Projects sitting on the site for over 6 months?
Community organisations or suppliers feeling like they’re putting time in to get support but not having any luck with uptake?
We’ve onboarded nearly 30 authorities now and worked through plenty of teething problems with our network. It’s been a genuine two-way street and along the way we’ve picked up a few things worth sharing.
Here are some small tweaks that can make a big difference to match rates and some general suggestions for getting your communities engaged…
Is the project title doing enough work? Suppliers are busy. If a title is vague or a description doesn’t grab them, they’ll move on. Ask community organisations to make it clear, specific and compelling — and if you cover a large area and the project involves in-person work, recommend they include a location or postcode in the title so suppliers know straight away whether it’s feasible for them.
Could it be broken down? Larger requests are much harder to match. Anything over £3k in funding is a tough ask — if the project can be split into stages, do it. Smaller, focused projects are far easier for suppliers to say yes to.
Is there a funding breakdown? If funding is involved, make sure to ask the community organisation to upload a breakdown with quotes where possible. Suppliers need to understand where their contribution is going before they’ll commit — it has to map to their Social Value commitments.
Is there enough time? On average, suppliers need around 2–3 weeks after matching to get moving. If a project has a one-month completion date, that’s already cutting it fine. Advise community organisations to upload time-sensitive projects as early as they possibly can.
Do the Social Value outcomes actually fit? Community projects need to show a social, environmental or economic benefit — but selecting everything dilutes it. Encourage community organisations to pick, at most, three that genuinely reflect their project. It helps you track what’s happening across the region and where support is needed most.
Have you checked existing offers first? Before a community organisation posts a new project, it’s worth checking whether there’s already a supplier offer that fits, and vice versa. It could save everyone a lot of time.
Could a stale project do with a refresh? If a project has been sitting without a match, you could encourage the community organisation to edit it using the tips above. After you’ve re-approved it, it will go straight back to the top of the feed and get in front of fresh eyes.
Are you sharing projects beyond the platform? LinkedIn is underrated for this. A post about a project that isn’t getting traction can unlock interest that the platform alone hasn’t managed — and it keeps your organisation visible in the Social Value space too.
Are community organisations getting face time with suppliers? Inviting community organisations to supplier forums and relevant events makes a real difference. Some of the best matches happen in conversation, not on a screen.
Got a supplier or community organisation in mind? We already send weekly round-up emails of new projects and supplier offers, so that bit’s covered. But if you spot a project and know just the supplier for it (and vice versa), a direct nudge from you can make all the difference.
We know you’re managing Social Value alongside community investment, procurement and everything else. Time is limited.
In our experience, small efforts to optimise how projects are presented can make a significant difference to match rates — and often trigger conversations and connections that go well beyond the original match.
Maximise your impact on the platform.
Book a free 15-minute session with Susanna or email hello@matchmyproject.org to troubleshoot issues and learn expert tips to boost your performance.
