Speaker: Eric Tomalis

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Location:

Cost: $25.00/Members, $15.00/Members W/O Lunch,  $35.00/Guests

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The Retention Games: What the Data Reveals About Donor Loyalty

Donor expectations are rising. Giving behavior is shifting. And many nonprofits are working harder than ever to acquire donors, only to quietly lose them just as quickly.

The real challenge in fundraising today isn’t acquisition. It’s retention.

In this session, Erik Tomalis explores what the latest fundraising data reveals about donor behavior, retention patterns, and the strategies used by top-performing organizations to build lasting donor relationships.

Drawing on insights from real fundraising performance data representing more than 1,000 nonprofits and over $14B in annual giving, this session will uncover the metrics that actually matter—beyond vanity KPIs like “new donors acquired.”

Participants will learn:

Why donor retention continues to lag across the sector

The key moments that determine whether a first-time donor gives again

How personalization, timing, and authentic communication influence donor loyalty

What the data shows about welcome experiences, messaging, and engagement

How organizations can scale donor relationships without losing the human touch

This session combines industry benchmarking insights with practical fundraising strategy to help nonprofit leaders better understand what’s working today and where the greatest opportunities for growth exist.

Because successful fundraising isn’t just about more campaigns.

It’s about building relationships donors want to continue.

Erik Tomalis 

A proven fundraising professional that is forward thinking, people driven, most of all results oriented. 20+ yrs of fundraising experience, making 5,000+ donor solicitations raising millions of dollars for non-profit organizations, such as St. Jude, Sigma Nu, Boy Scouts and Allegheny Health. As well, he’s served as an executive leader Pursuant-Ketchum, Virtuous and now Avid. 

At Avid, Erik is committed to helping nonprofits grow global generosity. He believes that giving is about personal connections, not transactions. Generosity is driven by our passions and relationships – and givers want to feel like they are part of a movement bigger than themselves.