Unleash the Power of Recurring Giving

Nonprofits realize that a healthy sustainer program is the smartest way to build the foundation of a growing and successful organization. However, navigating regulations and ambiguity around donation acceptance, processing, stewardship, and retention can confuse even the most sophisticated fundraiser.

You might remember the Mastercard rules on recurring giving released in 2022. In real time, we watched as these regulations designed for the commercial industry extended to nonprofits. In response to a groundswell of dissension, led by The Nonprofit Alliance (TNPA) and backed by industry leaders, they were revised, and most nonprofits were considered exempt.

In the wake of this shakeup, TNPA’s regulatory counsel assembled a volunteer committee of consultants and fundraisers. After countless hours of work and collaboration, their goal was to release a definitive guide to address frequently asked questions and best practices on recurring donations.

Our Role in Developing the Guide

CharityEngine has long advocated for transparency and clarity and has sought to ensure nonprofits are educated and able to maximize sustainer revenue. Phil Schmitz, CharityEngine’s CEO, was pleased to be invited to the TNPA committee. He was honored to share his thoughts and experience helping some of the world’s largest charities develop powerful recurring giving programs.

This guide, available for free, contains 39 frequently asked questions about sustainers. Searching the table of contents will take you right to the specific answer you seek.

Highlights from the TNPA Sustainer Go-To Guide

This industry-leading guide focuses on the common questions that arise when nonprofits operate and maintain a successful sustainer program. If you’re interested in building a strong monthly giving program, you might want to check out another free guide we recently released. Sticky Sustainers: Using Technology to Power Monthly Giving is an excellent companion to the TNPA guide.

Inside this TNPA go-to guide, you’ll learn:

• The top six best-practices guidance developed by the team
• Whether or not you can store CVV codes or ask for them by mail
• What payment processors are and how they work
• The pros and cons of offering a donor portal
• How soon you should ask a sustainer to upgrade their monthly gift
• The ideal way to measure the results of your sustainer program

The volunteer committee agrees that this guide isn’t exhaustive, but it offers an invaluable resource to nonprofits seeking clarification on the finer points of operating and maintaining a sustainer program.

How to Shore Up Your Recurring Giving Program

CharityEngine has clients of all sizes. Many start-ups we had years ago are now on the map as some of the most successful nonprofits in the U.S. or even the world. One secret to their success is often a rock-solid recurring giving program.

What if you have a strong recurring giving program but want to grow it and make it a powerful fundraising foundation? We’ve got a few tips that might help.

• See if you can ask your current monthly donors to increase their gift by a small amount.
• Incentivize occasional donors to commit to a small monthly donation. If you don’t have merchandise you can send, offer them access to exclusive content or events like a virtual lunch with your board or tickets to an event. Just highlighting them on your website or social media works as well.
• Consider a multichannel campaign recruiting sustainers. Use direct mail, email, and text; engaging a large group on different platforms extends your reach.
• Clearly communicate the outcome of your monthly giving program. Tie the funds raised to a tangible result for your mission.
• If you haven't optimized your donation page yet, it’s time! Here’s an article about effective donation forms; in it, you can download a free checklist.
• Use urgency in your messaging to encourage enrollment. When prospective sustainers feel like they’re also racing to meet a goal, they’re more inclined to sign up immediately.
• Always segment your audience and craft personalized messaging that will resonate with them.
• Encourage donor referrals. Ask current monthly donors to advertise your organization to their networks. Again, thank them with tickets or exclusive access.

Regardless of the strength of your program, implementing these ideas will ensure that you maximize it as a fundraising source.

Build Sustainer Program Success

The TNPA Sustainer Best Practices guide (and our tips) are more than just a collection of advice—they’re offering a roadmap to transform your nonprofit’s future fundraising. A vibrant sustainer program will attract new donors and provide a steady and dependable source of income for your nonprofit.

Collectively, the CharityEngine team has more than a century of experience with sustainer programs. Some of us have developed the technology to make them successful, and some of us have worked for the nonprofits that used the technology. Combined, our nuanced know-how and depth of experience mean you’re in very good hands with CharityEngine.

We will, of course, add a plug for using the best fundraising software on the market. CharityEngine is a leader in the nonprofit CRM industry, as evidenced by our inclusion on the TPNA panel. We would love to chat with you about how we can help your sustainer program soar!