{
  "slug": "matching-gift-impact",
  "title": "Matching Gift Impact Calculator",
  "heading": "Matching Gift Campaign Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/matching-gift-impact",
  "summary": "How much a match challenge lifts total giving — and what it truly costs.",
  "description": "A match works by raising response rate and average gift, not by magically doubling money. Model the lift your match generates, subtract the matching funds themselves, and see whether the challenge produced incremental dollars.",
  "formula": "Matched total = baseline × (1 + lift) + match pool; incremental = matched total − baseline − match pool.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=matching-gift-impact",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "baseline",
      "label": "Expected raise without a match",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 60000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "matchPool",
      "label": "Match pool committed",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "responseLift",
      "label": "Lift in response rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 22,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "giftLift",
      "label": "Lift in average gift",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "promoCost",
      "label": "Promotion cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "wouldHaveGiven",
      "label": "Share of match donor's gift that was coming anyway",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 60,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Total campaign raise with match",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "lifted",
      "label": "Donor giving with the match live",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "incremental",
      "label": "Incremental donor dollars from the match",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "netNew",
      "label": "Genuinely new money after promo cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "matchUsed",
      "label": "Match dollars actually unlocked",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerIncremental",
      "label": "Promo cost per incremental dollar",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Expected raise without a match: 60000 $",
      "Match pool committed: 30000 $",
      "Lift in response rate: 22 %",
      "Lift in average gift: 15 %",
      "Promotion cost: 4000 $",
      "Share of match donor's gift that was coming anyway: 60 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total campaign raise with match: $114,180",
      "Donor giving with the match live: $84,180",
      "Incremental donor dollars from the match: $24,180",
      "Genuinely new money after promo cost: $32,180",
      "Match dollars actually unlocked: $30,000",
      "Promo cost per incremental dollar: $0.17"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter expected raise without a match ($).",
      "Enter match pool committed ($).",
      "Enter lift in response rate (%).",
      "Enter lift in average gift (%).",
      "Enter promotion cost ($).",
      "Enter share of match donor's gift that was coming anyway (%).",
      "Read your total campaign raise with match on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "baseline": 36000,
        "matchPool": 18000,
        "responseLift": 13,
        "giftLift": 9,
        "promoCost": 2500,
        "wouldHaveGiven": 35
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "baseline": 60000,
        "matchPool": 30000,
        "responseLift": 22,
        "giftLift": 15,
        "promoCost": 4000,
        "wouldHaveGiven": 60
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "baseline": 96000,
        "matchPool": 48000,
        "responseLift": 35,
        "giftLift": 24,
        "promoCost": 6500,
        "wouldHaveGiven": 95
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Do matches really work?",
      "a": "Field experiments consistently find matches raise participation, but larger ratios like 3:1 do not outperform 1:1 by much. The existence of a deadline and a match does the work, not the multiplier."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is it dishonest if the match donor was giving anyway?",
      "a": "It is standard practice and legal as long as the funds are genuinely committed and contingent on the challenge being met. What is not acceptable is announcing a match you have not actually secured."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/fundraising-goal",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/peer-to-peer-fundraising"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Matching Gift Impact Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/matching-gift-impact)"
}