Monthly Giving Framework Step 4 & 5: Make The Ask + Share Joy & Gratitude

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Monthly giving is not just about a donation. It is about giving people a way to channel their purpose consistently.

And in today’s episode, we’re unveiling the secrets behind making compelling asks – and the most powerful strategies for recurring donation requests, so you can leverage initial contributions for maximum impact. 

For example, 29% of first time donors who became recurring donors, did so within the first 90 days of their initial gifts (!)

From speaking opportunities at events, to the effectiveness of storytelling through long-form videos and influencer partnerships, you’ll find out how to engage supporters in meaningful ways. 

We discuss critical retention techniques such as monitoring churn rates and using automated email sequences to keep donor engagement high. 

This episode is packed with actionable advice to help you build lasting donor loyalty and even cultivate major gifts.

And, don’t forget to register for the Monthly Giving Summit coming up on Sept 5-6 from 1-4 pm ET – the ONLY virtual event designed to help nonprofits build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good. RSVP for FREE here!

Resources & Links

Can we meet in Nashville? The 8th annual Raise fundraising conference, hosted by OneCause, will be held at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville, TN September 9-10, 2024 Use code MISSIONS200 to receive $200 off registration, Register: https://bit.ly/4bNqihi

Tune in to the rest of this podcast series: Episode 133: Call In Your Believers and Episode 132: Build a Monthly Giving Program.

Check out Vik and Scott Harrison’s video on The Spring.

30 Podcasts to Pitch: https://positiveequation.com/podcastlist

Applications are open for Round 5 of my Monthly Giving Mastermind that will start in July! We’ve launched 15 programs from ALL over the country, are you next? Head to positiveequation.com/mastermind to apply!

Join The Sustainers, my Slack community for nonprofit professionals growing and scaling a recurring giving program.

Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you.

Episode Summary

Step 4, Make the Ask: How to Consistently and Confidently Ask for Recurring Monthly Giving Donations

Monthly giving is not just about a donation — it is about giving people a way to channel their purpose consistently. If you are showing up shy or with low energy or a lack of confidence around making the ask for monthly donations, I promise your supporters will feel it. You are providing a wonderful opportunity for your monthly donors, so be amped to ask them.

How often should you ask for recurring gifts? You should ask your donors all the time, but then have one to three big tentpole campaign moments that you have planned out throughout the year. If you want sustainable, consistent revenue, all roads lead to recurring giving gifts and based on Classy’s State of Modern Philanthropy report, 29% of first-time donors who became recurring donors did so within the first 90 days of their initial gift.

Do not be afraid to make that ask for a recurring monthly donation after that one-time gift. Those supporters are so loyal they are over nine times more valuable to your organization.

Step 5, Share Joy & Gratitude: The Best Long-Term Strategy for Retaining Monthly Giving Donors

Retention is the cornerstone of a sustainable monthly giving program. What you are trying to do is evoke the same feeling that donor originally had when they said yes to give every single time that gift is processed on their bank statement. Start this process by checking some data.

3 Monthly Giving Data Points to Analyze

• What is the current churn rate each month of your recurring supporters?
• Why are your monthly donors leaving?
• Is there a trend in the reasons why they’re leaving?

If you have a low churn rate, keep focusing on growth, like acquisition time. Bring in new people. If you have a high churn rate, pause on any acquisition or growth right now because it looks like there might be something wrong that’s making people leave and you should fix that first. If you’re in a good spot, you should have at least a monthly email correspondence that is going out to this group of monthly supporters, like sharing updates on impact stories.