Matches and Challenges

Quick Reference: Matches vs. Challenges

Note: Include give_full_match_challenge_amount in standard reports to reconcile donors who committed their full amount even if campaign terms weren't met.

Match Parameters

A Match can be set up in two ways:

• $X per donor
• $X per $1 donated

Examples

• “Albus Dumbledore will match $2 per $1 donated up to $5,000”
• “Professor Trelawney will match $50 per donor up to $5,000”

How do Match donors and dollars count?

• The Match donor is counted in campaign totals and leaderboards as soon as the Match is created.
• No match dollars are added until other gifts apply.
• Match dollars are unlocked incrementally as gifts are applied.

Challenge Parameters

A Challenge can be set up in two ways:

• Donor gives $X if Y number of donors give
• Donor gives $X if $Y is raised

Examples

• “Hermione Granger will give $1,000 if 50 donors give”
• “Harry Potter will give $1,000 if $1,000 is donated”

How do Challenge donors and dollars count?

• Challenges are all-or-nothing.
• Challenge donors and dollars are counted only once the threshold is met.

Custom Headers & Descriptions

You can personalize Matches and Challenges with custom headers and descriptions.

• Optional for both Offline and Online Matches/Challenges
• Examples:
  • Header: ⚽️ Soccer Match ⚽️
  • Description: A group of gold medalists 🥇 are matching $100 for each gift made to soccer! Thank you Sophia, Mal, and Trin!

Directing Matches or Challenges

Matches and Challenges can be restricted to specific groups:

• By Affiliation → e.g. Parents
• By Affiliation + Class Year → e.g. Parents of the Class of 2024
• By Class Year → e.g. Class of 2024 (any affiliation)
• By Designation → e.g. Donors who give to Soccer
• By Designation Group → e.g. Donors who give to Athletics
• Combo → e.g. Parents who give to Athletics

Designating Matches or Challenges

Donors can also decide where their match dollars go:

• Restrict to Parents, designate to Financial Aid → all parent gifts are matched with a Financial Aid gift
• Restrict to Soccer, designate to Athletics Fund → all Soccer gifts are matched with an Athletics Fund gift

Additional Options

Minimum Match Amount

• Require a minimum gift size to trigger the match/challenge
• Example: only matching gifts above $1,000
• Setup:
  • Campaign Settings —> Motivation & Sharing —> Matches & Challenges —> Settings —> Enable "Let match creators decide if they only want to match gifts above a certain dollar amount.” —> Save.

Limit Match Amount Per Donor

• Cap how much can be matched per donor
• Example: $1:$1 match, capped at $500 per donor
• Setup:
•  
  • Add new Match/Challenge → check Limit Amount Matched per Donor → enter max

Range of Classes

• Direct a Match/Challenge to multiple class years
• Setup:

1.  
   1. Create Match/Challenge first directed to a single class year
   2. Once it's created edit the Match/Challenge from: Campaign Settings → Motivation & Sharing → Matches & Challenges → Edit (pencil icon on the right)
   3. Under Directed Years, you can add additional years then save.

Recurring Giving Matches/Challenges

• Motivate recurring gifts (monthly/annual)
• Setup: new Match/Challenge → “Who is this match for?” → select Donors that make a recurring gift

First-Time Donor Matches/Challenges

• Encourage never-before donors
• Setup:
  • Load in gift data via the Data Importer
  • Configure donor statuses'
  • When setting up a Match or Challenge, choose First Time Donor in the directed options to limit participation to first-time donors.

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  Reporting Fields for Matches and Challenges

  Field Name	When It Appears	What It Means	Why It Matters
  match_id	On gifts tied to a Match	Unique identifier for the Match	Track which gifts applied to which Match
  challenge_id	On gifts tied to a Challenge	Unique identifier for the Challenge	Track which gifts applied to which Challenge
  give_full_match_challenge_amount	On Match/Challenge donor records	Shows if donor opted to give full amount even if terms weren’t met (true/false)	Critical for reconciliation and stewardship
  directed_years	On class-restricted Matches/Challenges	Lists included years	Confirms targeting for reunion/young alumni challenges
  designation_backend (or designation_backend_1–5)	On designated Matches/Challenges	Backend ID tied to designation(s)	Ensures dollars are credited to correct fund/GL code
  donor_status	On first-time donor Challenges	Indicates first-time donor status	Helps track acquisition
  minimum_gift_amount	When min threshold applied	Minimum gift size required to trigger	Useful for leadership-giving tracking
  max_match_amount_per_donor	When per-donor cap applied	Maximum matched per donor	Prevents over-crediting large gifts

  👉 Pro Tip: Always include give_full_match_challenge_amount in standard reports so you can reconcile donors who committed their full amount even if campaign terms weren’t met.

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  Frequently Asked Questions

  Q: Does GiveCampus support offline Matches or Challenges?
  A: Yes. Our Social Fundraising solution supports both. See our article on offline matches/challenges.

  Q: When is the donor charged?
  A: When the Match or Challenge terms are met.

  Q: How are results reflected in totals and leaderboards?

  • Matches → Added as they accrue
  • Challenges → Added once achieved/unlocked

  Q: Will offline gifts count?
  A: Yes. Offline gifts entered while a Match/Challenge is active will count. Only upload offline gifts that should apply.

  Q: Can donors pick a designation?
  A: Yes. Donors can set this themselves, or GiveCampus can adjust on the backend. Email support@givecampus.com for changes.

  Q: Can donors give the full Match/Challenge amount even if terms aren’t met?
  A: Yes. Donors may opt to fulfill the full commitment at campaign end.

  • Reporting: field give_full_match_challenge_amount (true/false)

  Q: What does the email look like when a Match/Challenge is sent to a group?
  A:

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  Manually adding first-time donor matches for gifts without donor status

  Some gifts do not automatically trigger first-time donor matches if they are not linked to an existing constituent record. These gifts appear under the No Donor Status view. To manually add a first-time donor match:

  1. Navigate to Manage Gifts > No Donor Status. This view shows gifts that lack a matching constituent record and have not auto-triggered first-time donor matches.

  2. Click the See Eligible Options button next to the gift. This reveals the matches and challenges available for manual application.

  3. Select the appropriate match or challenge to apply to the gift. This ensures that gifts not automatically recognized receive the intended first-time donor benefits.

  Note: Only manually match gifts that appear in the No Donor Status section; gifts with a valid donor status are processed automatically.

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  Handling multiple matches or challenges targeting the same designation

  When you set up more than one match or challenge for the same designation, they run concurrently. This means that all active matches and challenges count for qualifying gifts simultaneously.

  Key points:

  • A single qualifying gift can contribute to more than one active match or challenge.

  • There is no built‑in sequencing; one match or challenge does not automatically wait for another to complete.

  • To enforce sequential matching, schedule the matches in different time windows or manually deactivate one match until the other is fulfilled.

  This setup gives you flexibility over your campaign strategy. Concurrent matches can boost donor impact by offering multiple incentives at once; sequential matches might be preferred for a steady progression in donor engagement.

  Managing sequential matching for the same designation

  Matches and challenges for the same designation run concurrently by default. There is no built‑in sequencing, so one match does not wait for another to complete. To enforce sequential matching, adjust the scheduling of your matches or manually deactivate one until the previous match’s terms are met. For additional configuration options, please refer to our documentation.

  FAQ: Finding and Reporting on Challenge Winners

  Quick answer

  • View challenge winners by clicking the specific challenge in the backend. On the campaign page, winners appear in the match/challenge tile.

  In the admin UI

  1. Open the campaign (live or completed) via Campaign Settings > Motivation & Sharing > Matches & Challenges.
  2. Click the challenge name or edit icon to view its completion status and details, including which gifts applied toward it.

  On the public campaign page

  • Winners appear in the match/challenge tile. Note that if the challenge is directed (private), it may not be visible publicly, so verify winners in the backend.

  Reporting and exports

  • Include the reporting field give_full_match_challenge_amount in your exports to reconcile payouts and identify donors who fulfilled the full challenge amount.

  Additional tips

  • The challenge detail view in the backend is the authoritative record for completion status and winners.
  • For ended campaigns, challenge details remain accessible in the completed campaign settings, allowing you to review winners and related gift data.
  • For directed challenges, always confirm winners from the backend since they might not appear on the public page.

  Editing match and challenge settings

  Most match and challenge settings can be edited while active, including:

  • Dollar amounts and maximums
  • Match criteria and targeting
  • Directed emails and groups

  To edit an existing match or challenge:

  1. Navigate to Campaign Settings → Motivation & Sharing → Matches & Challenges
  2. Click the edit (pencil) icon next to the match or challenge
  3. Update your settings
  4. Save your changes

  Reporting and reconciliation note

  Because challenges are all-or-nothing, challenge dollars appear only when the assigned threshold is met. Use the reporting field give_full_match_challenge_amount to reconcile donors who opted to fulfill the full commitment even if the challenge terms weren't met.