Apteco Learn Mission Schedule Time with an Apteco Architect Play with a Live System

Who stayed, who moved

Stop 14 of 58 · about 9 minutes

Are you keeping last year's supporters, and what did they do next?* Finding new supporters while old ones quietly leave is like filling a bathtub with the plug out. Retention tells you how big the drain is.

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Donor Movement on Charity Overview: New, Re-engaged, Lost, Increased, Unchanged and Decreased supporters, as dollars gained or lost between last year and the year before.
Donor Movement on Charity Overview: New, Re-engaged, Lost, Increased, Unchanged and Decreased supporters, as dollars gained or lost between last year and the year before. Open full size

Sample charity: the people and numbers in these screens are made up, so the picture shows the tool, not a result.

The lesson

Donor Retention is the share of last year's donors who have given again this year. The Donor Retention card on Charity Overview shows yours. It is built from two Behaviour audiences: Retained donors (gave last year and this year) divided by Gave last year. Always divide by last year's donors. They are the people you are trying to keep.

Careful with names: the Donor Retention insight in the Field Guide is something else. It splits one-time donors from repeat donors. It is not a rate.

The Donor Movement chart compares last year with the year before. Lost gave the year before but not last year. Increased, Unchanged and Decreased gave in both years. New and Re-engaged gave last year after a year with no gifts. Read those two bars together: Mission splits them by how long ago each person's first gift was, counted back from today, so last year's brand-new donors can show up in either one.

Donor Value Movement goes one step further: New, Lapsed, Stable, Upgraded and Downgraded, using value bands built from your own giving data. "Higher" means higher for you.

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More of it in Orbit

Donor Value Movement on the Waterfall tab: New, Lapsed, Stable, Upgraded and Downgraded, counted in donors.
Donor Value Movement on the Waterfall tab: New, Lapsed, Stable, Upgraded and Downgraded, counted in donors. Open full size

Your turn, in Field Guide, then Orbit

  1. In Orbit, find the Donor Retention card on Charity Overview. Read the percentage, and say in one line what it divides by.
  2. Find the Donor Movement chart. Note the biggest group, and the one that surprises you.
  3. Pick one group and decide what you would say to them.

Quick check

Retention asks: of last year's donors, how many gave again? What do you divide by?
  • This year's donors
  • Last year's donors
  • Everyone on file

Answer: Last year's donors

Someone gave three years ago, gave nothing the year before last, and gave again last year. Which Donor Movement group?
  • Increased
  • Re-engaged
  • Lost

Answer: Re-engaged

In Donor Value Movement, what does Upgraded mean?
  • First gift this year
  • Moved into a higher value band
  • Gave last year but not this year

Answer: Moved into a higher value band

Need a hint?

Retention divides by last year's donors. Re-engaged means back last year after a year off. Upgraded means a higher value band.

Why it matters

Every supporter you keep is a relationship that grew. Every one slipping is one you can still save.

* Standard definition. Your Orbit Admin or Apteco can change it to fit you.

Read on

Read more in the Apteco Help Hub

Learn Mission is a free course. You read a little, do it yourself, then answer one quick check. Orin, the assistant in Orbit, walks with you. Your progress stays in your browser.

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