Easier Said Than Done: 6 Freakish Facts About Fundraising

The most powerful predictor that a donor will give is the recency of her previous gift.
Giving begets giving. And not giving begets not giving. If it’s been three months or less since a donor last gave to you, your chances of getting another gift now are the best they’ll ever be.

Every week after that, though, the relationship grows colder. By the time nine months have gone by without another gift, your chance of getting another gift has dropped dramatically. After a year or more, you’re in trouble: The likelihood that someone so deeply lapsed will give is only marginally better than it is for someone who’s never heard of you.