FF
FoodForward
+42% donor retention
BH
BuildHope
3.1M meals reported
GP
GrantPath
$8.7M in renewed grants
ER
EduRise
+61% open rate
HB
HealthBridge
2.4× re-gift rate
WW
WaterWell
$4.2M retained YoY
CP
ClearPath
+38% click-through
LU
LiftUp
18K donors re-engaged
FF
FoodForward
+42% donor retention
BH
BuildHope
3.1M meals reported
GP
GrantPath
$8.7M in renewed grants
ER
EduRise
+61% open rate
HB
HealthBridge
2.4× re-gift rate
WW
WaterWell
$4.2M retained YoY
CP
ClearPath
+38% click-through
LU
LiftUp
18K donors re-engaged
◆ Nonprofit Communications Engine

Your Impact
Has Numbers.
Your Emails
Should Too.

Milestone transforms raw donor data and program metrics into milestone emails so precise they read like quarterly earnings reports — except every number is a life changed, a meal served, a classroom built.

61%
Avg Open Rate
3.2×
Re-gift Lift
+74%
Grant Renewal
Milestone Preview
LIVE DATA
FROM
FoodForward Initiative <impact@milestone.io>
SUBJECT
Q4 Impact: 847,000 meals. Your gift made this.
Q4 Milestone Report
Generated: Feb 27, 2026 · 20:12 UTC
Meals Served847,293
Donor Retention+42%
Cost Per Meal$0.31
In 89 days, your $150 gift funded 483 meals across 7 food deserts in Cook County.|
01
Finding — Lapse Risk
"Milestone emails sent within 48 hours of a campaign close see 3.2× higher re-gift rates than those sent after 72 hours."
3.2×
Re-gift rate lift
Campaign Close Report · 48h Window
◆ MILESTONE REPORT
Re-gift Conversion31.4%

Delivered 41 hours post-campaign. Open rate: 68%. Click-to-donate: 31.4%.

02
Finding — Donor Psychology
"Donors who receive a milestone email citing a specific program outcome — not a general thank-you — are 2.7× more likely to upgrade their gift tier in the following 90 days."
2.7×
Gift upgrade likelihood
Program Outcome Brief · Q3 2025
◆ MILESTONE REPORT
Upgrade Rate18.2%

Specific outcome cited: "312 students enrolled." Segment: recurring donors, $100–$499/yr.

03
Finding — Grant Renewal
"Foundations receiving milestone reports formatted as data briefs — with benchmarked comparables — renew grants at a 74% higher rate than those receiving narrative-only updates."
+74%
Grant renewal rate
Foundation Impact Brief · H2 2025
◆ MILESTONE REPORT
Renewal Confidence91%

Included 3 benchmarked comparables. Renewal decision accelerated by avg 34 days.

◆ Case Evidence

Before Milestone.
After Milestone.

Two nonprofits. Twelve months of data. The same donors — different emails, different outcomes.

Hunger Relief
FoodForward Initiative
Chicago, IL
12-MO STUDY
Open Rate
Before: 18%After: 61%
Re-gift Rate
Before: 4%After: 13%
Retention
Before: 52%After: 74%

"Our board saw the Q3 report and immediately asked what changed. The answer was Milestone."

Sarah M.· Development Director
Education
EduRise Foundation
Atlanta, GA
12-MO STUDY
Open Rate
Before: 22%After: 58%
Re-gift Rate
Before: 6%After: 16%
Retention
Before: 49%After: 81%

"Grant writers on our team went from dreading reporting season to running it in a day."

James O.· Executive Director
61%
Avg Open Rate
3.2×
Re-gift Lift
+74%
Grant Renewal
48hr
Optimal Send Window
◆ 2026 Benchmark Report
Nonprofit Email
Engagement Index
147 Organizations · 2.3M Emails Analyzed
Median Open Rate
Median: 24%Top: 61%
Re-gift Conversion
Median: 4.2%Top: 13.8%
Grant Renewal Rate
Median: 41%Top: 72%
Full report: 48 pages · 12 verticals · Actionable benchmarks
◆ Free Download

See Where Your
Numbers Stand.

The 2026 Nonprofit Email Engagement Index benchmarks open rates, re-gift conversions, and grant renewal rates across 12 verticals — so you know exactly where you're leaving money on the table.

No pitch. Just data. Unsubscribe anytime.