Calculators
Fundraising ROI Calculator
Measure fundraising campaign return: net revenue, ROI, cost to raise a dollar and the projected value of retained donors.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Campaign evaluation
- Board reporting
- Budget allocation between channels
- Donor acquisition planning
About this tool
What the Fundraising ROI Calculator does
Fundraising efficiency is usually measured as cost to raise a dollar (costs ÷ money raised) or ROI (net revenue ÷ costs). Because many donors give again, adding the expected value of retained donors shows the longer-term return of acquisition campaigns, which often lose money in year one.
It also works as a donation roi calculator or a cost to raise a dollar calculator.
Formula
- ROI = (raised − costs) ÷ costs
- Cost to raise a dollar = costs ÷ raised
- Future gifts = Σ donors × retention^year × average gift
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Campaign costs | 4 entries |
| Amount raised | $62,000 |
| Number of donors | 640 |
| Expected donor retention next year | 45% |
| Years of giving to include | 3 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Fundraising ROI | 206.9% |
| Cost to raise $1 | $0.33 |
| Net revenue | $41,800 |
| Average gift | $96.88 |
| Projected future gifts from retained donors | $40,455 |
| ROI including future gifts | 407.2% |
How to read the result
Judge acquisition campaigns on long-term value; renewal and upgrade campaigns should show a strong first-year ROI.
Include staff time for an honest cost to raise a dollar.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
Many benchmarks suggest 20 to 35 cents overall, but acquisition can cost more than a dollar per dollar raised.
Net revenue divided by costs.
Most of a donor's value comes from repeat gifts, not the first one.
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