What is the average donor retention rate for nonprofits?

Average donor retention hovers around 40 to 45 percent, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. In plain terms, most first-time donors never give a second gift, which makes the first follow-up the single highest-leverage moment in fundraising.

• A prompt, personalized thank-you matters more than the size of the original gift.
• Printed thank-you cards sent within 48 hours are one of the most reliable ways to lift retention.
• A thick, well-designed card on quality stock lands differently than an automated email and gets kept.

Because acquiring a new donor costs far more than keeping an existing one, even small gains in second-gift rates change the math on a whole campaign.