Why do first-time donors not give again?
Question with its source
Mostly because nobody asks them in time. The sector's own numbers say retention keeps slipping; a second ask inside the first ninety days is what changes it.
The answer
The Fundraising Effectiveness Project, run by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, reports on donors across thousands of organizations. Its Q4 2024 highlights say donor retention declined 2.6% year over year, donor numbers dropped 4.5%, and the smallest donors ($1 to $100) fell the most, by 8.8%. More money came from fewer, larger gifts. The full reports are in AFP's FEP reports library.
What that looks like at one charity: a first gift arrives through an online platform, waits in a weekly batch, and the thank-you goes out weeks later. Nobody asks for a second gift, because no one system can see who is new and whose ninety days are running out.
The First 90 Days pathway is built for exactly this: a thank-you the same day that names what brought them in, a call for the largest first gifts, a story of what the gift did, and a second ask on day sixty that names the first gift. A second gift ends the journey and starts stewardship.
Where to look next
All the questions
- Does Apteco Mission replace my CRM?
- What data do I need to start?
- Why do first-time donors not give again?
- How is Mission different from a CRM, a reporting tool or a data consultant?
- What should I ask any data vendor before I sign?
- What does Canadian research say about nonprofits and data?
- Where does my supporters' data live?
Twenty minutes, from your own reports, not a slide deck.
Ask us yours
You'll know by the end whether there's something here for you.
Schedule Time with an Apteco Architect