Matching gifts and challenges have long been effective fundraising tools. Used strategically, they can create urgency, excitement, and a compelling reason for donors to act.
But in recent years, many organizations have come to rely on them too heavily.
When every campaign includes a match—or when challenges are used as a default rather than a strategic choice—their impact begins to fade. What was once special starts to feel expected. Urgency becomes routine. And the power of the core message can be diluted.
At Delia Martín, we’ve seen firsthand that strong fundraising performance does not depend on constant matching gifts. In fact, several of our clients experienced their strongest post-COVID fundraising year without leaning on an overuse of matches or challenges.
Many of our missions reported record December revenue using a far more conservative matching gift strategy—reserving it for specific moments rather than every appeal. The result was a campaign driven by story, clarity of purpose, and donor connection, not by incentive alone.
This doesn’t mean matching gifts don’t work. They do. But they work best when they support a strong message rather than replace it. When the story is compelling, the need is clear, and donors understand the impact of their giving, urgency can be created without relying on constant external leverage.
A thoughtful approach to matches preserves their power. It allows them to feel meaningful when they are used—and ensures that your organization’s mission, not the match, remains at the center of the appeal.
As you plan for the year ahead, January is the right time to evaluate how and when these tools are used. The most sustainable fundraising strategies are built on trust, storytelling, and long-term donor relationships—not on tactics that lose their effectiveness through overuse.
