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Regular Giving retention has become the most important number in fundraising

  • Writer: Fundraising Partners
    Fundraising Partners
  • 3 days ago
  • 2 min read

For years, Regular Giving conversations focused heavily on acquisition. Teams were measured on volume, agencies were measured on sign-ups and leadership often looked first at cost per acquisition. But the benchmarking data suggests the sector is entering a very different phase. Retention is now the true measure of program strength.


Analysis from The Benchmarking Project 2025 shows that retained donors now generate around 88% of all Regular Giving income across participating Australian charities. Donors who have been giving for five years or more represent the majority of long-term value within programs. 


That changes the fundraising conversation entirely.


It means that stewardship, supporter care and declines management can no longer sit quietly in the background while acquisition takes centre stage. The strongest organisations in the sector are increasingly the ones building donor relationships that last. They understand that every additional year a supporter stays connected dramatically improves long-term financial return.


This matters even more as acquisition costs continue to rise. The margin for error has narrowed - especially in tele-fundraising. Programs that lose donors quickly after recruitment are finding it harder and harder to generate sustainable returns.


What we are seeing now is a shift away from short-term thinking. Strong programs are investing in onboarding journeys, more personalised communication and better supporter experiences because they recognise that donor confidence built in the first twelve months often shapes the next five years.


Regular Giving is still growing, but the growth is increasingly being driven by loyalty rather than acquisition alone.


The charities that succeed over the next decade will not simply be the ones recruiting the most donors. They will be the organisations that make supporters want to stay.

 
 
 

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