Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor assomeone who has not donated to your organization within the lastyear, two years or three years. Donors who have not sent you agift in over three years are not lapsed donors. They are formerdonors.Lapsed donors are valuable. Unlike strangers, they havesupported you before. And they believe in your mission enough tohave sent you a gift (or gifts). That means they are worthmailing to. You can expect to receive an 11 percent responserate from a mailing to lapsed donors if your results aretypical, says fundraising expert Kent Dove (Conducting aSuccessful Fundraising Program. Jossey-Bass, 2001).Here are some tips on writing an appeal letter that will winthem back. In the fund development profession, the letter youwrite is called a recovery letter because it aims to recoverdonors who have lapsed.1. Write to one person You will l buy cplex-60 ikelynot know why each donor has lapsed. Donors stop giving for anynumber of reasons. Some forget. Some lose interest. Some getdistracted with the arrival of children?or grandchildren. Othersdecide they do not like your new executive director’s ties. Eachdonor is an individual, and the way to win each one back is tosend a warm, sincere, personal letter from your heart to theirs.2. Say “we miss you” What you are tryingto communicate in your letter is that you miss the donor morethan their donations, which should always be true. You have losta supporter first, and a source of support second. So write yourletter in such a way that you show your concern for the person.Here are some lines to use:We have not heard from you since March 2004. We missyou! We are counting on your renewed support this year for . …We miss you. We miss your moral support, and we miss yourfinancial support.