First Time Donors by Month and Retention Over Last 3 Fiscal Year Analysis

First Time Donors by Month and Retention Over Last 3 FY

How to use the First Time Donors by Month and Retention Over Last 3 FY analysis

This analysis identifies and tracks first-time donors by acquisition month over the last three fiscal years, showing not just how many new donors you are acquiring, but also how well you are retaining them into their second year of giving. By examining gift data-including donor IDs, gift dates, amounts, and annual totals-it highlights patterns in donor acquisition and retention that are essential for understanding the effectiveness of your fundraising strategies. T

You will see, for each acquisition month, the number of first-time donors, their average first gift amount, and their average total giving during their first year. For those with enough data history, it also reports average giving in the second year, the percentage retained into the next fiscal year, and the percentage who give again in the same month they were acquired ( anniversary  retention). These metrics are crucial for measuring both the immediate and long-term value of new donor cohorts, helping you identify which months or campaigns drive not only acquisition but also strong retention and future giving.

The analysis enables you to spot seasonal trends, optimize campaign timing, and tailor stewardship efforts. For example, a spike in first-time donors in December with low second-year retention signals a need for more targeted follow-up with year-end donors. The anniversary retention rate can help guide the design of timely engagement strategies, such as personalized reminders or special outreach during the month a donor first made a gift. 

This data can also be used to inform your understanding of whether specific campaigns or appeals delivered in a given month were more effective than others and should be replicated in the future.  

Fundraising directors, annual giving managers, and donor stewardship staff should review this analysis regularly as part of their Constituent Intelligence routines. Use the insights to refine acquisition campaigns, test new stewardship approaches for recently acquired donors, and allocate resources toward months or segments with the highest long-term return. Consider tracking improvement in second-year retention rates and average donor value over time as your measures of success, aiming to increase both the number and quality of retained new donors. Ultimately, leveraging this analysis will help you build more sustainable donor relationships and drive growth in your fundraising program.