How to use the Donor Tier Upgrade Pathways Summary analysis
This analysis gives you a high-level view of where your donors stand within your current giving tiers, typically labeled as Top, Middle, and Bottom, based on their total giving in the most recent full fiscal year. By analyzing all gifts from living donors during that time, it segments donors according to thresholds you've set, then examines the size and frequency of their individual gifts. The central insight you gain is the identification of donors in lower tiers who are already making gifts comparable to those in higher segments, highlighting strong upgrade opportunities.
The core of the analysis calculates key percentile benchmarks for each donor segment: the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentile gift amounts. It then identifies how many donors in each segment are making gifts at or above the median and top quartile for their tier. This allows you to spot Middle and Bottom tier donors whose giving behavior resembles that of higher-level supporters. You can also view the total number of gifts per segment, which helps you gauge engagement and identify trends in donor behavior.
You can use this analysis to prioritize outreach and stewardship. For example, if you notice a significant group of Middle segment donors making gifts above the 75th percentile for their tier, consider targeting them for personalized upgrade campaigns or enhanced recognition.
Development directors, annual giving managers, and major gift officers should review this analysis as part of regular Constituent Intelligence routines-ideally after each fiscal quarter or fundraising campaign. Use the insights to select upgrade candidates and tailor your touchpoints. For actionable steps: assign staff to connect with donors flagged in the upper percentile ranges, test targeted upgrade asks, and monitor their response to personalized engagement.
To measure success, track the rate of donor upgrades by segment, the lift in total giving among prioritized donors, and retention rates of those who received targeted outreach. Over time, you should see increases in the number of donors moving into higher segments, along with improved donor loyalty and lifetime value.