Glossary
Donor Management

Giving History

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

Giving history is the detailed record of all donations a supporter has made to a nonprofit organization over time.
Giving history refers to the complete record of all past donations and philanthropic contributions made by a donor to a nonprofit organization. This log includes details such as the date, amount, type of gift (one-time or recurring), and any associated campaigns or appeals. Tracking giving history enables organizations to understand donor behavior, recognize loyalty, identify trends, and personalize future engagement strategies. Comprehensive giving histories help nonprofits segment donors, target communications, and forecast future fundraising income. Maintaining accurate giving records is not only vital for reporting and stewardship but also for building strong, long-lasting donor relationships.

Key Takeaways

  • Tracks all past donations from each donor
  • Enables personalized donor engagement
  • Supports accurate reporting and segmentation
  • Helps identify giving trends

Why It Matters

It enables nonprofits to personalize outreach, track trends, and build better donor relationships.

Real World Example

A local animal shelter uses a donor management system to track each supporter’s giving history. They notice that one donor, Jane, has given every December for the past five years, usually in response to the year-end appeal. By analyzing this pattern, the shelter sends Jane a personalized thank-you and an early invitation to their next campaign. As a result, Jane feels valued, increases her annual gift, and signs up for a recurring monthly donation. This real-time use of giving history helps the shelter strengthen donor relationships and boost fundraising success.

How Keela Helps

Keela’s donor management tools automatically track and organize donors’ giving histories, allowing your nonprofit to quickly view, analyze, and report on donation activity. With Keela, you can segment donors based on their historical giving patterns, send tailored communications, and identify opportunities for deeper engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is giving history?

Giving history is a complete record of all donations a supporter has made to a nonprofit over time, including dates, amounts, and campaign details.

Why is giving history important for nonprofits?

It helps organizations recognize loyal donors, personalize outreach, analyze giving patterns, and forecast future fundraising efforts.

How can Keela help manage giving history?

Keela automatically logs and organizes giving history for each donor, making it easy to analyze trends and tailor communications.

What information is included in a giving history?

A giving history usually contains donation dates, amounts, types of gifts, associated campaigns, and payment methods.

How is giving history used for donor segmentation?

Nonprofits use giving history to group donors by giving frequency, recency, and amount, allowing for targeted fundraising strategies.

Related Terms

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

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