If you’ve ever gone to open a donation envelope expecting a year-end pledge—and found a hand-written check with a sticky note attached—you’re not alone.

Despite all the tech, apps, and auto-recurring options available today, many donors still give the old-fashioned way. And while it may feel outdated, it’s not irrational. These gifts come from a place of deep trust, habit, and meaning.

So instead of trying to force everyone into digital giving, the real opportunity is to understand why this happens—and how you can meet those donors where they are while gently nudging them toward better systems for everyone.

The Sentimental Side of Giving

For many donors, especially older ones, writing a check is more than a financial transaction. It’s a ritual. They sit down at the kitchen table, review their finances, pray or reflect, write the check, and maybe even slip a note of encouragement into the envelope.

To dismiss that as inefficient misses the point. For them, giving is personal. Private. Intentional. The physical act reinforces their connection to your mission.

And if you take the time to notice that—and respond with gratitude instead of pressure—you earn something that no “Give Now” button can buy: long-term trust.

Checks Are Tangible—And That Matters

In a world where most interactions are digital, checks provide something rare: a physical receipt of generosity. People see the money leave their account. They track it in a ledger. They remember writing it.

That tangibility matters, especially for donors who are wary of automated systems, worried about fraud, or just skeptical of being “nickel and dimed” through service fees.

It’s also a form of control. With a check, the donor decides when the money leaves. They don’t have to navigate a login screen, reset a password, or worry whether some algorithm is charging them again next month.

The Real Problem with Checks (And It’s Not What You Think)

It’s tempting to focus on the slowness, the manual data entry, or the lack of recurring options. But the biggest downside isn’t operational—it’s strategic.

Checks break your feedback loop.

• You don’t get email engagement data.
• You can’t easily segment them by gift frequency.
• You may not even know if the check was for a specific appeal or just a general show of support.

In short: you lose visibility. And that means you can’t follow up as strategically—or as personally—as you could with an online donor.

Why the Solution Isn’t “Go Digital or Go Home”

There’s a reason many orgs have tried to convert check writers to digital—and failed. The approach is usually too aggressive. It sounds like, “Checks are old. Online is better. Get with the times.”

That’s not how trust works.

Instead, smart nonprofits are treating this as a relationship-building moment. They’re inviting donors to explore other giving options without shaming the way they currently give.

Think of it like this: If a donor trusts you enough to hand-write a check and send it through the mail, they may trust you enough to try something new—if you position it well.

So What *Do* You Do?

Here’s a framework that works:

1. Affirm their generosity first.
Acknowledge that you noticed and appreciated the gift. Make it clear that their check didn’t get lost in the shuffle. That builds goodwill before any kind of ask.

2. Gently introduce options.
You can include a short insert in your thank-you letter: “Many supporters are switching to online giving to save time and receive instant receipts. Want to try it? Here’s how.” Make it feel optional and empowering.

3. Make the online experience beautiful.
The last thing you want is for them to land on a clunky, confusing donation page. If you’re serious about moving check writers online, the digital flow has to feel just as personal.

4. Offer hybrid options.
You can let donors start with a digital one-time gift—no recurring, no login. Once they’ve tried that successfully, they’re more open to setting up monthly giving or storing their info securely.

What If They Just Don’t Want to Change?

Then you respect that.

Some of your most loyal donors may never give online—and that’s okay. If they’re consistent, thoughtful givers who care deeply about your mission, your job is to serve them, not fix them.

But you can still make internal improvements:

• Log their gifts in your CRM so you have a complete picture.
• Tag them by giving type so you can report on trends.
• Send reminders near year-end or events, based on their previous patterns.

That’s the difference between passive check processing and active donor stewardship.

How Solafund Helps You Bridge the Gap

Solafund makes it easier to encourage online giving—not by forcing a shift, but by removing the pain points that often keep people from switching.

• Smart receipts and branding. Your org’s name, your thank-you message, your impact visuals—no platform branding.
• Human-first design. Large buttons, accessible fonts, no confusing steps. It just works.

Plus, every gift—check or digital—can be tracked in one place. That means you still get full insight even if someone gives by mail today and online next year.

It’s a Long Game, Not a Checkbox

The goal isn’t to “convert” check writers by next Tuesday. It’s to build trust over time so that, when they’re ready, the move to digital feels like a natural next step—not a forced pivot.

The most effective way to do that is to let your online giving experience speak for itself. Show, don’t sell. When the experience is good, people come back. And when it’s excellent, they tell others.

For one practical way to start nudging analog donors forward, consider including a QR code in your year-end letters or donor receipts. It offers an immediate, no-pressure invitation to try something new—without needing to type a single URL. We dive deeper into that approach in this guide to launching online giving for the first time.

Honor the Past. Build for the Future.

If someone’s writing checks, it means they care. That’s worth protecting. But it doesn’t mean your hands are tied. With the right tools and tone, you can preserve the warmth of personal giving while guiding supporters toward habits that are easier, faster, and more sustainable for everyone.

It starts by listening well—and ends with systems that serve both sides of the envelope.