By William Jones
Every year, organizations invest significant time and energy in campaigns, special appeals, and signature events. Contributions increase during these efforts, but slow once they end. Meanwhile, programs still need funding, employees still need to be paid, and communities still depend on services. For organizations without dedicated fundraising teams, this creates a familiar challenge: constantly raising money to meet ongoing needs without building a consistent base of financial support.
DONARA addresses that challenge through recurring giving. Rather than treating every contribution as a one-time transaction, the platform makes it possible for supporters to give on a schedule that works for them. For leaders balancing daily operations with the responsibility of securing funding, recurring giving creates another opportunity to engage their communities and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.
David P. Anderson, MSSE, CEO and Chief Product Officer at DONARA, believes organizations should prioritize recurring giving as part of a broader strategy to engage the communities connected to their work.
“Events and campaigns have their place, but monthly giving should be a priority,” Anderson says. “Organizations already have networks of support that include alumni, people who have benefited from their services, volunteers, and longtime champions. The opportunity is to give those individuals a way to stay connected to the mission throughout the year.”
The donor experience is equally important. DONARA’s Tax Optimization Calculator helps supporters estimate annual charitable tax deductions, giving them a clear understanding of how contributions to organizations they care about may also provide personal tax benefits. With that information, supporters can make more informed decisions about their charitable commitments and financial planning.
For organizations without a dedicated fundraising team, the person managing contributions may also be overseeing programs, staff, and everyday operations. DONARA offers a branded giving portal where supporters can make recurring contributions. That gives a smaller organization a consistent place to invite support, while established development teams can use the same experience alongside their existing fundraising strategies.
“Not every organization has a fundraising team or thousands of donors,” Anderson says. “But they have people who care. DONARA makes it easy for their supporters, followers, and champions to give consistently. We make giving work for the mission and for the people who give.”
Recurring giving is not a replacement for major gifts, fundraising events, grant funding, or personal outreach. It adds a way to participate between those moments. A parent may prefer a manageable monthly contribution to their child’s school rather than participating in a bake sale. An association member may prefer monthly manageable dues over annual lump sum payments to support scholarships. Someone who once benefited from a local nonprofit’s services may choose to give monthly so others can receive that same support.
DONARA also partners with companies to establish or expand their corporate social responsibility initiatives and strengthen employee engagement. Employees make recurring contributions to their company’s social impact fund, creating opportunities for colleagues to make a difference together beyond the workplace. Through strategic engagements with Hasset Capital, nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations can explore partnerships with mission-aligned companies, connecting charitable giving, employee volunteerism, and community investment.
“Corporate social responsibility should be approached with the same discipline as any other strategic investment,” Anderson says. “The strongest partnerships align business priorities with community needs, give employees meaningful ways to participate, and establish shared measures of success.”
Rather than centering every message on the next fundraising appeal, organizations can devote more attention to sharing their impact. Through email newsletters, social media, news publications, and community events, they can highlight program accomplishments and tell the stories behind their work.
The goal is not to ask supporters to care more. It is to make it easier for the people who already care to get involved. Through recurring giving, organizations can build on existing relationships and establish a more consistent foundation of support for the work ahead.
Organizations interested in building recurring support can learn more at donara.tech.
