FOCUS ON AUDITS Don't Be Afraid of the A-wordUnlike the tax v

Long-term value for new donors will vary depending on the organization. Different organizations have different benchmarks for the recovery of their initial investment, but typically the goal is to break even within 12 to 18 months.

The critical first year

Tracking how many donors gave again the year after they were acquired is a key indicator of the health of a direct mail program. A file audit tracks this first-year renewal rate and shows the giving patterns that have been established year over year for each group of first-year renewers.