While millions of generous Americans are able to double their donation impact through employer matching gift programs, many others aren’t as lucky. As a result, they miss out on opportunities to amplify their contributions to the nonprofits they care about. For organizations that rely heavily on corporate gift matching, this presents a significant challenge when attempting to grow fundraising revenue and maintain donor engagement.

Therefore, innovative strategies are essential to ensure all supporters feel valued and included in your mission, regardless of employer policies or personal circumstances. By adopting a comprehensive toolkit of creative fundraising tactics that go beyond corporate matching gifts, your nonprofit can unlock new revenue streams, sustain donor enthusiasm, and reduce reliance on traditional employer-centric benefits.

In other words, with the right employer matching gift alternatives in place, each and every supporter can make a meaningful impact. Let’s explore a few actionable approaches to help your cause thrive, no matter the workplace giving landscape.

Challenge Matches: Doubling Impact Without Employer Involvement

This first recommendation is among the most lucrative of our ideas: Leverage the psychological power of the matching gift concept by pivoting ineligible supporters toward challenge match campaigns.

A challenge match is an excellent alternative because it replicates the “buy one, get one” excitement of corporate matching while sourcing funds from a different pool. In other words, they trigger a psychological response that inspires higher giving levels, making supporters eager to participate. By framing these opportunities correctly, you can engage ineligible donors in a few distinct ways: encouraging major donors to fund a challenge and encouraging other donors to participate in one. Let’s explore each option further.

Encouraging Major Donors to Launch a Challenge

When you identify a major donor or a mid-level supporter who is passionate about your cause but ineligible for a corporate match, you have a unique opportunity to elevate their status from a standard contributor to a community leader. Instead of simply accepting their donation, propose that they use their gift to launch a matching challenge campaign. This strategy turns their donation into a tool that incentivizes others to give.

You can approach these donors by explaining that their contribution can do more than fund a project; it can spark a movement. For example, if a donor intends to give $5,000, ask if they would be willing to position that money as a “dollar-for-dollar” match for the next month or during a specific fundraising event. This allows the donor to feel the satisfaction of doubling their impact, even without an employer adding to the pot. It gives them ownership over a specific campaign and provides your organization with a compelling marketing angle to use with your broader audience.

Driving Participation in Existing Challenges

For your general base of supporters who do not qualify for corporate matching gifts but may not have the resources to fund their own, existing challenge matches can act as a vital engagement tool. One of the primary reasons donors love corporate matching gifts is the feeling that their contribution is going further. Luckily, you can likewise inspire this satisfaction for ineligible donors by directing them toward active challenge campaigns funded by your board, major donors, or corporate sponsors.

When marketing a fundraising campaign, specifically segment your audience. For those you know are ineligible for corporate matches (or whose employment status is unknown), highlight the challenge match as their primary way to “double the donation.” Use language that emphasizes urgency and collective impact, such as “Even if your employer doesn’t match, your gift doubles today thanks to our challenge fund.” This ensures that every donor, regardless of their employment status, feels they have access to a powerful giving opportunity.

Leveraging Spouse and Family Member Matching Gift Programs

Family and spouse matching programs remain an underutilized avenue for nonprofit fundraising, especially when the individual themself does not qualify for an employer matching gift. Luckily, many companies extend their matching gift policies to include spouses, domestic partners, retirees, and, in some cases, dependents, offering more opportunities to secure matched donations.

Begin by including questions on your donation forms that prompt donors to consider whether someone in their household may qualify for a corporate match. For example, a simple note can ask, “Does your company match employee gifts? If not, your spouse’s may!” Additionally, post-donation confirmations should encourage donors to check if they or their family members’ employment might qualify as well.

Here are a few best practices that can help:

  • Publish lists of major employers that extend matches to spouses or retirees to spark donor ideas.
  • Share an actionable how-to checklist for navigating a company’s HR process.
  • Provide sample email templates and talking points to help donors discuss matching opportunities at home.
  • Highlight real-life stories of families who have successfully leveraged matches in your communications.

As with any match-related outreach, timely reminders can make a significant difference. Send follow-ups a week or two after a donation to remind ineligible supporters to ask about family-matching opportunities and to offer support if they have questions.

By regularly prompting supporters to explore family-based matches, nonprofits unlock additional streams of corporate philanthropy. This not only increases revenue but deepens relationships by showing that every donor has multiple avenues to increase their impact.

Advocating for New Employer Match Programs: Turning Ineligibility into Opportunity

Just because a company doesn’t already match employee gifts doesn’t mean it never will. And sometimes, all it takes is a passionate employee to make the recommendation. That means that supporters who currently lack access to employer matches can become powerful advocates for change. By encouraging donors to ask their employers to implement a matching gift program, nonprofits take a proactive step toward expanding future workplace giving opportunities.

Here are a few best practices to consider as you do so:

  • Equip donors with educational resources on the benefits of matching gifts for companies and the community.
  • Provide customizable templates and step-by-step guides for donors to request programs through HR or company leaders.
  • Offer frequently asked questions, benefits comparisons, and suggested responses to potential objections.
  • Show appreciation for donor advocacy, offer organizational support, and celebrate achievements when new programs are adopted.

Challenging the status quo by advocating for new employer matches creates long-term benefits for nonprofits and their donors. Through education, empowerment, and recognition, more companies may introduce matching programs, expanding opportunities for future donors and reinforcing community engagement.

Encouraging Recurring Gifts and Payroll Giving for Reliable Revenue

Recurring donations and payroll giving programs are highly effective solutions for nonprofits seeking to build steady, diversified streams of support even when corporate matching gifts are unavailable. These options allow every donor to make an ongoing contribution, regardless of their eligibility for employer matching, ensuring stability for mission-critical initiatives.

Here are a few helpful tips to consider as you pivot your attention to these ongoing giving methods:

  • Design donation forms that default to monthly giving or highlight recurring-giving benefits.
  • Illustrate the impact of recurring gifts with tangible examples and testimonials.
  • Guide donors through payroll giving by providing instructions and enrollment links or encouraging dialogue with HR representatives.
  • Provide special recognition for recurring and payroll donors, such as mentions in newsletters or small tokens of gratitude.

Supply impact updates to all recurring and payroll donors, sharing the tangible difference their sustained generosity makes. By keeping supporters informed and engaged, nonprofits can boost retention and encourage others to follow their lead. Shifting focus to recurring and payroll-based giving allows nonprofits to cultivate a community of reliable funders who help safeguard the organization’s long-term goals, smoothing out fluctuations when other revenue sources are uncertain.

Conclusion

The limitations of employer matching gift eligibility do not have to curtail your fundraising growth. Through a combination of challenge match campaigns, family and spouse matches, advocacy for new employer-sponsored programs, and recurring or payroll giving opportunities, your nonprofit can deliver essential stability for its work. Meanwhile, sustained engagement through regular education, feedback, and celebration of donor creativity helps maintain support and build resilience.

By implementing these alternative fundraising strategies, nonprofits like yours can create more ways for supporters to make a difference, regardless of their access to employer-based programs. This ensures your team remains agile and successful, driving forward with a strong fundraising foundation that endures no matter the corporate giving climate.

Interested in driving support through employer matching gifts and beyond? Request a personalized demo with Double the Donation.