Fundraising · Donors
Donor retention rate.
Retention, lapsed donors and growth in donor count.
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Donor Retention Rate Calculator: how it works
This tool uses: retention rate = donors from last year who gave again this year / donors last year. Lapsed donors are the rest of last year’s donors. Donors this year = retained + new. Change in donor count = (donors this year - donors last year) / donors last year. New donors needed to stay flat equal the lapsed donors.
Worked example. Of 1,200 donors last year, 540 gave again: 45.0% retention and 660 lapsed (55.0%). With 300 new donors there are 840 donors this year, a -30.0% change. Staying flat would have needed 660 new donors.
Count people, not gifts. A donor who gave twice in the year counts once. Use the same window each year (for example the calendar year). No benchmark is built into this tool; compare against your own past years.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate donor retention rate?
Divide last year’s donors who gave again by last year’s donors. 540 / 1,200 = 45.0%.
What is a lapsed donor?
A donor from last year who did not give this year. Here that is 660 people, or 55.0%.
Do new donors count in retention?
No. New donors are not in last year’s base, so they raise the donor count but not the retention rate.
How many new donors do we need to grow?
You need 660 just to replace those who lapsed. Every new donor beyond that grows the count.
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This tool is arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It makes no claim from an outside source.
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
Not professional advice
Arithmetic only. Not financial advice.