In the Trenches: Donor Attrition: The Insidious Statistic

Attacking attrition: The experts weigh in
Some fundraising professionals see donor attrition as a natural evolution in the industry.

“This trend has been going on for quite a few years, but it is an economic decision on the part of the fundraiser, not a trend for the donors,” says Jim Kirschner, president of the fundraising firm Miles River Direct, which frequently works with membership organizations. “Fundraisers are hard pressed to earn net dollars from low-dollar donors, so they have switched tactics to acquire and maintain higher-dollar donors.”