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What’s the best kind of money? The kind that keeps showing up! For nonprofits, a monthly giving program is like a reliable friend who always has your back. It offers a consistent revenue stream that strengthens financial stability.
In 2023, monthly donations comprised 31% of online revenue, reflecting a 6% increase from the previous year. This growth shows just how powerful monthly giving programs are in building long-term donor stewardship and ensuring ongoing support for causes that matter.
Let’s dive into how monthly giving can revolutionize your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy.
Benefits of a monthly giving program
- Stable funds: Monthly donors provide a reliable income stream, allowing nonprofits to plan and budget more effectively. This predictability enables organizations to allocate resources efficiently and sustain long-term projects without the uncertainty of fluctuating funds.
Case Study: Denver Rescue Mission’s Monthly Giving Win
| Challenge: Denver Rescue Mission needed to convert one-time donors into recurring supporters for more predictable funding. Solution: They launched a “Double Your First Three Months of Giving” campaign, backed by $36,000 in matching funds from generous donors, to encourage monthly donations. Impact: In just one month, the campaign raised over $12,465 from 125 donors, exceeding the goal by $465 and adding 81 new monthly donors. The long-term value of these new supporters is over $580,000. |
- Stronger donor retention: Donors engaged in recurring donations tend to maintain their support longer than one-time contributors. In 2022, recurring donors had an average retention rate of 77%. This sustained commitment reduces the need for constant donor acquisition efforts.
- Surged giving: While individual monthly donations might be smaller, they accumulate over time, often surpassing one-time gifts. Studies report that the average recurring donor gives about $949.19 annually, with an average monthly gift of $79.10.
- Stronger engagement: Regular monthly donors are more likely to feel connected to the organization’s mission. This ongoing relationship fosters donor engagement, encouraging donors to participate in other organizational activities.
- Smaller spend: Maintaining relationships with existing donors is generally more economical than acquiring new ones, as donor new acquisitions can cost 10 to 20 times more than retaining them. A well-structured monthly giving program reduces marketing and outreach expenses associated with continual donor recruitment.
How do you find donors for your monthly giving program?
1. Identify potential monthly donors
Begin by analyzing your existing donor database to pinpoint individuals who have:
- Donated multiple times within a year.
- Contributed smaller amounts (typically less than $100).
- Actively engage with your campaigns—such as attending events, etc.
Segmenting your donor list based on these characteristics allows for targeted outreach. Use CallHub to segment data based on your nonprofit’s requirements, ensuring personalized communication that resonates with each type of donor and converting them into monthly donors.
2. Optimize your donation page:
Create a user-friendly page with clear CTAs and a simple, appealing design to encourage recurring donations.
| For example, the Fly Fishing Collaborative site utilizes stunning visual storytelling elements to build a solid network of supporters. |
3. Include a monthly giving option:
Ensure your donation forms prominently feature a monthly giving option. Highlighting this choice encourages donors to commit to recurring donations, fostering long-term support.
| The American Red Cross offers a donation form for its monthly giving program where one can donate from $10 – $50 as a monthly donation, which could provide a full day of food, shelter, blankets, and comfort for a person in the aftermath of a disaster. |
4. Recognize and appreciate monthly donors:
Implement a donor stewardship plan that includes either:
- Personalized thank-you messages.
- Special acknowledgments in newsletters or a feature on your website
Recognizing monthly donors fosters a sense of community and appreciation, enhancing donor retention.
5. Highlight the impact of monthly gifts:
Communicate how recurring donations make a difference somewhere on your website or in your thank you notes. For instance, the Innocence Project shares how monthly donors have such a significant impact from their monthly donations:
How to use CallHub for your monthly giving program
Integrating CallHub into your monthly giving program strategy can streamline processes and enhance donor engagement. Here’s how:
1. Recurring text reminders for your monthly giving program
Regular communication with your monthly donors keeps them engaged and informed about the impact of their contributions, leading to donor stewardship. You can maintain a strong connection and encourage continued support by sending monthly text reminders.
Benefits:
- Keeps donors informed about ongoing projects and achievements.
- It provides an opportunity to express gratitude and strengthens donor relationships.
Sample monthly text reminder:
Hi [first_name], your monthly gift of [$X] helps [specific outcome]. Join us in making a lasting impact today: [link].
Thank you.
Read Also: All You Need To Know To Send Automated Text Messages
2. Automate with workflows for your monthly giving program
Managing communications month-on-month can be made easier if you automate it. CallHub’s workflow feature allows you to schedule and send text-to-give messages to specific donor lists, ensuring timely and consistent outreach with monthly donors.
Advantages:
- Saves time by automating repetitive tasks.
- Ensures donors receive messages without manual intervention.
- Reduces the risk of missing scheduled communications.
This feature allows you to create a more efficient and effective monthly giving program that keeps donors up-to-date with the latest information.
Look at our article for detailed information on how to set up the workflows.
3. Boost donations with text-to-donate campaigns
Text-to-donate is an incredibly convenient way for donors to give, especially considering that individuals check their phones an average of 58 times each day. Instead of having to be in front of a computer or navigate a donation page, they can simply text a keyword or dollar amount to donate in just a few seconds. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for supporters who want to contribute immediately, making it a powerful tool for driving donations.
Benefits:
- Increases accessibility
- Simplifies the donation process
- Expands your reach
You can use text-to-donate during live events, send post-event follow-up messages with donation links, or launch emergency appeals, enabling quick and easy donations. Incorporating this feature can streamline the giving process and boost donor participation.
Here is a sample template for sending live event text messages:
“Thanks for joining {first_name}! Text [SHORT CODE] to contribute now and make an impact. Every donation counts!
Thank you!”
8 quick tips to launch your monthly giving program
Turning first-time donors into monthly donors isn’t always easy, but with the right approach, you can foster long-term relationships that benefit both your organization and the donor.
A successful monthly giving program strengthens these connections, boosts your revenue, and creates a steady stream of support. Here are eight simple but effective tips to make your program thrive:
| Tip | Description | Actionable Steps |
| 1. Define goals | Set specific, measurable objectives for your monthly giving program to guide your efforts and evaluate success | – Determine target donor numbers and fundraising amounts.- Establish timelines for achieving these goals. |
| 2. Personalize your approach | Create a program that prioritizes the needs and preferences of your monthly donors to enhance donor engagement | – Identify donor interests and tailor communications accordingly.- Offer flexible giving options to accommodate different preferences. |
| 3. Give a catchy name | Assign a unique name and identity to your monthly giving program that catches on quickly among donors. | – Choose a name that resonates with your mission and appeals to your target audience.- Design a logo and consistent messaging to reinforce the program’s identity. |
| 4. Use multi-channel for promotion | Reach potential monthly donors through various platforms to maximize visibility and engagement. | – Highlight the program on your website and social media channels.- Incorporate program information in newsletters and email campaigns. |
| 5. Offer special incentives | Provide tangible benefits to encourage donors to commit to monthly giving. | – Offer exclusive content, merchandise, or event access to monthly donors. |
| 6. Keep the connection strong | Engage and retain monthly donors through regular, personalized communication and recognition. | – Send personalized thank-you messages and impact reports.- Recognize donors’ contributions and show appreciation. |
| 7. Leverage giving days | Capitalize on events like GivingTuesday, Black Friday, National day of Giving etc., to promote your monthly giving program and attract new donors. | – Align your program’s promotion with national giving days.- Offer matching gifts or special incentives during these events to boost contributions. |
Using these tips in your monthly giving program will attract more donors and strengthen donor retention and engagement.
5 monthly giving programs to inspire you
Here are a few examples of nonprofits from which you can take inspiration to start with your monthly giving program.
1. Lemonade International
Lemonade International’s monthly giving program creates an emotional connection between monthly donors and the children they support. The program allows donors to sponsor a child in La Limonada, directly linking each gift to essential services like food and healthcare.
What they do best:
- Default donation buttons for easy recurring donations.
- Simple, emotional donation page to boost donor engagement.
- Transparent impact statements like “Your gift of $20 could cook meals for 2 families next month.” This ensures donors know exactly what their impact is.
- Offer both full and partial sponsorship options for different donor levels.
- Use motivational headlines to highlight the urgency of monthly donors.
- Provide exclusive gifts and incentives to enhance donor retention.
2. Encircle
Encircle’s monthly giving program, “The Community Circle,” creates a tight-knit network of monthly donors who fund life-saving services for LGBTQ+ youth and families. This recurring program leverages powerful visuals and emotional storytelling to strengthen connections.
Here’s what they do best:
- Cleverly named ‘The Community Circle’ to inspire a sense of belonging.
- Donation form that defaults to monthly frequency for easy giving.
- A ‘Thank you’ message on the page, making monthly donors feel appreciated and valued.
- Localized giving option to support an Encircle home (Provo, Salt Lake City, St. George, Heber) in the donor’s community, boosting donor engagement.
3. The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy’s monthly giving program calls their monthly donors “Conservation Champions,” directly supporting worldwide biodiversity, conservation, and climate action initiatives.
Their USPs:
- Highlight the ease, flexibility, and convenience of monthly donations.
- Offer a separate donation form for monthly donors.
- Offer unique benefits to monthly donors, including an award-winning magazine, exclusive updates, and an annual calendar—encouraging donor retention.
- On the donation page, clear messaging like: “Make your gift monthly and protect nature year-round!” to highlight the ongoing impact of recurring donations.
4. Feeding Tampa Bay
Feeding Tampa Bay’s monthly giving program, is designed around community building and measurable impact. The organization’s clear messaging and donor perks help them stand out.
This is what they do best:
- Their monthly giving program has a unique, catchy name -‘ForkLifters’ that immediately sets them apart.
- Use motivational headlines such as ‘$10/month—Feed a local child for one month,’ helping donors visualize their impact.
- Break down monthly donation amounts into daily equivalents, committing to make it accessible (e.g., $25 a month is only 82¢ a day).
- Incorporate an explanatory video of a monthly donor demonstrating how recurring donations make a difference.
- Offer program perks like exclusive newsletters and discount codes, increasing donor retention.
5. She’s The First
She’s the First’s monthly giving program, “The Front Row,” ties directly to their girl child education mission, symbolizing the engaged students in the front row. This name immediately connects one to a classroom situation and plays on nostalgia, building a strong connection with donors.
What they do well:
- They highlight how monthly donations are impactful and sustainable and how they build community.
- Donation forms detail what each amount supports ($50: 1 year mentorship for 3 girls).
- Donors are recognized with personalized titles (Example: Girl Champions)
- Engaging CTAs like, “Thank you for taking your seat in The Front Row.”
- Monthly donors get special perks, boosting engagement and retention.
Ready to Strengthen Your Nonprofit’s Impact?
Integrating a monthly giving program into your nonprofit’s fundraising strategy doesn’t just help you achieve financial stability—it also builds a loyal community of supporters who are genuinely invested in your cause. With CallHub, you can take donor engagement to the next level by sending personalized, automated communications that keep supporters connected and informed. This makes managing and growing your donor base a breeze.Want to learn how to use text messaging to supercharge your fundraising efforts? Check out our guide on Text Message Marketing for Nonprofits.
