite nonprofit, however it additionally exhibits your employer’s dedication to supporting causes that matter to their workers. 🤝 Study extra in regards to the energy of matching items and how one can get entangled to make a distinction right this moment!
#MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #NonprofitImpact”
To not point out, our very personal 360MatchPro will help streamline donor communications whereas sustaining focused and personalised efforts. With this software, you’ll be able to simply gather and observe donor employment knowledge, establish match-eligible donations, and set off automated e mail follow-ups that drive extra matching items to completion. And it could actually all happen with out your fundraising staff having to carry a finger!
5. Host a real-time Q&A on-line.
From the attitude of a donor who has by no means requested an identical reward, all the course of can appear a bit overwhelming. What your staff can do, because the nonprofit they’re supporting, is make an effort to reply any questions your supporters could have.
And what higher method to take action than with a real-time Q&A session? In line with latest live-streaming analysis, real-time content material generates 27% extra watch time per viewer than on-demand video. Customers like interacting with their favourite organizations, and doing in order a nonprofit will help facilitate deeper relationships with donors. In truth, 79% of entrepreneurs point out {that a} extra genuine interplay with their viewers is a high profit of live-streamed video.
When you’ll doubtless purpose to reply various questions in any pre-recorded content material you share, it may be onerous to foretell what precisely your donors will wish to know. So allow them to let you know in actual time. We advocate:
- Sharing the date and time beforehand so supporters can plan accordingly;
- Accepting matching reward Q&A submissions forward of time by means of e mail or a web-based kind in your website;
- Encouraging dwell viewers to ask questions in real-time utilizing the streaming website’s chat or remark features;
- Making ready your staff with various in-depth assets on company matching reward applications (trace: take a look at our webinars, weblog posts, and free eBooks right here);
- Posting your live-stream recording to your web site and/or social media pages, so those that missed the real-time engagement can nonetheless savor the insights shared.
Right now, most social media platforms supply some form of live-streaming possibility—together with YouTube, Fb, Instagram, TikTok, and even Twitter. So decide your favourite platform (ideally one which already sees loads of consumer engagement together with your nonprofit) and go dwell!
6. Think about influencers and peer advocates.
Influencer advertising and marketing and peer-to-peer fundraising are based mostly on a shared precept: social proof. Social proof revolves across the psychological discovering that persons are extra more likely to assume the actions of others when making their selections.
Fortunately, you need to use this concept in your subsequent matching items marketing campaign!
Step one in leveraging social proof for matching items includes finding various people who you’d like to advertise matching items to your viewers. When donors see different supporters collaborating in matching reward initiatives, it may be the inspiration they should get entangled themselves.
These so-called “influencers” may be somebody intently related together with your nonprofit trigger, akin to:
- Main donors to your group
- Effectively-known board members
- Devoted volunteers
- Effectively-connected P2P fundraisers
- Your nonprofit’s government director, president, or CEO
Or, you may even be capable of get a well-liked influencer (or micro-influencer) on board! For the most effective outcomes, search for people who share the same target market to your nonprofit. Plus, present connections to your group or its mission can go a great distance towards making that connection.
No matter who you select to get entangled, encourage these people to share details about gift-matching alternatives—akin to your new matching reward movies—on their private social media pages. Present them with pre-made pictures, recommended captions, video scripts or outlines, and extra, empowering champions to advocate for matching items and encourage others to get entangled.
From there, your nonprofit can sometimes re-post the content material to your individual pages (relying on the platform or platforms used), furthering the attain of the posts.
7. Take advantage of free promoting with Google Grants.
One other advertising and marketing technique that you simply received’t wish to overlook is paid search engine promoting. And don’t be alarmed by the phrase “paid,” both. Google affords nonprofits entry to a beneficiant in-kind grant within the type of free advert house (the equal of as much as $10,000 monthly), generally known as the Google Advert Grant.
Now, why must you promote matching items to your viewers with the Google Grant? To start with, it’s a free advertising and marketing alternative. After all you wish to benefit from it! To not point out, analysis signifies that search ads (akin to Google Adverts) have the best ROI for nonprofit paid promoting—with a mean worth of $4.78 for each greenback.
While you take part within the Google Advert Grant, you basically select a web page (or pages) and the key phrases you’d wish to promote for. Then, when a donor or prospect searches the phrase (e.g., matching items for Cat Rescue Membership), they’ll be met together with your related sponsored content material (i.e., your donation kind, devoted match web page, methods to provide web page, weblog article) on the high of the outcomes web page.
The Google Grant is an effective way to extend visibility and develop the attain of your group’s fundraising efforts. And when executed properly, it could actually drive extra match-eligible donors by means of the giving—and matching—processes.
Prepared to use for the Google Grant? Take a look at this step-by-step information from the consultants at Getting Consideration.
8. Sustain with shifting developments.
In terms of getting donation-matching (or absolutely anything else) “trending” at your group, it’s necessary that you’ve a stable understanding of present developments. In any case, developments can change pretty rapidly, together with the introduction and growth of recent expertise, altering client—and supporter—preferences, and extra.
And with a purpose to get matching items trending successfully, there are a couple of key sorts of developments to think about as you craft your technique. These embrace…
- Advertising and marketing and engagement developments — Issues like new social media platforms rising, communications finest practices (e.g., optimum variety of hashtags per put up), and many others.
- Office giving developments — Issues like which firms supply matching reward applications (to date, it retains trending upward!), new expertise enabling modern matching processes (i.e., auto-submission), and extra
It in the end boils right down to this: simply because one thing is a key pattern right this moment doesn’t imply it would essentially be the identical 5 years from now. So preserve an eye fixed out, make a remark of any vital shifts you see, and reconvene together with your advertising and marketing staff regularly.
And should you’re a Double the Donation consumer, we’ll all the time preserve you updated with the newest developments that our staff is seeing! Examine again with our weblog, attend upcoming webinars, or discover our on-line Matching Reward Academy to remain on the forefront of matching reward innovation.
Subsequent Steps
You’ve heard the ideas. Now, get began by implementing these tried-and-true practices in your individual group’s technique.
Simply bear in mind: the extra acquainted your viewers is with the thought of matching items, the extra doubtless they’re to partake of their employers’ programming. And the extra funding you’ll in the end obtain from company philanthropy alternatives obtainable to your trigger.
Need to be taught extra? Discover extra assets and uncover how one can double your group’s fundraising influence with matching items:
