Donor Loyalty Programs

11 Oct Donor Loyalty Programs

Several clients have asked me recently about establishing donor clubs based on cumulative giving. In general I recommend against it, unless the organization already has a well-established system for recognizing annual donors.

Your priority should be to establish donor clubs and recognition events at the $100 and $1,000 levels first, to encourage annual giving at those levels. Even one at $10,000, if you have a critical mass (8 or so) beginning to give at that level. Then look at a legacy club for people letting you know that the organization is included in their will.

After that, so-called loyalty programs begin to make some sense. I’ve seen recognition based on number of consecutive years as a member and recognition based on cumulative giving, and I like both approaches.