Build a first-time donor journey that keeps donors coming back.
Only about one in five first-time donors ever gives again. The first year matters more than almost any other point in the donor relationship. Every nonprofit wants to retain more first-time donors. The challenge is figuring out what to do after the first gift.
Should you send a postcard? A video? An impact report? When should annual giving ask again? Who owns the journey? How long should donors stay in it? What happens if your annual giving team won't suppress first-time donors for a whole year?
These are questions that need more than a conference session or webinar to answer.
That's why we created the First-Time Donor Journey Lab. Over six months, you'll work alongside DRG consultants and a small cohort of peers to design, build, and implement a complete first-time donor journey customized for your organization.
What to Expect
We'll Help You Answer Questions Like...
-
Who actually counts as a first-time donor?
-
Which gifts should be excluded?
-
How long should donors remain in the journey?
-
When should annual giving ask again?
-
What if our annual giving team won't suppress solicitations for a full year?
-
Who owns each touchpoint?
-
How do we build something our team can actually sustain?
By the End of Six Months, You'll Have:
-
A clearly defined first-time donor timeline
-
An organizational definition of a first-time donor
-
Data rules and business requirements
-
A donor journey timeline customized to your organization
-
Receipt and acknowledgment recommendations
-
Postcard and thank-you communication plans
-
A broad-based impact reporting strategy
-
A framework for conversations with your annual giving partners
-
The key components of your implementation roadmap developed and planned
How It Works
1
Build your foundation
Develop your journey
2
Put it into practice
3
We'll help you define your first-time donor program and create the roadmap for success.
Each month you'll build another piece of the first-time donor journey while receiving coaching, examples, and peer feedback.
By the end of the program, you'll have a complete journey and implementation plan ready to launch.
.png)
Every organization's journey looks a little different. Throughout the program, you'll customize each touchpoint based on your donors, your resources, and your organization's goals.
What You'll Experience
Over six months, we’ll show you how to build the strategy, communications, workflows, and implementation plan needed to create a thoughtful, donor-centered first-time donor experience and support you as you put those pieces together for your organization.
Throughout this program, you'll receive:
-
Six live working sessions with DRG consultants
-
Six optional participant-led Q&A sessions
-
Personalized coaching and feedback
-
Practical templates and implementation tools
-
Examples from a variety of organizations
-
Peer collaboration and shared problem-solving
-
Action steps to complete between sessions
This isn't about completing assignments. It's about making meaningful progress on work that will improve your donors' experience long after the program ends.
Is this program right for me?
This program is designed for nonprofit professionals in donor relations, annual giving, development communications, or marketing roles who are positioned to lead the development of a first-time donor journey across their organization.
You don’t need to do this work alone, but you should have the support and organizational reach needed to build an approach that can be implemented consistently. This is a good fit for you if you:
-
Want to improve first-time donor retention
-
Can lead (or help lead) a cross-functional initiative
-
Are ready to build or improve a donor journey
-
Can dedicate time between sessions
-
Want accountability and expert guidance
-
Need implementation support without a full consulting engagement
-
Are positioned to develop an approach that can be implemented consistently across your organization
Already have a first-time donor journey?
Perfect. Many participants join to strengthen an existing program, improve individual touchpoints, refine business rules, and compare their approach with peers.
Program Details
6
2
12
10
$4,000
Months
October 2026 - March 2027
DRG Experts
Total Live Sessions
Participant Maximum
Investment
To create meaningful collaboration and peer learning, each cohort is intentionally limited to 10 organizations and launches with a minimum of three participating organizations.
That means every participant has space to ask questions, receive personalized coaching, and benefit from meaningful conversations with peers.
This is a collaborative consulting experience where your work becomes part of the conversation.
Program Format:
-
Six-month guided implementation experience
-
Six live online working sessions
-
Six optional participant-led Q&A sessions
-
Personalized coaching from DRG consultants
-
Peer collaboration and shared problem-solving
-
Practical templates, worksheets, and implementation tools
-
One participant per organization
-
Three to ten organizations per showcase
FAQ
How many people from my organization can participate?
Each organization may register one participant (think of this person as your project lead). That participant may share DRG-provided presentations, worksheets, templates, handouts, and samples with colleagues inside their organization.
Are sessions recorded?
No. Sessions are intentionally not recorded to encourage candid discussion, collaborative problem-solving, and open sharing among participants.
What if I miss a session?
If you're unable to attend a working session, you'll receive the presentation materials, worksheets, and handouts. You can also attend the next available Q&A session to ask questions and continue making progress. Individual make-up sessions are not included.
Can I ask questions between sessions?
Yes. Participants are welcome to email brief implementation questions between sessions. More in-depth discussions and consulting will take place during the live cohort sessions so the entire group can benefit from the conversation.
What happens if the minimum enrollment isn't met?
The Bespoke Solutions Showcase needs a minimum of three participating organizations. If minimum enrollment is not reached, participants may transfer their registration to the next cohort or receive a full refund.
Let's build a first-time donor journey that makes donors want
to give again.
If you're ready to start retaining more first-time donors and start building a journey designed to earn the second gift, we'd love to work alongside you.
Enrollment is limited to 10 organizations to ensure every participant receives personalized coaching, meaningful collaboration, and expert guidance throughout the six-month experience.