5 Signals It’s Time to Re-Engage Lapsed Donors
What You Can Learn From Lapsed Donors
Your donor data is more than just names and numbers. It shows how your community has supported you in the past, and can help point to where future support may come from. Sometimes, the loudest signals come from the quietest corners of your database: your lapsed donors. These are generous individuals who once supported you but have not made a gift in a while. Understanding why they have stopped giving, and who they are, can unlock opportunities that are often more cost-effective than finding new supporters. In this article, we will explore five key signals your donor data may be sending about your lapsed supporters, and what those signals are telling you.
Declining Gift Frequency
What it looks like: You notice donors who used to give consistently (e.g., annually or even twice a year) have steadily reduced their giving frequency over time until their donations have stopped altogether. They may still be giving to your organization, but with increasingly longer gaps between gifts.
What it's telling you: This usually is not a sudden loss of interest. It may be a sign that your donor stewardship strategy needs attention, or simply that the donor's circumstances have changed and they have unintentionally fallen out of the habit of giving. These once-reliable supporters are strong candidates for personalized re-engagement before their connection fades entirely, and their past consistency signals a real potential to reconnect and start giving again.
Spotting the Signal: A good donor management system, or even a well-organized spreadsheet, can help you track each donor’s full giving history and identify growing gaps in their support. This visibility allows you to act sooner, with more relevant outreach, making it easier to take timely, informed action.
One-Time Donors Not Converting
What it looks like: When you look at your donor base, a significant percentage consists of individuals who have only ever made a single gift. This might be from a crowdfunding campaign, an event, or an awareness day. These donors gave once and did not give again. And while one-time giving is not uncommon, a large volume of it can signal missed opportunities to identify the people most likely to become your best supporters.
What it’s telling you: These donors are the most likely to lapse if they do not receive timely, meaningful follow-up that shows them how they are contributing to your long-term mission beyond the initial transaction. A high number of one-time donors suggests it may be time to strengthen your first-time donor engagement strategy to help reduce future lapsed donors and turn one-time givers into long-term supporters.
Spotting the Signal: Use your donor data to identify one-time givers and compare them to those who have given more than once. Then, look at what your organization did, or did not do, after their first gift. Spotting patterns in your follow-up can help improve your first-time donor experience and increase the chances of a second gift. Even small changes, like using your data to personalize your communications, such as a personal thank-you or a timely update, can make a big difference in keeping new donors engaged.
Longer Gaps Between Donations
What it looks like: You have a growing number of donor records whose “last gift date” falls well outside your active donor window (e.g., more than 12 or 24 months ago). That means these donors have not given in a long time and may no longer feel connected to your organization.
What it’s telling you: This is one of the clearest signs of a lapsed donor. Many nonprofits use the 24-month mark as a common definition, but your organization can define what “lapsed” means based on your own fundraising cycle and donor patterns. Your leadership and board will benefit from understanding the opportunity within this group. A large number of lapsed donors signals the need for a clear and consistent re-engagement strategy to bring them back.
Spotting the Signal: Use your donor data to filter by “last gift date.” This helps you identify exactly who is considered lapsed, and just how big the re-engagement opportunity is. From there, you can see how many donors have fallen off, when they last gave, group them by how long they’ve been inactive, and prioritize your outreach efforts.
Mid-Level Givers Have Gone Quiet
What it looks like: Donors who previously made substantial contributions—your “mid-level” segment (e.g., gifts of $500–$2,500, or as defined by your organization) have stopped giving altogether. These are supporters who gave more than the average donor, but were not in your major gifts category. Over time, their giving may have gradually tapered off, until eventually, they stopped giving altogether.
What it’s telling you: These donors are among your most valuable to re-engage because of their proven capacity and past commitment. A drop in giving could signal a missed opportunity to deepen the relationship, a lack of personalized appreciation, or stewardship that did not meet their expectations. Prioritizing them for personalized outreach often yields a higher return on effort.
Spotting the Signal: Use your donor data to sort these lapsed supporters by their previous giving levels. This helps you focus on high-potential individuals who deserve more tailored messaging and a thoughtful invitation to reconnect. Reaching out with personalized updates or appreciation can remind them of the impact they once had, and encourage them to give again.
Your Donor Data Is Hard to Use
What it looks like: Your donor database, whether a donor software or a spreadsheet, feels overwhelming, messy, or difficult to navigate. It is hard to spot trends or pull specific lists. You might be relying on outdated, manual tracking methods that are difficult to update, analyze, or share with your team.
What it’s telling you: If your data is not actively working for you, you are likely missing out on key insights, especially around who's lapsing and why. This lack of accessibility becomes a major barrier to re-engagement. The opportunities are there, but they are hidden, costing your organization time, and potential revenue. If you are unsure whether your current system is working well for you, it is worth taking a moment to assess your data to determine if it is supporting your fundraising goals.
Spotting the Signal: Leverage your donor data to create quick visual summaries, or you can consider creating a fundraising dashboard to spot key trends. Or, pull targeted lists, like your lapsed donor segment, for internal meetings or board reviews. If your current system makes this difficult, it may be time to simplify or upgrade your tools so your data can work harder for you.
Lapsed donor trends are not random; they are signals your data can help you understand. From long gaps between gifts and one-time-only donations, to mid-level givers going quiet and data that is difficult to use, each signal offers a window into where relationships have faded and how they might be rebuilt. Spotting these patterns is the first step toward smarter, more intentional re-engagement.
Need a simple, ready-to-use tool to explore these lapsed donor trends in your own data? Subscribe to get our free Board Donor Snapshot Template and start noticing what matters. It is designed specifically for small teams to quickly identify lapsed donors and begin asking the right questions, guiding you toward smarter re-engagement strategies.
