Aubrey Hoeppner
VICE PRESIDENT, CLIENT SERVICES
Your donor data is invaluable, and your database contains critical information about your supporters—their giving history, preferred communication channels, and responsiveness to various appeals. Knowing these details allows you to design campaigns that resonate with donors and reach their hearts with opportunities to give generously.
Each quarter, Douglas Shaw & Associates provides clients with detailed reports to help them gauge donor file health and analyze emerging trends. This data enables leaders to anticipate future giving levels, plan for growth, and establish goals based on realistic projections.
Core Indicators of Donor File Health
When evaluating your donor file, keep an eye on these key indicators:
- Active Donors – Active donors are those who have given to your organization within the last 12 months. Monitoring the number of active donors can help identify whether engagement efforts are resonating and if your strategies need refinement to boost involvement.
- Multi-Year Donors – Donors who give consistently over several years have the highest retention rates and lifetime value. They are likely to stay engaged and increase their giving over time. Identifying these supporters can help you focus relationship-building efforts on individuals with a strong, long-term commitment to your mission.
- Growth or Shrinkage of the Donor File – Is your donor base expanding or contracting? Are you bringing in enough new donors and reactivating enough lapsed donors to grow the file? A shrinking donor file may suggest a need for increased acquisition efforts, while steady growth signals that your strategies are effectively attracting new supporters. Monitoring this trend over time is critical for ensuring you’re on track to meet your organization’s future goals.
- Average Gift Trends – Has the average gift size increased, stayed steady, or declined? Trends in average gift size indicate how much confidence donors have in your mission. A rising trend often suggests increasing donor loyalty, while a declining trend may indicate the need to re-engage donors or adjust appeal messaging with more inspiring stories or with a larger ask.
Essential Reports for Tracking Donor Health
Regular reports can provide a deeper understanding of your donor file. Three foundational reports include:
- Segment Analysis Report – This report breaks down key segments within your donor file based on the length of time donors have been giving to your organization, with segments such as new donors, reactivated donors, and multi-year donors. Analyzing these groups helps you assess the health of your donor file at a more granular level and identify whether you should focus your efforts on retention, reactivation, or acquisition (or all three!).
- Upgrade/Downgrade Report – This report tracks how donors at different giving levels perform over time. If you notice higher-level donors are downgrading, it’s a sign that you may need to devote more attention to engagement or stewardship to maintain higher gifts.
- Income by Source Report – This report examines the channels donors use to give (e.g., online, direct mail, events, etc.) and tracks shifts in donor preferences. Recognizing these trends is vital for budget planning and knowing where to invest more resources. For example, if online giving is growing, you’ll want to ensure your website’s donation process is smooth and consider allocating more budget to digital ads and email campaigns to maximize online donations.
Maximizing Donor Relationships for Growth
Monitoring these metrics and reviewing regular reports provides a clear picture of your donor file’s health, helping you make data-driven decisions. By proactively analyzing your donor file, you’ll better understand where your organization stands, what’s needed to reach future goals, and how to sustain meaningful donor relationships.
Imagine never having to guess again! You can uncover the story behind every data point and reveal the connections that inspire your donors to give generously and passionately. And when your donor file is strong and growing, you’re better positioned to fulfill your mission, foster donor loyalty, and drive sustainable growth for your organization.
