Automated donation reminders to previous donors

Purpose

1. Encourage timely donations from previous supporters to ensure steady funding for church activities, community outreach, facility maintenance, and mission programs.

2. Automate personalized reminders via multiple channels to minimize administrative workload and increase donor engagement frequency.

3. Analyze donor behavior to optimize reminder timing and message content, improving overall fundraising efficiency.

Trigger Conditions

1. Previous donor's last donation date exceeds a predefined period (e.g., 6 months).

2. Upcoming church event or annual giving campaign about to start.

3. Recurring donation failed or expired.

4. Significant gap detected between regular and recent donation patterns.

Platform Variants

1. Mailchimp

• Feature/Setting: Automations > Email Series; Trigger: Contact activity, Data field "Last Donation Date" condition, Personalized subject/body with merge tags.
  

2. ActiveCampaign

• Feature/Setting: Automations > Start Trigger: Date field reached; Action: Send Email, Dynamic Content blocks using donor history.
  

3. Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud

• Feature/Setting: Process Builder > Trigger: Donation object "Last Donation" field; Action: Send Email Alert.
  

4. Microsoft Power Automate

• Feature/Setting: Scheduled cloud flow, Outlook Email action, Condition based on SharePoint/Dataverse donor records.
  

5. Twilio SMS

• Feature/Setting: Messaging Services > API SendMessage; recipient phone from donor database, Template for personalized SMS.
  

6. SendGrid

• Feature/Setting: Marketing Campaigns > Automations; Trigger: Custom Attribute on Donor, Dynamic Templates for email body.
  

7. Zoho CRM

• Feature/Setting: Workflow Rules > Trigger on custom donation field; Action: Send Mail or SMS via Twilio integration.
  

8. Google Workspace (Gmail)

• Feature/Setting: Apps Script > Time-driven trigger; Script sends personalized email to list from Google Sheets.
  

9. HubSpot

• Feature/Setting: Workflows > Enrollment on custom donor properties; Send Email using templated reminders.
  

10. Freshdesk

• Feature/Setting: Automation > Occurrence triggers based on ticket (donation inquiry) inactivity, Automated follow-up reminders.
  

11. WhatsApp Business API

• Feature/Setting: POST to /messages endpoint; trigger based on CRM data, Use message templates with donor name and last gift info.
  

12. Intercom

• Feature/Setting: Custom Bots; Trigger: Contact Segment (Previous Donors), Action: Messenger or Email Reminder.
  

13. Pipedrive

• Feature/Setting: Workflow Automation; Trigger on Donation deal status, Send personalized email task.
  

14. Constant Contact

• Feature/Setting: Automated Email Series; Triggered by contact fields, Dynamic personalization.
  

15. Klaviyo

• Feature/Setting: Flows > Metric trigger ("Donated"), Time delay, Email/SMS reminders.
  

16. Slack

• Feature/Setting: Scheduled reminders via Workflow Builder for internal donors or staff notifications.
  

17. Facebook Messenger API

• Feature/Setting: Recipient from church's donor database, Trigger on inactivity, Send template message via /messages endpoint.
  

18. Sage Intacct

• Feature/Setting: Smart Rules for Donor Management; Alert triggered by “Donation overdue,” Email integration.
  

19. QuickBooks Online

• Feature/Setting: Recurring Transaction Reminders or custom workflow apps, Email/SMS alerts.
  

20. Shopify

• Feature/Setting: Flow App automations; Donor tags or purchase history trigger, Email/SMS via integrated app.
  

21. Telegram Bot API

• Feature/Setting: Custom script triggered by donor inactivity; /sendMessage with personalized prompt.
  

22. Eventbrite

• Feature/Setting: Automated Email Reminders triggered when donors register but have not given lately, Template customization.
  

23. Airtable Automations

• Feature/Setting: Conditional triggers on “Last Donation” field; Send email or webhook action.
  

Benefits

1. Increases regular giving and sustains cash flow for church operations.

2. Reduces manual workload for church staff or volunteers.

3. Enhances donor engagement through timely, personalized communication.

4. Provides insights into optimal contact timing, improving future campaign effectiveness.

5. Supports multi-channel delivery to reach donors via preferred communication modes.