As a regular giver to 12 Australian charities, I am most surprised at the lack of an ask to upgrade my gift each year. Of the 12 regular giving programs I personally support, only 1 has asked me to upgrade my gift year on year.
When I ask my non-profit clients why this is the case, charities state a fear of asking for an increased gift. They state a donor might downgrade or worse, cancel, their gift if we ask the donor to give $5 or $10 more a month.
The aggressive American fundraiser in me suggests you will never know the outcome if you don’t take the leap and make an ask. a sophisticated regular giving program must include an upgrade path for donors. Some programs even include an agreed auto upgrade program for donors year over year. Don’t miss the opportunity to further solidify a relationship with regular givers by asking them to become even more committed to the organisation. $5 more a month is one less cup of coffee to the donor.
Stephen Mally brings over three decades of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience.
Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Stephen transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in 2008. He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a boutique consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia and Rancho Mirage, CA. As a consultant, he has worked with thousands of schools, universities, and charities gaining a vast amount of exposure to diverse organisations and fundraising programs. Stephen acquired his Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential in 2011.
Stephen was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. He served on the FIA Board for six years and currently serves on the CFRE International Examination Committee and, also, the CFRE International Board as its Chair. Additionally, he serves on the board of Pink Elephants Support Network in Australia.
As a regular giver to 12 Australian charities, I am most surprised at the lack of an ask to upgrade my gift each year. Of the 12 regular giving programs I personally support, only 1 has asked me to upgrade my gift year on year.
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