If you've ever spent hours pulling together a fundraiser, you know how tough it is when a donor gives once and disappears. You remember their name, their reason for giving, and maybe even what campaign they supported.
And yet, they’re gone. This is what we call donor attrition—and it’s something every nonprofit, no matter how big or small, has to deal with.
Here’s the thing: getting new donors is expensive. Keeping the ones you already have? That’s where the magic (and the real impact) happens. The more we understand why people stop giving and how to bring them back, the stronger our missions become. This guide is going to walk you through how to calculate your donor attrition rate, what to do with that number, and how to make sure donors keep showing up year after year.
What is donor attrition and why it matters
Donor attrition is just a fancy way of saying people stop giving to your organization. Maybe they gave once and never came back. Maybe they used to give every year and suddenly went quiet. Either way, it means fewer donations and more stress for your team.
Let’s say you had 1,000 donors last year. This year, only 600 of them gave again. That means 400 people dropped off, and that’s a 40% attrition rate. That number matters because it tells you how many supporters you’re losing, not just how many you're gaining.
Now flip that around. If 600 stuck with you, that’s a 60% donor retention rate, and that’s where the power is. Donors who give more than once are more likely to give again, give bigger, and become true partners in your mission.
Keeping donors is about more than saving money on outreach. It’s about building real relationships. When you keep people connected, informed, and appreciated, they don’t just donate, they stick around. And when they stick around, your impact grows.
How to calculate donor attrition rate
Let’s break this down step by step. You don’t need a fancy degree or complicated software to figure out your donor attrition rate. All you need is a few numbers and a calculator.
Here’s the basic formula:
(Number of donors last year − Number of repeat donors this year) ÷ Number of donors last year × 100
Let’s walk through an example. Say you had 500 donors last year. This year, only 300 of those donors gave again. Here’s what the math looks like:
(500 − 300) ÷ 500 × 100 = 40% attrition rate
That means 40% of your donors didn’t return. Ouch. But knowing that number gives you power. You can’t fix what you can’t see.
Want to get even more insight? Track this number year after year. If it’s going up, you’ve got some digging to do. If it’s going down, your retention strategies are working.
One quick tip: Make sure your donor database is clean before you start. If your data isn’t accurate, like if someone gave twice but is listed under two names, your numbers will be off. A good platform can help with this, making sure your reports reflect real donor behavior.
Common causes of donor attrition
Most donors don’t stop giving because they’re mad at you. They stop because they feel disconnected, unappreciated, or simply forgot. It’s usually the little things that add up over time.
Here are some of the most common reasons donors walk away:
1. Lack of follow-up
If someone gives to your nonprofit and never hears from you again, they’re not likely to come back. A simple thank-you message or update goes a long way.
2. Impersonal communication
No one wants to feel like just another name on a list. If your emails or letters sound generic, donors may feel like you don’t know them, or worse, don’t care.
3. Unclear impact
People give because they want to make a difference. If they don’t know what their donation did, they might assume it didn’t matter. Showing impact builds trust.
4. Inconsistent contact
Donors don’t want to hear from you only when you need money. Staying in touch throughout the year keeps them engaged and reminds them why they supported you in the first place.
5. Overlooking recurring givers
If someone signs up to give monthly and you never check in with them, they might stop without saying anything. These quiet supporters need just as much care.
6. No easy way to give again
If your website is hard to use or your donation process is clunky, some donors won’t bother trying a second time.
The good news? These are all fixable. Once you know what’s pushing donors away, you can start making small changes that help them stick around.
How donor attrition affects nonprofit fundraising efforts
When donors leave, it’s not just about fewer dollars, it’s about momentum. Every time someone stops giving, you lose more than their gift. You lose time, energy, and connection. And the truth is, getting new donors is way harder (and more expensive) than keeping the ones you already have.
Let’s say your nonprofit loses 100 donors this year. To make up for it, your team has to go out and find 100 brand-new supporters just to break even. That’s a lot of work, outreach, ads, events, emails, and it doesn’t always pay off.
On the flip side, when you keep donors coming back, your work gets easier. You can plan better. You can grow smarter. And you spend less time chasing new names and more time deepening relationships with people who already believe in your mission.
Here’s something else to think about: when your donor base keeps shrinking, it sends a signal. Boards notice. Funders notice. Even your own team can start to feel the pressure. But when retention improves, so does morale, confidence, and fundraising success overall.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being consistent, year after year, so donors continue to show up and support what you do.
Donor retention strategies to reduce attrition
Okay, so we’ve talked about what donor attrition is and why it matters. Now let’s talk solutions. Here are some tried-and-true strategies that can help you keep more of your donors, without burning out your team.
Personalize outreach with data from donor databases
It’s hard to build a relationship if you don’t know who you’re talking to. Your donor database is full of gold, like giving history, interests, even birthdays. Use that info to send messages that feel personal, not generic. People notice when you remember them.
Use consistent messaging across email and social media
When your message changes too much across channels, donors can get confused or disengaged. Keep your story steady. Make sure your social media, emails, and donation pages all speak the same language, and clearly show how donors make a difference.
Automate thank-you messages and impact updates
A fast thank-you is powerful, and automation makes it easy. Tools like Harness can send a message right after a donation, plus follow-ups that show impact over time. It keeps your donors in the loop without adding more to your plate.
Launch recurring donation campaigns
One-time gifts are great. But monthly gifts? That’s long-term support. Set up simple, recurring donation options and encourage donors to join. Make it feel easy, rewarding, and meaningful.
Re-engage lapsed donors with segmented messaging
Don’t give up on donors who’ve gone quiet. A well-timed message or personalized update can bring them back. Try different messages for different groups, like first-time donors, past event attendees, or past monthly givers.
Track donor behavior to identify at-risk individuals
Some signs, like smaller gifts, fewer email opens, or long gaps between donations, can help you spot when a donor might be slipping away. When you see the pattern early, you can reach out before it’s too late.
These strategies aren’t just ideas, they’re systems. Put them in place, and your donor relationships will get stronger, steadier, and more sustainable.
Turn one-time donors into repeat and engaged donors
Getting a donor to give once is a win, but getting them to give again? That’s where real growth happens. A one-time donor is just the start of a relationship. The goal is to turn that quick “yes” into a long-term “I’m with you.”
So how do you do that?
Start with a great first impression.
The moment someone donates is the best time to deepen the connection. Thank them right away. Send a short story or photo showing their gift in action. Don’t wait, momentum fades fast.
Keep the conversation going.
Stay in touch throughout the year. Not just when you're asking for something. Share updates, milestones, behind-the-scenes moments, anything that makes donors feel like they’re part of the team, not just a wallet.
Recognize their loyalty.
If someone gives again, say so. A second gift means they believe in what you’re doing. Let them know it matters. Even a simple “You’ve been with us since last year, thank you!” can make a big difference.
Invite them in.
Ask them to do more than give. Maybe it’s a survey. Maybe it’s an invite to a virtual event. People feel more connected when they feel included.
Show them their impact, often.
The more donors see the results of their support, the more likely they are to give again. Try short videos, quick stats, or “before and after” photos. The goal is to say: “You made this happen.”
Engaged donors don’t just give, they care, they share, and they stick around. And with the right tools (like the kind we’ve built at Harness), it’s easier than ever to keep those relationships strong.
Measuring donor retention and attrition over time
Tracking donor retention and attrition isn’t something you do once a year and forget. It’s something you check in on regularly, because those numbers tell you if your relationships are growing or slipping away.
Start simple.
Pick one time each year, maybe right after your annual campaign, to calculate your donor retention and attrition rates. Write them down. Keep a running list. Over time, you’ll start to see trends.
Look beyond the totals.
Don’t just count how many donors came back. Ask questions like:
- Are first-time donors coming back next year?
- Are monthly donors sticking around?
- Are repeat donors giving more or less?
When you break the numbers down, you get clearer answers about what’s working, and what’s not.
Use the right tools.
Manual tracking works, but platforms like Harness make this way easier. With real-time reporting, donor history, and smart dashboards, you can spot problems before they grow, and catch opportunities early.
Set goals you can track year after year.
You don’t need to aim for perfection. Just better. If your retention rate was 40% last year, aim for 45% this year. Small wins lead to big changes.
When you measure what matters, you can manage it better. Donor relationships are no different. The more attention you give to tracking and adjusting, the stronger your base becomes, and the more stable your fundraising will feel.
It’s about progress
Losing donors happens, every nonprofit deals with it. But when you take the time to understand why they leave and how to bring them back, you’re already ahead of the game.
Retention isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. When you show up consistently, communicate clearly, and treat donors like real people (not dollar signs), they stay with you. And when they stay, your mission grows stronger.
If you’ve never calculated your attrition rate before, that’s okay. Now’s a great time to start. Track it. Learn from it. And most of all, use it to build better relationships with the people who believe in your work.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Harness is built to help nonprofits like yours build donor trust, track engagement, and turn one-time gifts into long-term support.
