July telemarketing helps The Salvation Army pull lapsed donors back in time for holiday giving.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Closing the gap
As with almost any nonprofit organization, donor attrition is a persistent concern for The Salvation Army. Lockhart says the Western Pennsylvania Division has lost a significant number of donors each year for the last three years.

“In 2005, we had 32,000 donors who didn’t support the Army with a donation,” she explains. “That’s about 39 percent of active donors that lapsed.”