Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to build an existing program, the new financial year is the time to prioritise regular giving.
During the unprecedented times of the global pandemic, charities across the globe learnt that it is much harder for a supporter to cancel an existing donation than it is to say ‘yes’ to one they’re not already making.
As charities recover from the loss of income and an unstable economic climate, there’s no better time to prioritise monthly giving to create sustainability and build your charity into the future.
The ultimate key to fundraising success is reducing outgoings and increasing income. Regular giving does both. Once a donor’s gifts are automated, minimal costs are associated with their support.
Growing the monthly giving program will help secure the future of a charity. Here are five tips to help you launch your program today.
1) Approach existing donors
It’s much more valuable for a charity if a donor gives a smaller amount regularly rather than giving on an ad hoc basis. In all communication, give the donor the option to support monthly.
Always add a regular giving sign up option on correspondence and make it easy for the donor to access the website and sign up for regular giving. Never assume you know how a donor wants to give. The first and most important step is simply to ask the question.
2) Create a targeted email campaign
By analysing donors giving history, you can see who has made multiple contributions to appeals over the past year and will benefit from the convenience of setting up a monthly gift. Draft an email campaign that highlights these benefits. Also include any future plans for the charity, financial targets and a strong testimony or case study to appeal to emotions.
Remember that people don’t always say ‘yes’ when first asked. A follow-up email can encourage those who haven’t yet signed up.
3) Communicate with monthly givers separately
Once a donor has committed to monthly giving, all communication must be personalised to highlight their ongoing support. If you continue to ask a monthly giver for support during the major appeals too, you risk damaging relationships.
Of course, a donor may want to give during key times of giving such as Christmas or at the end of the financial year. Continue to send the appeals at their request, but make sure their regular gift is acknowledged by segmenting the data carefully.
4) Highlight regular giving on the website
The charity website or fundraising page should make it easy for a donor to sign up for regular giving. Create a dedicated monthly giving page with clear, concise instructions to become a monthly donor. Explain here that donations are flexible and can be changed at any time to let the donor know they’re free to support on their terms.
With correct implementation, monthly giving can become one of the most beneficial fundraising programs for a charity. SupporterHub is a SaaS platform that helps categorise donors and make regular giving easy. To find out about our FREE trial (no credit card required) and learn how SupporterHub can help take your charity to the next level, book a demo
