Basics | Eligibility | Examples | Not Eligible | Reporting | Budget | Contact

Please email eligibility questions to ioby Match Programs Director: Matches @ ioby.org

Submit your idea to get started with your fundraiser!

Match Funding Basics

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 $6,000 to implement your project, your public goal on your page would be $6,000—you would only need to fundraise $3,000 of that goal, which would be matched as you fundraise, for as long as matching funds are available. If you need $30,000, then you can use the maximum $15,000 match available to double your donations. 

How does match funding on ioby work? When you fundraise on ioby with match funding, donations to your campaign will be doubled instantly, so 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 this match program? Just submit this intake form and our team will be in touch by email!

If I’m approved for match funding, am I guaranteed to receive a specific amount?  No, this is not a grant program. ioby matching funds are won by donors to your campaign, and donors are matched on a first-come basis to all participating campaigns so that funding flows toward projects with the most urgent funding needs and active teams. 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 weeks, there is no guarantee that match funding will still be available.

Who is eligible to receive matching funds? Individual residents, volunteer groups of friends and neighbors, 501c3 nonprofits, schools, places of worship, and other civic organizations. 

You do not need to be a formal nonprofit to access match funding and raise tax deductible donations on ioby. ioby is a 501c3 nonprofit and can serve as the fiscal sponsor for projects led by individuals or informal groups. ioby can also disburse funds to your local nonprofit fiscal sponsor if you prefer (including 501c3's, schools, municipalities, government agencies, and places of worship).

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.

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. We'll also alert you if matching funds begin to run low while you are fundraising with us. 

How long will the match fund be available?  This will depend on how many projects participate, and how much they raise. Funding will be distributed on a first-come basis as participants crowdfund. We update you by email. 

Eligibility

Please note that you cannot participate in two ioby match opportunities at the same time, but if you exhaust one fund and are eligible for another one, then you may participate in an additional match fund opportunity.

Submit My Idea

To access the Northwest Arkansas Neighborhoods Match Program: 

1. Primarily fund the implementation of a public-benefiting project. See the examples listed below. 

2. Utilize or improve public space within Arkansas’ Benton & Washington Counties for the project or event. Public spaces include parks, schools, community centers, sidewalks, community gardens, crosswalks, and more.

3. Be specific and concrete. All ioby campaign pages must include a budget outlining how funds will be spent. 

4. Be led by an individual resident, a volunteer group of friends and neighbors, a school, places of worship, nonprofit organizations, or other civic organizations located within Benton or Washington counties.  

• You do not need to be a nonprofit organization to access match funding. Projects may be led by an individual/informal community group with a local fiscal sponsor to steward funds on their behalf, or ioby can serve as the fiscal sponsor.

• In the case that the project is led by a non-profit, eligibility for this program is limited to 501c3 organizations with an annual budget smaller than $250,000. 
   

5. Finish crowdfunding and cash-out by May 31, 2024 or sooner. Here's why.

6. ioby policy requires that match participants achieve a minimum of five distinct donors in order to cash out with matching funds. Here's why. 

 
Please note: All donations to all projects on ioby are fully tax-deductible. 
You do not need to be a formal nonprofit to access match funding and raise tax deductible donations on ioby. ioby is a 501c3 nonprofit and can serve as the fiscal sponsor for projects led by individuals or informal groups. ioby can also disburse funds to your local nonprofit fiscal sponsor if you prefer (including 501c3's, schools, municipalities, government agencies, and places of worship).

Examples of Eligible Projects and Costs:

Projects that leverage or improve public spaces in Arkansas’ Benton and Washington counties are eligible to participate in this match program. These might include the types of projects listed below, or other creative ideas from residents and local organizations:

●    Tactical urbanism projects that reimagine public space 
●    Active transportation; activating trails or bike lanes
●    Hosting a free public event in a public space
●    Teaching workshops in a park, school, or other public space
●    Murals on a local school or neighborhood building
●    Temporary or permanent public art installations in a local park
●    Afterschool programming for youth in public spaces
●    Planting in parks, community gardens, streetscapes, or other public spaces
●    Musical street fairs and affordable/free public concerts
●    A series of nature walks in a local metropark
●    Summer film screenings in a local plaza or community garden
●    Building or improving a playground, community garden, or pocket park
●    New dance classes offered at the local community center
●    A new mosaic beautifying the entryway to a school or park
●    Community walking or running groups 
●    Outdoor performance for the public
●    Existing nonprofit programs that host a 2023 project or event in a public space. 

• Please note: Organizations with an annual budget larger than $250,000 are not eligible for this match program. 

Examples of eligible costs directly related to the specific project: 

●    Space rental
●    Event permitting and insurance fees
●    Educator, performer, speaker, or intern stipends
●    Project materials and equipment
●    Plants, mulch, shovels, gloves, paint, musical instruments, costumes, etc.
●    Printing
●    Food and other event costs
●    Volunteer rewards such as T-shirts
●    Advertising and marketing
●    Local travel
●    Software and hardware
●    Contracted services
●    Consultant fees

Ineligible Projects and Budgets:

1. Because all donations on ioby are tax-deductible, we cannot approve campaigns that benefit one specific individual, family, or business. 
2. Organizations with an annual budget larger than $250,000 are not eligible for this match program. 
3. Projects that lack a primary focus on utilizing public spaces for public benefit are ineligible, such as improving or hosting events in a private facility. 
4. Projects involving political campaigning or contributions to political campaigns are ineligible. 
5. Fundraising for a pool of funds to be re-granted to others or used for an unspecified purpose in the future is ineligible.
6. General operating support or funding new staff hires for nonprofits, including nonprofits focused exclusively on public space projects.
7. ioby may determine a project ineligible at any time.

Please feel free to contact us at Matches@ioby.org to discuss your project idea. 

Match Campaign Budget Questions

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 $6,000 to implement your project, your public goal on your page would be $6,000—you would only need to fundraise $3,000 of that goal, which would be matched as you fundraise, for as long as matching funds are available.
 

Does it cost anything to fundraise on ioby? For projects participating in this ioby match program, the only required cost is the 3% processing fee we pass on to our secure third-party processor. This 3% is retained from the total you raise at the end of your campaign, nothing is paid up front. ioby's fiscal sponsorship service is optional and available at 5%. ioby fees are explained here.
 

How much match funding can I receive on my campaign? $15,000 is the maximum amount that can be match to any individual or organization in this program. This cap helps ensure that many community leaders will have access to ioby match funding.

What if my project is small and I don't need $15,000? 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. You are not required to try to use the full $15,000 in match funding.

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, we’ll only be matching up to the first $1,000 of any single donation.

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 $15,000 match maximum, 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 as 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:
*Minus ioby fees.

Your original goal: $6,000
You raise: $3,000
Match funding: $3,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $6,000*
 
Your original goal: $10,000
You raise: $5,000
Match funding: $5,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $10,000*
 
Your original goal: $30,000
You raise: $15,000
Match funding for the first $15,000 in donations: $15,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $30,000*

Your original goal: $40,000
You raise: $25,000
Match funding for the first $15,000 in donations: $15,000
Total disbursed at end of campaign: $40,000*

*Minus 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 $15,000 in 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 or e-payment. The 3% fee for our secure payment processor will be retained from that total. We will ask you to electronically sign a simple project agreement or fiscal sponsorship agreement before sending your payment. 

What reporting is required if I participate? All ioby project leaders are asked 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 minutes to fill out, and helps us consistently improve our crowdfunding coaching services. 

Other Questions?

Please feel free to contact ioby Match Programs Director, Matches@ioby.org