Donor Challenges

A donor challenge is a fundraising tool to help increase support for a specific cause. A major donor or corporate sponsor can pledge a large sum to challenge the organization to raise a specific amount from other donors. A donor challenge can have an internal sponsor rather than an external one. For example, the president’s office can challenge the organization to raise an amount that the department will match. The program includes two types of donor challenges: "Match per gift" and "Lump sum match."

With "Match per gift" challenges, the sponsor matches gifts multiple times during the course of the challenge. Donors receive recognition credit for the matching challenge funds, and you select the type of recognition credit to use. The matching funds go to the same designation as the gifts unless you specify otherwise in the designation mapping on the Designations tab of the donor challenge record. For individual donors to receive recognition credit for matching challenge funds, the challenge type must be "Match per gift."

With "Lump sum match" challenges, the sponsor pays a lump sum after the challenged amount is raised. Individual donors do receive recognition credit for the matching challenge funds. The matching funds go to the designations you select when you add the challenge.