How to Use Event Giving and Everyday Giving to Maximize Donations?

Event giving vs everyday giving is how nonprofits build short-term results and long-term resilience. When you ask for donations during a big event, you create urgency. 

When you ask consistently through small monthly gifts, you build trust. The best organizations do both. That’s how you go from unpredictable fundraising to sustainable growth.

Why Event Giving Sparks a Fire

Event giving is your sprint. It creates buzz, excitement, and fast action. Think of it like hosting a big party: a gala, a GivingTuesday campaign, or a livestream fundraiser. These moments bring people together and open wallets quickly.

GivingTuesday raised about $3.1 billion in the U.S. in both 2022 and 2023. For many nonprofits, one big event can bring in up to half of their annual fundraising revenue.

But here’s the flip side: events are a lot of work. Planning, promotion, logistics—it takes serious time and energy. If the results fall short or you don’t follow up after, it can leave your team drained and your donors disengaged.

Everyday Giving: The Quiet Powerhouse

Every day giving is your marathon. It’s steady, reliable, and builds stronger donor relationships over time. These are the monthly donors who might give $25, $50, or $100 every month without being asked.

According to 2025 data from M+R Benchmarks and Nonprofit Source, monthly giving makes up about 31% of online donations—up from 27% in 2022. And nonprofits that focus on recurring gifts saw their donor bases grow by 127%.

Dataro reports recurring donors deliver 5.4× the lifetime value of one-off donors

Why does it work so well?

• 85% of recurring donors keep giving year after year, compared to 43% of one-time donors.
  
• Monthly donors often stick around for 8 years or more, while one-time donors average just 1.5 years.
  
• They also give more: $63 per month on average, or $756 per year. Compare that to the average one-time gift of $128.
  

Event vs Everyday Giving: What’s the Difference?

Both strategies work—but they serve different purposes:

• Events create urgency. Every day giving creates consistency.
  
• Events bring in new donors. Everyday giving builds loyalty.
  
• Events require more upfront effort. Everyday giving relies on systems and automation.
  
• Events give your revenue a quick spike. Everyday giving gives you long-term peace of mind.
  

When Should You Use Each One?

Use event giving when:

• You need cash fast—for a new program, a crisis response, or a year-end push.
  
• You want to boost visibility or launch something big.
  

Use everyday giving when:

• You want a stable income month after month.
  
• You want to deepen trust with your community.
  

Here’s the secret sauce: combine both. Use events to attract new donors, then convert them into monthly givers. For example, GivingTuesday is one of the biggest days for signing up recurring donors—57% more people start monthly giving on New Year’s Eve and nearly 35% more on GivingTuesday.

After an event, follow up fast. Within 1 to 3 days, email your donors, thank them, and invite them to make their support ongoing.

• Want an easier way to run both events and everyday giving?
  
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• Visit: Explore GiveCentral tools
  

How to Build Your Everyday Giving Engine

1. Promote it everywhere: Make the monthly donation option easy to find—on your website, in emails, and on social media. Set it as the default.
   
2. Give it a name: Make your monthly giving program feel special. Give it a name and connect gift amounts to impact: “$25/month feeds a child for a week.”
   
3. Welcome new donors: Set up automated emails to say thank you, tell a story, and show impact.
   
4. Keep them engaged: Monthly donors should get special perks: early access, behind-the-scenes updates, or surprise thank-you gifts.
   
5. Track your data: Use your tools to see who’s giving, who’s about to lapse, and what messages work best. Don’t let failed payments go unnoticed.
   

How the Two Work Together

Event giving and everyday giving don’t just co-exist—they support each other:

• Events bring in new donors. Use your post-event email to invite them into your monthly program.
  
• Everyday givers make great event attendees. Give them VIP access and let them bring friends.
  
• Let your donor data guide you. Track where your best donors come from and what keeps them engaged.Check the 5 Evergreen Email Templates for Nonprofits 
  

Common Pitfalls to Watch For

1. Relying only on events: It’s stressful. It’s risky. If your big day flops, you’re stuck.
   
2. Forgetting everyday giving: If you don’t ask often—and make it easy—you’re missing out on reliable support.
   
3. No follow-up: Your job isn’t done after the donation. Follow up fast to build deeper relationships.
   
4. Letting payments fail: Don’t ignore expired cards or failed transactions. Set up alerts or automation to recover lost revenue.
   

Bringing It All Together

You don’t have to choose between big fundraising events and steady monthly support. You need both:

• Events bring energy and excitement.
  
• Every day giving builds security and strength.
  
• Together, they fuel your mission—and keep your organization thriving.
  

Plan your year with both strategies in mind. Automate what you can. Make it easy for people to give. And always follow up with care.

• Want to grow donations without burning out your team?
  
• Whether it’s a big campaign or your everyday giving program, GiveCentral helps you manage it all in one place.
  
• Set up recurring giving in minutes
  
• Launch multi-channel campaigns that convert
  
• Track every donor touchpoint from start to finish
  
• Visit: Start with GiveCentral today and turn one-time donors into lifelong champions.
  

Event giving brings in a burst of support. Every day giving builds the base that keeps you going. When you combine the two strategically, you create a giving engine that never stops.

Use both. Use them well. And let your mission shine through every ask.

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