How To Encourage Donors To Make Bequests to Your Nonprofit

Ann Green Communications, donation page, fundraising, legacy giving, planning , , , ,

Looking to inspire legacy gifts at your organization? Explore these planned giving marketing ideas to connect with supporters and grow long-term funding.

By Patrick Schmitt 

Building a reliable pipeline of legacy gifts is essential for securing your organization’s long-term financial health and sustaining your programs well into the future. However, initiating conversations about bequests (gifts made through wills or trusts) can feel intimidating for development teams.

Ultimately, success comes down to clear, educational communication with donors rather than aggressive solicitation. By focusing on stewardship, you can naturally introduce the concept of legacy giving while strengthening your current relationships. To guide your approach, we’ll explore several donor-centric strategies to communicate the value of bequests to your community.

Design comprehensive planned giving brochures

Providing your supporters with accessible, easy-to-understand educational materials is a foundational step in any legacy giving strategy. Creating a dedicated brochure, whether distributed physically at events or digitally via email, gives donors the space to learn about their options on their own timeline without feeling pressured.

FreeWill’s guide to planned giving brochures lays out five essential elements to include:

Alt text: A summary of the components to include in your planned giving brochures

  1. Gift descriptions: Explain the different types of legacy gifts, such as bequests or beneficiary designations, using simple language so donors fully grasp their options.
  2. Impact stories: Share examples of how previous legacy gifts have advanced your nonprofit’s mission.
  3. Tax benefit overviews: Briefly highlight the potential financial advantages for the donor and their heirs, while advising them to consult their own financial planner.
  4. Essential legal details: Provide the information donors need to complete their forms, such as your organization’s full legal name and tax ID (EIN).
  5. Actionable next steps: Outline what the supporter should do if they are ready to document their gift or if they want to speak with a staff member for more information.

To maximize the effectiveness of these brochures, consider partnering with local estate planning attorneys who can display your materials in their waiting rooms. This places your organization’s bequest options directly in front of community members when they are making important financial decisions.

Feature planned giving options on your main website

A well-optimized digital presence acts as a silent fundraiser, working around the clock to inform your community about how they can support your work. Your nonprofit’s website is a natural spot to promote estate planning. It starts the conversation and ensures high-capacity prospects can independently discover how to leave a lasting mark.

Maximize your website’s potential by implementing these key strategies:

  • Create a dedicated legacy giving page or microsite that outlines your organization’s long-term vision and provides easy access to the information from your brochure (e.g., gift descriptions, impact stories, and tax benefits).
  • Link to this page in your main navigation, making it a natural part of the browsing experience rather than a hidden resource.
  • On your Ways to Give page, feature bequests and other legacy options alongside standard credit card donations and check mailing instructions, normalizing these gifts as a standard method of support.
  • Publish spotlight features on your blog that explain why a specific supporter chose to leave a legacy gift and their impact, providing powerful social proof that inspires others.

To maximize the visibility of your website’s planned giving resources, actively drive traffic to these pages using external marketing channels. Promoting your legacy giving microsite or Ways to Give page using paid search ads covered through the Google Ad Grant, targeted social media campaigns, and email outreach ensures you capture high-intent prospects when they are most receptive to estate planning information, which brings us to our next point.

Add planned giving to your email marketing strategy

Strategic digital communications can gently introduce the concept of bequests without overwhelming your audience. Email provides a direct channel to your donors, and by integrating legacy giving topics like bequests into your outreach, you can grow awareness in a low-pressure way.

Normalize the conversation

The goal is to make legacy giving feel like a natural part of supporting your mission. Instead of a once-a-year ask, incorporate short, educational mentions into your regular emails. This might look like:

  • Donor spotlights in your newsletters about a legacy society member that links to their full story on your blog.
  • Postscript (PS) mentions of planned giving at the bottom of general fundraising appeal emails.
  • Standalone emails that highlight a single, simple concept—such as the ease of naming your nonprofit as a beneficiary in a will.
  • A full email campaign for National Make-A-Will Month in August.

Let data drive your efforts

Pay close attention to engagement metrics, such as click-through rates on legacy-related links, to identify which messaging angles resonate best. A click often signals interest, and a targeted follow-up to subscribers who engaged with planned giving outreach can open the door to more personalized, one-on-one stewardship conversations.

Test planned giving marketing messaging in targeted segments

Not every donor is at the same stage in their legacy journey. Leverage your email segmentation tools to ensure your messaging reaches the supporters most likely to be receptive to planned giving outreach.

EverTrue’s donor segmentation guide highlights that you can group your supporters using five core categories: demographics, affinity for your cause, engagement with your nonprofit, preferences, and giving capacity.

With this context in mind, here are some segmentation strategies to try:

  • Focus on loyalty over wealth. High-net-worth individuals aren’t the only legacy prospects. Your most loyal donors—those who have given consistently for years, regardless of the amount—are often your best candidates for planned giving.
  • Leverage behavioral triggers. Identify likely prospects by tracking who has already interacted with legacy-related content. You might create a segment for anyone who clicked a link in your newsletter about naming a nonprofit in their will or visited your legacy giving landing page. These donors have signaled intent and are prime candidates for a more direct follow-up.
  • Tailor the “why.” Use segmentation to match the legacy opportunity to the donor’s specific interests. For instance, you might send a targeted note to donors over age 70 about the tax-wise benefits of naming your nonprofit as a beneficiary of their IRA, or share how a simple bequest in a will can provide a “forever gift” to a specific program they have supported for years.

By narrowing your focus and making outreach personal, you ensure each message feels like a relevant invitation rather than a generic mass appeal.

Weave impact reporting into your donor communications

Donors treat bequests as the ultimate investment in an organization’s future, meaning they need to be absolutely certain that their legacy will be handled responsibly. Transparent reporting proves your operational competence and highlights the enduring value of your work.

As part of your planned giving marketing strategy, outline how you’ll demonstrate long-term value through reporting. Aim to:

  • Showcase organizational longevity. Highlight your history and major milestones to prove you are a permanent fixture capable of honoring a donor’s intent decades from now.
  • Connect past gifts to present success. Share “Legacy at Work” stories that illustrate how previous bequests fund current programs, helping donors visualize the scale of their potential impact.
  • Prioritize financial transparency. Regularly share “under the hood” details—like annual audits or board oversight—to build the institutional trust necessary for a donor to include you in their estate plans.

Beyond standard annual reports, consider creating a dedicated Legacy Impact Update Report. This report should highlight the programmatic expansions made possible by realized bequests, showing prospective donors exactly how their future gift will create a lasting footprint.

Wrapping up

Securing legacy gifts is an ongoing endeavor that relies on cultivating authentic, communicative relationships with donors. By taking a pressure-free educational approach across the channels you have available, you’ll empower your supporters to leave a lasting mark on a cause they care about.

Ensure your development team regularly reviews your planned giving analytics to see which outreach channels and messages drive the most inquiries. Adjusting your strategy based on these insights will ultimately help you build a sustainable legacy pipeline.

Patrick Schmitt and co-CEO Jenny Xia founded FreeWill at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business in 2016. FreeWill’s charitable giving platform makes it easier for nonprofit fundraising teams to unlock transformational gifts, and to date has generated over $6.6 billion in new gift commitments for thousands of nonprofit organizations. Patrick hosts FreeWill’s popular webinar series, educating thousands of nonprofit fundraising professionals each month about planned and non-cash giving strategies.

Before FreeWill, Patrick was the Head of Innovation at Change.org, where he helped grow the organization to 100 million users in four years. Prior to that, he ran email marketing for President Obama and served as Campaign Director for MoveOn.org.

Are You Making Sure Your Audience Understands You?

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, donor relations, writing , , ,

One of the most important aspects of communication (written and verbal) is to make sure your audience understands you. There are many reasons this doesn’t happen. In nonprofit communication, organizations will overcomplicate things or use jargon and other language donors don’t understand. Some people like to show off their large vocabulary or only think about things from their perspective.

The problem is that if your audience doesn’t understand you, you can’t connect with them. You may have trouble convincing them to take action, such as making a donation.

Remember, you are not your audience and you need to keep them in mind when you communicate with them. Here’s what you need to do to make sure your audience understands you.

Write at a sixth to eighth-grade level

This is not dumbing down. You’re smartening up so you can ensure your donors will understand you.

I find it annoying if I come across a word I don’t understand and have to look it up (thank goodness for dictionary apps). I have a pretty good vocabulary but wonder why the writer didn’t use a more understandable word. Some people might not bother to look something up and then won’t know what you’re trying to convey.

Maybe we’re going back to our school days when we were encouraged to use all those big vocabulary words we studied or write lengthy, complex essays.

A readability tool, such as Flesch Kincaid, can help you with this.

Keep jargon to a minimum

One of the biggest culprits here is that dreaded jargon. Some nonprofits may be using the same boring, jargon-laced templates they’ve used for years or they’re so used to some of these terms that they don’t realize these words fall flat with their donors. I think people use jargon because it’s insider language that makes them feel like they’re “in the know” in their professional community. It’s easy to slip into jargon mode in your work environment. But the danger comes when jargon creeps outside of your insular world and into your donor communication.

Sometimes we get lazy and use jargon when we can’t think of anything fresh and original. Instead, you see appeal letters, thank you letters, newsletter articles, and impact reports laced with cringeworthy terms such as food insecurity, at-risk youth, and underserved communities. While your donors may know what some of these terms mean, they’re vague, impersonal, and can come across as demeaning.

Keep in mind that we’re seeing many examples of real problems affecting real people right now. Donors are expecting more authenticity, too. 

How to break free from your jargon

You may know you need to freshen up some of your messages but aren’t sure how to start. 

Sometimes you need to give a little more information. Let’s look at these problem terms and what you can say instead. You may use some of these terms internally and they might be in your mission statement, but please try to limit them when you communicate with your donors.

  • Food insecurity The USDA defines it as “the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.“ Yikes, that’s a mouthful! I’ve never liked the term food insecurity because it’s so impersonal. We hear this term often because it’s a huge problem and is likely to get worse. Let’s go a step further and put it in human terms by describing a situation where a single mother has to choose between buying groceries and paying the heating bill.
  • At-risk means there’s a possibility something bad will happen. Instead of just saying at-risk students or youth, tell a story or give specific examples of something bad that could happen or has happened. Our tutoring program works with high school students who are more likely to fail their classes, be held back, and drop out of school. Remote learning didn’t work for many of the students in our community and they’re still struggling to catch up. 
  • Underserved means not receiving adequate help or services. Instead of saying we work with underserved communities, explain what types of services these residents don’t receive. Maybe it’s healthcare, affordable housing, decent preschool education, or all of the above. Tell a story or give a specific example. Mary has to take two buses to see a doctor for her diabetes because there isn’t a good healthcare facility in her community. She often feels depleted after these trips, so sometimes she skips her appointments.

Another way to help you transition from jargon to understandable language is to stop using it in your work environment. That means at staff meetings and in interoffice written communication. Maybe you go so far as to rewrite your mission statement to make it more conversational. And telling staff and board members to recite your mission statement as an elevator pitch is a bad idea unless you can make it conversational.

It’s important for you to take time to break free from your jargon to ensure your donors will understand you. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.

Tell a story

This is why stories are so important. You can get beyond that vague, impersonal language and jargon to let your donors see firsthand how they’re helping you make a difference for your clients/community.

Visualize your reader 

Donor or audience personas can be useful on many levels. How much do you know about your donors? The average age of a donor is 64. That’s something to take into account. So is what drew them to your organization.

I always like to use this analogy. Imagine you’re at a family gathering and you’re explaining what your organization does to your 75-year-old Aunt Shirley, or maybe it’s Uncle Ted. Does she look confused and uninterested when you use terms like underserved and at-risk, or does he perk up and want you to tell him more when you mention you’ve been able to help homeless families move out of shelters and into their own homes?

You can go one step further and ask a friend or family member (maybe Aunt Shirley) to look at some of your messages. Remember, what’s clear to you may not be clear to others.

Always take into account who’s reading your fundraising letter or other type of communication. Most likely, your donors don’t have a medical or social services background. They also don’t have a lot of time to look up something they don’t understand. 

What they do want is a personal connection and to be able to understand you.

A Postcard Is a Great Way to Engage With Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, direct mail, donor engagement, donor relations, gratitude, impact report , , , , ,

Some of you may remember when people sent postcards when they went on vacation, especially back in the days before email and social media. Now people are more likely to post photos on social media, whether you want to see all their pictures or not. 

We don’t use postal mail as much anymore and many nonprofits are a part of that group. This is a mistake. Direct mail is more personal and your donors are more likely to see something they receive in the mail, as opposed to any type of electronic message you send. Plus, people never get nearly as much mail as they do email and social media messages. Think about how many pieces of mail you get each day. It’s probably fewer than 10. Electronic communication is good, but communicating by mail is better.

I’m a big fan of communicating by mail and believe nonprofits should communicate by mail more often than they do. Now you might say – “But mail is too expensive. So is printing something. We have a small staff and barely have time to get anything done.” I understand all that. I know direct mail can be expensive and putting together a mailing takes more time, but it’s an investment that can help you raise more money.

One way to mail that shouldn’t cost too much is to use postcards. First, you can probably do them in house. Also, if you do it well, it’s a quick, easy way to capture your donor’s attention right away. Creating a postcard will be less expensive than something like a four-page newsletter or impact report. Donors have a lot going on and don’t want to be bombarded with too much information. 

Direct mail is a proven way to communicate and engage. I encourage you to give postcards a try. Landscaping companies, realtors, and political candidates all use postcards, and so should you. With summer coming up (yea!), it’s a great way to stay in touch, and maybe even brighten your donor’s day. Here are a few ways you can engage with your donors by using postcards.

Say thank you

Never miss an opportunity to thank your donors and a quick, easy way to show gratitude is with a postcard.

Create a postcard with a thank you photo, image, or word cloud. The best option is to create a card with enough space so you can include a handwritten note. If that’s not possible, then create one with a pre-printed message.

Let your donors know how their gifts are helping you make a difference for your clients/community and that you can’t do your work without them. 

Send a thank you postcard between one of your fundraising campaigns, so your donors know you’re thinking about them. Another idea is to send one as a warm-up before a campaign.

Ideally, you should be thanking your donors at least once a month. Many organizations don’t mail any type of thank you card, so you’ll stand out if you do.

Share an update

A postcard can be a good way to share an update with your donors. You could make an infographic to give them a quick look at your progress. Some organizations use oversized postcards for their impact/annual report. 

Some infographics just show a bunch of numbers, and numbers don’t mean that much without knowing why something is important. For example, instead of just listing the number of people visiting your food pantry, let your donors know you’re seeing higher numbers because families are having trouble making ends meet since groceries are so expensive.

Other ways to use postcards

You could send a postcard wishing your donors a Happy Thanksgiving or Happy Holidays. Another option is a donor’s anniversary or their birthday, if you keep track of that.

You can also use a postcard for fundraising. While not as effective as a direct mail package (letter, reply envelope, etc.), it can be used as a heads-up for a campaign or a reminder. You could include a QR code and a website link so your donors can easily make a gift or get more information.

Postcards are good for a Save the Date for an event. You could also use one for an informal event.

What to keep in mind

Your postcard needs to capture your donor’s attention right away. It needs to be visual and not include a lot of text (but not just numbers). The text you do include needs to be engaging, conversational, and donor-centered. Examples could include Thank You, Because of you, or Look what you helped us do. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative by using shaped printing. 

Yes, communicating by mail costs more, but it can pay off if you create something more personal that your donors will see. Whether you’re saying thank you, sharing an update, or a combination of both, engage with your donors by sending them a postcard.

How Schools Can Fundraise Successfully Over the Summer

Ann Green donor engagement, events, fundraising, gratitude, impact report , , , ,

Learn how your school can fundraise successfully over the summer by launching engaging campaigns, securing matching gifts, and prioritizing donor appreciation.

By Vinay Anne 

When students leave the classroom for vacation, regular communication between your school and its supporters often pauses, leading to a dip in fundraising revenue. However, summer doesn’t have to be a quiet period for your organization. 

By launching remote-friendly campaigns and maintaining donor relationships over the break, your school can build momentum and create a strong financial foundation for the fall semester. Here are a few engaging school fundraising strategies that your school can use to keep your community connected and invested:

Launch a summer reading challenge

Many parents want to find meaningful ways to keep their children academically engaged during summer break. A remote-friendly Read-a-thon campaign blends parents’ educational goals with your school’s financial needs, and students can participate from anywhere.

To set your summer Read-a-thon up for success, try:

  • Utilizing pledge fundraising. A pledge-based model can help you motivate young learners. Students can collect pledges from family and friends based on how much time they spend reading over the summer. This turns a solitary activity into a fun, community-supported challenge where every minute read raises more money for their classrooms.
  • Empowering students online. Provide each participant with a custom online donation page that they can personalize. When students have their own digital hub, families can share a link to their child’s donation page via email or social media, making it easier for loved ones to track the student’s progress and donate to their specific campaign.
  • Following up consistently. To maintain excitement during a long summer campaign, keep donors in the loop. The 99Pledges Read-a-thon guide recommends periodically sharing your school’s progress throughout the fundraising campaign and continuously thanking supporters for encouraging students to reach their academic goals.

Combining education with philanthropy allows your school to continue its fundraising efforts while helping students stay sharp when class is out of session.

Strengthen campaigns with matching gifts

One of the greatest challenges of school fundraising is maximizing donations without pressuring your community to dig deeper into their own pockets. Tapping into corporate philanthropy multiplies your revenue while keeping the financial burden on parents low.

To seek additional corporate revenue:

  • Educate your donors. Many parents work for companies with generous corporate philanthropy programs, but they might not be aware of these benefits. Use your summer newsletters to proactively share information about how these programs operate, explaining that their employer might be willing to match their contributions dollar-for-dollar.
  • Automate the process. Manually following up on match eligibility is a massive administrative headache. Using a donor database to quickly identify match-eligible donors saves your PTA/PTO volunteers valuable vacation time and secures funds that would otherwise go unclaimed during summer break.
  • Remind donors of your purpose. When asking supporters to submit a match request to their employer, it’s important to articulate why your campaign matters. Explain how their extra effort will directly benefit the students, whether it is funding new playground equipment or upgrading technology.

Corporate philanthropy programs give your school the opportunity to double the impact of your summer campaigns and build relationships that open the doors for future corporate sponsorships.

Prioritize donor appreciation

When the school year slows down, you finally have the time to move away from generic, transaction-focused communication. Take time to personally recognize your donors for their summer contributions and secure their long-term loyalty.

You can deepen relationships with your supporters in the following ways:

  • Personalize your outreach. Avoid sending standard, automated tax receipts whenever possible. Address parents and community members by their names and explicitly acknowledge their history of past support. Recognizing that a family has contributed for three consecutive years demonstrates that you truly value their support.
  • Send memorable messages. Going beyond the standard email makes a difference when thanking donors. Instead of a generic automated donation receipt, eCardWidget recommends a personalized digital greeting card or a customized donation thank-you letter to make a lasting impression on your supporters.
  • Express gratitude before making another ask. Letting your donors know how much you appreciate them helps build a loyal donor base that sticks with your school year after year. After you receive a donation toward your summer campaign, focus on saying “thank you,” rather than using the message to ask for another contribution.

Prioritizing heartfelt communication over the summer will ensure your donors feel like valued members of your school’s mission.

Host an engaging back-to-school kickoff

Transition your summer fundraising momentum into the fall semester by hosting an exciting, community-wide celebration when classes resume. A back-to-school event creates a natural conclusion to your summer efforts and builds excitement for the year ahead.

To cap off the summer successfully, you should:

  • Recruit enthusiastic volunteers. Secure support for the school year early on by seeking help from parents before they’re overwhelmed with back-to-school responsibilities. Reach out to parents during the final weeks of summer to ask them to assist with running registration tables, passing out snacks and water, and managing event logistics.
  • Plan an active event. Organizing an outdoor event brings parents, students, and teachers together in a high-energy environment. A Fun Run fundraiser or a field day reunites students with their friends while generating a final wave of donations for your school.
  • Celebrate your summer success. This kickoff event is a great time to celebrate the milestones your community achieved over the break. Announcing the final total of your summer campaign from the stage allows you to recognize all of your donors for their collective effort.

A celebratory kickoff event brings everyone back together with high morale to start the school year.

Share a concise impact report

Early on in the fall semester, demonstrate how the funds raised over the summer will be put to use. This transparency shows your community that their hard-earned dollars are making a difference.

 Share your summer campaign’s success by:

  • Opening with a student-focused story. Rather than only sharing numbers, focus on the tangible impact that your summer fundraising will have on students. For instance, you might write a brief narrative about how the funds used to purchase new library books for your school’s reading buddy mentor program will foster friendships across grade levels.
  • Creating visual interest. Busy parents will likely skim right past a dense, text-heavy document. Make your data more digestible by using bright, engaging infographics that highlight key metrics such as volunteer participation, hours volunteered, and total dollars raised.
  • Sending a dedicated update. Draft a specific email that highlights these successes rather than burying the great news at the bottom of a general back-to-school newsletter. A dedicated impact report guarantees your achievements get the spotlight they deserve.

By effectively communicating your summer fundraising achievements to parents and donors, you build confidence in your school administration and create excitement for future initiatives.

While students are away enjoying their break, your school’s administration can maintain donor relationships and launch remote-friendly campaigns to keep your mission top of mind. Combining engaging activities with thoughtful stewardship will ensure your school starts the academic year on a solid financial footing.

Vinay Anne is the Founder and CEO of 99Pledges, a peer-to-peer fundraising platform trusted by hundreds of schools, booster clubs, and youth teams to launch engaging, effective fundraisers with ease.

Vinay leads 99Pledges in combining intuitive technology with online fundraising strategy to empower engaging community campaigns like Walk-a-thons and Read-a-thons. With extensive experience in fundraising technology, Vinay is committed to helping community organizations maximize fundraising impact while minimizing administrative effort.

Making The Right Investments Can Help Your Nonprofit Raise More Money

Ann Green Communications, database, direct mail, donor engagement, donor retention, monthly donors, planning , , , , , ,

With all the economic uncertainty right now, you may be worried about your nonprofit’s finances.

Maybe your giving has gone down and you’ve cut back on some expenses. While that’s understandable on one level, you need to be careful before you nix something you think you can’t afford. It may be something you should be investing in.

Instead of going on autopilot and saying “We can’t afford this,” think about how you can make the right investments. Stay away from the scarcity mindset. It’s often not helpful.

You may also assume donors won’t want to give right now. That’s not necessarily true. Some donors may pull back on their giving, but many step up during tough economic times. You won’t know if you don’t ask.

Here are a few areas you should invest more money (and time) in, even in a down economy. The good news is that if you do it well, these investments can help you raise more money.

Invest in a good CRM/database

Plain and simple, a good CRM (customer relationship management)/database can help you raise more money. You can segment your donors by giving amount and politely ask them to give a little more in your next appeal – $35 or $50 instead of $25. Many organizations don’t ask their donors to upgrade their gifts and you’re leaving money on the table when you don’t do this.

A good database can help you with retention, which will save you money since it costs less to keep donors than to acquire new ones. Donor retention continues to be a big problem. Having a good database also helps with donor engagement.

Many CRMs have built-in payment processors. If not, invest in a good one. 

Your CRM will let you personalize your letters and email messages. Make sure to invest in a good email service provider, too. Personalized letters and messages mean you can address your donors by name and not Dear Friend. You can welcome new donors and thank current donors for their previous support. You can send targeted mailings to lapsed donors to try to woo them back. You can send special mailings to your monthly donors. You can record any personal information, such as conversations you had with a donor and their areas of interest.

In short, you can do a lot with a good CRM/database. Invest in the best one you can afford, and Excel is not a database.

If you’re worried about spending $50 to $100 a month on a CRM/database, you may be able to recoup that expense if you can ask for an upgrade and personalize your communication.

Invest in direct mail

You may not use direct mail that much. If that’s the case for you, you’re missing out on an effective and more personal way to communicate with your donors. Think of the enormous amount of email and social media posts you receive as opposed to postal mail. Your donors will be more likely to see your messages if you send them by mail.

Yes, direct mail is more expensive, but you don’t have to mail that often. Quality is more important than quantity, but aim for at least three or four times a year, and don’t just send fundraising appeals.

Give some thought to what you send. Some ideas, besides appeal letters, include thank you letters/cards; Thanksgiving, holiday, and/or Valentine’s Day cards; infographic postcards; two-to-four-page newsletters; and impact reports. You could put a donation envelope in your newsletter to raise some additional revenue, but do not put one in a thank you or holiday card. I wouldn’t recommend putting one in an impact report either, especially if you only do one a year.

Shorter is usually better. Lengthy communication will cost more and your donors are less likely to read it. 

A few ways you can use direct mail without breaking your budget are to clean up your mailing lists to avoid costly duplicate mailings, spread thank you mailings throughout the year – perhaps sending something to a small number of donors each month, and look into special nonprofit mailing rates. You may also be able to get print materials done pro bono or do them in-house, as long as they look professional.

Of course, you can use email, but your primary reason for communicating that way shouldn’t be because it’s cheaper. Both direct mail and email have their place, but in many cases, direct mail is more effective. They also work well when you use them together.

Invest in monthly giving

If you don’t have a robust monthly giving program, you’re missing out on a great way to raise more money. Monthly giving is one of the few types of fundraising that has increased over the last few years. It’s good for all nonprofit organizations, but it’s especially beneficial for small nonprofits.

Monthly giving will provide you with a steady stream of revenue throughout the year. That’s important during this time of economic uncertainty and funding cuts. It can also be a more feasible option for donors if they can spread out their gifts over the year.

All it takes is for someone to start giving $5.00 or $10.00 a month (hopefully more). These small gifts add up. Also, the retention rate for monthly donors is around 90%. Plus, they’re more likely to become mid-level, major, and legacy donors.

This is why having a good CRM is so important. It will help you find potential monthly donors and segment your current monthly donors so you can send them specialized donor communications. Spend a little time searching your database for people who have donated at least twice and invite them to become monthly donors.

Don’t wait any longer to invest in this proven way to raise more money. If you already have a strong monthly giving program (kudos to you), take the next step and invest in mid-level donors and so on.

Invest in donor communications

By donor communications I mean thank you letters/notes, newsletters, and other updates. Some organizations don’t prioritize these and want to spend their time “raising money.” They don’t seem to realize they can raise more money with better donor communications. Remember this formula – ask, thank, report, repeat.

Don’t skimp on your communications budget. Creating thank you cards and infographic postcards is a good investment and a necessity, not a luxury. Thank you cards are a much better investment than mailing labels and other useless swag.

Maybe you need to reallocate your budget to cover some of these expenses. You could also look into additional sources of unrestricted funding (more on that below). 

Of course, you can also use email and social media to communicate with donors. This reiterates the need for a good email service provider with professional looking templates for your email newsletter and other updates.

Invest in unrestricted funding options

Many nonprofits rely on grant funding. Grants, especially federal ones, have become precarious and, in some cases, not an option. A lot of grants are considered restricted funding and may not cover things like staff salaries and infrastructure. Some funders only want to cover “program expenses.” This is a problem because how can we successfully run our programs if we don’t have enough staff and can barely afford to pay the people we do have? A rotating door of development staff makes it hard to maintain those important relationships. We also have to pay rent and other expenses (including a CRM, direct mail communication, etc.).

Spend some time investing in finding unrestricted funding sources, which could include grants. More often, it’s those important individual gifts, such as monthly donations and mid-level/major gifts. Ramping up your major giving will require more investment from your board (time/connections, not just money), but it should pay off. 

Don’t limit yourself by saying you can’t afford certain expenses. If you make the right investments, you should be able to raise more money.

How You Can Make Your Nonprofit Messages Stand Out and Get Noticed

Ann Green Communications, direct mail, donor engagement, email, planning, writing , , , , ,

We live in a world that’s chock-full of information. When I was growing up, we just had a few TV channels to choose from (and no internet, cell phones, etc, back in the dark ages of the ‘70’s). Now there are countless streaming options. We also have email, the internet, and social media, just to name a few. It’s not only the volume of options, it’s also the content. And in our current climate of chaos and crisis, we’re dealing with information overload on steroids.

How does your nonprofit organization compete with all this? You need to communicate regularly with your donors and you need to do it well. But with all this deluge of information, they might miss your messages. Of course, you don’t want that to happen, especially if you’re falling behind in your revenue goals.

Here are a few ways you can make your messages stand out and get noticed. 

What’s your intention?

What’s the purpose of your message? What do you want your reader to do? Are you asking for a donation? Maybe you’re thanking your donor or sharing an update.

Think from your reader’s perspective. What would she be interested in or what would make him take action?

Don’t muddle your messages with too much information. Keep it simple and stick to one call to action or type of message. If you ask someone to make a donation, volunteer, and contact their legislators in the same message, they may not do any of that.

Choose the right channels

Most likely, you’ll use more than one channel to communicate. Pay attention to the channels your donors are using and focus your efforts there.

Email may be your primary mode of communication and there’s a reason for that. It’s fast, easy, relatively inexpensive, and almost everyone has an email address. You can quickly get a message out to a lot of people. Also, unlike social media, it’s something you can control. You don’t have to rely on a social media algorithm to hope your message ends up in your donor’s feed.

The downside is that people get an enormous amount of email from a variety of different sources. It’s also becoming less effective. Political organizations and candidates here in the U.S. send a ton of email messages, and those emails are going to replicate as we head toward the November midterm election. Some of the PACs send emails that are so obnoxious they give fundraising a bad name. I tend to ignore a lot of those messages and then end up missing something important. Plan a strategy to help you break through this noise. 

Plus, the average nonprofit email open rate is around 25%. And, social media is often just a lot of a lot.  

You can see how easy it is for your electronic messages to get lost in the shuffle. Your donors may just tune things out, even if you have something engaging to share. 

While you’ll likely use electronic communication pretty regularly, don’t discount direct mail. Your donors are more likely to see these messages. We get far less postal mail than electronic communication. Also, someone can put a piece of mail aside and look at it later. Don’t count on that happening with any type of electronic communication. You can also communicate by phone. This is a great way to thank your donors.

Going multichannel is usually your best bet. This is very common for fundraising campaigns and inviting people to events, as well as including a link to your email newsletter on your social media platforms. This way if people miss your initial message on one platform, they may see it on a different one. You’ll also want to send regular reminders for fundraising appeals and event invitations. Just remember to choose your channels wisely.

Get noticed right away

Your donors have a lot going on and you need to capture their attention right away.

Your fundraising letters and anything else you send by mail need to look appealing enough to open. You could put a tagline on the envelope. That doesn’t mean something like It’s Our Annual Appeal. Try something like – How you can help families move into their own homes. or THANK YOU!

Your envelope should look personal and not resemble a bill or junk mail. A few ways to make your mail stand out are to use something other than the usual white business envelope, hand address your envelope, and use stamps.

Once your donor opens your fundraising appeal, lead with a story followed by a clear, prominent ask. When they open your thank you letter, they should be greeted with gratitude.

A good subject line is the key to getting someone to open your email message. Keep in mind that your donor’s inbox is bursting with messages. Don’t use something boring like May Newsletter or Donation Received. Entice them with Learn how you helped Jeffrery learn to read or You just did something great today! Putting someone’s first name in the subject line can also help with open rates.

Keep them engaged once they open your message.

Keep it short

In many cases, a shorter message is best. You want a good balance between saying too much and saying too little. All your words should count, so be careful about adding too much filler. That often includes bragging about your organization and explaining what you do.

Keep in mind the average human attention span is about eight seconds.

Your goal is to get your donors to read your messages. If it looks long and boring, they probably won’t bother.

Make it easy to read and scan

Besides sending a short message, use short paragraphs and lots of white space, too. Your messages need to be easy to read and scan in an instant. Most people aren’t going to read something word for word. Be sure they can quickly get the gist of what you want to say. Don’t use microscopic font either – use 12 point or higher.

Be personal and conversational

Write directly to your reader using clear, conversational language – no jargon. Don’t confuse your donors with generic messages.

Don’t cast a wide net

It’s important to send your messages to the right audience, and your audience isn’t everyone.

You’ll have more luck with a fundraising appeal when you send it to past donors or people who have a connection to your cause. The same is true for event invitations or recruiting volunteers.

You may want to reach out to as many people as possible, but that won’t guarantee you’ll get more donations or event attendees. Segmenting and engaging with the right audience will bring you better results.

Be a welcome visitor

If you communicate regularly and do it well, your donors should recognize you as a reputable source and are more likely to read your messages. If all you do is send them generic fundraising appeals, then prepare to be disappointed.

When you send email, make sure people know it’s coming from your organization. In the from field, put DoGood Nonprofit or Cathy (Pearson), DoGood Nonprofit. If you just put a person’s name, people may not know who it’s from and ignore your message, unless that person is well known to your readers. Also, don’t use info@dogoodnonprofit or even worse, no-reply@dogoodnonprofit. That just screams impersonal.

Only send email to people who have opted into your list. Otherwise, you’re spamming them. Some people will choose not to receive email from you and that’s okay. The ones who do are interested in hearing from you. Give people the option to unsubscribe, too. Measuring your email metrics will help you communicate more effectively. 

When you send email, it’s important to strike a balance between being known and being annoying. Unlike the political organizations I mentioned above, many nonprofits don’t communicate enough. Be sure to reach out anywhere between once a week and once a month. 

Don’t let this current climate of uncertainty stop you from fundraising and engaging with your donors. They want to hear from you. With all the negativity and depressing news, be a friendly factor.

Even though people only get a few pieces of mail a day, most of it’s junk mail. You never want any of your letters, newsletters, or postcards to be perceived as junk mail (see above).

By putting in a little time and effort, you can help ensure that your messages stand out and get noticed in a world filled with information.

Break Free From a Boring Nonprofit Newsletter

Ann Green Communications, direct mail, donor engagement, donor relations, email, newsletter, writing , , , , , ,

In an ideal world, a newsletter is a great way to engage with your donors. In the real world, that doesn’t often happen because most donor newsletters can be used as a cure for insomnia. They’re too long and filled with boring articles that brag about how wonderful the organization is.

A newsletter is an important part of the ask, thank, report, repeat formula and you can’t just go on autopilot. The good news is that it’s possible to create a better, engaging newsletter your donors will want to read and won’t put them to sleep. Here’s what you need to do.

Think about what your donors want

You need to include content that will interest your donors. Do you think your donors would rather read an article about your CEO receiving an award or one about Suzanne, a single mother who is having trouble making ends meet but is grateful because, thanks to your generous donors, she can get healthy food for her family at the Eastside Community Food Pantry? 

The answer should be obvious. Your donors want to hear about how they’re helping you make a difference for your clients/community. Before choosing content, think carefully about whether or not your donors would be interested in it. 

If you’re a larger organization, you could create different newsletters for different programs or one specifically for monthly donors.

You need a print newsletter

You may choose not to do a print newsletter because it’s more expensive and takes too much time, but you’re making a mistake if many of your donors prefer print.

I think you’ll have more success if you can do both print and email newsletters. I recommend a short email newsletter once or twice a month and one to four print newsletters a year.

Donors are more likely to see any communication that comes in the mail, as opposed to the enormous volume of email most of us get.

Follow the Domain Formula, which was developed by the Domain fundraising group. A couple of things they recommend are sending your print newsletter only to donors and putting it in an envelope, not sending it as a self-mailer.

They also recommend putting a donation envelope in your print newsletter. This is a proven way to raise additional revenue and you may be able to recoup your expenses. Print newsletters are a great way to boost your retention rate, too.

You can also save money by creating a shorter print newsletter (maybe two pages instead of four) or only mailing it once or twice a year. You can print them in-house, as long as it looks professional.

Be sure you have a clean mailing list. If you can get rid of duplicate and undeliverable addresses, that’s another way to save some money.

Remember, donors are more likely to read a print newsletter. But ask them what they like, and listen to what they say. If a majority of them prefer print, then you need to find a way to accommodate them.

Give some thought to your email newsletter

Your print and email newsletters are separate entities. Therefore, you shouldn’t email people a PDF of your print newsletter. Use an email service provider and a newsletter template to create the best experience for your readers.

Send your email newsletter to anyone who signed up for it and only to people who signed up to receive it. This can be both donors and non-donors. It could be a good cultivation tool for future donors. Give people ample opportunities to sign up for your e-newsletter, but understand that not everyone will want to receive it.

Use an engaging subject line (something like Find out how you helped Jeffrey learn to read and not April Newsletter) so you can stand out in your donor’s inbox. And be sure people can read it on a mobile device. Get a little creative with your e-newsletter by including a short poll or quiz.

Share your stories

Stories are the most important part of a nonprofit newsletter (print and email). Each newsletter needs to begin with a compelling story. If you’re making a difference, you have stories to tell.

Client stories are best, but you could also do profiles of volunteers, board members, and donors. Focus on what drew them to your mission (more on that below).

Create a story bank that includes at least four client stories to use every year.

Don’t stray from your mission

A common article I see in many nonprofit newsletters is one about a foundation or major donor giving a large gift. This may be accompanied by a picture of someone holding a giant check. Of course, you should recognize these donors (and all donors), but why is this gift important? How will it help your clients/community?

For example – This generous $50,000 grant from the Eastside Community Foundation will help us serve more students in our tutoring program. Many students fell behind during remote learning and are still struggling to catch up.

Something else I see a lot is a profile of a new board member. Instead of focusing so much on their professional background, let your donors know what drew them to your organization. We welcome Beth Davidson, Vice President of Northeastern Bank, to our board. Beth has a brother with autism and is very passionate about finding ways for people with autism to live independent lives. 

Write to your donors

Write your newsletter in the second person, emphasizing you much more than we. Be personal and conversational. Say – You helped Suzanne feed her family or Because of donors like you, X number of families have been able to get healthy food every week. This is important because so many families are struggling to make ends meet right now due to rising food prices.

Leave out jargon and other language your donors won’t understand. Write as if you’re having a conversation with a friend.

I’m not a fan of the letter from the CEO because those tend to be organization-centered instead of donor-centered. If you feel you must include one of these, be sure to thank your donors. And if you’re mailing your newsletter in an envelope (recommended), do a separate letter and don’t make it part of your newsletter. 

Go all out with gratitude 

Never miss an opportunity to thank your donors. You couldn’t do your work without them. Every one of your newsletters needs to show gratitude and emphasize how much you appreciate your donors.

Make it easy to read (and scan)

Most of your donors aren’t going to read your newsletter word for word, especially your e-newsletter. Include enticing headlines and email subject lines (if you don’t, your donors may not read it at all), at least a 12-point font, and lots of white space so your donors can easily scan your newsletter.

Stick to black type on a white background as much as possible. Colors are pretty, but not if they’re hindering your donor’s ability to read your newsletter. Photos can be a great way to add some color, as well as tell a story in an instant.

Use the inverted pyramid and put the most important story first (client story or profile), keeping in mind that your donors may not get to all the articles.

Short and sweet

Your print newsletter should be no more than four pages. Limit your monthly email newsletter to three articles. Some organizations send an e-newsletter twice a month. Those should be even shorter – maybe just two articles. There’s a lot going on right now and people don’t want to be bombarded with too much information.

Shorter, more frequent updates are often better.

Other ways to update your donors

For some of you, putting together a newsletter may be too much to take on. You don’t have to do an actual newsletter, but you do need to keep your donors updated.

Do what you can, but be sure to update your donors at least once a month. You may find you have more success with shorter, more frequent email updates and postcards with an infographic a few times a year. You could also send a Donor Care Letter. 

Take time to create a great newsletter that will engage your donors and not bore them.

But Why?

Ann Green appeal letters, Communications, donor engagement, donor relations, impact report, newsletter, thank you letters, writing , , , , , , ,

As you’re creating messages for your nonprofit, keep the word why in mind. Why, you ask? Because a lot of nonprofit communication doesn’t focus on why something is important. There’s usually a lot of what and how, but not much why.

The typical fundraising letter and newsletter article rambles on about accomplishments without explaining why something matters. Some organizations also like to pour on the statistics. These numbers don’t mean much without more information.

You need to dig deep into why something is important. We’ve all spent time with four-year-olds who pepper the conversation with “But why?” Imagine one of your favorite four-year-olds is with you as you write and keeps asking, “But why?” over and over again.

Why is what you do important?

Here’s something you might see in a newsletter or impact report.

We expanded our tutoring program to five more high schools.

Okay, but why is that important?

To serve more students.

That’s good, but why is that important?

After six months of weekly tutoring sessions, 85% of the students in our program have improved their math skills, as well as their grades. Many of these students fell behind during remote learning and are still struggling to catch up.

There you go. Tell your donors about the impact you’re making. It’s especially important during this time of economic uncertainty and funding cuts. You want to emphasize the importance of your work.

Why should someone donate to your organization?

Do your appeals focus on why it’s important to donate to your organization? Instead of saying something generic like please donate to our year-end appeal, tell a story emphasizing why someone should donate to your nonprofit.

Steven, a 10th grader at Lincoln High School, hates algebra. It just doesn’t make sense to him. He’s always had trouble with math and fell behind during remote learning. He was still struggling to catch up and afraid he’d have to take that horrible class again. 

Then Steven started weekly tutoring sessions with Aaron, a volunteer tutor. It was difficult at first, but thanks to Aaron’s patience and guidance, Steven got a B on his last test. 

Many other students fell behind during remote learning and could use a tutor. After six months of weekly tutoring sessions, 85% of the students in our program have improved their math skills. With your help, we can expand our program to serve more students in more schools.

Again, focus on why.

Why is your donor’s gift valuable?

When you thank your donors, do you tell them why their gift is valuable? Give a specific example.

Thank you so much for your generous gift of $50. This will help cover the expenses of our one-to-one weekly tutoring sessions. After six months of these tutoring sessions, 85% of the students in our program have improved their math skills. This is crucial since many of these students fell behind during remote learning and are still struggling to catch up.

It’s all about the why.

Why are you sharing this information?

When you write a newsletter article or something for an impact report, why are you including that information? Will this be something of interest to your donors? If it’s focused too much on your organization and sounds like you’re bragging, then probably not. 

Your donors want information that lets them know how they’re helping you make a difference and why that’s important. Sharing stories is a great way to do that.

Why do you appreciate your donors?

Finally, do your donors know why you appreciate them? You need to tell them this again and again.

Thank you so much for doing your part in helping high school students boost their math skills. We couldn’t do this without you.

Always remember to focus on why.

Don’t Wait Too Long – Spring Cleaning Projects for Your Nonprofit

Ann Green appeal letters, Communications, database, direct mail, email, planning, thank you letters, writing , , , , , , ,

It’s spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and it’s about time after a snowy, frigid winter here in the Boston area, although some days it doesn’t feel like spring. 

A lot of people use this time of the year to do some spring cleaning. I envy the people who do that because I’m usually not one of them. 

I know I should do more. As much as I dislike cleaning and organizing, I’m happy once it gets done. Usually, getting started is the hardest part.

Your nonprofit organization may be putting off some version of your own spring cleaning and decluttering. It’s important to make some time to tackle these so-called cumbersome tasks. Just think how happy you’ll be when you’re done. You’ll also make some much-needed improvements to your infrastructure and donor communication.

If you’re feeling stuck, here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

Clean up your mailing lists and CRM/database

Has it been a while since you updated your mailing lists? Did you have an influx of address changes, returned mail, and bounced emails after you sent your year-end appeal? If so, this is a good time to clean up and update both your direct mail and email mailing lists.

Don’t wait until right before your next mailing or campaign to clean up your donor data. If it’s been a while since you’ve done this, then you need to do what’s known as data hygiene.

Even though it’s tedious, have someone who’s familiar with your donors (your development director?) go through your mailing lists and CRM/database to see if you need to make any additions, changes, and deletions.

Be meticulous. No donor wants to see her name misspelled, be addressed as Mrs. when she prefers Ms., or receive three mailings because you have duplicate records.

Your CRM/donor database is an essential tool, and it needs to be up-to-date and filled with accurate information about your donors.

Run your donor list through the National Change of Address database. It may cost some money to do this, but it’s worth it if you come out with squeaky-clean data. Do it at least once a year.

Also, if you haven’t already done this, segment your donors into different groups – new donors, returning donors, monthly donors, etc. You may need to make some changes. For example, if a single gift donor starts giving monthly.

You might also want to move some lapsed donors who haven’t donated for several years into an inactive file. Don’t do this until you’ve sent targeted, personalized appeals asking them to donate again. And if you’ve never gotten in touch with any lapsed donors from 2025, you could reach out to them now.

Do the same thing with your email list. It doesn’t make sense to send emails to people who don’t respond to them. Give these people a chance to re-engage, and if they’re not even opening your emails, move them to an inactive file. Don’t worry if people unsubscribe. You’re better off with an email list of engaged subscribers.

Also, if you find you keep saying, “Our database doesn’t let us do that,” maybe it’s time for an upgrade.

While you’re at it, you could give your donation page a spring cleaning.

Freshen up your messages

Spring is a time to open up the windows and let some fresh air replace the stale air that’s been accumulating in your house over the last several months.

You know what else might be stale – your messages. Take some time to freshen them up, if you haven’t done that for a while. Ideally, you should do this at least once a year. I mentioned this in a recent post, emphasizing that your donor communication needs to be clear, conversational, and specific. Stay away from generic language and jargon. 

There’s a good chance your thank you letters need a refresh. Your thank you letters need to actually thank your donors, not brag about your organization. Also, make sure your automatically generated thank you emails and landing pages don’t look like boring receipts. Create separate templates for new donors, current donors, and monthly donors. 

Thank you messages are one of the most important components of donor communication. Make yours shine.

Weed and grow 

People who have gardens spend a lot of time getting rid of weeds to ensure they have a beautiful garden. I’m not a gardener. I live in a townhouse and don’t have a yard, but even I know I need to cut off the dead leaves on my houseplants to help them grow.

What are your weeds? Perhaps it’s events or grants. These can take a lot of time and don’t always bring in that much money. Plus, if you’ve relied on federal funding here in the U.S., you’ll need to branch out and look into other revenue sources.

A better option is to grow your individual giving program. Start with monthly giving. You can think of this as a houseplant approach, relatively easy to take on and maintain. Then move on to mid-level, major, and legacy giving. These will take more time, just like a seedling that with care and attention, will grow into a tree.

As you work on your weeding, this article on simplicity might be helpful. It suggests you do an audit of various aspects of your life and ask –  Is it necessary and is it creating energy? If you answer Yes to both, keep it. If you answer No to both, remove it. If you answer Yes to one, think about it. 

For your nonprofit, the energy question can be turned around and you can ask if something is depleting your energy. You could also ask, is it producing results?

It can be hard to let go. Maybe you’ve held a particular event for years. But like weeds in a garden, it might be prohibiting your growth. Let go of this event (or whatever doesn’t serve you) and find ways to raise money that will help you grow.

Start small, but don’t wait too long

All of this might sound overwhelming and the best remedy for that is to start small. Maybe you begin by cleaning up your CRM and then move on to freshening up your thank you letters. Remember, getting started is often the hardest part. 

I know you’re busy, but you need to take on these initiatives sooner rather than later. Just like the clutter and dust in your home, along with the weeds in your garden, they won’t disappear on their own. The longer you ignore it, the worse it gets. 

You’ll be happy once these spring cleaning projects are done. Plus, your donors will be happy if they don’t get duplicate mailings and a fundraising letter laced with jargon, but do receive a personalized appeal and a stellar thank you letter. Your organization will also benefit by taking on initiatives and making investments that will help you grow.

5 Creative Ideas to Engage Your Nonprofit Website Visitors

Ann Green Communications, donor engagement, planning, video, website, writing , , , , ,

A strong nonprofit website drives support and mission awareness. Explore creative ideas to teach site visitors about your work and inspire them to get involved.

By Ira Horowitz

If your website feels like a digital brochure, you’re leaving an opportunity for impact on the table.

Too many nonprofit websites talk at visitors instead of inviting them in. They list programs, share statistics, and post updates, but they don’t create an experience. Your website shouldn’t just sit there. It should feel like a living, dynamic hub—one that actively cultivates trust, ignites curiosity, and drives action.

The good news? You don’t need a massive budget or a full redesign to make meaningful improvements. A few creative nonprofit website ideas can turn passive visitors into engaged supporters. Here are five to consider.

1. Immersive Storytelling

Facts inform. Stories move people.

Your nonprofit’s website is the ideal place to share stories with supporters. Unlike social media and other external platforms, there are no algorithms burying your content or character limits cutting you short. You have creative control. As you add more stories to your site, you’ll build a lasting library of impact, rather than fleeting posts that disappear down a social media feed.

When you structure content around a real person—a client, volunteer, or donor—you create an emotional connection that statistics alone can’t reach. That connection builds empathy, and empathy drives action.

Here’s how to create immersive impact stories for your site:

  • Focus on one individual at a time.
  • Show the challenge, your role, and the transformation.
  • Use high-quality photos or short-form video to humanize the story.
  • Include a clear call to action at the end.

You need to consistently share stories with your donors to build long-term relationships, not just one-time gifts. Your blog is one of the best tools for this. It gives you space to go deeper, highlight different voices, and keep your content fresh. Regular updates also help you maintain a nonprofit’s website in a way that supports SEO and keeps supporters engaged over time. 

When storytelling becomes a habit, not a one-off campaign, your website starts to feel dynamic and mission-driven.

2. Gamified Educational Quizzes

Interactive content turns passive readers into active participants. A short quiz can educate, surprise, and motivate visitors in just a few minutes. Plus, a bit of creativity makes this idea work for any type of cause.

Here are some examples:

  • A “Myth vs. Fact” showdown about your cause.
  • “How Much Do You Know About Local Hunger?”
  • “What Type of Environmental Advocate Are You?”

Quizzes are especially powerful because they feel personal. When someone sees their result, they’re more likely to remember and act on it!

You can take this idea further by:

  • Offering a free PDF resource tailored to their results.
  • Including a “Share Your Results” button to encourage social sharing.
  • Connecting the outcome to a specific donation or volunteer opportunity.

By including another step, your quiz becomes more than a fun add-on. It becomes a strategic marketing tool that supports your broader outreach plan. This approach puts strong communication principles into action. By using clear, compelling messaging to guide users, you ensure the experience feels helpful and relevant, not a gimmicky distraction.

Done well, quizzes educate supporters and move them one step closer to action.

3. Impact Data

Donors want heart and good storytelling, but they also want proof that their donations are making a difference. Impact data provides the logical reassurance that their gift is making a tangible impact. When presented clearly, it builds credibility and trust.

Instead of burying numbers in a PDF annual report, bring your data to life. Here are a few creative nonprofit website ideas to accomplish that:

Interactive Maps

Show where your programs are active. Add pins that open short updates or photos from each location. This is especially effective for organizations serving multiple communities.

Real-Time Progress Trackers

A fundraising thermometer or campaign tracker creates urgency and transparency. Visitors can see momentum building in real time, potentially encouraging them to give more to help you reach your goals.

Dynamic Data Dashboards

Highlight key metrics—meals served, students supported, acres restored—in a visual, easy-to-scan format.

Before building something custom, check what your website platform can handle. Open-source systems like WordPress allow you to expand functionality with plugins. Cornershop Creative’s WordPress for nonprofits guide explains how flexible tools can support features like maps, calculators, and data displays without starting from scratch.

These dynamic tools allow you to share impact consistently, rather than just once a year in an annual report. This constant visibility supports long-term donor retention by making metrics easy to understand. When data is transparent, visual, and always up-to-date, it builds the unshakeable trust needed to keep supporters engaged year after year. 

4. An Interactive Impact Calculator

An impact calculator instantly answers the question, “What does my gift actually do?”

Impact calculator tools take the mystery out of giving by showing exactly what a $25, $50, or $100 gift provides. Here are some examples:

  • “$25 feeds a family of four for three days.”
  • “$50 plants 10 trees.”
  • “$100 supplies two hygiene kits.”

The key is clarity. Use relatable units, like meals, books, trees, and nights of shelter. Keep the design simple and mobile-friendly since many visitors will interact with it on their phones.

You can also create cause-specific variations:

  • A “carbon footprint offsetter” for environmental groups.
  • A “meal math” calculator for food banks.
  • A “school supply builder” for education nonprofits.

UpMetrics’ guide to impact measurement recommends reviewing your objective first and setting measurable goals around that mission. Your calculator should reflect those priorities. When developing your calculator, revisit your core objectives. Are you raising academic performance? Distributing hygiene kits? Expanding after-school programming?

When supporters see the tangible outcome of their gifts, giving feels concrete and meaningful. 

5. Behind-the-Scenes Looks

When you pull back the curtain on your daily operations, you invite supporters into your world and build transparency. That insider perspective deepens connection and reinforces credibility.

Consider sharing:

  • A “Meet the Team” video series.
  • Sneak peeks of an upcoming fundraising event.
  • Behind-the-scenes photos of renovations funded by a capital campaign. 
  • Volunteer spotlights or day-in-the-life stories.

You can also invite readers into this on-the-ground work by highlighting creative ways supporters contribute. Seeing unique volunteer opportunities in action—rather than just reading a job description—helps website visitors imagine themselves as part of your mission.

Prioritize authenticity over high-budget production. A smartphone video with honest storytelling often feels more genuine than a polished promotional reel.

Behind-the-scenes content reminds donors that real people power your impact.

Wrapping Up

Creative nonprofit website ideas don’t have to be complicated. Start by asking:

  • Does our website tell real stories?
  • Are we showing impact in a clear, visual way?
  • Are visitors invited to interact—or just read?
  • Do we regularly update content to reflect our current work?

Even one new interactive element like a quiz, calculator, or map can shift how supporters view and understand your organization’s work.

When you design your website with intention, clarity, and creativity, you don’t just inform visitors, you inspire them to take the next step.

With 15 years of experience, Ira Horowitz is an expert in nonprofit online communications and online fundraising. His work has resulted in increased funds and resounding supporter engagement for hundreds of organizations.

Ira oversees Corner Shop Creative’s project management team and works with clients to provide them with the best possible final product. He also manages all of their strategic engagements and helps guide nonprofits to determine their long-term strategy goals for online communications.