How to use the First-Time Top Segment Donor Month Rankings (LFY) analysis
This analysis identifies, by month, first-time donors who joined your Top Giving Segment during the most recently completed fiscal year. It combines gift and donor data to reveal which months are strongest for acquiring high-value new donors, enabling you to pinpoint trends in successful acquisition efforts. By focusing on donors whose total giving in their first year met or exceeded your organization's Top threshold (as defined in your Thresholds table), you can better understand when your highest-potential new relationships are forming.
The data used includes each donor's first-ever gift, the timing of that gift, and their total giving within the last fiscal year. Key metrics are calculated for each month: the number of qualifying first-time Top donors, the total and average first gift amounts, as well as median and mode values for those initial gifts. These metrics matter because they help you compare the quality and volume of high-value new donor acquisition month over month, offering a clear picture of seasonal patterns or the effectiveness of specific campaigns.
You should use this analysis to inform both strategic planning and immediate action. For example, if certain months consistently yield more or larger first-time top donors, consider aligning future campaigns or special appeals with those periods. When the analysis is paired with supporting information about individual donors, such as acquisition channel or giving history (even if not shown in the core calculation), you can further tailor your outreach and stewardship efforts for greater personalization. Major gift officers and annual giving managers should regularly review this analysis together to coordinate on donor cultivation strategies, adjusting engagement tactics based on when high-capacity new donors are most likely to be acquired.
Recommended as part of your Constituent Intelligence routines, schedule periodic reviews-ideally quarterly and after major campaigns- to detect shifts in donor behavior and ensure strategic agility. To measure success, track year-over-year changes in the number and value of first-time top donors per month, the effectiveness of campaign timing adjustments, and improvements in retention or subsequent giving from these high-value new donors. By leveraging these insights, you can more effectively focus your resources, strengthen relationships with your most promising new supporters, and maximize the long-term impact of your fundraising program.