Hi Rabbi [LAST_NAME GOES HERE],

There’s a number in your donor database that predicts the future.

Want to know which donor is most likely to give again?

Don’t look at gift size or how many times someone donated.

Check how recently they gave.

Statistically, a donor who gave $25 last month is more likely to give again than the donor who gave even more (like $500!)...but two years ago.

Recency is the strongest predictor of future giving behavior.

How should this affect what you do?

Most organizations sort their donors by gift amount, with the biggest givers on top, and the smallest at the end of the list.

Try something new: sort by last gift date.

The donors at the top aren’t necessarily your largest, but they’ll be your warmest. Because they recently said yes, the relationship is fresh and they’re the most likely to give again.

More recent donors should be treated differently.

• They get your next email first: Before you send to your full list, send to them. Their open and response rates will be higher.
• They’re your best bet for a campaign launch: When you need early momentum, start here. A warm donor doesn’t need much convincing. Give them a reason to say yes again, and they’re with you.

Most organizations can tell you their largest gift of the year.

Very few can tell you how recently each donor gave.

But because this number predicts what comes next, it’s the more important one to know by heart.

We operate as a fractional CMO for Jewish nonprofits, helping with marketing strategy, implementation and copywriting that touches hearts. And gets people giving. See our NPO packages

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