For many nonprofit organizations, monthly donors are their bread and butter. Yes, those large, one-time donations are exciting and can provide a boost to help get a new initiative or program off the ground, but when it comes to sustaining your nonprofit, those regular donations are key.
As a nonprofit marketing agency that works with organizations in San Diego and beyond, we help nonprofit leaders grow their donor bases by bringing in new supporters (check out our free e-book on this topic), but we also help them retain those donors and turn them into long-term supporters.
As I discussed in a recent webinar with Bloomerang, the average retention rate for monthly donors to a nonprofit is 90%! In contrast, the retention rate for one-time donors is only 45%. In addition, monthly donors stay on as donors for an average of five years! If your nonprofit isn’t focused on securing monthly donations as part of its fundraising strategy, this is something you should definitely consider.
Asking for Recurring Donations
Anyone with any experience in fundraising knows that in order to secure donations, you need to ask for them. You can’t expect people to open their wallets without being directly asked to do so. In the same way, if you want people to sign up for a recurring gift, you need ask, but you also need to make the case to them as to how their recurring gift will benefit your nonprofit more than a one-time gift would.
At our nonprofit marketing company, we help nonprofits in San Diego and throughout the country articulate a value proposition to present to potential monthly donors. This is a statement that explains how a donor’s regular gift will impact the work of the nonprofit. This statement can be placed on the nonprofit’s donation page on their website, on donation cards used at events, in emails or newsletters, and can also be explained verbally in fundraising meetings or calls.
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Here are a couple of examples of value propositions a nonprofit might use to encourage recurring donations:
- “Your monthly gift will ensure that we have the resources in place to respond when urgent needs arise.”
- “When you commit to giving monthly, more of your gift goes toward programs and services, and less is spent on fundraising efforts.”
Turning One-Time Donors into Recurring Donors
As soon as someone makes their first donation, it’s time to start planting the seeds to eventually turn them into a monthly donor.
If you have any sort of donor community for your regular supporters, make sure your new donors are aware of it. One of our clients, Connected Families, has a donor community that they call “The Table.” Members of The Table get access to free resources, as well as invitations to online courses, live Q&As, and webinars put on by Connected Families’ parenting experts. In the thank-you email that goes out to all new donors, there is an explanation of what The Table is, as well as an invitation to join this exclusive community.
In future communications with one-time donors, your nonprofit organization should communicate the value of recurring gifts, using the same types of value propositions mentioned above. Testimonials are powerful here. You could include a testimonial from someone your nonprofit has helped, but even more powerful could be a testimonial from a current monthly donor explaining why they have chosen to support your cause and inviting others to join the community of regular supporters.
Ready to Start Growing Your Base of Regular Donors?
Beeline is a nonprofit marketing agency helping organizations in San Diego and beyond grow their donor bases. We use tried-and-true methods, backed by data, to create effective marketing campaigns that deliver real results.
We would love to hear about your nonprofit and see how we can help with its marketing needs. Set up a free consultation, give us a call, or send us an email to get the conversation started.
