About Us
HEPdata has been a pioneer in matching gift solutions for over 20 years, though was most recently known as Affinaquest Matching Gifts.
With the HEPdata brand brought back in 2025, we’re excited to continue to partner with your organization on your matching gift fundraising.
Mailing Address
931 Monroe Dr. NE.
STE A102-332
info@hepdata.com
Contact us
Get in touch with our team with any of your matching gift, support, or billing questions.
5 Tips to Get Matching Gift Paperwork Across the Finish Line
You’ve completed your fundraiser, raised loads of money, and with the help of pending matching gift donations, the numbers are looking good. All you need is for donors to complete their matching gift paperwork. Easier said than done, right?
With an infinite number of day-to-day tasks to manage and the constant need to develop new fundraising efforts, it can be hard to find the time to track and manage past donations. Matching gifts can literally double a donation, providing additional revenue without asking for more from your donors. Losing those funds can put a big dent in revenue projections if paperwork never crosses the finish line.
In our work with over 1,000 colleges, universities, and nonprofits across the country, we wanted to share five best practices to help you make the most of your matching gift opportunities.
1. Assign a Team Member for Follow-Up
A dedicated team member responsible for managing matching gift donations can help ensure this revenue doesn’t fall through the cracks. Using monthly status reports for pending donations can help keep the team informed and updated.
2. Keep Tabs on Matching Gift Opportunities
The more you track each matching gift status, the better off you will be. Knowing where each matching gift opportunity is in the process ensures funds do not go unclaimed. With Auto Match from HEPdata Matching Gift Solutions, all matching gift opportunities are automatically identified and tracked, allowing you to monitor the status of each with ease.
3. Create a Follow-Up Protocol and Stick to It
Attention spans have never been shorter, with many receiving hundreds of emails a day. Don’t be discouraged if emails go unnoticed; be tenacious and create a follow-up strategy. We recommend reaching out immediately after the gift is received, then following up on a set cadence until it’s complete. HEPdata’s Auto Match allows you to create personalized, automated follow-up emails to stick to your plan with minimal effort.
4. Educate Donors With Thank You Notes
Donors don’t always understand that they can make a donation and their matching gift funds don’t reach your organization until months later. Once a matching donation is complete, send a thank you email that includes the date of their donation and the date you received the matching gift donation. Let them know you appreciate their dedication to your cause, patience with the process, and are grateful for their support.
5. Tell People How Long It Will Take
Most forms are online and can be submitted quickly with minimal effort.
Are you ready to optimize matching gifts? Request a demo to see how your organization can use HEPdata to identify, automate, and maximize matching gifts.
What are Matching Gifts
Thousands of companies across the country have programs where they match their employees’ donations to eligible charitable organizations. Typically, an employer will match a donation dollar for dollar, but in some cases, organizations may even match a donation up to triple the original amount.
For higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations, matching gifts are a vital revenue stream and a critical component of their fundraising. Matching gifts are essentially free money for the organization and allow donors to give at least twice as much by simply completing the necessary paperwork in a matter of minutes.
As any fundraising organization knows, driving donations is hard work. Once you’ve spent the time and resources to secure a gift, matching gifts present an opportunity to double its value.
Billions in Unclaimed Donations
It is estimated that up to $10 billion in matching gift revenue goes unclaimed every year. Roughly 8-15% of an organization’s donors are matching gift eligible, and surprisingly, a whopping 80% of matching gift eligible donors do not know their company will match their gift.
Generous Corporate Giving Programs
With thousands of corporations offering matching gift programs, including 65% of Fortune 500 companies, there are millions of people who are eligible. Corporate giving programs and guidelines are always changing, which is why a dedicated team at HEPdata tracks the policies of over 23,000 companies.
An Underutilized Revenue Stream
With so many donors unaware of their employer’s matching gift policy, the responsibility of identifying these opportunities, notifying the donor, and ensuring paperwork is complete falls squarely on the shoulders of an organization. For anonymous donations, additional research and outreach are involved to convert an opportunity. The process is time-consuming, complicated to manage, and requires daily attention.
Donations with a Deadline
Many corporate matching gift policies come with a deadline. If an employee donation is not matched by a corporation within one year, it is no longer eligible for a matching gift.
Giving That Grows Donor Loyalty
84% of donors say they’re more likely to give if a match is offered. Once they’ve completed a matching gift, they know how easy it is to complete. As donor loyalty increases, matching gift revenue grows as well.
Solutions That Simplify and Scale Matching Gift Strategy
HEPdata’s Matching Gift Solutions offer a simple, easy-to-use platform that identifies matching gift eligible donors, tracks their donations, and automatically follows up until the necessary paperwork is complete. Implementing a proven matching gift management strategy with AffinityX2 frees up countless staff hours and creates a reliable, constant revenue stream. Most organizations see a 53% increase in matching gift revenue in the first year.
One of the tools in the AffinityX2 suite of matching gift solutions is Match Lookup. It includes eMatch Donor Link, which allows your donors to search their employer before, during, and after a gift to see if their company will match. This tool will help you configure the look and feel, place it on your web pages, and give you access to metrics to ensure you’re maximizing the tool.
To learn more about AffinityX2 and the Auto Match and Match Lookup tools, request a demo with the HEPdata team.
3 Types of Matching Gifts to Help You Double the Love and the Giving
Increase Your Fundraising Revenue with Matching Gifts
Did you know there’s an easy way to increase fundraising revenue while also boosting the likelihood your prospects will donate? Matching gifts achieve both.
Data shows prospective donors are 84% more likely to make a gift when they know it will be matched by their employer or another entity. Plus, one in three donors say they would give more if a match was available.
People enjoy making a big impact—and they like it even more when it requires little or no additional investment.
For nonprofits, matching gifts significantly increase revenue without increasing solicitations. Employers benefit as well: social initiatives strengthen affinity among the company, employees, and customers. In fact, 75% of workers value corporate cultures supporting philanthropy and volunteerism. Corporate social responsibility initiatives can positively impact corporate revenue too.
Three Types of Matching Gifts and How HEPdata Can Help
1. Corporate Employee Matches
When people refer to “matching gifts,” they typically mean corporate employee matches. In these programs, when an employee donates to a charity, their employer donates an equivalent amount.
About 65% of companies offer matching gift programs, and approximately 15% of donors are eligible. Each company’s matching policies vary. Matches typically range from 1:1 to 3:1. Some companies also match gifts from retirees or donor-advised funds.
How Employee Matches Work
An employee donates to a charity, submits a form to their employer, and after verification, the company sends the matched donation to the charity.
Examples of Employee Matching Gift Programs
Benefits of Employee Matching Gift Programs
Barriers to Matching Gifts and How HEPdata Can Help
Despite their ease, up to $10 billion in matching gift revenue goes unclaimed each year, primarily due to lack of awareness or follow-up. HEPdata provides a comprehensive matching gift database and tools to ensure accurate and updated matching gift information, automates donor follow-ups, and streamlines the matching process.
2. Volunteer Matching Gifts & Grants
Volunteer matching and grants reward employees’ donated time with corporate financial contributions. Policies and rewards vary widely by company.
How Volunteer Matches Work
Employees track volunteer hours, submit them to their employer, and the company sends a matched donation based on hours volunteered.
Examples of Volunteer Grant Programs
Benefits of Volunteer Matching Gift Programs
3. Challenge Grant Matching Gifts
Unlike employee matches, challenge grants proactively encourage donations. These grants come from individuals, foundations, or corporations and motivate others to contribute by matching new donations during specific fundraising campaigns.
How Challenge Grants Work
Donors pledge a match, and the nonprofit promotes it publicly to inspire additional giving. Donations made during the challenge period are matched according to pre-established criteria.
Benefits of Challenge Grants
Make Matching Gifts Part of Your Fundraising Strategy with HEPdata
Matching gifts are essential for maximizing fundraising potential. HEPdata’s comprehensive matching gift solutions remove the guesswork, enabling organizations to effectively identify eligible donors, streamline the matching process, automate follow-ups, and ultimately secure more matching funds. With over $10 billion left unclaimed annually, implementing a robust matching gift strategy with HEPdata can substantially boost your organization’s fundraising outcomes.