RAISE MORE MONEY WITH a matching grant ON #GivingTuesday.
Now is the time to set a fundraising goal and secure sponsorship from a matching donor for #GivingTuesday. So we’re going to take a look at how to get started, who to ask, and how to seal the deal on a matching grant for your most successful #GivingTuesday ever.
Why focus on a matching grant? The most obvious reason is that your donor’s funds will go twice as far! Plus, offering a matching grant incentivizes your donors to give more. The stats show that mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in the response rate and a 51% increase in the average donation amount (and that’s prior to receiving matching gift funds).
Securing a matching grant is all about having a plan. And the end of summer or early fall is the perfect time to get started for #GivingTuesday. First, you’ll want to assign a point person who will manage your giving campaign and monitor your progress. This will help keep everyone on track. Next, set a fundraising goal for #GivingTuesday. What project or program is in need of immediate funding, and how much will you need to raise to make it possible?
With the major details of your campaign in place, you can begin brainstorming to find sources for a matching grant. Create a detailed list including contact information for each potential funder and who will reach out to them. Below are some ideas to get you started and a Matching Grant Planning Tool to help organize your efforts.
WHERE TO FIND MATCHING GrantS for #GivingTuesday
Ask your board members.
Your board members are invested in your nonprofit’s mission and vision. Chances are that at least some of them give on an annual basis. Asking one or all of them to contribute earlier this year in the form of a matching grant is a great way to take advantage of the growing support for #GivingTuesday. Last year, donors gave $2.5 billion on the day (roughly a 25% increase from 2019). You might be surprised at your board’s willingness to help out—especially if they know that their donation will, in effect, go twice as far.
Find a corporate sponsor.
Make the pitch to a corporate sponsor for a matching grant. Start by asking companies you’ve worked with in the past if they are willing to provide matching funds for #GivingTuesday. Those with an established employee giving program who have donated to you in the past can also be great candidates. There are also larger corporations that offer grant funding, but you’ll need to do your research to make sure that their values align with your nonprofit’s work.
ASK YOUR major donors.
Planning for #GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to dive into your donor data! Look at your donor history to find individuals who have given major gifts in the past. Reach out to them personally to find out if they’re willing to sponsor your #GivingTuesday campaign with a matching grant.
Tips for a successful ask
Once you have your list of potential funders ready to go, here are a few tips for making a successful ask for a #GivingTuesday matching grant:
- Get an early start. Cultivating major donations takes time.
- Explain what #GivingTuesday is and the reasons why your nonprofit is participating this year. Give them information about the project you want to fund, how much money you’re hoping to raise, and what the impact will be on your community. Keep this part short; connecting with donors is about focusing on your shared goals.
- Personalize your outreach with your donors’ goals in mind. How will funding a matching grant allow them to fulfill a personal goal or vision?
- Remind them that providing a matching grant also means that their donation will go twice as far.
You can get started with your planning today with our Matching Grant Planning Tool:
Download our Matching Grant Planning Tool
In the meantime, here’s a “matching .gif”to get you started on the right foot (er, paw)!
What’s your nonprofit’s strategy for matching grants this giving season? We’d love to hear what has worked for you and any questions that come up along the way!
Cathy Milne
January 8, 2022How does a non profit receive the funds that were donated ?
Nathan Dennen
January 10, 2022Hi Cathy,
That’s a great question. It really depends on what methods the nonprofit has chosen to receive funds. Some nonprofits may only take check or cash donations which they deposit directly into their bank account and others may also process credit card donations online. If you use a platform like Flipcause you can easily process credit card donations and then the funds are sent to your merchant account. You then can choose to hold the funds in your merchant account or transfer them to your organization’s bank account.