The Missing Middle: Why Mid-Level Donors are an Untapped Opportunity in 2026

This article is part of a five-part series: 5 Fundraising Trends for 2026

As you look at your plan for 2026 you probably have some direct-response marketing aimed at recruiting new low-level donors. You probably also have a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects who are going to be getting personalized outreach, event invites, and coffee dates. But do you have any communications planned specifically for your mid-level donors? Or are they lumped into the campaigns tailored to the tiers above and below them? There is significant opportunity in mid-level giving, but only if you have a distinct mid-level engagement strategy, and a plan in place for stewarding them through the pipeline towards major gifts. 

According to the Q3 2025 Fundraising Effectiveness Project report, mid-level donors (those giving $501-$5K) accounted for 16% of total dollars and 15.4% of total donors. The dollar to donor ratio there is striking, considering the other ends of the spectrum, where 3% of our donors are providing 77.5% of our dollars, and 81.7% of our donors are providing only 6.6% of our dollars. Mid-level donors are offering us as fundraisers a pretty good return on our investment… if we invest in them. The challenge becomes, with limited resources, the middle that seems to be holding often gets put on the backburner, considered self-sufficient, until it isn’t. We can’t afford this now, or in the long run, as these donors are one of our most consistent sources of current income, and best potential source of major gifts in the future. 

So, what can you do? First, you need to define what mid-level giving is for your organization. Depending on your size, the FEP definition of $501-$5,000 may not be consistent with your gift ranges, so start there to determine just how many of these mid-level donors you’re working with. Then, dig into their giving behavior and segment them further.

At AFP ICON 2025 in Seattle, Alia McKee, M.A. and Mark Rovner, J.D., PCC shared findings from their study of mid-level donors, and one of their key findings was that mid-level donors are not a monolith. Within this broad category, there exists significant variation in communication preferences and future giving intent. For example, in Mark and Alia’s study, they found that 41% of mid-level donors did not want a lot of handholding; they were happy to continue to give without ever meeting with a fundraiser. Meanwhile, another 32% were defined as engagement seekers. They expressed a desire to learn more about the organization and their impact, were open to giving more if asked, and were the perfect candidates for a more robust stewardship program. Finally, another 27% were already significantly engaged in other ways, such as volunteering or serving on a committee. These donors are also likely prospects for increased giving and lifelong support, if cultivated. 

If you are not sure about the communication preferences and capacity for future involvement of your mid-level donors, it may be worth conducting your own brief survey to find out. You can also see what insights you can glean from their behavior. Are they opening your emails? Have they increased their gifts over time? Have they volunteered at an event? These context clues can help you prioritize engagement efforts and build a pipeline for future major or planned gifts. 

Finally, because these donors often do not have personal contact with a fundraiser and may be outside of the tier that is receiving direct-response marketing, you need to ensure that your website is making a clear case for mid-level giving. They are making a significant contribution and they’re going to do some research to determine where they want to make that investment. Clearly highlighting your impact and demonstrating the trustworthiness of your organization in the digital environment is vital for attracting and retaining mid-level donors. 

AFP Resources That Can Help: 

• Article: Mid-Level Donors: Building Momentum to Fill the Gap
• AFP ICON 2026 Session: Flip the Script of “Donors Down, Dollars Up” through Mid-Level Retention (Register for AFP ICON)
• Micro-Learning Video: What Do Middle Donors Really Want - A Landmark Study