Matching Gifts FAQ

  1. What is a matching gift?
  2. How can I approach my donors about getting a matching gift?
  3. How do I know if a company will offer a matching gift for a donation?
  4. How does a donor apply for a matching gift?
  5. The matching gift company has a list of non-profit organizations to choose from; which name should I pick?
  6. How long will it take for the 3-Day to process a matching gift form and mail it back to the matching gift company?
  7. Where should I mail the matching gift form?
  8. Will a matching gift count toward the participant’s minimum fundraising goal?
  9. What should I do if I can't find my company in the matching gifts search?
  10. My donor applied for a match that has not shown up in my fundraising total, how can I check on the status of the match?
  11. If a donor covers processing fees, can those funds be matched?
  12. Can I split or transfer a matching gift between fundraising accounts?

1. What is a matching gift?
A matching gift is a benefit offered by some employers to encourage charitable giving among their employees. Employer matching gift programs are a great way for your donors to double or, in some cases, triple their contribution to the fight against breast cancer.

2. How can I approach my donors about getting a matching gift?
Your donors may not be aware that their employer participates in a matching gift program. A great way to educate and encourage donors to utilize these programs is in your fundraising letter or email. Add a “P.S.” statement at the end of your letter such as, “Double the impact of your gift at no additional cost! Visit the Matching Gifts page on the 3-Day website to see if your gift can be matched through an employer matching gift program.” Let them know that in 2023 the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® brought in more than $900,000 for the cause through matching gifts alone!

3. How do I know if a company will offer a matching gift for a donation?
Visit the Matching Gifts page and search for the name of the company. Donors can also check with their Human Resources or Community Relations Departments to inquire about their internal process.

4. How does a donor apply for a matching gift?
If you are planning to apply for a matching gift, the preferred way to donate is by making an online donation via the 3-Day website. There is an option on the online donation page to choose “I would like more information about how to apply for a matching donation”. Please choose this option and enter the name of the company expected to match the gift. This information makes it easier to match your donation to the corporate match and post it to the correct participant’s 3-Day fundraising account.

After you have donated to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, search for the company’s matching gift information on the 3-Day’s Matching Gift page. You may also contact your Human Resource representative at your company and they will provide you with a matching gift form or a link to submit your matching gift request online.

When applying for your gift to be matched, you will be required to choose a recipient organization. Please choose the Susan G. Komen 3-Day (with the recipient address of P.O. Box 660843, Dallas, TX 75266-0843). If the 3-Day isn’t listed, you will be required to choose the parent organization. Please choose Susan G. Komen (with the recipient address of 13770 Noel Rd, Ste 801889 Dallas, TX, 75380). If a designation field is available, please note the 3-Day, the participant’s name, Participant ID # and 3-Day event city. For example: 3-Day, Clare Keating, 1234567, Chicago 3-Day.

Once your matching gift has been applied for, the 3-Day team will await a notification from the company that the match has been processed. Once the match has been processed, the matching gift will be credited to the 3-Day participant’s account as an unconfirmed gift.

5. The matching gift company has a list of non-profit organizations to choose from; which name should I pick?
Please choose the Susan G. Komen 3-Day (with the recipient address of P.O. Box 660843, Dallas, TX 75266-0843). If the 3-Day isn’t listed, you will be required to choose the parent organization. Please chose Susan G. Komen (with the recipient address of 13770 Noel Rd, Ste 801889 Dallas, TX, 75380).

6. How long will it take for the 3-Day to process a matching gift form and mail it back to the matching gift company?
Processing times will vary throughout the year depending upon the volume of requests we are receiving, but require a minimum of 4 weeks turn-around from the time a match is applied for to the time the request is processed by the 3-Day. Please be mindful of this timeframe, and have your matching gifts submitted well in advance of your event date to allow ample time for processing.

Each company has a different timeline for distributing funds to the recipient organization. We ask that our 3-Day participants allow 4-6 weeks for the matching gift to post to their 3-Day fundraising account; however, this timeline can vary by company. For example, if the company uses CyberGrants to manage their matching gift program, the matching gift will post in 4 weeks or less. If the company uses YourCause, the match will take 6+ weeks to post. If the company uses Benevity the match will post 45 days after the month in which it was applied for (for example, if the donor donated in April we would expect the match to post in early June.)

7. Where should I mail the matching gift form?
Most companies will require that the matching gift be applied for online. For the few companies that require a matching gift form, please email a completed copy of the form to matchinggifts@the3Day.org. You may also mail the form to:
Susan G. Komen 3-Day
P.O. Box 660843
Dallas, TX 75266-0843

We recommend that you make a copy of the matching gift form before mailing it.

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8. Will a matching gift count toward the participant’s minimum fundraising goal?
Yes. Once the matching gift form has been processed by the 3-Day, it will be posted to the participant’s fundraising account. At this point, the amount of the matching gift will count towards the participant’s fundraising minimum. Matching gifts are always posted to the same fundraising account as the original donation.

9. What should I do if I can't find my company in the matching gifts search?
Please contact your Human Resource representative at your company and they will provide you with a matching gift form or a link to submit your matching gift request online.

10. My donor applied for a match that has not shown up in my fundraising total, how can I check on the status of the match?
Gather the following information and contact your 3-Day coach at 800-996-3Day to have them submit an inquiry to our Matching Gifts Team. IMPORTANT NOTE: Before contacting a coach about a missing matching gift, please allow 4-6 weeks from the time the request was submitted to allow the matching gift to post. For example, if the company uses CyberGrants to manage their matching gift program, the matching gift will post in 4 weeks or less. If the company uses Benevity or YourCause, the match will take 6+ weeks to post.

  • Donor name
  • Donation amount & date
  • Matching gift company
  • Amount of matching gift
  • Date matching gift request was submitted

11. If a donor covers processing fees, can those funds be matched?
The system which collects and processes 3-Day donations charges Komen a 4% processing fee. Komen is offering donors the option to help offset this cost by adding to their donation. This allows more fundraising dollars go to Komen’s mission. When a donor makes a donation, they have the option of choosing to add the amount to cover the processing fees. This amount may be matched. For example, if a donor makes a $62.40 donation ($60 donation + $2.40 processing fee), enter $62.40 as the amount to be matched on the matching gift form.

12. Can I split or transfer a matching gift between fundraising accounts?
No. Matching gifts cannot be split between multiple 3-Day fundraising accounts or transferred from one 3-Day fundraising account to another. Matching gifts are always posted to the same fundraising account as the original donation.