Acknowledge existing donors who make the initial payment for a recurring donation.
For example, Avery is an existing donor who previously made a first-ever donation. Avery creates a new recurring donation schedule and makes the initial payment on that schedule. Your organization can acknowledge that initial payment in a special way.
Automate & Save Time
To acknowledge initial payments for recurring donations, create a simple automation and let Bloomerang do the work for you.
How It Works
Use Journey Automation to create an Initial Recurring Donation automation. Donors automatically enter this automation if they:
Are active individual constituents
Already made a first-ever payment (first payment on their timeline)
Make their initial payment on a new recurring donation schedule after you publish the automation
You can create a general Initial Recurring Donation automation for any amount, fund, campaign, or appeal. Or, create multiple Initial Recurring Donation automations customized for different segments, such as:
Donors who donate $5,000 or more
Donors who donate to your Fix the Roof fund.
Donors who donate any other amount for any fund, campaign, or appeal
When you create this type of automation, you select the Initial Recurring Donation entry source. This entry source has built-in rules and optional filters that define how the automation works and how constituents qualify to enter the automation. Read more about the Initial Recurring Donation entry source.
Priority also affects whether a constituent qualifies to enter an automation. First Ever Donation automations take priority over Initial Recurring Donation automations. Read more about automation priority.
Before You Begin
Review emails that you currently send to donors, such as confirmation emails and online payment confirmation receipts. For each email, make sure the purpose type is Receipt, not Acknowledgement.
If you currently use scheduled emails to acknowledge donors, plan how automations will replace those emails.
If your automation will include emails other than an acknowledgment, decide which email interests and email purposes to use for those emails.
(Recommended, but optional) To save time, create templates for initial recurring donations at Communications > Emails before you create the automation and emails.
Create an Automation for Initial Recurring Donations
To create an Initial Recurring Donation automation, you can:
Start quickly: Edit the example Initial Recurring Donation automation. This draft appears if your organization has never created a draft Initial Recurring Donation automation. A guide also appears that walks you through how to set up a Recurring Donor Onboarding Journey. You can follow the guide or set up the automation how you’d like.
Start from scratch: Create an Initial Recurring Donation automation from scratch.
To create an Initial Recurring Donation automation:
Click Communications.
Click Journey Automation.
Do one of the following:
To start quickly:
In the Donor Lifecycle > Current Donor Automations section, click the Convert to Recurring Donor Journey draft automation. If you don’t see this draft automation, go to Step 3b to start from scratch.
Click the three vertical dots and then click Edit.
To start from scratch:
Click New Automation.
Name your automation and click Save.
In the settings for that automation, click Choose an Entry Source.
In the Donor Lifecycle > Current Donors section, select Initial Recurring Donation.
(Optional) To use the donation amount to control which donors enter this automation:
Click Amount.
From the drop-down list, select an option: Any Amount, More Than or Equal To, Less Than or Equal To, or In Between.
If you selected a range, enter an Amount.
(Optional) To use funds, campaigns, and appeals to control which donors enter this automation:
Click Funds, Campaigns, and Appeals.
Select any funds, campaign, and appeals. Donors enter the automation if their donation matches at least one selection in each category. If you don’t make selections in a category, the donation can match any in that category.
Click Save. The automation saves as a draft.
To edit the entry source before you publish the automation, click the three vertical dots and then click Edit.
Add Steps: Email Actions, Time Delays, Task Actions, and a Relationship Manager Action
Next, one or more steps to your automation. At least one step must be an action.
Add an email action for each email in a series.
Add a time delay before each email action to control when Bloomerang sends each email.
Assign task actions to remind a staff member to contact the constituent.
Assign a relationship manager to the constituent.
Test the Automation
You can send test emails from an automation before you publish it. This is an optional step, but we recommend it.
Publish the Automation
When you’re ready for donors to enter the automation, click Publish.
If you have multiple automations for the Initial Recurring Donation entry source, you must order the automations by priority before you publish. Read how to prioritize and publish automations.
Next Steps: Manage Automations
After you publish an automation, you can monitor participation, manage automations, view emails sent by automations, and view tasks assigned by automations. Read Manage Automations.
Example Automation for Initial Recurring Donations
In this example, you create an Initial Recurring Donation automation personalized for major donors. The automation has an entry source with these settings:
Entry source: Initial Recurring Donation
Entry source filter: Amount is more than or equal to $5,000
The automation has these steps:
Automation Step | Description |
Email action | Email a donation acknowledgement personalized for major donors. Welcome them to the recurring gift club.
Arrives: One day after the initial donation (because of the 24-hour hold) |
Task action | Assign a task to Anne Smith to call these major donors or send a mobile video acknowledgement within three days.
Happens: A few days after the initial donation |
Time delay | Wait 30 more days |
Email action | Email an impact report.
Arrives: One month after the initial donation |
Time delay | Wait 60 more days |
Email action | Email an exclusive update with insider access and behind-the-scenes content.
Arrives: Three months after the initial donation |
Time delay | Wait 90 more days |
Task action | Assign a task to Anne Smith to call these major donors to ask for feedback and assess their engagement.
Happens: Six months after the initial donation |
Time delay | Wait 90 more days |
Email action | Email a nine-month milestone celebration that includes a cumulative impact report and upgrade opportunity.
Arrives: Nine months after the initial donation |