7 Emails Nonprofits Can Send to Boost Fundraising

Nonprofits are required to raise funds without high marketing budgets and without spending their valuable money to actually raise more for their organization. Email marketing can boost fundraising with a low budget but be reaching better results with some creative ideas.

Charity networks also need marketing strategies to boost fundraising efforts. One of these is matching donors. Generous companies have their matching donor programs which you can maximize by using effective emails.

Nonprofit emails have 20% better open rate compared to universal emails. You have an edge on email marketing and you can use that to your advantage to get new donors, engage the community, and retain your contributors.

Emails are also great for nonprofits because it has cheap or zero cost. This means that the bulk of your finances will develop your causes instead of going to your marketing efforts.

1.       Donation Confirmation Emails

Confirmation emails are important because you don’t want to leave your donors hanging. This email should contain the donor’s name, amount donated, payment method, and recipient for the amount. This way, your patron will be confident that his or her donation came through.

This must immediately be sent right after donation. The timing is crucial to this kind of email.

2.       Thank you emails

Gratitude email is a must for charitable organizations. Your gratitude will go a long way especially if you craft your thank you email well. The power of your thank you will make your donors return.

This email must be prompt, unique, and donor-centered. Make contributors feel valued and tell them specifically how they helped.

3.       Annual fundraising reminders

Research shows that donor retention is easier and more cost-effective for non-profits compared to donor acquisition. This implies that organizations should skew their efforts more towards donor retention. One way to do this is through annual fundraising reminders.

The best time to send emails for fundraising reminders is at year end because 31% of yearly giving happens in December. Everyone is compelled to share their blessings at the yuletide season so it’s easier for them to donate. You shouldn’t miss this golden opportunity.

4.       Invitation to fundraising events

Sending out invitations for fundraising events is another way to retain your donors. Fundraising events come in many forms like bazaars, walks, runs, dances, auctions, and more. How you craft your invitation email will determine the volume of participants for your event.

In your email, put the details as to what, when, and where the event will be. You must also specify on how the proceeds from the event will be used.

Boost participation by including the number of people who already signed up for the event. Because of the power of community, people are more likely to join if they see that plenty has already registered.

5.       Donor information update

Your appreciation for repeat donors shouldn’t end in email alone. You can send mailed letters or maybe even small tokens of appreciation to longtime donors.

To do this, you need to keep your database up to date. Send out emails to update information about donors. Your database is also important for your bookkeeping and other responsibilities.

6.       Fundraising updates

Donors would love to know how their money was used and they have the right to know. Send out information as to how much has been raised, what happened to the funds and what has been accomplished. This will not only give peace of mind to the donors but it will also inspire them to continue giving.

7.       E-Newsletter

Sending newsletters through email is a great way to spread the word about your organization. Use it to create awareness, gain new donors, and retain old ones.

You can send out seasonal messages like the Christmas email below by Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The campaign is light, simple, and useful to readers.

Conclusion:

Your emails should be timely and simple but compelling. The desire to share is already a part of human nature; you just need to earn the trust of the donors. Show them that your cause is worth their time and money. Be smart in gaining new donors and try your best to keep them coming back.

As a non-profit, you have a lot of plates in your hand to balance. Let go of repetitive tasks like sending emails by using an email marketing automation software. Let the software manage the small things so you can take care of the big things and boost fundraising.