Matching gift
A matching gift is a donation an employer (or major donor) makes to mirror another gift — commonly dollar-for-dollar — doubling the impact of the original donation at no extra cost to the giver.
Most large U.S. employers run matching programs, and billions in matches go unclaimed each year simply because employees never file the form. Before giving, check your employer's portal; after giving, submit the receipt.
Match challenges from major donors work the same way at campaign scale and are a legitimate, powerful fundraising tool.
Related terms
- Tax-deductibility — A donation is tax-deductible when the IRS lets the donor subtract it from taxable income — generally true for gifts to 501(c)(3) public charities.
You're reading the CharityIndex glossary
CharityIndex rates 1.9 million U.S. nonprofits A+ to F straight from their IRS filings — program efficiency, financial health, governance and transparency. Put this term to work: check any charity before you give, or search the full directory.