A Subscription-Economy Lens on Monthly Giving (And What It Means For 2026)

We’ve officially entered what I’m calling the retention era. Recurring GivingTuesday gifts are growing year over year, and nonprofit benchmarks are showing 80%+ retention rates for monthly donors.

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down three powerful signals that are shaping monthly giving RIGHT NOW across the subscription economy and in the nonprofit sector.

I’m covering Recurly’s 2025 State of Subscriptions analysis of 67 million subscribers, including what brands are doing to combat slow acquisition and churn, and the GivingTuesday trends emerging around mobile-first, recurring signups.

This conversation sets the foundation for the next few episodes, where I’ll share my 2026 monthly giving predictions.

Resources & Links

Check out Recurly’s 2025 State of Subscriptions report.

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

The Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind: A high-touch Mini Mastermind + optional in-person retreat (May 6-8) for nonprofit leaders that have an existing monthly giving program and ready to take it to the next level with 1:1 and peer support. Apply now!

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