Accordion fold: Two or more parallel folds in a letter so it opens like an accordion.
Acquisition mailing: A fundraising package mailed to prospects to acquire them as new members or donors.
Active donor: A donor whose last gift was received within the last 12 months. Some organizations stretch that time period out to 18 or 24 months.
Address accuracy: The percentage of matches that a database attains when compared with a national address database.
Address block: The format in which name and address are printed on top of letters.
Addressed Admail: Canada Post Corporation’s category for bulk or third-class postage that applies to large quantities of identical pieces that are prepared for mailing before being delivered to the post office.
Address service requested:A message appearing on mailing envelopes that authorizes the post office to charge the sender a fee for providing a new address (where known) of a donor or member no longer at the address on the mailing piece.
Alphanumeric: A set of characters that contains letters and numbers, and perhaps punctuation marks, such as a Key code: JUN-0909-L21.
Annual appeal: Either the only fundraising letter, or the most important fundraising letter, mailed during the year, usually by organizations that do not have a direct mail fundraising program. Usually mailed at Christmas.
Annual fund: Gifts received by a non-profit organization to support (in whole or in part) yearly budgets and general operations.
Ask: The request or appeal being made in a fundraising letter. Often called “The ask.”
Ask string: In a fundraising letter, the sequence of values found on the reply card that lets donors chose the amount they wish to donate, usually expressed in a currency. For example: $25 [ ] $35 [ ] $50 [ ] Other ______
Attrition: Loss of donors because they die, move, lose their job, change their giving priorities or for other reasons can no longer donate.
Attrition rate: The rate at which donors do not renew their gifts, usually expressed as a percentage of active donors.
Average gift: In a direct mail fundraising campaign, the total money received divided by the total number of gifts received.
