2023 was a tough year for food banks, characterized by increased demand for services and growing costs. Those challenges persisted in 2024, alongside obstacles in fundraising as well. 

The nonprofit sector as a whole struggled to acquire new donors and retain current ones, with current events and election cycles creating increased competition. Yet, food banks also saw some positives in 2024, particularly with newfound success in texting, days of giving and monthly giving. Fundraisers grew this past year, but the environment of their uphill climb cannot be disregarded. 

How have these trends impacted food bank fundraising? In this report, we’ll share data from 83 RKD food bank clients to show the fundraising results for the full year of 2024.

Here is a look at our top three takeaways: 

Food bank revenue remains stable.

Despite dropping from the generosity high in 2020, food banks are steady. Although revenue decreased slightly in 2024, it is still 69% ($154 million) higher than pre-pandemic levels. 

Core donors—those who support organizations for two or more years—have been a key source of stability, with higher retention, average gift, gift frequency and donor value from FY23 to FY24. This group can help safeguard your org through an economic downturn. In 2024, they accounted for 70% of food bank gross revenue. They continue to prove themselves to be solid and strong. 

Donor value continues to climb.

Food bank donor value has reached the new height of $409—due to increases in both gift frequency and average gift. Additionally, 2024’s donor value operates above the performance ceiling by 7%. 

The generosity of those who give continues to grow. In 2024, your donors showed you that they are there to support you and your mission and ready to up their giving. 

New donor rates drop.

The number and value of new donors dropped below 2019 levels. This audience accounted for only 10% of revenue, and this industrywide issue still proves to be a difficult hurdle. 

From enhancing prospecting to improving retention, acquisition tactics deserve a deep dive in 2025. Attracting and keeping new donors can help you combat the industry’s soft acquisition, which is showing signs of stabilizing. 

Food banks are seeing stable revenue, so the primary focus for the road ahead must be growing their active donor files. Here are our recommended areas of focus: 

Adopt a recapture-first mindset

New donors dropped below pre-COVID levels due to a combination of declining response rates and reduced investment levels. Grow your donor file and test your acquisition tactics by introducing new channels, offers and messages. You can join co-ops, build new packages, optimize ask strings, develop impact reports and more. 

Foster donor retention

Retention continues to increase but needs to be bolstered to offset the decline in acquisition. Cultivate your relationships and your community by incorporating stewardship pieces, interactive touchpoints and monthly asks that consist of seasonal campaigns, media efforts and website tactics.  

Choose a bright spot and lean in

Four areas performed excellently in 2024:

• Average gift
• Gift frequency
• Lapsed recapture
• Core donors

Which of these was a bright spot for you, and how can you nurture it even further? 

In the following sections, we’ll review the data from 2024 in detail.  

What we measured 

The 2025 Food Bank Benchmark Report contains full-file data from 83 RKD food bank clients across the United States from Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2024. The data includes overall program metrics like: 

• Total revenue 
• Active donors 
• New donors  
• Retention rate 
• Average gift size 
• Donor value 
• Gift frequency 

Trends are based on all donors and all gift types. Donors with a gift of $10,000 or more were excluded to ensure that the behavioral patterns measured weren’t inflated by major giving efforts. 

Total Revenue

Four years after food banks received extreme generosity at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, gross revenue has grown to be 69% higher in 2024 compared to where it was in 2019. 

While this metric declined by 2% from FY23, 48% of food banks increased their revenue from the prior year.  

Despite the year-to-year decrease, food bank revenue is still shoulders above its FY19 measurement as it stabilizes to a new normal. 

Average Gift

The FY24 average gift increased by 2% from 2023, and 69% of food banks’ average gift improved from last year. Since 2019, this metric has increased by 9%. Average gift size is growing slowly but steadily. 

Gift Frequency

At a 2.80 gift frequency for FY24, food banks’ focus on sustainer programs has paid off. From 2023 to 2024, food banks grew gift frequency by 2%, and 78% of food banks improved from the prior year. With a prior ceiling of 2.71, gift frequency is operating above the previous level by 4%. 

Donor Value

Driven by gift frequency, donor value has achieved new heights. At $409 for 2024, donor value has grown 5% ($20) year over year. 86% of food banks have improved from FY23, and food banks are 7% above the previous ceiling of $386. 

Having increased 37% ($111) from 2019, 2024 showed true strength for food bank donor value. 

Active Donors

Active donors decreased by 7% from FY23 to FY24, but they remain 23% higher than FY19. Challenges in acquisition in recent years have slowly eroded donor files.  

Active Donors by Lifecycle

Overall, acquired and cultivated active donors decreased by 7% or 8% from FY23. The bright spot is reactivation, having increased 12% year over year. 

Recapturing helps lessen the effects of soft and dropping acquisition. To combat attrition, retention must improve. 

Retention

Donor retention increased by 7% from 2023, which is great. However, it needs to play a stronger role to help mitigate soft acquisition. 72% of food banks increased their retention from the previous year. 

Core Donors

Core donor revenue, value, gift frequency, average gift and retention have all increased from FY23. The core donor universe decreased by 8% from 2023 but remains 28% higher than 2019. 

New Donors

On average, new donors and new donor value both declined from the pre-COVID levels of 2019. It’s essential to prioritize a recapture-first mindset while testing optimized acquisition tactics. 

New donors accounted for 10% of gross revenue, and 29% of food banks improved from 2023. 

Recapture 

From 2023, revenue from recapture programs increased by 11%, and recaptured donors grew by 12%. This accounted for 4% of total revenue, and 67% of clients improved from 2023. 

These efforts continue to help mitigate food banks’ softness in acquisition. 

RKD Group is North America's leading fundraising and marketing solutions provider to hundreds of growth-focused nonprofit organizations. With five decades of experience, RKD leverages technology, advanced data science and award-winning strategic and creative leadership to accelerate net revenue growth, build long-term donor relationships and drive the best return on investment.