Is This Love: The Value of the First-Time Donor Experience

Research over the past several decades has indicated that there is vast opportunity for philanthropic gifts in the United States. Yet donor attrition rates after a nonprofit organization receives its first charitable gift continue to remain near 50%. This research explores donor communications through a first-time donor experiment and multiple interviews with development professionals in the Washington, DC area. As our nation experiences a demographic shift, nonprofit organizations must learn to adapt their communication styles in order to retain first-time donors. Current research supports the shift from donor acquisition to donor retention; however, findings from this study indicate that many organizations not applying strategies to retain donors. The first-time donor experiment revealed that some organizations are failing to acknowledge first-time donors, which is likely contributing to donor lapse.