Matching Gifts

Companies may match a donation made by one of their employees or corporate partners. For example, if an employee donates $100 to your organization, you may receive an matching gift from his employer. Some companies even match gifts for their retirees. Organizations can also match gifts donated by other organizations; however, an organization cannot match its own gift. Individuals can even match gifts. For example, a major donor might offer to match gifts up to specific amount during a fundraiser or event.

Matching gifts may have some restrictions. For example, a company may only match gifts for full time employees, gifts greater than a specific amount, up to maximum total per employee per year, to specific nonprofits, or gifts made by cash or check. Companies may also vary in how often they submit matching gift payments. For example, small companies might submit payments for matching gifts on an annual basis, instead of year round.

  1. Before you can process matching gifts, you must set up a relationship type with roles for "Employer" and "Employee". You can also set up relationship types for other matching gift pairs. For information about how to manage relationship types, refer to Relationship Types.

  2. Create an approach called "“Matching Gifts.” Use it to indicate which gifts and pledges are matching gifts. Typically, you'll also apply the money to an annual fund. For details, refer to Campaigns, Funds, and Approaches.

  3. When you learn about a constituent's work, add the employment information to the constituent's account. You can acquire employment information from in person meetings, phone calls, mailings, social media, email addresses, event registration forms, DIY forms, and more. Then establish relationships between constituents and their employers who match gifts. When you add a relationship, enter the employer's matching gift information. To do this, open the constituent's record and add a relationship. For details, refer to Add a relationship.

  4. When a constituent with a matching gift relationship gives a donation, enter the transaction as a gift. Use the approach for matching gifts. For details, refer to Gifts. For general information about how to add or edit journal entries, refer to Journal.

    Enter the gift on the constituent’s journal as you normally would, click Save and Edit, and then click Tribute, Soft Credit, Matching Gift Relationships. The matching gift information appears. Click the constituent name of the employer who is matching the gift. The employer's Persona page appears.

    Note: An employee should receive soft credit for the amount matched by the employer. You could also give the employer soft credit for the employee's original donation, but this is not necessary. You enter soft credit information when you enter each gift. For general information about soft credit, refer to Soft Credits.

  5. Send a thank you letter and receipt for the initial gift from the employee. Refer to Thank You Letters.

  6. Based on the employer's matching gift conditions, create a pledge to track the amount that you anticipate the employer will donate to fulfill the matching gift. Use the same fund, campaign, approach, and letter that you used for the employee. Refer to Gifts.

    The employee should receive soft credit for the matching gift pledge.

    To track soft credit, from the employer's pledge, click Tribute, Soft Credit, Matching Gift Relationships. For Recipient, click Select. On the Find Accounts screen, select the employee constituent. To check that the pledge was entered correctly, click Save And Go to Journal.

  7. Contact the employer and provide the information necessary to receive a payment to fulfill the matching gift pledge.

    Tip: If a matching gift is not fulfilled, contact the employer. You may need to update employment information for your constituents or submit corrected paperwork. If the matching gift still can't be fulfilled, write off the pledge for the matching gift.

  8. When you receive the matching gift from the employer, apply the payment to the pledge. The employee should receive soft credit for the matching gift pledge payment. Refer to Gifts.

  9. Send a receipt and letter of thanks to the employer. Be sure to indicate that the employer did not receive goods or services in exchange for the donation. The employer can use this information to receive tax credits. Refer to Thank You Letters.

  10. Notify the employee that you received a matching gift from their employer. Include the matching gift amount when you recognize the employee's contributions.

You can create queries based on your matching gift needs. Consider creating a query category called "Matching Gift Queries." To identify matching gifts, use the approach you created. You can also report on matching gift information. We recommend you create a category called "Matching Gift Reports."

  • A query that identifies constituents whose employment information was recently updated. These constituents may have recently become eligible or ineligible for matching gifts.

  • A report to track the total amount you receive from matching gifts as compared to your organizations total revenue.

  • A report that shows the total amount each company give in matching gifts.

  • A report to track the number of pledges for matching gifts that were written off.

For information about queries, refer to Queries. For general information about reports, refer to Reports .