
Why Are Donors Disappearing? Here’s What Nonprofits Must Change
Only 20% of first-time donors give again.
That means for every 100 new donors you acquire, 80 disappear.
Is it donor fatigue? The economy? AI? Federal funding volatility?
In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha Anderson and donor strategist Erin Straza unpack the real reasons donors don’t return - and what nonprofit leaders must change to improve donor retention.
We discuss:
The truth about donor retention rates
Why transactional fundraising fails
The power of phone calls and personal outreach
How messaging impacts lifetime donor value
Why “fully funded” grant-heavy nonprofits are still vulnerable
How to shift from a numbers game to relationship strategy
If your fundraising appeals feel like they’re vanishing into the void, this episode is for you.
#donorretention #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitleadership #fundraisingstrategy #thecharitycfo
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