Donor Lifetime Value Calculator
Reviewed by Hamza Gujjar, Algorithm Architect & Software Developer
Last updated: July 27, 2026Thinking beyond a single year's gift
Donor lifetime value looks past a single annual gift to estimate the total giving a typical donor contributes across their entire relationship with an organization, which reframes how much is reasonable to invest in acquiring and retaining them.
Worked example
For a donor giving $250 annually over an average 6-year relationship:
LTV = 250 x 6 = 1,500
Comparing donor lifetime value against donor acquisition cost is the core sustainability check for any acquisition campaign - a campaign that looks expensive per new donor can still be a sound investment if those donors' lifetime value comfortably exceeds that acquisition cost over time.