Create a Donor-Centric Giving Experience & Double Your Impact with Matching Gifts

Imagine if every donation your nonprofit received could instantly double in value. That’s the power of corporate matching gifts. When donors contribute and their employers match those gifts, your organization receives twice the support, turning every act of generosity into an even greater force for good.

However, estimates suggest as much as $4 to $7 billion is left on the table annually, often because donors are unaware that their employers offer matching gift programs. In this post, we’ll explore how to create a donor-centric giving experience that makes it easy for supporters to take advantage of matching gift programs and give to your organization, and how doing so can elevate your fundraising and impact. We’ll dive into how matching gift programs work, their value for nonprofits, and share tips on how to get started on doubling your impact.

How Matching Gift Programs Work

At their core, matching gift programs are simple: when an employee donates to a nonprofit, they can submit a request to their employer to “match” that donation. Once the request is verified—typically by confirming that the donation was made and that the nonprofit qualifies under the company’s guidelines—the employer issues a matching donation, usually on a 1:1 basis.

The process generally follows these steps:

1. Donation – An employee donates to a nonprofit organization.
   
   
2. Submission – The employee submits a matching gift request to their employer, usually via an online portal or paper form.
   
   
3. Verification – The nonprofit confirms receipt of the donation and verifies its eligibility.
   
   
4. Match Disbursement – The company reviews the request and, if approved, sends a matching donation to the nonprofit.

Matching Gifts as Part of a Donor-Centric Giving Experience

When leveraged thoughtfully, corporate matching gift programs do far more than increase donation revenue—they can deepen donor relationships, build trust, and create a more meaningful giving experience.

Corporate matching gifts are one part of providing a donor-centric giving experience. By making it easy to donate, sign up for recurring gifts, and submit matching gift requests, nonprofits can drive stronger donor acquisition, engagement, and retention.

Beyond matching gifts, a donor-centric giving experience includes:

• A donor-centric website that shares information about your organization’s mission and impact and provides easy, secure options to donate and submit matching gift requests.
• Prompt and personalized acknowledgements for every donor, which can be automated through software like Arreva’s ExceedFurther.
• Multi-channel Communications tailored to each donor based on their motivations for giving, their engagement with your organization, and their capacity and likelihood to give a higher amount.
• Sharing progress, testimonials, and successes to keep donors informed and emotionally connected with your organization and cause.
• Hosting in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, and offering volunteer roles to generate sustained engagement.
• A donor-centric web portal that enables supporters to update their contact information, communication preferences, and payment information. Arreva’s ExceedFurther includes a Web Portal with these features and more.

Getting Started with Matching Gifts: Data, Strategy, and Software that Drives Results

To provide a donor-centric experience and increase matching gift dollars, your organization needs the right data, strategy, and software. If you’re looking to solve common problems that arise concerning matching gift efforts, we suggest taking a strategic look at your organization’s data⁠—especially that which concerns corporate giving. Below are 4 most important metrics when it comes to matching gifts. You can also view a breakdown of how to calculate each metric here.

1. Percentage of eligible matches completed – here’s how to calculate
2. Companies providing the most dollars – here’s how to calculate
3. Total corporate matching gift revenue – here’s how to calculate
4. Average matching gift size – here’s how to calculate

Once you have the right data and a donor-centric strategy in place, your organization needs the right software to execute effectively. Here are some ways software solutions can power corporate matching gifts, and by extension, donor acquisition and retention.

Matching gift software platforms like Double the Donation help donors easily select their company at the point of donation and direct them to their company’s gift matching submission page, streamlining the matching gift process for the donor. We recommend integrating Double the Donation with your organization’s online fundraising pages. It’s worth noting that Double the Donation is fully integrated with Arreva’s ExceedFurther.

Once matching gift donations are made, your donor relationship management software should automatically notify your staff of the donation so they can thank the donor in a personalized, timely manner. Additionally, the solution should automatically send personalized acknowledgement receipts, with all data flowing to the donor’s record for segmentation and analysis. Arreva’s ExceedFurther handles these tasks and more to help nonprofits improve donor retention.

Learn more about the integration between Double the Donation and Arreva’s ExceedFurther to harness the power of corporate matching gifts today.

Conclusion: With the right strategy, data, and software, your organization can significantly increase donations from corporate matching gifts. Corporate matching gifts offer a unique opportunity to not only amplify the financial impact of each donation but also to significantly strengthen donor relationships. When used strategically, matching gifts do more than increase revenue—they build trust, reinforce value, and create a deeper sense of connection between donors and the causes they care about.

With the right data and software in place, your nonprofit’s matching gift fundraising will be set up for success, enabling you to make twice the impact and further your mission. To learn more about Double the Donation, request a demo here. To see Arreva’s ExceedFurther in action, request a demo today.

By integrating matching gift promotion into your fundraising strategy and streamlining the donor experience, your organization can create a more rewarding giving experience. And when donors feel valued and empowered, they’re more likely to continue giving year after year—sustaining your organization and its impact for generations to come.