Sustainer Programs: The Key to Fundraising Resilience

In today’s increasingly difficult fundraising environment, nonprofits are under pressure to do more with less. Donor files are shrinking. Acquisition costs are climbing. And with postage rates rising by as much as 11%, many organizations are forced to cut back on mail volume, reducing their reach when they need it most. 

But amidst these challenges, one strategy consistently delivers strong returns: growing your monthly sustainer program. GivingSignals^TM, a MarketSignals^TM product from Wiland, is purpose-built to help you do exactly that. 

The Shifting Landscape—and the Sustainer Opportunity

Let’s face it: the donor landscape isn’t what it used to be. According to 2024 industry benchmarks: 

• Donor house files are declining 6% to 8% year-over-year, sometimes as high as 10%. 

• Lower-dollar donors (gifts under $25) have dropped nearly 10%. 

• And acquisition programs are under intense cost pressure due to rising marketing and postage expenses. 

Yet, even in this tough environment, monthly sustainer programs have proven to be a strong economic resilience strategy for nonprofits. These loyal, high-retention donors create predictable income streams, reduce acquisition pressure, and often become some of your most valuable supporters over time. 

GivingSignals helps nonprofits buiild donor relationships by helping identify and convert the best candidates for monthly giving, making your sustainer program a growth engine, not just a stopgap. 

3 Ways to Build Donor Loyalty 

Think of your fundraising program like a control panel. You can pull a few key levers to increase revenue: 

• Increase donor or gift value 

• Increase gift frequency 

• Reduce marketing spend 

• Reactivate lapsed donors 

• Acquire new donors 

GivingSignals is designed to help you pull these levers strategically and efficiently, especially when it comes to monthly giving. 

Here’s how:

1. Pinpoint the Best Sustainer Donors

Not all donors are equally likely to say yes to a recurring gift. GivingSignals uses sophisticated predictive modeling—including Monthly Sustainer Propensity and Channel Responsiveness Scores—to help you: 

• Identify current single-gift donors most likely to upgrade to monthly 

• Understand the best channel to engage them (email, mail, phone, etc.) 

• Prioritize marketing dollars where they’ll have the greatest impact 

By targeting only the donors with the highest likelihood of conversion, you stretch your budget further and improve results.

2. Optimize Your Marketing Mix

Your budget is limited. GivingSignals helps you make smarter choices about where to invest: 

• Contact frequency and timing: We help you suppress low-performing appeals using seasonality models, reducing costs without hurting revenue. 

• Post-merge optimization: GivingSignals helps eliminate underperforming acquisition records before they’re mailed, so you can reallocate those dollars to sustainer campaigns. 

• Channel selection: By understanding each donor’s channel responsiveness, you can choose the most effective (and cost-efficient) way to reach them. 

All of this adds up to a more focused, more effective monthly giving strategy.

3. Leverage Real Telemarketing Results to Refine Your Approach

Telemarketing remains one of the most powerful tools for converting monthly sustainers—but it must be used wisely. GivingSignals integrates telemarketing disposition data to: 

• Track actual donor behavior across calls 

• Build custom telemarketing response models 

• Identify which segments are worth re-calling—or skipping 

With these insights, your telemarketing efforts become highly targeted and cost-effective. 

Sustainers are More Than Monthly Donors 

Sustainers are the foundation of long-term fundraising success. On average, converting a donor to monthly giving is worth seven to eight times more than acquiring a new one-time donor. These supporters often become: 

• Loyal volunteers 

• Mid-level or major donors 

• Legacy gift or planned giving prospects 

By helping you identify and nurture these individuals, GivingSignals doesn’t just boost monthly revenue—it builds a stronger, more resilient donor relationships for the future. 

Make Sustainer Growth a Strategic Priority 

Whether you need to: 

• Make a compelling business case for more investment 

• Redirect existing budget from less efficient programs 

• Build a targeted campaign for monthly donor conversion 

GivingSignals gives you the insights and tools to move quickly and smartly. 

You don’t need to be a national brand with a multimillion-dollar budget to grow your sustainer program. You just need the right data, the right model, and the right strategy. 

Contact Wiland to Sustain Donors and Grow Using GivingSignals  

If your organization is serious about expanding its monthly giving program, GivingSignals is your partner in sustained success. Let’s unlock your best donor insights and turn them into action. 

Learn more about how GivingSignals can help you grow your monthly sustainer program at https://wiland.com/nonprofits/ or contact us now.