How to set up a first-time donor match

What is a first-time donor match?

A first-time donor match is a powerful fundraising tool that rewards new donors by matching their gifts. When someone who has never donated to your institution makes their first gift during a campaign, a sponsor matches that gift—doubling the impact and motivating first-time participation.

To make this work, GiveCampus needs to know who your existing donors are (and who they aren't). That's where the School Level Data Importer (SLDI) and Donor Status Configuration come in.

Step 1: Prepare your data files

The Data Importer uses two CSV files to identify your donors:

Constituent File — One row per person. Required columns:

• Constituent ID — A unique identifier for each person (from your CRM or database)
• Email — Used to match donors when they give on GiveCampus

You can also include optional columns like First Name, Last Name, Class Year, and any other data you'd like to use for segmentation.

Gift File — One row per gift. Required columns:

• Constituent ID — Must match the ID in your Constituent File
• Gift Date — The date the gift was made
• Gift Amount — The dollar amount of the gift

Important: People who have never donated should appear in your Constituent File but should not have any rows in the Gift File. This is how GiveCampus identifies them as Never Donors—and makes them eligible for first-time donor matches.

Save both files as CSVs (UTF-8 encoding recommended). Column order doesn't matter, and extra columns are simply ignored.

Step 2: Upload your data

Navigate to your School Dashboard and find the Data Importer section. We recommend starting with Guided Import, our AI-powered tool that walks you through the upload process step by step.

1. Click Start Guided Import
2. Upload your Constituent File first, then your Gift File
3. Map your columns to the appropriate fields when prompted
4. Review the summary and confirm your import

Once the import is complete, GiveCampus will use your data to calculate donor statuses automatically.

Step 3: Configure donor statuses

After your data is imported, set up your donor status categories:

1. Go to School Dashboard > Settings > Donor Status
2. Click Add Donor Status for each category you want to create
3. For each status, configure: a Label, whether it represents a Donor or Non-Donor, and the Selected Years (fiscal years used to determine this status)

Recommended statuses for first-time donor matches:

• Current Year Donor — Gave this fiscal year (Donor)
• LYBUNT — Gave last year but not this year (Non-Donor)
• SYBUNT — Gave some year but not this year or last (Non-Donor)
• Long Lapsed — Gave 5+ years ago (Non-Donor)
• Non-Donor — Has never given (Non-Donor)

Anyone with a Non-Donor status—or anyone not found in your data at all—is eligible for a first-time donor match.

Step 4: Create your first-time donor match

1. Open your campaign and go to Motivation & Sharing > Matches & Challenges
2. Click Add Match
3. Set the match type to First-Time Donor Match
4. Enter the sponsor name, match ratio (e.g., 1:1), and total match pool amount
5. Save and activate the match

When a donor identified as a Non-Donor or Never Donor makes a gift through your campaign, their gift is automatically matched according to your configuration.

Directed email notifications vs. first‑time donor lists

When you use Directed emails for a match or challenge, GiveCampus automatically sends an email notification to every address you list. There isn’t a way to import a directed email list without triggering these notifications.

• Email content: The match or challenge terms and a special link for making a gift.
• Exposed information: Only the sponsor’s name is shared; other personal details remain confidential.
• Note: Directed email lists always trigger notifications.

Want to target people without emailing them?

Use your first‑time donor status from the School Level Data Importer. First‑time donor matches rely on your configured donor status list and do not send any automatic notifications.

• How it works: Eligible first‑time donors are matched when they give, with no notification emails sent by GiveCampus.

Step 5: Review gifts that weren't automatically matched

Important: Offline gifts (checks, cash, wire transfers, etc.) are not automatically included in first-time donor matches—even if the donor's email matches someone identified as a Non-Donor in the Data Importer.

To ensure offline first-time gifts count toward your match:

1. Go to your campaign's Matches & Challenges section
2. Review the match details to see which gifts have been counted
3. For offline gifts from first-time donors, manually adjust the match or challenge totals to reflect these contributions

We recommend checking this regularly during your campaign—especially on your Giving Day—to keep your match totals accurate and your donors motivated.

Tips for success

• Keep your data fresh. Upload updated constituent and gift files before each major campaign to ensure donor statuses are accurate.
• Double-check your Non-Donor list. If someone is incorrectly marked as a Non-Donor, their gift could trigger a match when it shouldn't.
• Note on data hierarchy: If you use both the Volunteer Management System (VMS) and the Data Importer, donor status is calculated from Data Importer data only.
• Promote the match! First-time donor matches are a powerful motivator. Make sure your outreach highlights the opportunity for new donors to double their impact.

FAQ — directed emails vs. donor‑status targeting (privacy, notifications, and anonymity)

Q: To target people who haven't donated yet (or first‑time donors), should I use directed emails or donor‑status targeting?

A: There are two methods with different behaviors. Choose the one that suits your outreach and privacy needs.

• A Group of Friends (directed email):

  • How it works: When setting up a match or challenge, select A Group of Friends and enter the recipients' email addresses. Only these addresses (and logged‑in admins) can see the match on the campaign page.
  • Notification: GiveCampus automatically sends a notification email to every address upon saving the match or challenge. There is no option to delay these notifications.
  • Use this when: You need to ensure a specific, small list receives the match notification immediately.
  • Avoid this when: You want to match gifts quietly from a broad group of potential first‑time donors without sending automatic emails.

• Donor‑status targeting (silent, recommended for broad first‑time matching):

  • How it works: Upload gift history and configure donor statuses using the School Level Data Importer. When donor status is set up, administrators can create an offline match or challenge and select First Time Donor under "Donors with a specific donor status" to restrict the match to first‑time donors.
  • Notification: No automatic emails are sent. Donations are matched silently at checkout based on donor status.
  • Where it appears: This option is available only in the admin interface for offline matches or challenges. It does not appear on the public-facing "Offer a Match" or "Offer a Challenge" forms.
  • Use this when: You want to quietly match a broad group of first‑time or never donors without automated notifications.

Q: How do I create a silent first‑time donor challenge without automatic email notifications?

A:

1. Ensure your gift history is uploaded and donor statuses are configured (see Steps 2 and 3 of this article). The First Time Donor option appears only after donor status is set up.
2. Open your campaign and go to Motivation & Sharing > Matches & Challenges in the admin interface, then add a new challenge.
3. On the challenge form, select Donors with a specific donor status and check First Time Donor.
4. Enter the sponsor details, match amount, and other challenge settings, then save. No notification emails will be sent.

Q: Can I include a specific list of people without triggering the automatic notification email?

A: No. Using the A Group of Friends option always sends a notification email. If you wish to avoid automatic emails while targeting specific individuals, use donor‑status targeting (provided they are marked in your data) and manage any additional emails separately.

Q: Can I make the sponsor anonymous on the campaign page?

A: Yes. When creating the match or challenge, select the option to hide your name. The sponsor will appear as "Anonymous" on the campaign page. Note that this only affects the public display; it does not disable notification emails if using the directed email method.

Q: Does donor‑status targeting work for matches or challenges created by donors on the public page?

A: No. The donor‑status targeting option is available only to administrators creating offline matches or challenges in the admin interface. It is not an option on the public "Offer a Match" or "Offer a Challenge" forms.

Q: Any additional tips?

• To match first‑time donors quietly while also emailing them, create a silent donor‑status match and then manage your email outreach separately.
• Refresh your donor status data regularly. Upload updated gift history and reconfigure donor statuses before major campaigns to ensure accuracy.
• Use the A Group of Friends option only when immediate, automated email notifications are desired for a small, targeted list.

Need help?

If you have questions about setting up your data import or configuring a first-time donor match, reach out to your Partner Success Manager or contact our support team at info@givecampus.com.