Recurring donors: Who they are, why they matter & how to keep them

From higher retention rates to lower acquisition costs, the benefits of recurring giving for nonprofit fundraising can't be understated. In fact, a recent study found that, on average, recurring donors gave over 54% more per year than one-time donors.

However, recurring giving takes real relationship-building to sustain. The same study found that almost a third of sustaining donors stopped giving after 12 months—which means the first gift is just the beginning.

In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about recurring donors, including best practices to nurture these important relationships and sustain them for the long-term.

Key takeaways

• Know who they are Recurring donors make automatic scheduled gifts—and they're some of your most valuable supporters.
• Understand the ROI Recurring donors give significantly more annually and stay far longer than one-time donors—making them a cornerstone of financial sustainability.
• Attract them strategically Your best prospects are already giving to you. Repeat one-time donors are the highest-converting recurring gift candidates.
• Retain with impact Regular personalized impact updates are the single highest-ROI retention activity for recurring donors.
• Upgrade annually Donors who've been sustaining for six or more months respond well to a tenure-based upgrade ask.
• Recover the lapsed Failed payments are a technical problem, not a donor problem. A gentle, timely outreach can recover most of them.

What is a recurring donor?

A recurring donor, also called a sustaining donor or monthly donor, is someone who commits to regularly contributing a set amount to your nonprofit. These payments occur on a set schedule—usually monthly or annually.

At sign-up, recurring donors specify the donation amount and the frequency of their donations. With a fundraising platform that includes recurring giving features, supporters only need to complete the process once.

Why recurring donors are your most valuable supporters

Recurring donors are dependable advocates for your cause. They give automatically, stay longer, and contribute more over time.

Yet in a Givebutter survey of 40 nonprofit professionals, while growing recurring donor count was the most commonly selected recurring giving goal for 2026, only 24% of respondents said they actively promote recurring giving year-round.

Here's what the data shows about why it's worth the investment:

• Predictable revenue ✅ Relying on one-time gifts makes it difficult to plan and budget. A steady stream of monthly or annual gifts reduces uncertainty so you can forecast with confidence.
• Time and money saved ✅ It's much cheaper to convert one recurring donor than it is to convert multiple one-time givers, and with recurring giving, you only need to make an acquisition once.
• Higher retention ✅ Recurring donors are, by design, more committed to your cause. Retention data varies by source, but the study referenced at the beginning of this article found a one-time retention rate of 48% vs. a recurring retention rate of 71% at the one-year mark.
• Greater lifetime value ✅ The donor lifetime value for non-recurring donors is approximately $3.5K, while it's almost $8K for recurring donors—nearly double.
• A legacy giving pipeline ✅ Recurring donations can inspire legacy gifts. Monthly donors who feel deeply connected to your mission are significantly more likely to include your organization in their estate plans—a long-term benefit most nonprofits never anticipate.

How to attract recurring donors

Your best recurring donor prospects are already in your donor base. Here's how to find them and make the ask count:

• Know who to ask first Existing repeat one-time donors are the highest-converting target. Look for donors who gave two or more times in the past 12 months.
• Frame the ask around impact "Your $25 a month funds X" consistently outperforms a generic recurring ask. Specific, mission-connected amounts give donors a clear reason to say yes and make the invitation feel meaningful.
• Reduce friction Keep your donation flow simple. Make monthly giving the default option, offer compelling suggested amounts, and include payment options donors already use, like Venmo and Apple Pay.
• Personalize your asks Focus on impact and belonging. Make your asks feel like invitations to something meaningful—because they are!

Freebie alert!

Download free monthly giving outreach templates →

How to retain recurring donors

Retention isn't a reaction. It's a proactive system. Even small teams can use automation tools to streamline donor appreciation without sacrificing important human connections.

Build a simple donor stewardship cadence you can stick to, including welcome emails, monthly impact updates, recognition of giving milestones, and annual impact reports.

Go deeper

How to start a monthly giving program: 9 steps + free templates →

How to reactivate lapsed recurring donors

Identify lapsed sustaining donors quickly—don't wait three months! If it has been months, it's not the end of the world. A personalized "we miss you" email sequence with impact framing can go a long way.

Remember, reactivating a lapsed donor is far more likely to succeed than acquiring a new one.

Handle failed payments the right way

Perhaps the most overlooked retention tactic, expired credit cards lead to donor churn for even the most committed supporters. This is a technical problem, not a donor problem.

With a recurring donation platform like Givebutter, you can reduce time spent chasing supporters to update payment details when their credit cards expire, thanks to secure payment processing that automatically updates saved card information when new cards are issued. If an extra step is needed, a friendly card-update email with a brief re-engagement message should do the trick.

Pro tip: Many organizations see a big lapse spike in January—prepare your retention messaging in advance!

Learn more

How to reconnect with donors who've gone quiet →

How to upgrade your recurring donors

Recurring donors believe in your cause. With the right engagement, many will be glad to increase their recurring amount over time.

The best place to start upgrades is with donors who have given regularly for six or more months. Frame the ask in terms of tenure and impact—something like:

“You’ve been an incredible champion for our program, enabling us to provide [specific result] in just the past year. This year, we hope to [new specific goal]. Would you consider increasing your recurring gift to $50 per month to get us there?”

Even small increases compound—an additional $10 per month for 25 donors adds up to $3K per year!

Dive deeper

See how one nonprofit converted 80% of its donors to recurring giving →

Grow your recurring giving base with Givebutter

Recurring donors are worth the investment, and building a strong base starts with making it easy for supporters to say yes. The first step is as simple as setting up your fundraising page to accept this type of donation. From there, you can launch your recurring donor campaign and refine your strategy over time.

Givebutter has everything you need to start accepting recurring donations on any fundraising page, donation form, website widget, or event—with custom recurring giving features and automatic impact messaging built directly into the donation flow.

And right now, there's even more reason to get started.

Givebutter is giving away $25K during Monthly Giving Week, May 11–15, 2026!

For every new donor who starts a recurring gift of at least $5 a month, Givebutter will deposit $10 into your Givebutter Wallet. That means 10 new monthly donors earns you $100, and 50 new donors = $500 in your Wallet!

⭐️ Earn $10 for every new monthly donor →

Sign up for your free Givebutter account and start building your recurring giving program today.

Sign up for your free Givebutter account and start building your recurring giving program today.

FAQs about recurring donors

How to get back a lapsed recurring donor?

Direct, personal outreach via email is one of the best ways to re-engage lapsed recurring donors. Just make sure that the only time they hear from you isn't when their credit card expires. Consistent engagement that builds belonging and group identity is key to recurring giving success.

How do I get more recurring donors?

By adding monthly and annual giving options to your donation form—and even making recurring giving the default—you can encourage more supporters to become recurring donors from their first gift. For more active outreach, start with your existing repeat donors. Check out more tips in our guide above!

What do I do when a recurring donor's payment fails?

Don't wait! It's best to act within 48 hours. Send a friendly, personalized email reminder to update their payment info—you can even encourage them to switch to ACH (direct debit) donations for lower fees and no more expired cards.

How to ask a recurring donor to upgrade their gift?

Wait until a recurring donor has been giving for at least 6 months. Lead with a personalized message that showcases the impact of their generosity. The guide above has an example framing that can help!

Are recurring donors more likely to leave a planned gift?

The link between legacy giving and recurring donors is strong. Data shows that 78% of planned giving contributions were made by people who had donated to a nonprofit more than 15 times. If you put in the work to nurture recurring donor relationships, you are far more likely to receive those gifts.