Average Gift Size

Excel Formulas › Nonprofit & Fundraising

All versionsAVERAGE

Average gift is total raised over the number of gifts — a quick read on giving levels. Pair it with the median, since a few major gifts can pull the average far above the typical donor.

Quick formula: average gift from total and count:
=total_raised / number_of_gifts
Total dollars over the count of gifts. Watch the median too — big gifts skew the mean.

Functions used (tap for the full reference guide):

AVERAGEMEDIAN

The example

$45,000 from 300 gifts.

AB
1ItemValue
2Total raised45000
3Gifts300 → $150

The formula

The formula:

=B2 / B3 // total ÷ gift count

How it works

How it works:

  1. Divide total raised by the number of gifts for the mean gift.
  2. Or use AVERAGE(gift_range) directly on a column of gift amounts.
  3. Report the median alongside — MEDIAN(range) — since major gifts skew the average upward.
  4. Segment by channel or campaign with AVERAGEIF to compare giving levels.

Mean vs median tells a story. If the average gift is $150 but the median is $40, a handful of large donors are carrying the campaign — most donors give far less. That gap shapes strategy: lots of small donors vs a few major ones call for very different cultivation. Always report both.

Try it: interactive demo

Live demo

Total raised and number of gifts.

Average gift:

Variations

From a gift column

Direct average:

=AVERAGE(gift_range)

Median gift

The typical donor:

=MEDIAN(gift_range)

By campaign

Segment:

=AVERAGEIF(campaign, "Spring", gifts)

Pitfalls & errors

Mean vs median. A few big gifts inflate the average — always report the median too.

Count gifts, not donors. A donor giving twice is two gifts unless you mean per-donor.

Zero gifts. No gifts gives #DIV/0!.

Practice workbook

📊
Download the free Average Gift Size practice workbook
An average-gift sheet with the column-average, median, and by-campaign variants, plus 4 challenges with answers. No sign-up required.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate average gift size in Excel?
Divide total raised by the number of gifts: =total_raised / number_of_gifts, or use =AVERAGE(gift_range).
Why also report the median gift?
A few major gifts skew the average upward. MEDIAN(range) shows the typical donor, which can be far lower.
How do I compare gift size by campaign?
Use =AVERAGEIF(campaign, "Spring", gifts) to average just one campaign's gifts.

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Related formulas: Average by group · Mean, median & mode · Donor lifetime value

Function references: AVERAGEMEDIAN