How is the donor count calculated / can a donor make multiple gifts?

Donor Count Calculation

The number of donors shown at the top of your campaign page represents unique donors. A donor making multiple gifts with the same exact 'email address' and 'name' counts as one donor.

When Multiple Donors Are Counted

However, if the name is changed in any way (e.g., adding a middle initial) or a different name is used with the same email, it counts as an additional donor. This setup allows donors to give on behalf of others, which is common in campaigns like senior gifts.

Example scenarios that create multiple donor counts:

• Same email address with "John Smith" and "John A. Smith" = 2 donors
• Same email address with "Mary Johnson" and "Mary Johnson-Williams" = 2 donors
• Same email address used by a parent giving for different children = multiple donors

Correcting Duplicate Donors

If a donor has given multiple times using different emails or names, causing duplicates, you can correct the donor count and leaderboards by entering negative numbers (e.g., "-1") in the "Offline gifts" tab on your Campaign Settings page.

Confirmation of Counting Rules

Q: If donations have the same email address but different names, will they count as separate donors? A: Yes, each unique combination of name and email address counts as a separate donor in your donor count. Even small changes in the name field will increase your donor count.

Common Questions

Q: Why is my donor count higher than expected? A: Check if donors used slight variations in their names or if the same email was used for gifts on behalf of different people.

Q: How can I fix inflated donor counts from duplicate entries? A: Use the "Offline gifts" tab in Campaign Settings to enter negative adjustments to correct the count.

Common Variations of This Question

• "Why do I have more donors than gifts?"
• "How does GiveCampus count unique donors?"
• "Same email address, different names - how many donors?"
• "Donor count calculation rules"