The Million Reasons Run is a 31-day running challenge starting May 1, with funds raised supporting life-saving research at local children’s hospitals across Canada, organized by SickKids Foundation.
This year’s campaign’s Matched Giving Day was a huge hit, raising over $900,000 in just 24 hours. With strategic use of Funraisin's features and a well-planned communication strategy, the matched giving day drove a 25% increase in year-over-year income!
Wondering what the magic ingredient is that made this campaign so successful?
We caught up with Angela from SickKids Foundation to find out! Angela and her team have fine-tuned a key element of their success - the expertly executed Matched Giving Day.
$900,000
raised in 24 hours
25%↑
up year on year
10% ↑
up on average raised
Over $3 million
raised in 2024
A crucial part of the strategy was creating a sense of urgency.
By keeping the Matched Giving Day date a secret until a few days before, they generated a surge of excitement and engagement among participants and donors.
"That's the secret sauce! We keep the date secret and only give 2 to 3 days' notice. It creates a real sense of urgency, which drives a truly successful match day."
- Angela Rose CFRE, Manager - Event Marketing, SickKids Foundation
Perfect timing has also played a significant role in the impact.
For 2024, they scheduled the Giving Day midway through the month, later than usual. This allowed them to start with a larger number of active fundraisers, focusing on those most likely to contribute rather than trying to engage non-engaged participants.
"We knew from past data that those who hadn’t started fundraising yet were highly unlikely to. But they could make a donation instead…"
- Angela
Funraisin's Matched Giving feature added to the excitement by automating the matching process in real-time.
Higher-value donations were particularly notable on Matched Giving Day, with the default donation amount set at $125.
"The Matched Giving Feature was great, we can easily set all the matched giving parameters and then automate everything once launched! It's better than other tech, which can't handle matched donations appearing live on fundraising pages."
- Angela
A comprehensive communication plan was essential.
The team used a multi-channel approach, including emails, dedicated social media groups, text blasts, and a sticky navigation banner on the website. VIP participants received early notifications, and personalized messaging was crafted for different audience segments. To make the impact of donations clear, patient stories were included in follow-up communications.
Angela also ensured feedback was collected from fundraisers after the campaign ended.
"We always follow up with surveys to understand which elements were most motivating. It’s always the Matched Day that participants find most exciting!"
- Angela
Here are some key takeaways:
- Keep it a Surprise: Keeping the Matched Giving Day date a surprise prevents donors from holding back their contributions.
- Leverage Existing Relationships: Use matching funds from committed donors secured by your major gifts team.
- Strategic Communication: Use a multi-channel approach and segment your audience for personalized messaging.
- Perfect Timing: Choose a time when the maximum number of people have activated their pages. Focus on engaging active participants rather than chasing non-active ones.
- Leverage Technology: Make the most of platform features like Funraisin's Matched Giving tool to enhance the donor experience.
By honing these strategies, the Million Reasons Run campaign continues to grow, proving the power of a well-executed Matched Giving Day.
