From Christmas donor to monthly donor: the Belgian guide

How to offer monthly giving to Christmas donors in Belgium: donation page, timing, thank you, promises to avoid and the confirmed tax benefit.

In short A Christmas donor is a moment of generosity, a monthly donor is a relationship. Offer monthly giving on the donation page, next to the one-off gift, and never push it. Say thank you within 48 hours, promise little and keep everything. The tax benefit only exists if your association is approved.

this article describes the rules in Belgium.

Every December, people who did not know you yesterday give for the first time. Many will not return, because nobody simply invited them to carry on. This guide shows how to present monthly giving with respect, when to offer it, what to write in the thank you and which promises to avoid. To build the campaign itself, read our Christmas campaign ideas.

Why offer monthly giving at Christmas

Christmas brings warm, available donors. A monthly gift turns that momentum into regular support, on which your team can plan its meals, parcels or guidance all year long.

For the donor, the appeal is concrete too: a small amount each month weighs less on the budget than one large gift in December. Still, never present monthly giving as an obligation. The one-off gift remains a normal and respectable choice, and it must stay just as visible.

One-off or monthly on the donation page

On the WeGlow.world donation page, the donor chooses between a one-off and a monthly gift, each with its own amounts. You can even add a small label to each amount, for example "a hot meal".

The process has three steps: the amount, the details (first name and email address required), then the summary. It also works on a phone, which matters at Christmas, when many gifts arrive from a sofa.

  • Offer three modest monthly amounts, for example €5, €10 and €15.
  • Keep the one-off amounts higher, for example €25, €50 and €100.
  • Tie each amount to a concrete effect, without guaranteeing it to the letter.
  • Keep the choice between one-off and monthly clearly visible, with no pre-ticked box.

Glowie, the WeGlow.world assistant, can prepare a draft donation form that you review and confirm before it goes online. You stay in control of every word.

When to offer monthly giving

There are three natural moments, from the most discreet to the most direct. It is better to pick two or three than to repeat the request everywhere.

  • On the donation page: from the start, as an option next to the one-off gift.
  • In the thank you: one gentle sentence, with no new pressing request.
  • In January: a follow-up message, one to three weeks after the campaign ends, with real news.

Avoid asking the monthly question at the exact moment the donor has just given, with a window that blocks the process. Someone who has just said yes to €25 does not want to see the deal reopened a minute later.

The thank you email that opens the door

The thank you is the first message a new donor receives. WeGlow.world sends an automatic thank you after a gift if your association has written a thank you text. So prepare it before launch, otherwise nothing will go out.

Here is a template to adapt. The names and figures are invented: replace them with your own.

Subject: Thank you, {{first name}}, your gift has arrived
Button: See what your gift makes possible

Hello {{first name}},
Thank you. Thanks to your gift, our volunteers can prepare hot meals for families in our neighbourhood this winter.
If you feel like supporting us for longer, a small monthly gift, for example €5 a month, helps us plan all year. It is entirely optional and you remain free to stop at any time, as set out on the donation page.
We will write to you in January to tell you what happened.
Warmly,
The team at [name of the association]

For complete texts across the whole campaign, see our examples of Christmas emails to donors. Fundraising messages require the recipients' consent, with an unsubscribe link in every message.

What you can promise, and what you cannot

A monthly donor trusts you over time. Your honesty weighs more than the most polished wording.

You can promise what you control: a quick thank you, news on announced dates, an honest account of how gifts were used. Announce those dates and keep them.

Avoid what you do not control.

  • A guaranteed result for every euro given ("€5 saves a life").
  • An imposed duration or cancellation conditions you have not written down.
  • A tax reduction you cannot confirm for your association.
  • Something in return for the gift, which would stop it being a true donation.

Also write clearly how to stop. A monthly gift that can be easily interrupted inspires more trust than a vague commitment.

The tax benefit: only as confirmed

In Belgium, for gifts made since 1 January 2025, the tax benefit is 30% of the amount on the tax certificate. You need at least €40 a year per institution, and the association must be approved by the Minister of Finance or named in the law.

The gift must be final, with nothing given in return. For the year-end payment deadline, confirm the rule with FPS Finance. The national register number has been needed since 1 January 2024 to issue the certificate, and you may only ask for it for that purpose.

For a monthly gift, check with FPS Finance how payments within one year add up before writing a precise promise. Also read our guide to the tax certificate for Christmas gifts.

If your association is not approved, mention no tax benefit at all. With WeGlow.world, the association sends the certificates in one click to all eligible donors, but sending is not automatic: allow for that time in your March or April calendar.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

The WeGlow.world Christmas experiences are still at concept stage until the official launch. In the Glow Room, a 3D living room with a Christmas tree, every gift becomes a decoration on the tree: a warm setting to welcome one-off and monthly donors together.

You can also invite your supporters to start their own action page, which widens your circle effortlessly. Create your donation page and try it: start free with an account.

Frequently asked questions

Should I offer monthly giving from the very first page?

Yes, as a clear option next to the one-off gift. The donor then chooses at their own pace, with no pressure or surprise.

What monthly amount should I suggest?

Stay modest, for example €5, €10 and €15 a month. Adapt these amounts to your audience and to what each sum concretely makes possible.

What do I say to a donor who declines monthly giving?

Thank them exactly like the others. Their one-off gift is precious, and they can receive your news later, with the same respect.

Does a monthly gift qualify for a tax reduction?

Only if your association is approved, and under the rules confirmed by FPS Finance: 30%, from €40 a year per institution. Check the details with FPS Finance.

Can the thank you go to everyone?

The thank you follows directly after a gift. For anything after that, fundraising messages need the recipient's consent, with an unsubscribe link in every email.

Sources

Official sources, checked on 9 October 2026:

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