Amplifying the Impacts of Everyday Philanthropists
It’s easy to find headlines and news about the latest six- or seven-figure gift to a good cause from a wealthy donor or a billionaire committing to give large sums of their fortune to philanthropy — like Jeff Bezos did this week. These large-sum gifts make a difference but can be discouraging to the existing communities of everyday donors supporting various causes. When everyday philanthropists see these large donations or commitments, they can feel like their gifts of $20 or $50 aren’t needed or don’t matter.?
However, organizations need a wide pool of committed everyday donors for long-term sustainability. They cannot rely solely on these large gifts to sustain their work and impact on society. In fact, according to 2022 Giving USA Report , megagifts from extremely wealthy individuals (which Giving USA defines as gifts of $450 million or more) contributed only about 5% of the $326.87 billion given by individuals in 2021.?
Nonprofits and charities need their communities of everyday people who open their wallets and choose to give recurring monthly gifts of $20, volunteer their time, or donate a few times a year to help create positive change. This everyday generosity doesn’t always make the news, but these gifts matter. And the collective impact of everyday people makes a huge difference for nonprofits.?
As we think about the future of philanthropy, we need to find ways to make the experience more empowering for the everyday philanthropist. One of the best ways to encourage everyday philanthropists is through matching. Matching donations of everyday people supports the work of nonprofits in these three ways:
Matching is a great way to inspire people to start giving to a cause or organization. Someone who starts donating because their $20 gift can be matched may go on to set up a recurring gift or continue to give once they have that encouragement to get involved with an organization. According to the Matching Playbook , published by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, research has shown that offering a match can increase the response rate of individual donors by 22 to 31% and increase the donation size from individual donors by 15 to 19%. Philanthropy is a lifelong journey and what people are able to give often grows throughout that journey. Getting someone interested early in their journey can lead to a growing impact over that person’s lifetime, and matching can be a great way to spark that initial interest.?
Philanthropy needs to be more inclusive of all types of donors, especially everyday philanthropists. It's also important to recognize, reward, and amplify the giving of everyday people who are making a difference. Matching is a great way to use larger gifts to encourage rather than discourage the existing community of donors. Doubling an everyday donor’s impact and attributing that gift to the everyday donor can encourage people to remain involved. With current economic concerns , many everyday donors are feeling more cautious about their giving and maybe more selective about where they choose to invest their charitable contributions. In an April survey of 1,400 donors sponsored by Dunham & Company, a Texas-based consultancy focused on nonprofits, 63 percent of donors reported that they planned to be more cautious with their giving this year . Allowing donors to have a match of their gifts can help in retaining them.
领英推荐
Donors who are considering writing a big check often want that gift to have the greatest impact that it can on the cause. Large donations that allocate part of the funds for matching help causes in a way that lasts long after the initial gift by encouraging and empowering other people to give. This, in turn, enables nonprofits to grow their networks and communities of everyday philanthropists. Matching opportunities also help encourage donors who are already giving to remain involved.
As we think about donating, whether it’s a large sum or an everyday gift, consider how matching can be incorporated.?
If you’re giving a larger gift, allocate all or a portion of that gift to matching. If you work with donors, consider sharing the power of matching with them and encouraging people to consider providing funds to match the gifts of your existing donor pool.?
If you’re an everyday philanthropist who is looking to have the greatest impact, look for charities and nonprofits that are providing matching or even double matching opportunities. Also, make sure to check with your employer to see if matching is available.?
When we all intentionally promote and engage with matching, we amplify the impacts of gifts and the ability of those gifts to drive positive, lasting change.
For additional resources on matching visit: