Top Donor Gift Count Trends

How to use the Top Donor Gift Count Trends analytic

This analysis helps you identify your top individual donors whose number of gifts in the most recent fiscal year has dropped below their own three-year giving average. It draws from your Gifts and Constituents data, using fiscal year segmentation and customizable giving thresholds to focus only on those donors who meet your organization's criteria for "top" giving levels. For each donor, you see key metrics-such as their total giving in the last full fiscal year, their number of gifts for each of the past four fiscal years, and their average number of gifts per year in the three years prior to the last completed year. The analysis highlights donors who gave less frequently in the most recent year than their established pattern, flagging them for your attention.

You can use the supporting information, including donor name, total giving amounts, and historic averages, to craft more personalized outreach. For instance, seeing a donor's multi-year giving totals alongside their recent decline in gift count allows you to tailor communications, perhaps acknowledging their past generosity, expressing appreciation, and inquiring about changes in their engagement or interests. This level of Constituent Intelligence helps you move beyond simple dollar tracking to a more nuanced understanding of donor behavior.

Key metrics include "Gifts (Last Full FY)", "Avg Gifts (Prior 3 FYs) in Giving Years", and "Last FY Count Below 3 yr Avg". Focusing on donors with a recent drop in gift frequency lets you proactively address potential disengagement, uncover underlying causes, and take steps to re-engage them before the decline becomes permanent.

You should have development officers and gift officers review this analysis periodically-ideally quarterly or after each fiscal year close-as part of your Constituent Intelligence routines. Apply the insights to prioritize stewardship with top donors who may require extra attention, inform call lists for personalized outreach, or flag individuals for leadership engagement.

Success can be measured by tracking subsequent changes in gift frequency and overall giving among the flagged donors, monitoring retention rates, and assessing whether targeted outreach results in renewed or increased engagement in the next fiscal cycle. By integrating these insights into your workflow, you strengthen donor relationships and help sustain your organization's fundraising momentum.

Analytic ID: QX10

Analytic Name: Top Donor Gift Count Trends

Focus: 2.1: Outright Lapse Mitigation YOY

Type: Trend | Lifecycle: Portfolio Management | Time: Retrospective (Multi-Year) | Audience: Operational

Segments: Top | Scope: Individual Donor

COLLECTIONS: Lapse Prevention Toolkit

VARIANT FAMILY: Donor Gift Count Trends (segment variants)

Other members: QX11 Middle Donor Gift Count Trends; QX12 Bottom Donor Gift Count Trends; QX13 Gift Count Trends Among All Current Donors

RUN FIRST: QX172 Segmentation Break Points