Monthly Giving Programs: The Guide to Convincing Yourself, Team, and Board That You Need One
Feel like you’re treading water each year with exhausting, labor-intensive fundraising strategies? Start building a monthly giving program as fast as you can.
Below, I’m going to clearly walk you through how to convince your board, team, and leadership that a monthly giving program is not only worth it for your nonprofit, but it’s also an essential piece of your fundraising strategy for this decade.
And getting started with your recurring giving program all starts with the right mindset.
Here’s the truth:
Political and economic climates change, and grant funding fluxes. But the needs of your community—and the work you do to support it—don’t stop.
Across the nonprofit sector, one-time giving is down. But monthly recurring giving is increasing.
Monthly giving programs are where our industry is headed, and now is the right time to build one if you haven’t already. But there are very real challenges to convincing your board and stakeholders that the work is worth it… especially if you’re low on resourcing.
I’ve worked with leaders of nonprofits for over two decades, and I know from experience that installing a new fundraising strategy can feel very overwhelming—at first. And especially if you’re trying to get buy-in or don’t have the right systems in place.
But this guide will help you prepare for those conversations—with the studies to back you up.
Bonus resource: You’ll also get a completed Why Our Charity Needs a Monthly Giving Program slide deck and list of talking points to use with your team. Sign up to get it here (it’s free!).
📝 Important note:There are no affiliate links or ads in this article—and I’m not going to sell you any courses. I do mention 4aGoodCause and how it will help you, which is our software. But overall, this is knowledge shared freely that is hard-won from my 25+ years working with nonprofits.
What is a monthly giving program really? Where did the idea come from?
Monthly giving programs (also referred to as recurring giving, sustainable giving, or subscription giving) focus on securing and nurturing recurring donors through regular monthly contributions.
These programs are the solution to time spent chasing down one-time donations through traditional giving campaigns, like direct mail end-of-the-year ask letters, fundraising events, or one-off emails to prospective donors.
The idea of soliciting a monthly gift—instead of a one-time gift—is similar to subscription services that fit neatly into a household budget.
(Think Netflix, Disney+, a community center or gym membership, or companies like StitchFix, BarkBox, or KiwiCo.)
So, it’s not a new idea or even a new fundraising strategy, as nonprofits like Charity:Water have been using it for years now.
However, it is a strategy that is gaining significant popularity and success due to high donor retention rates, a healthy return on investment, and the reliable, recurring revenue stream it provides.
The work of wise nonprofit industry leaders, educators, and all-around smart thinkers like Erica Wassdorp, Dave Raley, and Harvey McKinnon have driven the strategy, research, and popularity of successful monthly giving programs.
And their well-established expertise in this topic deserves a read, when you have the time.
Despite the rise in the popularity and success of monthly giving programs, it’s often still a challenge to convince your board or leadership team that the work is worth it.
And that’s what I’m going to help you do in the remainder of this guide.
Change your mindset: Recurring giving is the future of fundraising
The first step to starting a successful monthly giving program is often the most challenging: You’ve got to get everyone behind the idea.
For too long, traditional fundraising strategy has relied on the unpredictability of one-time gifts and big events, which can leave you and your team scrambling to fill budget gaps.
Not to mention, you miss out on the opportunity to build deeper relationships with your supporters because you’re always chasing end-of-year goals.
By shifting the focus of your board and team to recurring giving, you also shift your strategies toward building a consistent stream of revenue, rather than racing toward the bottom line.
For example: River Crossing YMCA, one of my 4aGoodCause clients, acquired 173 recurring donors within the first week of their new monthly giving program launch.
Yes, you read that correctly: within the first week.
If they didn’t start their monthly giving program, they would’ve lost out on tens of thousands of dollars that year (and much more in the years following) even if they never acquired another donor after that launch.
Despite real results for organizations like River Crossing YMCA, in all honesty, this mind-set shift can be a real challenge.
For most nonprofits, it’s a completely new way of fundraising.
“
I’m baffled that board members still need to be convinced that monthly giving is a thing, and that monthly giving is a great way to provide ongoing sustainable revenue for the organization. - Erica Waasdorp (Source)
Where do you even start the conversation with your board?
Well, you start at the cold-hard facts: Monthly giving programs are working and driving real results across the nonprofit sector. (I’ll dig into the details below.)
And thankfully, monthly giving programs aren’t just about securing more resources, although that’s not a bad thing.
When you embrace a monthly giving model, you’re also embracing regular connection and engagement with your donors.
Finally.
You can invest more energy in nurturing lasting relationships with your donor base, and this leads to increased donor loyalty (and even the potential for donation upgrades) over time.
But this mindset shift is not about saying sayonara to traditional fundraising methods.
It’s about integrating a modern approach that aligns with the changes happening across the philanthropic and consumer landscape.
If you’re ready to take this concept to your board, you can stop reading here!
⭐️ I know you’re busy, so grab your already-prepped Why Our Charity Needs a Monthly Giving Program slide deck and list of talking points to use for your meeting. Get it here (it’s free!).
How to create better engagement in the board room
9 reasons why your nonprofit needs a monthly giving program
If you have some skeptics on your team—or maybe if you’re skeptical yourself that all the work is worth it—here are 9 key reasons nonprofits should launch a monthly giving program.
I’ll dig into each one below, along with supporting evidence.
✨ Bonus resource: Ready to get your FREE monthly giving slide deck and list of talking points to use with your board and team? To save you time, we put it all together for you. Get it here.
1. Recurring giving is easier on a variety of donor budgets.
This is one of the biggest perks of a monthly giving program.
Offering a monthly option empowers donors of all levels to give in comfortable, manageable donation amounts while feeling truly valued.
For many givers, this is a better donor experience overall.
They can set up automatic drafts from their bank account or simply set their credit card contribution on autopilot via an online donation form.
2. Monthly donors are more likely to upgrade over time.
Because monthly donors start small and build commitment, they often become comfortable with recurring support and later increase their donation amounts.
Plus, monthly givers are 6 times more likely to upgrade to a planned gift by leaving your organization in their will than other donors. (Source)
Ultimately, monthly donors can be your most loyal committed supporters. They’re more likely to grow into major givers and planned givers over time.
Plus, since your recurring donors will become familiar with your regular outreach and communications, you can run special, targeted initiatives to encourage increasing giving amounts to the next level when appropriate.
Your team can incorporate simple fundraising efforts, like launching upgrade campaigns, in batches throughout the year based on how long an individual has been in your recurring program—whether that’s through a special digital or mail campaign or simple yearly phone calls by the staff.
Another one of the biggest benefits of monthly giving?
Even small monthly gifts add up over the course of a year, often exceeding the total of sporadic one-time donations.
In fact, the average monthly donor gives $756 per year with the 4aGoodCause platform. And while the 2024 M+R Benchmarks Study mentions the average recurring monthly donation for nonprofits is $24, we’ve found that the 4aGoodCause’s monthly giving average is $63 per month.
Try our monthly giving calculator to see how much you can raise.
Try it out for yourself!
How much can you earn?
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Total raised for your organization
4aGoodCause software can help you meet your goals this year, but don’t just take my word for it:
“One of the things we’re most excited about is increased revenue! ….We’ve seen increased revenues across the board when compared to the tools we were using before 4aGC.” — Kelly S., MANNA FoodBank
4. Recurring giving can boost donor retention.
Regular, recurring gifts can help build a long-term, loyal donor base that stays engaged over time.
(As you already know firsthand, keeping new donors engaged after a one-time gift requires a lot of follow-up effort.)
Routine donors become more familiar with your organization’s mission, needs, success stories, and even your staff members… which builds a sense of community and joyful responsibility.
Hands down, many organizations see donor engagement go up.
🤩 Did you know?On average, only 46% of donors stick around, and first-time donor retention rates are as low as 23%. Recurring givers have retention rates up to 90%. (Source: Bloomerang)
5. Monthly sustainers provide unrestricted funds to nonprofit organizations.
Monthly donations can typically go toward general operating support, giving nonprofits the flexibility to address urgent needs as they come up.
And if an unexpected over-and-above need arises?
You have the ability to do customized fundraising outreach to this group, communicate the need, and offer creative additional giving options or amounts.
With 4aGoodCause, you get unlimited campaigns. Plus, making custom fundraising pages is a breeze—no tech knowledge needed. Book a demo to learn more.
6. Reliable, recurring giving helps sustain operations during crises.
Instead of relying on one-time giving alone, monthly donation programs provide you with predictable, ongoing cash flow.
That way, your team can better weather financial shocks or unforeseen emergencies—like freezes in federal funds and grants or economic fluctuations.
In fact, communicating this benefit on your giving page for prospective monthly donors can be a big motivator for some to take the leap and commit, especially if your specific cause is acutely affected by political and economic shifts.
7. Your team can multiply their fundraising success with less ongoing effort.
Once set up, automated processing makes monthly giving a low-maintenance source of steady income.
And that equals wise stewardship of your team’s limited resources! (And who doesn’t love when their organization’s work is multiplied?)
Plus, the right monthly giving fundraising software makes it easy. Donors are already used to digital subscriptions (remember Netflix?), so an online donation process comes more naturally here with a monthly giving program.
With easy-to-use and integrated features like donor management software (CRM), donation pages, and streamlined payment processing that secures donor payment information, with 4aGoodCause, you can create a repeatable process your team can rely on. Book a demo today.
8. Recurring giving programs are cost-effective.
Another perk?
The overall expense of processing recurring gifts is usually low, allowing most of the donation to go directly toward the mission.
I am encouraged by how Prisca W. of Associated Credit Union (ACU) put it in her customer review, “With the help of 4aGoodCause, ACU has had a record fundraising year…. Most importantly, we are positively changing family legacies.”
Plus, monthly givers have higher retention rates, which boosts your return on investment.
9. Monthly supporters help build a community of advocates.
Recurring donations aren’t just numbers in a spreadsheet.
A sustainable giving program builds a group of committed supporters who are more engaged, often becoming ambassadors for your mission and helping to spread the word.
And that’s what you’re aiming for!
But here’s the thing: Your donors are looking for community and the connection it provides.
Offering incentives to your recurring donors—including exclusive content like educational webinars and classes, social impact testimonials, or social media shoutouts—can boost that sense of ongoing community.
And this is how I personally think about it: Each of your current donors represents an individual social network of potential donors.
Over time, your outreach can transform your current monthly donors into advocates, and their social circle into potential-turned-recurring givers.
Start a monthly giving program this year with 4aGoodCause
With 4aGoodCause, you gain a powerful, intuitive fundraising CRM designed to help you set clear, actionable goals and grow your base of recurring monthly donors.
Discover how a simpler system can lighten your workload and drive sustainable recurring giving—schedule a demo today!
You’ll get unlimited customizable donation pages that integrate seamlessly into your overall strategy, empowering you to create and track campaigns effortlessly.
In short, your donors enjoy a smooth giving experience while you benefit from streamlined, stress-free fundraising.
Plus, my team and I will be by your side to help—every step of the way.
Ronald is the President and Founder of 4aGoodCause, the fundraising CRM that makes recurring, monthly giving a breeze for small nonprofits.
For over 25 years, Ronald has had the joy of doing what he loves, building online solutions that make a difference in the world. He’s helped raise millions of dollars online for small nonprofits across the country. Connect with Ronald on LinkedIn.
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