Why Your LYBUNT List Is One of Your Most Strategic Tools

Few fundraising tools generate as much discomfort as the LYBUNT (Last Year But Unfortunately Not This Year) list. Lapsed donors can feel like evidence of failure or missed opportunity. As a result, these lists are often ignored, rushed through, or treated as a problem to fix quickly.

In reality, LYBUNTs are one of the most valuable sources of insight an organization has.

Shifting the Perspective on Lapsed Donors

A donor who gave last year but not this year is not necessarily disengaged. They may be responding to changes in communication, stewardship, priorities, or personal circumstances.

Rather than asking, “How do we get them back?” a more productive question is, “What are they telling us?”

LYBUNTs can reveal:

  • Gaps in donor stewardship

  • Overreliance on transactional appeals

  • Inconsistent or unclear impact communication

  • Capacity limitations in relationship management

Viewed this way, lapsed donors are not failures—they are feedback.

Why NOW Is the Right Time to Look Closely

The first quarter of the year provides the space to analyze donor behavior without the pressure of immediate appeals. It is the ideal moment to:

  • Review retention trends

  • Segment donors based on giving patterns

  • Identify stewardship opportunities

  • Adjust strategy before the next major ask

Organizations that skip this step often default to acquisition-heavy strategies that are more expensive and less sustainable over time.

Turning Insight Into Strategy

Strategic advising helps organizations move from data to decisions. This includes:

  • Prioritizing which lapsed donors warrant personal outreach

  • Identifying where systems or staffing limit follow-up

  • Aligning donor strategy with capacity

  • Strengthening stewardship practices across the board

Retention is rarely about asking harder. It is about listening better and responding thoughtfully.

Building a Culture of Relationship-Centered Fundraising

When organizations treat donor data as a learning tool rather than a scorecard, fundraising becomes more relational and less reactive. Over time, this approach leads to stronger retention, deeper engagement, and healthier donor relationships.

LYBUNTs are not a problem to hide. They are an invitation to improve.


Wanda Scott & Associates supports development leaders with strategic advising to strengthen donor strategy, retention, and long-term fundraising performance.

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