Perennial GivingResources
Keep the donors you already have.
Donors rarely leave because they stopped caring. They leave because nobody told them what their gift did. These guides cover what to say, and when, at each moment of a donor's giving journey. Written for executive directors who are also the whole development department.
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The giving journeyWhat Is a Donor Journey? The Moments That Keep DonorsA donor journey is the path one person takes from first gift to lifelong supporter. Here are the moments that decide whether they stay, and what to say at each.9 min readRetention mathDonor Retention for Small Nonprofits: What Actually WorksDonor retention for small nonprofits isn't about a bigger CRM or more appeals. It's prompt thanks, specific progress, and noticing the moments that matter.8 min readThank-yous and first giftsHow to Get a Second Gift From a First-Time DonorFewer than one in five first-time donors give again. Here's how to earn the second gift: thank fast, show progress, then make a small, specific ask.6 min read
The giving journey
The moments that matter, from first gift to tenth, and what to say at each one.
- What Is a Donor Journey? The Moments That Keep DonorsA donor journey is the path one person takes from first gift to lifelong supporter. Here are the moments that decide whether they stay, and what to say at each.9 min read
- What to Send December Donors in JanuaryDecember donors usually hear nothing until the next appeal. Here's how to follow up with year-end donors in January: statements, a no-ask progress note, and a plan.7 min read
- What to Send New Donors in Their First 90 DaysA simple 90-day plan for new donors at a small nonprofit: thank them in two days, show progress by week six, and hold the next ask until they've seen results.6 min read
- Year-End Giving: Show Progress Before You AskThe best year-end appeal starts in October with a progress update. Here's a simple timeline for year-end donor communication that doesn't feel like begging.6 min read
Thank-yous and first gifts
The first 90 days decide whether a new donor ever gives again.
- Board Thank-You Calls: A 60-Second Script That WorksA board member's thank-you call is one of the strongest things you can do for donor retention. Here's a 60-second script, a voicemail version, and how to run it.7 min read
- How to Thank a Donor Who Gave Through a DAFA DAF gift still deserves a real thank-you, just not a tax receipt. Here's how to find the donor, what to say, and what to leave out of the letter.7 min read
- What Must a Donation Receipt Include? The IRS $250 RuleFor any single gift of $250 or more, donors need a written acknowledgment with specific details. Here's exactly what a donation receipt must include, with a sample.6 min read
- How to Write a Donor Thank-You Letter (That Isn't a Receipt)A good donor thank-you letter is prompt, personal, specific about what the gift will do, and asks for nothing. Here's how to write one, with samples you can adapt.6 min read
- How to Keep Giving Tuesday Donors After Day OneGiving Tuesday brings a wave of first-time donors, and most never give again. Here's a simple December to March plan to turn day-one donors into returning ones.6 min read
- How to Thank a Donor Who Gave From Their IRA (QCD)A QCD gift comes from an IRA custodian, often with no address attached. Here's how to find the donor, what the acknowledgment must say, and a sample letter.7 min read
- How to Get a Second Gift From a First-Time DonorFewer than one in five first-time donors give again. Here's how to earn the second gift: thank fast, show progress, then make a small, specific ask.6 min read
- How Soon Should You Thank a Donor? The 48-Hour RuleThank donors within 48 hours, personally, and say what the gift is for. Here's why speed matters, what to send, and how to keep up when you're the whole staff.6 min read
- Thanksgiving Notes to Donors That Ask for NothingA Thanksgiving message to donors works best when it asks for nothing. Who to send it to first, what to say, sample notes, and how to finish it in an hour.8 min read
Keeping donors close
Progress updates, check-ins, and staying in touch when you want nothing.
- What to Send on a Donor's Giving AnniversaryA giving anniversary note is a short, personal message on the date of a donor's first gift. Here's what to include, what to leave out, and samples you can use.6 min read
- How Often Should a Nonprofit Contact Its Donors?There's no magic number for how often to contact donors. Let what you have to say and each donor's moments set the rhythm, and keep progress well ahead of asks.6 min read
- How to Show Donors Their Impact Without a NewsletterDonors stay when they know what their gift did. Here's how to show donor impact in short, specific notes, without writing another newsletter.7 min read
- How to Thank a Donor Who Gave More This YearWhen a donor gives more than last time, say you noticed. Here's how to thank an upgrade, tie the extra to what it unlocks, and what not to do next.7 min read
Monthly donors
Your steadiest supporters, and the quiet ways you lose them.
- How to Ask a One-Time Donor to Become a Monthly DonorThe best time to ask a donor to give monthly is after their second gift or right after a progress update. Here's who to ask, what to say, and a sample email.7 min read
- What to Do When a Monthly Donor's Card FailsA failed recurring donation usually isn't a goodbye. Here's what to send when a monthly donor's card fails, when to follow up, and sample messages you can use.6 min read
- How to Start a Monthly Giving Program at a Small NonprofitMonthly donors are your steadiest supporters. Here's how a small nonprofit can start a monthly giving program in a few weeks, with no development staff.7 min read
- How to Thank Monthly Donors So They StayMonthly gifts arrive automatically, so it's easy to stop talking to the donors behind them. Here's how to thank monthly donors so they keep giving for years.6 min read
Winning donors back
Noticing the drift early, and what to say once someone has lapsed.
- How to Spot Donors About to Lapse Before They GoMost donors drift away quietly. Here are the warning signs that a donor is about to lapse, a simple way to spot them, and what to send before it's too late.6 min read
- What Is a Lapsed Donor? LYBUNT and SYBUNT ExplainedA lapsed donor is someone who gave before but not recently. Here's what LYBUNT and SYBUNT mean, how to pull each list, and what to send each group.6 min read
- Why Do Donors Stop Giving? What the Research SaysDonors mostly stop giving because they never hear what their gift did, or because they're asked too often. Here's what the research supports, and what to do.6 min read
- How to Win Back Lapsed Donors (With a Letter That Works)Lapsed donors rarely come back on their own. Here's who to contact first, what to say instead of 'we miss you,' and a win-back letter you can adapt today.6 min read
Retention math
The handful of numbers worth knowing, in plain English.
- How to Calculate Donor Retention Rate (With a Simple Sheet)Donor retention rate is last year's donors who gave again, divided by last year's donors. Here's the formula, a worked example, and a simple spreadsheet setup.7 min read
- What Is a Good Donor Retention Rate? 2026 BenchmarksThe average donor retention rate was 43.3% in 2025. Here's what counts as good for a small nonprofit, broken down by new, repeat, and monthly donors.7 min read
- Donor Retention for Small Nonprofits: What Actually WorksDonor retention for small nonprofits isn't about a bigger CRM or more appeals. It's prompt thanks, specific progress, and noticing the moments that matter.8 min read
Running it with no staff
Stewardship when the executive director is the whole development department.
- A Donor Stewardship Plan for a One-Person ShopA donor stewardship plan built for an ED with no development staff: what to do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly, with a fill-in table.7 min read
- How to Send Year-End Giving Statements to DonorsA year-end giving statement lists every gift a donor made and doubles as their tax receipt. Here's what to include, how to make them in an afternoon, and what to add.7 min read