Every nonprofit dreams of loyal, long-term supporters—the kind of donors who stay with you year after year, deepen their investment and grow into mid-level, major or even legacy contributors. But before those lasting relationships begin, there is an earlier and more fragile stage that often gets overlooked: the exploratory phase.
“Exploring donors” represent one of the most important opportunities in your file, yet many organizations unintentionally treat this group like one-time transactions instead of the beginning of a relationship. Retaining these donors requires intention, consistency and care. Here’s a breakdown of who exploring donors are, why they’re important to nurture and best practices for how to improve donor retention.
At its simplest, an exploring donor is someone who has made a new gift to your organization. They’ve raised their hand, taken that first step and signaled interest, but they haven’t yet formed a true relationship with you.
This distinction matters. Someone who gives once is not the same as someone who gives twice. One gift represents curiosity. Two gifts show commitment. Exploring donors sit right in the middle of that shift, and how you show up in this phase determines where they go next.
The second year of giving is the pivotal point for long-term donor value. If exploring donors feel connected and affirmed early, they are far more likely to:
A donor renewing in their second year often made their second gift during their first year. This is why the exploratory phase is mission-critical: It shapes every future revenue opportunity. Miss this window, and you’re leaving long-term value on the table.
Your primary goal is to secure a second gift from these donors within the same fiscal year as their first. The key is to prompt the second gift without overwhelming them. Balancing gratitude and appeals can show your intentionality and encourage them to support a team that cares about their gift.
The channel that brought them in (direct mail, email, digital ads, etc.) is likely their most comfortable starting point, so lean into it.
Meet them where they’re at, but don’t stop there.
A common mistake is over-relying on the acquisition channel alone. “They came in through mail, so we only mail them.” No single channel can carry the entire burden of relationship building.
Donors need a comprehensive experience across the channels you can access, including:
But to do this, you first need their contact information. Focus early on gathering their email address, physical address and phone number so you can expand your communication toolbox.
Exploring donors want to feel thanked, valued, seen, connected to your cause and confident their gift made a difference.
Stewardship must be more than a receipt. Show them the impact of their gift, whether that be food delivered, research accelerated or a neighbor sheltered. This affirmation dramatically increases the likelihood of a second gift.
Retention isn’t just about messaging. It’s also about listening.
You can listen to your donors in two ways:
We can’t confuse transactions with engagement. A donor may prefer to give in one channel yet engage meaningfully in another. Your job is to notice both.
Retaining exploring donors is more than improving year-one metrics. It’s about laying the foundation for all future value and building a relationship grounded in gratitude, relevance, transparency and trust.
If nonprofits can treat that first gift as the beginning rather than the end—intentionally nurturing, listening and personalizing—they can unlock donor loyalty that lasts far beyond year two.