Rescue Mission Sustainers: 5 Key Findings from the Latest Donor Research

What Rescue Mission donors told us about faith, connection and the path to sustainable giving 

From Victoria Mannoia, Strategist/Senior Account Director 

What motivates a Rescue Mission donor to break their pattern of behavior and become a sustainer? 

It is an important question. Sustainers can provide more dependable revenue, greater donor lifetime value and a stronger foundation for long-term growth. But developing an effective monthly giving program requires more than adding a recurring-gift option to a donation form. 

It requires a deep understanding of the donor. 

That is why BDI commissioned an in-depth research study focused specifically on Rescue Mission sustainers and the donor journey from individual gifts to ongoing generosity. We are going all in to learn directly from donors what motivates a recurring commitment, what creates hesitation and what kind of experience could help Rescue Missions grow and retain more sustainers. 

I am so excited to share the results of this critical research study with you today!  

Background: BDI’s Rescue Mission Sustainer Research Study   

BDI designed this research to answer one central question: 

What catapults a donor into transformational connection with a rescue mission and how can we help rescue missions upgrade their donor relationships? 

We built this study as a new layer on top of the quantitative marketing research circulating. This qualitative review is compiled of extended, one-on-one interviews that allowed donors to explain their experiences, beliefs, motivations and concerns in their own words. 

This included in-depth interviews across two distinct groups: 

• Donors referred through BDI Rescue Mission client partners  

• Donors recruited from a national research panel  

This structure was intentional. It allowed the study to include people with established connections to BDI client Missions, while also bringing in perspectives from a broader national donor audience. The participant pool included both one-time and recurring donors to Rescue Missions and was screened across demographic and lifestyle characteristics.  

Profile of Panel Respondents   

The interviews were designed to uncover: 

• The journey from one-time donor to Rescue Mission sustainer  

• The emotional and practical motivations behind monthly giving  

• Barriers that keep donors from making a recurring commitment  

• Messages that could prompt donors to consider becoming sustainers  

• Expectations for recognition, stewardship and impact reporting  

• The influence of faith, age, geography, market size and relationship history  

• Benefits, experiences and program features that could support conversion and retention  

The research team then conducted a detailed content analysis to identify common themes in donor motivations and behavior. The study also considered differences related to geography, Mission market size, donor relationship and type of giving, with findings translated into recommendations for Rescue Mission sustainer messaging, acquisition, conversion, upgrades, reactivation and long-term stewardship. 

In the end, what emerged was a clearer picture of what Rescue Mission donors need before they are ready to activate greater generosity partnership. 

Due to the qualitative nature of this study, the value of our findings lie in recurring themes, donor language and decision-making patterns that can inform your Mission’s program development and identify insights around how today’s donors engage.  And one conclusion came through consistently: 

Sustainable giving is a relationship pathway that strengthens a donor’s connection to the Mission, creating opportunities for deeper engagement and generosity over time. 

I’m excited to share what we learned, and what these findings mean for Rescue Missions seeking to grow sustainable giving. 

Here are the five key findings from BDI’s Rescue Mission sustainer research study. 

Finding #1: Faith Shaped the Path to Becoming a Rescue Mission Sustainer

For many of the donors we interviewed, generosity began long before they made their first gift to a Rescue Mission. 

It began in church. 

Most respondents connected their earliest memories of charitable giving to supporting their church. Some remembered placing money from their parents into the offering. Others remembered giving money they had earned themselves. Around one-third described generosity as a behavior modeled by parents, grandparents or other family members.  

A few respondents shared: 

“My family tithed and in grade school I also began giving to church.” 

“Not everything needs to be faith-based but I have more trust in things that are connected to my church, denomination, and programs.” 

These early experiences helped shape the way donors understood generosity as an expression of gratitude, faith, responsibility and care for others. 

Nearly two-thirds of respondents said it was important to them to support faith-based organizations. Even when their current faith practices varied, many donors associated faith-based organizations with shared values, greater trust and meaningful life change.  

Faith also played an important role in how donors first encountered a Rescue Mission. Around half said they originally became aware of the Mission they support through their church. In some cases, a Mission leader spoke to the congregation. In others, church members volunteered or introduced the donor to the organization’s work. 

For Rescue Missions, faith may be a key part of the donor’s generosity story. 

That means faith-forward sustainer messaging should clearly demonstrate how faith is being put into action through compassion, restoration, dignity and tangible change in the lives of vulnerable neighbors. 

It should also reinforce trust. Donors want to know that the Mission shares their values, stewards resources responsibly and is creating the kind of life-changing impact they feel called to support. 

When Rescue Mission sustainers see their faith and values reflected authentically in the work, monthly giving can become a consistent expression of who they are and what they believe. 

Finding #2: Personal Experiences Turn Interest Into Commitment

Rescue Mission donors rarely described their relationships with Missions in purely financial terms. 

They talked about volunteering. They talked about people they knew. They remembered encountering someone whose life had been affected by homelessness. They described hearing a Mission leader speak at their church or seeing the needs of their community firsthand.  

One donor explained: 

“The director of the organization did attend our church, so we would hear him speak many times about the mission. I knew the man and his wife, and so I trusted what they were doing” 

These personal experiences often created pivotal moments in the donor journey. 

A volunteer shift can make the need feel immediate and real. A church presentation can establish credibility. A conversation with a staff member can make a large organization feel more human. A story about a neighbor finding stability can turn homelessness from an abstract community concern into a cause someone feels personally called to support. 

Volunteer activity emerged as an especially important connection point. Around two-thirds of respondents discussed volunteer work they had done, and many described volunteering as one of the primary ways they stayed involved with a Rescue Mission.  

These experiences matter because monthly giving is most likely to happen where donors feel personally connected. About half of respondents already supported at least one charity through recurring gifts, and their decisions were often tied to personal relationships, meaningful communications or firsthand experiences with the organization.  

When donors volunteer, attend an event, respond to an appeal, engage with a story or demonstrate repeated interest in the Mission, those actions can signal the opportunity to engage them in your sustainer program. 

For Rescue Missions, that means understanding where each donor is in their relationship with your Mission and using the signals they provide to communicate with greater relevance. This could include their giving history, volunteer activity, event participation, content engagement and other areas of interest.  

At BDI, we call this relationship at scale. It is the ability to create a donor experience that feels personal and timely across a large audience, without building every communication one donor at a time. 

It goes far beyond inserting someone’s first name into an email. It means using what donors have shown you about who they are, what they care about and how they engage to deliver the right message, through the right channel, at the right point in their journey. 

Finding #3: Rescue Mission Sustainers Want Connection, Transparency, and Proof of Impact  

Donors want to know that their gifts are doing something real. 

The Rescue Mission donors we interviewed valued stories of personal transformation, but they also wanted clear and transparent information. They wanted to understand how money was being used, what specific needs their gifts were meeting and what was changing because donors consistently showed up. 

Many respondents said they research an organization before making a monthly giving commitment. They look for financial accountability, responsible stewardship and evidence that their support will reach the people and programs they care about.  

Once they give, they want to hear what happened next. 

Donors shared: 

“I don’t need to be recognized. I want the follow-up. That’s the connection.” 

“The people I partner with have had such long-lasting relationships with me. They know what I like and what I need. That’s something that could set gospel mission organizations apart from others.” 

Others asked for updates, photographs, progress reports and information about what the organization hoped to accomplish over the next six to 12 months. Some respondents expressed concern about organizations spending too much on mailings, gifts or benefits when those resources could be used to serve people in need. 

The research suggests that Rescue Mission sustainers want to feel like informed insiders. They want transparent communication, increased access and a sense that they are part of the cause.  

Ultimately, donors today wanted to understand what their generosity had helped make possible. Your donors want to trust you. In today’s economy, trust is the new currency.  

To maintain and build your donor’s trust, you need a personal and connected donor experience specifically developed for sustained recurring givers.  

That experience might include: 

• A sincere and timely thank-you  

• Clear reporting on the impact of monthly gifts  

• Authentic stories from inside the Mission  

• Information about upcoming needs and initiatives  

• Personal communication that recognizes the donor’s consistency  

• Opportunities to remain involved beyond financial giving  

Apart from your fundraising asks, sustainers should hear about progress, challenges, plans and lives being changed. Their commitment should lead to a deeper relationship with the Mission. 

Finding #4: Donors Need Flexibility and Control   

Convenience is one of the clearest advantages to monthly and sustainer giving. 

Around half of respondents in the study said donors might choose to give monthly because recurring gifts are automatic and easy. For some, “set it and forget it” is exactly the experience they want. It prevents them from forgetting to give and allows them to support the Mission consistently without taking action each month.  

But for other donors, this “set it and forget it” mentality was a roadblock to their giving.  

Respondents expressed concerns about uncertain income, changing financial circumstances and the ability to respond when another organization or urgent need captures their attention. Some wanted to decide exactly when they gave. Others wanted control over the amount, timing or designation of each gift. 

One donor explained: 

“I prefer to donate on my schedule and specifying where the funds go rather than giving to a general fund.” 

For these donors, automatic giving can feel like a loss of intentionality. They may worry that they will forget about the gift, lose control of their budget or have less freedom to support other causes. 

This does not mean they are opposed to the Mission or unwilling to give consistently. It means the monthly giving experience being offered does not yet fit the way they want to practice generosity. 

A donor-centered Rescue Mission sustainer program should address these concerns directly. 

Donors should know that they can: 

• Change their monthly gift amount  

• Update their payment method  

• Pause or adjust their giving  

• Cancel without difficulty  

• Make additional gifts when a special need moves them  

• Choose the frequency and types of communications they receive  

The research findings also point to giving sustainers greater ability to personalize their experience, including the frequency of giving, communication preferences, additional gift options and the benefits they choose to receive.  

For example, a Mission might clearly tell potential sustainers: 

You remain in control of your giving. You can change or pause your gift at any time. 

That reassurance removes an important barrier. It tells donors that a recurring commitment does not mean surrendering their agency. Giving donors more control can create the trust required for a long-term commitment to begin. 

Finding #5: Many Potential Sustainers Feel Like They’ve Never Been Truly Asked   

Out of all five findings in this study, this one was perhaps the most surprising.  

Many Rescue Mission donors did not remember receiving a direct invitation to give monthly. 

50% of respondents felt they had been asked only indirectly – through a checkbox, donation form or other mass communication. Another 41.7% said they had never been asked. Only 8.3% recalled a direct invitation to become a sustainer. 

Donors shared: 

“I would give monthly if asked. I believe in the need for that type of support in my local area.” 

“I want there to be intent behind it, thought behind it. I like more of a connection.” 

My immediate response to this feedback was, we ask donors to give all the time. What do they mean when they say they were never asked.  

To the donor, the monthly giving option may have been available. A donor may have seen “Give Monthly” beside “Give Once” on a form. They may have received a mailing or email that briefly referenced recurring support. 

But this is not the same as a personal invitation. 

Among respondents who remembered being asked, nearly all described an impersonal request through email, direct mail or a website form rather than a personal, relevant invitation. More than half of those who said they had not been asked indicated that they might be likely to give monthly if someone invited them. 

A checkbox is awareness, not an ask. 

A meaningful invitation to become a Rescue Mission sustainer should help the donor understand: 

• Why dependable monthly support matters  

• What their sustained generosity can accomplish  

• Why they may be a good fit for this type of commitment  

• How monthly giving connects to the relationship they already have with the Mission  

• How they can remain in control of their gift  

The invitation should feel relevant to the donor’s journey. 

Someone who has volunteered repeatedly may receive a different invitation from someone who has just made a first gift. A long-term donor may be ready to hear how converting an existing pattern of giving into monthly support can help the Mission plan ahead. Someone who responds to a particular area of ministry may need to see how sustained generosity advances that work throughout the year. 

Not every invitation must happen face-to-face. But it should feel personal and intentional. 

This is where integrated donor data, thoughtful segmentation and triggered communication can make a significant difference. They allow Missions to move beyond broad, one-size-fits-all appeals and invite donors at moments when monthly giving is most relevant. 

What These Findings Mean for Rescue Mission Sustainer Programs 

Taken together, the five findings point to a much larger opportunity: Rescue Missions need an integrated system for sustainable generosity. 

A strong Rescue Mission sustainer program should connect giving to the entire donor experience. 

It should recognize important moments in the donor journey and respond accordingly. It should make monthly giving consistently visible, while ensuring the invitation remains personal and relevant. It should give sustainers the flexibility they need and the connected, transparent experience they expect. 

For BDI’s clients, we help identify several ways these insights can be activated through our Annual Sustainer Program. This includes building strategic, integrated pathways in our client’s fundraising programs so they can… 

• Reach people at the right moments in their donor journeys. 

• Have an established a system for triggered, segmented communications. 

• Make the option of monthly giving unavoidable beyond the broad, one-size-fits-all experience. 

• Give sustainers personalized attention and an insider experience that is not occurring within their mass-market program. 

This requires thinking beyond a single appeal or isolated digital campaign. 

An accelerator campaign may create a focused moment for conversion. Quarterly invitations may keep sustained giving visible. An optimized donation form may remove friction. But those tactics become more powerful when they are purposed within an always-on program that continues before, during and after the recurring gift. 

Sustainable Giving is Relationship Reciprocity 

The most encouraging message from this research is that Rescue Mission donors do not need to be convinced that your work matters. 

Many already care deeply about homelessness, hunger and the needs of vulnerable neighbors. They feel gratitude for the blessings in their own lives and a responsibility to help others.  

The opportunity for Rescue Mission is to help donors express that commitment in a way that is grounded in trust, and feels personal, transparent, flexible and meaningful. 

When we do that well, monthly giving becomes much more than predictable revenue. 

It becomes what we call Relationship Reciprocity: The donor commits to showing up consistently for the Mission. In return, the Mission commits to knowing, informing, appreciating and involving that donor. 

As that relationship deepens over time, donor lifetime value grows, turning consistent monthly generosity into compounding revenue that provides significantly more funding for the Mission’s work. 

Trust grows. Connection deepens. The donor sees more clearly what their generosity is accomplishing. The Mission gains more dependable resources to plan, respond and serve. And an individual monthly gift transforms into an ongoing investment for long-term ministry impact. 

That is the real power of Rescue Mission sustainers. 

Sustainable giving creates a pathway from sporatic and transactional generosity, to generosity on mission, where sustainers can continue growing in engagement, commitment and generosity over time.