8 Ways to Incentivize Sustainable Giving
Two major benchmark studies dropped this week — the M+R Benchmarks Study and the Virtuous Nonprofit Benchmarks Report — and both tell the same story: monthly giving is claiming a growing share of nonprofit revenue. M+R puts it at 27% of online revenue; Virtuous at 21% of all revenue.
Sustainable recurring giving is growth is real, and it's why the question I get often keeps coming up.
How do you get donors to actually make the leap to becoming sustainers?
It's a fair question. Giving a recurring gift is a different kind of decision than a one-time donation. It requires trust, clarity, and a reason to commit.
One of the most effective — and underutilized — tools in your toolkit is the incentive.
Not every incentive will be right for every organization. But understanding the full range of options helps you choose the ones that fit your brand, your cause, and your donors.
Here are eight proven ways to inspire recurring giving.
8 Smart Ways to Incentivize Recurring Giving
1. Matches and Challenge Grants
Matching gifts — where a major donor agrees to match new recurring donations — create urgency and extend impact. Challenge grants work similarly, though they don't require donations to be in place before funds are released. Both can significantly lift conversion rates when framed well.
💡 Takeaway: A match doesn't just increase the dollar value of a gift — it increases the perceived value of the decision to give.
2. Multipliers
Multipliers stretch donations by pairing them with donated goods or services. A $10/month gift that enables $100 in medical supplies due to donated products tells a compelling story. Even volunteer time and pro bono services can be factored into the multiplier equation.
💡 Takeaway: When donors feel their gift has exponential impact, committing to give on an ongoing basis becomes a smarter investment — not just a generous one.
3. Bonus Materials
Exclusive content — e-books, videos, behind-the-scenes access, expert resources — offered as a thank-you for becoming a sustainer can feel personal and meaningful. These bonuses are especially effective when they reflect your organization's unique expertise.
💡 Takeaway: Bonus materials provide immediate value, making the decision to commit feel rewarding right away.
4. Premiums
Premiums are physical gifts tied to giving. Front-end premiums (sent before a gift to spark reciprocity — think calendars or notepads) and back-end premiums (rewards for enrolling — books, resources, swag) can both drive conversion. The key is choosing items that align with your mission and donor identity, not just merchandise for its own sake.
💡 Takeaway: Premiums work when they feel authentic — when they carry real meaning or a symbolic connection to your cause.
5. Deadlines and Goals
Deadlines answer the "why now?" question. Goals answer the "why me?" question. Together — We need 100 new monthly donors by May 15 — they tap into people's natural desire to be part of something on the verge of success. The closer the goal, the more powerful the pull.
💡 Takeaway: Clear goals and real deadlines motivate action by showing people exactly how their support fits the bigger picture.
6. Benefits
Membership-style perks — discounts, early access, exclusive content, event invites — reward commitment and make being a sustainer feel like belonging to a community with privileges. This is less about the perk itself and more about the relationship it signals.
💡 Takeaway: Ongoing benefits transform monthly giving from a transaction into an ongoing relationship — and that's a retention strategy as much as an acquisition one.
7. Bounce Backs
Bounce backs involve sending sustainers something they can personalize and return — a birthday card for a sponsored child, a holiday greeting for a beneficiary family. It's a tangible, interactive way to deepen emotional investment and encourage continued support.
💡 Takeaway: Bounce backs foster deeper engagement by creating meaningful, hands-on ways for sustainers to connect to your mission beyond the gift itself.
8. Sweepstakes, Raffles, and Games
Gamified incentives can work — when done legally, ethically, and with care. Raffles offer a prize for donating; sweepstakes allow entry with or without a donation. Use sparingly, and always with legal review.
💡 Takeaway: These can generate interest and energy, but they require careful compliance. Use with clarity and caution.
Incentives don't replace a strong value proposition — but paired with one, they can be the nudge that moves someone from "I've been meaning to" to "I'm in."
Each of these tools helps would-be sustainers cross the threshold from interested to invested.
I go deep on all eight of these in Chapter 16 of The Rise of Sustainable Giving. If you've found this list useful, I think you'll find the book a rich source of ideas and inspiration. You can pick up a copy of the book or audiobook via Amazon.
Until next week… Surf's Up! 🌊
— Dave