When most nonprofits launch online giving, their instinct is to keep things simple. One-time donations. A clean form. No “extra decisions.” And while simplicity is the right instinct, leaving out recurring giving from the start is a strategic misstep that can quietly cost you thousands over time.

Monthly giving isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s your secret weapon for long-term sustainability—and it should be the first button you add, not the last. Here’s why.

One-Time Giving Is a Leaky Bucket

You work hard to earn each donation. Email campaigns, social posts, events, calls—whatever it takes to get someone to your form. But if they give once and disappear, you’re constantly starting from zero.

That’s the reality of one-time giving. Even satisfied donors may not return simply because life gets busy. There’s no follow-up, no automation, and no momentum unless you build it manually.

Recurring giving solves this. One decision. Monthly impact. And donors love it—when you give them the option.

Recurring Donors Stay Longer and Give More

Study after study shows that monthly donors are more loyal and have higher lifetime value. Even if their monthly gift is modest—$10, $20, $30—it adds up faster than you think. And they’re less likely to churn compared to single-gift donors.

Here’s what recurring givers bring to the table:

• Predictability: You can forecast revenue and plan ahead.
• Lower acquisition cost: One outreach, many months of support.
• Higher ROI: They give more over time, with fewer asks.
• Stronger engagement: They’re more likely to read emails, attend events, and become advocates.

In short, these are your most valuable supporters. But they don’t appear by accident. You have to make recurring giving the default path—not a hidden checkbox.

Make Monthly Giving the Default—Not an Afterthought

Most donation forms bury the recurring option at the bottom. It’s there, technically, but visually invisible. And it shows in the data: when recurring is opt-in or hard to find, fewer people use it.

The solution? Flip the order. Show monthly giving first. Present it as the primary ask. Make it easy, obvious, and compelling.

Instead of “Would you like to give monthly?” after the donor has already decided, try leading with: “Join our monthly supporters and make a lasting difference.” Then offer a one-time option for those who aren’t ready to commit. You’re not removing choice—you’re guiding it.

Platforms like Solafund make this simple. Their form builder lets you reorder options, customize labels, and test different defaults. You don’t need a developer. Just a strategy.

How Recurring Giving Builds Infrastructure, Not Just Income

Here’s the bigger play: recurring giving isn’t just about money. It’s about stability. Systems. Forecasting. The difference between “I hope we hit our goal” and “we already covered next month’s costs.”

This is especially critical for smaller orgs. When you’re running lean, every drop of predictability helps. Monthly donors turn fundraising from an emergency sprint into a sustainable rhythm. They become the bedrock of your budget.

That’s why we often say that recurring giving isn’t just a tactic—it’s infrastructure. And digital giving platforms should support that by default. If you’re still piecing things together, revisit this guide to getting started with online giving. It explains how to launch without overcomplicating your tech stack.

What Donors Want From Recurring Giving

You might assume monthly donors need perks, swag, or VIP tiers. But most are simply looking for:

• Ease: Set it and forget it.
• Trust: Secure, transparent processing.
• Impact: Clear, consistent communication on what their gift is doing.

In fact, trying too hard with exclusive levels or complicated benefits can backfire. The best recurring programs are personal, not transactional. Think thank-you notes, photo updates, and the occasional surprise—not a loyalty card.

Platforms like Solafund send branded receipts automatically and let you segment your monthly donors for follow-up. That’s everything you need to build a retention engine that works while you sleep.

How to Pitch It Without Feeling Pushy

Fundraisers often hesitate to push recurring giving because it feels like a bigger ask. But framing makes all the difference. You’re not asking for more—you’re offering a more meaningful way to give.

Here are a few ways to position it:

• “A little each month goes a long way.”
• “Join our monthly giving circle and fund year-round impact.”
• “Monthly gifts help us plan smarter and respond faster.”

And don’t underestimate the power of social proof. Highlight how many others have joined. Feature one sentence testimonials. Show that it’s the norm, not the exception.

Make It the First Button, Not a Hidden Checkbox

If you take one step after reading this, make it this: rework your donation form so that recurring giving is front and center. Change the default. Test your language. Review your mobile view. And track your results over the next 30 days.

There’s no single silver bullet in fundraising, but recurring giving comes close. It lifts every metric that matters: stability, retention, lifetime value, and confidence.

So stop treating it like a bonus feature. Make it the main event. The first button. The first step to building a donor base that doesn’t just give—but sticks around for the long haul.