Welcome to the 2026 Donor Journey Survey

Thank you for participating in our research study, Automation and the Donor Journey 2026.

This survey seeks to understand how nonprofits use automated messaging in donor communications.

The goal isn’t to rank organizations or push tools. It’s to better understand what’s actually happening across the donor journey, including where human connection outperforms automated efficiency.

SurveyMonkey estimates this survey will take about three minutes to complete. Only fully completed surveys are included in the analysis.

Your answers will remain anonymous.

The results will be shared publicly so nonprofits can see how their experience compares and learn from what others are navigating.

Thanks so much!

- Tim Yeadon
Principal & Donor Journey Strategist

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Question Title

1. Which best describes your organization’s primary focus?

Health & human services

Education

Arts & culture

Environmental / conservation

Housing / community development

Advocacy / policy

Faith-based

Other (please specify)

Question Title

2. What is your organization’s annual operating budget?

Under $250k

$250k–$1M

$1M–$5M

$5M–$20M

Over $20M

Prefer not to say

Question Title

3. When someone first gives you their email or registers for an event, what happens next?

They receive a single welcome message

They receive a short welcome email series

They are added to regular fundraising appeal emails

They are added to our CRM but receive no automated communication

They receive the next newsletter

Nothing happens unless staff follow up

Not sure / Not applicable

Question Title

4. Do you track which topics, programs, or content potential donors engage with (e.g., email clicks, website visits, event attendance)?

Yes, and we use it to guide communication

Yes, but we don’t actively use it

No, we treat most subscribers the same

Not sure

Question Title

5. Which best describes how you segment donor communications today?

We don’t segment audiences; most donors receive the same messages

We segment by foundational factors (donor vs non-donor, one-time vs recurring)

We segment by giving level, interests, or engagement

We use multiple segments to guide communication journeys

Not sure

Question Title

6. After someone makes their first donation, which best describes what typically happens next?

They receive a standard thank-you message, with no additional follow-up

They receive a dedicated first-time donor welcome or onboarding series

We follow up in ways that help us learn more about their interests or motivations

Follow-up depends on staff availability or capacity

We don’t have a consistent approach

Not sure / Not applicable

Question Title

7. How do you typically communicate the impact of a donation to existing donors?

Ongoing, planned impact updates

Occasional impact updates

Mostly tied to fundraising appeals

We don’t regularly communicate impact

Not sure

Question Title

8. When someone unsubscribes from email, how is that handled?

They continue on the standard donor journey, minus the channel they opted out of

Tracked but rarely acted on

The development team is notified

We don’t have a consistent approach

Not sure

Question Title

9. Has your organization documented its donor journey in any way?

Yes, documented and used

Yes, informal or outdated

In progress

Not sure

Question Title

10. Which donor groups tend to engage most consistently over time with your organization’s email or donor communications? (Select up to 2)

First-time donors

Small-dollar donors

Recurring (monthly) donors

Mid-level donors

Major donors

Volunteers or members

We don’t see clear differences

We don't analyze this

Not sure

Question Title

11. Beyond basic email or SMS campaigns, do you use marketing automation features?

Yes, extensively

Yes, in limited ways

No, primarily one-off messages

Not sure

Question Title

12. To what extent do concerns about donor communications feeling impersonal influence your organization’s use of automation or AI?

A major concern that limits our use

A moderate concern we actively consider

A minor concern

Not a concern for us

Question Title

13. Which best describes your organization’s donor data setup?

A CRM or donor database is our main system and connects automatically to email

A CRM is our main system, but email updates require manual work

Our email platform acts as our main donor database

Donor data lives in multiple disconnected systems

We don’t have a clear system of record

Not sure

Question Title

14. What is your biggest challenge with donor communications today?

Limited staff time

Lack of clear strategy

Tools don’t work together

Data quality or reporting challenges

Uncertainty about what donors want

Not sure

Other (please specify)

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100% of survey complete.