Simple Steps to Keep Your Donors Coming Back: A Guide for Charities 

Running a charity means wearing many hats, and one of the most important is maintaining relationships with your donors. Getting new donors is exciting, but keeping existing donors engaged is just as crucial - and often more cost-effective. According to recent data, it takes the average UK charity two years to recoup the acquisition costs of a £5-a-month donor*. Here, Give as you Live Donate’s Annabelle Risdon explores straightforward ways to keep your donors connected to your cause. 

Make Giving Easy and Accessible 

The first rule of donor retention is simple: make it as easy as possible for people to support you. Today's donors expect convenient giving options that fit their lifestyle; at Give as you Live Donate we already see around a quarter of donations made using Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Convenient giving means removing every possible barrier to donation. Consider these key elements of a modern, donor-friendly giving experience: 

• Mobile-friendly donation pages: Ensure your donation forms work perfectly on smartphones and tablets, with large buttons and simple input fields 

• Multiple payment options: Support card-free payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal to match how people prefer to spend online 

• One-click giving: Allow returning donors to save their payment details for faster future donations 

Consider offering contactless donations through services like Give as you Live Donate’s free app. The Tap to Donate app allows you to collect donations anywhere - from event stands to your office reception. Contactless giving removes barriers and makes spontaneous donations possible, helping you maintain connections with donors who might otherwise walk away.  

TIP: Check out my recent blog post, where I explored the importance of contactless giving in an increasingly cashless society! 

 
Say Thank You - Promptly and Personally 

A prompt thank you goes a long way. Within 48 hours of receiving a donation: 

• Send a personal thank you email or letter 
• Address the donor by name 
• Mention the specific amount they gave 
• Explain how their donation will help 

You don't need fancy software - a simple spreadsheet can help you track donations and ensure no thank you note falls through the cracks. If you use Give as you Live Donate for donations, personalised thank-you messages are sent automatically via email within minutes of the donation being made. 

Show Your Impact 

Showing your impact isn't just about reporting numbers - it's about keeping donors emotionally connected to your cause and giving them a reason to continue supporting you. When donors see the real-world difference their contributions make, they're much more likely to: 

• Feel valued and appreciated 
• Understand the connection between their donation and positive change 
• Develop an ongoing emotional investment in your charity's mission 
• Feel motivated to continue their support 

What should you share to boost donor retention? Focus on: 

• What specific projects their donations have supported 
• Concrete numbers of people helped through their contributions 
• Real, personal stories from beneficiaries 
• Authentic photos of your work in action (with appropriate permissions) 

Keep these updates simple and focused on the human impact. A monthly email newsletter is perfect for this - just make sure to collect donor email addresses when they give. When donations are made via Give as you Live Donate, supporter email addresses are available to view in your Reports tab - but of course, only if the donor has opted in to share that information, in line with GDPR.

TIP: Check out our AI hub for free resources to help you work smarter, not harder – our 5 Minute Marketing Magic guide includes a prompt to create inspired emails in no time! 

Make Regular Giving Simple 

Regular donors are the backbone of most charities. Give as you Live Donate makes setting up recurring donations simple and beneficial for both donors and charities. 

With Give as you Live Donate, donors can: 

• Set up monthly donations in just a few clicks 
• Choose their preferred donation amount 
• Automatically add Gift Aid at no extra cost to them  
• Easily pause or adjust their giving if their circumstances change 

For charities, the benefits are significant: 

• No setup fees 
• Predictable income streams 
• Reduced administrative work 
• Automatic Gift Aid claiming 

By making regular giving straightforward and transparent, you give donors a hassle-free way to support you. Explain to potential recurring donors how their steady support helps your charity plan long-term projects, cover essential running costs, and create lasting impact. 

TIP: When you ask for a recurring donation, always emphasise the tangible difference regular giving makes. For example: "Your £10 monthly donation could provide weekly meals for a family in need" creates a much stronger connection than simply asking for money. You can add Custom Messages for amount-specific donations in your Charity Admin system.  

Stay in Touch (but don't overwhelm) 

Good communication builds lasting relationships with donors. Try to: 

• Send updates every 1-2 months 
• Mix up your content (success stories, upcoming events, behind-the-scenes glimpses) 
• Running a fundraiser or campaign? Share videos, photos and text updates... etc 
• Keep messages short and focused 
• Always include a clear way to get in touch with questions 

 
Track What Works 

You don't need complex analytics to understand your donors. Start simple: 

• Keep a record of when people donate 
• Note which events or appeals brought in donations 
• Ask donors how they prefer to be contacted 
• Record when donors stop giving and try to understand why 

Give as you Live Donate's tools include reporting features that can help you track these patterns without extra work. 

Make Events Count 

When you hold events, make the most of the opportunity: 

• Use Tap to Donate for easy, contactless giving 
• Collect contact details from attendees 
• Take photos to share in future updates 
• Thank attendees within a day of the event 

Use Give as you Live Donate’s Ticketed Events solution and you can do most of these things automatically! You can set up events in minutes (even with custom ticket types), use the Check-in tool to manage attendance on the day, and easily track ticket sales. 

 
When Donors Stop Giving 

If a donor stops giving, don't be afraid to reach out: 

• Send a friendly message checking in 
• Ask if their circumstances have changed 
• Thank them for their past support 
• Keep them on your mailing list (unless they ask to be removed) 

Sometimes donors just need a break, and keeping in touch means they're more likely to return when they can.   

TIP: With Give as you Live Donate, you can see a full list of active and inactive donors in your Reports tab – be sure to check this regularly! 

Getting Started 

You don't need to implement everything at once. Start with: 

1. Setting up easy giving options through Give as you Live Donate 
2. Adding or updating your Custom Messages 
3. Planning regular updates to donors 

Remember, donor retention is about building relationships. Keep it personal, show your impact, and make it easy for people to support your cause. With these basics in place, you can gradually add more sophisticated approaches as your charity grows. 

Need help getting started? Give as you Live offers free support to help you set up donation tools and plan your donor retention strategy. Reach out to our Charity Team at charities@giveasyoulive.com to learn more. 

 
*Source: https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/average-charity-takes-two-years-recoup-acquisition-costs-5-a-month-donor-says-ken-burnett/fundraising/article/1300972