How to use the Bottom First Time Donors by Month in Last FY -Replace Duplicate analysis
This analysis identifies and summarizes first-time donors whose initial gifts fell within your organization's lowest giving segment (bottom tier) during the most recently completed fiscal year. Drawing from your Gifts and Thresholds tables, the analysis filters out constituents whose first-ever donation was at or below the bottom threshold, as defined in your Constituent Intelligence framework. It organizes these donors by the month of acquisition, showing you, for each month, the total number of new donors in this segment, along with their collective gift value, average first gift, median, and mode. This helps you see not only how many new bottom-tier supporters you attracted each month, but also the typical size of their initial contribution.
You can use this analysis to pinpoint seasonal trends in bottom-tier donor acquisition and identify which months are most successful in attracting new entry-level supporters. The summary statistics-total, average, median, and mode of first gifts-give you a fuller picture of donor giving patterns, which can inform your outreach and stewardship strategies. By understanding when and how these donors are acquired, you can better tailor appeals, welcome series, and engagement efforts, increasing the likelihood of retaining and upgrading them over time.
Development directors, annual giving managers, and donor engagement staff should review this analysis on a monthly or quarterly basis, ideally as part of their Constituent Intelligence routines. Use it to identify months that may require additional acquisition efforts, or to celebrate successful campaigns that generated more first-time donors. For example, if you notice a spike in one month, investigate what drove that success and consider replicating those tactics in other periods. If certain months consistently lag, consider experimenting with new outreach or event timing. Additionally, use these insights to personalize stewardship: knowing the typical gift size and acquisition month helps you craft relevant thank-you messages or targeted upgrade asks.
To measure success, track key metrics such as increases in first-time donor counts, growth in average gift size over time, and improvements in retention or conversion rates among the bottom-tier segment. Ultimately, effective use of this analysis should lead to more engaged new donors and a stronger foundation for long-term fundraising growth.