Attracting Monthly Donors and Keeping Them

Successful sustainer programs provide a steady source of revenue in good times and bad, and a loyal base of donors who are committed to your cause.

Even though monthly donors often start out giving small sums, their donations add up over time. In fact, their lifetime giving may meet or exceed the value of a midlevel gift.

Plus, a monthly donor is also more likely to stick around. One study found that nonprofits typically retain close to 90 percent of their sustainers, compared with an average retention rate of about 45 percent for all donors.

“Even with the processing charges [that monthly gifts incur], at the end of the day, your costs to keep them active are so much lower because you’re not constantly renewing and resoliciting these donors,” says Alicia Meulensteen, director of nationwide membership at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Here, we’ve rounded up our coverage of everything you need to start or expand your monthly giving program.

Editor’s note: Chronicle tool kits are updated on an ongoing basis as new advice becomes available.