How to use the High Lift Donors LFY OCT analysis
This analysis identifies donors who significantly increased their giving in October of the most recently completed fiscal year compared to their average giving for that month over the previous three years. Drawing from your Gifts and Constituents data, the analysis calculates a personal three-year baseline for each donor's October giving, then measures the actual giving in October of the last full fiscal year. Donors are included only if their recent October giving exceeds their historic October average, highlighting individuals who have shown a clear positive lift in engagement.
You ll see each donor s name, the average amount they gave in October for the past three years, their most recent October giving, the calculated incremental lift in dollars, and their Constituent ID. These additional details, such as donor or organizational name and unique identifiers, help you tailor your outreach and ensure personalized follow-up, which is key to deepening relationships.
At the heart of this analysis is the Personal Incremental Lift metric, which shows the dollar increase for each donor above their own historical average for October. By focusing on month-specific giving patterns, you can identify emerging trends and pinpoint which donors are responding to new campaigns, messaging, or external factors. This is particularly valuable for fundraising planning, as it helps you recognize and respond to donors who may be primed for further engagement or stewardship.
Development officers and fundraising managers should review this analysis, especially during strategic planning cycles and campaign follow-ups. Major gifts teams can use it to identify candidates for targeted cultivation, while annual giving staff might leverage it to acknowledge and reinforce positive behavioral changes. Scheduling note: This analysis is recommended to be reviewed periodically as part of your Constituent Intelligence routines to ensure timely recognition of high-lift donors.
To measure the impact of incorporating this analysis, track subsequent retention and upgrade rates among highlighted donors, monitor the effectiveness of personalized follow-up, and assess whether these donors continue to outperform their baselines in future cycles. By integrating this analysis into your donor intelligence workflow, you can make more informed decisions, strengthen relationships, and drive sustainable fundraising growth.