Matching Gift Programs

94% of major U.S. corporations say they’ll maintain or increase philanthropy in 2025. But here’s the catch: Most nonprofits will still miss out. Why? Because they’re fishing in the wrong waters. They pitch donations when companies are really looking for partnerships. Here’s what no one tells you: 1. Companies don’t care about your gala. They care about aligning philanthropy with brand visibility, employee engagement, and ESG metrics. Show them how you help them measure impact, not just feel it. 2. Your pitch deck is upside down. Most nonprofits start with “Here’s who we are.” Flip it. Start with: “Here’s the business risk you’re already facing, and how partnering with us helps solve it.” 3. Employee participation is your hidden superpower. Companies want employees involved, not just checks written. Invite their teams to volunteer, co-create campaigns, or tell impact stories on LinkedIn. That’s internal buy-in = budget unlocked. 4. Philanthropy budgets are shrinking relative to ESG/CSR budgets. Translation: Stop chasing “charity dollars.” Go after strategy dollars. You’ll instantly play in a bigger league. Corporations are raising the bar. If you want their funding, you need to stop acting like a charity and start showing up like a business partner. What’s one thing you’ve done differently in a corporate pitch that actually worked? (I’ll share the best answers in a follow-up post.) With purpose and impact, Mario

When I took on my role as Chief Corporate Citizenship Officer at PMI, I set a handful of parameters for myself and my team: 1. Don’t fall into the trap of arm’s-length checkbook philanthropy: One-off cash infusions can help nonprofits in the immediate term, but they don’t get at the issue of sustainable growth. 2. Focus, focus, focus: Diffusion is the enemy of progress. There are an endless number of worthy causes and charitable organizations, but our greatest impact will come from identifying a small number of causes that are intrinsically tied to our values and vision and making those causes priorities. (In our case, this is U.S. military veterans, women’s equity and empowerment, and hyperlocal activations.) 3. Empower—and learn from—those already in the trenches: We’re not going to dictate what happens at the community level. We’re here to listen and learn and find ways to support and expand the good works already underway. 4. Give a “hand up” instead of a handout: Band-Aid solutions may make us feel good in the short term, but they don’t get to the root problem. The cash infusions we give our community-based partners are meaningful, but their value grows exponentially when paired with our business expertise and insights. 5. Offer employees a chance to contribute to change: We polled PMI’s U.S. workforce earlier this year about our plans to support military veterans. An astonishing 97 percent of employees raised their hands to get involved. There’s a hunger out there for making a positive difference in local communities and the broader world. Find ways to connect your people to the issues that matter most to them. It turns out that this is the way the next generation of philanthropists is thinking about their impact as well. A recent article (I’ll share the link in comments) shares interesting insights into how our younger generations—millennials and Gen Z—are embracing a more comprehensive approach to philanthropy focused on measurable impact and deeper connections. They’re also showing a greater tolerance for the “long game,” willing to take risks in the short term to lay the groundwork for greater gains down the road. As the next generation of philanthropists takes the reins and starts investing more than money in the causes they care about, let’s make sure our organizations are prepared to do the same.

Tripled philanthropy in 3 years. Doubled it again in 6. How? Hint: It wasn’t more galas or government grants. Last week, I shared why I moved to Detroit during the 2008 recession. Many asked how we tripled, then doubled philanthropy in such a challenging climate while I served as Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Children’s Center. Ever felt stuck with shrinking funding and outdated systems? That was us. Before I joined The Children’s Center, they were relying on two main funding streams: events and government grants. Plus— → Government cut funding → Events were underperforming → Annual appeals losing money → Grant applications were few → Individual donations had dropped → Fundraising plan wasn’t working Leadership and board weren’t aligned on development priorities. Not enough board members engaged in fundraising. And I was tasked with raising even more—during the most disruptive of times. Did I mention the donor database? Inaccurate. Outdated. No standard definitions. Sound familiar? These challenges made it nearly impossible to fill the financial gaps needed to help Detroit’s children and families heal, grow, and thrive. We were stuck. Here’s the playbook that got us unstuck: → Built a bold, diversified, data-driven fundraising plan (with BHAGs) → Aligned leadership & board on clear priorities → Cleaned up the donor database (accuracy = trust) → Upgraded donor communications and stewardship → Streamlined, focused, and elevated signature events → Raised more major gifts from elusive donors → Launched and scaled a monthly giving program → Improved donor retention, renewed lapsed donors, and upgraded mid-level donors → Restructured the philanthropy team for accountability and results → Engaged the board—majority now fundraising champions → Leveraged innovative tactics to reach new, generational donors The result? Tripled philanthropy in 3 years. Doubled it again in 6. TL;DR: You don’t need more events. You need alignment, bold goals, clean data, laser focus, and relentless execution. What’s your biggest fundraising challenge right now? ps – Repost this ❤️

🚨STORY TIME🚨 I just got off a call with a nonprofit (that I've sponsored before in my past career) that a brand I currently support is considering sponsoring. The nonprofit scheduled 30 minutes to introduce themselves and share updates on their upcoming event. Sounds promising, right? But here’s the reality: the call lasted 7 minutes. Time set aside by both organizations for the nonprofit to make a first impression, build a relationship, and align with the sponsor. And all they did was share event updates since their sponsorship application had slightly changed. No introduction of their team or mission. No meaningful conversation about impact. No attempt to understand the brand’s goals or how we could work together long-term. 👉 That was a wasted opportunity. Because let me tell you—getting any time on the calendar with a sponsor is a big deal. You have to maximize it. Here’s how this call could have gone differently: 1. Have a clear agenda and respect the sponsor’s time by planning key talking points: introductions, impact highlights, alignment questions, and next steps. 2. Introduce your team even if it’s just one or two people, humanize the conversation before jumping into the details. Sponsors want to know who they’re partnering with. 3. Share your “why" and go beyond event details. What community impact are you creating? Why should your mission matter to the brand? 4. Ask about the sponsor’s goals. Too many nonprofits forget this and sponsors aren’t there for charity—they’re there for alignment and ROI. 5. Highlight partnership opportunities and paint the vision for what is possible through partnership. Don’t just report updates—invite them into the vision. Show how their involvement could grow into more than a one-time transaction. 6. Confirm next steps and always leave the call with clarity: What’s the timeline? Who’s responsible for follow-up? When’s the next touchpoint? A 30-minute call could’ve opened the door to long-term partnership and curiosity to a future together. Instead, it left both sides empty-handed. In fact, one of the brand's staff members mentioned to me, "that was a waste of time, it could have been an email." 💎 Nonprofit leaders: if you’re securing time with a sponsor, treat it like gold. Don’t waste it.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to testify to California's Little Hoover Commission about a topic that is important in our work at The James Irvine Foundation: how philanthropy and the public sector can leverage each other's strengths through collaboration. In my testimony, I shared that the challenges facing California are too great for any one sector to solve. Government spending far exceeds philanthropic resources, but philanthropy plays a crucial role in ensuring that the people most often left out and behind are heard and can participate in shaping government policies. That’s why we’ve been grateful to partner with the State of California through both direct and coordinated funding that leverages the strengths of both our sectors. Here are a few lessons from this work:  ▪ Strong relationships with state leaders are crucial. This may seem obvious, but it requires sustained effort. In California, the Governor’s Senior Advisor for Social Innovation, Elena Chavez Quezada, has been especially helpful in fostering these relationships.  ▪ Focus on co-creation. Instead of the state identifying a project and then asking philanthropy for funding, we should co-create initiatives from the beginning, with shared input. This will lead to better outcomes. ▪ Timeliness matters. Delays in government grants and contracts can strain nonprofits delivering essential services. Relieving this pressure can allow philanthropic resources to be used more strategically for initiatives that government cannot easily fund. ▪ Be opportunistic and flexible. In times of crisis, the public and philanthropic sectors work quickly and collaboratively. We should bring that same energy to long-term challenges. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this topic in the comments, and if you’ve learned other lessons from public-private collaboration.  #Philanthropy #Equity #Collaboration https://lnkd.in/gXxMyRTg

Great partnerships don’t guarantee funding—but they do position you for lasting impact. In a shifting landscape, strategy and flexibility matter more than assumptions. Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to advise and mentor nonprofit leaders navigating complex funding relationships—some thriving, others ending despite high performance. Here’s the truth: Even great outcomes and strong partnerships don’t always keep funders at the table. Sometimes decisions are driven by internal priorities, leadership shifts, or broader business realities—things no nonprofit can control. But what can be shaped is how nonprofits show up: With innovation. With strategic thinking. With confidence in what sets them apart and why it matters. From my experience, the most resilient nonprofit organizations:  🔹Initiate strategic conversations — not just about funding, but shared purpose and vision 🔹 Invite the right stakeholders in — those who influence and implement change 🔹 Highlight shared impact — amplifying what’s possible together, not just independently 🔹 Track meaningful outcomes — not to impress, but to improve 🔹 Communicate through change — because silence weakens trust 🔹 Design with sustainability in mind — preparing for shifts and building beyond a single funding cycle Here’s a simple truth: No funding lasts forever, so planning for sustainability is essential. Approach partnerships with flexibility, not permanence in mind. Be intentional. Be strategic. And above all, keep creating the unique value that only you bring. Nonprofits do more than deliver services—they design solutions that drive change. And in doing so, they must lead with the innovation, resilience, and boldness of entrepreneurs. If you’re navigating these challenges, you’re not alone. Let’s keep building, innovating, and leading with purpose. #NonprofitLeadership #CorporatePartnerships #SocialImpactStrategy #InnovationInAction #LeadershipLessons #StrategicAlliances #BusinessForGood

For decades, capital was kept in silos: Philanthropy was for giving. Venture was for growing. And you had to choose, mission or margin. But that model is quietly collapsing. Today, a new class of capital allocators (family offices, DAF managers, DFIs, and sovereign funds) are deploying hybrid capital: structured combinations of grants, equity, and concessional debt designed to unlock both impact and returns. And they’re doing it intelligently. In Nigeria, All On’s Energy Fund, seeded by Shell Foundation, blends philanthropic grants with concessional debt and equity to back off-grid energy startups, catalyzing private investment into markets traditional VC avoids. Temasek’s investment in LeapFrog Investments marks a strategic shift: sovereign wealth capital now backing private equity funds that scale healthcare and financial inclusion across emerging markets. At the systems level, Co-Impact is pooling philanthropic capital from HNWIs and institutions to fund long-horizon education and health transformation, with performance frameworks aligned to national systems. Still, let’s be clear: According to GIIN, less than 7% of the $1.1T+ global impact investing market is catalytic capital. Blended finance transactions dropped from $10.2B in 2019 to $4.8B in 2022 (Convergence). And most family offices still allocate less than 10% of capital toward intentional impact (Campden Wealth, 2022). So no, this isn’t widespread. But it is where things are going. Why? Because the smartest players now understand: - You can de-risk bold ideas with grants. - You can scale them with equity and debt. - You can recover capital and reinvest it again. - And you can do it without compromising mission integrity. This isn’t charity with ROI hopes. It’s purpose-built capital strategy. If you're still separating your giving from your investing, you’re playing by outdated rules and leaving both legacy and leverage on the table. I work with family offices, philanthropists, and institutional investors to design and deploy hybrid capital strategies that are structurally sound, values-aligned, and built for the long game. Let’s talk.

In today’s rapidly evolving social landscape, philanthropic organizations are increasingly called to be more than funders—they must become strategic innovators. One powerful way to do this is by curating innovation portfolios that balance investments in local direct service models with systems change initiatives. By applying principles from the business innovation cycle, philanthropy can unlock new pathways for scalable, sustainable impact. 1. Ideation & Discovery: Listening to the Ground While Envisioning the Sky Local organizations, like small and medium-sized businesses, operate close to the communities they serve. Their proximity allows them to identify emerging needs and experiment with grassroots solutions. Philanthropy can harness this by funding community-led ideation and supporting collaborative R&D with systems thinkers and policy innovators. 2. Development & Prototyping: Bridging Practice and Policy Local service providers often have deep expertise in delivering interventions that work in real-world settings. These models can serve as prototypes for broader systems change. Philanthropy can support pilot programs and facilitate knowledge exchange between practitioners and policy advocates. 3. Testing & Validation: Learning from the Field Direct service models offer a real-world testing ground for innovation. Their proximity to end-users enables authentic feedback loops that inform systems-level strategies. Philanthropic organizations should invest in evaluation frameworks that capture both local impact and broader relevance. 4. Commercialization: Scaling What Works Once validated, local models can be scaled through strategic partnerships and expanded channels. Philanthropy can play a catalytic role by connecting grassroots innovators with institutions, government agencies, or national networks to amplify impact. 5. Scaling & Optimization: Leveraging Innovation for Efficiency Philanthropic organizations can help scale local models by investing in process innovation and technology. This includes funding digital tools, training programs, or infrastructure that enables broader adoption without compromising quality. 6. Continuous Improvement: Creating a Learning Ecosystem True innovation is never static. Philanthropy must foster continuous improvement by supporting feedback loops and learning ecosystems. This includes convening stakeholders, funding learning communities, and investing in platforms that share insights across sectors. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐨 By intentionally balancing investments in local direct service models and systems change strategies, philanthropic organizations can create innovation portfolios that are both grounded and visionary. This approach drives impact at multiple levels while building resilience, adaptability, and long-term value for the communities they serve.

Fundraisers, you’re not imagining it - things are changing. The latest Partnership Shift Report from For Momentum confirms it. The data is sharp, the insights are grounded, and the shifts it highlights are already reshaping how the best partnerships are built. Here’s what stood out: ✔️ Partnership timing is more fluid than ever. 68% of companies now evaluate nonprofit opportunities as they arise. Heather’s tip: Stop waiting for “the right time.” Be ready year-round with clear asks and aligned offers. ✔️ Companies are giving, but to fewer partners. 73% of companies plan to maintain giving, but 23% are reducing the number of nonprofit partners. Heather’s tip: This isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about standing out. Ask yourself: are you offering enough value to be the one they keep? ✔️ Mission alignment is non-negotiable. 91% say brand/mission alignment is the most important factor in selecting a partner. Heather’s tip: Lead with your mission but not in an overwhelming way. Make sure to translate it into business relevance. Make the alignment obvious. ✔️ Decision-making is multi-stakeholder. Eight departments are involved in approvals, including CSR, marketing, PR, and senior leadership. Heather’s tip: Your contact is rarely your only audience. Prep your materials like they’ll be shared across teams. With all this in mind, here’s my take: Corporate giving isn’t shrinking. It’s getting more intentional. That’s not bad news. It’s your opportunity to show how your work meets the moment. Want to strengthen your approach? Try these three strategies: -Refresh your prospect list based on updated cause alignment. -Build a lightweight, shareable version of your pitch deck for internal distribution. -Rehearse your case for support in 3 minutes or less. Consider what would your ally say in a meeting you’re not in? I’ll be sharing more takeaways from this report and what they mean for fundraisers like you. Follow me here if you want those insights in your feed. Which of these shifts feels most relevant to your current partnership work? Share in the comments!

If I was behind on fundraising goals, here's what I would do between now and the end of the year. 1️⃣ Turn the homepage into a donation page. There are exceptions, but most traffic in the last two weeks comes from people making gifts. Even if you're driving ads and emails to specific landing pages (you should), donors often don't follow your carefully designed donor journey. We sometimes see upward of 50% of gifts driven by emails, ads, direct mail, etc. come in through the general donation page—even though none of the links in any of the campaign pointed to it. So I would turn the homepage into a donation page either by turning on a default lightbox or popup, changing the banner to a value proposition and offer, including a gift form (highly dependent on gift form, not broad stroke advice)—and lighten the load for anyone coming to the org to give. 2️⃣ Put a big phone number on the homepage. A significant amount of donors still prefer to call in a donation, or call in with questions. In the age of AI chat bots and offshore call centres, one of the most human things I would do is let humans talk to other humans. And yes, I'd have a plan in place for someone to be trained to answer the phone—and for someone to be available all the way until midnight at year end. A factor to consider here is that people who make gifts of assets (stocks, securities, DAF gifts, etc.) often like to talk to someone at the org first. I wouldn't sleep on these gifts. They're typically much larger than your average gift—and also come with a significant tax advantage to donors. I'd want to encourage as many of these as possible. 3️⃣ Pull a list of people who made a year-end gift last year but haven't yet this year. I would rank them by giving amount, and include if they have a phone number, email address or mailing address on file. Then I'd start with those who have all 3 on file and have given more than $300. Our analysis of close to 1m donor records shows that these are high-intent signals for donors who not only give more, but also give more frequently. What would I do with that list? Call them. Personal phone calls are highly under-valued in mass and mid-level fundraising, but they're one of the highest levers you can pull (with the right audience). These calls aren't rocket science at all. It's a 3-5 minute phone conversation where you thank donors for their past support, listen carefully, share the current need and vision, and ask them if they'd consider making another gift. Along with phone calls, I'd expand the list and pair the calls with personal emails sent through a service like Yet Another Mail Merge. Finally, I'd put a simple postcard in the mail right now—with a picture, an offer, a clear and specific and tangible ask, and a link/QR code. They're quick to print, and cheap to mail. They don't perform *nearly* as well a direct mail, but they can be an effective touch point as part of a larger campaign. What would you do?