When it comes to recurring gifts, nonprofits need to be intentional. It is vital to have a system in place for monthly giving that is simple and easily accessible for your donors, and to present them with a compelling reason to give monthly.

As Linda Lombardi at Network for Good states:

Recurring, or monthly, gifts programs provide the regular income you can depend on, while simultaneously building your donor base. Monthly gifts add a boost to your monthly revenue that can also free you up to tackle additional fundraising efforts.

Monthly gifts have never been easier—or more convenient—for your donors. The rise in popularity of auto-bill pay and direct deposit has made us all more comfortable with automatic online banking.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

Make the experience as easy as possible. Allow donors to sign up online, and make sure that the sign up page is in a prominent place on your website.

Remind donors of the benefits for both you and them. Smaller monthly donations have less of an impact on their monthly budget, while allowing the organization to have a greater impact with funding they can count on.

Don’t just ask once. Sending out a single email or letter will not start your campaign for you. Continuously be asking donors to pledge a monthly amount.

Make sure your back-end process works smoothly. Set up automatic receipts. Have a donor database that allows you to separate monthly donors from other donors. And most importantly, thank your monthly donors.

Hope you find these tips helpful as you build your recurring gifts program!