How The Subscription Economy Is Transforming Recurring Giving and What Nonprofits Can Do to Benefit.
If you’re interested in growing your recurring donor program, this book is for you.
The rise of sustainable giving, published in February of 2025 is extremely researched. Dave describes how recurring aka subscription giving evolved from the Roman and Greek era to the first recurring gift in the US on May 24, 1815.
He describes the distinct types of recurring giving and he uses several case studies and feedback from several interviews with nonprofits in the US who have had recurring programs for a while along with some newbies.
Dave sets the stage, and I personally loved Chapter 12 describing the value of clear ownership of a recurring giving program as well as Chapter 14 how it’s all about long-term value, which is something many nonprofits still seem to struggle with.
Dave recommends using the 5-year Lifetime Value for a recurring donor and he explains why. I’ve historically recommended calculating at least the 1-year value, but 5-years is even more powerful. And you may have seen the Neon One research that shows that the typical donor gives on a recurring basis for at least 8 years!
I particularly love Dave’s quote:” It is a mistake to compare upfront metrics for single-gift acquisition to sustainer acquisition or conversion.”
Yet, for some reason, a majority of nonprofits tend to believe those upfront metrics are more important. It’s often not until they look at those long-term metrics with an open mind that they tend to agree with that quote.
Part 3 of the book The Rise of Sustainable Giving is all about how you design and manage a thriving sustainer program. A great starting point is to map the current donor experience from donation to stewardship.
Recurring giving grows not because of major expensive campaigns but rather because little things all work together.
Dave shares:” On an ongoing basis, charities should have always-on activities that promote and position their sustainer program, complemented with punctuated campaigns and communications that create spikes of interest, awareness, and action. “
There are so many always-on opportunities in your existing communication channels, it’s incredible. Start by asking the donors you already have and the email list you already possess. Then expand from there.
I would have liked to have seen more feedback from the many nonprofits Dave interviewed. As they have managed recurring donor programs for a while, they must have cracked the secret to breaking down the silos which is still a major hurdle for so many. We may have to wait for Dave’s next book or read one of his Wave Reports in the near future! I’m looking forward to it.
