
A perfectly timed thank you call helps The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ prevent churn
The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ saved an estimated 211 regular givers from churning over a 7 month period, using Dataro’s AI prediction software and a well-timed intervention thank you calling campaign. With Dataro’s AI-powered donor churn propensity scores implemented directly into their CRM, The Foundation were able to identify which regular givers were most at risk of churning. Armed with this knowledge, the Engagement Team implemented a new monthly thank you calling campaign, targeting 150 at-risk donors each month (on average) and following them up with a personalised call to thank them for their ongoing support and re-engage them with The Foundation’s vision and purpose. Assuming each retained donor would go on to give an additional 18 monthly gifts, the intervention calling campaign will raise an estimated +$104k in net income in monthly gifts.
Key results
- Over 211 regular givers saved from churning in 7 months
- Raising an estimated $104,005 in net income through monthly gifts
- Estimated 28x return on investment

How we did it
Dataro’s Predict Regular Giving propensity model was implemented with The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ’s CRM – BlackBaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT. Using machine learning, the Dataro model generated propensity scores for all of The Foundation’s active regular givers. These scores were seamlessly integrated in their CRM against the donor record, and showed how likely each donor was to miss three gifts in a row in the next 6 months or how likely they were to call and cancel their recurring gifts.
Using the list function, the Engagement Team were able to easily identify the 150 regular givers at risk of churn each month (on average) and provide a list of donors to their calling team for thank you calls.
Analysing the Results
Seven months after the calling campaign was implemented, we saw:
- Dataro’s predictions were accurate, with higher churn scores accurately correlating with a higher churn rate
- Most regular givers appreciated the call with very few cancellations
- Donors who received the call had a significantly lower churn rate compared to donors who did not receive the Thank You call
Critically, the results showed:
- Organisations not using machine learning are unable to identify which regular givers are at the greatest risk of cancelling their gifts. As a result, either no intervention tactics are deployed or the wrong people are included in generic thank you / impact reporting campaigns (increasing waste).
- For organisations who don’t have churn propensity scores, at-risk donors can unfortunately also be included in RG upgrade campaigns. This could potentially increase the likelihood of a donor cancelling their gift – the opposite result of what was intended!
What they said
“Being able to identify who was most at risk of churning in our regular giving program has meant we could implement effective interventions to keep our donors engaged with our vision and purpose, and keep them committed to supporting our work. Through our Thank You calling campaign we were able to proactively call donors to thank them for their giving and share how their continued support is making a difference. Without Dataro’s software, we wouldn’t have known which of our regular givers may have been at risk of cancelling their monthly gift, and when. We are really thrilled with the donors we've retained, along with their invaluable support through regular giving, and will be looking to make the Thank You calling part of our ongoing program activity.”

Jessica Ainsley
Insights Manager
More Case Studies
Using AI to help Red Cross Donors Leave a Lasting Legacy
In 2021 Australian Red Cross launched a new bequest program, “Friends of Red Cross Society”. The aim was to encourage more supporters to leave a legacy of support for people experiencing vulnerability. Understanding that one of the best places to find new bequestors is within your existing supporter
Read moreGreenpeace retain more monthly donors to protect our planet
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is the leading independent campaigning organisation that fights for a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace Australia Pacific has used Dataro’s AI modelling software since 2019 to inform their data strategy and improve fundraising outcomes across their direct mail and recurring giving programs. The charity’s goal
Read moreTesting Dataro across Australia for UNHCR direct mail appeals
Australia for UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner in Australia, raising funds and awareness to support displaced people across the globe. Direct mail appeals form a core part of Australia for UNHCR’s fundraising calendar. So in September 2021 the team embarked on a partnership with Dataro
Read moreHow UNICEF Australia use AI to raise more for children in need
UNICEF is a leading global non-profit working to improve the lives of children in need. As an organization that is 100% donor-funded, UNICEF Australia relies on the generosity of individual donors to fund their work. In 2020 UNICEF Australia partnered with Dataro to improve their direct mail appeal
Read more