Unlocking the Power of Matching Gifts

The end of the year is a pivotal moment for nonprofit fundraising. With donor generosity peaking during the holiday season, organizations have a unique opportunity to inspire giving and maximize impact. One of the most effective, but often overlooked strategies is corporate gift matching.

On September 11, 2025, a joint webinar brought together experts Amelia Baumann from Double the Donation and Ethan Bradeen from haku to share data, trends, and strategies nonprofits can use to make the most of matching gifts. Below are some of the key takeaways that every fundraising leader should keep in mind as they prepare for year-end campaigns.

Missing out on Gift Matching Leaves Billions on the Table

With 65% of Fortune 500 companies offering matching gift programs and 26 million people working at such organizations, the opportunity is huge for nonprofits to get more from the good their supporters already offer. But not every non-profit is maximizing the impact of gift matching. This equates to $4-7 billion in potential corporate matching gift revenue that goes unclaimed annually.

This is a shockingly large amount of money. To put that in perspective, even $4 billion could fund health insurance for 1.4 million people, fully end poverty in multiple U.S. states, or cover four years of college tuition for 100,000 students. It’s nearly 10% of all holiday season giving in total.

The message is clear: nonprofits that don’t prioritize matching gifts risk leaving significant impact unrealized.

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Compound Power: Matching Gifts In the Season of Giving

The holiday season is arguably the most important period on the fundraising calendar. With one-third of nonprofits sending at least two touches during their year-end appeals, it’s critical to stand out from the crowd. Given that nearly 30% of all annual giving happens in December, donors are clearly motivated during this season, with 97% of those who give indicating that they’re inspired to have an impact on the world through the mission of the organizations they support.

To capture more of these generous souls and help them deliver the most impact to your cause, you need to be leveraging gift matching. Especially given that nearly one-in-four of new recurring donors are acquired during the holiday season, it’s not a time you can afford to miss out.

Matching gifts can be a powerful driver for year-end fundraising because they act like a magnet, drawing in donors who are inspired to double their impact. Amelia shared during the webinar, that 84% of donors say they are more likely to give and 1 in 3 donors would give a larger donation if a gift match is offered.

So if supporters know their contributions will be matched, they’re more motivated to give. This is an easy way to help your organization meet your fundraising goals faster.

Beyond the immediate boost, matching gifts also strengthen donor relationships by showing their generosity goes even further, which can lead to stronger engagement and long-term retention.

This timeliness is critical. Year-end giving is crowded, and donors are inundated with appeals. Matching gifts cut through the noise by giving supporters a tangible reason to act right now.

Double the Donation and haku: Partners in Giving

If you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably convinced that gift matching represents a great opportunity for your donors to increase their impact and support your mission. 

Here’s how it works on the technical side if you’re using a tool like Double the Donation: donors can check eligibility directly in haku’s donation forms. If their employer is already in the system, they can access next steps on how to submit a match request directly from the thank you page. If they miss that invitation, they’ll then automatically receive a friendly reminder email with step-by-step instructions to submit a match request. 

If their employer isn’t known, donors can easily search for their company name right on the spot. And even if they skip the search field, the integration gives them a second chance post-transaction. This is key, because Double the Donation informs donors of their eligibility even if they don’t know their gift qualifies in the first place. Once an eligible match is identified, Double the Donation guides donors through the next steps so the process feels simple and rewarding. All told, these capabilities let nonprofits overcome the lack of gift matching awareness to maximize their revenue. 

Final Thoughts

Year-end giving is an incredible moment for nonprofits to inspire generosity, deepen relationships, and amplify impact. Matching gifts are one of the most effective ways to make that happen. 

That’s why we’re so grateful to partner with organizations like Double the Donation, who make it easier than ever for supporters to double the difference your supporters make. At haku, we’re proud to serve as the all-in-one technology hub trusted by nonprofits worldwide to power events, fundraising, and supporter engagement. By bringing together registrations, donations, donor connections, marketing outreach, and analytics, our platform helps you maximize impact not just in December, but all year long. 

If you missed the live conversation with Double the Donation, you don’t have to miss the insights. Watch the recorded webinar here and see how you can capture more matching gift opportunities and finish the year stronger than ever.

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