What One Year of Fundraising Data Reveals About Donor Generosity

Fundraising advice is everywhere, but real-world fundraising data is rarer and far more valuable.

Recently, fundraiser David Duxbury shared insights from a full year of tracking donor activity across multiple channels. His findings confirm something many nonprofit leaders intuitively understand, but don’t always know how to practically implement:

Generosity grows in the presence of real human connection.

Here’s what the data revealed, and what it means for your fundraising strategy.

The Data: What Actually Moved the Needle

After tracking fundraising activity over a full year, David uncovered several patterns that stood out clearly.

🤝 In-person visits matter dramatically.
Donors who participated in a meaningful, in-person visit gave five times more than donors who only interacted through phone calls or email.

📞 It takes persistence to earn a visit.
On average, it took 12 touchpoints to secure a single in-person donor meeting. That’s not a failure of outreach; it’s the reality of relationship-building.

✍️ Handwritten cards deliver outsized returns.
Each handwritten note produced 1,169× more value than it cost. Few fundraising activities show that kind of return.

📬 Multi-channel outreach wins.
Response rates jumped significantly when outreach combined a voicemail plus an email, rather than relying on a single channel.

💡 Donors give more when they understand their options.
Gifts from donor-advised funds (DAFs), stock, and required minimum distributions (RMDs) increased, but only after donors were informed that those options existed.

The Takeaway: Relationships First, Always

So what does this mean for you if you’re a nonprofit team juggling limited time, staff, and budgets?

1. Prioritize face-to-face connection

Whenever possible, meet donors in person. Coffee, walks, and site visits build trust and shared purpose in ways digital touchpoints never fully replicate.

2. Don’t stop after one or two attempts

Make ten touch points (or more) your new normal. Thoughtful persistence signals care, not pressure.

3. Write the handwritten note

Even if handwritten cards seem old-fashioned, they’re rare, and rarity commands attention.

4. Use more than one channel

Phone, email, and mail each reinforce the other. A coordinated, human approach feels intentional, not automated.

5. Educate donors so they can give generously

Many donors want to give more effectively but don’t know how. When donors give you permission to communicate, informing them about tax-efficient giving options is a service, not a sales pitch.

Generosity Follows Value

When donors feel known, informed, and valued, generosity follows. Duxbury’s insights remind us that fundraising success comes from consistently doing the right things. 

The most effective strategies don’t manipulate behavior. They build relationships and respect donors as partners in impact, not transactions to be optimized.

Ultimately, when you focus on serving your donors well, generosity unfolds naturally for the good of the people and communities your organization exists to serve.

Ready to build deeper donor relationships?

GivingFuel is built for nonprofits that value connection over transactions. Our software makes it easy to support recurring giving, flexible payment options, donor-advised fund contributions, and thoughtful donor communication in one place.

If you’re ready to give your donors better ways to give and watch generosity grow, explore GivingFuel today or watch a demo to learn more.

We’re here to help you have your best fundraising event ever!

— The GivingFuel team