Nonprofits are increasingly using matching gifts to boost their fundraising efforts — a tactic to consider for your Library Friends or Foundation during the big end of the year push. Some types of matching gifts include:
- The 1:1 match — a donor says he or she will match every gift raised, dollar for dollar, usually up to a certain amount or by a certain date.
- The all or nothing matching gift — a donor commits to making a certain size gift to an organization ONLYif the same amount of money is raised by the organization in a designated time period.
- The “take-action” match — a donor gives a set amount every time a supporter takes a certain action like taking a pledge, liking your Facebook page, or signing up for your email list.
Why are matching gifts so effective? Big Duck offers three reasons:
- They’re a deal. — when you present a potential supporter with an opportunity to have their gift doubled or tripled, they feel that the impact of their gift is increased.
- They’re motivating — when you tell your donors that you’re trying to raise a certain amount of money and the match will help you get there, it influences them to take action and join the effort.
- They’re urgent. — they say to your donors that if you don’t give now, you might miss the special opportunity to have your gift doubled.
The Wyoming Library Endowment Challenge has provided a great example of the power of matching gifts. The State of Wyoming has matched one, two, or three dollars, depending on the county, for every dollar raised locally for endowments.
Read more about the power of matching gifts at
www.bigducknyc.com/doubling-gifts-in-holiday-campaigns.