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Lapse Prevention

All Active Donors whose giving is declining

This analytic identifies active donors from last year whose annual giving either decreased or lapsed completely during at least 2 of the past 3 years.

By CI Blog May 17, 2025 10:32:47 AM 3 min read

How to use the All Active Donors whose giving is declining analysis

This analysis identifies active donors from the previous year whose giving has declined, specifically those who have either reduced their contributions or lapsed completely in at least two of the last three years. It utilizes data on donor gifts over five years, extracting relevant information from the Gifts and Constituents tables to assess donor behavior and performance. The analysis focuses on donors categorized as 'Middle' segment last year and examines their giving trends to provide insights into potential attrition risks.

Key calculations within the analysis include the total giving for the last five years, the first year each donor contributed, and a performance score that reflects their giving trend over this period. This performance score is derived from a systematic assessment of changes in their giving amounts, allowing you to categorize donors into statuses such as 'Decreased', 'Lapsed', 'Inactive', or 'New'. These metrics are significant as they reveal not only the current state of donor engagement but also highlight those at risk of disengagement, enabling you to prioritize retention efforts.

The strategic value of this analysis lies in its ability to inform your fundraising strategies. By pinpointing donors whose contributions are declining, you can take proactive measures to re-engage them, tailoring communication and outreach efforts to address their specific concerns or barriers to giving. This targeted approach can enhance donor relationships, increase retention rates, and ultimately improve fundraising outcomes.

You should consider running this analysis at key points in your fundraising calendar, such as after year-end or during strategic planning sessions. Development officers and fundraising directors should review the results to identify donors who warrant immediate attention and personalized engagement strategies. Applying these insights may involve scheduling follow-up meetings, crafting tailored communication campaigns, or implementing donor appreciation initiatives specifically designed for those identified as at risk.

To evaluate the impact of this analysis, you can measure success by tracking donor retention rates and how many of the identified at-risk donors re-engage and increase their giving in the subsequent fiscal year. Additionally, monitoring the overall performance of the 'Middle' segment after targeted interventions will provide insight into the effectiveness of your retention strategies and the long-term viability of your donor base.


Analytics Reference: QX157

Focus: 2.1: Outright Lapse Mitigation YOY

Type: Score+Detail | Lifecycle: Lapse Prevention | Time: Retrospective | Audience: Operational

Segments: Top, Middle, Bottom | Scope: Individual Donor

COLLECTIONS: Lapse Prevention Toolkit

WORKFLOWS: Lapse Prevention Protocol (Step 6)

ALSO TRY: QX152 Middle Donors whose gift size is Decreas; QX154 Top Donors whose gift size is Decreasing; QX156 Bottom Donors whose gift size is decreas; QX18 Attrition Warning Summary View

RUN FIRST: QX172 Segmentation Break Points

Columns included in this analytic: Constituent ID, Donor, Performance Score, Segment (Last Full FY), Giving (Last Full FY), Giving (FY-1), Giving (FY-2), Giving (FY-3), Deceased, Constituency, Assigned Fundraiser, Lifetime Total Writeoffs, Net Lifetime Giving

Analytic Details

Analytic ID
RT1
Analytic Name
All Active Donors whose giving is declining
Focus
2.1: Outright Lapse Mitigation YOY
Type
Cohort Portfolio Management Retrospective Operational
Segments
Top Middle Bottom New Individual Donor
Collections
Lapse Prevention Toolkit
Workflows
Lapse Prevention Protocol (Step 1)
Also Try
RT146 Recently Lapsed Top Donors (15 mo); RT18 Attrition Warning Summary View; RT20 Attrition Warning Detail; RT5 Active Top Donors FYTD vs Last Year
Columns Included
Constituent ID, Donor, Last Gift Date, Last Gift Amount, First Gift Date, Consecutive FYs Giving, Avg Gift Amount, Avg # of Months Between Gifts, Total Fiscal Years with Gift, Total Gifts, Total Giving, Deceased, Constituency, Assigned Fundraiser