The argument that subscription economics are "the future of charity" is bizarre. It's the present and past of charity.
From the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders to the ASPCA and American Cancer Society, it's virtually impossible to find a large charitable organization that doesn't offer donors the ability to make recurring donations. Most donation forms (online and paper) include a highly-visible opt in for recurring donations.
Watsi may or may not be an innovative organization, but it is hardly pioneering the recurring donation model and the notion that established charities aren't dedicating resources to optimizing their recurring donations just isn't accurate.
The reason most charities/non-profits have trouble raising funds is not that they don't ask for recurring donations; it's that they don't have the resources to compete effectively for donors in the first place.
Excellent analysis. I can't believe they don't solicit a recurring donation to the universal fund immediately after a one time donationd! The donor is clearly already in the giving mindset.
I wonder how this SaaS "subscription" giving model would work for non profits that don't have a humanitarian mission. The model seems well suited to open source projects or advocacy groups.
Hey there, Thomas from Watsi here. We actually used to have a "Donate monthly" checkout during the one-time donation flow, but in the several months that the checkbox was live, I think exactly one person ever checked it. We also have a link to the Universal Fund after you make a one-time donation, and that's seen good conversions.
That said, I definitely agree that there are other ways to solicit a donor to join the Universal Fund during / after a one-time donation. Our next idea for a test is to add a quick option immediately after a one-time donation that let's you sign up right there, something like, "Donate $5 every month! [Yes] / [No]".
From the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders to the ASPCA and American Cancer Society, it's virtually impossible to find a large charitable organization that doesn't offer donors the ability to make recurring donations. Most donation forms (online and paper) include a highly-visible opt in for recurring donations.
Watsi may or may not be an innovative organization, but it is hardly pioneering the recurring donation model and the notion that established charities aren't dedicating resources to optimizing their recurring donations just isn't accurate.
The reason most charities/non-profits have trouble raising funds is not that they don't ask for recurring donations; it's that they don't have the resources to compete effectively for donors in the first place.