Monthly Giving Programs

A ‘major’ donor said to me once “The only reason I give honestly is because of you." While it might sound like the ultimate compliment, it’s actually a red flag. Here’s why: Donors should be engaged through a hearts-and-minds approach, but not just a single person. Of course, part of my job is building trust and personal connections—but if I’m the only contact for that donor, we’ve got a problem. Sustainable funding is the goal…not just immediate dollars in the door driven by one person. If the donor doesn’t trust at least two other people at the organization, I haven’t set them up to truly invest in the work itself. My charm might open the door, but their belief in the mission is what weaves them into the ecosystem. They shouldn’t just be riding for me—they should be riding for the impact, the purpose, the vision. So yeah, it’s a cute moment for my ego, but it also means I needed to organize my team and do a little more. Program staff touchpoints beyond the development folks are crucial. Donor relationships that depend solely on me don’t ensure longevity—and this work demands sustainability. Make sure folks are riding for your work, not just you. #SustainableFunding #BuildingTrust #AskSadé #SadeKnows

Donors don’t remember what you asked for. They remember how you made them feel. No donor remembers your budget line. They remember the moment they felt seen. Last year, I worked with a mid-sized charity struggling with donor retention. Their appeals were beautiful — but donors weren’t coming back. When we looked closer, it wasn’t the messaging that was broken. It was the feeling. Or more accurately, the lack of feeling. Every email spoke at their donors. None spoke to them. So we rewrote their follow-ups. We started with: “You made this possible.” We ended with: “How did this story make you feel?” Within six months, repeat giving rose by 38%. Fundraising isn’t persuasion!!! It’s connection!!! Donors don’t remember the amount you asked for — they remember the moment you helped them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Before you send your next appeal, pause and ask: → “Where’s the feeling in this message?” → “Would I be moved to respond?” If the answer is no, start again. This is the philosophy that drives all my work: Fundraising is meaning, not money. AI, data, and strategy matter — but they should amplify empathy, not replace it. If you’re rethinking your donor strategy for 2026, start with how you make people feel. That’s where loyalty — and legacy — begin

I once watched a major gift officer spend ninety minutes in a couple's living room and barely mention the organization he represented. He asked about their lives. Their careers. Their family. What kept them up at night. What gave them hope. The conversation wandered through one donor's childhood – growing up poor in rural Appalachia, a teacher who changed her trajectory by believing in her when no one else did. She talked about education with the kind of passion that only comes from lived experience. He didn't learn any of this from a wealth screening report or a donor database. He learned it by listening. Six months later, she made a transformational gift to fund scholarships for first-generation college students from rural communities. The ask wasn't hard. He simply invited her to do what she already wanted to do – in a way that aligned with what he'd learned about her values. That's what listening does. It creates the foundation for everything else. In the immortal words of Jerry Panas, "The true art of asking lies in listening." I've been in this work for more than thirty-five years. And over those decades, one pattern has become unmistakable: the major gift officers who consistently produce results – not one-time wins, but sustained, long-term generosity – share a common set of instincts. Chief among them is this: they lead with questions, not asks. But here's the uncomfortable truth. Most of our fundraising systems are designed to do the opposite. We assume we know what donors care about and broadcast it back to them through one-way messaging. We build systems for efficiency and scale – not for listening. And donors can tell. They know when they're being heard and when they're being sold. The difference is visceral. When you listen, donors lean in. When you talk at them, they pull away. This isn't just good fundraising technique. It's the donor's return on investment. When people ask "what's in it for the donor?" – this is part of the answer. The feeling of being valued. Of mattering. Of genuine connection. For many donors, that experience is as meaningful as the impact their gift creates. Listening is one of a fundraiser's most important skills. It's one of what I refer to as the Seven Behaviors – disciplines that define exceptional major gift work and that I believe must become the foundation of all fundraising. Not just for the top one percent. For every donor. These seven behaviors are at the heart of my upcoming book, 𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲: 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. The book argues that the technology now exists to operationalize these seven behaviors at scale, and that the future belongs to organizations that commit to extend these behaviors across their donor base and begin treating every donor with the dignity and respect they deserve – or, to put it simply, to treat every donor like a major donor. More to come... #aBetterWay

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising. When my team and I built the first fully autonomous fundraiser, we saw how digital labor could expand outreach and deepen engagement. Which is why now, in collaboration with our Innovation Partners, we are tackling one of the most persistent challenges in fundraising: scaling meaningful stewardship. The cycle of giving feels transactional for too many donors. They make a gift, receive a generic thank you email or letter, and then the next time they hear from the organization, it’s another solicitation. This unintentional pattern leaves many donors feeling like just another name in a database rather than a valued partner in the mission they support. Hundreds of our conversations about digital labor lead us to believe there is a solution to these challenges. Research tells us they are worth solving: Mid-level donors are often the most loyal donors, yet they receive the least personalized stewardship. In a study of mid-level giving, donors cited “lack of communication and feeling unappreciated” as a top reason for stopping their gifts. (Nonprofit Quarterly) Younger donors are making lasting connections to causes now, even if their giving capacity isn’t fully realized yet. Organizations that don’t retain these donors will lose out on major returns as they age into their prime giving years. (The Chronicle of Philanthropy) This is why we introduced the Virtual Stewardship Officer (VSO) as the next logical step in our mission to accelerate and transform philanthropy. Donors give because they care and they continue giving when they feel genuinely valued. Yet meaningful stewardship, personalized impact updates, heartfelt gratitude, and long-term engagement, is often reserved for top-tier donors making six- and seven-figure gifts. The VSO expands meaningful stewardship beyond top donors, using digital labor to create personalized touchpoints that acknowledge donor history, reinforce impact, and build lasting relationships. By scaling engagement, it ensures no donor feels overlooked, making long-term relationship-building and meaningful pipeline development sustainable for every giving level. Traditional stewardship models make it nearly impossible to engage donors in a truly personal way at scale. The VSO personalizes 1:1 stewardship to donors who give year-after-year, stretching their budgets to contribute in a way that is personally significant, even if it isn’t classified as a "major" gift; long-time supporters who have probably made their last large donation but remain deeply invested in the organization’s mission; first-time donors who, regardless of gift size, we want to retain; and more. These donors are often the backbone of an organization’s giving pipeline. The future of fundraising isn’t just about raising more money—it’s about ensuring every donor feels like their gift matters. With digital labor, meaningful stewardship is no longer just for a select few—it’s for everyone who chooses to give.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧… 𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐬. Surprisingly, too many of us drop the ball post-contribution. Donors are met with silence, waiting weeks for an acknowledgment of their gift — if one comes at all. This delay is not just discourteous—it's detrimental. Every day a donor remains unengaged decreases the likelihood of further contributions, significantly reducing their lifetime value. We all get dazzled by the allure of new prospects. But what about the donors already on board? Prompt and thoughtful engagement can turn a new donor into a lifelong supporter. A donor who feels valued and sees the impact of their contribution is far more likely to deepen their commitment. Effective donor management isn't just good manners; it's a strategic imperative. It builds a community of supporters who aren't just contributors but are true partners in your mission. Our study of 126,000 first-time donors underscores this: Fast, regular, and highly personal acknowledgments, immediately followed by the next ask, radically improve both donor retention and lifetime value. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬?

I analyzed the fundraising reports of 50 different nonprofits. The ones growing year-over-year weren't necessarily the best at acquiring new donors. They were the best at keeping the ones they had. According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, the average nonprofit loses 57% of its donors each year. Yet, increasing donor retention by just 10% can boost the lifetime value of your donor base by up to 200%. How do the top-performing organizations do it? They thank donors within 48 hours. Not a generic email receipt, but a personal call, video, or note. They report on impact, not just activity. They close the loop, showing donors exactly what their gift accomplished. They create a "First-Time Donor Welcome." A 3-part email series that onboards new supporters and makes them feel like insiders from day one. A small food bank I worked with shifted its focus from a splashy annual event to a simple, personal thank-you call program. Within one year, their donor retention rate jumped from 38% to 61%, nearly doubling their revenue from existing donors. Stop spending all your time trying to fill a leaky bucket. The real work is in sealing the leaks. What's one change you've made that improved donor retention?

This picture isn’t unusual It shows a donor’s personal giving record book. It was taken during a meeting between a Bluefrog researcher and a supporter. What’s striking is that the reason we spoke to this donor is because just one of the charities listed in that book, passed their details to us to discuss why they chose to the support their work. That's where my line "She is not your donor. You are one of her charities" comes from. When I share images like this with fundraisers, the reaction is often surprise that a donor would take so much care to document their giving. But this is far from rare. We’ve seen special bank accounts set up. Binders filled with appeals, thank-you letters and reports annotated with dates and donation amounts. Filing cabinets organised by charity. Press cuttings. Many handwritten notes. One donor even showed us a folder of Christmas cards from a celebrity patron. Donors do this because you matter to them, just like their money matters to them. That’s why they keep track. They want to understand whether they did the right thing by giving to you. In a world where trust in institutions is in decline, the way you treat them becomes a powerful proxy for how you deliver on the work they care about. Many compare how they're treated across different charities. And while poor treatment might not immediately stop them giving (especially if they strongly believe in your mission), it will stop them upgrading. It will stop them considering a legacy. It will stop them giving again when asked next time. This is the double-edged sword of donor insight. The truth is, when we really listen to donors, what we hear often clashes with what charities want to do. And that can be uncomfortable. That’s why I can say with confidence: 🛑 Most rebrands are unnecessary distractions. 🛑 Changing your charity name (without a powerful reason) will stall your income. 🛑 Value-exchange or engagement products rarely deliver a positive ROI. 🛑 Good newsletters work – really work. 🛑 Most very heavy email schedules deliver diminishing returns (especially with younger supporters). 🛑 Thanking and reporting back is the most intelligent use of budget you can make. 🛑 Enclosures that help donors feel special are worth every penny. 🛑 Referencing a donor’s past support in future appeals builds loyalty and income. 🛑 Donors give on their schedule – not yours. 🛑 And yes, if you break the unwritten rules of their giving – many donors will quietly walk away. I could go on. But the point is this: Real donor insight doesn’t always support the ideas that sound good in the boardroom or win the internal presentation. Sometimes, it tells you not to do the exciting new thing. Sometimes, it challenges the plan you’ve already started executing. That’s why research can be difficult. It’s also why it’s so valuable. But it's also why speaking to donors before you make a significant investment should also be something else. It should be usual. #fundraising

If I'm in charge of revenue at a large nonprofit, I can't ignore these realities 👇 -Donors giving below $100 are down ~9% (and have been trending down) -Donors giving below $500 are down 4% (and have been trending down) -Slower income growth & less disposable income for most -Middle-class households under economic pressure -The rapid decline of religion (that has giving as a core tenet) -Decline in institutional trust -Not only is charitable giving largely stagnant as a % of the GDP, but we also haven't been able to grow share of wallet -Donors giving $5k-$50k are up 1% -Donors giving $50k+ are up ~3% And if I look around at what other nonprofits are doing, I might see 👇 -Marketing getting louder -Frequency cranked to 11 -Tired tactics with little differentiation And if strategy is about how an organization applies strength against the most promising opportunity or the most critical challenge, I need to address the problem head on. Three ideas... 1) Instead of getting louder, get closer to donors. -Jeffersonian dinners -"Jobs To Be Done" interviews -Measuring donor satisfaction -Rating the donor experience -Cross train across the org on how to listen to donors -More thoughtful prioritization and segmentation -Do things that don't scale; you will likely not "scale" anyways (but you'll very likely grow!) 2) Focus more energy on the people who *can* give more. That doesn't mean you should ignore the $100 donor. Two things can be true at the same time: most of your limited human hours are best spent on people who can give >$10,000, AND, you can treat the $100 donor like they're an important part of the team (because they are). -Create tiered caseloads (A, B, C, D donors) -Develop a donor engagement plan for each tier -Treat mid-major donors like true partners: frequent report backs, project proposals, town halls, feedback loops, in-the-moment updates -Focus your work in the 'mass' file to identify the best prospects for a mid-major treatment, and work to move as many OTGs to recurring (monthly) or re-occuring revenue (quarterly, yearly, etc.) 3) Promote giving from assets across the donor file—and make it easy to do so Russell James taught me this. When people give from their assets, the gift is likely to be larger. And they are more likely to give again. Giving from assets (like stocks and shares, tax-savings accounts, retirement accounts, DAFs, gifts of life insurance, etc.) is often the smartest way for donors to give—no matter the size of gift. But many donors simply don't know it's an option. -- We're partnering with growth-minded nonprofits to implement all of these ideas, and more. If you think it's time you create a solid midlevel giving strategy (not just a standard appeal with an open ask), give me a shout.

As a Communications Officer in an NGO, targeting donors, funders, and partners on social media requires strategy — not just storytelling. Here’s how I would approach it: 1. Segment Before You Speak Not all audiences are the same. Donors want impact, transparency, and emotional connection. Funders want data, scalability, governance, and measurable outcomes. Partners want alignment, visibility, and shared value. A single generic post won’t convert all three. Content must be intentional. 2. Lead With Impact + Evidence Social media is crowded. Credibility wins attention. I would consistently publish: Before/after impact stories Clear outcome metrics (beneficiaries reached, % change, ROI of intervention) Visual dashboards and infographics Short case studies Numbers build trust. Stories build connection. Together, they build funding confidence. 3. Position the Organization as a Thought Leader Donors don’t just fund projects — they fund competence. I would create: LinkedIn articles on sector insights Commentary on policy trends Reflections on lessons learned from field implementation Data-driven threads on SDG alignment This attracts institutional funders looking for strategic partners — not just implementers. 4. Showcase Partnerships Publicly Tag existing partners. Celebrate collaboration. When organizations see their peers working with you, social proof increases credibility. Partnerships attract partnerships. 5. Clear Call-to-Action Every campaign should answer: Are we seeking grants? Corporate sponsorship? Strategic collaboration? Technical partners? The CTA must be visible and specific — website link, proposal deck, contact email, impact report. 6. Retarget & Nurture Social media is the first touchpoint, not the final conversion. Connect with decision-makers on LinkedIn Send tailored follow-up messages Share quarterly impact briefs via email Invite prospects to webinars or virtual field tours Campaigns convert when communication continues beyond the post. Key Takeaways Targeting donors, funders, and partners on social media is not about posting more. It’s about: Strategic messaging. Evidence-based storytelling. Consistent positioning. Relationship building. Because funding follows credibility. #NGOCommunications #FundraisingStrategy #DevelopmentSector #SocialImpact #CommunicationsOfficer #CommunicationsManager

Asking for cash is easy. But appreciated asset gifts are a smarter way for donors to give. If a donor writes a check, they get a tax deduction. Maybe they can use it, maybe they can’t. But if they make the same gift as an appreciated asset (owned over 1 year), they get a tax deduction of the same size PLUS they avoid paying any capital gains on the growth. It’s a double tax benefit. This also matters for donors who don’t itemize. For a non-itemizer, giving cash works only up to the $1,000 per person maximum. Beyond that, there are no tax benefits from giving more cash. But there are still tax benefits from giving appreciated assets. Avoiding capital gains tax is a benefit they can get even without itemizing. This is not just a smarter way to give. It’s a smarter way to fundraise. Why? 1.    It helps donors give more at the same net cost. 2.    It shows donors that you want to help them give wisely, not just ask for money. 3.    It shifts the conversation from disposable income to wealth. That last point is the game changer. The most important shift you can make with a donor who already cares about your cause is this: Help them see that their wealth, not just their disposable income, is relevant for giving. That changes everything. When donors think only about disposable-income sharing, they make small giving decisions. When they think about wealth, much larger gifts become possible. Big gifts start to feel feasible, even comfortable. Wealth is not held in cash. It’s not held in checking accounts. It’s held in assets. Stocks. Bonds. Business interests. Real estate. So if we want to unlock wealth-based giving, we need to talk about assets. This is balance-sheet philanthropy, not checkbook philanthropy. The research results are clear: That shift leads to long-term contributions growth. There are many ways to open that door. Share asset-donor stories. Mention asset-giving tax advantages. Include asset-giving options on a donation page. Ask donors about the past, present, and future story of their business or investment. (Spoiler alert: there are only two future plans. They’re planning to sell it or they’re planning to die with it. Both are excellent scenarios for charitable planning options!) Want to shift to wealth-sharing conversations? Start by getting comfortable with asset conversations. The good news is that the training is free. Books, audiobooks, videos, and slide decks on asset-based charitable gift planning are all available at my website for free. (I'll share example chapters in the comments below.)