Focused Skills Lab:
RFM For Fundraising
Learn RFM analysis to identify your most valuable donors, create data-driven engagement strategies, and increase fundraising effectiveness through targeted donor segmentation.
Are you struggling to identify which donors deserve your attention most?
Without a clear way to segment your donor base, you might be treating all donors the same—missing opportunities to engage high-value supporters while wasting resources on less responsive prospects. Many fundraising professionals lack the tools and knowledge to effectively analyze donor behavior and create targeted engagement strategies.
RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary) is a proven method for segmenting donors based on their giving behavior.
This powerful model analyzes three key factors: how recently donors gave, how frequently they contribute, and the size of their gifts. Learn how to use this approach using Excel to better understand and categorize your donor base.
A one-lecture course to get you started using RFM for segmentation. We’ll cover creating an RFM table and scoring your prospects using Microsoft Excel.
Course amenities include:
- Ability to rewatch the demonstration video as often as you need.
- Comments section for adding your questions and seeing questions and replies from other students. Marianne does respond to questions.
- Resource list for further study.
Your Instructor
Marianne Pelletier has over 35 years of fundraising experience, with the majority in prospect research and prospecting. She is one of the first adopters of donor modeling and data mining techniques. Her professional experience includes prospect research, both as a research analyst for Harvard and Lesley Universities and as a department director for Carnegie Mellon University and Cornell University.
Pelletier’s multi-decade career also includes running an annual giving program with average increased revenues of 27% per year; and providing software consulting through the Datatel Corporation, teaching clients both how to use their new software and assisting them with better analysis and more efficient processing. She led the analytics division of the Helen Brown Group for over 10 years, and remains an associate.
A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the New England Development Research Association and a Woman of the Year designation by the National Association of Professional Women, Pelletier has served as a volunteer for both election campaigns and social service agencies. She has served on the boards of the New England Development Research Association, the Upstate New York chapter of APRA, and ending as secretary for the APRA International board.
A prolific writer, she has published articles on management, prospect research, fundraising, and personal growth on a range of platforms. A sought-after speaker, she often speaks on how to start an analytics shop, along with a variety of other subjects related to prospecting.
Course Curriculum
RFM: A Short Course
- RFM: What it is, How to Use It, and How to Compute It (22:31)
Learn RFM analysis to segment donors, boost engagement, and increase fundraising success through data-driven strategies.
$59.00
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course – you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.