First to Second Gift Speed Curve (3 Year Look) Analysis

First to Second Gift Speed Curve (3 Year Look)

How to use the First to Second Gift Speed Curve (3 Year Look) analysis

This analysis helps you understand how quickly new donors make their second gift after their initial contribution over the past three years. It draws from your Gifts and Constituents data, specifically focusing on donors who are not deceased and whose first gift occurred within the last 36 months. For each new donor, it measures the number of days between their first and second gift, then aggregates these results to show the percentage of donors who return with a second gift within various time windows: 30, 60, 90, 180, and 360 days.

The central insight revealed by this analysis is the pace at which your organization converts first-time donors into repeat supporters —a key indicator of donor engagement and the effectiveness of your stewardship efforts. The analysis provides both the cumulative count of donors who made a second gift within each time frame and the corresponding conversion rate as a percentage of all new donors in the period. By examining these metrics, you can determine how your early stewardship and donor communications are performing and identify areas where opportunities for improvement exist.

Use this analysis to benchmark the health of your donor pipeline and identify trends or gaps in your donor retention strategies. Fundraising directors, annual giving managers, and stewardship coordinators should review these insights regularly, ideally as part of their Constituent Intelligence routines. If you notice that a high percentage of second gifts occur within the first 60 days, this indicates effective early engagement. Conversely, a slow conversion curve may prompt you to revisit your welcome series or stewardship touches for new donors.

To act on these insights, consider segmenting new donors who have not yet made a second gift and prioritizing personalized follow-ups within the first 90 days. Development officers should also analyze which outreach tactics correspond with higher conversion rates and replicate those approaches to maximize effectiveness. Success should be measured by tracking improvements in your cumulative conversion rates over time and correlating these gains with any changes in your donor communication or stewardship strategies. Ultimately, this analysis empowers you to strengthen donor relationships, increase retention, and grow sustainable support for your mission.