How to use the Bottom Segment Gift Amount Trends (Annual) analysis
This analysis allows you to understand giving behavior among your lowest annual donor segment, the Bottom Segment, over the past 15 fiscal years. It leverages your organization's Gifts and Constituent data, specifically focusing on donors whose total giving in a fiscal year falls below or at a defined bottom_max threshold. By isolating gifts from these donors only during the years they met the bottom segment criteria, you gain a precise view of the volume, value, and typical size of gifts from this cohort.
You will see, year by year, the number of unique bottom segment donors, the total amount they collectively gave, and the average and median size of their individual gifts. This segmentation ensures that trends accurately reflect genuine shifts in engagement among this specific group, rather than being diluted by the contributions of higher-tier donors. The analysis excludes deceased constituents to reflect your current, addressable donor base.
Key metrics include the number of bottom donors per year, total giving from this group, and both average and median individual gift amounts. These figures help you monitor the health of your entry-level donor pipeline, identify years of growth or decline, and spot patterns that may signal opportunities or risks, such as declining participation or shrinking gift sizes.
You should use this analysis to understand better how your acquisition and retention strategies affect lower-tier donors and to inform tailored stewardship and upgrade efforts. For example, if you observe a downward trend in median gift amount, you might re-evaluate your messaging or entry-level appeals. If the number of donors in this segment is dropping, it may signal a need to strengthen acquisition or reactivation campaigns.
An annual review by fundraising directors, annual fund managers, and donor relations staff is recommended, ideally as part of your Constituent Intelligence routines. Apply these insights to prioritize donor journeys, adjust communication frequency, and test new engagement tactics for this segment. Additionally, consider segmenting further by donor tenure or channel if you wish to personalize outreach even more.
To evaluate the impact of this analysis, measure changes in bottom segment donor retention, total giving, and the rate at which these donors are upgraded to higher giving tiers over time. Success will be indicated by increased retention, higher gift totals, and a healthy pipeline of donors progressing beyond the bottom segment.