Why Donors Leave

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., sits down with Virginia Harrison, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Clemson University, to dig deep into a question many nonprofit professionals fear to ask out loud: Why do donors leave? With a background in public relations and firsthand fundraising experience, Dr. Harrison brings both academic insight and real-world perspective to the increasingly vital topic of donor stewardship. Drawing from her research, Dr. Harrison outlines the seven reasons long-time donors walk away, even after years of involvement. From lack of responsible reporting to weak engagement, poor recognition, legal and policy missteps, organizational instability, and a fading sense of social fit, the message is clear: stewardship is not fluff, it’s strategy. “I don’t want to just be a checkbook,” one donor told her. They want impact, community, and communication that goes beyond the thank-you letter and holiday fruit basket. Dr. Harrison emphasizes the power of meaningful engagement. It’s not about inviting donors to every ribbon-cutting and hoping they post it on LinkedIn, it’s about tailoring involvement to their passions and skills. Whether it’s mentoring a scholarship recipient or lending financial expertise to a capital campaign, donors want to feel useful, respected, and connected. And for smaller nonprofits feeling under-resourced, Dr. Harrison reassures that personalization doesn’t mean perfection, small groups and natural social connections can still build a powerful community of philanthropy. The episode closes with a reminder that stewardship isn’t something that happens after the gift, it’s what makes the next one possible. In a world where fundraisers are often pushed to “just go get the money,” Dr. Harrison’s research reframes stewardship as the fuel, not the fluff, of long-term fundraising success. Or as a colleague succinctly put it: “Stewardship is the fundraising that happens in between the asks.”