Fundraising Tip: Another New Monthly Donor

As your list of monthly donors grows, keep giving your all to these relationships.

The most difficult part those in nonprofit fundraising who are creating a monthly giving program or campaign is to get started.

This article is for those who have already taken the most critical of steps and are starting to have people sign up to donate monthly.

As you know about me already, I am one of those in the world of nonprofit fundraising who believes that fundraising is not about money.

It’s about relationships.

It’s about your relationships with donors, volunteers (including the board of directors), your co-workers in programs, and those you serve. Of course, the list is longer, but I’ll stop here.

In this arena of monthly giving, the relationships I’m writing about are those you have with your donors. Once your donor signs up to donate monthly, let’s begin the relationship in a wonderful way for you and them by thanking them promptly.

I prefer a quick phone call. This will most likely surprise the donor, and even make their day.

Do you have time for a quick call?

Next, send them an official thank you via email. Thank them for becoming a monthly donor. If you have a name for your monthly giving campaign, make sure you use it. Ask them if they would like a thank you/tax receipt every month, or one to cover the year of giving. I send those out every January.

There are a couple of things to remember while they begin giving monthly. First, keep them in the loop. This can look like a quarterly email to all monthly donors, one filled with gratitude and sharing the impact of the monthly donations.

Next, keep track of credit card and debit card expiration dates. My experience with monthly donors is that they will continue to donate monthly for years. The one thing that stops them is their card expiring. To be clear, their card expiring and the organization not reaching out to get the new number, which is usually just a new expiration date.

Yes, you will need to communicate with the donor.

No, there is no need to fear this. I have heard several times from peers in fundraising who are fearful that the donor will cancel the monthly giving if they call for an updated card. This is not the reality in almost all cases. Your donor sees their desire to make the world a better place through their monthly donation to you. They do not want that to end.

I like to call donors a month before their card expires. They typically already have the new card by then, and the monthly donation flows without interruption.

Keep close to your monthly donors, ensure they know how grateful your organization is, and keep them informed of the impact of their giving.

Monthly giving will catapult your giving and ensure those in programs have all they need to serve those served by your organization.

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your friends and colleagues. Be kind.

I am currently reading:

“Our Immigrant Souls” by Héctor Tobar.