Maximising charity revenue: The power of monthly donations

We all know how it’s been for the last couple of years. Everyone’s been stressed and worried about their finances with the cost of living crisis, and we’ve all had to be very careful where our money goes, making it stretch in the best ways we can.

Where every penny counts, we know that charities like yours have also faced challenges where money is concerned. We’ve worked with plenty of charities to know that your biggest challenge lately has been securing a steady stream of funding to support your vital missions.

With cuts to budgets/departments, rising operating costs, reduced grantmaking capacities and other inflationary pressures, we have seen first-hand how worrying it has been for you to think about your ability to survive this economic crisis.

The stats back up your worries - “Over 80% of non-profits expect to struggle with the increased cost of utilities for their own venues, as well as managing wage increases.”   Charitylink.net

At Made Simple Media, we’re passionate about helping charities succeed, and the best first step we offer is to create a user-friendly, impactful website.

To truly succeed, we’ve discovered the one key element that can significantly boost your charity’s revenue.

The monthly giving advantage

Picture this: Instead of relying solely on one-time donations and sporadic fundraising efforts, your charity can create a stable financial foundation by encouraging donors to commit to monthly contributions.

According to Non Profits Source, “Donors that set up recurring donations give 42% more annually, compared to one-time donations.”.

It’s no wonder that this approach offers several benefits that can make a substantial difference in your ability to deliver your services effectively.

1. Predictable revenue streams

Think about the many people who get a paycheck on the same date every month. They know exactly what’s coming in and when so they can better prepare where their finances are going.

We bet you could do with the same predictability in the form of monthly donations for your charity. Having a predictable income stream and knowing exactly how much money is coming in each month will enable you to plan more effectively, budget efficiently and allocate resources where they’re needed most.

It’ll reduce the uncertainty we know can often plague nonprofit organisations like yours.

2. Improved financial stability

Because people spend more money at different times of the year, you’ll probably have noticed that you often face seasonal fluctuations in donations. December is a great example of this, with 30% of annual giving occurring in that month (Non Profits Source). This can make it challenging for you to cover things like ongoing operational costs.

However, if monthly donations are coming in, it creates financial stability by smoothing out these peaks and valleys, allowing you to focus on your mission without worrying about whether you’ll meet your financial commitments.

3. Enhanced donor retention

Most people have one or two charities that are close to their hearts, either from personal experience or through family and friends. It’s those people who are highly likely to want to donate monthly to their favourite charity as they tend to be more committed and engaged with the cause.

This emotional investment, mixed with the deep connection and sense of ownership in the organisation’s success, often leads to higher donor retention rates. This long-term support will help your charity thrive.

4. Reduced fundraising costs

Having worked with many charities, we know you often spend a significant portion of your budget on fundraising efforts. It’s a sure way to get some good donations in one fell swoop, but it comes with a hefty price tag.

Encouraging monthly donations can reduce these costs as you won’t need to constantly seek new donors. Instead, you can concentrate your efforts on cultivating relationships with existing monthly donors, saving time and resources.

5. Greater impact

Having already mentioned fundraising, we understand the blood, sweat and tears put into those efforts can mean that you miss out on other opportunities, such as expanding your impact. Monthly donations help with that.

With a stable source of income, you can plan and launch new programs, reach more beneficiaries and invest in long-term projects that might otherwise be out of reach.

Those benefits sound great, right? But how do we help charities like yours in getting those much-needed funds?

We’ve found a solution!

The charity website package

At Made Simple Media, we understand the importance of monthly donations to charities. That's why we've developed our Charity Website Package, a comprehensive solution designed to help nonprofits harness the power of regular contributions.

Here's a snippet of the ways we do this:

1. User-friendly monthly donation form

Our Charity Website Package includes a user-friendly and highly customisable monthly donation form. This form integrates seamlessly into your charity's website, making it easy for donors to set up recurring contributions with just a few clicks.

Once a donation has been made, you’ll also have all the donation details in the backend of your website downloaded into Excel for you to glance at important information quickly and simply, all in one place.

2. Engaging content and storytelling

We believe that compelling storytelling can be a powerful way to inspire monthly donors. Our package includes content creation services² to help you craft persuasive narratives that resonate with your audience, create an emotional connection and showcase the impact of monthly donations.

We do this through a Blog or News Section on your website and, if updated regularly, will bring more eyes to your cause, spreading awareness and increasing the chance of donations flying in.

3. Visitor tracking

We provide the analytics and reporting you need to track the visitors to your website. It’s a handy way to know which pages your visitors love the most, how long they spend on your website and the content they prefer.

This data can help you to make informed decisions, refine your approach, and continually improve your fundraising efforts.

4. Calendar and events list

You want to make it as easy as possible for your visitors to find out what you’re up to. That’s why adding a calendar and events list to your website is the perfect partner.

People can clearly see what events are coming up that they can attend or view online talks/classes/events you may run and add to the calendar. It’s a really great way to invite people into your world and get them on board with donating to your charity.

How to experience the power of monthly donations

From what you’ve read, you can probably tell that we understand how important securing a consistent income source is for the future of your amazing charity. Monthly donations offer a strategic solution to enhance financial stability, build donor relationships, and ultimately amplify the impact of your charity's work.

By incorporating our Charity Website Package, your organisation can unlock the full potential of monthly giving. Together, we can create a digital presence that not only showcases your mission but also encourages donors to become loyal, long-term supporters.

To learn more about our Charity Website Package and how it can benefit your organisation, get in touch with us through our contact page today. Let's work together to make a lasting impact on the causes that matter most.

² Performance and Expert packages only.