15 Types of Matching Gift Programs For Nonprofits + 8 Best Practices You Need to Know
Can you make your fundraising campaigns stretch farther? Yes!
In my 25+ years in the nonprofit industry, I’ve learned a thing or two about all the ways to make donations go further. (I’m a big advocate of starting a monthly giving program if you don’t have one already.)
But in this guide, I’ll specifically be talking you through the types of matching gift strategies that are common for nonprofits: donation match challenge campaigns and matching gift programs.
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What are the different types of gift matching and challenge campaigns?
Matching gift programs: Donations are matched automatically (e.g., dollar-for-dollar) by a sponsor or funder, regardless of how many others give.
Sometimes this is through a corporate program, like an employer or corporate partner, or simply through one generous donor who offers a match.
Donation match challenges: For this type of match campaign, a match is only unlocked if donors collectively meet a goal—like raising a specific amount or reaching a certain number of gifts within a certain time frame.
Both types multiply the impact of a donor’s gift and often use urgency and incentive to boost giving.
And overall, the psychological trigger is the same: Donors feel like their gift goes further, making participation more appealing.
How to Create an Effective Matching Gift Campaign That Motivates Donors
For inspiration, check out the following resources:
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Why donation matching challenge campaigns work
There’s a reason why giving days and matching challenges have become staples for all types of nonprofits—they tap into the psychology of urgency and collective action.
When you communicate a specific need or initiative with the opportunity to multiply impact, donors are far more motivated to give.
Urgency drives action. People are often more likely to give when they know there’s a deadline. Giving days create a sense of immediacy, and challenge campaigns offer a clear goal to rally around—whether it’s 24 hours or a weeklong match window.
Matching gifts amplify impact. Knowing their donation will be doubled (or more) makes people feel like they’re making an even bigger difference. This multiplier effect is a powerful incentive, encouraging larger gifts and more frequent participation!
Collective momentum builds excitement. People love to be part of something bigger than themselves. Campaigns tied to a specific goal or time period foster a sense of community and shared achievement. And if you have a monthly giving program, it can be a great time to engage that group to rally around a larger shared goal.
They bring in new and lapsed donors. The excitement and visibility of these campaigns often attract first-time donors and re-engage those who haven’t given in a while. (And, if you plan ahead, this can be a great way to communicate with first-time donors about your monthly giving program—or convert them!)
Plus, the data backs it up: Nonprofits that leverage matching campaigns and giving day challenges often see significant participation and revenue.
According to our friends at Double the Donation, 1 in 3 donors indicate they’d give a larger gift if matching is applied and 84% of donors say they’re more likely to donate if a match is offered.
Our online monthly donations have gone up 300% since we started working with [4aGoodCause].
David Andrews
Station Manager at KJOL
15 types of matching gift campaigns
There are a wide variety of types of matching gift campaigns you can run yourself through your own website (or 4aGoodCause fundraising campaigns if you’re a current client).
You can also partner with corporate giving programs or CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives that match employee donations.
Let’s go over the different types below.
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Matching gift programs you can run in house
Dollar-for-Dollar Match: Donations are matched equally—every $1 given is doubled to $2.
Up to a Certain Amount Match: Matching is available up to a specific limit, such as $10,000. After that, donations are no longer matched.
Two-for-One Match (Double Match): Every $1 donated is turned into $3, effectively tripling the donor’s contribution.
Three-for-One Match (Triple Match): Each $1 donation is matched with $3, quadrupling the total contributed.
Limited-Time Match: Gifts are matched during a specific time window (e.g., 24 hours), creating urgency for donors.
Peer Matching Campaigns: A board member, major donor, or group of donors pledges to match all gifts up to a set amount.
Milestone-Based Matches: Matches are unlocked when certain milestones are met, such as reaching 500 individual donors or a fundraising goal.
Challenge Matches: If a particular goal is reached (e.g., $10,000 raised), a matching donor steps in to match the amount or a proportion of it.
First-Time Donor Match: New donors’ contributions are matched to encourage broader support.
Monthly Gift Match: Recurring donations are matched, often only for the first installment, for new monthly recurring donors, or for a selected duration (e.g., the first six months).
In-Kind Matches: In addition to monetary matches, some partners may offer in-kind goods or services as a match.
Specific Campaign Focus Match: Donations for specific projects (e.g., scholarships, disaster relief), holidays, or celebrations like Giving Tuesday are matched to encourage contributions.
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Matching gift programs that require outside facilitation
Corporate philanthropy programs: To be a beneficiary of matching gift eligibility with a CSR program, like Lyft’s Round-Up and Donate program, it requires a formal partnership—and many of these programs do not take direct solicitations. Check out this guide from Double the Donation about corporate matching gift programs to get more insight into what’s available.
Employer matching gifts: Companies match employee contributions, often doubling or even tripling employee donations. And you can do this easily through our integration with Double the Donation if you’re a 4aGC client. Learn more.
Benevity’s nonprofit organization portal: While this is not exactly a matching gift program, it can help connection with matching gift opportunities with large companies. Many large corporations—like Google, Nike, and Microsoft—use Benevity to manage their CSR programs, so being listed gives nonprofits access to millions of potential donor employees.
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8 best practices for your matching gift program or campaign
After seeing dozens of successful donation matching challenges in action (and helping a few along the way), I’ve found that the best ones follow a few simple rules.
Here are some tried-and-true best practices to make sure your next matching challenge motivates donors, builds excitement, and hits its goal:
Simplify the donation process with the right tools
The easier it is for donors to give, the more likely they are to complete their donation—especially during a time-sensitive matching challenge.
With tools like 4aGoodCause, you can set up clean, mobile-friendly donation pages that clearly highlight your matching gift opportunity and walk donors through a simple, secure giving process.
Our platform makes it easy to add custom messaging about your match and integrate with tools like Double the Donation to capture corporate matches, too.
(Your donors can use the simple search tool to determine if their employer is eligible for a matching gift request.)
Plus, 4aGC’s hassle-free experience ensures no tech skills are needed on your end, so you can focus on promoting the campaign and building momentum—not troubleshooting donation forms and pages.
Boost donations without burnout. We’ll show you how.
Let donors know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish.
Whether it’s raising $10,000 by year-end (like Opacum Land Trust) or unlocking a massive $500,000 match, people are more likely to give when they know there’s a concrete, achievable goal in sight.
Communicate urgency
Nothing gets people moving like a deadline.
Use time-sensitive language—“by March 31,” “before midnight,” “this week only”—to encourage donors to act now, not later.
(Because later can often mean never, right?)
Wildlife Conservation Society fundraising email promoting a midnight deadline
Use motivating, action-oriented language
Challenge your supporters!
Phrases like “Help us unlock the match,” “Double your impact today,” or “Join the challenge” make donors feel like they’re part of a team effort.
It’s less about “us,” as in your organization specifically, and more about what we can do together.
Make it crystal clear that their gift will be doubled (or tripled!) thanks to your generous match donor.
Whether you’re providing twice as many meals or protecting twice as much land, spell out the increased impact.
“
We are a small non-profit and have been with 4aGoodCause from the very beginning. Ron Pruitt and his team are always helpful and are constantly working to improve the features that they offer. 4aGoodCause provides an excellent solution for us as their fees are affordable and their products and services as well as helpful blog have enabled us to successfully fundraise and grow our organization's programs and positive impacts. Thank you Ron and team and keep up the great work!!!
Lisa Sorenson
Executive Director at BirdsCaribbean
Make the donor connection personal
If your match donor is okay being named, share their story or motivation.
If they prefer to remain anonymous, you can still create a sense of camaraderie—“A generous donor believes in this mission and wants you to join them!”
People love knowing they’re part of something bigger.
Connect the challenge directly to what your organization does best.
Whether it’s conserving land, feeding families, or protecting national parks, help donors understand exactly how their doubled gift will make a difference.
Promote the challenge everywhere
Don’t be shy!
Spread the word across all your communication channels: email, social media, your website, even snail mail.
The more people who hear about your challenge, the better chance you have of meeting (or exceeding!) your goal.
And don’t be afraid to repeat your communication over and over. Most of us forget what we read the first time we read it, especially if we’re scanning our inbox.
💌 Speaking of inboxes, you should invite us on over to yours. For tips that save you time and boost giving, sign up for the 4aGoodCause newsletter.
Final tips for a successful matching gift campaign
Ready to make the most of your next matching gift program?
Here are a few final tips to help maximize your fundraising revenue and simplify the matching gift process from start to finish.
Your donation pages should allow for custom marketing copy so you can highlight the match opportunities that your potential donors have. (4aGoodCause allows for unlimited custom fundraising pages, so if you’re a client already, you’re good to go!)
In addition to creating your own custom campaign page, many large companies, like Microsoft and Google, offer generous match programs for full-time, part-time employees, and even retirees.
Make sure you’re collecting employer information during the online donation process, and if you don’t have it in place already, add a matching gift search tool or matching gift database (like Double the Donation) to your fundraising software to help donors quickly check their eligibility.
Automate the process
Use a tool that offers auto-submission capabilities for digital receipts or thank-you letters.
This eliminates manual follow-up for your team. It’s an easy way to increase matching gift revenue without extra outreach.
Juggling spreadsheets and emails? Discover super-simple donor management.
Include your matching gift guidelines, match ratio details, and instructions on how donors can match donations after making their initial gift.
Consistent outreach, especially around key moments like the holidays at the end of the calendar year, will keep your donor engagement strong.
Consider encouraging your donors to submit a match request to their employer by communicating at key points in their giving journey, and guiding them through their company’s submission process.
After a donor makes a gift, reinforce the opportunity to join your nonprofit’s monthly giving program on the confirmation screen and in your thank-you emails.
Whether you’re applying to corporate partnerships like Benevity or even seeking out volunteer grant programs, these relationships can extend beyond matching gifts and provide additional opportunities for fundraising and engagement.
Organize donor data, giving history, and donor interactions all in one place with our easy-to-use, mobile-friendly CRM.
Ronald Pruitt
Ronald is the President and Founder of 4aGoodCause, the fundraising CRM that makes recurring, monthly giving a breeze for small nonprofits.
For over 25 years, Ronald has had the joy of doing what he loves, building online solutions that make a difference in the world. He’s helped raise millions of dollars online for small nonprofits across the country. Connect with Ronald on LinkedIn.
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