Fundraising
Nonprofit Donor Management
Nonprofit Management
SYBUNT and LYBUNT Reports: Finding Lapsed Donors in Your Donor Database
Last updated: October 9, 2026 · Independent guide · We do not sell rankings or coverage.
A SYBUNT report lists donors who gave in some earlier year but have not given in the current period, and a LYBUNT report narrows that to donors who gave last year but not yet this year. They are the standard way to find lapsed donors before a year-end appeal. The counts you get depend on three choices that most guides skip: whether “year” means your fiscal or calendar year, how far back “some year” reaches, and whether soft credits count as giving.
The process at a glance
- Set the rules. Decide the year basis, lookback window, gift types and soft credit treatment.
- Prepare the data. Post all gifts, merge duplicates and flag suppressions.
- Run the reports. Use your system’s standard reports or an equivalent query.
- Reconcile the counts. Explain any gap against your retention figures.
- Segment the results. Split lapsed donors by recency, value and frequency.
- Send the reactivation appeals. Match message and ask amount to each segment.
- Measure and update. Track who returned and refresh the lists weekly.
| Stage | Responsible | Accountable / consulted | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Set the rules | Database administrator | Development director (A); finance (C) | One-page written definition |
| 2. Prepare the data | Database administrator, gift processor | Database administrator (A) | Posted gifts, merged records, suppression flags |
| 3. Run the reports | Database administrator | Development director (A) | Saved LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports or lists |
| 4. Reconcile | Database administrator | Development director (A); finance (C) | Count bridge signed off |
| 5. Segment | Annual fund manager | Development director (A); major gifts officers (C) | Segment codes on each record |
| 6. Appeal | Annual fund manager, communications | Development director (A) | Letters, emails and call lists with appeal codes |
| 7. Measure | Database administrator | Development director (A); board (informed) | Recapture results by segment |
Stage 1: Set the rules before you run anything
The database administrator drafts the definitions and the development director approves them. The output is a written definition that every report and board update uses.
LYBUNT and SYBUNT do not mean the same thing in every system
Vendors disagree on whether SYBUNT includes LYBUNT donors. Blackbaud’s SYBUNT Report lists anyone who gave at some time but not in the period you specify, so LYBUNT donors also appear on it because last year is also “some year” (Blackbaud, September 24, 2026). Neon One, which sells Neon CRM, defines a SYBUNT as a donor whose last gift was two or more years ago, and tells readers to remove donors who gave last year if they do not want LYBUNTs on the list (Neon One, June 2, 2026). Raiser’s Edge NXT’s Recapture dashboard uses a third rule: donors who gave two to five fiscal years ago but not in the current or previous year (Blackbaud, October 7, 2026).
For appeals, use mutually exclusive groups: LYBUNT (gave last year, not this year) and SYBUNT excluding LYBUNT (last gift two or more years ago), with a lookback cap of five years.
Fiscal year or calendar year
If your fiscal year runs July to June, a donor whose last gift was in March 2026 is a current-year donor on a calendar basis in October 2026, but a LYBUNT on a fiscal basis, because March 2026 fell in the fiscal year that ended June 30. Blackbaud’s Retention and Recapture dashboards in Raiser’s Edge NXT use fiscal years rather than a rolling date range (Blackbaud, October 7, 2026), while its standard LYBUNT Report compares whatever date range you enter with the same range one year earlier (Blackbaud, October 7, 2026). One database can give two LYBUNT counts on the same day.
Illustration, not real data: a July-June nonprofit runs both bases on October 9, 2026. On a fiscal basis, “this year” is only July 1 to October 9, so fewer donors have renewed and the LYBUNT list is often longer. On a calendar basis, spring event and appeal donors have already dropped off. Use the calendar basis for a December appeal, since it matches the donor’s tax year, and the fiscal basis for board reporting.
Soft credits and households
A soft credit recognizes a person who directed a gift without being the legal donor, such as someone giving through a donor-advised fund (DAF). If your report counts only hard credits, a loyal donor who switched to a DAF will appear lapsed, a problem one Raiser’s Edge NXT user raised on the Blackbaud Community forum (Blackbaud Community, no date shown). For reactivation lists, let soft credits remove a person from the lapsed list.
Stage 2: Prepare the data
The gift processor posts open batches and the database administrator merges duplicates. The control is a cut-off: no list is pulled until all gifts received up to a stated date are posted. A common failure is a recurring donor whose card failed months ago, who looks like a LYBUNT but needs a payment update, not an appeal. Sidekick Solutions, a Bloomerang consultancy, recommends adding Inactive and Deceased filters to the Bloomerang LYBUNT and SYBUNT templates so the list is actionable (Sidekick Solutions, May 7, 2020).
Stage 3: Build the reports in your donor database
The database administrator builds and saves the reports so they can be rerun weekly. Each system below handles the year basis and soft credits differently.
Raiser’s Edge NXT
In web view, go to Analysis, Standard reports, where the LYBUNT Report and SYBUNT Report sit in the Analytical Reports category (Blackbaud, October 7, 2026; Blackbaud, October 7, 2026). Blackbaud says that if a report includes soft credits in database view, it also includes them in web view. The Retention and Recapture dashboards under Analysis, Fundraising dashboards show LYBUNT and recapturable donors on a fiscal-year basis and offer Create list, but exclude soft credits and some gift types.
Bloomerang
Bloomerang’s path is Reports, New, Start from a template, LYBUNT, and the report follows your fiscal year, set under Settings, My Organization, Fiscal Year Start (Bloomerang, June 9, 2026). A SYBUNT template is also available (Sidekick Solutions, May 7, 2020). Sidekick notes that a report with no filters selected counts soft credits on top of the donation they are attached to, so the amount column double counts the gift (Sidekick Solutions, April 29, 2020). An email can target the saved report through the “Is in a Constituent Report” filter, so the audience updates as donors give (Bloomerang Help, July 30, 2026).
DonorPerfect
DonorPerfect includes standard LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports in its report center (DonorPerfect, March 20, 2023). Its February 5, 2026 release (version 3.42) changed both: they now include pledges, and they display soft credits when the “Include Soft Credits in Calculated Fields” parameter is enabled (DonorPerfect release notes, February 5, 2026). Check that setting before comparing a 2026 list with a 2025 one. DonorPerfect’s step-by-step articles sit in its client community, which we could not read.
Little Green Light
In Little Green Light, open Reports, select Constituent reports, find the LYBUNT or SYBUNT template, and click Export (Little Green Light, August 14, 2025). Date searches follow the fiscal year start date under Settings, Subscription settings, General, so confirm that date before you run the list. That help page does not say how soft credits affect these templates, so test with a known DAF donor.
Salesforce NPSP
The Nonprofit Success Pack ships Contact LYBUNT, Contact SYBUNT, Account LYBUNT and Account SYBUNT reports in the NPSP Fundraising Reports folder, plus a Contacts with Soft Credits report that summarizes soft credit this year, last year and two years ago (Salesforce NPSP Reports Workbook, September 7, 2023). NPSP rollups can use your fiscal year once it is set in the Company Profile (Cloud for Good, a Salesforce consultancy, May 26, 2015). Customizable Rollups let you choose a hard or soft credit rollup and a “Years Ago” time frame (Salesforce Trailhead, no date shown).
If you are weighing a move away from Blackbaud because these reports are hard to run, our Raiser’s Edge NXT alternatives guide compares the replacements.
Stage 4: Reconcile the counts
The database administrator prepares a count bridge for the development director: last year’s donors, minus those who have given this year, should equal the LYBUNT total. Gaps usually come from the year basis, soft credits, household counting or unposted gifts. In Raiser’s Edge NXT, the Retention dashboard excludes soft credits while a standard report may include them. A Blackbaud Community user also reported recurring gifts appearing on LYBUNT and SYBUNT results that should not have met the criteria (Blackbaud Community, no date shown). Spot-check ten names from each list before you mail.
Stage 5: Segment the lapsed donors
The annual fund manager assigns a segment code to each record and consults major gifts officers.
| Segment | Who is in it | Suggested treatment |
|---|---|---|
| LYBUNT, multi-year | Gave last year and at least two prior years | Personal letter or call; ask at last gift amount |
| LYBUNT, first-time | First and only gift was last year | Impact update on what the first gift did, then a renewal ask |
| LYBUNT, major or mid-level | Above your mid-level threshold | Remove from mass mail; assign to a gift officer |
| Failed recurring | Monthly donors whose payments stopped | Payment update request, not an appeal |
| SYBUNT, 2-3 years | Last gift two to three years ago | “We miss you” appeal; ask at or below last gift |
| SYBUNT, 4-5 years | Last gift four to five years ago | Email first; mail only if your test shows it pays |
Little Green Light suggests checking whether each LYBUNT was thanked and which fund they usually support (Little Green Light, March 28, 2022). Givebutter, which sells a donor CRM, suggests splitting lapsed donors by first-time versus repeat, major versus small-dollar, and one-time versus recurring (Givebutter, March 7, 2025).
Stage 6: Send the year-end reactivation appeals
The annual fund manager and communications staff produce the appeal, with a separate appeal code for each segment. For LYBUNTs, name their last gift and what it achieved. For SYBUNTs, acknowledge the gap without guilt; Little Green Light warns against making donors feel scolded. Little Green Light also advises reviewing the LYBUNT list more often in the last quarter and rerunning it in the last week of the year. The control is a suppression rerun before every mailing or email, so you do not ask a donor who gave online the week before.
Stage 7: Measure and update
The database administrator reports results weekly through December and in a January summary, keeping the appeal code on each gift. Donors who did not respond move one segment older.
Metrics to track
- LYBUNT count and value. Donors not yet renewed and what they gave last year.
- LYBUNT recapture rate. LYBUNTs who give again before your cut-off, divided by the starting LYBUNT count.
- SYBUNT reactivation rate. SYBUNTs who give again, by recency band.
- Donor retention rate. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project reported overall donor retention of 43.3% for 2025, up from 43.1%, while the number of donors fell 3.6% and dollars rose 5.0% (FEP 2025 Q4 report, no date shown; AFP, April 15, 2026).
- Revenue recaptured and cost per reactivated donor. Appeal cost divided by returning donors, by segment.
How software supports each stage
Donor databases handle stages 3, 6 and 7 through standard reports, saved lists and appeal codes. Stage 1 is configuration: fiscal year start, soft credit options and rollup settings. Stages 2 and 4 depend on gift-entry discipline more than software. If your current system cannot produce these reports without exports, our donor management software comparison covers the mid-market options.
How we researched this
On October 9, 2026, we read the top-ranking pages for “SYBUNT report,” including guides from Neon One, Givebutter, Donorbox and Keela. Most define the terms and describe one vendor’s report; none explained how fiscal-year settings and soft credits change the counts across systems. We then read vendor help pages and release notes, and Blackbaud Community threads where documentation was silent. We did not run these reports in live systems.
Related guides
- Donor Database for Small Nonprofits: Costs & Options
- Recurring Donation Software for Nonprofits (2026 Guide)
- Major Gift Software: Portfolios and Moves Management
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a SYBUNT and a LYBUNT report?
A LYBUNT report lists donors who gave last year but not yet this year. A SYBUNT report lists donors who gave in some earlier year but not this year. Blackbaud’s SYBUNT report includes LYBUNT donors; Neon One suggests removing them.
Should I run LYBUNT on a fiscal year or calendar year?
Use your fiscal year for board reporting, because it matches your audited statements. For a December appeal, a calendar-year list matches the donor’s tax year. Write the choice down and use it every time.
Do soft credits count when finding lapsed donors?
They should for reactivation lists, or a donor who now gives through a donor-advised fund will look lapsed. Raiser’s Edge NXT’s Retention dashboard excludes soft credits, and DonorPerfect’s LYBUNT and SYBUNT reports show them only when the “Include Soft Credits in Calculated Fields” parameter is enabled.
How far back should a SYBUNT report go?
Raiser’s Edge NXT’s Recapture dashboard uses two to five fiscal years, which is a practical window for most appeals. Donors lapsed longer suit a low-cost email test.
Sources
- Blackbaud Help, SYBUNT Report, last modified September 24, 2026. Vendor sells the product. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Help, LYBUNT Report, last modified October 7, 2026. Vendor sells the product. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Help, Available Reports (report categories), last modified October 7, 2026. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Help, Standard reports in web view, last modified October 7, 2026. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Help, Retention dashboard, last modified October 7, 2026. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Help, Donor Recapture Analysis, last modified October 7, 2026. blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Community, Soft Credits in LYBUNT, no date shown. User discussion. community.blackbaud.com
- Blackbaud Community, Recurring gifts in SYBUNT and LYBUNT, no date shown. User discussion. community.blackbaud.com
- Bloomerang, 5 Bloomerang Reports to Better Know Your Donors, updated June 9, 2026. Vendor sells the product. bloomerang.com
- Bloomerang Help, Use Filters from Another Report, July 30, 2026. help.bloomerang.com
- Sidekick Solutions, How to Run LYBUNT and SYBUNT Reports in Bloomerang, modified May 7, 2020. Consultancy that sells Bloomerang services. sidekicksolutionsllc.com
- Sidekick Solutions, 5 Tips for Building Bloomerang Reports, April 29, 2020. sidekicksolutionsllc.com
- DonorPerfect, LYBUNT, SYBUNT, MYBUNT, oh my!, modified March 20, 2023. Vendor sells the product. donorperfect.com
- DonorPerfect, Release Notes, version 3.42, February 5, 2026. donorperfect.com
- Little Green Light, Common reports and how to create them, August 14, 2025. Vendor sells the product. help.littlegreenlight.com
- Little Green Light, Tips for tapping into the potential of your LYBUNT list, modified March 28, 2022. littlegreenlight.com
- Salesforce, Nonprofit Success Pack Reports Workbook, September 7, 2023. Vendor sells the product. salesforce.com
- Salesforce Trailhead, Enable Customizable Rollups in NPSP, no date shown. trailhead.salesforce.com
- Cloud for Good, Adding it Up: Understanding Roll-Up Summary Fields, May 26, 2015. Salesforce consultancy. cloud4good.com
- Neon One, LYBUNTs and SYBUNTs: Explained, updated June 2, 2026. Vendor sells Neon CRM. neonone.com
- Givebutter, LYBUNT and SYBUNT, March 7, 2025. Vendor sells a donor CRM. givebutter.com
- Fundraising Effectiveness Project, 2025 Q4 Overview, no date shown. fepreports.org
- Association of Fundraising Professionals, Fundraising Effectiveness Project Reports Strongest Revenue Growth in Five Years, Even as Fewer Donors Give, April 15, 2026. afpglobal.org
Sherman Hsieh
Independent analysis of enterprise software — ERP, CRM and more
