12 Nonprofit Reports That Are Essential to Strategic Planning and Growth

Why nonprofit reports are a strategic asset 

Nonprofit reports serve a bigger purpose than just checking boxes for audits or board meetings. When built around your organization’s goals, they become a practical tool for clarity and stronger decision-making across teams.

They help you:

• Tie fundraising performance directly to nonprofit strategic planning priorities
• Spot donor attrition before it becomes a revenue problem
• Allocate staff time and budget where it actually delivers a return on investment (ROI)
• Make confident decisions grounded in data

Most importantly, reports create alignment. When leadership, development, and finance teams are looking at the same data, the organization moves faster and with less friction. That alignment is essential to effective nonprofit strategic planning, where goals, fundraising strategy, and operational reality must stay connected and not siloed. 

Pro tip: Save hours each month by building reports that reflect how your team operates, with data tailored to what each department needs.

DonorPerfect offers 70+ standard nonprofit reports plus flexible custom reporting tools, allowing you to filter, segment, and view data based on your organization’s unique goals, campaigns, and nonprofit strategic planning priorities.

12 nonprofit reports to guide planning and growth

Below is a comprehensive set of nonprofit reports that leaders and fundraisers should utilize and reference regularly. Not all of these reports need daily attention, but all should be part of your ongoing reporting rhythm.

1. New donor acquisition report

New donors are how your organization grows its community and sustains its mission over time. A new donor acquisition report helps you understand not just how many donors you’re bringing in, but how they’re finding you, and what that means for your future fundraising strength.

A strong new donor report typically shows:

• Number of first-time donors
• Acquisition source (direct mail appeals, events, digital campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising, etc.)
• Cost per new donor (the total cost of a campaign or fundraising channel divided by the number of new donors acquired through it)
• First gift size and timing

Why it matters:

New donor acquisition fuels long-term revenue, but it’s also one of the most resource-intensive parts of fundraising. This report helps you evaluate which acquisition sources have historically brought in donors who continue to give—so you can invest in strategies that build lasting relationships, not just boost initial numbers.

Additionally, and from a nonprofit strategic planning perspective, this report provides critical insight into whether your donor growth strategy can realistically support future fundraising goals and program expansion.

What to watch for:

• High acquisition volume paired with low second-gift conversion, which often signals a donor stewardship gap
• Fundraising channels that consistently attract donors whose giving levels are below your sustainability goals
• Heavy reliance on a single acquisition source, which can create risk if that channel underperforms

Pro tip: Strengthen early donor relationships by tracking the interactions and engagement patterns that lead to a second gift within 12 months. Use Constituent Tracking in DonorPerfect to record donor interactions, appeals, and engagement history alongside new donor reports, helping your team understand which acquisition sources and touchpoints drive early loyalty.

2. Lapsed donor (LYBUNT & SYBUNT) reports

If you’re only focused on new donors, you’re likely leaking revenue. Lapsed donor reports—commonly called LYBUNT (Last Year But Unfortunately Not This) and SYBUNT (Some Year But Unfortunately Not This)—identify donors who have stopped giving.

Why it matters:

Engaging donors who are close to your cause is important and also cost-effective. These reports show where your retention strategy is failing and where recovery is possible.

This data helps inform long-term planning around:

• Revenue forecasting
• Staffing needs
• Investment in stewardship vs. acquisition

What to watch for:

• High lapse rates among first-time donors
• Major donors who stop giving without notice
• Donors lapsing after specific campaigns or events

3. Donor retention report (overall and segmented)

Donor retention is one of the most reliable indicators of long-term fundraising stability. A donor retention report helps you understand how consistently supporters continue giving over time and where relationships may be strengthening or weakening.

A strong donor retention report breaks down results by:

• First-time vs. repeat donors – Compares retention rates between new supporters and established donors to identify early drop-off points
• Giving level – Shows how retention varies across donor tiers, from entry-level to major donors
• Program or fund – Highlights which programs or initiatives retain donor support most consistently over time
• Solicitation or campaign type – Reveals how different appeals, events, or outreach strategies influence donor loyalty

Why it matters:

Overall retention rates provide a useful snapshot, but segmented retention offers the real insight. It shows which donor groups are building lasting relationships with your organization and which may need a different approach.

Retention data also supports strategic decisions about sustainability, accurate forecasting, and donor experience investments.

What to watch for:

• Overall retention rates consistently below 45 percent (or lower than what is forecasted for your organization as you work to increase your donor retention rate year-over-year)
• Significant drop-off after a donor’s first gift
• Noticeable differences in retention between donor segments that suggest uneven stewardship or engagement strategies

4. Revenue by campaign, fund, and solicitation

You likely have a strong sense of how much you’re raising overall, but understanding where that revenue is coming from is just as important. A revenue report that breaks down performance by campaign, fund, and solicitation gives you the visibility to see which strategies are working and which need adjustment.

This report connects day-to-day fundraising activity to your nonprofit strategic plan. It shows how well your revenue-generating efforts align with your organizational goals and where you might be investing time or money without a clear return.

Track revenue by:

• Campaign – the overarching fundraising initiative (e.g., year-end, capital campaign, GivingTuesday)
• Fund or program – the designation or purpose of the gift (e.g., scholarships, general operations)
• Solicitation or appeal – the specific outreach effort that prompted the gift (e.g., spring mailer, email series)

Why it matters:

This is where fundraising performance and strategic priorities intersect. If your plan prioritizes certain programs or growth areas, this report helps you track whether your revenue is supporting those goals or is being directed elsewhere.

What to watch for:

• Campaigns that consistently miss targets
• Programs requiring more fundraising effort than they return
• Appeals with declining ROI

5. Recurring and monthly giving reports

Recurring donors are a great source of predictable revenue from your most committed supporters. Monthly giving programs create reliable cash flow, reduce fundraising costs over time, and deepen donor relationships.

But to be effective, monthly giving needs active oversight. A recurring giving report helps you stay on top of donor behavior and spot trends that impact long-term sustainability.

This report should show:

• Active monthly donors
• Missed or failed payments
• Average monthly gift
• Retention rate of sustainers

Why it matters:

Monthly giving smooths cash flow and strengthens donor loyalty, but only if it’s actively managed.

Recurring revenue supports:

• Multi-year budgeting
• Sustainable program expansion
• Risk mitigation 

What to watch for:

• Missed payments that go unnoticed 
• Flat growth in sustainer enrollment
• Overreliance on a small number of recurring donors

6. Top donor and major giving reports

Major donors play a significant role in fundraising success, which makes visibility into their giving and engagement essential. Top donor and major giving reports help teams understand who is driving revenue and how those relationships are evolving through the donor engagement cycle.

These reports typically highlight:

• Top donors by cumulative giving
• Recent large or leadership gifts
• Giving trends over time
• Engagement and contact history

Why it matters:

A small number of donors often account for a significant portion of total revenue. These reports help fundraisers spot changes in giving behavior early and ensure major donors receive the attention and stewardship they expect.

These reports also help leadership forecast revenue more accurately and assess major gift strategy alignment.

What to watch for

• Declining gift size or frequency from historically strong donors
• Donors who give consistently but are never upgraded
• Major donors with limited personal contact or recent engagement

7. Volunteer hours and engagement reports

Volunteers play a critical role in how nonprofits deliver programs, extend capacity, and build long-term relationships with supporters. Volunteer hours and engagement reports help organizations understand not only how much support they’re receiving, but how deeply individuals are connected to the mission beyond financial giving.

These reports provide visibility into how volunteers contribute their time and skills across the organization and how that engagement may grow over time.

Volunteer hours and engagement reports typically track:

• Total volunteer hours
• Hours by role, program, or initiative
• Volunteer participation trends
• Overlap between volunteers and donors

Why it matters:

Volunteer engagement is often a leading indicator of donor loyalty and future giving. These reports also provide concrete, defensible data for grant applications, impact reporting, and board communications. Volunteer data gives leaders a clearer picture of organizational capacity and program growth. Additionally, volunteers may be good prospects for planned gifts, especially those who have volunteered for years.

Pro tip: Strengthen donor and volunteer retention by identifying individuals who give both time and money and creating engagement paths that deepen both relationships. Track volunteer hours, assignments, and participation history in one place to report on engagement, capacity, and community impact.

8. Fundraising ROI and profitability reports

Fundraising success depends on how much revenue you generate, along with how efficiently and sustainably you work to achieve your fund development strategies year-round. Fundraising ROI and profitability reports help leaders evaluate the true return on time, budget, and staff effort invested in each campaign or activity.

These reports provide a clearer picture of which fundraising efforts strengthen the organization and which may quietly strain resources.

Fundraising ROI and profitability reports typically measure:

• Net revenue by campaign, fund, appeal, or event – Total funds raised minus the direct expenses associated with that effort
• Cost per dollar raised – The amount spent to raise one dollar, including marketing, staffing, and event costs
• Staff time and expenses compared to return – How much internal effort is required relative to the revenue generated

Why it matters:

Some fundraising initiatives generate impressive gross revenue while consuming disproportionate time or budget. ROI reports give leadership the data needed to make informed decisions about where to invest, where to adjust, and which efforts may no longer align with long-term goals.

These insights support smarter budgeting, more accurate forecasts, and a clearer picture of what drives sustainable growth.

9. Timing and cadence reports (monthly, quarterly, annual)

Understanding donor behavior over time is essential to effective fundraising planning. Timing and cadence reports reveal when donors are most likely to give and how giving patterns shift throughout the year.

Rather than relying on assumptions or past habits, these reports help teams plan fundraising activities around actual donor behavior.

Timing and cadence reports typically reveal:

• Seasonal giving patterns – Periods of the year when donors are most and least likely to give
• Campaign performance by timing – How the same type of appeal performs depending on when it is sent or launched
• Year-over-year trends and shifts – Changes in donor behavior across multiple years that affect planning and forecasting

Why it matters:

Timing data improves forecast accuracy and helps teams plan appeals, campaigns, and staffing more strategically. It also reduces risk by highlighting periods of vulnerability or opportunity within the fiscal year. These reports shape annual calendars and ensure fundraising timelines align with donor behavior and team capacity.

10. Donor scoring and engagement reports

Donor scoring and engagement reports help you understand where to focus your time and energy across your donor file. Instead of treating all donors the same, these reports surface patterns in giving and engagement so outreach can be more intentional and effective.

A donor scoring report typically evaluates:

• Giving frequency – How often a donor gives
• Recency – How recently a donor made a gift
• Capacity indicators – Signals that suggest a donor’s ability to give more
• Engagement level – Responses to appeals, events, volunteering, or other interactions

Why it matters:

These insights allow fundraisers to segment donors more strategically, prioritize relationship-building efforts, and identify opportunities for upgrades or deeper engagement. Over time, donor scoring supports more personalized fundraising and stronger donor retention.

These reports help align your team’s time and outreach with donors who are most likely to sustain and grow revenue—key for long-term planning.

Pro tip: Use donor scoring to focus outreach on supporters who are already showing strong signals of engagement and giving potential. DonorPerfect’s Donor Score highlights donors based on recency, frequency, and engagement, helping your team prioritize outreach and stewardship more effectively.

11. Dashboards for executive insight and oversight

Dashboards provide nonprofit leaders with a high-level, real-time view of organizational performance by bringing multiple nonprofit reports into a single, easy-to-read interface. Instead of relying on static reports or delayed summaries, dashboards allow executives to monitor key indicators as conditions change.

Well-designed dashboards surface the fundraising metrics that matter most to leadership and boards, helping teams stay focused on progress, risk, and opportunity without getting lost in operational detail.

Dashboards commonly support:

• Faster decision-making – By highlighting trends and changes as they happen
• Clearer board reporting – By translating complex data into accessible, visual insights
• Stronger leadership alignment – By ensuring teams are working from the same set of metrics

Why it matters:

Dashboards help bridge the gap between day-to-day fundraising activity and long-term nonprofit strategic planning. They allow leaders to track progress toward goals, identify issues early, and have more informed, forward-looking conversations with boards and stakeholders.

12. Reports that connect fundraising to nonprofit strategic planning

Nonprofit reports play a critical role in connecting fundraising activity to an organization’s long-term goals. When reporting is aligned with nonprofit strategic planning, leaders can clearly see how fundraising performance supports—or falls short of—strategic priorities.

Rather than reviewing fundraising results in isolation, these reports help leadership evaluate whether resources are being directed toward the programs, initiatives, and outcomes identified in the strategic plan.

Reports that connect fundraising to nonprofit strategic planning typically show:

• Revenue aligned to strategic priorities – Funding mapped directly to programs or initiatives outlined in the strategic plan
• Progress toward multi-year goals – Year-over-year performance measured against long-term fundraising and program objectives
• Gaps between plan and performance – Areas where fundraising results indicate a need for adjustment or reallocation

Why it matters:

When the right reports are reviewed consistently and used thoughtfully, they become more than performance summaries. They help leadership teams anticipate risk, allocate resources with confidence, and stay aligned around shared goals.

Purposeful use of data helps leaders:

• Reduce financial and fundraising risk
• Improve donor retention and engagement
• Strengthen fundraising performance
• Make nonprofit strategic planning practical and actionable

Clarity matters more than perfection when it comes to reporting, especially when you’re deciding what to do next.

You don’t need to track everything—just the right things. The nonprofit reports in this guide are designed to give you visibility into what’s working, what needs attention, and how your fundraising supports your long-term goals. When you make reporting part of your leadership rhythm, it becomes one of your strongest tools for confident, strategic growth.

Ready to turn reports into action? If you want nonprofit reports that support smarter fundraising and stronger nonprofit strategic planning—without adding complexity—DonorPerfect can help. Explore how DonorPerfect makes reporting clearer, faster, and more strategic.