For nonprofits and institutions looking to raise funds, every dollar counts. So what if you could double or even triple your donations without asking your supporters to give more? That’s the power of matching gifts. Despite the enormous potential of corporate matching gift programs, billions of dollars in eligible donations go unclaimed each year. Why? Donors either don’t know their gifts can be matched or don’t know how to complete the process.

Integrating matching gifts into your fundraising campaigns is one of the most effective ways to increase revenue, deepen donor engagement, and amplify impact. But it doesn’t happen by accident—it requires strategy, timing, and the right tools.

Below, we’re sharing 10 actionable tips to help your team fully leverage matching gifts in your fundraising efforts. Let’s begin!

1. Educate Your Team First

Before you can promote matching gifts to donors, it’s essential that your internal team understands how they work. From development staff to communications professionals, everyone should be familiar with the basics of corporate matching gift programs.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to hold a short training session or workshop to explain:

• What matching gifts are;
• How to find out if a donor’s company matches gifts;
• What information donors need to submit;
• How your organizaiton processes matching gifts.

When your team is well-versed in all things matching, they can confidently communicate the opportunity to donors and answer questions effectively as they arise.

2. Identify and Promote Matching Gift Eligible Donors

Many organizations send out generalized appeals without knowing which donors work for matching gift companies. That’s a missed opportunity. Using tools like matching gift software or employer appends, you can identify where your donors work and flag those who are likely eligible for a match.

Once identified, tailor your messaging for each individual. For example, after a donation is made, you can send a targeted follow-up like: "Thanks for your gift! Did you know your employer, XYZ Corporation, may match your donation? Here’s how you can double your impact in just a few clicks."

Personalized messaging increases the likelihood that donors will follow through, and makes it even easier for them to do so.

3. Integrate Matching Gift Tools into Your Donation Form

The fewer steps a donor has to take, the better. By embedding matching gift tools directly into your donation form, you make it easy for donors to check their eligibility and start the matching process instantly.

Software like Double the Donation (which integrates seamlessly with your Almabase fundraising tools) allows donors to search for their employer as they’re making a gift. It even provides forms, guidelines, and contact information in real time, streamlining the process dramatically.

This simple integration has been shown to significantly increase match completion rates and grow fundraising revenue with ease.

4. Use Automated Email Follow-Ups

Even if a donor skips the matching gift process during checkout, you can still guide them afterward. Automated email follow-ups are a highly effective way to remind donors about their match eligibility.

Consider setting up a series of emails timed to go out after a gift is made. Here’s an example sequence:

• Day 1: Thank-you email with a soft mention of matching gifts.
• Day 3–5: Dedicated matching gift eligibility reminder
• Week 2: Case study or testimonial showcasing how matching gifts create real-world impact.
• Week 3–4: Final reminder with clear, simple steps.

In each message, make sure the language is friendly, encouraging, and focused on impact. Include clickable buttons or links to company lookup tools to remove friction and drive supporters through the process.

5. Create a Matching Gift Landing Page

Your organization’s website is an essential resource. Hosting a dedicated landing page for matching gifts can serve as a central hub for all your related outreach efforts.

For the best results, this page should:

• Explain what matching gifts are;
• Include an embedded company search tool;
• Provide instructions and FAQs to help donors get started.

From there, you’ll want to link to this page from your main website navigation, donation forms, confirmation/thank-you pages, email footers, and social media posts. In other words, make it easy for donors to find and refer back to when they’re ready to learn more or initiate a match.

6. Highlight Matching Gifts in All Your Campaigns

Matching gifts shouldn’t be an afterthought—they should be baked into the DNA of your campaigns.

Whether you’re running a year-end appeal, Giving Tuesday initiative, peer-to-peer fundraiser, or capital campaign, consistently highlighting matching opportunities goes a long way. Phrases like:

• “Double your donation at no extra cost!”
• “Your gift could go twice as far.”
• “Check if your company will match your generosity.”

…can prompt curiosity and inspire action.

Add matching gift language and tools to appeal letters, emails, event materials, digital ads, and more. Repetition helps donors absorb the message, making them more likely to participate when the time comes.

7. Work Matching Gifts into Donor Stewardship

Acknowledging and stewarding donors doesn’t end after the first thank-you. In fact, you can build stronger relationships by keeping them informed about the matching gift process.

If a donor completes a match request, send a separate thank-you noting their extra effort and impact. If their match is received, send a special acknowledgment with updated gift totals and a story about what that additional funding made possible.

You can even tag matched donors in your CRM and invite them into higher-touch stewardship journeys or giving circles, reinforcing their sense of value and connection to your cause.

8. Mobilize Your Corporate Partners

If your nonprofit or institution has corporate sponsors or partners, work with them to educate their employees about matching gifts. Many employees aren’t even aware that their companies offer these programs, and a simple nudge from HR or internal communications can spark significant action.

For example, consider asking your corporate partners to:

• Promote matching gifts on internal channels like intranets or newsletters
• Include your nonprofit’s info in their employee giving portals
• Allow you to host lunch-and-learns or info sessions
• Host a one-off matching gift campaign specifically benefitting your nonprofit

This not only drives more matching donations but also deepens your relationship with the company—a win-win on all fronts.

9. Share Success Stories

People are inspired by stories. When you share a real story about a donation that was matched—and the tangible impact it created—it makes the concept of matching gifts come alive.

Here’s an example: "When Rachel donated $100 to support local tutoring programs, her employer matched it, bringing her impact to $200. That covered an entire month of tutoring for one child."

Include stories like these in newsletters, appeal emails, social posts, and annual reports. It helps donors visualize the extra power they have, simply by checking a box and requesting a match from their employer.

10. Track, Measure, and Optimize

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Therefore, try tracking key metrics related to matching gifts, such as:

• Percentage of match-eligible donations
• Match request initiation rate
• Match completion rate
• Total dollars matched
• Fundraising increase due to matching gifts

From there, you can use this data to find gaps and opportunities. Are donors dropping off after the first email? Are small-dollar donors getting their gifts matched more often than major givers? Are some campaigns more successful than others?

By analyzing trends and experimenting with language, timing, and placement, you can continually refine your strategy for better results overall.

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Wrapping it up

Matching gifts are one of the most underutilized fundraising tools available to both institutions and nonprofits. With a thoughtful approach and a few strategic integrations, you can unlock a hidden revenue stream that requires no extra money from your donors—just a little extra effort.

By educating your team, leveraging technology, telling powerful stories, and weaving matching gift opportunities throughout your campaigns, you’ll increase participation, raise more money, and deepen donor engagement.

Don’t let matching gifts be an afterthought. Make them an integral part of your strategy—and watch your impact grow.