Frequently Asked Question

Should I give regularly recurring donations or one-off (e.g. yearly)?

Answer

Considerations in favour of recurring donations

  • Allows us to more accurately predict future donations and pass this information on to the fund managers and charities so that they know how much money they are likely to have available in the future.
  • Most donors who do not donate monthly choose to donate at the end of the year. Having money available throughout the year allows fund managers and charities more flexibility to respond to excellent opportunities as they become available.
  • Many donors find it easier to hit their donation targets if the money is donated automatically.

Considerations in favour of yearly donations

  • Allows donors time to gain more information and decide on the most effective donation option.
  • Donors who receive large yearly bonuses will have more information about how much they can donate if they donate yearly.

In general, we prefer that most donors who plan to use Giving What We Can for a large portion of their donations set up recurring donations. Donors who may have higher impact alternatives or who receive large yearly bonuses should consider yearly donations instead (or as well).

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