07 Dec 2022 Trendspotting: What’s New in Fundraising and How That Should Change Your Plans

By Jackie Sue Griffin, MBA, MS

Nonprofits of all sizes saw positive growth in online and monthly donations last year: According to an insightful report on Philanthropy.com, one-time and monthly online donations jumped more than 15 percent in 2020.

Research on online engagement trends across 4,964 nonprofits also revealed that online giving increased by 20.7 percent, with small nonprofits growing their online fundraising by as much as 22 percent compared to the year before. With this impressive increase, Managing Director of Blackbaud Institute Ashley Thompson says, “Organizations would be keen to build on the momentum by ensuring a continued focus on digital progress.”

How do online giving trends help you with your 2022 plans?

Here are some growth trends and actions to consider:

Optimize for mobile

Research also reveals that online donations made on mobile devices are also on the rise. A whopping 80.69 percent of people around the world already have smartphones. In 2021, mobile phone users generated 54.25 percent of Internet traffic, beating out desktop users. Therefore, optimizing the mobile experience is key to engaging your donors.

The improvements you make to your current mobile donation platform could include interactive experiences, seamless mobile layouts and simplified yet visually engaging donation forms.

Offer a monthly recurring donation option

Monthly giving programs mean predictable income for your nonprofit, providing your organization with a way to increase revenue and minimize operating costs. They’re also appealing to your donors because of the convenience, which in turn increases donor retention and helps you build better relationships with donors.

The beauty of monthly giving programs is that people can pay monthly installments or sign up for recurring payments. It’s how most of us are already paying for our cell phone bills, streaming services, Internet, membership fees and other subscriptions. We choose monthly recurring options because they’re affordable. In addition, psychologically speaking, monthly billing gives people a better sense of control over their spending.

Practically speaking, smaller monthly payments also lead to higher retention rates, as more people become accustomed to the convenience.

Campaigns to convert first-time donors

The increase in first-time donors tells us that more people are giving. One-time donors can be motivated to the next level of stewardship by expressing gratitude and giving them meaningful reasons to return.

When communicating your appreciation, make it authentic and personal. Show the impact of their one-time donation by letting them know where the money goes. Appeal to their passions to motivate them to continue supporting your shared cause. You can achieve this through social media posts and regular newsletters promoting your monthly giving program.

Encourage new donors to join your monthly giving program by listing the benefits, emphasizing affordability and convenience. Quote existing monthly donors on their reasons for donating monthly. Then, give them a convenient way to access a monthly giving option; prominently place a button on your site’s navigation bar and a link in all email signatures.

Leverage these insights from researchers on trends in giving to make 2022 your most successful fundraising year yet!

Here at JSG & Associates, we support the passionate leaders who make nonprofits successful. For more information about us, visit our website.