Creating a match campaign with one of your individual donors can significantly boost your progress toward the financial goals you set for your programs.
How do you get started?
First, develop a solid case for support that includes the impact of your program. For instance, if your educational program costs $50,000 for a semester, identify the number of people served and what change it makes for them. Next, ask a current or former participant to tell their story in their own words. Then find a powerful quote included in the story, and pull that out to use as a caption or headline. (Did you know that most people only read the headline and photo caption?)
Have the student’s photo taken in one of your classrooms or your library – it can be a simple snapshot on your phone with the person smiling while reading a book or interacting with a volunteer. Telling the story of one person increases the emotional connection many donors love because it is very tangible.
Run the numbers
Do a thorough analysis of the funds you currently have for the program, and what you’d need for the coming year to ensure that it is fully funded. For instance, perhaps you have a $30,000 grant that covers a portion of the program costs, but you need an additional $20,000 to make sure the program happens. Document the real costs of the program, including materials, planning time and grant reporting. That $20,000 is the gap you’re looking for your individual donors to fill.
Connect to your donors
After assembling a strong case for support demonstrating the impact of the work, give one of your major donors a call. You know the person – she gives every year, and she’s increased her giving over the last couple of years. Invite her to meet with you to talk about the program. Tell her the story of your amazing program and the person you’ve impacted. Then talk about the overall impact and how it addresses the issue she cares deeply about.
Tell her how her gift has been used to make an impact and thank her sincerely for everything she has done for students over the years. Mention how the impact is often even greater because it also sets a new course for the student’s family.
Be transparent
Be thorough and honest about any gaps that exist in the delivery of the program and how you plan to fill those gaps. Nobody’s perfect and we shouldn’t pretend that challenges in staffing or progress aren’t there – what is most important is that you’re doing your best to serve the students and make the program consistently better and more impactful. Demonstrate that your team is focused on all the right things necessary to address the issue she cares most about. Ask her for ideas she might have about how the program could be even more impactful.
Now, tell her how much the program costs per year, and show her the need for additional funding in that program for the year. Make sure that number is written so she can see it.
Then, ask her if she would consider funding a portion of that need and together with you and your team, issue a challenge to the community to fund more of the need. Ask her if she would be the person named as issuing that challenge. Demonstrate what you mean. For instance, you have a $30,000 grant that covers a portion of the program costs. If she can contribute $10,000, another $10,000 would fully fund the program. Her match can make the program happen. In essence, she’s doubling her impact while ensuring that the needs she cares about are addressed and the lives of several people in her community are being positively impacted. You could approach multiple committed donors to join forces as issuing a match if necessary.
Issue the challenge
When you share with the public that she’s issuing this challenge, lay out all the supporting information about the program, and thank the generous donor for caring deeply about the impact she’s making through your organization.
Set a realistic deadline for meeting the challenge – perhaps six weeks from the announcement. Remind your followers on your email list and social media about the progress you’re making toward the fundraising goal every week, showing a slightly different aspect of the program they’re supporting with each email. You can create a quick and easy fundraising thermometer using this tool: https://www.causevox.com/fundraising-thermometer/
Celebrate!
When you’ve successfully met your goal, thank the donor with a phone call and reiterate the impact it will have on your students. Celebrate the success with an article in your newsletter and thank all the other generous donors for their support.
Consider which other major donors might be willing to issue another challenge in the future, and use this project as a way to demonstrate your success in meeting fundraising goals.
For more support in reaching your fundraising goal, give me a call at 608-669-4447 or send me an email at jeff@missionfwd.org.