How to use the Average Time to Top Level Donor -First Gift Cohort Analysis analysis
This analysis helps you understand how long it takes for new donors to become top-level donors, segmented by the fiscal year of their very first gift. It utilizes your organization's gift and constituent data, specifically tracking every donor's first recorded donation and then identifying when (if ever) that donor makes their first top-level gift, based on your custom giving thresholds. By calculating the number of years between these two milestones for all donors who reach the top giving level, you gain insight into how quickly your pipeline develops high-value supporters and how that pace may be changing over time.
The analysis presents several key metrics for each first-gift cohort, including the number of donors who converted to top-level status, the average and median years it took to convert, and the range from the fastest to the slowest conversions. It also displays the average size of first gifts and first top-level gifts, as well as the number of donors who achieved top status within 1, 3, or 5 years. These metrics are crucial for monitoring the effectiveness of your engagement strategies and for benchmarking progress across different fiscal years.
You can use this analysis to identify which cohorts are progressing most rapidly, spot periods when conversion speeds lagged, and assess the impact of stewardship efforts or campaign changes. For example, if you see that recent first-gift cohorts are taking longer to reach top-level status compared to earlier years, it may signal the need to revisit your cultivation or upgrade strategies. Alternatively, a spike in rapid conversions can reveal successful tactics worth replicating.
Development directors, major gifts officers, and donor engagement managers should regularly review this analysis. Use the insights to prioritize outreach to donors who are approaching the average conversion window, tailor stewardship plans for new donors based on historical patterns, and set realistic goals for pipeline development. Consider segmenting follow-up strategies for donors who convert quickly versus those who take longer, using the accompanying metrics to personalize your approach.
To measure success, track whether the average and median time to top-level giving decreases over time, monitor increases in the number of conversions per cohort, and assess improvements in early identification and engagement of high-potential donors. This analysis is recommended to be reviewed periodically as part of your Constituent Intelligence routines, ensuring you continuously refine your strategies for donor development and maximize the long-term value of your donor base.