Donor retention guide: 7 strategies for fundraising success
- Fundraising ideas
- Nonprofits
- Donor Engagement
A recurring gifts program can open up productive opportunities for your nonprofit organization to develop a sustainable revenue stream and provide convenient ways for donors to give their long-term financial support. These monthly gifts add a boost to your funds and free up your resources for other fundraising efforts.
Due to the recent popularity of online payments, opting into recurring donations has never been easier for your supporters. Additionally, a compelling monthly giving campaign gives your nonprofit a new offer to promote and can become a signature program for your organization.
If your nonprofit is eager to reap the benefits of monthly gifts, take the time to lay the groundwork for success. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to build an effective recurring gifts program, then discuss some tips for promoting it to your supporters.
Maximize the benefits of monthly giving by mapping out how your organization plans to interact with recurring donors. First, evaluate your organization’s goals and priorities to create a strategy for attracting and retaining monthly donors. Then, focus on facilitating the recurring gifts process to encourage your supporters to get involved.
Before you launch your recurring gifts program, set aside some time to plot out your communication strategy. This will allow you to tailor your messages to supporters more effectively to convince them to become a recurring donor. A few key questions to guide your strategy include:
Review your existing donor profiles for an easy starting point for your strategy. For instance, previous donors who’ve given small amounts multiple times throughout the year may be ideal prospective monthly donors to reach out to. Figuring out these details in advance will allow your organization to focus your time and efforts on achieving the best results for your program.
As with any other successful program or campaign, the easier it is for your supporters to get involved, the more likely they are to do so. Therefore, construct your program so that the process for making recurring gifts is as convenient as possible for donors.
To maximize recurring giving results, follow these best practices:
By implementing these best practices, your organization will be able to create a recurring gifts program that prioritizes the donor experience, thereby encouraging more prospects to get involved in monthly giving.
Once your infrastructure is in place, the key to securing monthly gifts is communication. Let your donors know how their monthly gifts will sustain your organization—and how easy it is to participate.
The process for promoting your recurring gifts program will typically look like this:
As supporters choose to get involved in your recurring gifts program, follow up regularly and thank them for their contributions. By emphasizing the impact of their monthly gifts, you’ll develop stronger and longer-lasting relationships with your recurring donors.
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