Second-gift retention is the number that decides whether your development shop scales. The moment that shapes it is the thank-you.
Why 48 hours matters
A donor who gave on Tuesday remembers on Thursday. A donor who gave last month has moved on. A warm, specific, human thank-you inside 48 hours earns the second gift six months later.
What most nonprofits send
An auto-generated PDF receipt with "Dear Donor" at the top, three weeks late, and a QR code to give again.
What earns the next gift
- Sent in 48 hours
- Real first name, no salutation template
- One concrete impact the specific gift enables
- IRS language at the bottom, not the top
- A signature, ideally with a handwritten note across the bottom
- No second ask
The invitation
End with a warm, low-pressure invitation. "If you're ever in the neighborhood on a Thursday, come see the warehouse. Coffee's on us." Donors who visit give at 3x the rate of donors who don't.
Draft yours with the Donor Thank-You tool.