Glossary
Donor Management

Giving Capacity

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

Giving capacity is the estimated financial ability of a donor or organization to contribute to a nonprofit based on income, assets, and giving history.
Giving capacity refers to an individual donor’s or organization’s estimated ability to make financial contributions to a nonprofit. This estimate is based on factors such as wealth indicators, giving history, assets, income, and philanthropic interests. Nonprofits use giving capacity assessments to prioritize outreach, tailor fundraising strategies, and build strong donor relationships. Recognizing giving capacity helps organizations segment donor lists, target major gift prospects, and allocate resources for stewardship efficiently. It’s important to remember that giving capacity is only one piece of a comprehensive donor profile and should be combined with affinity and engagement indicators for effective fundraising.

Key Takeaways

  • Giving capacity estimates a donor's potential to give.
  • It’s based on wealth, assets, and donation history.
  • Helps prioritize and tailor fundraising strategies.
  • Should be combined with donor interest and engagement data.

Why It Matters

Knowing giving capacity helps nonprofits target fundraising efforts and build meaningful donor relationships.

Real World Example

A nonprofit arts organization is planning its annual fundraising gala. Using Keela, the development team reviews donor records and identifies several individuals with high giving capacity based on their previous gifts, property ownership, and business affiliations. The team uses this insight to invite these donors to a pre-event reception, offer personalized recognition, and suggest giving levels appropriate to their capacity. As a result, the gala raises more funds and strengthens relationships with top supporters.

How Keela Helps

Keela’s donor management tools allow nonprofits to track and analyze donor giving capacity. By storing donor information and giving history, Keela helps organizations identify major gift prospects and create targeted fundraising campaigns based on capacity insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is giving capacity?

Giving capacity is an estimate of how much a donor or organization is able to contribute financially to a nonprofit, based on wealth, assets, and giving history.

How do nonprofits determine giving capacity?

Nonprofits use prospect research, wealth screening tools, and donor data—such as real estate holdings and past giving—to estimate giving capacity.

Why is giving capacity important?

Knowing a donor’s giving capacity helps nonprofits target their fundraising efforts, prioritize outreach, and build more effective donor relationships.

Does giving capacity guarantee a donation?

No, giving capacity is only an estimate of financial ability. Actual giving depends on donor interest, engagement, and other factors.

How does Keela help with giving capacity?

Keela helps nonprofits store and analyze donor information, making it easier to assess giving capacity and personalize fundraising strategies.

Related Terms

A/B Test
Accessibility Compliance
Acknowledgement Letter
Address Verification
Affiliation
Archiving Historical Donor Data

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