10 Most Important Fundraising Metrics to Track

“We’re working hard. But is it working?”

That’s the quiet question under every board meeting, every appeal launch, every “how did the gala go?”

The answer? It’s in your fundraising metrics.

But not just any data. The right 10 — plus one bonus — can reveal what’s working, where to focus, and how to grow without guessing.

In this post, we’ll walk through the most important metrics to track, why they matter, and how to use them. You’ll leave with a dashboard you can trust — and use — even on a busy Monday.

Let’s count them down.

10. Cost Per Dollar Raised (CPDR)

What it is: How much you spend to raise each dollar.

Why it matters: CPDR shows whether your fundraising is efficient — or if you're spending more than you're bringing in.

How to calculate:Total expenses ÷ Total raised = CPDR

Example: Spend $1,000 on a direct mail campaign and raise $2,000 → CPDR = $0.50Every $1 costs $0.50 to raise. That’s solid.

Tip: Lower = better. Use it to compare strategies year over year.

9. Fundraising Return on Investment (ROI)

What it is: How much return you're getting for every dollar spent.

Why it matters: ROI is your "bang for buck" metric.

How to calculate:(Total raised − Total spent) ÷ Total spent × 100 = ROI

Example: Raise $100,000, spend $20,000 → ROI = 400%

Tip: Higher = better. Use ROI for board reports and budget pitches.

CPDR vs. ROI:

• CPDR = cost focus

• ROI = gain focusUse both. Together, they tell a clearer story.

8. Donation Revenue Growth Rate

What it is: Year-over-year change in your total donations.

Why it matters: Shows whether you’re growing, plateauing, or declining.

How to calculate:(Current year − Last year) ÷ Last year × 100 = Growth rate

Example: $120K this year, $100K last year → 20% growth

Tip: Track trends, not just totals. Even 5% growth is worth noting — and celebrating.

7. Average Gift Size vs. Median Gift Size

What it is:

• Average: Total raised ÷ number of gifts

• Median: The middle value in your list of gifts

Why it matters: Helps you understand donor behavior and gift patterns.

Example:Donations: $10, $20, $30, $40, $50, $1,000

• Average = $191

• Median = $35

Tip: If average is much higher than median, large gifts are skewing the view. Use both for clarity.

6. Asks Made

What it is: The number of direct donation requests made.

Why it matters: Tracks your effort. More (thoughtful) asks = more gifts.

Example:50 asks → 30 gifts = 60% success50 asks → 10 gifts = time to adjust strategy

Tip: Track by type (email, phone, in-person). Watch patterns and results.

5. Major Gifts Secured

What it is: The number and total value of major gifts received.

Why it matters: Major gifts often fund your biggest impact. Knowing what’s working here helps shape strategy.

Tip: Track:

• Total number of major gifts

• Total dollar amount

• Which campaigns or events they tied to

Use this data to plan future asks and celebrate your best relationships.

4. Recurring Gift Percentage

What it is: Portion of gifts that are recurring.

Why it matters: Recurring donors = steady, predictable revenue.

How to calculate:Recurring gifts ÷ Total gifts × 100 = %

Example: 600 recurring out of 3,000 total = 20%

Tip: Focus on increasing this number. Monthly donors often give more over time and stay longer.

3. Lifetime Donor Value (LTV)

What it is: Estimated total value of a donor over their giving “lifetime.”

How to calculate:Average gift × Gifts/year × Donor lifespan = LTV

Example: $100 average gift × 3 per year × 10 years = $3,000 LTV

Why it matters: Use LTV to justify retention efforts and stewardship spend. It’s not about the first gift — it’s about the full relationship.

2. Donor Acquisition Rate

What it is: Percent of donors who are new this year.

How to calculate:New donors ÷ Total donors × 100 = %

Example: 200 new of 1,000 total = 20%

Why it matters: Tracks how well you’re growing. Also helps balance donor attrition (natural churn).

Tip: Pair this with retention (next metric) to get a full health check.

1. Donor Retention Rate

What it is: Percent of last year’s donors who gave again this year.

How to calculate:Repeat donors ÷ Last year’s donors × 100 = %

Example: 600 returned from 800 last year = 75%

Why it matters: This is the heartbeat metric. Retaining donors is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones — and shows deep trust.

Tip: Stewardship is everything. Want to lift retention? Start with better thank-yous and regular updates.

Bonus Metric: Visitation and Engagement

What it is: Count of meaningful touchpoints with major donor prospects.

Why it matters: Tracks relationship-building. Major gifts are rarely made after one call. They take time — and tracking.

Track:

• Phone calls

• Meetings

• Personal emails

• Event chats

• Story sharing

Tip: Focus on substantive engagement. Quality over quantity — but both matter.

How to Track These Without Drowning

It’s easy to feel buried in spreadsheets. But AI can help — safely and simply.

You can use tools like ChatGPT to:

• Draft board updates using your metrics

• Turn donor trends into stories

• Auto-format tables for reports

• Suggest retention strategies based on your LTV or recurring gift data

Prompt to try:

“Turn this fundraising data into a donor update that highlights growth in recurring gifts and average gift size. Keep it warm and concise.”

Download the AI Organizational Readiness Assessment Guide

Before you bring AI into your tracking, reporting, or personalization strategies, make sure your nonprofit is ready.

This free guide walks you through:

• Privacy-safe data practices

• Staff prep and alignment

• Ethical guardrails

• Tools to try, based on your current setup

👉 Download the Guide Here