10 Best Practices for Matching-Gifts Success

Longfield also suggested posting matching-gift information on your website and being sure to mention it during telemarketing calls. It's always a good idea to tap constituents at companies with matching-gift programs as well.

2. Acquire employment information
Another way to unearth potential matching gifts is by gathering data on your donors and supporters, particularly employment information to. Longfield said you should:

• Ask for employment information on your website, in the mail and on the phone.
• Ask on event registration forms.
• Check records from prior matching gifts.
• Infer from e-mail addresses potential matching-gift prospects — e.g., Check@Apple.com.
• Collect business cards.
• Search online, LinkedIn and newspapers.
• Survey your donors.
• Match records from United Way donors.
• Run your database through screening services.
• Remember to record everything in your database.

3. Allow donors to look up matching-gifts companies
Make it simple for your donors to research matching-gift information and learn as much about the companies providing the matches. Donors like to know as much as they can about who is matching their dollars, so put that information on your website and in your marketing messages.

4. Send reminders
Remind donors who indicate their gifts will be matched by their companies to acquire the match, prior matching-gift donors that matching gifts are still an option and donors who work for matching-gift companies, Longfield said.