From Christmas donor to monthly donor: how to do it

How to turn a one-off Christmas donor into a monthly donor in the Netherlands, and why that differs from a periodic gift over 5 years.

In short A Christmas donor often gives once, but with the right moment, a small ask and a warm thank-you you can move them to monthly giving. Put one-off and monthly side by side on your donation page. A monthly payment is not the same as a 5-year periodic gift, which requires a written agreement.

this article describes the rules in the Netherlands.

Why a Christmas donor is a good candidate

Someone who gives in December has just decided that your cause matters to them. That feeling is strongest in the days after the gift. A second ask in that period feels like a logical follow-up, not a request out of the blue.

It is a small step: from a gift of €25 to €5 a month, for example. Some Christmas donors do not know that monthly giving is possible. So mostly you need to show that the choice exists and what it achieves.

One-off and monthly on the same donation page

On the WeGlow.world donation page, a donor chooses between giving once and giving monthly. Both options have their own amounts, and you can add a label to each amount, such as "a warm meal". That shows straight away what a gift means.

Make the one-off gift the default, so nobody feels ambushed. Next to it, add a monthly option with lower amounts. A donor considering €30 once sees €5 a month and thinks: I can do that every year.

The page works in three steps: amount, personal details and an overview. It also works on a phone, which is where many Christmas donors arrive via a link or email. You can start for free with an account on WeGlow.world to try this out.

One-off, monthly and periodic: three different things

A monthly payment is an arrangement about how often money leaves an account. A periodic gift is a tax concept with its own conditions. So you cannot simply equate "monthly" with "periodic". Explain that, because donors mix up the two.

One-off gift: an ordinary gift. For a deduction, a threshold of 1% of the threshold income applies, with a minimum of €60.
Monthly payment: a recurring monthly gift. We make no promise about its tax treatment: ask the Dutch tax authority (Belastingdienst).
Periodic gift: the same amount for five calendar years in a row, set out in a written agreement.

What the Belastingdienst says about the periodic gift

For a periodic gift, no threshold applies. The maximum is €1,500,000 a year for 2026. The conditions: the same amount to the same institution every year, paid over 5 calendar years in a row, with nothing received in return.

The gift must be recorded in a notarial deed or a written agreement. You may draw that up yourself. Gifts made before the agreement was signed do not count as a periodic gift. So it is a separate document, not a tick box on a donation page.

If the agreement does not state that the gift stops in case of unemployment or a comparable circumstance, it becomes an ordinary gift. So let the donor choose that consciously.

Does a monthly payment fit within a periodic gift?

The Belastingdienst rules speak of the same amount every year. Whether a donor may pay that amount in twelve monthly parts and still keep the deduction, we have not found confirmed. So do not promise it.

Ask the Belastingdienst, or have your organisation consult an adviser. Until then, say only what is certain: a monthly payment is a recurring gift, and a periodic gift requires a written agreement.

Only an ANBI gives a deduction

A gift is deductible from income tax if it goes to an ANBI (a charity with public benefit status), a cultural ANBI or an SBBI. An ordinary gift to an association without ANBI status is not deductible. A donor can check the status via "ANBI opzoeken" on the Belastingdienst website.

Not an ANBI? Then do not promise a deduction, not even for a monthly gift. Write about the effect of the amount instead. You can read more about year-end rules in year-end gifts and ANBI.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

You have a donation page with one-off and monthly amounts. You can also choose a Christmas experience that makes giving visible. These experiences are still a concept until the official launch, so do not announce them as live.

In the Starry Sky every gift becomes a star and you fly from star to star. That suits monthly giving: a donor can imagine their contribution getting a place in the sky every month. Also look at the Glow Room, where every gift becomes a decoration on the Christmas tree.

Supporters can also start their own campaign page for your Christmas campaign. A friend who shares such a page brings in new Christmas donors whom you can then invite to give monthly. You can start for free with an account on WeGlow.world.

The thank-you moment: the bridge to monthly giving

A Christmas donor who has just given is open to your message. Use that moment. Set a thank-you text on WeGlow.world, so donors automatically get a message after their gift. Not every organisation has filled in that text, so check your own settings.

Say concretely what the gift did, and add one sentence: "Want to make this possible all year? You can, from €5 a month." Nothing more. Do not ask for five things in the same email.

A plan in six weeks

You do not need a big programme. You do need a fixed order, so the monthly ask comes at the right moment.

Weeks 1 and 2: set up the monthly option and amounts on your donation page, with labels on each amount.
Weeks 3 and 4: run your Christmas campaign, and gently ask for monthly giving in your thank-you text.
Week 5: send donors who gave consent a personal message. Without consent, you do not email.
Week 6: thank your monthly donors separately, within 48 hours of their first payment if you can.

You will find examples of the email itself in Christmas email for donors in the Netherlands. Ideas for the campaign itself are in Christmas fundraising ideas in the Netherlands.

Emailing: only with consent

For digital direct marketing, assume you need consent, and that every message has a simple way to unsubscribe. According to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens), the exception for charities concerns contact by telephone, not email. The sender must be able to prove consent.

Unsure about your own situation? Ask the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. That is better than a mailing without consent behind it.

Frequently asked questions

Is a monthly gift the same as a periodic gift?

No. A monthly gift is a recurring payment every month. A periodic gift requires the same amount for 5 calendar years and a written agreement or notarial deed.

Does a donor need an agreement for a monthly gift?

For a deduction as a periodic gift, a written agreement or notarial deed is needed. A donation page alone is not enough for that.

What is a good monthly amount?

That is up to you. Choose a few low amounts, for example €5, €10 and €15, and give each amount a label. After a few weeks, test which amount is chosen most often.

Does a donor get a tax benefit on a monthly gift?

Only if you are an ANBI, and then under the rules for an ordinary or periodic gift. The exact deduction depends on the donor's income. Refer donors to the Belastingdienst.

May I invite my Christmas donors to give monthly?

By email only with consent. On your donation page and in your thank-you text you may show the choice. That way nobody has to receive an unsolicited message.

Sources

The rules above come from official pages, checked on 9 October 2026. For your own situation, ask the Belastingdienst for advice.