When you're running a nonprofit, passion and purpose drive the work, but data drives the decisions. The challenge? Knowing which data points actually matter.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and financial metrics are more than just numbers in a report. They help you track what’s working, flag what’s not, and prove your impact to funders, partners, and your board. But not every metric deserves your attention. The real value lies in tracking the right ones consistently and meaningfully.
Here’s a closer look at the KPIs and financial metrics that every nonprofit should monitor across fundraising, financial health, and program delivery, and how turning these metrics into habits can sharpen your strategy and strengthen your mission.
What are KPI for Nonprofit Organizations?
Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are measurable values used to track how well a nonprofit organization is meeting its mission. KPIs help monitor areas like fundraising results, donor retention, program reach, and overall community impact. For example, donation growth, number of active donors, and program completion rates reflect how effectively the organization is delivering services and engaging supporters. High retention or strong donation numbers show ongoing trust and support for the mission.
KPIs also cover operational performance. Metrics such as fundraising efficiency, volunteer hours, event attendance, and digital engagement rates measure how well resources are used and how visible the nonprofit is. Monitoring KPIs allows the organization to adjust strategies, stay accountable to goals, and strengthen its efforts to create lasting social impact.
Read More: 5 Effective Ways to Maximize Grant Revenue for Your Nonprofit
Why are Nonprofit KPIs Important?
Nonprofit key performance metrics are essential tools that help organizations measure progress and make informed decisions. Tracking these metrics ensures that efforts align with the mission and deliver meaningful impact. Here are some key reasons why these metrics matter:
Strategic Focus: Keep the organization’s goals clear by using data to guide every major decision.
Leadership Support: Provide strong evidence to help leadership and board members understand progress and priorities.
Resource Planning: Justify requests for additional staff, technology, or funding based on measurable outcomes.
Team Direction: Help marketing and fundraising teams focus on the right audiences and channels for better results.
Motivation and Trust: Boost team motivation and build transparency by showing how individual contributions support the overall mission.
The 23 Essential Non-profit KPIs to track
Nonprofit organizations face many challenges that require tracking different types of performance measures. Depending on the focus area, key indicators help monitor progress and success in various domains. These indicators fall into several main categories, each highlighting crucial aspects to keep an eye on.
Some of the main categories include:
- Campaign Delivery metrics
- Financial measures
- Donor-related statistics
- Growth indicators
- People-focused data
Within each group, there are important numbers and rates that nonprofits should regularly evaluate to understand how well they are meeting their goals and where improvements are needed.
Financial KPIs for Nonprofits
Financial KPIs track how well a nonprofit manages and uses its funds. These metrics show the flow of money, how resources support programs, and overall financial health. Understanding these helps keep the organization stable and transparent. Below are key financial indicators, what they measure, why they matter, and how to calculate them.
Fundraising ROI
What it is: Fundraising Return on Investment (ROI) measures the efficiency of fundraising efforts by showing how much money is earned for every dollar spent on fundraising activities. It looks at the relationship between the total amount raised and the expenses involved in raising those funds.
Why it is essential: Fundraising activities often require significant resources such as staff time, marketing costs, event expenses, and technology investments. Knowing the ROI helps the organization understand if these investments are worthwhile. A high ROI means the nonprofit is raising far more money than it spends, making fundraising sustainable and effective. It also helps identify which fundraising methods bring the best returns, allowing better allocation of future resources.
How to calculate it:
- Subtract total fundraising expenses from total funds raised.
- Divide that result by fundraising expenses.
- Multiply by 100 to convert to a percentage.
Formula: Fundraising ROI = ((Total Funds Raised − Fundraising Expenses) ÷ Fundraising Expenses) × 100
Example: If a nonprofit raises $100,000 and spends $25,000 on fundraising, ROI = ((100,000 - 25,000) / 25,000) × 100 = 300%. This means $3 is earned for every $1 spent.
Donations
Donations represent the total amount of money or financial gifts received from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other sources during a given time. These gifts can be one-time or recurring.
Why it is essential: Donations provide the core funding that enables a nonprofit to deliver its programs and services. Tracking total donations helps evaluate the organization's financial health and growth. An increase in donations usually indicates growing support and successful fundraising efforts. It also helps identify trends and plan budgets realistically.
How to calculate it: Add together all monetary donations received during the selected period, including cash, checks, online gifts, and pledges converted to financial value.
Formula: Donations = Sum of all monetary gifts received
Read more: How to Create a Standout Nonprofit Annual Report
Annual Revenue
Annual revenue is the total income a nonprofit receives from all sources within a fiscal year. This includes donations, grants, fees for services, membership dues, investment income, and other funding streams.
Why it is essential: Annual revenue reflects the overall financial capacity of the organization. It helps management and stakeholders understand how much money is available to fund operations and programs. Tracking annual revenue supports budgeting, financial planning, and reporting to donors and regulators. It also helps monitor financial growth or decline over time.
How to calculate it: Sum all income received by the nonprofit during the fiscal year from all sources.
Formula: Annual Revenue = Sum of all income sources during the fiscal year
Program Efficiency Ratio
Program efficiency ratio shows the percentage of total expenses spent directly on programs and services compared to all expenses, including administration and fundraising.
Why it is essential: Program efficiency ratio demonstrates how well the nonprofit uses its funds to advance its mission. A higher ratio means more resources go toward programs, which donors prefer and trust.
How to calculate it: Divide program expenses by total expenses, then multiply by 100 to get a percentage.
Formula: (Program Expenses ÷ Total Expenses) × 100
Example: If program expenses are $800,000 and total expenses are $1,000,000, then program efficiency = (800,000 / 1,000,000) × 100 = 80%.
Cost per Dollar Raised
Cost per dollar metric shows the average amount of money spent to raise one dollar through fundraising activities.
Why it is essential: It measures fundraising efficiency and helps nonprofits understand how much of their budget goes into raising funds. A low cost per dollar raised indicates efficient use of resources, while a high cost may suggest the need to improve fundraising strategies. This metric is critical for making informed decisions about investing in future fundraising campaigns.
How to calculate it: Divide the total fundraising expenses by the total dollars raised during the same period.
Formula: Cost per dollar raised = Fundraising Expenses ÷ Total Dollars Raised
Example: If fundraising costs are $20,000 and total donations are $100,000, then cost per dollar raised = 20,000 / 100,000 = $0.20 per $1 raised.
Fundraising Efficiency
Fundraising efficiency shows how many dollars are raised for each dollar spent on fundraising efforts.
Why it is essential: This metric is the inverse of cost per dollar raised but expressed as a ratio to easily understand the return on fundraising investments. High fundraising efficiency means the nonprofit gets significant returns from its fundraising expenditures, indicating effective campaign management.
How to calculate it: Divide total funds raised by fundraising expenses.
Formula: Fundraising Efficiency= Fundraising Expenses /Total Funds Raised
Example: If total funds raised are $150,000 and fundraising expenses are $30,000, then fundraising efficiency = 150,000 / 30,000 = 5, meaning $5 earned per $1 spent.
Gifts Secured
Gifts secured measures the total number of individual donations received during a specific period, regardless of the donation size or type. This includes online gifts, mailed checks, recurring donations, and in-person contributions.
Why it is essential: Tracking this metric shows how many supporters are actively giving. A higher number of gifts often means better outreach, broader donor engagement, and effective fundraising efforts. It also helps evaluate how well campaigns convert interest into actual donations.
How to calculate it: Count all donations made within the reporting period.
Formula: Gifts Secured = Total number of donations received
Donor Performance Metrics for Non-profits
Donor KPIs reveal the strength of relationships with supporters. These measures track donor activity, such as giving patterns and growth, which help nonprofits build lasting support. The following explains important donor metrics, their purpose, and ways to calculate them.
Donor Retention Rate
Donor Retention Rate measures the percentage of existing supporters who continue to make financial contributions to a nonprofit organization over consecutive time periods, often annually. This KPI reflects the effectiveness of donor engagement strategies and indicates the level of donor loyalty, satisfaction, and trust.
Why it matters: A strong retention rate means supporters are satisfied and engaged. It is more cost-effective to keep existing donors than to find new ones.
How to calculate: (Number of donors who gave last year and also gave this year ÷ Number of donors who gave last year) × 100
Example: If 120 donors gave last year, and 72 of them gave again this year, the donor retention rate is (72 ÷ 120) × 100 = 60%.
Donor Growth Rate
Donor Growth Rate quantifies the percentage change in the total number of unique donors over a defined period. This KPI is critical to assess an organization’s ability to expand its donor base, increase community reach, and attract new supporters.
Why it matters: Growth in donor count shows successful outreach and expanding community support.
How to calculate: ((Number of donors this year – Number of donors last year) ÷ Number of donors last year) × 100
Example: If last year there were 150 donors, and this year there are 180, the growth rate is ((180 – 150) ÷ 150) × 100 = 20%.
Donor Acquisition Cost
Donor Acquisition Cost represents the average expenditure required to secure a new donor through various fundraising initiatives, including digital campaigns, events, and outreach. This financial metric evaluates the cost-effectiveness of marketing strategies and supports budget allocation decisions.
Why it matters: Knowing acquisition cost helps assess whether fundraising methods are cost-effective.
How to calculate: Total cost of donor acquisition efforts ÷ Number of new donors gained
Example: If a campaign costs $3,000 and brings in 60 new donors, the acquisition cost is $3,000 ÷ 60 = $50 per donor.
Average Gift Size
Average Gift Size measures the mean donation amount per gift over a specific timeframe, revealing donor generosity and financial capacity. This KPI helps nonprofits set realistic fundraising goals, segment donors, and tailor appeals.
Why it matters: This helps evaluate how generous donations are and guides future fundraising goals.
How to calculate: Total donation amount ÷ Total number of gifts received
Example: If $12,000 is collected from 240 donations, the average gift size is $12,000 ÷ 240 = $50.
Read more: How to Create a Nonprofit Impact Report That Inspires and Attracts Donors?
Donor Lifetime Value (LTV)
Donor Lifetime Value estimates the total expected revenue from a donor throughout their entire relationship with the nonprofit. This forward-looking KPI integrates donation frequency, average gift size, and donor retention period, providing a strategic view of donor worth.
Why it matters: Helps in planning how much effort and money should be invested in keeping and nurturing donors.
How to calculate: Average donation × Number of donations per year × Donor lifespan in years
Example: If a donor gives $80 twice a year for 5 years, the LTV is $80 × 2 × 5 = $800.
Recurring Donors
Recurring Donors are supporters who commit to regular contributions at set intervals (e.g., monthly, quarterly).
Why it matters:
Recurring donations provide predictable income, improving stability and long-term planning.
How to calculate: (Number of recurring donors ÷ Total number of donors) × 100
Example: If 40 out of 160 donors give monthly, the recurring donor rate is (40 ÷ 160) × 100 = 25%.
Gift Frequency
Gift Frequency calculates the average number of donations made per donor within a year. It reflects the depth of donor engagement and ongoing commitment to the nonprofit’s mission. A higher gift frequency suggests stronger donor relationships and trust, indicating effective stewardship and communication strategies.
Why it matters: Higher frequency shows strong connection and trust between the donor and the organization.
How to calculate: Total number of gifts ÷ Total number of donors
Example: If 300 donations come from 100 donors in one year, the gift frequency is 300 ÷ 100 = 3 gifts per donor.
Campaign Delivery KPIs for Non-profits
Campaign delivery KPIs help nonprofit organizations understand how effectively their campaigns are reaching and influencing supporters across digital platforms. These metrics track the performance of specific communication channels like websites, emails, and social media, giving insights into engagement, interest, and action. Below is a detailed look at the most essential campaign delivery metrics, including what each measures, why it matters, how to calculate it, and real-world examples.
Conversion Rate
Conversion rate measures the percentage of users who complete a desired action after engaging with a campaign. Actions can include signing up for a newsletter, registering for an event, or making a donation.
Why it’s important: Conversion rate indicates how effective a campaign is at driving action. A low rate suggests users are interested but not motivated enough to act, while a high rate means the content and experience are compelling.
How to calculate: (Number of conversions ÷ Total number of visitors) × 100
Example: A nonprofit promoting a clean water project receives 10,000 visitors to its campaign page, and 500 sign up to volunteer. The conversion rate is (500 / 10,000) × 100 = 5%.
Donation Conversion Rate
Donation conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who make a donation after viewing a campaign or donation page. This metric evaluates how successful the campaign or page is at turning interest into actual financial support. A higher rate indicates that the donation process and messaging are clear and persuasive.
Why it’s important: This metric helps evaluate how effectively the donation page or campaign is turning interest into financial support.
How to calculate: (Number of donations ÷ Total visitors to the donation page) × 100
Example: A holiday appeal campaign draws 2,000 visitors, and 60 people donate. The donation conversion rate is (60 / 2,000) × 100 = 3%.
Landing Page Conversion Rate
The Landing page conversion rate tracks the percentage of visitors who complete a specific goal on a landing page, such as signing up, downloading a resource, or donating. This metric reveals how well the page’s design, content, and call to action encourage visitors to act.of people who complete a specific goal on a landing page, such as signing up, downloading a resource, or donating.
Why it’s important: It shows whether the messaging and call to action are clear and persuasive.
How to calculate: (Number of goal completions ÷ Number of landing page visitors) × 100
Example: A nonprofit's event registration page has 500 visitors, and 125 sign up. The landing page conversion rate is (125 / 500) × 100 = 25%.
Email Conversion Rate
Email conversion rate measures the percentage of recipients who take a desired action after receiving an email, such as clicking a link to donate or register for a webinar. It helps determine how persuasive and effective email campaigns are in prompting action.
Why it’s important: Measures how persuasive your email campaigns are and whether they are prompting users to act.
How to calculate: (Number of email conversions ÷ Total number of delivered emails) × 100
Example: A fundraising email is sent to 3,000 people, and 90 of them donate. The email conversion rate is (90 / 3,000) × 100 = 3%.
Email Open Rate
Email open rate shows the percentage of recipients who open an email. This metric indicates how well the subject line, sender reputation, and timing attract attention. Higher open rates suggest strong interest or trust from the audience.
Why it’s important: High open rates usually mean strong subject lines and good sender reputation. It shows whether your audience is interested enough to engage.
How to calculate: (Number of emails opened ÷ Number of emails delivered) × 100
Example: You send 5,000 emails, and 1,200 are opened. The open rate is (1,200 / 5,000) × 100 = 24%.
Social Media Engagement
Social media engagement measures how users interact with posts through likes, shares, comments, and clicks. It reflects how well the content connects with the audience and encourages active participation. Higher engagement often leads to better visibility and greater community awareness.
Why it’s important: High engagement suggests the content is resonating and building community awareness. It also improves algorithmic reach on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
How to calculate: (Total engagements ÷ Total impressions or followers) × 100
Example: A post receives 500 likes, 50 shares, and 100 comments out of 10,000 impressions. Engagement rate is (650 / 10,000) × 100 = 6.5%.
Online Gift Percentage
Online gift percentage shows the share of total donations that come through digital channels such as websites or mobile apps. This metric helps assess how well online fundraising efforts perform compared to other giving methods.
Why it’s important: Shows how effectively your digital campaigns are performing in generating gifts.
How to calculate: (Total online donations ÷ Total donations) × 100
Example: A nonprofit receives $50,000 in donations, of which $20,000 comes from online giving. Online gift percentage is (20,000 / 50,000) × 100 = 40%.
People KPIs for Non-profits
People KPIs evaluate how well volunteers and staff stay engaged and committed. These metrics reflect team motivation and retention, which are vital for program success. Below are key people metrics, why they’re important, and how to track them.
Volunteer Retention Rate
Volunteer retention rate measures the percentage of individuals who continue to offer their time to a nonprofit over a certain period, typically year-over-year. High retention often means that volunteers feel valued, aligned with the mission, and are consistently engaged in meaningful roles.
Why it's essential to track: Volunteers are often the backbone of nonprofit operations, and retaining them reduces the time and cost of constant recruitment and training. A strong retention rate indicates that the organization is building long-term relationships and a dependable support base. It also reflects organizational stability and volunteer satisfaction.
Formula: Volunteer Retention Rate (%) = (Number of volunteers who return this year ÷ Number of volunteers from last year) × 100
Example: If 200 volunteers contributed last year and 150 of them returned this year, the volunteer retention rate would be (150 ÷ 200) × 100 = 75%.
Volunteer Engagement
Volunteer engagement refers to how actively and consistently individuals participate in volunteer activities, how connected they feel to the mission, and how likely they are to advocate for the organization. It is a qualitative and quantitative measure of volunteer enthusiasm, reliability, and involvement across different programs or events.
Why it's essential to track: Measuring engagement helps nonprofits understand the effectiveness of their volunteer management, identify opportunities for recognition and growth, and prevent disengagement or burnout. Highly engaged volunteers are more likely to take leadership roles, contribute longer hours, and bring in additional supporters or donations.
How to measure:
- Average volunteer hours per month
- Frequency of participation across events or tasks
- Survey results or satisfaction scores
- Number of repeat volunteer sign-ups per campaign
Example: If a volunteer averages 10 hours per month across four different events and reports a satisfaction score of 9 out of 10 in surveys, the organization can infer high engagement. Comparing such data across the volunteer base can guide program improvements and recognition initiatives.
How to Choose the Right Nonprofit Metrics
- Select a balanced group of KPIs that cover all major areas of the organization, such as fundraising, programs, finance, and volunteers.
- Include leading indicators that predict future outcomes and lagging indicators that show past performance.
- Focus on metrics that measure both efficiency (how well resources are used) and effectiveness (how well goals are achieved).
- Make sure KPIs are SMART — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.
- Assign importance to each KPI depending on its impact on the nonprofit’s mission, with special emphasis on funding and volunteer-related metrics.
- Regularly review KPIs to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with organizational goals.
- Set clear benchmarks: define target goals for success and stretch goals to push the organization to excel.
Track What Moves the Mission
KPIs aren’t a distraction from the work. They are the work when chosen well. Because when your team knows what to measure and how to act on it, every hour, dollar, and effort is aligned with your mission.
At Pebble Impact, we help nonprofits move from information overload to insight-led decision-making. With real-time dashboards, AI-powered donor and financial analytics, and program performance tracking, you can finally connect the dots between strategy and execution.
Ready to bring clarity and confidence to your metrics? See how Pebble Impact can help you build a KPI framework that grows with your goals.
