Are we thanking our regular givers enough?

One of the questions we ask supporters in The Chase Index feels deceptively simple. We ask people how strongly they agree with the following statement:

“I feel that I am thanked appropriately.”

At a headline level, the results often look reassuring. Most supporters broadly agree that yes, they are thanked. But when you look beneath the surface, particularly by their means of giving, a more nuanced and slightly uncomfortable picture starts to emerge.

Across the hundreds of thousands of supporters who have taken part in The Chase Index surveys, here are the average scores:

Average responses to "I feel that I am thanked appropriately", where 1 = Strongly Disagree and 7 = Strongly Agree. © About Loyalty

It’s worth pausing on one detail.

A score of under 6 means that the average response, across every charity supporter, is lower than “Agree”.

And the groups most likely to fall into that category are Regular givers and Lottery players.

Perhaps this is to be expected for Lottery players, where the chance to win is part of their motivation. But for Regular givers, this is especially concerning.

"When you look beneath the surface, a more nuanced and slightly uncomfortable picture starts to emerge."

Why does this matter?

Regular givers are, for many charities, the lifeblood of the organisation. They provide predictable income, stability and long‑term value. They are often the supporters that fundraisers worry about most when economic conditions tighten, because if they cancel, the impact is significant.

And yet, when we ask them whether they feel thanked appropriately, their answer is weaker than most other supporter groups.

That should make us stop and think.

Regular vs one-off: two very different giving experiences

Part of the reason lies in how fundamentally different the experience of giving is for regular givers versus ad hoc cash givers, or raffle players.

Typically, the experience for this type of donor might look something like this:

• They receive a specific appeal with a targeted ask...

• They make a conscious decision, in that moment, to respond to that ask...

• They put in a small but deliberate effort to give...

• They (hopefully!) receive a thank you, relating directly to that gift and that cause...

• And they are shown by the charity what their gift has helped to achieve.

It's a tried and tested formula, with a clear narrative. And the thank you sits at a natural point in the journey.

Compare this with the experience for regular givers, who:

• Make one big, conscious decision at the very start

• Set up a Direct Debit, often with optimism and intent

• And then… they carry on, largely in the background.

From their point of view, nothing tangible happens each month. There's no action required, no moment of decision. From a charity perspective, finding a reason to say thank you can start to feel awkward or contrived - so it doesn't happen. And the opportunity for showing your gratitude, and nurturing those stronger, long-term relationships, is lost.

It can be difficult to find the right moment to say 'thank you' to regular givers... Image: Belinda Fewings, Unsplash.

The paradox at the heart of regular giving

This set-up creates a quiet paradox. Not because fundraisers don’t care about regular givers - far from it. But because the regular giving “product” often wasn’t designed with thanking at its core.

Contrast this experience with that of a sponsorship programme - sat at the top of our chart, above. Sponsors also usually pay by monthly Direct Debit. But their experience is very different: there’s ongoing feedback, progress updates are built in, the impact of their gift is often visible and - depending on the programme - highly personal.

The act of sharing gratitude is woven into the relationship with a sponsor, not bolted on. As a result, the 'thank you' doesn’t feel forced in the same way as with regular giving - leading to those higher average scores and, ultimately, more long-term support.

So, what can we learn?

If regular giving really is about long‑term relationships, then thanking can’t just be an occasional output. It has to be part of the experience itself.

What strikes me most about these results is not that the average scores are “bad”… they aren’t! It’s that they reveal a huge opportunity.

If we can make regular givers notice our gratitude in the same way that cash donors do, then the upside is enormous. Our research has shown that happier supporters, who feel more loyal to your cause, will give more for longer - which means more sustainable income for causes that desperately need it.

However you go about it, the key takeaway is this: saying 'thank you' isn’t an afterthought. It’s one of the most powerful parts of the supporter experience.

And for regular givers, we clearly still have some work to do...

Perhaps you're the exception? If you're giving your regular givers a fantastic thanking experience, I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch at Roger@About-Loyalty.com or message me on LinkedIn.

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Feeling inspired to revitalise your thanking for regular givers? Join us at the Fundraising Everywhere Supporter Experience Conference on Thursday 21st May for 'More than a thank you: creating thankathons that spark long-term loyalty'.

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