Why it matters
Attrition is the quiet leak in every fundraising program. Each donor who drops away has to be replaced just to stand still, and new donors usually cost more to find than existing ones cost to keep.
Attrition is highest among first-time donors, so that is where to start. Thank every new donor quickly, show them what their gift did, and ask for a second gift within the year. Pull the list of donors who gave last year but not yet this year before your year-end appeal.
How to calculate it
Attrition rate = donors who gave last year but not this year ÷ donors who gave last year × 100
Last year 300 donors gave.
174 of them have not given this year.
174 ÷ 300 × 100 = 58%. Your attrition rate is 58%.
How Steward shows it
Reports, under Who stopped giving, shows retention by calendar year, fiscal year or rolling 12 months, and lists LYBUNT, SYBUNT and lapsed donors. Each figure opens the donors behind it, so you can see exactly who is in the leak.
Related terms
- Donor retention rate Donor retention rate is the share of last year's donors who gave again this year. It is the clearest single measure of whether your donors stay with you.
- LYBUNT LYBUNT stands for "last year but unfortunately not this year." It is a donor who gave to you last year and has not given yet this year.
- Drift Drift is Steward's term for a donor moving away from their own usual giving rhythm before they lapse: they are well past the date their pattern says their next gift was due, but not yet gone.
The free Lost & Found audit reads a giving export in your browser and shows your lapsing donors and what they used to give. Nothing is uploaded. Then bring the same file to a 20-minute demo.