The only thing worse than asking your supporters for money all the time is not asking them often enough.

No one wants to get hit over the head with fundraising pleas all the time, no matter how much they support a cause. But almost never asking your supporters for donations can backfire, too.

There’s a reason most successful charities raise funds year-round, and keep up a regular schedule of mailings and social media posts reminding their followers to give and keeping them up to date on what they’re doing with their donations.

It’s because most people need multiple reminders to do something before they do it. That’s true of trying a new dish washing liquid, Christmas shopping, adopting a pet or donating to a cause.

Additionally, organizations that have a good infrastructure for donations — clear information on their website with an easy process and multiple ways to give, such as recurring donations or donations directed toward a specific program or fund, or memorial and gift donations — will always be more successful. Those things take time to develop, and take real-world use to optimize.

One more point: People who’ve already given to your organization are more likely to give to it again. But that means you need to maintain a relationship with them, to let them know what you did with their money, and to be transparent about your financial operations. Doing that requires some planning and follow-up, not just a desperate late-night post on Facebook begging for money to treat a pet’s broken leg.

Yes, you run the risk of seeming like all you care about is money. Groups have to be careful not to abuse the trust their supporters have placed in them by annoying them. But they also shouldn’t abuse that trust by not doing the best possible job you can do to create a sustainable effort to help animals.

Also of interest:

Fundraising 2.0: From the grassroots to a multi-million dollar animal organization