May 27, 2020 | Categories DonorPerfect Fundraising Software, Featured, Fundraising Strategies, Monthly Giving

Growing Your Monthly Giving Program

You’ve started a monthly giving program. Now what? How can you attract new monthly donors and retain existing ones? If you’re ready to spread the word about your monthly giving program, check out our best tips to engage donors.

Help Monthly Donors to Find You

How do donors find out about your monthly giving program? Is it featured prominently on your organization’s website? If not, it should be. State the need for monthly donors on your website’s homepage and via a dedicated donation form. Make it even easier for supporters to find and join your monthly giving program by making your donation form available from your main navigation menu.

Pro Tip: You’ll get the best results by using a dedicated fundraising campaign to connect with future monthly giving program supporters.

Foster a Sense of Belonging

Instead of inviting donors to join your “monthly giving program”, create a sense of inclusion or involvement through your program’s name. For example, encourage your donors to become part of your “Community of Heroes” group. Using words like Friends, Circle, Club, etc. will remind your donors that they are part of your team working together towards your mission as investors in your cause.

Pro Tip: For more creative naming ideas that will engage your supporters, check out 30 Names for Your Monthly Giving Program.

Show Donors They Are Valued

Do your monthly donors know how valued they are? Monthly donors want to be thanked and appreciated just as much as any donor, so don’t neglect them when it comes time to acknowledge their support. Collaborate with your team to come up with creative solutions to convey how much they mean to you. Consider some of these tactics:

• Provide tangible items like calendars, car stickers, and t-shirts that show monthly donors that they are true partners with your organization.
• Offer monetary rewards, such as discounts to events, merchandise, or sponsorship packages, to promote continued donor loyalty.
• Host member-only events, lunch with your Executive Director and behind-the-scenes tours that provide another level of engagement with the exclusivity that monthly supporters will appreciate.
• Create segmented communications for your monthly program partners that include dedicated newsletters, periodic updates on the programs they support, and access to webcasts.
• Send heartfelt and authentic thank-yous like hand-written letters and personal phone calls from executives or board members. These help constituents feel important and know that their gift matters.

Pro Tip: For more ideas on how to retain monthly donors, visit The Key to Retaining Monthly Donors.

Simplify How Donors Join Your Monthly Giving Program

Most donors do not spend a lot of time on an online giving form. The more complicated the form, the less likely a donor is to complete it. The fewer clicks a donor has to make on a form the better. So, make a monthly gift the default option. Check out How to Make Recurring Donations the Default on Your Online Forms to make this an easy decision for your donors.

Promote Your Monthly Giving Program

Your regular promotional and marketing materials should include messaging about your monthly giving program. Social media outlets can be used to keep donors in the loop about your monthly giving program’s progress and how it’s benefiting your cause. Emails, direct mail, brochures, newsletters, and event follow-up appeals are all an opportunity to ask donors to join your monthly giving program. If you have space in your communications, include a section that explains the benefits of your monthly giving program and offers a monthly donor testimonial. Don’t forget to solicit those who already support your cause to upgrade their support to your monthly plan. They already value your mission and may be willing to take the next step.

PRO TIP: These monthly giving promotional templates can help you communicate why monthly donations are helping your nonprofit to stay on mission during COVID-19.

Take Your Monthly Giving Program to the Next Level

Creating your monthly giving program is only the beginning. Learn how you can promote and grow your program with our helpful Monthly Giving Marketing Kit. We’ll show you how to position your monthly giving program for visibility and success with proven strategies and templates.