# Report shows match-funding encourages public donations

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/07/12/report-shows-match-funding-encourages-public-donations/
- Published: 2016-07-12T11:00:32+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**More people are likely to donate to charity and give more money if they know their
donation will be match-funded, according to a report co-commissioned by [The Big Give](https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/),
RBS and [Charities Trust](http://www.charitiestrust.org.uk/).**

The [research](https://cdn.thebiggive.org.uk/static/docs/A-Great+Match-EVersion.pdf)
reveals that donors give 2.5 times more to charity on average when they know their
donations will be match-funded. The average value of a matched donation was £333
compared with only £132 for those that were un-matched.

In addition, the research shows that:

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 * 84% of respondents felt that they were more likely to give if matching was offered.
 * Over one third (37%) of respondents said that they only gave to a matched funded
   appeal because of the match funding.
 * One in three donors (36%) said that they gave a larger gift because matching 
   was applied to their donation.
 * Match-funding was rated the most likely factor to encourage donors to give more,
   scoring more highly than emergency appeals, and Christmas or other religious 
   or cultural festivals.
 * 38% of respondents said that matching was ‘very likely’ to make them give more
   to charity, with a further 47% being ‘quite likely’ to give more as a result 
   of matching.

The report also identifies a growth in the number of leading companies in the UK
that are now offering match-funding to their employees, who donate money via payroll
giving schemes or through fundraising activities.

Alex Day, director of the Big Give, said:

> “In a time where fundraising is under increasing scrutiny, it is vital for funders
> and charities to work together to find innovative ways to encourage donations 
> from the public. The research shows that match-funding is a fantastic way to not
> just incentivise donations but to truly create a situation where the sum is greater
> than the parts.”

 * **[Big Give Christmas challenge raises £7.2 million with record donations](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/12/09/big-give-christmas-challenge-raises-7-2m-record-donations/)**(
   9 December 2016)
 * **[Big Give announces Send A Cow as overall Christmas Challenge Award winner](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/02/14/big-give-announces-send-cow-overall-christmas-challenge-award-winner/)**(
   14 February 2017)
 * **[Last chance to apply for Christmas Challenge](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/07/04/last-chance-apply-christmas-challenge/)**(
   4 July 2017)

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