The utilization of challenge and matching gifts remains a very good strategy for securing more gifts and larger gifts.
The influencing power of these gifts is multifaceted.
These gifts are motivating to those being challenged. They want to help the organization secure the full challenge or, in the case of the matching gift, add to their own gift total.
These gifts can also influence those making the challenge or matching gift. They like the idea of having their gifts leveraged. In a number of instances, the gifts that qualify for the challenge/match will impact a program or area that is near and dear to the donor’s heart.
How Challenge And Matching Gifts Make An Impact?
Finally, these gifts can motivate gift officers who have one additional leveraging point to utilize in their efforts to secure gifts.
Just recently, one client secured an eight figure gift that served as a matching gift for scholarship support. In a matter of two months well over half of the match had been claimed. And the likelihood is very high that it will be fully claimed by the end of April.
In another instance, a client successfully used a challenge gift to build leadership annual gifts of $1,000 or more. The result: a 30 percent increase in donors making those gifts.
Challenges can be used to build participation as well.
Another client is utilizing a challenge that encourages donors who have never given or who have lapsed in their giving to make a gift. The results, while not final, are impressive.
The common theme of all of these is that they work.
The challenge providers are pleased to have made the gift, the donors are responding and the organizations are benefitting.
That seems to me to be a win for everyone involved.
