5 Science-Backed Strategies to Build Consistent Giving Habits in Your Place of Worship

Most faith donors aspire to give consistently as a reflection of their faith. But despite their best intentions, many struggle to make giving a habit. 

Yet, research shows that consistent giving is the foundation for a church’s growth. 

The good news: You can tap into this generosity. All you need are the right strategies. 

In this post, we’ll explore five science-backed strategies to help your donors turn their good intentions into lasting giving habits. 

The gap between donor aspiration and action 

For many faith donors, generosity is a spiritual practice and an expression of faith. Their primary goal is not necessarily to give more money but to give more consistently. 

One donor summarized this well: 

Donors want to grow in their faith, and giving consistently is one way in which they do that.  

Despite a strong desire to give regularly, many donors struggle to turn that intention into action. While 95% of donors say they want to give monthly, only 18% actually do, even with online and recurring giving options. 

This means the vast majority of donors aspire to be consistent but fall short. 

This gap presents an opportunity for pastors and faith leaders — to help donors bridge the divide between their giving aspirations and their actions. 

What this means for your church or place of worship 

Pastors and faith leaders are instrumental in inspiring generosity and spiritual growth. In fact, 82% of faith-based donors agree that giving is a core tenet of their faith. This is true because of what you teach and inspire. 

But even when you do everything right — preaching about generosity, demonstrating impact, and making giving accessible — many donors still struggle with consistency. 

Yet, research shows that consistent giving is the foundation for a church’s growth. 2 out of 10 donors who give monthly account for 70% of total giving, according to Nucleus’ Church Giving Statistics 2024 Report. 

Meanwhile, the remaining 8 out of 10 donors who give yearly or sporadically make up only 30% of total contributions. 

Why is that, and how can you encourage those 8 out of 10 donors to give more consistently? 

The challenge of consistent giving 

If faith leaders and their donors both want consistency, then why is it such a challenge to cultivate consistent giving habits among your congregation? 

It turns out that it’s not just about recurring giving, willpower, or remembering to give. 

It’s also not about what you preach. The data shows that pastors and faith leaders are already doing their part, as evidenced by donors’ overwhelming desire to give. 

So, what’s missing? 

The answer: Behavioral science principles that help people form lasting habits. 

5 proven strategies to cultivate consistent giving 

Our research, conducted in partnership with Texas A&M University, revealed that donors struggle with consistent giving because they lack structured habit-building strategies. 

Without a systematic approach and reinforcement, even the best intentions can fade over time. 

This is why industries like fitness, education, and finance use behavioral techniques to encourage consistency. The same principles can be applied to generosity. 

Here are five science-backed strategies to help you turn your donors’ aspirations into habits. 

1. Goal setting 

Setting goals acts as an internal commitment device to help donors stay accountable. Simply put, a commitment device is a strategy or tool that helps people stick to their goals. 

When someone sets a clear goal, they are making an internal promise. This increases the likelihood of them following through. 

One reason why this is true is due to the Goal Gradient Effect, which states that people are more motivated to complete a task once they’ve started, especially as they get closer to their goal. 

How you can apply it: 

• Encourage donors to set personal giving goals at the start of the year  

• Help them break down their annual goals into smaller, more achievable milestones 

2. Progress tracking 

Tracking progress provides motivation and accountability. According to Consistency Bias, people have an instinctual desire for steadiness and stability. 

Consistency Bias is the tendency for people to act in ways that match their past actions, beliefs, or commitments. Once someone makes a decision or takes a stance, they feel internal pressure to stay consistent with it. 

Tracking progress provides a visual reminder of past actions, making people more likely to continue a behavior to maintain alignment with their self-image. 

When donors see tangible progress, they begin to see themselves as consistent givers, making them more likely to continue giving. 

How you can apply it: 

• Encourage donors to track their giving and periodically check in on their progress toward their giving goals 

3. Streaks & nudges 

Psychological principles like Consistency Bias make people more likely to maintain habits once they start. Another principle that has this effect is Loss Aversion or the idea that losing progress feels worse than the pleasure of gaining something new. 

For example, if you find $20, you might feel happy for a moment. But if you lose $20, you’re likely to feel frustrated or upset for longer. 

Loss Aversion makes people more likely to keep a habit, like donating regularly, because they don’t want to lose their progress or break a streak. 

This is why streaks — tracking consecutive actions — and gentle nudges or reminders are powerful tools to reinforce behavior. Donors are less likely to break a giving streak because they don’t want to “lose” their progress or momentum. 

How you can apply it: 

• Encourage your donors to keep track of their giving streaks and help them celebrate their consistency 

• Send gentle reminders to help donors maintain their momentum and encourage them to keep giving 

4. Reflection & gratitude 

Research shows that when people reflect on their past generosity, they are more likely to give again. A 2012 academic study found that donors who were asked to reflect on their good deeds donated nearly twice as much to charity compared to those who reflected on bad deeds or neutral topics. 

This is because when people reflect on their goodness, they start to see themselves as good people. Since people like to stay true to their self-image, they’re more likely to keep acting generously. 

Gratitude is also a powerful reinforcer. Studies in positive psychology show that expressing gratitude has a positive effect on people and increases the likelihood of their generosity. 

How you can apply it: 

• Share impact stories that connect donations to real change 

• Encourage donors to reflect on why they give and how it aligns with their faith 

5. Recognition 

While donors don’t give to be seen, recognition can be a powerful motivator — when done thoughtfully and in alignment with their values. 

Research in behavioral psychology shows that acknowledging a person’s efforts reinforces their behavior, making them more likely to repeat it. When people feel that their contributions matter, they experience a sense of accomplishment and purpose, which strengthens their commitment to giving. 

However, recognition must be meaningful and personal. A generic thank-you may not be enough, but a sincere acknowledgment that connects their generosity to real impact can deepen their motivation to continue giving. 

How you can apply it: 

• Send personalized thank-you messages or videos to your donors 

• Offer customized recognition options, allowing donors to opt-in to public or private acknowledgments 

These behavioral strategies are widely used across industries like fitness, education, and productivity. Apps like Nike’s running app use streaks, goal tracking, and progress rewards to encourage consistency among its users. 

Similarly, the popular language learning app, Duolingo, gamifies learning with streaks, reminders, and rewards to sustain engagement. 

Churches and places of worship can apply these same behavioral principles to cultivate consistent generosity in their congregations. 

Turning intentions into lasting generosity 

Helping donors give consistently isn’t just about what you preach or encouraging recurring giving — it requires structured, habit-building strategies. 

Pastors and faith leaders can leverage behavioral science-backed techniques such as goal setting, progress tracking, streaks, gratitude, and recognition to create lasting generosity. 

By integrating these approaches, churches and faith organizations can: 

• Empower donors to meet their giving goals 

• Increase financial sustainability for their organization 

• Strengthen their community’s commitment to generosity 

Consider implementing these simple strategies to cultivate a culture of consistent generosity in your congregation.