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Re-engaging lapsed donors is an integral part of a nonprofit’s donor relations as you think about the entire donor cycle. But what is a lapsed donor? How do you re-engage with donors? How often should you reach out to donors?
We get to these answers to help nonprofits prevent donor lapse and share a sample email (or letter) template to get you started.
Most nonprofit organizations define a lapsed donor as someone who hasn’t engaged with your nonprofit for at least 12 months. But, honestly, you can choose your definition. 6 months. 2 years. 3 years. Or all of the above. (It is possible to send lapsed donor emails at the 6-month, 12-month, 2-year, and even 3-year mark.)
How to connect with a recently lapsed donor
A donor can lapse for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they just forget. Sometimes, they may not be able to afford a donation. Or, they could have decided to support another nonprofit. Whatever the reason, we can all relate to the realities and complications of our everyday lives—the causes we choose to help include.
However, lapsed or inactive donors aren't just limited to donors who used to give and then stopped.
Regardless of why some donors lapse, a nonprofit should consider re-engaging them as part of a donor retention strategy. They were once interested in donating their time, energy, and money to your cause, and with the right messaging, they might be convinced to give again.
Donor retention is key to helping your nonprofit grow and thrive. Keeping your supporters engaged means more consistent funding, stronger relationships, and less time spent searching for new donors. When donors feel appreciated and connected, they’re likelier to stick around, give more, and even share your mission with others.
Re-engaging lapsed donors is also a big part of donor retention—reminding them of their impact and why they supported you in the first place can inspire them to reconnect. Tools like automated thank-yous, personalized follow-ups, and recurring donation options make it easier—and Zeffy is here to help with all of that!
You start by getting to know them. Before dealing with re-engaging donors, we need to understand why donors stop giving. There are a few possibilities:
They might feel underappreciated.
Maybe they never received a thank you.
Perhaps they were not asked to give again.
They might be major donors who weren’t properly acknowledged.
Lack of communication about how your nonprofit uses the funds that it’s given.
Donors might not be satisfied with the decisions and direction of your nonprofit.
The influence of social media on giving behaviors. (Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge?)
Once you’ve created donor segments like these six categories, you can dig a little deeper by asking yourself:
How long have they been inactive for?
The question you should ask when getting to know your lapsed donor segments is: how long have they been inactive? Typically, donors are considered to be lapsed when they have not donated in 12 months or more. However, you will want to use different messaging when contacting donors who have been inactive for 6 months, 12 months, and a few years.
If donors have been inactive for about a year, you may not need to convince them to support your cause. However, if they have been inactive for several years, remind them of the impact their donations made in the past.
Speaking of the impact of their past donations… The next question you should ask is:
What motivated them to donate to give to your nonprofit in the first place?
If you know why your lapsed donor(s) started giving to your nonprofit, you can see at which step in the donor journey they lapsed. Knowing which campaigns motivated them to donate before can help you strategize ways to re-engage them and personalize your communications.
Recently lapsed donors respond well to relationship-building. Authenticity is key, so consider things like:
How can you show your nonprofit’s personality?
How can you showcase that donor relationships really matter?
How can you display the value of this individual for the greater cause?
How can you reiterate the importance of remaining a strong community?
Plan your engagement opportunities
When reconnecting with a lapsed donor, the best place to start is from a place of gratitude. Start by letting them know the impacts of their past contributions, how much you would love to see them get re-involved and fill them in on what your nonprofit has been up to.
Reaching out to your lapsed donors will show them how much their contributions are appreciated. Instead of making them feel bad for not donating, they will be more likely to donate again.
How and when you reach out depends on the answers to the above questions and what form of communication you think (or know based on past communications) your lapsed donors prefer. If your donors prefer to communicate via text, send them a text! Email? Send them an email. Phone? Snail mail? You get the idea.
The time depends on your nonprofit’s definition of a lapsed donor and how often you want to contact them.
No matter how you approach your text, email, or letter to a lapsed donor, remember that it is worth your time and energy. Reconnecting with inactive donors requires fewer resources than signing up a new donor, and loyal, long-time donors are great at spreading the word about your organization.
Once you’ve gotten to know your lapsed donors, it’s time to reach out via text, email, snail mail, phone call—whichever communication medium your lapsed donor prefers.
Lapsed donors are valuable. They have supported you before, believe in your cause, and maybe they still do. But how do you get their attention and convince them your cause is worth re-engaging? We’ve already gone over a few tips to help you re-engage lapsed donors; now it’s time to dive into the actual writing part.
Writing to donors requires a thoughtful approach. But what does that mean? Well, here are some tips to help you say what you need to say.
A lapsed donor survey can help you learn more about who you’re writing to and tailor the content to each individual. Donor data is invaluable for nonprofits to prevent donor lapse.
9 example lapsed donor survey questions
How would you rate your overall experience donating?
What factors influenced your decision to stop donating?
Did you feel like your donations were making an impact?
How satisfied were you with the communication you received from us?
What type of updates would you have liked to receive from us?
Were there any barriers that made it difficult for you to continue donating?
What could we do to encourage you to donate again?
Would you be interested in becoming more involved with our organization in other ways?
Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve your experience with us?
Address your lapsed donor by name, reference their past donations, mention an event they participated in—anything to make your message feel personal. Making your communications as personal as possible shows that you value (and remember) their past support and are not treating them as just another recipient of mass communication.
2. Show your lapsed donor you remember them
By being relevant, you’ll show your lapsed donors that you remember them and that their past contributions (donations, volunteer work, etc.) had a meaningful impact. Reminding them of the difference they've made might also remind them why they started giving to your nonprofit in the first place.
3. Thank your lapsed donor
Being thankful isn’t just about saying thank you—it’s also about using an appreciative and grateful tone. So, take some extra time to ensure your communications are warm and make your lapsed donor feel good. Yes, a simple thank you can go a long way, but an entire letter, email, or text written in an appreciative tone is even better.
If you can, an incentive goes a long way. So, offer them tickets to your next fundraiser, a leftover T-shirt from the event they volunteered at a few years ago, or a picture of them volunteering. Donor management software can really help with donor communications.
Circumstances change, people's priorities shift, and life gets busy. Showing your lapsed donor that you know and understand this, without being judgmental, will let them know they mean more to you than just their monthly cheque.
5. Share a story fueled by donor data
Share a story from an event your lapsed donor participated in or a story or a testimonial that highlights the positive impact of your nonprofit organization's work. Stories are emotionally engaging and can remind lapsed donors of the meaningful work your nonprofit organization does.
6. Include a clear call to action (CTA) for your lapsed donor to follow
Whether you want your donor to make, sign using dates, or attend fundraising events, clearly stating what action you wish to donate makes it easier for them to do so the CTA relevant to why you’re reaching out and the medium you’re using.
7. Offer more options for reactivating lapsed donors
It’s one thing to say you understand that situations can change—it’s another to show that your nonprofit understands by offering your lapsed donor a few different ways they can continue to contribute.
3 sample letters to prevent donor attrition
Sample letter: Personal and gratitude-focused
Subject: We’ve missed you, [Donor’s Name]! Here's how you made a difference
Dear [Donor’s Name],
How have you been? We just wanted to share some deep gratitude for your generosity to [Organization Name] in the past. You’ve helped us [briefly describe the donor’s contribution's impact], and we can’t thank you enough.
Life changes and priorities can shift, and we appreciate the difference you made for us along the way. We will never forget and admire everything you’ve done to give back. It’s because of donors like you that [briefly highlight a recent milestone or success].
We would love to invite you back to [Organization Name] to continue this vital work if you’re open to it. Whether it’s a one-time contribution or volunteering at our next event, every bit counts and will make a huge impact. As a thank you for considering us again, we’d love to offer you [a small incentive, e.g., a ticket to our next fundraiser or an exclusive event].
Please reach out if you’d like to reconnect or have any questions. We’re here to help and would love to hear from you.
Thank you again, [Donor’s Name], for being part of our community. We genuinely appreciate your commitment over the last [# of months or years this donor supported you].
Subject: We understand—Here’s how you can help again when you’re ready
Dear [Donor’s Name],
Life can get hectic, and its only natural that your priorities can shift. That’s okay! We want you to know that we respect where you are and appreciate everything you’ve done for us.
You’ve been an essential part of our journey, and we wanted to take a moment to let you know that your past contributions made a real difference. Thanks to supporters like you, we’ve been able to [mention a specific impact].
If you’re interested in returning to support us in the future, we’ve made it easier than ever. You can contribute in many ways—with a small donation, helping us raise awareness, fundraising on our behalf, or volunteering at our next event. Circumstances change, so don’t hesitate to let us know if there’es a comfortable way to support that would feel best right now. Even $5 or an hour can make a massive difference for us.
If you’re ready to make an impact again, we’d love to have you back on board. Visit [insert link] to learn how you can help, or reach out directly with questions or ideas. We’re here for you!
Thank you again, [Donor’s Name], for your support. We genuinely hope to see you again soon.
Best wishes, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Organization Name] [Contact Information]
Sample letter: Story-driven and call to action-focused
Subject: [Donor’s Name], here’s how you changed lives
Dear [Donor’s Name],
We hope you’re doing well! You’ve been on our minds, and we thought you might enjoy this example of the incredible difference your support has made in the lives of those we serve.
Recently, one of our [clients, beneficiaries, members, etc.] shared their story with us: [Insert short, heartfelt story of a person impacted by the organization].
Thanks to generous donors like you, things look different for [client, beneficiary, or member] this year. Stories like these remind us of why we do what we do and why we’re so grateful for your help.
This is our warm invitation to rejoin the mission. Your continued support, from donations to event attendance, will help us do even more. You may also enjoy getting involved in other ways. The future is exciting, and we’d love you to join us for the next chapter.
Let’s make it even easier for you to get involved when you’re ready. Here’s a special donation page where you can contribute directly [insert link]. Of course, you can also contact us for more information on other ways to help.
Thank you for everything, [Donor’s Name]. Your kindness has already left a lasting imprint, and there’s so much good ahead.
With gratitude, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Organization Name] [Contact Information]
Lean on 100% free donor management software
Zeffy makes it easy to keep your donors returning by helping you build stronger, lasting relationships. With features like automated thank-you messages, personalized donation receipts, and simple recurring donation options, it’s designed to keep your supporters engaged.
Zeffy’s built-in analytics and donor management tools also let you understand donor behavior and adjust your outreach to make those connections even more potent. It’s all about creating a positive experience that turns one-time supporters into long-term champions for your cause.
