Matching Donations on Giving Tuesday: How to Maximize Year-End Giving

Giving Tuesday is one of the biggest fundraising opportunities of the year for nonprofits. Taking place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, this global event inspires millions of people to give back. In 2024 alone, over 36.1 million donors contributed more than $3.6 billion in just 24 hours.

For nonprofits, Giving Tuesday is not just about getting donations — it’s about multiplying impact. One of the most powerful ways to do that is through matching donations on Giving Tuesday. Whether from employers, corporate sponsors, or major donors, matched gifts motivate supporters to give more, give sooner, and give with confidence that their dollars go further.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through why matching donations are so effective, how to set up your own Giving Tuesday matching campaign, the tools to use, and real-life success stories from nonprofits like yours.

Why Matching Donations Boost Giving on Giving Tuesday

Matching donations are a powerful motivator. They increase urgency, raise average gift size, and make donors feel like their contribution matters even more. Here’s why they work so well:

• According to Double the Donation:
  • 84% of donors say they are more likely to give if a match is offered.
  • 1 in 3 donors say they would give a larger gift if a match is available.
  • An estimated $4–7 billion in corporate matching gift funds go unclaimed every year.

On Giving Tuesday, when generosity is already high, offering a matching opportunity can supercharge your fundraising efforts.

Creating Your Own Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Campaign

Running your own matching gift campaign puts you in control of the timing, messaging, and donor data. It also ensures your nonprofit — not a third-party platform — receives the donations directly and without delay. There are two main approaches:

Promote Employer Matching Gifts with Double the Donation

Many companies offer programs that match their employees’ donations. With GiveWP’s integration with Double the Donation, you can integrate a searchable database into your GiveWP donation forms. Donors can check if their employer offers matching gifts and begin the process with just a few clicks.

Steps to Set Up Double the Donation:

1. Subscribe to Double the Donation Matching.
2. Install the free Double the Donation add-on for GiveWP.
3. Generate and input your API key.
4. Head to the “Edit” section of any GiveWP donation form, click on the “Company Matching” section, and enable “Employer Search.”
5. Update the page to save your changes and then view the form.

Once enabled, donors will see the employer match tool on your form. You can also customize the “Default Label” text that displays above the company search field (this is a great way to encourage participation).

Partner with a Sponsor or Major Donor to Match Giving Tuesday Gifts

Another highly effective strategy is partnering with a business, foundation, or major donor who agrees to match donations made on or around Giving Tuesday.

To make this work, you’ll need to:

• Start outreach early, at least 2–3 months in advance.
• Offer sponsor visibility and recognition, like logo placement or press mentions.
• Build a campaign landing page featuring the match, sponsor, and donation form.
• Promote the match through email, social media, and donor updates.

Matched gifts from a known sponsor not only boost giving but also build trust with your community.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Facebook’s Giving Tuesday Match

In past years, Meta (Facebook) has run matching gift programs for Giving Tuesday, like $8 million in 2021. While the idea of a large corporate match is appealing, it often comes with major drawbacks:

• Matching funds are limited, typically running out within minutes of the match window opening.
• Payouts can be delayed by weeks or months, delaying your access to revenue.
• Donations through Facebook give nonprofits limited donor data, making relationship-building harder.
• The program’s availability changes year to year, with some companies rolling back or ending their campaigns.

This makes Facebook’s program appealing for some, but unreliable for most nonprofits. Instead of depending on third-party opportunities, nonprofits should focus on matches they can directly control.

Helpful Tools to Run a Matching Gift Campaign on Giving Tuesday

You don’t have to do it alone. Here are some essential tools to make your Giving Tuesday matching campaign successful:

• GiveWP: Create customizable donation forms, landing pages, and reporting dashboards.
• Double the Donation: Empower donors to submit employer matches easily.
• CRM Software: Track employer data and send personalized reminders.
• Email & Social Tools: Schedule promotional messages ahead of time and stay consistent.

Together, these tools empower your team to run a professional, polished campaign without being overwhelmed. With strong systems in place, you can focus on what matters most — building relationships and increasing impact through matching donations on Giving Tuesday.

Real Nonprofits Using Matching Gifts to Their Advantage

Many organizations have already seen success using matching donations on Giving Tuesday. Here are two examples:

Focus St. Louis

Focus St. Louis promotes civic engagement and leadership. They used Double the Donation with their GiveWP forms to help donors find out if their employers would match contributions. This streamlined experience made it easy for donors to take advantage of matching gifts and increase their impact.

Pekin Dragon Hockey

Pekin Amateur Hockey Association, a youth sports nonprofit, promoted a 2:1 Giving Tuesday match through the Caterpillar Foundation. The match was only available for a short time, which created urgency. Supporters — especially Caterpillar employees and retirees — were encouraged to give quickly, knowing their donations would be doubled or tripled.

Prepping Early for Matching Donations on Giving Tuesday

Don’t wait until November to plan your Giving Tuesday campaign. Here’s what to prioritize now:

• Add Double the Donation to your forms well in advance.
• Reach out to potential matching sponsors and partners.
• Create a campaign landing page and link it to your GiveWP form.
• Draft segmented emails and social posts focused on the match.
• Train your team and volunteers to talk about matching gifts.

Early planning means more time for outreach — and better results on Giving Tuesday.

Frequently Asked Questions About Matching Donations on Giving Tuesday

What is a matching donation?
A matching donation is when a donor’s gift is matched by another donor, company, or sponsor — doubling (or sometimes tripling) the total impact.

How do employer matching gifts work?
An employee donates to your nonprofit. Then, they submit a match request to their company. If the donation meets the company’s guidelines, the company sends an equal or greater gift to your organization.

Why is Giving Tuesday such a good time to promote matching gifts?
Giving Tuesday already has strong momentum. Adding a match on top of that creates urgency and encourages larger gifts.

Can I use both a corporate partner match and employer matching at the same time?
Yes! The more match opportunities, the better. Just make sure your messaging is clear about how each one works.

What if I don’t have a matching partner yet?
Start with employer matching tools like Double the Donation and GiveWP. Then begin outreach to local businesses, board members, or foundations for future match opportunities.

Make This Giving Tuesday Your Biggest Yet

Matching donations on Giving Tuesday offer nonprofits a chance to double their impact, motivate donors, and raise more funds before the end of the year. With GiveWP, Double the Donation, and a bit of planning, your organization can create a campaign that inspires generosity and builds stronger donor relationships.

This year, Giving Tuesday falls on December 2, 2025. The time to start planning is now.

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