Matching gifts: free money most groups miss
Employer matching is the closest thing to free fundraising money — and most of it goes unclaimed. Here is how to prompt donors and capture matches that quietly double your total.
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How matching gifts work
Thousands of employers match their staff's charitable donations, often dollar-for-dollar.
When a parent donates to your Dance-a-Thon and their employer matches it, your school receives double the gift at no extra cost to the family. Some companies match at 2:1 or more, and many extend matches to spouses and retirees. It is real money already budgeted by employers — it just has to be requested.
Why so much of it goes unclaimed
The reason is simple: donors do not know to ask. Most people have no idea whether their employer matches, and the giving portals are easy to overlook. A large share of matchable donations every year is never claimed — money your school could have received with a single reminder.
How to capture more matches
- Ask in every donation confirmation. Add a line: 'Does your employer match donations? You could double your gift.'
- Mention it in parent emails at kickoff, midpoint, and the final push.
- Point donors to their HR or giving portal and offer the school details they need.
- Run a match reminder after the event — matches can often be submitted for weeks afterward.
- Provide receipts promptly from the platform's donation records.
Fold match reminders into your parent emails and challenge messaging so the prompt reaches every donor.
Frequently asked questions
What are matching gifts?
Many employers match the charitable donations their employees make, often dollar-for-dollar. If a parent donates $50 to your Dance-a-Thon and their employer matches it, your school receives $100 — at no extra cost to the donor.
How do we get more matching-gift money?
Remind donors to check whether their employer matches, and make it easy: include a note in every donation confirmation and parent email pointing them to their HR or giving portal. Many matches go unclaimed simply because no one asks.
Do matches take extra work for the school?
Very little. The donor submits the match through their employer; the school just needs to provide basic details and a receipt if requested. The platform's donation records make this easy.
Ready to raise more — and keep more?
Get Movin' gives your group the online platform, a personal event coach, and 35+ tools to make your Dance-a-Thon the easiest, biggest fundraiser of the year.
Schools average doubling donations and keep 95–97% of every dollar.