9 Tips to increase regular giving donations for your charity

Every charitable organisation recognises the vital importance of securing regular donations for the sustainability of their mission. If you're eager to boost the steady stream of support flowing into your charity, you're in the right place! 

This article will cover 9 fundraising tips and fundraising strategies to increase regular giving for your cause.

1. Mastering Your Regular Giving Program 

Undoubtedly, your organisation has a dedicated Regular Giving program, but how can you ensure its true success? Here are key considerations to keep in mind:

• Compelling Storytelling is key. Make sure that you share impactful stories that highlight the difference recurring donations make in sustaining your cause. Make it personal and let your supporters identify with your campaign. We’ve covered the basics of Storytelling for Charities in this article.
• Create a dedicated page for your monthly giving program. Design a page dedicated to regular giving. Include detailed information about your cause, engaging videos, and captivating images. Think of showcasing heartfelt testimonials from both your esteemed donors and the beneficiaries who've experienced the program's impact.
• Creating Urgency with Your CTAs. Your call-to-action (CTA) is the engine of your campaign. Emphasise the critical and time-sensitive nature of the support needed by using CTAs with a sense of urgency.

To have a stronger effect, focus on one main call-to-action at a time. Avoid having too many conflicting prompts. By highlighting one specific CTA, you can guide your audience's focus towards the most important action you want them to do. This helps them understand and respond quickly, increasing the chances of a successful campaign. 

2. Have a dedicated donation form for regular giving

Use a dedicated Regular Giving donation form that's consistently mobile-friendly. This element plays a pivotal role in driving conversions and ultimately determining the quantity of donations you can secure. What are the must-have components for an effective donation form?

• Donations in just a few clicks. First, your donors must be able to make a donation easily and quickly. If possible, the donation process should be complete in just a few clicks. Using a form with too many fields can quickly discourage your supporters from completing and finalising the transaction.
• A variety of payment methods. Another point that you cannot overlook is providing various payment methods, popular in your country and among international donors. You don't want to discourage them from giving on a monthly basis because you provide limited ways to donate! 
  
• Giving Amounts & Descriptions. Offer different donation options and demonstrate the significance and effect of donors' contributions through equivalent amounts. For example: “10 euros per month will provide one meal per day for 20 days for a child in South Sudan.”
  The donor must "visualise" their contribution and convince themselves of the importance of their help. You can use images dedicated to each amount to allow the donor to better engage with the cause.

• Fundraising Widgets. Use the power of the fundraising widgets! Showing the last donor contribution, or highlighting the most popular amount can help secure a higher average donation amount and allow for better conversion on your online donation form.
• Set “Monthly Donation” as the Default Choice. Make sure you set the default selection on your donation form to "Monthly Donation." If donors choose a “one-time gift”, you can add a message to encourage them to opt to give regularly to your cause.

Explain why regular giving is so crucial to helping you achieve your mission. Don't overlook this crucial step. 

To learn more about how to optimise your online donation form, read this article.

3. Have a Matching Gifts Program

Another way that will help you encourage donors to become your regular givers is setting up a Matching Gifts Program. Use this approach to get companies involved and reach more donors. Your corporate partners can encourage their employees to give monthly by matching recurring donations during specific periods. Consider creating a donation page specifically for the company, and using a progress bar to encourage donors to meet your goal for a specific project.

Harness the power of matching giving to convince more donors to support your mission and get companies involved with your cause.

4. Promote your Regular Giving Program widely across various periods in the year

Now, when your dedicated Regular Giving program is on point, you have to focus on the best way to promote it. Here are some tips that will help you collect donations and make it more successful:

• Use all your channels and platforms to promote your regular giving program and to engage and educate your audience about the benefits and impact of consistent support. This includes email campaigns, newsletters, printed media, social media, anything you can think of.
• Regularly feature your recurring donors on social media to showcase their story and show appreciation for their ongoing commitment. Interview them and use their quotes on your website. Make sure to ask for their consent before posting anything online.
• Create a section dedicated to your Regular Giving program on your home page. Add it on your main menu, making it as visible and accessible as possible. A great example of this is this Monthly Donations Page from the French Red Cross.
• Launch targeted Regular Giving fundraising campaigns across various periods of the year. Channel your efforts towards specific causes or issues. Use eye-catching visuals, success stories, and infographics that illustrate the power of consistent giving.
• Use the power of Livestream Fundraising. Virtual events or webinars allow you to engage with supporters, and inspire them to spread the word across social media with their friends and family.
• Partner with companies to promote your Regular Giving program among their employees.
• Launch time-bound challenges or competitions to encourage people to sign up for Regular Giving.
• Collaborate with ambassadors, influencers, brands, or other organisations to spread the word about your Regular Giving program
• Don't forget to send dedicated newsletters to all your supporters that educate subscribers about the monthly giving program and its life-saving impact. You want to promote it as much as you can.

5. Engage one-time donors and transform them into regular givers 

You started a campaign and are getting new regular donors. Now remember to appeal to those who have given one-time donations to give regular ones. Here are some tips to achieve this: 

• Start by segmenting your donor base to identify the one-off donors who are most likely to support you with regular donations. Look for those who have supported you more than once in a year, as well as donors who show interest in your organisation by getting involved in your campaigns and volunteering.
• Prepare a tailored communication with personalised messages that showcase how their support has helped so far, and how going further with monthly donations can lead to consistent impact and lasting change.
• Be transparent. Please provide clear information about how we utilise monthly donations and the specific projects they support.
• Remind your supporters of the tax deduction they are able to receive within your region. Oftentimes donors can benefit from a pretty high tax deduction on donations, so in reality, their monthly gift only costs them a fraction of the amount they gave to your charity. A win-win situation!

6. Engage a younger community  

Don’t forget that reaching out to a younger generation that is increasingly aware of the social and environmental challenges affecting our world is crucial. They are the donors of tomorrow, and the sooner they become engaged with your cause the better. 

Try using platforms where they are present, like Tiktok or Instagram, even gaming platforms like Twitch.

Did you know that Twitch has their own charity tool? It helps creators easily find an eligible charity to raise funds for. And you’ll soon be able to have live streaming integration on our new Community Fundraising Platform. The more present you are, the more likely they will become loyal to your organisation.

7. Nurture Connections with Your Current Monthly Donor Base

Building strong relationships and staying connected with recurring donors is vital for long-term support. Make sure you:

• Welcome your monthly donors with a dedicated email and personalised thank you message within the first 48 hours after their donation, expressing your gratitude for their support and commitment.
• Embrace going above and beyond: Send handwritten notes, personal thank-you letters, or heartfelt video messages to show gratitude for their ongoing support. You can also give them a personal phone call to really show your appreciation. If you need inspiration to show your donors appreciation, read this article.

• Share regular, exclusive updates on the impact of their contributions, showcasing the positive change they're helping you achieve.
• Highlight progress. Include a dedicated section in your newsletter that highlights the achievements made possible by recurring donors
• Send small rewards to show appreciation, such as branded merchandise or digitalbadges, to thank them for their loyalty. If you are able to, create an engraved nameplate to showcase on your premises with the monthly donors’ names. Some museums, national parks or zoos create nameplates under trees, benches or other special areas. 
  
• Make them feel like special stakeholders. Involve them in crafting campaign messages or themes for special projects, ensuring they feel truly involved.
• Celebrate significant milestones of their involvement as regular donors, such as their one-year anniversary.

8. Request Slightly Increased Gift Amounts from Donors

After a year of consistent support and fostering a strong relationship with your monthly donors, consider the possibility of requesting a slightly increased recurring gift. Whether you choose to make this appeal digitally, via telemarketing, or through mail, it's important to seize opportunities like sending thank you letters or annual tax receipts to suggest gift upgrades. Don't hesitate to ask for a small increase, as donors often respond positively to such requests by donating a little more each month.

9. Tackle Donor attrition 

Additionally, it's essential to address donor attrition. Don't let your hard work go to waste because of an expired credit card. Also, don't miss out on opportunities with donors who may consider discontinuing their support.

By carefully examining your donor data and attrition patterns, you can identify trends and shared characteristics among departing donors. This analysis can aid in retaining these supporters by potentially offering them the option of continued giving at a reduced contribution level, ensuring your fundraising efforts remain fruitful.

Increasing regular giving for your charity is not only attainable but also crucial for long-term sustainability and impact. By implementing the strategies and best practices discussed in this article, you can cultivate a loyal base of supporters, enhance donor relationships, and inspire ongoing generosity. Remember, the path to a successful monthly giving program lies in effective communication, engagement, and a heartfelt commitment to your mission. 

If you’re looking for more insights on how to welcome new donors to ensure a long-lasting relationship, check out this article!