Too many nonprofits find themselves trapped in a fundraising cycle that pivots on a few big events—galas, auctions, holiday appeals—while neglecting the full potential of recurring giving, storytelling, and strategic donor engagement. Let’s unpack the reasons behind this hesitancy:
Event Dependence: The “All Eggs in One Basket” Mindset
Many organizations lean heavily on special events because they’re visible and familiar. But events often come at a high cost:
- Time-intensive and expensive—planning a gala can consume 6–7 months of full-time work. Execution eats into budgets as well, sometimes yielding as little as 50–65 cents on the dollar.
- Unpredictable revenue—event outcomes fluctuate dramatically, putting budgets at risk if attendance, sponsorships, or turnout fall short.
This overreliance on events is like investing all your funds in a single volatile stock. It may succeed, but it’s far from a safe bet.
Leadership & Resource Constraints
Strategic diversification requires buy-in—and many nonprofits simply don’t have it:
- Fundraisers increasingly report burnout, lack of professional development, and minimal leadership support, making innovation feel like a risk.
- If budgets are tight, staff and boards may resist investing in infrastructure like donor analytics, CRM tools, or multi-channel strategies—even though those investments pay dividends in retention and stability.
Comfort with the Known; Fear of the New
Shifting to year-round fundraising often means redefining old patterns:
- Monthly giving feels intangible—less dramatic than events, quieter in the short term. Many view it as low ROI because the impact isn’t immediate.
- Fundraising leaders often struggle to convince boards that investing early in recurring-giving infrastructure will produce long-term returns.
The Myth of Overhead Aversion
Conversations about investing in systems, staff, or strategy are often drowned out by the culture of “low overhead equals trust”: The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle highlights how nonprofits are pressured to downplay administrative costs—even when that prevents investing in technology, training, and donor management
Lack of Strategic Messaging & Metrics
Annual appeals often default to simple “asks” without narrative context or impact storytelling:
- Development leaders may lack data or don’t have time to capture and communicate long-term impact in ways that persuade donors and boards alike.
- Without meaningful metrics, it’s hard to advocate for key elements like monthly giving, segmentation, and donor stewardship.
What the Data Says—Year-Round Tactics Win
Contrast the above resistance with what recurring giving and strategic engagement make possible:
- Build predictability: Monthly giving now accounts for 31% of all online revenue, helping organizations anticipate income month to month.
- Strengthen retention: Focusing on recurring giving cultivates loyalty and builds a giving community—not just one-time donors.
- Grow sustainably: Digital promotion and a long-term mindset can grow a sustainer base steadily—one nonprofit saw a 23% increase in monthly donors and 25% revenue growth.
Reframe the experience: Making monthly giving feel meaningful—through storytelling, recognition, and community—transforms it from a transaction into a ritual.
Bringing It Home: Your Path Forward
To build a fundraising flow that sustains, not stresses:
- Start with narrative: Show your board a story—like Eli receiving weekend meals—over numbers.
- Model success: Highlight local examples or peer organizations that diversified into monthly giving and reaped stability.
- Build your case: Use stats on retention, recurring revenue, and multi-channel engagement to argue for infrastructure investment.
- Begin small: Align with one piece—peer-to-peer, storytelling campaigns, or a pilot sustainer program. Then scale from within.
When nonprofits can shift from event-focused scrambles to a sustainable, values-driven fundraising flow, it’s not just money that grows—it’s trust, resilience, and impact.
You can grab the free Fundraising Event ROI Toolkit to see how your next event supports donor loyalty, mission impact, and long-term growth.
If you’re ready to strengthen your fundraising flow to include events as part of your donor campaign, let’s talk. Book a free discovery session – Contact me!
About Angie Thompson
I’m Angie Thompson—a fundraising strategist, published writer, and brand storyteller who believes a well-told story can spark real connection and lasting growth. For over 40 years, I’ve helped nonprofits, small businesses, and purpose-driven individuals—including solopreneurs—move beyond generic messaging and into clear, compelling communication that builds trust, deepens loyalty, and inspires action.