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Monthly Giving for Nonprofits: Why Recurring Revenue Is the Future of Fundraising

By Dana Snyder, Founder of Positive Equation | Monthly Giving Strategist

There’s a revolution happening in philanthropy.

Nonprofits across the globe are ditching the frantic feast-or-famine fundraising cycle and embracing something steadier, smarter, and let’s be honest, way more sustainable:

Monthly giving.

It’s not just a trend or a “nice to have,” it’s the future of fundraising.

And if you’re not building a recurring donor strategy into your fundraising mix, you’re missing a major opportunity to grow, scale, and breathe a little easier.

In my book The Monthly Giving Mastermind, I share the framework that’s helped nonprofits of all sizes create successful recurring giving programs. But before we get tactical, let’s talk about why this model matters and what’s at risk if we don’t embrace it.

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Why Monthly Giving Is a Big (Big) Deal

Today’s donors are used to subscriptions.

They pay for Netflix, get coffee delivered, subscribe to clothing boxes, mindfulness apps, and dog treats, and give monthly.

This behavior fits right in with how people already behave with their money.

It’s convenient, it feels good, and it creates consistency.

But here’s where it gets powerful: studies show monthly donors give 42% more annually than one-time donors. They’re also significantly more likely to stick around, meaning better retention, more predictable revenue, and less scrambling to fill fundraising gaps.

More revenue. Less stress. You in?

Now imagine this:

• What if your monthly donor program was so strong that it covered your core operating expenses?
• What if you could project your budget with confidence?
• What if your fundraising team could shift from reactive to proactive—and finally breathe?

Monthly giving makes this possible.

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We Have to Make Asking for Monthly Gifts a Habit.

Let me say that again: If we don’t build the habit of asking for monthly support, our donors won’t build the habit of giving monthly.

It starts with us.

We can’t wait until Giving Tuesday or a once-a-year push. We have to bake recurring giving into our campaigns, our social content, our emails, and our conversations. Monthly giving shouldn’t be the side dish—it should be the main course.

Ask. Remind. Invite. Normalize.

Because the more consistently we talk about it, the more naturally donors will respond. Habits are formed through repetition, and your fundraising strategy is no exception.

Watch my keynote on this from the 2025 Monthly Giving Summit (start at 14:00 mark):

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The 5-Step Framework to Grow Your Program

I designed the Monthly Giving Mastermind Framework to be approachable, actionable, and proven. Whether you have a small team or you’re at a national nonprofit, this process works—because it meets people where they are.

Here’s a peek at the five steps I teach inside the book (and in my mastermind programs):

1. Create the Product

This is where most organizations fall short, they treat monthly giving like a checkbox. But if you want people to get excited, you have to make it a product.

That means giving it a name, a brand, a clear mission. Think of charity: water’s The Spring or Chamber of Mothers’ The Matriarchy. These programs invite people into a movement—not just a line on a donation form.

Naming your program gives it identity. Personality. Stickiness.

2. Make It Easy

Your donation flow should be so smooth it feels like butter.

We’re talking a mobile-friendly page, quick load time, and as few clicks as possible. Pre-select monthly. Highlight impact. Remove friction. If it takes longer than a minute, you’re losing donors.

This is not the time for a 15-question survey or outdated forms.

3. Call in the Believers

Start with the people who already love you.

Board members. Long-time supporters. Volunteers. Social media champions.

Invite them personally to become founding members of your monthly giving community. Give them early access. A behind-the-scenes look. A special badge of honor.

They’ll help you build momentum—and spread the word.

4. Make the Ask (Again and Again)

This is where the habit comes in.

You need to get comfortable making a recurring ask, not just a one-time one. This is a muscle, and you have to train it.

Drop a monthly giving CTA into every appeal. Include it on your homepage. Build a recurring ask into your welcome email series. Show up on video and say, “We’d love you to join our monthly giving circle today.”

Your job isn’t to be perfect, it’s to be consistent.

5. Share Joy and Gratitude

Want people to stick around? Make them feel seen.

Monthly donors shouldn’t feel like they disappeared into a black hole. Thank them. Surprise them. Include them in impact updates. Send a silly GIF. Feature them on Instagram. Give them a reason to smile when they see that monthly charge come through.

Retention isn’t magic—it’s the result of intention.

Need Some Inspo?

Here are a few nonprofits featured in The Monthly Giving Mastermind who are absolutely crushing it:

• Feeding Westchester named their program Nourishing Neighbors and connected monthly gifts directly to meals.

• Because International launched The Sole Circle, where recurring donors help provide shoes to kids in need.

• The Water Project created The Water Promise Circle, providing clean water updates straight to monthly donors’ inboxes.

These programs didn’t just appear overnight—they were built with intention, creativity, and habit.

You’ve got this.

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What You Can Do Today (Seriously, Today)

Feeling the spark? Let’s turn that into action. Here are five simple steps you can take right now to start moving toward a stronger monthly giving strategy:

1. Check your donation page. Is monthly giving easy to find and easy to select? If not, that’s step one.
2. Give your program a name. Even if it’s just in a brainstorming doc—start thinking creatively. Bonus points if you run a quick poll on social to crowdsource ideas.
3. Send one ask. Choose your top 20 donors, volunteers, or social followers and send them a personal message inviting them to be founding members of your program.
4. Record a 30-second video. Explain why monthly giving matters to you. Share it on Instagram or in your next email. It doesn’t have to be perfect—just human.
5. Join the Sustainers Slack Group. This is your space to connect with nonprofit peers building monthly giving programs. We share wins, workshop challenges, and cheer each other on:

👉 Join here

Want More Support?

Grab the Monthly Giving Mastermind Workbook—a 40-page companion to the book packed with ready-to-use templates, including email and LinkedIn posts, sample workflows, and everything you need to launch and grow your program:
👉 Get the Workbook

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow from 50 to 500 sustainers, this workbook is your secret weapon.

If you take just one thing away from this post, let it be this:

Make asking for monthly support a habit.

Because when you make it a habit to ask, you make it easier for your donors to build the habit of giving.

Monthly giving isn’t a moment—it’s a movement. And the sooner you start, the faster you’ll see the freedom, flexibility, and impact that comes with recurring revenue.

Let’s build something lasting. One monthly donor at a time.

Resources & Links

• If you want a guided tool to walk you through this framework step by step, the Monthly Giving Builder is your companion to guide you through building and launching your own montly giving program!
• For the full framework, grab a copy of my book, “The Monthly Giving Mastermind.”
• Looking for hands-on monthly giving support? See how we support nonprofits with monthly giving.

FAQs:

Q: How do I start a monthly giving program for my nonprofit?

A: Start by defining your goal and program identity, then build your donation infrastructure, invite your first believers, make consistent asks across channels, and steward donors with regular impact updates. Dana Snyder’s 5-Step Framework walks through each phase.

Q: What is the 5-step framework for building a monthly giving program?

Dana Snyder’s 5-step monthly giving framework covers: (1) Defining your goal and monthly giving identity, (2) Building your program name and value proposition, (3) Setting up your donation infrastructure and technology, (4) Making the ask to existing donors first, and (5) Stewarding and retaining monthly donors through consistent impact communication. Each step is designed to be implementable even by a one-person development team.

Q: What is a good monthly donor retention rate for nonprofits?

A: A healthy monthly giving program typically sees 80-90% retention after the first year, compared to 45% for one-time donors. Programs with strong onboarding and regular impact communication often achieve 90%+ retention.

Q: How long does it take to launch a monthly giving program?

A: Most nonprofits can have a basic monthly giving program live within 30 to 90 days. Key milestones include naming the program and defining your value proposition in weeks 1-2, setting up your donation platform and CRM in weeks 2-4, and making your first ask to existing donors in weeks 4-8. Ongoing stewardship and growth continue from there.

Q: Do small nonprofits need a monthly giving program?

A: Yes — monthly giving programs work for organizations of any size. Even a goal of $1,000/month in recurring revenue can provide meaningful financial stability for a small nonprofit.

Q: How many monthly donors do I need to make a program worth running?

There is no minimum. Even 20 monthly donors at $25/month generates $6,000 in predictable annual revenue you can budget around and build on. Most organizations find that once they reach 50 monthly donors, the program starts to feel like genuine infrastructure rather than a side project.