Does it feel like you’re being asked to raise more money with fewer resources? You’re not alone. Fundraising teams are stretched thin, and development offices are challenged with shrinking budgets, leaner staff, and growing expectations.
That’s why keeping an eye on industry benchmarks is more important than ever.
Each year, the M+R Benchmarks Study offers a snapshot of how nonprofits are performing across digital channels. It’s a valuable tool to help you see the bigger picture and understand how your nonprofit stacks up.
So, are you ahead of the curve or falling behind?
Are your digital strategies keeping pace with today’s donors, or are they stuck in the past?
We’ve examined the report and pulled six key takeaways for fundraisers who are trying to achieve more with fewer resources. So, read on to see how your organization measures up and what you can do to improve.
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1. Online and monthly donor revenue is up.
Online giving grew by two percent in 2024. But the real standout was monthly giving. Revenue from recurring donors grew by five percent and now makes up 31 percent of all online fundraising revenue.
Meanwhile, one-time donations remained flat from year to year.
If your organization isn’t focused on monthly giving yet, now’s the time.
Take a look at your online donation form. Monthly giving shouldn’t be hidden in fine print. Make the option clear, visible, and compelling. Add a checkbox that says, “I’d like to make my gift monthly.” You can pre-check this box, so a monthly donation seems like a logical choice rather than an afterthought.
Recurring gifts provide a stable source of income, which is critical during these uncertain economic times. And committing to a monthly gift shows that someone is willing to make a long-term commitment to your cause.
So, show those donors they matter. Send regular updates, share impact reports, and highlight the ways monthly givers are making a bigger impact over time.
LEARN MORE: How monthly giving can elevate your fundraising.
2. Mobile traffic isn’t slowing down.
More users visited nonprofit websites on their phones than on desktops in 2024. But desktop still comes out on top when it comes to securing donations.
The average conversion rate was 11 percent on desktop but only 8 percent for mobile devices in 2024.
This gap is a missed opportunity!
You’ll miss out on donations if your mobile donation experience is clunky, slow, or confusing. So, pull up your own giving form on your phone. Does the page load quickly? Is the donate button easy to find? Can you get through the form without tedious pinching, zooming, or scrolling?
You need to simplify wherever you can if filling out your donation form on mobile feels like more effort than it’s worth. So, remove unnecessary fields, make a test donation to get a feel for the process, and remember that small fixes, like larger buttons or cleaner layouts, can make a big difference in how many people tap “donate.”
Effective fundraising is all about reaching your donors where they’re at. And in 2025, they’re on their phones.
LEARN MORE: Why mobile optimization is crucial for nonprofits.
3. Email revenue falls as volume rises.
Fundraising emails generated 20 percent less revenue per 1,000 messages in 2024, even though nonprofits sent more emails overall.
Clearly, more emails don’t automatically mean more donations.
So, don’t just up your email volume if you see a dip in your analytics. Focus on making each message count instead.
Ask yourself questions like, “Is our list segmented by donor history or engagement?” “Are we going beyond a first name with personalization?” and “Do our calls to action feel clear and specific?”
Take a critical look at your best-performing emails from the past year. Try to determine what worked and what didn’t, whether it’s the subject line, content style, or send time. Then, pick one thing to improve for your next email, compare the results, and learn how to improve as you go.
Remember, quality beats quantity in a donor’s crowded inbox.
LEARN MORE: 4 ways nonprofits use data to optimize email outreach.
4. Website traffic is down overall.
Organic website traffic for nonprofits decreased by six percent in 2024. But that doesn’t mean your supporters have lost interest.
It means the digital landscape is changing.
Nonprofits experienced a decline in overall website visitors in 2024. But email list sizes and social media followings grew.
So, donors aren’t disappearing, they’re just engaging differently.
It may be a good time to reassess your content strategy if your web traffic is down. Are your blog posts and landing pages optimized, or does their presentation leave something to be desired? Are your social and email links sending people to key landing pages?
You don’t need to launch a new website to make improvements. Focus on small, strategic changes, like refreshing outdated pages, adding clear calls to action, and boosting load speed and mobile responsiveness.
LEARN MORE: Let’s freshen up your online donation page.
5. Nonprofits need policies around AI.
Nearly 80 percent of nonprofits used generative AI tools in 2024. However, only 42 percent have created formal policies to guide the use of AI tools.
You’re off to a good start if your team is using AI strategically for things like first appeal drafts or automating aspects of your donor outreach. But you should set some clear guidelines on how to use this exciting technology.
For example, you should always have a human copywriter edit or rewrite sections of AI-generated content. AI may not be aware of the details of your mission and work. And while you can teach it, you need a copywriter to apply the human touch.
So, you need to build systems to help determine what tasks AI should handle, what brand voice and tone AI content should follow, and how you will review and approve AI-generated material before it goes out.
Having rules in place helps you innovate responsibly without risking the trust you’ve built with your audience.
LEARN MORE: How should fundraisers embrace ChatGPT.
6. Social media strategies are evolving.
TikTok was the fastest-growing platform for nonprofits in 2024, with follower counts increasing by 37 percent. On the other hand, engagement on X (formerly Twitter) continued to drop. In fact, nearly one-third of nonprofits plan to leave the platform altogether.
Nonprofits are also embracing partnerships with social media influencers. About half reported working with influencers for fundraising, advocacy, or volunteer recruitment. Even those with small but loyal followings can help spread your message, especially when the cause and campaign align well.
You’ll need to focus your social media efforts on where you can make the biggest impact and most of your budget. This means you don’t need to be on every platform.
If your X posts are falling flat, consider shifting your energy to Instagram or TikTok. These platforms are better suited for visual storytelling and are seeing more growth across the sector.
LEARN MORE: Taking the next step with your social media appeal.
Moving the needle.
The digital fundraising landscape is evolving fast. But that doesn’t mean your team needs to chase every trend or overhaul your entire strategy.
We’re all dealing with limited resources right now. And we’re all looking for ways to achieve more with less. So, use the 2025 M+R Benchmarks Study as a guidepost.
This year’s data isn’t just a snapshot of sector trends. It’s a tool. Use it to compare your results, spot where you’re ahead, and pinpoint where there’s room to improve.
Whether it’s growing your monthly donor base, improving mobile conversions, or rethinking where you invest time on social media, these benchmarks will help you focus your efforts where they’ll make the biggest impact.
You don’t need to guess what’s working. Let data guide you as you find ways to advance your fundraising strategy.
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