ioby Support Center

Match Programs FAQ

Updated on

Match funding basics

How does match funding on ioby work? When ioby receives a grant, we offer match programs for specific locations and specific projects. We do not always have matching funds. When your ioby campaign is enrolled in an ioby match program, donations will be doubled instantly so that you move toward your goal twice as fast. So if someone donates $25, your page will reflect a donation of $50!

How do I get approved for match funding? Review active matches on ioby.org here. Then simply share your project idea via the brief form here. You’ll need to create an ioby account, or sign into an existing ioby account, to do this; the process typically takes 5-10 minutes. After you share your project idea with us, you'll be contacted by a member of our team within 1-2 business days. They can confirm for you if the project idea you shared is eligible for matching funds, or ask questions if we need a little more information. If you’re fairly confident your project fits the public guidelines, feel free to begin building a fundraising page immediately after sharing your idea, or you can wait to hear from us.

If I’m approved for match funding, am I guaranteed to receive a specific amount?  No, ioby offers challenge matches, not grants. Your team needs to raise a dollar to receive a dollar, and no amount of match funding is guaranteed in advance. If you begin a campaign, but then stop fundraising for several months, there is no guarantee that match funding will still be available later. Funds will be distributed on a first-come basis to all participating campaigns, so that funding flows toward projects with the most urgent funding needs and active teams.

How do I know if match funding is still available for my project? When you share your project idea, our team will alert you in the case that match funds are running low and you may not be able to access the maximum amount; then you can decide if you would like to go forward with fundraising or not. If you are already participating in a match program but have not yet met your fundraising goal, ioby will alert you when match funds begin running low.

How long do match programs run for?  This will depend on how many projects participate. Funding will be distributed on a first-come basis as participating leaders fundraise. Some match programs may only be active for a set amount of time. You can review the details of active match programs at ioby.org/matches.

Eligibility

How do I know if my idea is eligible for match funding? Each match program has different eligibility requirements. Often eligibility is based on where a project is taking place, the community members that are part of the project, or what issues a project is seeking to address. Certain matches may limit participation to grassroots organizations under a certain size. Review the eligibility requirements for open match programs at ioby.org/matches. If you’re unsure, feel free to submit your project idea and a member of our team will follow up with you.

What if I have more than one eligible project idea? It’s best to pick one thing to crowdfund for at a time. If you’re trying to decide between several possible funding needs, keep in mind that crowdfunding works best for projects that are concrete and specific, where residents will be able to see the results or participate in the project they helped fund.

What types of projects are ineligible for match funding? Because all donations on ioby are tax-deductible, we cannot support campaigns that benefit one specific individual, family, or business, such as:

  • Gap funding for your small business.
  • Covering a specific individual’s loss of income or medical expenses.

This is true for all projects that crowdfund on ioby, not just those participating in a match program. Feel free to fill out an idea form at ioby.org/idea, and a success strategist will be in contact with you to discuss your project idea. 

Match Caps and Budget Questions

Does it cost anything to fundraise on ioby? ioby's standard platform and fiscal sponsorship fees are some of the lowest around and are deducted from your total at the end of your campaign; there is no financial commitment up front to start fundraising with ioby. 

How much match funding can I receive on my campaign? Each match program has a maximum amount that can be applied to any campaign. This cap helps ensure that multiple projects will have access to funding. You can review the cap for each open match program at ioby.org/matches.

What if my project is small and I don't need the maximum amount of the match? Or what if I don't think I can raise that much?  That's totally fine! This program is appropriate for small-scale, grassroots projects and ioby has lots of experience supporting smaller campaigns. Your budget should reflect the amount of money your actual project needs to raise. You are not required to try to use the maximum amount of match funding available.

Should the goal I set on my fundraising page include the amount of match funding I hope to receive? Yes. For example, if you need $2,000 to implement your project, your public goal on your page would be $2,000you would only need to fundraise $1,000 of that goal, which would be doubled as you fundraise.

Shouldn't I set a really big goal and hope for the best? You will only receive match funding equivalent to what you raise, so we encourage you to aim for an amount of funding that fits your team’s fundraising capacity and immediate budget needs. Also, it makes crowdfunding more difficult to set a larger goal than you have a plan to reach, because donors are less likely to give to campaigns that don't look likely to meet their goal. Our webinars, campaign planning tools, and your Leader Success Strategist can all help you set a goal that fits your team size and fundraising plan.

Does match funding apply to any donation? Match funding is meant to make it easier for you to reach out to your networks broadly to ask for donations, and not meant for doubling just one or two large gifts. For that reason, each match program has a limit to how much any individual donor’s gift will be matched. See the details for each open match program at ioby.org/matches.

Does ioby accept checks and can they be matched?  Yes. It's not standard practice, but if you have a donor who prefers to give by check instead of credit card, they can send their check to ioby to be applied to your campaign. ioby's donation processing fee of 3% also applies to check donations, and check donations can be matched. We won’t be able to match a check donation until we receive and process the check, whereas online donations are matched instantly.

What if I use up all the match funding I was originally planning for, but want to keep fundraising? Great! With ioby’s flexible finish policy you can always raise your goal mid-campaign if needed. If you hit the match cap, you are also welcome to keep fundraising additional unmatched dollars.

What happens if I don’t meet my goal? Our trainings and one-on-one support are intended to give you and your team the best shot at success. However, if you fall short of your goal, you'll still keep anything you raised and match funding you've earned. When you close your campaign, your Leader Success Strategist will ask you to adjust the budget on your page to show how you’ll use the smaller amount of funds toward your project.

Here are some examples of possible budget scenarios. In these examples, the maximum match amount is $5,000:


Your original goal: $5,000
You raise: $2,500
Match funding added: $2,500
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $5,000*
Your original goal: $2,000
You raise: $1,000
Match funding added: $1,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $2,000*
Your original goal: $12,000
You raise: $6,000
Match funding added: $5,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $11,000*

*These examples do not include ioby fees.  

Your page will continue to accept donations after your goal is met and you can raise your campaign goal at any time during your campaign. When the maximum amount of match funding has been applied to your page, the match will automatically shut off. At that point, donations will no longer be matched but you are always welcome to continue fundraising additional unmatched dollars.

Reporting and Receiving Your Funds

When will I receive my match funding? Donations to your ioby campaign page will be doubled instantly as people donate to your page. When you decide to close your campaign, you’ll receive the total you raised plus match funding as one lump sum, via check. ioby’s super-low fees will be retained from that total. After you've signed your project agreement, please allow 7 business days to receive your check. If you haven't signed your project agreement, we cannot send you your funding.

What reporting is required if I participate? All participating campaigns are required to complete an online survey that we'll ask you to fill it out at the point that you close your campaign and request your funds. It should take about 10-15 minutes to fill out.

We may also follow up with you after you've implemented your project to ask you to share any great photos that we may use in public reports or blog posts to help share the power of your work and inspire other leaders.