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The Secret to Raising More: Create a Monthly Donor Program

Written by Katelyn Baughan | July 26

Nonprofit marketers and fundraisers all have one thing in common – they’re wearing way too many hats and are doing it all on a tight budget. 

That’s why focusing on your monthly donor program is a smart move for you.

Monthly donors give 42% more than one-time donors.  

Imagine *knowing* that you have thousands of dollars coming in monthly. You would probably sleep better at night, right? 

In my last post, I explained 5 things that make a good monthly donor program and how to acquire and retain new monthly donors. In this post, I want to break it down to more tangible steps, show examples, and offer you a template that I use to launch monthly donor programs. 

Building a monthly donor program isn’t as hard as it seems, and data proves that the juice is worth the squeeze, so why are so many nonprofits missing the mark?  

Ask yourself a few questions:

  • Do I have a unique landing page for my monthly donor program?
  • Do I have an email welcome series for my monthly donors?
  • Have I thanked my current monthly donors properly? 
  • Have I launched any campaigns to acquire new monthly donors? 

If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then you’re good to go. If not, keep reading.

First, let’s look at an example of a good monthly donor landing page. 

The International Mission Board Monthly Donor Program does a great job.

  1. They’ve given their program a unique name, the “Seven Nine Community”



  2. Right away they have a donate monthly CTA to “join the community”



  3. They offer exclusive benefits and perks for being part of the community



  4. They connect the mission to the community and give specific examples of how a monthly donation would help.

     

Now that you’ve seen an example, you’re probably wondering where to start.

The first thing you need to do is to create a brief or a document with all the important program information in it. By organizing your thoughts, and all the key deliverables, audiences, value propositions, you’ll have a good idea of how to pull this off.

Here’s my monthly donor program brief for you to copy and make your own.

This template will guide you through the process of creating a monthly donor program that attracts and retains loyal supporters. With it, you'll be able to:

  • Define your program's goals and objectives
  • Identify your target audience and their needs
  • Develop a compelling value proposition
  • Plan communications

Don't let your nonprofit miss out on the opportunity to create a sustainable revenue stream. Start building your monthly donor program today. With the right steps and tools, you can turn those potential donors into dedicated supporters who provide consistent funding for your mission.

About KB Digital

KB Digital is a Nonprofit Email Marketing Consultancy that empowers nonprofits to amplify their impact through strategic email and SMS marketing.

About the Author

Katelyn Baughan is a passionate nonprofit email consultant dedicated to empowering organizations to harness the power of email marketing for fundraising success. With a strong background in digital fundraising, Katelyn has managed multi-million dollar campaigns for leading nonprofits, witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of strategic email communications.

Driven by her love for email marketing and its potential to inspire generosity, Katelyn founded her own consultancy, KB Digital, in 2018. This venture has allowed her to collaborate with renowned nonprofit clients such as National Geographic, The Trevor Project, UNHCR, The Cancer Research Institute, and The National Breast Cancer Foundation, while also providing the flexibility to spend more quality time with her family.

Katelyn has a B.A. in Communication from The University of Maryland and a Digital Marketing Certificate from Georgetown University. She also has certifications in email marketing from Mailchimp and Hubspot, is certified in advanced Google Analytics, Adwords, and inbound marketing from HubSpot. Through her work, Katelyn combines her passion for making a difference with her deep understanding of email marketing strategies to help nonprofits maximize their fundraising potential and achieve their missions.