Recurring gift

Understand the route

How this gift works

A recurring gift is a payment authorization for an amount charged on a schedule. Starting the schedule is different from each payment succeeding. Your account or the organization’s donor-care team should provide a way to change the amount, update the payment method or cancel future charges. Exact controls depend on its processor.

Background: American Red Cross: an example of donation and account processes IRS: charitable contributions and records

Who does what

• You authorize the schedule and keep it current.
• The processor attempts each scheduled payment.
• The organization handles questions and acknowledges received gifts.

These guides describe giving in the U.S. The receiving organization’s policies and your provider’s current instructions set the actual process.

Who this may fit

Supporters who prefer steady, predictable giving.

Before you begin

Gather these details before starting the process. You do not need to have every answer before talking with the organization.

The route at a glance

1. Choose an amount and frequency.
2. Start the schedule through the organization's approved processor.
3. Update or cancel through the same processor whenever you need to.

From intention to confirmation

The process, step by step

1. Check the schedule

   Confirm whether the gift repeats monthly, quarterly or on another interval. Review the first charge date and any additional fee that would also repeat.

2. Authorize through the organization

   Use its official giving page or authorized staff process. Read the recurring terms, including how to change or cancel, before submitting.

3. Save the management route

   Keep the account link or donor-care contact. Check that the confirmation shows the intended amount and frequency.

4. Review actual payments

   Watch the first charge and later confirmations. If a card expires or a bank payment fails, update the existing schedule rather than opening a duplicate.

5. Change or stop deliberately

   Request the change through the same processor or donor-care team. Ask when it takes effect and retain cancellation confirmation before assuming the next charge has stopped.

These steps keep your place in the guide. Confirm progress with the organization and provider.

Confirm it. Keep the records.

Confirm that the schedule is correct and the first intended payment succeeded. Check later payments too, including after any change or cancellation.

• The original recurring authorization.
• Payment confirmations and any annual acknowledgment.
• Written confirmation of amount changes, pauses or cancellation.

Important distinctions

• Cancellation of future charges and refund of an earlier charge are separate requests. Ask the organization about both when needed.
• A failed charge may be retried by the processor. Check its status before making a replacement payment.

Check the applicable rules: American Red Cross: an example of donation and account processes IRS: charitable contributions and records

A few more useful answers