I recently presented at a training for 130 grassroots organizations, and was amazed to find only two hands in the room go up when I asked "How many of you offer monthly giving plans to your donors?" Two! Monthly giving is a win/win.

Donors get to break down their regular gift into manageable monthly amounts, and can continue to support you without having to write one big check right now. Your organization gets regular and predictable cash flow, and a chance to thank donors twelve times a year for their generosity (and keep your mission squarely front and center).

If you are part of an organization that already has monthly giving, now's the time to play it up. And if you don't currently offer it, kick it into gear. It's one of the easiest strategies to retain existing donors during difficult economic times.

Goodness knows that we all need every donor we can get right now, and one of the first places to look may be in your lapsed donor files. We've combed the web for the best tips for reactivating lapsed donors, and built a list of links that includes 63 ways to reactivate lapsed donors.

Here are our top five:

1. Renew donors using the same methods that resulted in their earlier gifts. Did they respond to a holiday appeal? Were they asked by a Board member? Make sure that you do the same thing to woo them back.
2. Match your language to the length of lapse. Be more casual with recently lapsed donors ("We miss you") and more formal and more assertive with those who have been lapsed for longer periods ("Your past gifts made a huge difference. Won't you please renew your support by sending a gift today?").
3. Call your lapsed major donors and don't ask for money but ask them instead to tell you about their experiences with your organization and listen to them. Sometimes just asking for feedback and listening will bring them back into the fold.
4. Try a "downgrade" offer by sharing a lower cost donation option. After all, isn't a partial renewal better than none at all?
5. If older donors are lapsing, they may be on a restricted income. Now might be a great time to talk to them about planned giving and memorial gifts instead.

Get links to the other 58 tips here.

Want a low-cost way to extend your year-end fundraising efforts?

Marcia Scowcroft, the VP of Fundraising Programs at Direct Response Solutions, suggests mailing your donors a tax receipt for 2009 giving in January or February of 2010. Why does this work well?

1. It gives you the opportunity to say "thanks" and put your message in front of donors during the slower months after the holidays.
2. It allows you to document cumulative or monthly giving, perhaps accompanied by a soft "nudge" to increase during the next year.
3. It acts as a reminder to those that may have forgotten their end-of-the-year gifts.

Read Marcia's full tip here.

Our friends at Fundraising Assets posted a great blog entry with 5 ways to make sure that your "Thank You" is as good as your "Please." Here's our abbreviated version of their recommendations:

1. Ensure that your thank you letter is just as emotional as your "ask." You want them to continue feeling good about why they gave.
2. Include a different "feel-good" story and don't just regurgitate the same story from your appeal letter. What will their new gift do that you haven't already shared?
3. Send different letters to major donors, new donors, and those that increased their gifts. Include a personal note and make them feel special for going the extra mile.
4. Make sure that you're not too formal. Yes, you need to include your standard legal-ese, but make sure you're also warm and effusive.
5. Get the letter in their hands, pronto! Even if you need to hire someone to help with this during the busy holiday season, it's an essential must-do.

 Read the full blog post here.

It’s tough to make time for people who don’t give to your organization, but that’s exactly what’s needed in these economic times. According to a recent article from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, “one of the hardest things to do as a fundraiser is keep treating people well who do not make a gift. But you have to be sensitive to the fact that they may not have it to give right now, and aware of the fact that they’ll still give in the future.”

Stay Connected To Current, Lapsed and Prospective Donors

Make sure donor stewardship and relationship building activities are part of your daily and weekly activities – and included in the overall Fund Development plan. Include board members and key volunteers in these activities; their involvement speaks volumes to current and prospective donors. Hand-written notes, phone calls, and personal visits are simple and effective ways for volunteers and staff to keep the mission of the organization in the hearts and minds of current, lapsed, and prospective donors.

Organizations that do a great job of long-term stewardship are much better positioned for long-term fundraising success. It’s trite but true: fundraising is a marathon, not a sprint.

Alyce Lee Stansbury, CFRE, President of Stansbury Consulting, is a fundraising consultant, trainer, and coach and teaches a graduate course in fundraising at Florida State University. She can be reached at alycelee@stansburyconsulting.com.