One major key to sustainable fundraising is a recurring giving strategy, commonly known as monthly giving. Single donations will always be valuable, but a base of reliable monthly donors is critical to nonprofit stability and planning for the future. People tend to give more when they commit to a monthly donation versus one-time gifts. Below are 20 tips and ideas for recurring giving strategies.
Designing the Campaign
- Make it Missional - A good campaign strategy focuses on furthering the organization's mission by serving its beneficiaries, not the nonprofit. Example: Say, "Your monthly gift will provide water filters and clean, safe water to children and families in need," versus "By giving to X organization, you'll provide clean water to families in poverty." No matter how great the nonprofit is, people want to give to a cause, not an organization.
- Brand It - Create a brand name for monthly donors to help them see the importance of recurring giving and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves. They and others are working together to make a difference in the world. Example: Charity Water calls their monthly donor group "The Spring." It's a clever wordplay of a vital resource.
- Staff Buy-In - Hopefully your staff, board, and volunteers believe in your mission enough to be monthly donors. It shouldn't be required but strongly encouraged, and if they are not monthly donors, find out why. Maybe there is something you can do to strengthen the mission or program. If your staff isn't buying into it, there may be a good reason and feedback to hear.
- Target Audience - Start by evaluating your donor base and ask existing donors who give smaller amounts to consider joining a monthly giving group. Also, consider approaching donors who are sporadic in their giving, asking them to join a group of donors giving monthly. Note: Donors who give larger annual amounts need to be approached and cared for differently.
