Are Your Emails Helping or Hurting Donor Retention?
Nonprofits lose an average of 60% of their donors after the first gift. That’s a massive drop-off. The truth is, many organizations struggle with email marketing—leading to disengaged supporters, fewer donations, and lost opportunities.
Why?
- Lack of personalization makes emails feel generic.
- No automation leads to hours of manual work or donor communications falling through the cracks..
- Poor audience segmentation results in messages that miss the mark.
These are just a few of the challenges you’re up against. But when done right, nonprofit email marketing can be one of the most powerful tools for nonprofits. It helps keep donors engaged, strengthens relationships over time, and turns one-time givers into lifelong supporters. A well-crafted email strategy ensures that your messages reach the right people at the right time—leading to higher retention rates and more consistent funding for your mission.
Here are the top email marketing strategies you can start using today to build stronger relationships—without wasting valuable time.
1. Write Subject Lines That Get Noticed
A subject line determines whether your email is read or ignored. Use urgency, emotion, and clarity to increase open rates.
Compare these two nonprofit email marketing subject line examples:
✅ “Your $25 Can Feed a Family This Week—Give Now”
❌ “Donate Today”
The first subject line connects the donation to a direct impact, making it more compelling. Keep subject lines short, specific, and action-driven. Focus on using urgency, evoking emotion, while also being clear and specific to help stand out in crowded inboxes.
2. Segment Your Audience for Better Engagement
Not all supporters have the same interests. Some are first-time donors, others are recurring givers, and some are volunteers. If everyone gets the same email, your engagement rates will drop.
With email segmentation for nonprofits, you can send the right message to the right people! Here’s an example:
- New donors: A thank-you email explaining their impact.
- Lapsed donors: A re-engagement email showing what their past donations achieved.
- Major donors: Personalized updates on large projects.
Giveffect’s email segmentation tools, which work as one with the CRM within Giveffect, help you organize contacts automatically—making targeted outreach easy and highly effective. By leveraging these tools, your nonprofit can achieve more personalized and impactful communication, ultimately boosting donor engagement and retention.
3. Personalize Emails to Strengthen Connections
A generic email doesn’t make supporters feel valued — But a personalized email certainly does.
Here are some ways you can personalize nonprofit emails:
✔️ Use the recipient’s name: “Hi Sarah, your support changed a life!”
✔️ Tailor content to their giving history or interests.
✔️ Include a donor’s past contributions to show their impact.
Personalization can be incredibly time-consuming without the right automation tools—especially if you’re unsure how to write a fundraising email. That’s why choosing an all-in-one platform with built-in segmentation, dynamic personalization, and easy-to-use email templates is essential to avoid hours of manual work. Platforms like Giveffect streamline the process, allowing you to focus on building meaningful connections with your supporters.
4. Optimize for Mobile Users
More than 50% of emails are opened on phones. That means that if an email isn’t mobile-friendly, many readers will delete it.
How to make emails mobile-friendly:
✔️ Use a responsive design that adjusts to any screen size.
✔️ Keep text short and easy to read.
✔️ Use a single-column format for better readability.
✔️ Make buttons large enough to tap easily.
To simplify this process, use a platform with mobile-responsive email templates that you can quickly customize to match your nonprofit’s branding and message. Nonprofit donor email templates save time and ensure a seamless experience for recipients, no matter their device.
5. Use a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
A strong CTA gives donors a clear, compelling reason to act now. If your ask is vague or weak, they’re far less likely to click, which means missed donations for your cause.
Weak CTA: “Consider donating”
Strong CTA: “Donate $50 now to provide a week of meals for a family.”
Fundraising email best practices for CTAs:
- Use action words: Give, Donate, Help, Support
- Make CTAs stand out with buttons
- Keep it specific: Instead of “Support us,” say “Help 10 students get school supplies today”
6. Use Storytelling to Inspire Giving
People connect with stories in a way that numbers and statistics can’t. A real-life example puts a face to your mission, helping donors see the direct impact of their generosity. Reading about someone whose life changed because of their support creates an emotional connection that inspires them to give again.
Instead of:
❌ “We need donations.”
Try:
✅ “Meet Sarah: Your Donation Helped Her Rebuild Her Life”
Example: Instead of saying, “We’ve provided 10,000 meals,” share a personal story:
“Sarah, a single mom, worried about feeding her kids. Thanks to donors like you, she no longer has to.”
With Giveffect, you can easily design automated welcome series emails that share impactful stories with new donors. This ensures your mission stays top of mind without adding extra work for your team.
7. Test and Improve Your Email Campaigns
Even the best email campaigns can get better. Trying out different subject lines, CTAs, and email formats helps you see what truly connects with your audience. Small changes can make a big difference, and over time, you’ll learn what keeps donors engaged and inspired to give.
What to test?
- Subject lines (“Help a child today” vs. “You can change a life”)
- CTA placement (Top vs. bottom of the email)
- Email length (Short and direct vs. detailed)
To truly improve your email strategy, you need access to campaign data that shows what’s working and what’s not. A platform like Giveffect tracks key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, giving you the insights needed to refine your approach. By leveraging these analytics, your nonprofit can make data-driven decisions to enhance email performance, achieving better results.
8. Maintain a Consistent Sending Schedule
Donors should hear from you regularly, but not so often that they feel overwhelmed. Sending emails on a consistent schedule helps keep your nonprofit top of mind without flooding inboxes.
How often should you send emails?
- Monthly updates keep donors engaged without feeling spammy.
- Weekly event reminders are great for volunteers and supporters.
- Personalized follow-ups after a donation or event strengthen connections.
The key is to find a perfect balance for your audience. An automated email schedule helps you stay on track while keeping supporters engaged year-round.
9. Stay Compliant with Email Regulations
Nonprofits must follow email regulations like CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CASL to respect donor privacy and maintain trust. This means:
✔️ Getting explicit permission before sending marketing emails.
✔️ Including a clear and easy-to-use unsubscribe option in every message.
✔️ Being transparent about how donor data is collected and used.
Failing to comply can result in legal consequences and damage your nonprofit’s reputation. Using a platform with built-in compliance tools makes managing opt-ins, preferences, and unsubscribes easier—so you can focus on building relationships, not worrying about regulations.
Make Email Marketing Work for Your Nonprofit
Email is one of the most powerful tools for building donor relationships—but only if done right. Without email marketing tools built for nonprofits, teams waste valuable time on manual work and miss out on critical donations.
Giveffect’s all-in-one software streamlines nonprofit email marketing with automated workflows, built-in audience segmentation, personalized templates, real-time analytics (and more!) No more juggling spreadsheets, manual data entry, or disconnected tools—just seamless, effective communication.
Ready to save time, boost engagement, and raise more funds? See how Giveffect can improve your nonprofit’s email marketing — Schedule a call with our nonprofit solution consultants today!
FAQ
How often should we send emails to our donors?
Aim for 1-2 emails per month. Too many emails can overwhelm donors, while too few can make them forget about you. Test different schedules and adjust based on engagement.
What types of content should we include in nonprofit emails?
Variety keeps your emails fresh and engaging. Some of the best tips for nonprofit email newsletters include mixing different types of content, such as impact stories, donation appeals, volunteer opportunities, event invitations, and thank-you messages.
How can we improve email open rates?
Use compelling subject lines, segment your audience, personalize content, and optimize for mobile. Testing different approaches will also help.
How can we re-engage inactive subscribers?
Try a re-engagement email campaign with the subject line “We Miss You!” The campaign should offer an update on your nonprofit’s impact and a clear way to get involved again.