How to Use Digital to Attract Regular Donors

Digital wallets, innovative campaigning and good online communication with donors are proving vital to turning one-off donations into long-term giving relationships.

Since March, a number of charity campaigns have excelled at attracting one-off donations to support communities affected by COVID-19.

Arguably the most high profile of these has been 99-year old war veteran Captain Tom Moore’s sponsored walk, which to date has raised more than £32m for NHS Charities Together.

Savvy use of digital, including communicating with supporters and offering accessible giving options can help ensure such fundraising successes can be turned into regular donations.

This is a challenge amid COVID-19, with more people cancelling their regular direct debit payments to charities due to financial uncertainty.

According to figures released this month by The Access Group’s Rapidata, between February and March the proportion of cancelled direct debits rose from 2.16 per cent to 3.09 per cent. This was the biggest swing at this time of year since Rapidata started collecting these statistics in 2003.

Retaining regular donors

But evidence is emerging that charities are getting better at retaining regular donors and attracting new ones.

Rapidata’s figures show that the rate of direct debit cancellations had fallen to 2.04 per cent by April, which is actually lower than the same month in 2019, when the rate was 2.13 per cent.

“It is with some relief we are able to report that the charity direct debit cancellation rate has swung back to its usual trend line and that the significant jump recorded in March does appear to have been a direct response to the COVID-19 situation,” said Scott Gray, Rapidata lead and head of payments for The Access Group.

To read the full Charity Digital News article click here.

Source: Charity Digital News