If you run a nonprofit, you know keeping donors engaged isn't easy. In fact, donor retention, keeping your supporters coming back, is harder today than ever.
Over the past few years, the number of donors returning each year has been steadily dropping. Today, the average nonprofit retains only about 43% of its donors year-over-year. That means less than half of the people who donated to your cause last year will donate again this year.
And when donors leave, they take their ongoing support, and your reliable revenue stream, with them.
But here's the good news: nonprofits are discovering that focusing on recurring donors (people who donate monthly or quarterly) can dramatically improve retention. These donors don't just give once, they pledge regular, ongoing support. Recurring donors are loyal, consistent, and, frankly, one of your nonprofit’s greatest assets.
Why?
Because they give predictably. They commit to your cause in ways one-time donors rarely do, leading to greater financial stability and allowing you to plan further into the future.
Think about it this way: If you knew exactly how much money would hit your bank account every month, wouldn’t it make budgeting, planning, and achieving your mission that much easier?
Let’s start by understanding exactly who recurring donors are, why they matter so much, and how they're changing the nonprofit landscape today.
Recurring giving on the rise
Recurring donors are people who commit to regularly supporting your nonprofit, usually monthly. Instead of giving a single, larger gift once a year, they give smaller, predictable amounts throughout the year. These supporters are becoming increasingly popular among nonprofits, and it’s easy to see why.
Why recurring donors matter so much
Recurring donors provide stability. Knowing exactly how much money your nonprofit can expect each month lets you plan ahead, manage budgets effectively, and focus more on your mission rather than constant fundraising.
Here's how important recurring donors have become:
- 57% of donors now participate in recurring giving programs, up significantly from recent years. This trend clearly indicates donors increasingly prefer regular, automated giving.
- Recurring donations now make up nearly 30% of all online donation revenue, showing how much nonprofits depend on this reliable income stream (M+R Benchmarks 2025).
To put that into perspective, imagine your nonprofit typically raises $10,000 online each month. Nearly $3,000 of that is likely already set, thanks to monthly donors. That’s dependable support you can count on.
How much do recurring donors typically give?
On average, monthly donors give about $24 per month, adding up to around $288 per year. Compare that to a one-time donation average of about $115 per gift (M+R Benchmarks). While recurring gifts seem smaller at first, over time these donors contribute more than twice as much annually.
In short, recurring donors give less per transaction but far more overall.
Why monthly giving wins
When donors sign up to give regularly, the overwhelming majority, 94%, choose monthly giving. Other options, like weekly or annual giving, are far less popular (M+R Benchmarks).
This tells us clearly: donors love the convenience of automatic monthly donations. It's easy, manageable, and it fits naturally into their lives, like a Netflix subscription, but one that changes the world.
When do donors usually start recurring donations?
Recurring giving spikes significantly during specific times of the year. One of the biggest days is GivingTuesday, the global giving event that occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (GivingTuesday Data Commons). Many nonprofits focus their efforts around this time, turning one-time donations into ongoing monthly commitments.
Current donor retention rates in U.S. nonprofits
Keeping donors coming back year after year has always been challenging. But recently, it’s become even harder. Let’s look at the latest numbers on donor retention to understand what nonprofits are up against.
Worrying Trend
Right now, the average nonprofit retains only about 43% of its donors each year. That means if 100 people donated to your nonprofit last year, only 43 will likely return this year.
And this retention rate has steadily declined. A few years ago, retention hovered closer to 50%. Each percentage point drop means more effort (and cost) needed to replace lost donors.
Here’s how donor retention rates looked in recent years:
Clearly, retention rates are trending downward. If this continues, nonprofits will face increasing fundraising pressure just to maintain existing budgets.
Retention for new vs. repeat donors
Not all donors behave the same. First-time donors, for instance, are the toughest group to retain:
- Only about 20% of first-time donors give again the next year (Fundraising Effectiveness Project).
- Repeat donors (those who've already given two or more times) are far more loyal, with about 65-70% returning year-to-year.
This highlights a crucial insight: Turning a first-time donor into a repeat donor dramatically increases their loyalty.
Nonprofits call this the "golden donation." Once a donor gives their second gift, the likelihood they'll continue supporting you jumps significantly. Your fundraising strategy should prioritize securing that second donation.
Donor retention by gift size
Retention rates vary widely based on how much a donor initially gives. Small donors (under $100) have particularly low retention, often below the overall average. In fact, in recent years, nonprofits have lost smaller donors faster than any other group (Fundraising Effectiveness Project).
Why does this matter?
Because smaller donors represent a large share of the donor base. Losing these small donations at high rates quickly impacts your nonprofit’s financial stability.
By contrast, donors who give larger gifts (typically $1,000+) often stick around longer, with retention rates usually above 60%.
What does this mean for your nonprofit?
Here are some clear takeaways:
- Retaining existing donors is getting harder, especially new and small donors.
- Prioritize converting first-time donors into repeat donors by building relationships and showing them their impact.
- Give special attention to your smaller donors. Regularly communicating the importance of their ongoing support can boost their retention.
Next, we'll dive deeper into why recurring donors are key to solving these retention challenges, exploring how they consistently outperform one-time donors in loyalty and value.
Recurring donors vs. one-time donors
Recurring donors aren’t just good for predictable income, they also stick around much longer than one-time donors. Here’s what that means in real terms for your nonprofit.
Recurring donors stay loyal longer
Recurring donors consistently show higher retention rates. On average, around 85% of recurring donors stay year after year, compared to just about 43% for those who give one-time gifts (Blackbaud Institute).
Think about it: recurring donors are almost twice as likely to continue supporting your mission.
Here’s a quick comparison:
This dramatic difference makes recurring donors especially valuable to your nonprofit.
Higher lifetime value of recurring donors
Recurring donors don’t just stick around longer, they also give significantly more over their lifetime.
In fact, recurring donors have an average lifetime value that's about 5.4 times greater than one-time donors. On average, monthly supporters typically keep giving for more than 8 years, while a typical one-time donor’s relationship with a nonprofit lasts only about 1.5 years.
For example:
- Recurring Donor: $24/month × 12 months = $288/year × 8 years = $2,304 total
- One-Time Donor: One-time donation of ~$115, maybe repeated once or twice = ~$230–345 total
It’s clear: focusing on recurring donors is a far smarter fundraising strategy.
Real-world impact on revenue stability
When you have committed monthly donors, you reduce uncertainty around fundraising. A nonprofit relying heavily on recurring donations knows they’ll have consistent cash flow, allowing them to plan better, spend more confidently, and focus more deeply on their mission.
Take an animal shelter, for instance. If 50% of their donations come from recurring donors, they can plan confidently for expenses like food, medical care, and staffing, knowing exactly what they can afford month after month.
What does this mean for your nonprofit?
- Recurring donors dramatically boost retention. Monthly supporters are loyal, long-term partners in your mission.
- They provide significantly more lifetime value. Over time, recurring donors offer a huge financial advantage compared to one-time donors.
- Reliable recurring donations mean predictable funding. This stability lets your nonprofit budget strategically, reducing stress and allowing deeper focus on achieving your mission.
Trends and changes over time
Recurring donations aren’t new, but recently, they’ve exploded in popularity. Meanwhile, overall donor retention rates continue falling. Let’s unpack how these trends are connected and why they matter for your nonprofit.
Declining retention vs. rising recurring donations
Over the past five years, nonprofits have faced tough challenges keeping donors around. As we saw earlier, overall retention rates have dropped from around 50% to roughly 43% today (Fundraising Effectiveness Project).
At the same time, monthly giving programs have surged in popularity:
- Online monthly giving revenue grew 11% in the past year, even as one-time giving dropped by 12% (M+R Benchmarks).
Clearly, recurring donations are not only stable, they’re actively growing at a time when other donations are shrinking.
How recurring giving has grown (2019–2025)
To illustrate how quickly recurring giving has become popular, look at these key benchmarks from recent years:
In just six years, monthly giving nearly doubled its share of total online donations. Nonprofits that invested early in monthly giving programs are now seeing major returns.
Why has monthly giving become popular?
Donors today prefer convenience and simplicity. Subscription-based models, common in daily life (think Netflix, Spotify, or meal delivery kits), have reshaped expectations. Monthly donations fit neatly into modern routines, making regular giving effortless.
Plus, recent years brought economic uncertainty. During events like the pandemic and inflationary pressures, donors liked knowing their smaller, regular contributions remained manageable and consistent, even in tougher times.
The impact of external factors on giving trends
Economic ups and downs have made donor retention harder, pushing nonprofits to embrace recurring giving strategies to maintain financial stability. For instance, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofits leaned into monthly donation programs as reliable funding sources when large, one-time gifts became less predictable (GivingTuesday Data Commons).
What does this mean for your nonprofit?
- Recurring giving isn’t just popular, it’s necessary. As donor retention rates decline, monthly giving provides a lifeline.
- Donors increasingly prefer subscription-based giving models. Convenience and ease of giving drive this trend.
- External factors like economic uncertainty push donors toward monthly giving. Small, predictable donations feel safer and easier for many supporters.
To help you apply this knowledge, the next section will take a deeper look at how nonprofits in specific sectors are using monthly giving programs to improve donor retention.
Recurring giving and donor retention in practice
Recurring donations work well for nearly every nonprofit, but how exactly does this look across different types of organizations? And what practical challenges should you expect? Here’s a quick breakdown with actionable insights.
Recurring giving by nonprofit sector
While monthly giving helps nonprofits across the board, certain sectors have especially strong recurring donor programs. Here’s a quick snapshot:
- Animal welfare nonprofits:
Animal-focused charities often find monthly giving popular because supporters understand exactly how their steady donations directly support feeding, care, and medical treatments for animals. Organizations like the ASPCA have seen tremendous success with monthly giving programs like their "Guardians." - Faith-based organizations:
Churches and religious nonprofits have historically relied on recurring donations (often called tithes or monthly pledges). - Environmental nonprofits:
Groups like The Nature Conservancy effectively use monthly giving programs by highlighting clear, consistent impact (e.g., monthly donations directly funding measurable projects like tree-planting or habitat restoration).
Who are recurring donors, really?
Recurring donors aren’t just older, wealthier donors. In fact, younger donors, especially Millennials and Gen Z, love the simplicity of subscription-based giving.
According to the latest research from Classy:
- Millennials and gen Z prefer monthly giving because it's affordable, manageable, and aligns with subscription lifestyles.
- Older donors (Boomers and Gen X) also embrace monthly donations, appreciating the ease and predictability.
So no matter who your donor base is, a recurring giving option likely appeals to them.
Real-life success story: charity: water
charity: water provides an outstanding example of a successful monthly donor program, called “The Spring.” Their recurring giving community has significantly boosted donor retention and financial stability.
- Over 60,000 monthly donors consistently support charity: water, funding clean water projects worldwide.
- Monthly donors contribute over $20 million annually, with a retention rate of over 90%.
The key to their success? Clear, transparent communication about exactly how monthly donations directly impact lives around the globe.
Practical challenges of recurring donations
Recurring giving programs are highly beneficial, but managing them comes with challenges your nonprofit needs to be prepared for:
Payment failures
About 20-30% of monthly donations can fail each year due to expired cards or payment issues (M+R Benchmarks). This loss is significant but manageable.
Donor stewardship
Recurring donors are loyal, but they still need ongoing appreciation and engagement. Without regular communication, even loyal donors may eventually drift away.
Initial conversion
The hardest part of building a recurring donation base is getting one-time donors to become monthly supporters. This initial hurdle requires focused strategies and incentives.
Your nonprofit’s best investment
Donor retention has never been easy, but recent years have made it especially challenging. Retaining less than half of your donors each year is tough, but as we've explored, there's a clear and proven solution:
Recurring giving.
Recurring donations are rapidly becoming essential because they solve two critical problems nonprofits face:
- Low retention rates: Recurring donors stay loyal far longer than one-time donors.
- Revenue uncertainty: Predictable monthly donations give nonprofits financial stability, even during economic ups and downs.
Key takeaways from this study:
- Recurring donors retain at roughly double the rate of one-time donors, typically around 85% annually.
- Over a lifetime, recurring donors provide over five times the financial value compared to one-time donors.
- Recurring giving now makes up about 30% of all online donation revenue and continues to grow steadily.
- Sectors like animal welfare, faith-based, and environmental nonprofits show how effective monthly giving programs can be when done right.
What should your nonprofit do now?
If your nonprofit isn't already focused heavily on recurring giving, now is the time. Here’s how to start quickly:
- Set up easy, intuitive monthly giving options on your website and donation forms. Tools like Harness simplify this process.
- Clearly communicate impact. Regularly remind monthly donors exactly how their donations help. Transparency is key to retention.
- Actively manage donor relationships, especially new monthly donors. Convert those one-time gifts into steady monthly support through personalized communication, clear benefits, and simple incentives.
Why nonprofit experts recommend Harness
Recurring donation strategies aren’t built overnight. They require deep expertise and practical know-how. That’s why it’s so important to leverage tools, and advice, from seasoned nonprofit professionals.
Harness isn’t just a technology platform; it’s designed and continually refined with direct input from fundraising experts. These professionals understand firsthand what it takes to keep donors engaged, convert one-time supporters into long-term partners, and streamline fundraising processes.
With Harness, your nonprofit gains immediate access to proven practices. Instead of figuring out donor retention by trial-and-error, you benefit directly from the expertise built into the platform. Features like smart donor segmentation, tailored communication templates, and best-practice workflows come from industry veterans who’ve spent years optimizing nonprofit success.
By leveraging Harness, you’re essentially bringing a team of nonprofit fundraising experts directly into your organization, guiding your efforts in real-time, and significantly increasing your odds of successfully attracting and keeping recurring donors.
Monthly giving isn’t a trend, it’s the future
Recurring giving isn't just popular, it’s transforming how nonprofits fundraise. Donors increasingly prefer subscription-like giving models because they're convenient, manageable, and align with modern lifestyles.
Your nonprofit’s ability to thrive in the coming years will largely depend on how well you embrace this shift toward recurring donations. By prioritizing monthly giving, you'll secure greater financial stability, higher retention, and, ultimately, a deeper, lasting impact for your cause.
