Secure Giving Tuesday matching donations in 10 simple steps

Working hard to make this Giving Tuesday your most successful yet? With promotions planned and a timeline all ready to go, you may still be on the lookout for even more ways to hit your fundraising goal. It’s time to consider Giving Tuesday matching donations.

How matching donations can help you this Giving Tuesday

Matching gift programs are a powerful way for individuals and groups to make their donations go even further: When someone donates to your Giving Tuesday campaign, their contribution is “matched” by someone else—often on a 1:1 basis or even higher, which means more funds for your nonprofit organization and more feel-good cheer for everyone involved.

Some companies match donations year-round, but even more major donors and organizations may be willing to get involved on Giving Tuesday. This global day of giving can inspire people to match or double donations as a one-time act of generosity instead of a long-term financial commitment.

Whether you seek out a single matching partner for your Giving Tuesday year-end giving campaign or use the day to encourage supporters to take advantage of their employer’s donation matching program, this Giving Tuesday idea effectively multiplies those donations in no time.

Where to find Giving Tuesday matching funds

Most donation matching programs aren’t publicly listed, so you’ll need to find opportunities through your network or supporter base. Here are some of the best groups to contact when starting a new matching donation program this giving season.

• Major donors 💰 These generous and loyal supporters care deeply about your cause, so they might consider becoming a one-off donation matching partner for this fundraising effort.
• Board members 💐: Ask your board to consider becoming matching partners or to connect you with people who may be willing to help. 
• Local businesses 🛍️ Create interesting, unique, and highly localized donation matching campaigns with the companies in your community.
• Large corporations 🏢 Many big businesses promote donation-matching campaigns, so research these potential partners and apply.
• Corporate sponsors 🎉 Speak to companies you’ve worked with before and invite them to come aboard for a Giving Tuesday corporate sponsorship. They may be more inclined to help since they have already established a relationship with your organization.
• Individuals 😃 Encourage supporters to promote donation matching and ask their employers to get involved.

How to secure more matching donations on Giving Tuesday in 10 steps

Signing major donors or companies up for a matching donation program is the dream, but in reality, it takes more effort than sending a quick email. Maximize your organization’s chances of securing Giving Tuesday donation match partners with these expert tips.

1. Set a fundraising goal 🎯

Before you approach would-be partners or start promoting your campaign, setting your fundraising goal is imperative. It’s much easier to rally support behind your campaign if donors know your target dollar amount, how you’ll put the money to use, and how their contribution will make a real difference.

2. Create an attractive proposal for potential matching partners 📝

Some companies receive many requests for matching funds for Giving Tuesday and can’t support everyone. Make your nonprofit the clear choice by crafting an attractive, tailored sponsorship proposal—including a list of benefits for their company or how you’ll promote their involvement.

3. Simplify the process 🧈

Donation matching can seem complicated to individuals and partners, so make the process as simple as possible. Use Givebutter’s donation matching feature to display your campaign partner directly on the page—and watch each donation double on your goal bar in real time! 

4. Reconnect with former sponsors 🎉

Previous event sponsors and vendors can be a valuable source of support for big giving days. Reach out to companies that have sponsored you in the past and invite them to join this year’s campaign, highlighting how you can work together again to make a difference with a Giving Tuesday matching grant.

5. Reach out to local businesses 🤝

Seek support from nearby companies first—they’re often more open to helping community organizations and less likely to be overwhelmed with requests. Leverage your connections, ask board members for introductions, and encourage involvement from businesses in your local area.

6. Tap into your supporters’ networks 📣

It’s not just the business leaders you personally know that can help you secure a matching partner for Giving Tuesday. Prepare an email template or short message your supporters can use to reach out to their networks and invite them to match donations.

7. Help supporters find employer matches 🏢 

While many companies now offer matching gift programs, it’s not always clear to employees what these are or how they can get involved. Plan an email campaign to your supporters explaining employee donation matching and how to check if their company offers this type of program for a special Giving Tuesday company match.

Plus, with Givebutter’s Double the Donation integration, you can highlight and automate the gift-matching option right in the checkout flow on your campaign pages and donation forms.

8. Apply for promoted donation matching opportunities 🎁

Some companies (like Givebutter!) run donation-matching campaigns for Giving Tuesday. Keep an eye on the social media feeds of organizations you know and love to see if they’re running a campaign this year, and apply if they are.

9. Send a persuasive matching donation request letter ✍️

Once you’ve identified who you’ll reach out to as a potential partner, you need to make sure your message is clear, direct, and impossible to say no to. Put all your best ideas and most persuasive stats into a Giving Tuesday email or letter and send it to your dream partner.

⭐ Need a template? Scroll down to download our matching donation request letters bundle!

10. Follow up with a personalized thank you message 💚

Building a relationship with your matching partners means you’re more likely to secure their support again in the future. After Giving Tuesday has settled down, take a moment to write a personalized thank you message to your supporters. You can also post a thank you message to all your community members on social media.

Secure your Giving Tuesday corporate matches with these free letter request templates

You don’t need to start from scratch when approaching your would-be matching donation partners. Instead, download our free templates and customize them to match your organization, mission, and fundraising goals. Get a matching donation request letter and a thank you note you can personalize for your successful sponsors.

Freebie alert!

Download free donation matching request letter templates ->

Apply for a matching donation from Givebutter Gives Back 🧈

At Givebutter, we don’t just enable nonprofits to raise funds—we also give back to the changemakers who use our platform to make the world a better place! This Giving Tuesday, we’re celebrating changemakers by offering a matching donation to the most engaging campaigns on our Giving Tuesday platform. 

Take this opportunity to get creative with your Giving Tuesday campaign and catch the attention of our team. Embed a livestream, update your dynamic social feed, and engage with your supporters—all from within your Givebutter fundraising page.

💰Total available matching funds: $25K, distributed among five organizations

📝 How to apply: You can view complete eligibility requirements and submit your campaign on Givebutter’s Giving Tuesday hub!

Giving Tuesday matching donations made easy with Givebutter

Matching contributions are valuable all year round, but Giving Tuesday gives you an ideal excuse to sign up new partners or raise awareness of your existing options. Plan and launch your campaign with the help of this guide, and use Givebutter’s matching donations feature to highlight your partner and make raising more funds easier than ever before.

Givebutter is your go-to resource for all things Giving Tuesday. Download our free Giving Tuesday toolkit and explore our resource hub for even more ideas and practical tips. 

And don’t forget to submit your campaign for Givebutter Gives Back—if you’re not already a user, you can sign up for free and get started today!