The Five Warning Signs of Direct-mail Fundraising Trouble

1. Attrition is not made up by new/recaptured donors. One tried-and-true method of gauging if your program is really growing is to compare the attrition of your 12-month donor file vs. the combined totals of recaptured lapsed donors (from 13-plus months) and new donors during the same year. If you're adding/recapturing more than you're losing, then strategies that increase gift size and frequency can result in real, sustainable growth.