Increasing Your Fundraising Success by Retaining Your Donors

September 15, 2016

Donor Retention Rates

When we conduct a fundraising audit/planning study there are at least 27 different reports that we request. One of the most important elements we obtain is a report on donor retention.

More specifically, we review donor retention rates over a three-year period. We are looking to see both how that compares to the national rate of 46% and what the non-profit organization might do to improve donor retention.

Of course, retention rates vary depending upon the kind of institution it is. For example, retention rates in private higher education average closer to 70% while social service agencies tend to have lower retention rates.

Acquiring New Donors is Costly

Why do we analyze this? Well first, according to Giving USA, acquiring a new donor is about 5 times as costly as it is to retain a current donor. Second, the actual return from newly acquired donors is about 1/3 of what it costs to acquire them in the first place.

Simply stated, acquiring new donors is much more costly and time consuming than keeping them. One of our higher education clients had a retention rate of just 34% over a three-year period. That means that each year 66% of their donors had to be recruited. The task was overwhelming for the development staff. They had to raise over $4 million in unrestricted funds annually, and a good portion of that came from new donors.

Tips to Enhance Donor Retention

So what could be done and as fundraising consultants what did we tell them? The following are a few tips that will enhance your donor retention and should also increase your annual giving:

Be thankful to and for your donors, and acknowledge their gifts promptly. I have found organizations that take one or two weeks or even more time to acknowledge gifts. Right off the bat you are telling donors their gift isn’t very important. We suggest that our clients acknowledge gifts within 48 hours and encourage them to move towards 24 hours.
Be accountable to your donors as good stewards. Tell them how much you raised and for what purposes you used the funds. People want to know that their gift makes a difference. Show them how they have been a partner with you in your work. Share stories of lives that have been touched.
Communicate with donors on a regular basis. How? A good communication program includes direct mail, newsletters, social media, information receptions, telephone calls and more. Remember, it is much more to your advantage to keep a donor than it is to lose one and have to recruit another.
Pay attention to what projects your donors support and target your requests for specific purposes. Not all people are motivated by the same projects, so the requests should vary.
Seek to engage donors in meaningful ways. One of our theatre clients did an excellent job of creating community with donors. For example, they regularly invited top donors to visit with playwrights prior to the opening of a show or the creative director before the season opened. In addition, they would invite selected donors to provide reviews of certain live performances. They also sent donor welcome packs to new donors. These strategies were key in increasing donations and improving donor retention.

These are just a few strategies, but together they can make a significant improvement in your funding. Measure your donor retention rate and then work to improve it. That is really where the action of caring and building strong relationships begins!

“I really support The Covenant Group’s strategic planning process because their approach encourages staff-based support with board buy-in, and I felt that was important given what we were trying to achieve. The outcome is an effective plan that builds consensus and provides a clear sense of direction.”
- Jennifer Scott, Director of Development - The Cabbage Patch Settlement House

“The Covenant Group is highly competent, very experienced and knowledgeable. They provided a broad perspective by equipping us with useful data…and best practices in the field. All in all, they are excellent.”
- Dan Jones, CEO - 21st Century Parks

“The campaign has truly been a miracle. People were committed from the beginning, but…even raising $650,000 seemed like a stretch. To nearly double that amount is incredible! When the plan they developed allows you to hit a goal like that, it builds such a sense of community. The momentum built by the campaign is spilling outside the walls of our church and benefiting others in the process.”
-Father John Hollowell - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

“For those of us who don’t do this everyday, The Covenant Group instilled confidence in us. They helped us get through the fear and apprehension by providing us with a process, training and motivation. They taught us and helped us plan in a way that was for the better. We have built lasting relationships with donors and we will continue to steward these relationships long into the future.”
- Sue Finke, Director of Institutional Advancement - Covington Catholic High School

“No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results. People stand around talking more than they did before the campaign. There is also a renewed and energized spirit among the parishioners. It’s the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
- Gary Libs, Campaign Co-Chair - St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church

“The Covenant Group’s process involved a lot of people in our congregation doing small tasks … that built ownership. They took our vision and put it into a concrete plan. They helped us understand the importance of making our vision clear and laid out the steps to make the vision a reality. Their process built consensus and showed people how they could help. Their methods are based on a solid theological foundation that includes key documents, prayer support, and requisite training … all of which were invaluable.”
- Daniel Montgomery, Pastor - Sojourn Community Church

“Everything The Covenant Group did to help us…in the initial stages was helpful…the development of the case statement; our materials; the training of our Board members; strategies; all these steps laid the foundation for eventual success. They brought such a high level of professionalism, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of integrity and success… just being associated with The Covenant Group helped us.”
- Nancy Doctor, Development Director - Wellspring

“The structure The Covenant Group provided was excellent. It allowed our members to use their God-given talents to benefit the church community They helped us develop a plan and identify key leadership candidates to chair the effort, as well as engaging between 80 to 100 people to carry out the work of the campaign. It was truly a whole congregation effort and The Covenant Group helped facilitate that. They helped us reach our full potential as a congregation.”
- Ron Poisel, Pastor - Christ Lutheran Church

Increasing Your Fundraising Success by Retaining Your Donors

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