Charity doesn't have to be expensive.

The term charity can mean a lot of different things to different people. For some, it's a constant, stated commitment of their time and energy—like volunteering with a community organization or participating in events like local book drives. For others, it's a yearly donation to a national organization. For plenty of other people, charity is one of those to-do items, something akin to all of those to weight-loss New Year's resolutions.

It won't come as a surprise to anybody who reads the news that charitable organizations have been busy these last two years. Between wildfires, pandemic-related work disruptions, and violent events across the globe, last year saw an incredible amount of people in need—and an equally incredible outpour of support and generosity. In fact, donations to U.S. charities reached a record-shattering $471.44 billion in 2020. While the exact numbers for 2021 will likely take months to calculate, many signs suggest that this momentum continued into 2021.

What's interesting is these massive totals are actually coming from a smaller overall number of people. For instance, only ~55% of people in the U.S. donated to charities in 2020, along with a similar 56% in 2021. Both of these percentages are noticeably smaller than pre-pandemic levels, as more than 65% of people in the U.S. made charitable donations in 2019.

Although these rates suggest the surge in charity comes from a smaller group of individuals giving a larger amount of money each, there's been a recent trend that's attempting to reverse that: monthly giving. In lieu of asking donors for large, single donations, many organizations are asking for smaller recurring amounts—similar to a subscription service. So, instead of a single large payment of $100 around the holidays, a subscription model might just ask donors to give better $5 and $10 every month.

The similarities to a subscription model aren't an accident. Instead, they represent an evolution of the tools charities are using to engage their donors and build communities around their causes.

If you want an example of what this looks like in action, let's take a look at the ACE Scholarships Honor Roll program. If that name sounds familiar, it's possibly because we've written about them before. This organization is centered on leveling the playing field for Colorado's underserved youth by connecting students with educational resources and opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Their Honor Roll program offers donors a chance to get involved with community-level education outreach for as little as $10 per month (around the cost of a single fast-food meal). Even their most "expensive" donation tier is only valued at $25 a month (or the approximate cost of a single restaurant meal). In either case, both tiers translate to a lower annual cost than the $737 household charity average in 2021.

Put simply, programs like these are amazing during a time when lots of households are making month-to-month financial decisions, offering a chance to stay involved without having to stress about the cost or scope of commitment.

These small donations add up fast. Each donation allows students to attend a month of classes, and donors are kept in the loop about the impact their contributions are making!

Donors aren't just paying, they're partnering. 

Of course, ACE Scholarships is far from the only organization to explore this model of engaging the communities around them. All across the country, charitable organizations are asking their donors to view participating as less of an obligation, and more of a commitment.

What sort of charities do you get involved with? Sound off in the comments!