The data you need to understand your donors

Data and fundraising go hand in hand. Working together, data can boost fundraising considerably, eliminating friction in the donation experience and reaching donors at the time they are ready to give.  

However, the charity sector has historically struggled with data analysis. In the 2025 Charity Digital Skills report, a quarter of charities said they were poor at using data for decision-making, while a similar proportion said they were poor at or do not collect and analyse data at all. 

The idea that data is too complex is preventing charities from using it effectively. Indeed, with limited time and juggling multiple roles, charity professionals often require external support to get the most out of their data, meaning that some charities miss out on the insights they already have in-house because they don’t have the budget to engage experts.  

But data should be accessible to every charity that needs it and form the basis of all decisions shaping the future of a charity, including fundraising strategy. Whether it’s a small charity or super-major, data makes fundraising more efficient, more cost-effective, and more impactful, to boot. 

With all that in mind, the question remains: how exactly can the charity sector make data more accessible? Without time to take on a data science degree, and without the budget to engage long-term external support, how can charities get to know their data quickly and use it to drive donations? 

Marketing software providers Apteco have created a service to target exactly these challenges. Instant Insights gives charities access to a dashboard that shows them how their supporters are engaging with them, requiring no lengthy set-up processes and no learning curve. Charities can make sure they’re reaching the right supporters at the right time and focus their resources where they’ll make the biggest difference. 

Below, we explore some of the key data points charities can access through Instant Insights and how they can transform their fundraising strategy.  

Find out more about Instant Insights 

What data do charities need to transform their fundraising? 

Donation frequency 

Donation frequency allows charities to see how often someone has donated. This information might change how a charity communicates with them in the short-term. It might not be about reminding them of a new appeal, but keeping them engaged with information about their existing donation’s impact. Or maybe their once-regular donations have started to slow down – charities can sensitively change their ask, lower their donation amount or offer a pause to keep giving flexible for their supporters.  

Supporter retention 

As well as donation frequency, it is also important for charities to be able to spot behaviour patterns in those who are one-off donors and those who become regular donors. What is the ratio between one-off donors and repeated givers? What might be preventing one-off donors from returning to donate again? Are particular appeals drawing in one-off donors and how can charities replicate that success in other ways? 

Understanding supporter retention can help charities with their financial forecasting – they can begin to look at how much churn they can expect over time and establish strategies to boost their income as needed.  

Value change  

Value change gives charities insight into who is able to give what at any given time. Perhaps the value of a donation from one supporter has risen – this means they might be one of your most loyal supporters and there might be an opportunity to engage them further. Or perhaps the overall value of donations has gone up or down – this gives you the knowledge you need to raise or lower the donation amount you typically ask for (e.g. the automated amount that pops up when someone clicks donate).  

Value change can help charities spot opportunities and risks based on the amount given, which is particularly important in an unpredictable and evolving economic climate. It helps charities give their supporters flexibility and it helps charities plan their income strategies, in the full knowledge of how their supporters are behaving.  

How does Instant Insights work? 

Apteco’s Instant Insights service works quickly to give charities the information they need to make speedy decisions that’ll boost their fundraising. Through the dashboard, which requires no personally identifiable data to create, organisations are able to gain insights into engagement patterns, churn risks, and income trends, and pivot their strategy accordingly.  

“Instant Insights helps make every effort count by revealing giving patterns, recurring donations, and high-potential opportunities, so you can prioritise supporters who amplify results,” Apteco explains, adding that “with so many charities competing for the same committed givers, fast data isn’t a luxury…it’s a head start. It helps teams act first, invest wisely, and maximise every pound raised. “ 

To find out more about Instant Insights, check out Apteco’s website below. 

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