Longtime Value

This is just a way of thinking that opens up all sorts of ideas.

Lifetime value = average donation per gift x donations per donor per year x number of years per donor

Most fundraising activities focus on increasing the first one the magnitude of gifts, and the second one, the frequency of gifts each year. Few deliberately focus on longevity, getting you to give for longer.

We often think in two dimensions – how to get more donations each year (more donors) or how to increase how much people give (creating categories like high value donors) but what about activities totally dedicated to getting donors to support for longer? For example, involving supporters through a campaigning action can help increase their length of support.

See idea 8 - Make A Difference