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Donor acquisition has become one of the most complex challenges facing fundraisers. Costs are rising, privacy regulations have narrowed targeting and digital channels are increasingly crowded. Despite sustained effort, fewer new donors are entering files year-over-year.
Beneath these operational pressures sits a deeper issue: donor expectations are changing. Across five generations, donors consume information differently, respond to new motivators, and bring higher expectations into every interaction. Yet acquisition strategies have struggled to keep pace, often relying on short-term metrics, historical assumptions and narrow definitions of success.
The swing was the focus of the session
These trends were examined in depth by Kimberley Blease, executive vice president at the agency Blakely, during her session “The Donor Shift: Finding and Engaging New Audiences.”
Blease showed recent research from across Canada and the United States, combined with performance data and affinity surveys, which pointed to a clear conclusion. Acquisition is not broken, but approaches must evolve, she told participants. Sustainable revenue growth depends on a more intentional, insight-driven model that prioritizes relevance, trust and long-term value over sheer volume.
The Acquisition Illusion
One of the most persistent myths in fundraising is that acquisition success is simply a numbers game. More donors acquired means more revenue. The data tells a different story.
While many fundraisers continue to chase volume to meet short-term key performance indicators (KPIs), overall new donor numbers are still declining. Rising costs, channel shifts and changing donor expectations mean that quantity alone no longer drives growth. An overemphasis on volume can even undermine long-term sustainability by attracting low-retention donors while overlooking those with the potential to become loyal, high-value supporters, she explained.
This acquisition illusion is reinforced by how success is measured. When performance is judged primarily by immediate response rates or cost per acquisition, it becomes harder to invest in strategies that build future value, including donor experience, trust building and brand — or mission-led acquisition.
The result can be a revolving door. A donor acquired in year one quietly disappears before year two, leaving organizations working harder each year just to maintain the status quo.
Despite these challenges, the acquisition landscape is not without opportunity. Digital acquisition continues to deliver higher average gifts. Monthly sustainer and mid-level giving have emerged as some of the strongest growth areas in the post-pandemic environment (but are often driven by a healthy acquisition program). Conversion into higher gift bands is increasing and direct to monthly giving remains a powerful entry point for long-term value. And digital integration is creating a 360-degree approach to inspiring new audiences to connect.
Donors are still willing to give and to give more when the experience, proposition and timing align.
Today’s giving market spans five generations, each shaped by different life experiences, media habits and expectations. While generations have many core similarities, they also have key differences. The research trends show meaningful variation in how people discover charities, what inspires them to give and how they want to engage.
Large-scale donor research reveals clear differences in attitudes and motivations across the five generations and organizes them into three key audiences: traditional donors, middle generation donors and new generation donors.
The middle generation are entering donor files in increasing numbers but are also lapsing faster than older cohorts. This is not a lack of commitment. Many report that traditional fundraising approaches do not reflect how they see themselves or how they want to engage with causes.
Older donors often demonstrate stronger loyalty but may be less responsive to newer channels or engagement models.
The takeaway is not that one generation is more valuable than another. It is that acquisition strategies need to be built by aligning the channel, content and proposition to key audiences and not a single traditional donor profile.
Across every stage of the donor journey, one factor consistently rises to the top: Trust.
Trust is a key driver of first-time donations and remains critical for second and subsequent gifts. In an environment marked by declining trust in institutions, media and leadership, charities cannot afford to take credibility for granted.
For acquisition, trust must be established before the donation occurs and this is why brand plays an important role. Brand builds confidence in how funds will be used, belief in the organization’s ability to deliver impact and reassurance that a donor’s gift is genuinely needed.
Strong brands do more than attract attention. They signal accountability, transparency and consistency. When marketing and fundraising efforts align to build trust in the upper funnel, acquisition becomes more effective and more resilient.
No matter how sophisticated channels become, acquisition ultimately depends on peoples understanding of the reason to give — in other words, what is the problem we need to solve?
A strong acquisition proposition clearly articulates the problem, the solution and why the organization is uniquely positioned to deliver it. Research confirms that two additional elements are equally critical: Urgency and a sense that the donor is personally needed.
Younger donors value honesty. While optimism still matters, authenticity matters more. Sugar coating the problem can undermine credibility and slow decision making. Donors want clarity about the challenge, the role they can play and the difference their gift will make now.
The most effective propositions combine a big picture problem with an immediate, achievable solution, breaking overwhelming issues into tangible steps donors can help move forward.
For 38% of donors surveyed in recent donor attitudes research the first gift is a test. Many give a small amount to see if a charity feels right before considering a deeper commitment. This makes the post-donation experience a proving ground, not just a thank you.
Not every donor wants celebration or fanfare. What matters more is reassurance, relevance and respect for expectations. Effective welcome journeys use early touchpoints to create two-way dialogue, learning what motivated the donor, how they want to engage and what matters most to them.
When expectations are met or exceeded, trust deepens. Trust is what transforms first-time donors into long-term supporters.
