On the current Virtual Workplace Fundraising Summit, Anne Marie Dillon, Director of Office Giving and Matching Presents on the American Most cancers Society, shared a compelling presentation on how her group reworked their strategy to office fundraising initiatives.

With billions of dollars raised annually through workplace giving—by way of payroll donations, firm fundraising pages, and matching reward applications—Dillon emphasised the big potential of this income stream when supported by intentional technique, inside buy-in, and scalable sources.

In her session, our speaker outlined how ACS:

• Collaborated throughout departments to supply high-impact sources;
• Created scalable coaching and communication methods;
• Leveraged instruments like Double the Donation to automate matching reward outreach;
• Used donor knowledge to tell and deepen company relationships;
• And extra!

The end result? ACS reversed a declining pattern in office giving and achieved year-over-year income development, whereas additionally making life simpler for workers on the entrance strains of fundraising.

Curious about viewing the entire presentation? Check out the replay here!

In any other case, we’ll break down probably the most highly effective takeaways from this session under, together with sensible insights for any nonprofit trying to unlock extra from their office giving and matching reward efforts. Let’s start.

Key Takeaway #1: Perceive the worth of a office giving technique.

A transparent and intentional office giving technique is important for maximizing an often-overlooked income stream. Whereas Dillon acknowledges that some workers could query the influence of office fundraising initiatives, she reiterates that small recurring donations and matching items can add as much as important funds over time.

Furthermore, office giving affords worth past monetary contributions—it aligns with broader employee and consumer trends. Firms profit from showcasing social duty, particularly as Gen Z and different workers more and more search workplaces that replicate their private values. Donors are additionally extra seemingly to provide when matching items can be found, with 84% saying a match makes them extra prone to donate.

In brief, investing in a office giving technique isn’t simply good for nonprofit income—it additionally deepens relationships with company companions and helps worker engagement objectives, too.

Key Takeaway #2: Discover your present state & alternatives.

Earlier than launching or refining your office fundraising technique, it’s important to evaluate your group’s present panorama. Begin by analyzing present office giving income to know the place you’re ranging from⁠—and the place strategic efforts may have probably the most influence.

This foundational knowledge is not going to solely information your subsequent steps but additionally assist construct a case for inside buy-in by demonstrating potential ROI (or return on funding). And a data-driven strategy lets you establish key alternatives, corresponding to particular applications or companions price prioritizing, and ensures your technique stays targeted, sensible, and scalable.

To assemble this info, take into account how your group at the moment tracks office donations. It’s possible you’ll must collaborate along with your finance or knowledge groups to determine baseline reporting and decide the way you’ll proceed to trace metrics going ahead.

Key Takeaway #3: Collect your stakeholders.

Constructing an efficient office giving technique requires collaboration throughout a number of departments and stakeholder teams. To take action, begin by figuring out each inside and exterior “prospects”—all those that are already concerned or may very well be impacted by your office fundraising initiatives.

This might embrace:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising and occasion workers;
• Company relations or account administration workers;
• Advertising and marketing workers members;
• IT division members;
• Authorized group members;
• Digital group members;
• Volunteers;
• And extra, relying on the make-up of your group!

When you’ve recognized your “prospects,” you may pinpoint who ought to be a part of the planning and implementation course of for office fundraising initiatives.

Relying on the scope of your technique, you might also want help from all or any of those groups to create, vet, and distribute outreach supplies. By bringing all related stakeholders to the desk, you may construct a stronger, extra coordinated office giving technique that’s arrange for achievement.

Key Takeaway #4: Set up workgroups and suggestions mechanisms.

As soon as stakeholders are recognized, the following step in constructing a profitable office giving technique is to collect focused suggestions via workgroups. Whereas it’s useful to strategy the method with concepts, the simplest methods are formed by enter from the individuals who will use and profit from them—your inside and exterior “prospects.”

Forming workgroups lets you ask your prospects straight what instruments and sources they want and after they want them. By aligning your planning with stakeholders’ timelines, corresponding to when fundraisers are constructing campaigns or when firm companions are mapping budgets, you guarantee your supplies and help are well-timed and impactful.

Key Takeaway #5: Map out your technique.

After gathering stakeholder suggestions and figuring out useful resource wants and timelines, the following step is to map out your office fundraising technique. This entails organizing inside planning periods to obviously outline your objectives, assign duties, and decide who must be concerned for enter and approvals.

Whereas it could be tempting to work independently, involving others early within the course of fosters collaboration and helps keep away from delays down the road. This structured strategy ensures your office fundraising initiatives are well-coordinated, sensible, and extra prone to succeed.

Key Takeaway #6: Develop inside and external-facing sources.

A profitable office fundraising technique hinges on equipping its inside group with the best instruments and sources. On the American Most cancers Society, this initiative started with creating staff-facing sources, corresponding to inside promote sheets, step-by-step guides, FAQs, and designating material consultants (SMEs), to assist workers perceive and promote office giving and function a frontline for questions.

As soon as inside sources have been in place, the main target shifted to exterior supplies tailor-made for donors and volunteers. Primarily based on direct suggestions, the group produced flyers, e-mail templates, social media posts, and a brief promotional video for matching items.

Collectively, these sources—constructed with collaboration, timing, and viewers wants in thoughts—empowered frontline fundraisers to confidently promote office fundraising initiatives and matching reward alternatives, in the end driving stronger donor engagement and elevated income.

Key Takeaway #7: Maximize your efforts with the best instruments and sources.

To get probably the most worth from office fundraising efforts and sources, the American Most cancers Society emphasised the significance of strategic implementation with a deal with considerate coaching, accessibility, and automation.

Coaching started with broad, high-level reminders throughout division and regional calls, then transitioned to extra detailed, team-specific periods. To additional interact workers, the group launched “workplace hours,” permitting for real-time Q&A and offering workers with an area to ask particular questions and be taught from each other. Office giving was additionally launched to new workers throughout onboarding and repeatedly bolstered via newsletters and inside useful resource libraries, guaranteeing that everybody may entry and make the most of the instruments as wanted.

On the donor facet, the group optimized its matching reward expertise with sensible integrations. By partnering with Double the Donation, they embedded a search widget on each their predominant website and on-line donation kinds, permitting donors to verify their eligibility for office fundraising initiatives in actual time.

Lastly, they automated donor follow-up emails, additionally with the help of Double the Donation, lowering the burden on fundraising workers and guaranteeing constant, well timed outreach. This strategy freed up workers time and helped increase follow-through on matching items, enhancing donor engagement and growing income with out requiring additional effort from frontline groups.

Key Takeaway #8: Discover alternatives for firm partnership development.

By analyzing knowledge from matching items, organizations can establish firms the place sturdy donor exercise already exists. These tendencies can open the door to significant conversations with employers—whether or not it’s thanking them for his or her help, sharing influence knowledge, or exploring deeper partnership alternatives.

This perception additionally helps nonprofits interact firms that will not but have formal office fundraising initiatives or matching reward applications. For instance, firms will be inspired to help a limited-time marketing campaign—corresponding to pledging to match worker donations as much as a specific amount inside a set timeframe. Most of these initiatives, referred to as one-off matching gift programs, not solely improve income but additionally assist firms exhibit their dedication to worker pursuits and neighborhood influence.

Key Takeaway #9: Evaluate, revise, and re-share your sources.

As you proceed to construct and refine your office giving technique, it’s important to maintain communication channels open and welcome ongoing suggestions.

Frequently reviewing and updating your sources ensures they keep related, incorporating new messaging, codecs, processes, and applied sciences, which will increase the chance that workers will use them successfully. Resharing info periodically is equally vital, as workers juggling a number of fundraising priorities could not recall earlier communications. This repeated sharing, coupled with openness to suggestions and help, builds belief and reinforces buy-in.

Finally, sustaining this steady cycle of engagement and useful resource refinement empowers frontline workers—who could circuitously handle office giving—to confidently promote this very important fundraising stream.

Wrapping Up & Further Office Fundraising Assets

After revamping the office giving technique and sources on the American Most cancers Society, the group efficiently reversed a declining income pattern and has seen constant year-over-year development in each matching items and office giving over the previous three years. Anne Marie Dillon’s session on the Digital Office Fundraising Summit supplied a real-world case research on how considerate planning, cross-team collaboration, and data-driven decision-making can revitalize a fundraising technique.

From streamlining matching reward outreach to creating evergreen sources and empowering workers with sensible instruments, the American Most cancers Society’s strategy demonstrates that inside alignment is simply as important as exterior engagement.

Seeking to take the following step? Begin by evaluating your present sources, figuring out inside champions, and opening the door to suggestions. In any case, small, strategic adjustments as we speak can result in long-term development tomorrow.

In case you’re fascinated with studying extra about strategic office fundraising efforts, we suggest trying out the next sources:

• Matching Gifts in Practice: Tips, Strategies From Your Peers. This session recap brings collectively real-world insights from nonprofit professionals who’re actively driving matching reward success. Find out how nonprofit friends are growing participation, refining donor outreach, and integrating matching items into their broader fundraising technique.
• Key Workplace Donor Trends for Nonprofits to Know. Uncover the most recent analysis on office donors—what motivates them, how they like to provide, and what nonprofits can do to construct lasting connections. This data-driven session highlights evolving donor expectations and the way nonprofits can reply with relevance and empathy.
• Understanding Companies’ Expectations for Nonprofits. Questioning what firms are searching for in partnerships? This session overview explores what as we speak’s firms are actually searching for from their nonprofit companions, together with reporting, collaboration, and communication finest practices to assist your group stand out and succeed.