How to Boost P2P Fundraising with Corporate Matching Gifts

Peer-to-peer (or P2P) fundraising is a powerful way to engage supporters and amplify your nonprofit’s impact. But what if you could double—or even triple—the donations raised through these campaigns?

Corporate matching gifts provide a game-changing opportunity to maximize contributions, yet many organizations and donors overlook them. By integrating matching gifts into your P2P fundraising strategy, you can unlock untapped potential and inspire even more generosity.

In this post, we’ll explore how to leverage corporate matching to supercharge your P2P efforts and drive greater results. Specifically, we’ll cover:

• Customizing your P2P giving forms and confirmation pages.

• Ensuring automated communications reference matching gifts.

• Equipping P2P fundraisers with matching gift resources.

• Crediting matching gifts toward P2P fundraisers’ totals.

• Looking for fundraising match opportunities.

Ready to get started with peer-to-peer fundraising and matching gifts? Let’s begin with our first recommendation.

Customize Your P2P Giving Forms and Confirmation Pages

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to boost corporate matching gifts in peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising is by optimizing your donation forms.

By incorporating matching gift information directly into these touchpoints, you can educate donors about their eligibility and encourage them to take the next steps toward submitting a match request.

Many donors are unaware that their employer may offer a matching gift program, so capturing employment data during the donation process is key. Add a simple field to your P2P donation form that asks for the donor’s employer's name. This information allows your organization to identify match-eligible gifts and follow up with personalized instructions on how to complete the match process.

After donors complete their contribution, they’re already engaged and motivated—making the confirmation page the perfect place to encourage corporate matching. Display a message thanking them for their generosity and reminding them to check if their gift can be doubled. If you’ve collected their employer information, include a personalized call-to-action with instructions specific to their company’s program.

Ensure Automated Communications Reference Matching Gifts

Your nonprofit’s automated communications are valuable touchpoints to promote corporate matching gifts. By seamlessly integrating matching gift information into these automated messages, you can educate donors and encourage them to take action without requiring extra effort from your team.

Here’s how you can do so:

When a supporter signs up for a peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising event or campaign, they’re already committed to making a difference. Capitalize on this momentum by including a brief mention of matching gifts in their registration confirmation email. Let them know that their impact can be doubled if their employer offers a matching gift program and encourage them to explore their eligibility early in the fundraising process.

Donation acknowledgment emails are prime real estate for educating donors about corporate matching. After thanking them for their generosity, include a short message prompting them to check if their employer matches donations. If you collected their employment information during the donation process, personalize the email with specific next steps based on their company’s matching gift guidelines.

Whether sent via email or displayed on a confirmation page, thank-you messages should reinforce the potential for doubling the impact. A simple reminder like, “Did you know your gift may be eligible for a corporate match? Check with your employer to maximize your impact!” can motivate donors to follow through with a match request.

If a donor has been identified as match-eligible based on employment data collected during the giving process, trigger an automated follow-up email that provides direct instructions on how to submit a match request. These timely reminders increase the likelihood that donors will take the necessary steps to complete the process.

By ensuring that every automated communication references corporate matching gifts, you keep the opportunity top-of-mind for donors and fundraisers. This simple yet effective strategy can significantly increase the number of matching gift requests submitted, ultimately maximizing your nonprofit’s fundraising success.

Equip P2P Fundraisers with Matching Gift Resources

When it comes to matching gifts, one of the biggest marketing mistakes you can make is not equipping your team with the right resources to promote the opportunity. And in terms of peer-to-peer fundraising, your volunteer fundraisers are some of your most valuable assets.

Unfortunately, this group may not be familiar with corporate matching gifts⁠—or how to promote them effectively. But by providing them with the right tools and resources, you can empower fundraisers to maximize donation impact by spreading awareness about matching gifts.

Here’s what you can do:

Many fundraisers don’t realize how powerful corporate matching can be. Offer a brief training session, webinar, or resource guide that explains:

• What matching gifts are and how they work

• How to check donor eligibility

• How to encourage donors to submit matching gift requests

The more confident fundraisers feel about discussing matching gifts, the more likely they’ll be to promote them in their outreach.

Make it easy for fundraisers to communicate about matching gifts by providing pre-written messages they can use in emails, social media posts, and personal donation appeals. These templates should include:

• A short explanation of matching gifts

• A direct call to action encouraging donors to check their eligibility

• A link to a matching gift search tool or additional information

For example, a sample message could be:

"Did you know many companies will match donations made by their employees? Your gift to my fundraiser could have double the impact! Check if your employer offers matching gifts and make your donation go even further!"

If your P2P fundraising platform includes personal fundraiser dashboards, be sure to incorporate matching gift resources. This could include:

• A built-in employer search tool

• A step-by-step guide on how donors can submit matching gift requests

• A section displaying the potential matching gift impact of the fundraiser’s efforts

Giving fundraisers access to this information in their dashboard ensures they can easily reference and share it as they engage with their networks.

By equipping your P2P fundraisers with the correct matching gift resources, you turn them into powerful advocates who can help drive more matching gift revenue. When fundraisers understand the value of corporate matching and have the tools to spread the word, your nonprofit stands to gain significantly more funding to support its mission.

Credit Matching Gifts Toward P2P Fundraisers’ Totals

One of the most effective ways to encourage both donations and corporate matching gift submissions in peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising is by crediting matching gifts toward fundraisers’ totals. After all, when supporters see that their fundraising progress is advancing because of matching gifts, they’ll be more motivated to promote the opportunity and engage their networks.

To do so, ensure that your P2P fundraising platform can track and apply corporate matching gifts to individual fundraisers’ totals. Some matching gift software solutions integrate directly with fundraising platforms, allowing you to:

• Identify match-eligible donations as they are made

• Credit the matched amount to the fundraiser’s progress bar

• Provide real-time updates on matching gift impact

From there, be sure to keep fundraisers informed about the status of matching gifts related to their campaigns. If a donor has indicated they’ve submitted a match request, let the fundraiser know so they can follow up with encouragement. Additionally, once a matching gift is approved and credited, notify the fundraiser so they can celebrate the progress.

By crediting matching gifts toward P2P fundraisers’ totals, you create an incentive for fundraisers to actively promote matching gifts, leading to higher participation rates and greater overall fundraising success.

Look for Fundraising Match Opportunities

In addition to traditional corporate matching gifts, your nonprofit can significantly boost peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising by securing fundraising matches—where companies match the total amount an employee raises for a campaign or event. These matches can provide a powerful incentive for fundraisers to increase their efforts and maximize their impact.

Research companies with existing fundraising match programs and create resources to educate your fundraisers about how to take advantage of them.

Then, when fundraisers know that their total raised amount can be doubled through a corporate match, they’ll be more motivated to hit (or exceed) their fundraising goals.

Harnessing corporate matching gifts in your P2P fundraising strategy can significantly enhance donation impact and donor engagement. By educating supporters, streamlining the match process, and leveraging technology, your nonprofit can turn every dollar raised into an even greater force for good.

Don’t let matching gifts go unclaimed—start implementing these strategies today and watch your fundraising efforts reach new heights!