Matching Gifts for Public Media Orgs | Boost Your Broadcasts

Consider the following scenario: You’re listening to your regularly scheduled radio show when it’s interrupted for the station’s annual pledge drive. You hear the on-air host making an appeal⁠—“Fundraising is an essential part of what we do at Public Broadcasting Station, and it’s the most efficient way to source funds needed to supply our listeners with educational, inspirational, and entertaining content. Not to mention, thousands of employers offer matching gifts for public media like us, meaning your contributions can go twice as far for your favorite programs.”

Pledge drives and other revenue-generation efforts are crucial for obtaining sustainable funding and delivering high-quality content to widespread communities. Incorporating matching gift opportunities into your media organization’s outreach can go a long way!

In this post, we’ll explore how nonprofits in the media sector can leverage matching gifts to amplify their impact, enhance donor engagement, and ultimately boost their broadcasts. We’ll cover the following topics below:

• The Basics of Matching Gifts for Public Media Groups
• 5 Companies to Know That Match Gifts to Public Media
• Tips & Tricks for Spreading the Word About Matching Gifts
• Sample Scripts | Marketing Matching Gifts to Your Public Media Audience

Let’s get started!

The Basics of Matching Gifts for Public Media Groups

Matching gifts for public media groups is a category of philanthropy in which companies match donations to the public broadcasting services their employees financially support. This makes it an essential form of workplace giving for these organizations, empowering donors to double or even triple the value of their gifts without reaching back into their own wallets.

All a donor generally has to do is complete a brief online request form for their employer to review and disburse match funding to your cause.

The benefits of matching gifts for public media organizations are significant and widespread. Successful donation-matching ensures that public media outlets, such as radio programs and television networks, are more sustainably funded to better serve the community’s needs and interests. Meanwhile, donors feel more deeply connected to the broadcasts they play a direct role in supporting through financial donations and matching gifts!

5 Companies to Know That Match Gifts to Public Media

Over 65% of Fortune 500 companies provide donation matches to the nonprofits their employees support. Check out the examples below to explore top programs that actively match gifts to public broadcasting organizations like yours!

Warner Bros. Discovery

Minimum donation amount: $10
Maximum donation amount: $1,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time
Eligible nonprofits: Many nonprofits, including public media

Warner Bros. Discovery is a prime example of an employer engaging its workforce through collaborative philanthropy. The company offers two generous giving programs in which its staff are encouraged to donate their money and time to qualifying nonprofits: matching gifts and volunteer grants, respectively.

Each year, full-time and part-time employees have the chance to request up to a combined $1,000 in matches and grants for their favorite causes⁠—of which your public media organization may be included.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

The Walt Disney Company (incl. Hulu, Marvel Entertainment, ABC)

Minimum donation amount: $25
Maximum donation amount: $25,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time
Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media

The Walt Disney Company is another leading corporation known for maximizing employee participation in philanthropy. With a lofty maximum threshold of $25,000, current team members are encouraged to give generously to their favorite nonprofit causes⁠—and to have those gifts matched, dollar-for-dollar.

Disney’s matching gift program is also inclusive of its subsidiaries, too, meaning Hulu, Marvel Entertainment, and ABC employees are welcome to participate.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Sony Corporation

Minimum donation amount: $10-$50
Maximum donation amount: $1,000-$2,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time, select retirees
Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media

Sony Corporation, encompassing subsidiaries such as Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Corporation of America, and Sony Electronics, operates a few generous matching gift programs that your team might want to take advantage of. These efforts aim to support employees’ charitable giving and reinforce the company’s commitment to social responsibility

Keep in mind that the eligibility criteria and submission processes vary across Sony’s different entities, so it’s important to select the correct employer from the database search tool!

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Fox Corporation

Minimum donation amount: None
Maximum donation amount: $1,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Full-time
Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media

Fox Corporation is dedicated to engaging its employees and supporting the communities it serves through its matching gift program. As part of the initiative, the program matches the gifts its current full-time employees make to a wide range of nonprofits. And your public media organization is likely included!

By empowering its employees to give back and amplifying their charitable efforts, Fox Corporation reinforces its commitment to doing good, creating positive change in its staffs’ communities around the world.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Google

Minimum donation amount: None
Maximum donation amount: $10,000
Match ratio: 1:1
Eligible employees: Part-time, full-time, board members
Eligible nonprofits: Most nonprofits, including public media

In addition to its standout Google Ad Grants program, one of the primary ways Google participates in philanthropy is by matching employees’ charitable gifts. With its matching gift program, the company doubles donations to thousands of nonprofits, effectively multiplying the impact of team members’ contributions.

Then, going a step further, Google also offers an additional $10,000 match limit for donations going to disaster or international relief! Not to mention, matching funds that employees raise through peer-to-peer fundraising events like runs, walks, and rides.

Learn more about the matching gift program.

Tips & Tricks for Spreading the Word About Matching Gifts

Implementing a well-thought-out matching gift fundraising plan is an integral step in bridging the knowledge and funding gaps many organizations see. The following tips and tricks will empower public broadcasters like you to maximize donations, build stronger relationships with individual and corporate donors, and reach fundraising goals more effectively and efficiently than ever before.

1. Incorporate matching gift info in pledge drives and on-air appeals.

Public media stations often heavily rely on annual pledge drives to generate the funding needed to power their operations. Thus, you’ll want to heavily promote matching gifts throughout such efforts.

For this strategy, we recommend incorporating information about matching gift programs directly into your on-air appeals. As you introduce your campaign and make the ask of your viewers and listeners, mentioning the opportunity for gifts to be doubled can go a long way. In fact, matching gift research indicates that 84% of donors would be more likely to give if a match is offered, while 1 in 3 say they’d give a larger amount.

Top tip: Kickstart your efforts using our free matching gift appeal script below!

2. Leverage and enhance supporter loyalty with matching gifts.

Matching gifts not only increase the financial impact of one-time individual gifts but also serve as a powerful tool for building supporter loyalty. When donors see that their contributions are going twice as far, they feel double the sense of connection and pride in their support of the organization. And it makes them want to stay involved in the long run, ultimately lengthening and improving the donor journey.

For public media groups, this is essential⁠—as nonprofit broadcast services are often powered by a group of committed, long-term supporters. Additionally, highlighting matching gift opportunities demonstrates the station’s dedication to stewarding its financial assets responsibly, further strengthening the bond between the station and its donors.

3. Offer unique incentives for matching gift participation by donors.

One way to encourage donors to take advantage of matching gift opportunities is by rewarding them for doing so. Offer unique incentives for match-eligible donors who ultimately take the steps to request a match from their employer on your behalf. These might include:

• Branded apparel (such as t-shirts, hats, and hoodies)
• Other branded merchandise (pens, stickers, mugs, etc.)
• Exclusive access to digital resources
• Personalized eCards or digital greeting cards
• Inclusion in a donor wall or on-air recognition

Not to mention, as a less tangible incentive, let your audience know that participating in matching gifts will allow your team to reach its fundraising goals sooner. You may even be able to wrap up your pledge drive and return to viewers’ and listeners’ regularly scheduled programming early.

4. Integrate a matching gift solution into your fundraising toolkit.

To streamline the process of capturing matching gifts for public media organizations like yours, it’s essential that teams integrate an automation solution into their software toolkits. Luckily, Double the Donation’s 360MatchPro integrates with the leading public media fundraising platforms to ensure quick and easy implementation.

Once equipped with a matching gift solution, your organization will be set to automatically identify matching gift opportunities, educate donors about the process, and facilitate the submission of matching gift requests. The tool simplifies the administrative burden on broadcast staff and even ensures that no matchable gifts slip through the cracks.

Sample Scripts | Marketing Matching Gifts to Your Public Media Audience

Kick off your organization’s matching gift promotional efforts with these customizable scripts and templates. Remember: educating your audience about the matching gift opportunity increases the likelihood that donors request their matches.

On-Air Pledge Drive Script: Template #1

“Good [morning/afternoon/evening], [viewers/listeners]! As we embark on our annual pledge drive, I want to start with a pop quiz: What do companies like Disney, Google, and SONY Corporation (along with thousands of others) have in common?

If you said that they all match employees’ donations to nonprofit groups like ours, you’d be correct. That means your donation to [Public Media Organization] could be matchable, stretching twice as far for your favorite broadcast programs.

To check if your employer participates in matching gifts, head to our Match Page at [URL] to search for your company. Then, make your pledge online or by calling now at [station phone number]. Thank you for all your support, and let’s make this pledge drive one for the books!”

Phonathon Script: Template #2

“Good [Morning/Afternoon/Evening], [Recipient]! My name is [Name], and I’m calling on behalf of [Public Media Organization]. We’re reaching out to our valued supporters like you today to share an exciting opportunity to support our station.

Did you know that your donations to [Public Media Organization] may be eligible for a match from your employer? That’s right! Thousands of companies match team members’ gifts, doubling or sometimes tripling the value of each dollar an employee donates.

If you provide the name of your employer, I can do a quick search of our company database to see if you qualify for a match! Then, I’ll walk you through the process of giving and completing the request process to maximize your support for our organization.

Your generosity is instrumental in helping us deliver enriching content to our community, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to [Public Media Organization]!”

Email: Template #3

Subject: Double your support for public media like [Public Media Organization]

Dear [Recipient],

I hope this email finds you well. As a valued supporter of the [Public Media Organization] family, we wanted to see if you were familiar with corporate matching gift opportunities. If not, here’s a brief overview:

Tons of businesses double or even triple their employees’ contributions to causes like ours. This means every dollar you give could be matched by your employer, effectively doubling the impact of your support for our programming and community initiatives.

Interested? Here’s how you can participate:

• Visit our donation page at [URL] to make your contribution.
• Check if your employer offers a matching gift program on our website search tool: [URL]
• If eligible, submit a matching gift request to double your impact on our community.

Your ongoing generosity plays a crucial role in sustaining our mission to produce and supply informative, entertaining, and enriching content. Thank you for considering this opportunity to maximize your support for [Public Media Organization]!

Warm regards,

[Name]
[Title/Position]
[Public Media Organization]

Tweet: Template #4

Exciting news⁠—your support for [Public Media Organization] might be able to make an even bigger impact! Thanks to corporate matching gift programs, thousands of donors’ gifts are matchable by their employers. See if your company matches by using the search tool here: [URL]

#MatchingGifts #DoubleYourImpact #NonprofitFundraising #CommunitySupport #PublicMedia

Top tip: Make the most of the resources available to you! 360MatchPro users are encouraged to leverage the platform’s library of pre-written emails and pre-made graphic design templates to scale up their matching gift marketing efforts with ease.

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Final Thoughts

Harnessing the power of matching gifts presents an invaluable opportunity for public media organizations. When integrated into a fundraising strategy effectively, broadcasters are equipped to amplify impact, engage supporters, and ultimately elevate programming. And this opportunity is only expected to grow⁠. That means now’s your chance to ramp up your efforts, invest in technology, and drive more matching gifts to completion.

Watch the video below to see how Maine Public has boosted matching gifts at their organization by leveraging 360MatchPro!

Maine Public- Matching Gift Success with 360MatchPro from Double the Donation on Vimeo.

Interested in more tips and tricks to drive matching gifts for public media groups like yours? Keep reading these additional recommended resources:

• 40+ Matching Gift Companies: Find Your Match Today. Grow your matching gift fundraising by familiarizing yourself with more top employers offering matching gift programs. Overview guidelines from Apple, General Electric, Google, and others.
• Grow Fundraising Revenue: Access 360MatchPro Case Studies. Get inspired by other organizations that have seen great success with matching gifts⁠—including radio stations and television networks. See how Double the Donation’s automation helps!
• Phonathon Playbook for Nonprofits: Tips to Match Gifts & More. Many public media organizations host phonathons and other pledge drives. Check out these expert-proven practices to increase matching gifts in your phone fundraising, too.