A friendly heads-up for fundraisers navigating uncertainty 

When things get bumpy, whether it’s the economy wobbling, politics shifting, donors acting a little unpredictably, or budgets tightening, acquisition is often the first thing to go. On paper, it makes sense. Why spend money bringing in new donors when you could double down on the ones you already have? 

But what feels like the “safe” choice right now often ends up being the most expensive decision a few years later. 

The trouble with cutting acquisition doesn’t show up right away 

All nonprofit organizations are feeling the pressure. Donors are giving more selectively. Costs are up across every channel. The platforms keep changing the rules. And on top of that, we’re watching generational habits shift: Boomers are slowly stepping back, and younger donors are playing by different rules entirely, making it a weird time. 

So, yes, it’s tempting to hit pause on acquisition. Nobody wants to spend money they don’t absolutely have to. But the reality is, acquisition isn’t some nice-to-have growth strategy. It’s core infrastructure. It’s what keeps your donor file alive and breathing. 

The tricky part is that the damage from cutting acquisition doesn’t show up right away. Year one? You’ll probably look fine. Maybe even great. You saved money, and your loyal donors are still giving. Revenue’s steady. Leadership is happy. 

But here’s what doesn’t show up in the spreadsheet: the donors you didn’t bring in this year are the ones you won’t have next year…or the year after that. You miss out on their initial gifts, their second gifts, their upgrades—but also the major gift conversations that would have happened five years down the line or the planned giving commitments that take a decade to cultivate. Every donor relationship you don’t start today is a pipeline of long-term value you’ll never build. And by the time the shortfall starts showing up in your reports, you’re already two or three years behind. 

There are smarter ways to trim  

It can seem overwhelming, but the fix isn’t complicated. If you’re facing real budget pressure (and who isn’t?), don’t default to a blanket acquisition cut. Instead, get specific. 

• What channels are really performing long-term?  

• Can you dial down in one area and reinvest in another?  

• Can you tighten targeting instead of slashing spend?  

• Can you model out different five-year scenarios and show leadership what’s at stake? 

There’s also a lot you can do by getting smarter about who you’re acquiring, not just how much you’re spending. If you have access to strong donor modeling, it’s possible to focus your acquisition on prospects who are more likely to give, stick around, and give again. Instead of casting a wide (and expensive) net, you’re being surgical: prioritizing high-potential segments, suppressing low-value ones, and cutting out waste you didn’t even know was there. 

You can also dig deeper into data to spot where you’re getting the best long-term value, not just immediate ROI. Sometimes that means refining your donor segmentation. Sometimes it’s about layering in behavioral or demographic data to improve targeting. Sometimes it’s about predictive modeling that helps you see which segments are likely to give over multiple years, not just make a one-time gift. 

There’s a whole level of optimization that opens up once you stop thinking of acquisition as volume-based and start thinking of it as precision work. If you’re working with a partner who can help you do that kind of targeting and modeling, even better. 

And finally, don’t underestimate the value of regular data hygiene. Making sure your donor and prospect files are clean, current, and deduplicated saves money and boosts performance. Sometimes “trimming” just means getting sharper, not smaller. 

Now’s the time to lead with strategy, not fear 

Not every organization is pulling back. Some are holding steady. Some are doubling down. The difference is all about the mindset. They’re thinking long-term, optimizing what they can, and investing where it counts. 

So, if you’re looking at budget pressure in these uncertain times and trying to make the right call, here are a few places to start: 

• Refine your targeting. Use modeling to focus on donors who are most likely to stick—and skip the ones who aren’t. 

• Protect your best channels. Don’t spread yourself thin. Double down on what works, and pause what doesn’t (for now). 

• Look for smarter efficiencies. Clean up your data. Suppress low-performing segments. Trim waste, not strategy. 

• Reframe the conversation. This is not “marketing spend.” It is your future donor base. Your mission can’t grow without it. 

• Model the long game. Show your team what happens not just this year but in years two, three, and five if acquisition goes away. Make the long-term impact visible. 

And if you’re working with partners who can help you predict, optimize, and grow smarter (not just bigger), lean on them now. You don’t have to figure this out alone. 

The path forward is about being intentional, making sure you’re still planting seeds even when the weather’s uncertain. 

Because the organizations that stay thoughtful, stay strategic, and keep building, even at a smaller scale, are the ones that emerge stronger, better positioned to grow their impact, serve their communities, and carry their missions further when the clouds clear.