Generosity is at the heart of almost every faith-based organization. From religiously affiliated nonprofits to ministries, these organizations often depend on donor support to provide aid, support communities, or spread their message.
As online giving continues to grow and evolve, donors have increasing expectations of their online giving experience. For faith-based organizations, this shift is an opportunity to innovate. It opens the door to new ways of engaging younger donors, strengthening faith-related missions, and even inspiring greater generosity.
So, what’s trending in online giving? And what does it mean for faith-based organizations? Let’s find out.
Trend #1: Optimizing the giving experience on mobile
How many times do you reach for your mobile device on any given day? In 2024, the average person spent 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone and checked their mobile device an average of 58 times each day.
This trend in how much time we spend on our mobile devices is also reflected in mobile giving today. About 33% of total donations are given through a mobile device, and our platform shows that this increase in mobile giving continues to grow year over year.
Nonprofits that embrace mobile-friendly donation experiences can tap into this trend to engage new — often younger — audiences who prefer a mobile giving experience.
Why does mobile optimization matter for faith-based organizations?
Optimizing the mobile giving experience is relevant to all nonprofit organizations looking to engage younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z, but it’s particularly relevant to faith-based organizations.
For many faith-based donors, giving can be an act of praise or community engagement. Mobile-friendly payment options, like digital wallets or QR code-enabled giving, make it easier for supporters to make a donation while in the moment. For example, during Ramadan, many people will pray at mosques and choose to give online shortly after.
Faith-based organizations are uniquely positioned to capture an inspired audience ready to give by investing in an optimized mobile giving experience.
Trend #2: Personalizing donation forms with AI
It’s not news that artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our online experiences. And it may not be news to you that nonprofits are some of the leading adopters of AI. About 58% of nonprofit leaders use AI in their digital communications and see AI as an opportunity for better analytics.
But how is AI being used today to improve the online giving experience for donors?
Using AI in donation forms can personalize and make the donor experience more relevant to the individual. AI can populate dynamic amounts based on donor behavior or location and intentionally align with what a donor will likely give.
For example, someone who previously donated $100 could see giving options ranging from $75 to $300, whereas a first-time donor would likely see a lower, more accessible amount.
To make it even easier for donors to give, consider personalizing payment options with AI. An AI-integrated donation form can detect a user’s device and suggest the most relevant, convenient payment options. For example, an Apple device user might see an option for Apple Pay, while a Google Chrome user might see an option for Google Pay.
AI can also decide when and how often to ask for a recurring donation. A donation form that leverages AI will consider the type of nonprofit and suggest timing, an ideal amount, and giving frequency tailored to a potential donor.
Why does AI matter for faith-based organizations?
According to our platform’s data, 70% of gifts to faith-based organizations are made using a personalized ask amount. Faith-based organizations that leverage AI to improve the online donor experience see higher conversion rates on their donation forms, but they also see larger gifts and increased recurring donations.
Using AI to personalize giving frequency can also help connect a donor’s interest in faith-based causes with important religious holidays like Lent, Advent, Passover, Dhu al-Hijah, or Muharram. During Ramadan, AI-powered giving frequency options can allow donors to spread out their Zakat and Sadaqah contributions over weeks or months.
Fundraise Up also enables faith-based nonprofits to set up daily giving by adding an end date at the campaign level, making it convenient for supporters to commit to giving back during special religious holidays.
Trend #3: Engaging with global audiences through localization
Localization is the process of adapting technology to align with the expectations of an audience based on their location and country of residence. At Fundraise Up, we consider browser preferences, website URLs, and the javascript parameters to accomplish localization.
This process is essential as online giving grows because donors worldwide expect an online giving experience that they can understand and feels relevant. Localization ensures that every donor is included, no matter where they give from.
The key to localization is to remove any disruption from the user experience. This can look like:
- Language adaptation: Solutions like Fundraise Up can automatically localize the preferred language and currency based on a donor’s browser settings.
- Region-specific payment methods: Different countries have different preferred ways to give. By using Fundraise Up, nonprofits can ensure donors see the most relevant payment options based on their region.
- Compliance with country-specific regulations: Some countries require specific donation receipt formats or data privacy protections. Fundraise Up offers country-specific tools so your nonprofit stays compliant with local regulations.
Why does localization matter for faith-based organizations?
Faith-based organizations often have missions that extend beyond borders, supporting international causes, disaster relief, and humanitarian efforts. And if your mission extends across the globe, localization makes a difference in removing friction from the online giving experience and plays a key part in fostering trust.
Investing in localization acknowledges that your organization cares about donors and their giving experience, no matter where they are in the world. It also recognizes and respects the differences in language, giving preferences, and regulations based on your donor’s country.
Trend #4: Investing in the online experience of recurring donors
In 2024, donor retention declined for the fourth consecutive year. Nonprofits across sectors are raising funds from a smaller pool of donors every year. In addition, fluctuations in policy changes have caused some uncertainty in funding for many U.S.-based nonprofits.
These trends have opened the conversation globally about creating more sustainable funding streams. And finding new ways to engage recurring donors is central to these conversations.
While new donor acquisition is still essential, investing in the online experience of recurring donors is a high priority for a sustainable fundraising strategy. This is because recurring donors have higher lifetime value and deeper engagement with an organization’s mission.
The right donation platform matters if you want to invest in this audience’s experience, and it should be able to:
- Allow supporters to easily adjust their giving preferences. By providing a self-service option for supporters to increase or decrease their giving, change the cadence of giving, and update payment methods, you empower your supporters to give in a way that’s right for them.
- Offer clear and accessible tax documentation. A platform that can give donors convenient access to their donation receipts (especially during tax season) will make it an easy choice for donors to continue supporting your mission.
Why do recurring donors matter for faith-based organizations?
Faith-based organizations have one of the highest donor retention rates in the industry. Fundraise Up partners with many faith-based organizations that retain about 75% of their donors annually, making an investment in the online recurring donor experience even more important.
There’s also a great opportunity for faith-based organizations to instill even more trust in their recurring donor base by making it easy for them to change their giving contribution amounts and frequencies.
Giving donors the option to change their gifts often will work in your organization’s favor. By investing in the recurring donor experience, Fundraise Up customers will see between 20% and 60% of supporters upgrade their support when given the option.
We're looking into donors being able to change their gifts, which is going to be huge for us. Fundraise Up’s Donor Portal is going to save so much time and provide an overall better user experience to the donor.”
– Chris Mah, Union Gospel Mission
Fundraise Up: a partner for faith-based organizations
Fundraise Up helps faith-based organizations optimize online giving by leveraging these trends to enhance the donor experience, increase generosity, and build lasting relationships with supporters. Learn more about how we work with nonprofits to put these trends into practice and keep our partners ahead of the industry average.