We get it. Finding and asking for matching gifts every year (or even several times a year) is a pain. It is so much easier to just go out with the standard offers.
So, why is it essential to make sure matching gifts are a part of your fundraising cadence?
Because they WORK!
We have tested adding matches to fundraising campaigns over various packages, offers, and organizational types. The matching gift always wins. When a match is added, response rates increase on average 30%. And that increase is statistically significant at 95% or above.
As inflation soared many organizations saw declines in retention and response rates across the industry. The question we keep getting is, “How do we boost performance in direct response?” And while there are different answers for each organization, one approach that universally helps in a recession is a good deal!
If you're looking to increase the response rate of your fundraising offer, add a matching gift.
It not only works for single-gift offers but also for monthly gift offers. In one test, we added an incentive: If the donor joined the monthly gift program, their gift would be matched for 12 months. It improved the response rate by 51%!
So, where do you go to get a match? Some organizations use board contributions to build their matching gift pools. Others use it as a jumping-off point to boost a major donor ask. What major donor wouldn’t love to know they inspired a 30% increase in giving?It can also be used to engage the corporate world and foster partnerships — offer to name the match after an organization, and the name will be associated with goodwill to your entire donor base! A win-win for sure.
We know how hard it can be to acquire these matching gifts, but the legwork is well worth it. And do not fear! Donors do not seem to grow tired of matches, challenges, and multiplier language. The initial lift may decline a bit with each added match, but the overall result will still be more net revenue to help you do even more amazing work.
