{"id":31483,"date":"2025-10-21T13:10:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T17:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/?p=31483"},"modified":"2025-10-21T16:27:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T20:27:19","slug":"dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"From Transaction to Transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-building-a-donor-retention-plan-for-deeper-connection-and-lasting-impact\">Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connection and Lasting Impact<\/h2>\n<p><em>Contributed by fundraising consultant, coach, teacher, and writer <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextriverfundraising.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>T. Clay Buck<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Intro\" id=\"section-1-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<p>For most nonprofit organizations, a strong donor retention plan is the key to long-term growth and lasting impact. Sure, a one-time <a href=\"\/major-donors\/\">major gift<\/a> can provide substantial and much-needed support that helps a program thrive. But if you\u2019re thinking about fundraising from the standpoint of sustainability\u2014and you should be\u2014you need to prioritize cultivating ongoing connections with your donors.<\/p>\n<p>This is especially true given the <a href=\"https:\/\/reveal-platform.medium.com\/lessons-from-seth-godins-connection-economy-for-marketers-91cafab53cb3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cconnection economy\u201d<\/a> that we now live in. Where value was once measured in commodities and economic growth, it\u2019s now defined by authentic human relationships and trust. And for those of us in the nonprofit sector, that has meant a shift from fundraising for the <em>transaction<\/em> to fundraising for <em>transformation<\/em>. In other words, we\u2019re not just asking for gifts anymore. We\u2019re building and sustaining meaningful, mission-aligned connections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-silver-light-background-color has-background\"><strong>Remember: <\/strong>The gift is the <em>starting point<\/em>. It\u2019s what happens after the gift\u2014the deep, lasting connection\u2014that matters most.<\/p>\n<p>So, how do you keep your donor relationships thriving after the gift is made? Here, I\u2019ll offer some hard truths about the traditional stewardship practices that might be holding you back, and I\u2019ll walk you step-by-step through the basics of a successful donor retention plan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sw-card sw-blog-callout\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Want more expert wisdom and donor retention tips from T. Clay Buck? Be sure to view the recording of his session at this year\u2019s <a href=\"\/donorperfect-conference\/\">DonorPerfect Conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"\/video\/values-over-valuables-creating-a-donor-retention-plan-that-turns-transactions-into-transformations\/\">WATCH NOW &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"T Clay Buck - Values Over Valuables Creating a Donor Retention Plan That Turns Transactions into Transformations\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1090483977?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Donor retention fundamentals\" id=\"section-2-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-understand-donor-retention-fundamentals\">Understand donor retention fundamentals<\/h2>\n<p>Before you set up your plan, it\u2019s important to understand the basics of <a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/major-donor-retention-tools-how-to-build-relationships-that-last-a-lifetime\/\">donor retention<\/a>\u2014as a general rule, and for your own organization\u2019s unique fundraising strategy. For most nonprofits, working to retain the committed donors <a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/featured\/finding-major-donors\/\">already in your nonprofit CRM<\/a><em> <\/em>is a much more cost-effective strategy than recruiting new ones. It\u2019s also likely to raise more money over time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-crunch-the-numbers\">Crunch the numbers<\/h3>\n<p>First, check out what the data tells us about donor retention and repeat giving. Keep in mind that while these numbers indicate sector-wide trends, the data might look a little bit different for individual organizations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Acquisition and solicitation cost more than retention.&nbsp;<\/strong><br>About $1.20\u20131.50\/solicitation vs. $0.20\u20130.25\/existing donor<\/p>\n<p><strong>Existing donors retain at a higher rate than new ones.<\/strong><br>About 69.2% for existing vs. 19.4% for new<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/monthly-giving\/\"><strong>Recurring donors<\/strong><\/a><strong> (e.g, monthly, quarterly) retain at a high rate.<\/strong> <br>About 83%<\/p>\n<p><strong>Most donors who make a second gift continue to give.<\/strong><br>About 59%<\/p>\n<p><strong>Repeat giving is a higher indicator of <\/strong><a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/featured\/expanding-major-gift-fundraising-non-cash-giving-options-for-nonprofits\/\"><strong>planned gift<\/strong><\/a><strong> likelihood than gift size.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-evaluate-your-retention-strategy-or-lack-of-one\">Evaluate your retention strategy (or lack of one)<\/h3>\n<p>With those numbers in mind, take a close look at your current donor retention strategy and identify areas for growth. (If a defined retention strategy doesn\u2019t exist, that\u2019s a good place to start!)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask yourself the following questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you communicate to donors the expectation that they give year over year?<\/li>\n<li>When you acquire and solicit new donors, do you have retention in mind?<\/li>\n<li>How comprehensive and accurate is your retention tracking? (e.g., Do you account for household giving and soft credits?)<\/li>\n<li>What are your metrics for successful retention? (e.g., Do you only look for year-to-year giving, or do you include consistent but non-consecutive gifts?)<\/li>\n<li>What are you doing to <a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-strategies\/lybunt-sybunt-mybunt-oh-my\/\">re-engage lapsed donors<\/a>?<\/li>\n<li>Are you targeting the right people? (I\u2019m sorry to say it, but it\u2019s just true: some donors just aren\u2019t that into you.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sw-card sw-blog-callout\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Your lapsed donors are still your donors.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">They might just be waiting for you to reach out. With DonorPerfect\u2019s Easy Report Builder and custom filtering, discover lapsed donors with ease. Run LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports to identify supporters who have given in previous years, and make an outreach plan to update them on the impact of their gift and re-engage them in your mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"\/fundraising-software\/fundraising-report-software\/\">Find your donors with DonorPerfect reports &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/custom-report-builder-1024x579.png\" alt=\"A preview of the custom report builder.\" class=\"wp-image-34767\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p>Now that you have a clear sense of the retention landscape at your nonprofit organization, let\u2019s talk about donor stewardship: what you think you know, and what you might consider reframing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Redefine donor stewardship\" id=\"section-3-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-redefine-donor-stewardship\">Redefine donor stewardship<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m going to start with a bold statement: <em>we\u2019ve been approaching stewardship all wrong<\/em>. In fact, we\u2019ve forgotten what stewardship really means. In order to design a donor retention model that builds deep donor connection and trust, we need to redefine what, why, and how we steward in our nonprofit fundraising.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-steward-gifts-not-donors\">Steward gifts, not donors<\/h3>\n<p>If you look it up in the dictionary, you\u2019ll find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/stewardship#dictionary-entry-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>stewardship<\/em><\/a> defined as \u201cthe careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one\u2019s care.\u201d That\u2019s some<em>thing<\/em>, not some<em>one<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>When a donor gives, they are entrusting you with the care of their gift. It is an act of deep trust, and your responsibility as the fundraiser is to ensure their gift is used as intended and to clearly <a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/how-to-show-major-donors-their-impact-using-your-nonprofit-crm\/\">communicate the impact it has on your mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to better steward your donors, you need to steward their gifts first.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sw-card sw-blog-callout\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Responsible gift stewardship includes proper and consistent data entry. Are all of your gifts and solicitation codes entered correctly? Download <a href=\"\/whitepapers\/generic\/clean-data-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Clean Data Checklist<\/a> and make sure your nonprofit CRM is up to date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/clean-data-checklist-mockup-1.jpg\" alt=\"Clean Data Checklist\" class=\"wp-image-30943\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-understand-the-science-of-stewardship\">Understand the science of stewardship<\/h3>\n<p>To move beyond a transaction-based approach to donor stewardship, you also need to understand the science behind charitable giving. People give because they want to forward your mission; they also give because <em>doing good feels good<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>When a donor makes a gift, they experience a surge of serotonin, the feel-good chemical in our brains that regulates our moods and emotions. Even after that excited feeling has gradually subsided, there is still an emotional residue that connects the donor\u2014and their sense of identity\u2014to the gift.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Meaningful stewardship is about reciprocity: how you respond to a donor should reflect that sense of identity and provide positive emotional reinforcement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You can reinforce that emotional connection by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Following up authentically, not transactionally<\/li>\n<li>Reminding donors of the impact they provide, not just what you need<\/li>\n<li>Timing your fundraising communications to align with their emotional peaks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The truth is that generosity fades over time, and reminding a donor of the <em>feeling <\/em>of a gift reaffirms their identity as a generous person and deepens their emotional identification with your mission.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-upgrade-your-outreach-strategy\">Upgrade your outreach strategy<\/h3>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s talk about donor outreach. You can\u2019t build an emotional connection with a donor if you aren\u2019t communicating with them the way they want or need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>You should be aware of each donor\u2019s individual preferences, but there are three things all donors expect:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prompt, personalized, and meaningful <a href=\"\/thanking-donors\/\">gift acknowledgement<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Transparency around the use and impact of their gift<\/li>\n<li>Consistent follow-up and engagement<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"sw-card sw-blog-callout\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Streamline your fundraising communications at every stage of the donor lifecycle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Every DonorPerfect system comes with a Constant Contact account, giving you the email and digital marketing tools you need to keep your donors connected and engaged. Design branded templates, segment for targeted outreach, and track email analytics\u2014all synced directly to your nonprofit CRM.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"\/integrations\/email-marketing\/constant-contact\/\">Send personalized thank-yous with ease &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/constant-contact-email-display.png\" alt=\"Email Marketing Platform screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-25479\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p>While digital channels are great for personalized acknowledgement and follow-up, don\u2019t underestimate the power of <a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/direct-mail-campaigns\/\">direct mail<\/a>.<em> <\/em>Direct mail isn\u2019t dead\u2014it still has the highest response rates and actually boosts donors\u2019 online engagement. Your digital and print outreach efforts should work hand in hand.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t confuse <em>channel of action<\/em> with <em>channel of inspiration<\/em>. The way a donor gives is not necessarily what prompted them to give in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, you may not need to wait as long as you think to make that second ask. In fact, <strong>the likelihood of a second gift is highest within the three months after a donor gives.<\/strong> But you cannot simply send a thank-you, wait two months, and then email them again out of the blue. Steward them with consistent updates and opportunities for engagement, so they\u2019re still emotionally connected to the mission when the time comes.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Craft a donor retention plan\" id=\"section-4-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-craft-a-donor-retention-plan\">Craft a donor retention plan<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s get down to work. Whether you\u2019re refining an existing donor retention plan or developing a new one, here are my step-by-step suggestions for long-term success.<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Set your goals<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Define your objective (e.g., engagement, renewal, upgrade).<\/li>\n<li>Determine your metrics (e.g., renewal rate, engagement actions, upgrades vs. downgrades).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Establish your infrastructure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Determine bandwidth and necessary resource allocation.<\/li>\n<li>Assign personnel specific roles and responsibilities.<\/li>\n<li>Get your tools in place (e.g., nonprofit CRM, digital communications, <a href=\"\/storytelling\/\">storytelling<\/a>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Design your <a href=\"\/online-forms-hub\/\">donation forms<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make them visually appealing and frictionless to navigate.<\/li>\n<li>Keep them focused and urgent, with <em>one <\/em>specific ask.<\/li>\n<li>Steward before the gift is made, using language that communicates gratitude and impact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Segment your donors<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Segment by loyalty and affinity, not just giving capacity.<\/li>\n<li>Use your nonprofit CRM to identify key donor types: first-time, renewing, repeat (loyal), and major donors<\/li>\n<li>Adapt your messaging accordingly for each segment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Plan your immediate response<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prioritize a heartfelt, personalized acknowledgement over an automated gift receipt (for now, the receipt can wait!)<\/li>\n<li>Tell the donor exactly how their gift will be used<\/li>\n<li>Set an alert to follow up within 1-2 months with an opportunity for engagement (e.g., volunteering, site visit, cultivation event)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sw-card sw-blog-callout\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Use your nonprofit CRM\u2019s built-in alerts to inform you as soon as a gift has been made and prompt the appropriate staff member to follow up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>DonorPerfect client?<\/strong> Learn how to <a href=\"https:\/\/softerware.my.site.com\/dpcommunity\/s\/article\/How-Can-I-Be-Reminded-to-Send-Thank-You-Letters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">set up thank-you reminders<\/a> so you never miss a gift acknowledgement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Don\u2019t have DonorPerfect?<\/strong> <a href=\"\/fundraising-software\/automated-fundraising-tools\/#form\">Request a demo<\/a> to learn more about how DonorPerfect\u2019s automations and alerts can streamline your nonprofit fundraising operations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/schedukled-outreach-2.png\" alt=\"snapshot of scheduled outreach on DonorPerfect homepage\" class=\"wp-image-25551\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p>There are plenty of ways you can approach your post-gift action plan\u2014but there are a few things every plan absolutely <em>must<\/em> do.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your post-gift checklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Acknowledge receipt of the gift<\/li>\n<li>Send a <a href=\"\/factsheets\/receipting\/\">receipt<\/a> with tax deductibility information<\/li>\n<li><em>Say thank you<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Report on how the gift is used<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Multichannel donor engagement\" id=\"section-5-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sustain-multichannel-donor-engagement\">Sustain multichannel donor engagement<\/h2>\n<p>After you\u2019ve acknowledged the gift, how will you keep the donor engaged and connected to your organization? As I emphasized at the beginning, it\u2019s what happens <em>after<\/em> the gift that really counts when we\u2019re talking about donor retention.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You have many options for donor engagement\u2014here are just a few ideas:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Digital newsletter<\/li>\n<li>Printed impact report<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/how-to-create-a-thank-you-video-that-promotes-donor-retention\/\">Video<\/a> thank-you<\/li>\n<li>Handwritten holiday or birthday card<\/li>\n<li>Donor survey<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/fundraising-software\/volunteer-management\/\">Volunteer<\/a> opportunities<\/li>\n<li>Fundraising event<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However you choose to engage your donors, you need to keep in mind two things. First, your donors deserve access and information beyond what you offer the general public. A public social media post or general newsletter might help your donors feel connected to what\u2019s going on at your organization, but they are not stewardship.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Second, every donor touchpoint needs to focus on the specific mission impact their gift has made possible. As the fundraiser, your primary responsibilities to the donor are to steward their gift and to reflect back to them the identity they brought forward when they gave\u2014someone generous, caring, and compassionate. When your donor communications are consistent, personalized, and focused on transformation, you build deeper donor connections that last.<\/p>\n<p>Your most valuable and sustainable prospects are the donors who have already given to your organization. With clean data and the help of your nonprofit CRM, you can identify your loyal supporters and understand <em>who<\/em> they are as people, allowing you to build a donor retention plan tailored to their values and motivations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your Data-Driven Donor Persona Checklist<\/strong> gives you the tools to personalize every touchpoint. Learn how to segment key donor groups, gain quantitative and qualitative insights, and develop donor personas that align with your nonprofit\u2019s unique goals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"wp-block-group content-section is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<header data-toc-tag=\"Free Donor Persona Checklist\" id=\"section-6-toc-1\"><\/header>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading get_demo gutenberg\" id=\"h-download-your-data-driven-donor-persona-checklist\">Download Your Data-Driven Donor Persona Checklist<\/h2>\n<p class=\"get_demo gutenberg\"><\/p>\n<script>\nvar gform;gform||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,themeScriptsLoaded:!1,isFormEditor:()=>\"function\"==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return!(!gform.domLoaded||!gform.scriptsLoaded||!gform.themeScriptsLoaded&&!gform.isFormEditor()||(gform.isFormEditor()&&console.warn(\"The use of gform.initializeOnLoaded() is deprecated in the form editor context and will be removed in Gravity Forms 3.1.\"),o(),0))},initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.callIfLoaded(o)||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",()=>{gform.scriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",()=>{gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",()=>{gform.domLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}))},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(\"action\",o,r,e,t)},addFilter:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(\"filter\",o,r,e,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook(\"action\",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook(\"filter\",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,r){gform.removeHook(\"action\",o,r)},removeFilter:function(o,r,e){gform.removeHook(\"filter\",o,r,e)},addHook:function(o,r,e,t,n){null==gform.hooks[o][r]&&(gform.hooks[o][r]=[]);var d=gform.hooks[o][r];null==n&&(n=r+\"_\"+d.length),gform.hooks[o][r].push({tag:n,callable:e,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(r,o,e){var t;if(e=Array.prototype.slice.call(e,1),null!=gform.hooks[r][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[r][o]).sort(function(o,r){return o.priority-r.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){\"function\"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),\"action\"==r?t.apply(null,e):e[0]=t.apply(null,e)})),\"filter\"==r)return e[0]},removeHook:function(o,r,t,n){var e;null!=gform.hooks[o][r]&&(e=(e=gform.hooks[o][r]).filter(function(o,r,e){return!!(null!=n&&n!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][r]=e)}});\n<\/script>\n                <div class='gf_browser_unknown gform_wrapper gravity-theme gform-theme--no-framework Persona_Checklist_wrapper' data-form-theme='gravity-theme' data-form-index='0' id='gform_wrapper_12' style='display:none'><div id='gf_12' class='gform_anchor' tabindex='-1'><\/div>\n                        <div class='gform_heading'>\n                            <p class='gform_description'><\/p>\n                        <\/div><form data-confirmation-type=\"message\" method='post' enctype='multipart\/form-data' target='gform_ajax_frame_12' id='gform_12' class='Persona_Checklist' action='\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31483#gf_12' data-formid='12' novalidate>\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"display: none !important;\" class=\"akismet-fields-container gf_invisible\" data-prefix=\"ak_\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<label>&#916;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_1\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"160\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_1\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                        <div class='gform-body gform_body'><div id='gform_fields_12' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below validation_below'><div id=\"field_12_1\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-text gfield--width-full input-field gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_1'>First Name<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='first_name' name='input_1' id='input_12_1' type='text' value='' class='large'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_2\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-text gfield--width-full input-field gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_2'>Last Name<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='last_name' name='input_2' id='input_12_2' type='text' value='' class='large'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_3\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-email gfield--width-full input-field validate gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_3'>Email<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'>\n                            <input data-parameter='email' name='input_3' id='input_12_3' type='email' value='' class='large'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"  \/>\n                        <\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_4\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-text gfield--width-full input-field gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_4'>Organization<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='organization' name='input_4' id='input_12_4' type='text' value='' class='large'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_7\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-select gfield--width-full select-field role-field select-display field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_7'>Role (Optional)<\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_select'><select data-parameter='role' name='input_7' id='input_12_7' class='large gfield_select'     aria-invalid=\"false\" ><option value=''  selected>Please choose an option<\/option><option value='Development Director' >Development Director<\/option><option value='Fundraising Assistant' >Fundraising Assistant<\/option><option value='Executive\/Board Member' >Executive\/Board Member<\/option><option value='Volunteer' >Volunteer<\/option><option value='Communications' >Communications<\/option><option value='I do it all!' >I do it all!<\/option><\/select><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_17\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-select gfield--width-full gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_17'>Interested in DonorPerfect?<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_select'><select data-parameter='software_interest' name='input_17' id='input_12_17' class='large gfield_select'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" ><option value='' disabled selected>Please choose an option<\/option><option value='No' >No<\/option><option value='No, I am a current DonorPerfect client' >No, I am a current DonorPerfect client<\/option><option value='Yes' >Yes<\/option><\/select><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_6\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-select gfield--width-full select-field select-display gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_6'>Number of Constituents<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_select'><select data-parameter='number_of_constituents' name='input_6' id='input_12_6' class='large gfield_select'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" ><option value='' disabled selected>Please choose an option<\/option><option value='0 - 500' >0 &#8211; 500<\/option><option value='501 - 1,000' >501 &#8211; 1,000<\/option><option value='1,001 - 2,500' >1,001 &#8211; 2,500<\/option><option value='2,501 - 6,000' >2,501 &#8211; 6,000<\/option><option value='6,001 - 20,000' >6,001 &#8211; 20,000<\/option><option value='20,001 - 50,000' >20,001 &#8211; 50,000<\/option><option value='50,001 - 100,000' >50,001 &#8211; 100,000<\/option><option value='100,001 - 200,00' >100,001 &#8211; 200,00<\/option><option value='200,001+' >200,001+<\/option><option value='Other' >Other<\/option><option value='Unknown' >Unknown<\/option><\/select><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_5\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-select gfield--width-full select-field select-display gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_5'>State\/Province<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_select'><select data-parameter='state_province' name='input_5' id='input_12_5' class='large gfield_select'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" ><option value='' disabled selected>Please choose an option<\/option><option value='Other' >Other<\/option><option value='AB' >AB<\/option><option value='AK' >AK<\/option><option value='AL' >AL<\/option><option value='AR' >AR<\/option><option value='AZ' >AZ<\/option><option value='BC' >BC<\/option><option value='CA' >CA<\/option><option value='CO' >CO<\/option><option value='CT' >CT<\/option><option value='DC' >DC<\/option><option value='DE' >DE<\/option><option value='FL' >FL<\/option><option value='GA' >GA<\/option><option value='HI' >HI<\/option><option value='IA' >IA<\/option><option value='ID' >ID<\/option><option value='IL' >IL<\/option><option value='IN' >IN<\/option><option value='KS' >KS<\/option><option value='KY' >KY<\/option><option value='LA' >LA<\/option><option value='MA' >MA<\/option><option value='MB' >MB<\/option><option value='MD' >MD<\/option><option value='ME' >ME<\/option><option value='MI' >MI<\/option><option value='MN' >MN<\/option><option value='MO' >MO<\/option><option value='MS' >MS<\/option><option value='MT' >MT<\/option><option value='NB' >NB<\/option><option value='NC' >NC<\/option><option value='ND' >ND<\/option><option value='NE' >NE<\/option><option value='NH' >NH<\/option><option value='NJ' >NJ<\/option><option value='NL' >NL<\/option><option value='NM' >NM<\/option><option value='NS' >NS<\/option><option value='NT' >NT<\/option><option value='NU' >NU<\/option><option value='NV' >NV<\/option><option value='NY' >NY<\/option><option value='OH' >OH<\/option><option value='OK' >OK<\/option><option value='ON' >ON<\/option><option value='OR' >OR<\/option><option value='PA' >PA<\/option><option value='PE' >PE<\/option><option value='PR' >PR<\/option><option value='QC' >QC<\/option><option value='RI' >RI<\/option><option value='SC' >SC<\/option><option value='SD' >SD<\/option><option value='SK' >SK<\/option><option value='TN' >TN<\/option><option value='TX' >TX<\/option><option value='UT' >UT<\/option><option value='VA' >VA<\/option><option value='VI' >VI<\/option><option value='VT' >VT<\/option><option value='WA' >WA<\/option><option value='WI' >WI<\/option><option value='WV' >WV<\/option><option value='WY' >WY<\/option><option value='YT' >YT<\/option><\/select><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_11\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='product_detail' name='input_11' id='input_12_11' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='DonorPerfect' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_13\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='product_line' name='input_13' id='input_12_13' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='DonorPerfect' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_12\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible lead_type\"  data-field-class=\"lead_type\" ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='lead_type' name='input_12' id='input_12_12' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='BDR' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_16\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='webform' name='input_16' id='input_12_16' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31483' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_14\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='lead_source' name='input_14' id='input_12_14' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_20\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--width-full gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input data-parameter='gclid' name='input_20' id='input_12_20' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_12_19\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hcaptcha d-none field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_12_19'>hCaptcha<\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_sw_hcaptcha'><input aria-required='false' type='hidden' data-type='sw-hcaptcha' name='input_19' value=''><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <div class='gform-footer gform_footer top_label'> <input type='submit' id='gform_submit_button_12' class='gform_button button' onclick='gform.submission.handleButtonClick(this);' data-submission-type='submit' value='DOWNLOAD NOW'  \/> <input type='hidden' name='gform_ajax' value='form_id=12&amp;title=&amp;description=1&amp;tabindex=0&amp;theme=gravity-theme&amp;styles=[]&amp;hash=4c18be18ae02d5320c34ea84f3e1d54f' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submission_method' data-js='gform_submission_method_12' value='iframe' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_theme' data-js='gform_theme_12' id='gform_theme_12' value='gravity-theme' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_style_settings' data-js='gform_style_settings_12' id='gform_style_settings_12' value='[]' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_12' value='1' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='12' \/>\n            \n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_currency' data-currency='USD' value='YDKI5BWHtB8nknhDq00upSs6N\/t5Cqb8C2CXLbDiPHMz2FZ6uq5Z0Q\/waCuGsJAW6ZBPtqKWYJSJpBBRUcBYuAk\/YxdBLhfKIv5FNHCAMW1TvLc=' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_12' value='WyJbXSIsImMzYjFmMDVlMmZiOGI3YTBmMzlkYThiMDIzYWJkOWRlIl0=' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' autocomplete='off' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_12' id='gform_target_page_number_12' value='0' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' autocomplete='off' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_12' id='gform_source_page_number_12' value='1' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' \/>\n            \n        <\/div>\n                        <\/form>\n                        <\/div>\n\t\t                <iframe style='display:none;width:0px;height:0px;' src='about:blank' name='gform_ajax_frame_12' id='gform_ajax_frame_12' title='This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.'><\/iframe>\n\t\t                <script>\ngform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 12, 'https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/gravityforms\/images\/spinner.svg', true );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_12').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_12');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_12').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){form_content.find('form').css('opacity', 0);jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { \/* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome *\/ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_12').val();gformInitSpinner( 12, 'https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/gravityforms\/images\/spinner.svg', true );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [12, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_12'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_12').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [12]);window['gf_submitting_12'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_12').text());}else{jQuery('#gform_12').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger(\"gform_pre_post_render\", [{ formId: \"12\", currentPage: \"current_page\", abort: function() { this.preventDefault(); } }]);        if (event && event.defaultPrevented) {                return;        }        const gformWrapperDiv = document.getElementById( \"gform_wrapper_12\" );        if ( gformWrapperDiv ) {            const visibilitySpan = document.createElement( \"span\" );            visibilitySpan.id = \"gform_visibility_test_12\";            gformWrapperDiv.insertAdjacentElement( \"afterend\", visibilitySpan );        }        const visibilityTestDiv = document.getElementById( \"gform_visibility_test_12\" );        let postRenderFired = false;        function triggerPostRender() {            if ( postRenderFired ) {                return;            }            postRenderFired = true;            gform.core.triggerPostRenderEvents( 12, current_page );            if ( visibilityTestDiv ) {                visibilityTestDiv.parentNode.removeChild( visibilityTestDiv );            }        }        function debounce( func, wait, immediate ) {            var timeout;            return function() {                var context = this, args = arguments;                var later = function() {                    timeout = null;                    if ( !immediate ) func.apply( context, args );                };                var callNow = immediate && !timeout;                clearTimeout( timeout );                timeout = setTimeout( later, wait );                if ( callNow ) func.apply( context, args );            };        }        const debouncedTriggerPostRender = debounce( function() {            triggerPostRender();        }, 200 );        if ( visibilityTestDiv && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent === null ) {            const observer = new MutationObserver( ( mutations ) => {                mutations.forEach( ( mutation ) => {                    if ( mutation.type === 'attributes' && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent !== null ) {                        debouncedTriggerPostRender();                        observer.disconnect();                    }                });            });            observer.observe( document.body, {                attributes: true,                childList: false,                subtree: true,                attributeFilter: [ 'style', 'class' ],            });        } else {            triggerPostRender();        }    } );} );\n<\/script>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connection and Lasting Impact Contributed by fundraising consultant, coach, teacher, and writer T. Clay Buck For most nonprofit organizations, a strong donor retention plan is the key to long-term growth and lasting impact. Sure, a one-time major gift can provide substantial and much-needed support that helps a program [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":31484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"24529,24596,31165,28129,23251,30470","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"2normal","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[4,109],"tags":[],"sw-content-theme":[10671,10672,10680],"sw-feature":[10692,10696],"sw-persona":[10733,10702,10705],"sw-sector":[],"class_list":["post-31483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fundraising-software","category-featured","sw-content-theme-donor-retention","sw-content-theme-donorperfect-conference","sw-content-theme-nonprofit-trends","sw-feature-email","sw-feature-reporting","sw-persona-comms","sw-persona-development-director","sw-persona-nonprofit-executive"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nonprofit Technology &amp; Fundraising Blogs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-hero-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"T. Clay Buck\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"T. Clay Buck\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Amanda Foran\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8\"},\"headline\":\"From Transaction to Transformation\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\"},\"wordCount\":1964,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"DonorPerfect Fundraising Software\",\"Featured\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\",\"name\":\"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8\"},\"description\":\"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg\",\"width\":630,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"T Clay Buck Headshot\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"From Transaction to Transformation\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/\",\"name\":\"Nonprofit Technology &amp; Fundraising Blogs\",\"description\":\"DonorPerfect&#039;s Nonprofit Technology Blog features articles, resources, videos and free tools for nonprofits, created by our fundraising and nonprofit management experts.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8\",\"name\":\"T. Clay Buck\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/authors\/t-clay-buck\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact","description":"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/","og_type":"article","og_title":"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact","og_description":"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/","og_site_name":"Nonprofit Technology &amp; Fundraising Blogs","article_published_time":"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-hero-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"T. Clay Buck","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"T. Clay Buck","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/"},"author":{"name":"Amanda Foran","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8"},"headline":"From Transaction to Transformation","datePublished":"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/"},"wordCount":1964,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg","articleSection":["DonorPerfect Fundraising Software","Featured"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/","url":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/","name":"Building a Donor Retention Plan for Deeper Connections and Lasting Impact","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-21T17:10:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-21T20:27:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8"},"description":"Fundraising consultant, coach, and speaker T. Clay Buck shares his expert advice for creating a donor retention strategy that actually works. Discover the value of retaining loyal donors, build a comprehensive plan for donor engagement and retention, and shift your approach to stewardship from transaction to transformation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uploads.donorperfect.com\/images\/sites\/2\/dpcc25-clay-buck-featured-1.jpg","width":630,"height":630,"caption":"T Clay Buck Headshot"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/fundraising-software\/dpcc-t-clay-buck-2025\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"From Transaction to Transformation"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/","name":"Nonprofit Technology &amp; Fundraising Blogs","description":"DonorPerfect&#039;s Nonprofit Technology Blog features articles, resources, videos and free tools for nonprofits, created by our fundraising and nonprofit management experts.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/#\/schema\/person\/f28cf7495a2492aa636b154506c998c8","name":"T. Clay Buck","url":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/authors\/t-clay-buck\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31483"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31493,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31483\/revisions\/31493"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31483"},{"taxonomy":"sw-content-theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw-content-theme?post=31483"},{"taxonomy":"sw-feature","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw-feature?post=31483"},{"taxonomy":"sw-persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw-persona?post=31483"},{"taxonomy":"sw-sector","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.donorperfect.com\/nonprofit-technology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sw-sector?post=31483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}