How GreenPath Increased Donor Retention by 38% with Email
The Challenge
GreenPath Foundation had a revolving door problem — 68% of first-time donors never gave again. The team was sending quarterly newsletters but had no systematic follow-up after donations. Impact updates were sporadic, and donors had no visibility into how their money was being used.
The Solution
GreenPath set up an automated donor journey in IGSendMail. After every donation, donors received a thank-you email within 5 minutes, followed by an impact story at 7 days, a photo update at 30 days, and a re-engagement ask at 90 days. They also segmented donors by giving level and interest area to personalize content. IGSendMail's nonprofit discount kept costs low.
The Results
Donor retention increased from 32% to 44% — a 38% improvement. Recurring donations grew 4.2x as the automated journey nudged one-time donors toward monthly giving. The email program directly attributed $92K in additional funding in its first year.
“Email became our most powerful fundraising channel. The nonprofit discount made it affordable, and the automation meant our small team could communicate like a much larger organization.”
