Middle Donor Gift Count Trends Analysis

Middle Donor Gift Count Trends

How to use the Middle Individual Donor Gift Count Trends analysis

This analysis helps you identify middle-tier individual donors whose giving activity in the most recent fiscal year has declined compared to their own giving averages over the prior three fiscal years. It examines annual gift counts and total giving amounts, focusing exclusively on donors whose most recent fiscal year falls within the organization's defined middle giving threshold. By tracking year-over-year changes in donor activity, you gain targeted insights into potential lapses or reductions in engagement among this important segment.

The data underlying this analysis includes individual constituent giving histories drawn from your Gifts and Constituents datasets, along with your organization's custom-defined giving thresholds for donor segmentation. For each donor, the analysis calculates their total number of gifts and total amount given per fiscal year over four fiscal years.  It flags those whose gift count in the last full fiscal year falls below their average gift count for the preceding three years, highlighting donors whose participation is slipping, even if their overall giving remains within the middle tier.

Key metrics displayed include the donor's gift counts for each of the past four fiscal years, their total giving in the most recent full fiscal year, and the rolling three-year average for both gifts and giving. These details not only reveal trends but also provide context for outreach. Supporting information, such as the donor's name and organizational affiliation, is included to help you tailor your follow-up and personalize stewardship efforts.

Use this analysis to prioritize proactive engagement with at-risk middle donors before their support diminishes further. It is recommended that development officers and fundraising managers review this analysis regularly as part of their Constituent Intelligence routines. When you see a donor flagged, consider targeted outreach to thank them, understand any changes in their circumstances, or offer new opportunities for involvement based on their giving history.

To apply these insights, assign portfolio reviews to frontline fundraisers, incorporate these findings into stewardship touchpoints, and use the supporting data to personalize communications. Success can be measured by tracking the retention and re-engagement rates of these flagged donors, monitoring whether their gift counts rebound in subsequent years, and assessing whether personalized outreach leads to more consistent or increased giving among the middle donor segment.

Analytics Reference: QX11

Focus: 2.1: Outright Lapse Mitigation YOY

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

Segments: Middle | Scope: Individual Donor

COLLECTIONS: Lapse Prevention Toolkit

VARIANT FAMILY: Donor Gift Count Trends (segment variants)

Other members: QX10 Top Donor Gift Count Trends; QX12 Bottom Donor Gift Count Trends; QX13 Gift Count Trends Among All Current Donors

RUN FIRST: QX172 Segmentation Break Points