Dealing With the Dreaded 'A' Word

Every nonprofit, large or small, has one thing in common. All suffer, in some degree or another, from donor attrition.

For whatever reason, donors stop giving. She loses her job or her health. He loses interest. They move and neglect to tell you.

Donor attrition is a fact of life. Don't try to compare your rate to anyone else’s, because every nonprofit has a unique set of circumstances. Source of donors (some channels attrite more than others), age of donors, even the connection donors have with your organization (for example, alumni vs. members) are all factors in your attrition rate.