How to increase donor retention, without increasing your workload

One-off gifts are great. But continuously pouring resources into donor recruitment will only get you so far. It’s like trying to refill a leaky bucket. Hard work and unfulfilling. It’s also expensive, with recruitment costing 5-7 times more than retention.

No charity can afford to keep plugging that gap. When it comes to individual giving, the real value comes when you start turning one-off donations into ongoing support your organisation can count on. 

When you do this, every bit of time, effort, and money spent on donor recruitment goes further. Retention also means stability. The more loyal, committed donors you have on your books, the stronger and more sustainable your organisation will be.  

What makes donors want to stick around?

Donors give because they believe in the work you do. They stick around because they trust your organisation, feel valued, and that their support is making a difference. 

It sounds simple. But when you’re a busy fundraising manager trying to do everything at once, figuring out how to increase donor retention without overloading your team can feel like an impossible task. 

Common challenges include:

• Manual processes that make it hard to send out timely “thank yous”
• Donor data spread across different tools make it hard to keep track of relationships
• Limited resources mean people only hear from you when you want money
• A lack of data means you have no choice but to strategise based on assumptions. 

If you’re wondering how to increase donor retention, there are lots of things you can do to strengthen donor relationships and make sure people feel valued. 

Make the most of that first spark

For two simple words, saying “thank you” really does offer a big return. Research shows that donors thanked within 48 hours are four times more likely to give again. Don’t stop there. First impressions count — so why not develop a series of welcome emails that help you get to know each other.  

Show donors the impact they’re making

When you work for an organisation day-in, day-out, it’s easy to forget just how big a difference you’re making. Donors want to know their money is being put to good use, so take some time to share milestone moments, data and stories that bring the impact of their support to life. 

Remember, not every update has to come with an ask. Sometimes it’s nice just to give back. 

Mark moments that matter

Every pound donated to your organisation is one that could have been spent elsewhere. That’s why it’s so important to recognise your donor’s generosity and mark key milestones like giving anniversaries or donation amounts. It doesn’t have to be big fanfare. Even a small gesture - a quick email, handwritten card, or simple SMS - can make a big difference. 

Find ways to go beyond giving

Retention isn’t just about holding onto donors come what may. It’s about deepening your relationship. The more people are involved with your organisation, the closer they’ll feel to your work. So give your supporters different opportunities to join in. From volunteering to challenge events and charity galas, you’ll be surprised how many people say yes.  

Put your donors first

A one-size-fits all approach might feel like a time saver, but it can cost you in the long-run. Tailored communications that speak directly to your donors will help you build deeper, more personal relationships. The more you know about your donors, their motivations and interests, the better your stewardship will be.  

Be transparent when it comes to money

Trust is a big issue for the charity sector, with many donors (and potential donors) worried about how their money will be used. Face that concern head on by being open about your organisation’s income, costs, and admin spend. Couple this with clear evidence of impacts so donors can see the value of every pound spent. 

Do more of what works, and less of what doesn’t

It might not be glamorous, but good data is at the heart of figuring out how to increase donor retention. Knowing your numbers - and which campaigns, messages, and tactics work best - gives you the insights you need to design a donor journey that keeps people engaged. 

It sounds like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’ve been wondering how to increase donor retention without overloading your team, here are some practical ways to make it happen:

Let technology take the strain

Fundraisers can lose a lot of hours working on Excel or forcing donor data into marketing software that isn’t fit for the job. A specialist charity CRM like Donorfy can change that. Designed by and for nonprofit pros, it offers ready-made solutions that will automate some of the most time-consuming and cumbersome tasks, like:

• Logging donations and tracking donor interactions
• Sending out timely, personal thank you’s
• Processing Gift Aid claims.

You can even set up customised workflows - for example, a welcome email series for new donors, or a gentle nudge and reminder for lapsing ones.  

Connect your tools 

One of the great things about technology is that there’s a solution or app for everything. But this can be a curse too. Before you know it, you’re managing events with Eventbrite, sending newsletters with MailChimp and processing direct debits with GoCardless and Stripe. And that’s just the start. 

Keeping tabs on these apps and piecing together data from different solutions can be a real headache. That’s where a CRM with integration capabilities comes in. Instead of hopping between platforms, you’ve got everything you need in one place, with all your donor data pulled together and ready to use. 

Don’t make extra work for yourself

Using templates isn’t cheating - even if they come ready made. From thank you letters to event invitations and anniversary messages, editable documents that can be easily adjusted for different groups of donors save hours. The trick is to make space for small, personal touches that keep the connection genuine.

It’s also okay to repurpose content. If there’s a story that’s working well on your website, why not give it a new spin for your newsletter, or turn it into an impact update? Just remember to mix things up, so supporters don’t feel like they’re seeing the same piece on repeat.

Make friends with AI

Already, 60% of UK charities are starting to use artificial intelligence. And for good reason. From content creation to data analysis and strategic planning, AI can help you develop and time personalised asks, newsletters, impact updates, and appeals. 

It can also generate the insights you need to understand what really makes your supporters tick and how to increase donor retention in ways that work for everyone.

It all sounds great in theory, and you’ll be pleased to hear it works in practice too. 

Tasked with keeping over 90,000 years of church history safe, Fundraising Manager Lydia and the team at the National Churches Trust do it all: managing members, sending out appeals, raising income from trusts, and of course, stewarding donors. 

The problem was they just didn’t have enough hours in the day. That is, until Donorfy helped find them. 

Keen to make the most of their new CRM, Lydia and her team have automated processes, connected apps, and turned time-consuming manual tasks into preset workflows. 

This hasn’t just saved time. It’s given them the space to be more strategic in their fundraising - all while staying true to their values and making sure that every supporter feels special. 

“The ability to personalise acknowledgements easily means we can keep that warm, personal connection with every supporter, whether they're giving online, by post or over the phone. That matters to us, and to them.”  

Ready to work smarter, not harder?

Are you wondering how to increase donor retention without burning out? Connect with a member of our team today.