Glossary
Donor Management

Lapsed Donor

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

A lapsed donor is a previous supporter who hasn't donated again within a set timeframe, often 12-24 months.
A lapsed donor is an individual or organization that has previously contributed to a nonprofit but has not made a donation within a specified period, typically 12 to 24 months. Nonprofits often track donor activity to identify when supporters have become inactive, allowing them to develop targeted strategies to re-engage these individuals. Lapsed donors are valuable as they have already shown support for the cause and may be more likely to donate again than entirely new prospects. Monitoring lapsed donors helps organizations maintain donor retention rates and build long-term relationships.

Key Takeaways

  • Lapsed donors are previous contributors who have stopped giving for a period.
  • They are often easier to re-engage than new donors.
  • Identifying lapsed donors supports targeted outreach efforts.
  • Reactivating lapsed donors helps boost donor retention.

Why It Matters

Tracking lapsed donors helps nonprofits target re-engagement efforts and boost donor retention.

Real World Example

Imagine a nonprofit animal shelter that receives a donation from a supporter in January 2022, but that individual doesn't give again over the next 18 months. The shelter's fundraising team, using their donor management software, identifies this person as a lapsed donor. They send a personalized email sharing updates on recent rescues and invite the donor to contribute to an upcoming campaign. The donor, reminded of their previous impact, decides to donate again, demonstrating the value of tracking and re-engaging lapsed donors.

How Keela Helps

Keela's donor management tools allow you to easily identify lapsed donors in your database. With built-in reports and automated workflows, Keela helps you create personalized outreach and re-engagement campaigns to win back past supporters and sustain your fundraising momentum.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lapsed donor?

A lapsed donor is someone who previously donated to your nonprofit but hasn't made another contribution within a specific timeframe, usually 12-24 months.

Why should nonprofits focus on lapsed donors?

Lapsed donors have already demonstrated interest in your cause, making them more likely to give again than entirely new prospects.

How can Keela help identify lapsed donors?

Keela's reporting and donor management features automatically flag lapsed donors, making it easy to create targeted re-engagement campaigns.

What are effective ways to re-engage lapsed donors?

Personalized emails, impact updates, and invitations to upcoming campaigns are effective strategies for reactivating lapsed donors.

How do lapsed donors impact overall fundraising?

Reactivating lapsed donors can significantly boost donor retention rates and provide a more stable source of funding for your nonprofit.

Related Terms

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

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