1Marquette University Five Strategies for Matching Gift Success Amanda Cose & Julie Nurse Director and Assistant Director of Gift Services Marquette University

1Marquette University

Five Strategies for Matching Gift SuccessAmanda Cose & Julie Nurse

Director and Assistant Director of Gift Services

Marquette University


Overview of Marquette University and University Advancement

What is a matching gift

Matching gifts at Marquette

Five strategies for growing a matching gift program

Maintaining our records

Limitations and challenges

Conclusion

Agenda






You’ve heard before, and we’ll say it again… Free Money! In addition to the revenue, matches motivate our donors to give and take full advantage of maximizing their contribution

Matching gifts are a part of charitable giving programs set up by corporations in which the company matches donations made by their employees to eligible nonprofit organizations.

A sample of qualified organizations that (typically) qualify:

• Educational institutions

• Healthcare based organizations

• Arts and cultural organizations

• Environmental organizations

• Community based social services A sample of qualified organizations that (typically) are restricted: political

organizations, sports teams, certain religious organizations such as churches.

Programs are built on trust with a shared benefit for all parties involved.

What is a matching gift?


What is a matching gift?

Where it all began: the General Electric Foundation, 1954


Over $2.5 million since FY09

Averaging over $500,000 per year

Goal of increasing percentage of matching gift revenue to total fundraising revenue







Five strategies for growing a program▪ 1 - Establish a Culture of Matching Gifts ▪

• Fundraising/development staff is key to success – keep them informed!

• Link matching gifts to individual solicitor credit for increased fundraiser incentive to pursue matches

• Provide fundraisers with frequent lists:• Managed prospects who work for

companies that match gifts• Managed prospects who have

recently made gifts and work for companies that match gifts

• Inform donors of match potential (more about this later)

• Make it easy to obtain information (utilize online giving website)

• Establish an internal contact person for matching gifts (Julie serves as contact for MU)


• Include language in acknowledgment letters and confirmation emails for online giving:• P.S. Did you know that you can double the impact

of your gift to Marquette? To find out if your employer has a matching gift program, visit www.matchinggifts.com/marquette.

• Create matching gift inserts to accompany solicitations and pledge reminders

• Make note of matching gifts on direct mail pieces

• Provide matching gift information on your giving website

Five strategies for growing a program▪ 2 - Market the Program ▪






The best way to get a match is to ask!

Utilize Phonathon callers• “I see you work at ________. Let me see if _________ will

match your gift.”• “Great, it appears that your employer will match your gift. Just

to let you know, you’ll need to go to your human resources department and they will give you a form that you should send in with your contribution.”

We mail a quarterly letter to anyone who has made a gift in the last quarter and may be eligible for a match (excluding those who have already requested a match)

Next year, we plan to mail a postcard instead of a letter

Five strategies for growing a program▪ 3 - Solicit Matching Gifts ▪


Five strategies for growing a program▪ 3 - Solicit Matching Gifts ▪


Acknowledgments Thank you to donor when

gift is matched Thank you/tax receipt to

company Recognition

Matching gifts count toward inclusion in annual giving society, the President’s Society

Five strategies for growing a program▪ 4 - Stewardship ▪


Know the matching gift companies that are in your database

Store information about matching gift companies in their donor record

Keep current employment data on your constituents

Share data with relevant contacts across the division

Five strategies for growing our program▪ 5 - Make Use of Good Data ▪


Weekly / OngoingVerify all pending forms (paper & online)

• CASE’s four-point test. Is this an eligible: gift, donor, organization and purpose?

Enter pledges in the Raiser’s Edge for all verified match requestsGift entry of matching gift funds that have been receivedUpdate our data with employment information, as received

QuarterlyRun matching gift potential letter of donors from previous quarterThank you letters to donors whose gifts were matchedReceipts sent to companies that have matched gifts in the previous quarter

AnnuallyFollow-up with all outstanding match requests / pledge balancesReview outstanding pledges in the Raiser’s Edge, write-off balances





• Creating an effective way to follow up with unfulfilled verifications and declined contributions

• Logistics of maintaining online logins

• Matching contributions that were originally made through a donor-advised fund

• In most cases, individual donors may not receive quid pro quo as a result of a matching gift from their employer

• Confirming volunteer hours

• Verifying recurring gifts such as payment plans and installments

Limitations and challenges


HEP Data: www.hepdata.com

HEP/CASE Matching Gift Community (formerly Matchlist_L Listserv)The HEP/CASE Matching Gift Community is dedicated to connecting fundraising professionals who work with matching gifts. It provides a candid and open communication channel to allow fundraisers to share their experience and to benefit from the experience of others. You do not need to be a member of CASE to join the HEP/CASE Matching Gift Community.

To join the HEP/CASE Matching Gift Community, you will first need a CASE account. Once your account has been created or confirmed, visit community.case.org, log in, and select My Profile > Subscriptions > Matching Gifts. There, you can customize your message preferences. For more information, visit the CASE subscriptions page.

Supporting Advancement: www.supportingadvancement.com

CASE: www.case.org

Fund Services: www.fundsvcs.org

Resources


Amanda Cose

Director, Gift Services

[email protected]

414-288-4467

Julie Nurse

Assistant Director, Gift Services

[email protected]

414-288-4515

Conclusion

Documents

1Marquette University Five Strategies for Matching Gift Success Amanda Cose & Julie Nurse Director and Assistant Director of Gift Services Marquette University