The Overlooked Power of Mid-Level Donors

In the nonprofit fundraising world, one plus one used to equal two: attracting more small-dollar donors led directly to increased revenue. But that math isn’t mathing anymore. These days, total dollars are up, but the giving base is shrinking.

This trend matters because nonprofits have spent years building their fundraising efforts around acquiring new donors. But if the formula no longer adds up, and small donors are becoming a less reliable source of growth on their own, the strategy needs to change.

My perspective on this topic is probably different from someone who’s spent years managing a gifts portfolio or directing targeted donor outreach. Most of my experience comes from working across the nonprofit and nonprofit tech sectors, analyzing fundraising data, hosting podcast conversations, and talking with people in the field about what’s actually working.

I continue to see the same pattern emerge. Most nonprofit fundraising programs overlook the steadiest, most valuable group of supporters. Chances are, you’re not paying much attention to them either.  

What the Data Tells Us

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project's Q3 2025 report shows us exactly where new donation dollars are (and aren’t) coming from. Overall, donations increased by 3.7% year-over-year (YOY), but giving patterns are changing. Micro-donor ($1-$100) and small donor ($101-$500) giving declined YOY. These groups account for more than 80% of total donors, so these declines are alarming.

However, a deeper look at the data tells a different story. Revenue isn’t disappearing; it’s shifting. It’s moving away from casual donors and concentrating among loyal, repeat donors who generate the majority of all fundraising dollars. The challenge for many nonprofits is that their fundraising strategies aren’t designed to serve the most overlooked segment of this loyal core.

Meet the Mid-Level Donor

Most organizations build their development teams to court two very different types of supporters: major donors who give less frequently and with much more planning, and small donors who are acquired through broader outreach efforts.

Mid-level donors sit right in between those two groups, and in many organizations, that middle becomes a kind of no man’s land.

Organizations define this group differently, but they typically give somewhere between $500 and $10,000 a year. Mid-level donors tend to be long-tenured, older, loyal to the causes they believe in, and often support many groups at once.

Very few nonprofits actually steward mid-level donors. Their gifts are too large for the mass-campaign treatment micro and small donors receive, but not large enough to trigger a major gift strategy. As a result, these important donors typically receive the same outreach messages as someone who gives $25 once.

As our sector adapts to changing donor behaviors, treating mid-level giving as a destination rather than a stepping stone to a major gift is the blueprint for a more sustainable future.   

What a Deeper Look Reveals

In 2023, Sea Change Strategies and Edge Research surveyed nearly 6,000 mid-level donors from 36 nonprofit organizations, including the National Resources Defense Council, the ACLU, and Easterseals. As I read The Missing Middle Part 4, the data reinforced many of the conversations I’ve had with fundraising professionals and offered a few clear lessons that can guide mid-level donor stewardship.

Mid-Level Donors Already Care, So Stop Reintroducing the Mission

Because mid-level donors are often a group without a home, they receive the same mass outreach as infrequent donors. Consequently, they hear the same basic message over and over again.

But this group has already made up its mind and doesn’t need to be convinced. Here’s what I think we miss: these donors are curious. They’ve already bought in, so instead of selling them on the mission again, we could be pulling back the curtain and letting them dig deeper.

According to the report, more than half of mid-level donors have been involved with their organization for more than a decade. The report found 87% of mid-level donors are very favorable toward their organization, and 89% say they’re “very likely” to give again in the next 12 months. Through recent political, global, and economic turmoil, the vast majority kept giving at the same level or more.

These supporters deserve more than high-level mission messaging. They need stewardship that recognizes them for the bedrock support role they actually play.  

Most Mid-Level Donors Won’t Upgrade, and That’s Fine

Nonprofits that do employ mid-level donor stewardship strategies often view this group as a ripe target for becoming major givers. But not every donor wants to become a major donor. Some are perfectly happy where they are. I know because, anecdotally, I’m one of those donors. The Sea Change report shows that only 13% of the mid-level donors sampled had ever given $10,000 or more, and 70% say they are likely to give the same amount as in the past.

When you combine this data with the mid-level donors’ long-term loyalty, it becomes clear that this group has found its home. So rather than pushing them to the next level, nonprofits should refocus their outreach on improving retention. But there’s another opportunity here that shouldn’t be overlooked: legacy giving.

The report reveals that more than half of mid-level donors have made a bequest to a charity or are in the process of doing so. Additionally, 20% hold donor-advised funds. By cementing relationships with this core supporter group, nonprofits can build sustainable support that lasts beyond their supporters’ lifetimes.

For Mid-Level Donors, Predictability Isn’t Security 

The predictability that defines mid-level donors becomes something of a liability for fundraising teams. That old adage, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” comes to mind here. The reliable donors in the middle of the pack become nearly invisible as fundraising teams expend all their energy constantly refilling the small gift bucket and courting major donors. Very little effort goes into stewarding the people who ultimately keep the lights on every day.

But nonprofit organizations shouldn’t confuse predictability with security. The average mid-level donor is 68 years old, and 82% are Baby Boomers or older. Their steadiness won’t last forever.

The window for legacy giving is also rapidly closing. The report revealed that by the time a mid-level donor reaches 70, they’ve already added a charity to their estate plan or have chosen not to.

There’s real urgency for nonprofits right now. Your most loyal supporters are getting older and are now deciding how they’ll allocate their assets after they’re gone. Nonprofits can continue to ignore this group, or they can begin building relationships that align their missions with the legacies of their most ardent supporters.

Mid-Level Donors Want Proof of Impact, Only Some Want Engagement

While mid-level donors share many qualities, nonprofits shouldn’t treat them all the same. The Sea Change report divides mid-level donors into three distinct segments.

The first and largest group, 41%, gives reliably, needs little stewardship to renew, and likely won’t increase their donation. The second group, 32%, is most likely to increase their donations and most open to engagement opportunities nonprofits offer. The smallest segment, 27%, is already personally involved with the organization in multiple ways and is the most likely to be major donors to at least one organization.

Each of these groups has different engagement expectations of the nonprofits they support. However, they all want to see proof of impact. The lesson here is that nonprofits need to intentionally engage mid-level donors. Everyone should receive annual reports and donation reminders, but not everyone appreciates personal calls or event invitations. The goal isn't necessarily more engagement; instead, it’s about the right engagement for the right donor.

Someone I met at a conference put it perfectly: stewarding mid-level donors should feel like a concierge experience. Not the mass-marketing treatment or the full major-gift courtship. Just someone making sure donors receive the information, access, and connection that matches the relationship they want with the organization.

A Checklist for Your Mid-Level Donor Program

The evidence is clear: mid-level donors are the beating heart of most nonprofit organizations. Unfortunately, most fundraising teams aren’t built to steward them effectively. If you’re looking to improve outreach to this important group of supporters, here’s the gut-check I’d run on your program:

• Have you segmented mid-level donors from your supporter list? If not, they’re likely receiving the same messaging as one-time donors.
• Do you know how long they’ve been giving, and does your messaging reflect it? Otherwise, you’re reintroducing yourself to your most loyal supporters.
• Have you let go of the assumption that they’re all primed to be major donors? Most mid-level donors have already found their preferred giving level.
• Have you sorted the donors between those who want a relationship and those who want to be left alone? Treating them the same is likely counterproductive.
• Does every donor, even the “leave me alone” group, receive regular proof that their donation was well spent? Every donor wants insight into their impact.
• Do you have a real plan for bequests and planned gifts? And do you have a sense that the clock is ticking with these donors? Mid-level donors are making legacy plans right now.
• Does anyone actually own this group? If outreach remains an afterthought, these donors will continue to be lost between new donor acquisition and major giving.

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you’ve already identified an opportunity to better serve the invisible donors who hold your organization together.

Rethinking Stewardship Goals

Nonprofits have spent years building their fundraising efforts around acquiring new supporters, and if that system is bringing in a steady stream of donors, it looks like growth. But as we’ve seen, the formula has changed: fewer donors and concentrated revenue mean that fundraising through volume is no longer an effective strategy.

We spend so much time asking how to get more donors, and not enough asking why donors stay. Rather than chasing growth at all costs, nonprofits need to strengthen the donors who are already there by serving them well. Most importantly, we must never ignore them because they're reliable, and never treat them like an ATM because they have capacity.

Mid-level donors are the most loyal supporter group for most nonprofits, yet their contributions too often go unrecognized. Imagine what could be possible when you begin valuing them the same way they’ve always valued you.