You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you top the first hill of a really scary roller coaster ride? I got that feeling reading details of the latest Target Analytics Index of National Fundraising Performance, released on January 9.
This report shows that, for the nine months ending September 30, 2008:
1) the number of donors giving to direct mail, online and telemarketing appeals fell two percent compared to the same period a year earlier. This was mainly due to a significant drop in new donor acquisition.
2) median revenue from these appeals fell just over one percent from Q3 2007
The lone bright spot in the report, summarized in The Nonprofit Times: those who gave contributed slightly more than they had before.
It’s tempting to minimize these low-single-digit losses, but it’s likely that most donors didn’t begin to feel the real effects of our current economic crisis until after September 30. I’m beginning to hear stories of really disappointing December campaigns, mainly at newer or weaker organizations. But even at nonprofits with strong fundraising departments and strong brands, nobody’s celebrating.
Hold on, and close your eyes if you have to. The ride is just beginning.
