The Fundraising Effectiveness Project

FEP Data for Q3 2024 Shows More Dollars Coming from Fewer Donors in a Continuing Trend

(Posted by AFP Global | December 19, 2024)

Q3 2024 fundraising data highlights a common trend of donor consolidation as seen in previous quarters. While we are seeing a small increase in total dollars donated, with a modest 0.9% increase in dollars raised, this growth masks significant declines in donor participation, particularly among smaller donors (gifts under $100), who saw a steep decline of -12.4%. Additionally, donor retention continues to decline (-4.6%), marking the fourth consecutive year of year-over-year decreases. These trends underscore the challenges facing nonprofits, particularly the need to re-engage smaller donors and improve retention across donor
segments. Read more.

Continued Consolidation in Q2 2024 as the Sector Sees More Dollars from Fewer Donors

(Posted by AFP Global | October 30, 2024)

While charitable giving increased moderately in Q2 2024, we are seeing a worrying decrease in both the smallest and the most frequent donors, indicating that the increase in dollars is due to a consolidation of large gifts. However, Q2 also saw hopeful signs in donor retention. While overall donor retention saw a decrease, the rate of decline is slowing compared to previous years. This plateauing suggests that the heightened focus on retaining donors is producing results, demonstrating the kinds of approaches the sector should be taking to further solidify donor engagement. Read more.

Cautious Optimism in Q1 2024 but Reliance on Large Donors still a Problem

(Posted by AFP Global | July 30, 2024)

This quarter's report shows a slight increase of 4.1% in dollars raised, while reporting a continued decline of -1.3% and -3.0% in donors and retention metrics, respectively. Compared to the same quarter last year, when major donors drove an outsized decline in dollars and donor retention, this group is now responsible for the increase in dollars raised. Conversely, micro-sized donors (those that gave less than 100$) showed the largest drop in performance, decreasing 10.4% while all other donor categories declined 5.2% to 0.8%. Read more.

Year-End Challenges in Q4 2023 as Fundraising Metrics Decline

(Posted by AFP Global | April 8, 2024)

While year-end remains the busiest giving season in the US, long-term declines in charitable giving trends remained in Q4 2023. FEP’s latest quarterly data, released and announced at AFP ICON 2024, acutely shows the growing challenge for American nonprofits: a near-universal decline in fundraising metrics, including dollars raised, donor counts, and retention when compared to 2022. Read more.

Donor Retention and Acquisition Key Challenges for Social Sector in Q3 2023

(Posted by AFP Global | December 22, 2023)

Approaching year-end and a busy giving season, charitable giving trends demonstrated a persistent decline throughout 2023. According to FEP’s latest quarterly data, declining donors across all sizes and types presents a major hurdle for nonprofits. Through Q3 2023, donors decreased moderately and donor retention continued to slide, driving a slight decrease in fundraising dollars. While long-term repeat donors were the most stable group, a significant drop in new donor participation had a negative impact on overall trends. Read more.

Early 2023 Fundraising Results Reinforce Diverse Strategy Urgency

(Posted by AFP Global | August 9, 2023)

While large donors drove marginal growth in giving dollars throughout 2021 and much of 2022, their stability has begun to erode. According to FEP’s latest quarterly data, a decrease in donors and dollars given was evident across all donor types in Q1 2023, with major donors causing an outsized decline in dollars and donor retention. Paired with a sharp drop in dollars given by new donors, these outcomes set the stage for compounded challenges for the sector throughout 2023. Read more.

2022 Fundraising Showed Substantial Weakness Through Q4

(Posted by AFP Global | April 16, 2023) 

Despite donor counts falling in five out of the last six quarters, giving dollars had stubbornly hung on to marginal growth in Q2 and Q3 2022, largely driven by large donors. However, according to FEP’s latest quarterly data, the continuing decrease in donors of all types in Q4 was accompanied by a notable weakness in total dollars, suggesting the possibility of continued challenges in 2023, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s (FEP) Fourth Quarter Fundraising Report. Read more.

Continued Consolidation in Q3 2022: Donors Down (-7.1%) But Dollars Up (4.7%) Yet Again

(Posted by AFP Global | January 12, 2023)

Charitable giving increased moderately in Q3 2022, but for the 4th time in the last 5 quarters total donors dropped significantly in Q3 2022. This suggests that while the decrease in donor numbers may undermine long-term resilience, large established donors offer some continuing stability and opportunity, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s (FEP) Third Quarter Fundraising Report. Read more.

Donors Drop by 7% but Dollars Up 6.2%, Buoyed by Major Donors

(Posted by AFP Global | October 13, 2022)

U.S. charitable giving increased significantly in Q2 2022, but gains were accompanied by a continuing steep decline in donor acquisition and retention, particularly among new and newly retained donors, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s (FEP) Second Quarter Fundraising Report. Read more.

COVID Era Fundraising Stalls as Donations Soften and Donors, Retention Rates Fall in First Quarter 2022

(Posted by AFP Global | July 12, 2022)

While fundraising in the United States increased by 2.2%, the donor pool continued to shrink, according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s (FEP) 2022 First Quarter Fundraising Report. Read more.

Want to learn more?  Please download the latest real time philanthropy reports from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project and GivingTuesday at https://afpglobal.org/fepreports.

Questions? Please contact The Fundraising Effectiveness Project at fep@afpglobal.org