donor relations

The Year is Almost Over. Are You on Target With Your Goals?

Ann Green donor relations, fundraising, planning
The year is winding to a close. You may be busy with your fall fundraising appeal right now, but you should take some time to see if you are on target with your 2013 goals.


This is important for two reasons. One, you want to see if you are coming up short this year, and two, you can use some of this information as you plan for next year. 

Here are a couple of things you should measure.

Fundraising
Are you on target with your fundraising goals? If not, how far off are you? We are entering the “giving season”, but If you are way off, there’s not much time to fix it.

This is a good time to assess what worked and what didn’t. If your spring gala was a huge success, keep doing it. If you didn’t raise enough money and everyone on your staff wanted to go on vacation after it was over, then you need to decide whether it’s worth doing next year.

In addition, be sure to keep track of the results from your year-end appeal, so you can apply what worked to future fundraising campaigns.

Donor communications
Nonprofit organizations often don’t do a good job of communicating with their donors. Are you thanking your donors and keeping them engaged on a regular basis? 


One way to track engagement is to measure the response rates of your email messages and website pages. Another way is to get feedback by sending out a short survey or starting a conversation on social media.

It’s important that you stay connected with your donors at this time of the year. Not only with your year-end fundraising, but also with updates and thank you messages.

If your messages aren’t resonating with your supporters, figure out why. Maybe you need better email subject lines or more compelling content. Are your messages filled with gratitude and success stories about how your donors are helping you make a difference, or are you sending out something long, boring, and focused on your organization?

Looking at your number of email subscribers and social media followers is just one part of the equation. Make sure you are keeping them engaged with good content.

Another reason your response rate might be low is you are sending messages to people who aren’t strong supporters or you are trying to connect on channels they don’t use.


More on year-end measurement
The folks at Veritus Group ask Are You Ready For Q4? Most of their suggestions are focused on major donors, but we should all “start every day with donor-centered purpose.”

Here is a great tool to help you with your measurement. Library of Sample Dashboard Indicators There may be other areas you want to measure now, as well.

Make sure you are still on target for this year and start planning for next year. I’ll write more about that in a few weeks.


Photo by Frank Lindecke via Flickr

How to Create an Annual Report That Won’t Bore Your Donors

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, writing
What do you think of when you hear annual report? Are you picturing a long, boring document filled with wordy text and statistics? It doesn’t have to be like that.


You want to create an annual report that will engage your supporters and not bore them. But, before we get into how you can do that, here are few things to consider.

Does it make sense to produce an annual report? 
It might not. Nonprofit organizations aren’t required to produce an annual report, but they can be beneficial, if done well. Read on for more information to help you figure out if it makes sense for you to produce an annual report. Do Annual Reports Still Make Sense?

If you decide not to do an annual report, find another way to share accomplishments with your donors.

All your donors are not the same
You may want to consider different types of annual reports for different donor groups. Marketing expert Kivi Leroux Miller recommends an oversized postcard with photos and infographics. I think that’s great for most of your donors.

Your grant and corporate funders might want more detail, but not 20 pages. Aim for no more than four pages. Your funders are busy and don’t have a lot of time to read your annual report.

This Annual Reports Wiki includes some great examples including postcards and videos.

No matter what type of annual report you produce, here are some suggestions for creating one that won’t bore your donors.

Be donor centered. 
The purpose of an annual report is to show your donors how they are helping you make a difference for the people you serve.


Think about what your donors want (not what your board wants or what you have always done). They don’t want you to go on and on about how great your organization is. Share accomplishments like this –Thanks to you, 85% of the students in our tutoring program are reading at their grade level or above.

Make it visual
Find some engaging photos to include in your annual report. Photos can tell a story in an instant. Choose photos of people participating in an activity, such as a tutor helping her student with her reading.


Use colorful charts or graphs to highlight your financials. This is a great way to keep it simple and easy to understand.

Sprinkle in quotes and short testimonials to help break up any text. 


Tell a story
You can tell a story with words, a photo, or video. Share a success story about a person you have helped. For example, Cara used to struggle with her reading, but now reads at her grade level after weekly tutoring sessions with Amy, one of our volunteer tutors.

Be conversational
Write in the second person and use a warm, friendly tone. Ditch the jargon and passive voice.

Use everyday language such as – With your help we found affordable housing for over 100 homeless families. Now they no longer have to live in a shelter, motel, or their cars, and have a place to call home.


Break from tradition
Traditionally annual reports have included an introduction from the executive director or board chair. I find these often drone on and don’t entice you to read more. If you do include an introduction, make it brief, friendly, jargon-free, and filled with gratitude towards your donors for their support in helping you reach your goals.

Annual reports usually contain a donor list, which have pros and cons. Some donors want public recognition, but these lists take up space and most people aren’t going to read them.

You’ll have to decide if it makes sense to include one in print. You may want to include a list of donors at a certain level in your annual report and all your donors on your website. Whatever you decide, be sure to thank all your donors in this section and double and triple check that their names are spelled correctly.

Annual reports can be time consuming. Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Create an annual report that will capture your donors’ attention right away and not bore them.

Photo by Dion Gillard via Flickr

Let’s Do a Better Job of Thanking Donors

Ann Green donor relations, fundraising, writing
Nonprofits invest a lot of time and energy in their annual appeal, but thanking donors seems like an afterthought.

You need to spend as much time thanking your donors as you do on your annual appeal letter.

I recently received a thank you letter that was a case study of what not to do. It was sent three months after I made the donation, it was addressed to Dear Friends, and it included vague, impersonal language like “X organization serves individuals who are often the most disinenfranchised members of their communities.”  Arrgh!

Here are some suggestions on how to do a better job of thanking your donors.

Thank your donors right away
Thank your donors within 48 hours.  It’s possible to do this, but you’ll need a commitment from your staff and board.  Here is more information.  3 Secrets to Getting Your Donor Thank You Out in 48 Hours 

One size doesn’t fit all
What type of relationship do you have with your donor?  Is she a new donor, repeat donor, volunteer, etc?  Acknowledge that when you thank her. A Fundraiser’s Guide to Effective Gift Acknowledgment
Make it personal
Let’s all take a vow to keep jargon and impersonal language out of our thank you letters.  Be conversational and friendly.  Let your donor know how much you appreciate him.

Show how your donor is helping you make a difference
Share a success story and show what her gift will fund.

Give your donors a call

Calling your donors to say thank you is an easy, yet effective way, to show appreciation.

This is a great job for your board. The executive director or other staff and volunteers can make calls, too. Make sure you find people who are comfortable making phone calls and don’t sound as if they are reading from a script. You want callers who are willing to engage in a conversation with donors.

Come up with script and a spreadsheet to record notes. You may want to conduct a little mini-orientation to get your callers pumped up and give them an opportunity to practice. Here is a sample script.


Hi, this is Susan Jones and I’m a board member at the Westside Community Food Pantry. I’m calling to thank you for your generous donation of $50. Thanks to you, we can provide a family with a week’s worth of groceries. This is great. We are seeing more people use our food pantry right now because of cuts to food stamp programs. We really appreciate your support.

It’s fine to leave a message, but be sure to provide a call back number in case the donor wants to talk with someone.

Not only is calling your donors an effective way to say thank you, it can help you keep your donors and raise more money in the future.

Seven Tips for Making Better Donor Thank You Calls
Donor Thank You Calls: Everything You Need To Know
Send a handwritten note

A few handwritten sentences on a nice card is going to make much more of an impact than a printed thank you letter. Think about creating a thank you card or postcard with an engaging photo on the front. 

Since you will only be able to write a few sentences – make them count. Use a warm, conversational tone. Try something like this.

Dear Lisa,

You’re amazing! Your generous contribution of $50 will help us meet our goal of expanding our tutoring program to serve more students.

Your support makes a difference. 85% of the students in our program are now reading at their grade level or above. 

This shouldn’t take you that much time and it is time well spent. You can put together a team of staff, board members, and other volunteers to write the notes. You could also have clients write notes. Make sure to find people with legible handwriting.

Sending a handwritten note shows your donor how much you appreciate them.

The Power of a Handwritten Note

Why Direct Mail – the more personal the better – Will Not Die

Just because your thank you letters are generated by a computer doesn’t mean they need to sound like one
If you can’t make calls or send a handwritten note to all your donors, send a heartfelt, personal printed letter, and include a short handwritten message.  Give it the human touch. 

Let your donors know you are saying thank you because you want to, not because you have to.  

Also, even though your online donors will receive an automatic thank you email, they should still get something in the mail or a phone call.

You can use the samples above for printed letters, as well.

When thanking your donors, remember to thank them right away, make it warm and personal, and show them how they are helping you make a difference.

More inspiration to help you thank your donors.

How “Wow!” Experiences Create Lifetime Donors

Beyond Formulas: Thanking Donors and Volunteers

Photo by Clever Cupcakes via Flickr

Make Your New Donors Feel Welcome

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising
Did you know that approximately 75% of first time donors don’t make a second gift?  Yikes! 

Donor retention rates have plunged over the last couple of years, but let’s make 2013 the year we turn those numbers around.

Step 1 – Do something special for your current first time donors before you send out your annual appeal.  

You could send them a short thank you email, postcard, or note card in which you shower them with appreciation and give a specific example of how their support is helping you make difference.

Of course, you should continue to stay connected to all your supporters by showing gratitude and sharing accomplishments.

Step 2 – In my last post, I wrote about personalizing your annual appeal letters for different types of donors.  Thank your first time donors for their previous gift, let them know how much you appreciate them, and show them how they are part of your success.

Step 3 – A huge factor in donor retention is a good donor relations plan that you will carry out regularly as long as your donors support you, which hopefully will be for a long time.

Here is what you can do for your new donors.

Create a welcome plan
Welcome your new donors. Say thank you and show them other ways they can connect with you. Invite them to subscribe to your newsletter and join you on social media.

Some organizations mail out welcome packages. This can include a warm introductory letter and a brochure or fact sheet, as well as guiding new donors to your website for more information about your organization.

How Welcoming Is Your Donor-Welcome Package?
How do you make new donors feel welcome?
Be careful about how much information you send out.  Donors want to feel welcome not overwhelmed.

I don’t recommend sending unsolicited swag such as Address Labels, Blankets, Calendars Instead, you could offer your new donors a gift and they can let you know if they want to receive it, but it’s not necessary. 

What donors really want from you is to know how they are helping you make a difference.

Phone calls matter
According to fundraising expert Roger Craver, thank you calls increase retention rates for first time donors by 25%. You should make thank you calls to all your donors, but if that’s impossible, one of your priorities should be calling your new donors.

Get a group of board members and other enthusiastic volunteers to do this.  Leaving a message is fine, but if you do get someone on the line, ask her what drew her to your organization.

Remember to thank your donors within 48 hours.

Who are your new donors?
They could be event attendees, volunteers, or newsletter subscribers.  If you know, make a reference to that in your thank you letter. If not, send a short survey and ask “How did you hear about us?”  Surveys are also a good way to connect throughout the year.

Keep spreading the love
Keep reaching out your donors – at least once or twice a month.  Show appreciation and update them on your success. 

Also, think of ways to do something else special for your new donors. You could offer tours of your facility or hold an open house.

Let’s hope next year at this time the donor retention rates won’t be so dismal.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising
A mistake some nonprofits make is to send everyone on their mailing list the same annual appeal letter. You have different relationships with these individuals, so you need to personalize your letters as much as possible. Don’t worry, you can use some of the same content in all your letters. 

Know your audience. Spend a little time going through your records to get information on your donors and segment them into different groups.  A good database will help with that. 

Here are some ideas for segmenting your lists and ways to personalize letters for different donor groups.

Current Donors
You will have the most luck with your current donors.  Ideally, your donors will donate again and give a higher amount. This may not happen if you haven’t been engaging with them throughout the year.

Let these donors know how much you appreciated their previous gift and include the amount of that gift.  Donors don’t always remember what they gave last time and you want to help them out so they don’t have to spend time searching their records. 

First Time Donors
The biggest attrition comes between the first and second gift.  Show these donors a little extra love right now.  You don’t want them to slip away.  You could send them a special thank you email or postcard showing them how they helped you achieve X.

Lapsed Donors
Don’t write off these donors yet, especially if they have donated within the last few years.  Let them know you miss them and want them back.

At some point, you’ll want to go through your list of lapsed donors to see which ones you should keep following up with.

Event Attendees
If someone has attended one of your fundraising or cultivation events, mention how great it was to see her at that event.

Something else to keep in mind – After you hold an event, be sure to send thank you notes to all attendees.

Volunteers
Volunteers are another potential donor group.  After all, they should be passionate about your work.  You’ll have better luck if they feel appreciated.

Some volunteers may not have the means to give or feel their time is their gift, but they might be able to get their friends or parents to donate.

Other Supporters
If you are sending an appeal to someone who has never donated to you before, don’t thank him for a past gift. 

You may be sending appeals to newsletter subscribers or social media followers who are not donors.  Here you can thank them for their interest or find some other way to connect.

You may have also traded or bought mailing lists, which will not bring you as much success as you will have with current donors and supporters. Try to find a connection between their interests and your organization.

Handwritten notes
You’ll want to include a short handwritten note on all of your appeal letters.  Use some of the same personal information you have gathered.  If it’s impossible for your organization to create different letters, then tailor these handwritten notes to each donor.

Be personal
Again, don’t send out a generic annual appeal letter.  One size doesn’t fit all.

Here are a couple of more ideas to help you make your donor communications more personal and other ways you can segment your lists.

Defining Donor Personas is a Fundraising Best Practice
Are you ready to segment?

Are You Ready For Your Annual Appeal?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising
Wow, it’s already September.  This summer seemed to zip by. As the humidity gives way to that wonderful crisp air, life gets a whole lot busier once Labor Day passes.

This is also true for nonprofit organizations, especially if you are doing an annual appeal later in the fall.  Many nonprofits rely on their annual appeal for a good portion of their revenue.  Even if you are not sending it out for a couple of months, there’s a lot to do to prepare.

I’ve compiled this checklist of items to help you get ready for your annual appeal.

How much money do you need to raise?
You may have already set a goal in your 2013 fundraising plan (at least I hope you did) and perhaps you need to revise that goal.  If you haven’t set a goal, determine how much money you need to raise before you start your campaign. 

Make a plan
Start putting together a plan for your annual appeal that includes a timeline, task list, and the different channels you will use.  Make it as detailed as possible. A Fundraiser’s Guide to the Fall 

Update your mailing lists
Make sure your postal and email mailing lists are up-to-date.  Check for duplicate addresses and typos.  Your donors do not want to receive three letters or have their names misspelled.  Also, segment your lists by donor group. Clean Up and Organize Your Mailing Lists 

Stories and photos 
Find a good story for your annual appeal. You’ll want some engaging photos for your letter and donation page, too.  Quotes can also enhance your appeal. Put Together a Collection of Stories and Photos 

Accomplishments and plans for the future

Your appeal letter should highlight some of the year’s accomplishments and state what you plan to do next year. For example, let’s say you run an afterschool program for high school students. Share your success of reaching your goal of serving X number of students. Next year you would like to expand and serve middle school students, as well.

Focus on the people you serve and show how you are making a difference thanks to your donors’ contributions.

Letterhead and envelopes
Don’t wait until the end of October to check your supply of letterhead and envelopes.  Make sure you have enough.  Perhaps you want to create a special outer envelope. 

Even though many people donate online, you want to make it easy for donors who prefer to mail a check.  Include a return envelope and a preprinted form with the donor’s contact information and the amount of last year’s gift.

Donation page/website
Speaking of online giving, be sure your donation page is user-friendly and consistent with your other fundraising materials.  Highlight your annual appeal on your home page and include a prominent Donate Now button. While you are at it, check your website for out of date information and broken links. Create A Welcoming Donation Page

Giving levels
Create a set of giving levels, if you haven’t already done so. This example from the Fresh Air Fund shows donors how their support helps send New York City kids to camp – $21 pays for a bus ticket, $100 covers swimming lessons, and all the way up to $962, which funds one week at camp. About Countdown to Summer 

Monthly giving
Monthly giving is great way to get larger contributions.  Some people might balk at donating $100 or more, but if you present it as $10 a month ($120 a year!), it sounds more feasible.

Thank yous
You aren’t done with your annual appeal once you mail out your letters. You need to thank your donors as soon as you receive their gifts. Unfortunately, thanking donors seems to be an afterthought for some organizations. 

Now is a good time to create or buy some thank you cards, as well as finding board members to make thank you calls.

Keep your donors happy
I realize you’re busy getting ready for your annual appeal, but this is not the time to skimp on your newsletters and social media updates.  Keep engaging your donors and other supporters (who may become donors) by sharing success stories.  Go the extra mile and send messages of gratitude or hold an informal open house. 

I’ll be writing more about annual appeals throughout the fall.  In the meantime, what are you doing to prepare for your annual appeal?

Show Appreciation by Holding an Open House

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising
Nonprofit organizations need to find ways to thank donors all year round. One special way to show appreciation is to hold an open house at your organization. If you can’t hold it on site, have it at a restaurant or other venue.  You may be able to find someone to donate space.
Not for donors only
You could just have an event for donors, but why not invite your email subscribers and your social media followers? This could be a great way to convert these supporters into donors. Also, encourage donors to bring a friend. 
Coordinate it with your annual appeal
Depending on your resources, you may only be able to hold one open house a year.  If you can hold more, that’s great.  A good time to have one is before you launch your annual appeal.  Most organizations do a fall appeal, so think about holding one in October or early November.
Another option is the spring, if you have an appeal then, or you could make it a thank you event.  Winter is tricky, unless you are fortunate to live in a part of the country where it doesn’t snow.  Summer is also problematic since it’s vacation time.
Whenever you decide to hold your open house, don’t ask for money at this event. 
Make it informal
Hold a gathering where your supporters can drop in after work.  Serve refreshments. You may be able to get food and beverages donated or find a sponsor. 
Have a brief program.  You could show a video and/or let a client share his or her story.  Your executive director or board chair should thank the attendees and share some accomplishments and plans for the future.  Again, keep it brief; don’t bore people.
Create some photo displays and have literature available. You could also show a video on a laptop. Offer tours, if that makes sense.
Let your donors and other supporters see the heart and soul of your organization.
Get your board involved
You want a good turnout from your board. Encourage board members to invite friends and other potential prospects.
Brush up on those talking points
Make sure staff and board mingle with your supporters and make them feel welcome.  You may need to go over your organization’s talking points and elevator pitches with everyone, so they can be prepared to talk about what you do and answer questions. The 4 Cornerstones of Your Nonprofit Message Platform 
Don’t let them get away
Anyone who has taken time out of his/her busy schedule to attend your open house deserves a ton of attention.
Collect names and addresses of people who attended and send a thank you note right away. Don’t ask for money (that comes later).
When you do send your annual appeal, make a reference in the letter or handwritten note that it was great to see them at your open house.

Not all your donors will attend, but they will appreciate the invitation.  Donors and other supporters who do come are showing you they are interested in your organization.  Keep cultivating them.  This will help ensure they will continue to support you. 

Summer Project Time – Put Together a Collection of Stories and Photos

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing
Another project you can do this summer is to gather stories and photos.  You’ll need them for your annual appeal, and can also use them in an annual report, on your website, and in your newsletters.

You want to have a collection of engaging stories and photos to use throughout the year. 

Show don’t tell
Many nonprofits try to explain their “programs and services” by using abstract and impersonal language. Tell a story instead. A story can show how your organization is making a difference in a concrete and personal way. Stories are a great way to introduce your organization to potential donors and show current donors the impact of their support.

Don’t just say you have opened a clinic in an underserved community.  Share Mary’s story.  Mary, a 68-year-old woman with diabetes, used to have to take two busses to see the doctor. Now she can visit the new clinic that’s a five minute walk from her house.  Include some quotes from Mary, or better yet have her tell a story in the first person.

Imagine you are a donor.  Wouldn’t you rather read a story than a bunch of facts and statistics?

Read on for more information to help you tell your stories.

You Have 6 Nonprofit Story Types to Tell (Part One)

5 Steps to Collecting Stories Now for Year-End Fundraising

Do You Have Good Stories To Tell?

Why Telling One Person’s Story Moves Your Constituents to Action

Tell a visual story
You’ve probably heard the expression a picture is worth a 1000 words.  Yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s relevant in this day of information overload.  Your donors don’t have a lot of time to read your messages, but you can capture their attention in an instant with a great photo. Engage Prospects With Visual Content 

Use photos that show your work in action – photos that tell a story. I love this photo from the Fresh Air Fund.  It really caught my attention the first time I saw it. FreshAirFundPrintPSA-Fundraising-BigSplashes.
Here is more information to help you create and use photos.
5 Ways To Make Your Visual Content More Stunning

How Nonprofits Can Use Images and Video to Engage: A Case Study 
Work with your program staff
If you are making a difference, then you have good stories to tell.  Most likely you’ll need to work with your program staff to gather stories and photos.  They will either provide you with stories or give you access to clients that you can interview or photograph.  They’ll also help you get any permissions, if you want to talk with or photograph children.

If any of your clients are reluctant to share their stories, remember you can change their names to protect their privacy.

You do need to respect the program staff’s time and not approach them at the last minute because you need a story for your annual appeal.

Successful nonprofit organizations have good staff relationships where everyone works together for the people you serve.  Don’t get territorial and create silos. 

Here is more information on how you can all work together to share your stories.  Let’s Work Together – The Importance of a Good Relationship with the Program Department
Being organized pays off
I recommend gathering stories and photos at least once or twice year.  It’s okay to use the same photos and stories in different materials.  Often a familiar photograph can help with your brand identity.

By having this collection of stories and photos, you can easily find one for your annual appeal, thank you letters, or newsletters.

Photo by UNE Photos via Flickr

Summer Project Time – Clean Up and Organize Your Mailing Lists

Ann Green donor relations, fundraising
It’s summer!  You might not be thinking about your fall annual appeal when it’s 90+ degrees, but you should be.  Fall will be here before you know it.

Over the next several weeks, I’m going to give you some ideas of ways to get ready for your annual appeal and other projects you can do over the summer when it may not be as busy.

A good project to start with is to clean up and organize your mailing lists (regular mail and email).

Add, edit, and delete
Do you have a bunch of address change requests or bounced email addresses?  Now is a good time to take care of those.

Also, check for misspelled or incorrect names and addresses.  I’m often addressed as Anne rather than Ann.  You won’t make a good first impression if you get your donor’s name wrong or there is a typo in the address.

Handle with care
Data entry is boring, but is something you need to take seriously, and make sure it’s done with care to avoid any misspellings,etc.  Often the person who does your data entry (volunteers?) may not know your donors as well.  If that’s the case, have your development director, executive director, or any board members who interact with donors look over your lists.  Tedious, yes, but important.

If a donor ever lets you know his or her name is incorrect, apologize and fix it right away.

Get personal
Add any personal bits of information about your donors to your database.  This could include attending an event or meeting with a board member.  You’ll need this when you personalize your letters (see below) and add a short handwritten note on each one.

Segment your lists
Divide your lists by current donors, monthly donors, lapsed donors, other supporters (e.g. people who subscribe to your email list but aren’t donors), event attendees, volunteers, etc.  

You want to personalize your letters according to donor group.  You are going to have the most success with current donors, provided that you have been showing gratitude and sharing accomplishments throughout the year.

Donor retention rates have been pretty dismal lately, and the biggest attrition comes between the first and second donation.  You may also want to create a list of first time donors.  I’m going to write a separate post about doing something special for your first time donors, such as sending a thank you postcard or email to help ensure they will donate again.

Here is some more information on segmenting your lists. Are you ready to segment?
You’ll also want to invest in a good database and email service provider to make this easier for you. Remember, Excel Is Not A Donor Database 

Go multi-channel
You’ll have more success in your annual appeal campaign if you can communicate with your donors through more than one channel.

When going through your lists, you may discover you have mailing addresses for some donors, but no email addresses or vice versa.  Here you need write or email your donors to get that information.  They may not give it to you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

You can also email your donors to invite them to follow you on social media and post something on social media inviting folks to sign up for your email list.

Personalization makes a difference
Yes, all of this will take time, which is why you should start thinking about it now and not at the end of October.

You want to get your donors’ names right and make sure there aren’t any typos in their addresses.  Also, the more you are able to personalize their annual appeal letters, the more successful you will be.

Photo by U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv via Flickr

Do You Really Talk Like That?

Ann Green Communications, donor relations, fundraising, marketing, writing
Imagine that you are donor and you receive a newsletter from a nonprofit organization that you support.  As you read it, you come across phrases like generate social capital and culture-focused projects.  Does it make you want to read more, or put it aside and go on to your next piece of mail?

One of the keys to good writing is to be conversational.  Many nonprofit communications (newsletters, fundraising letters, etc) are not conversational and tend to be impersonal and abstract.

Don’t worry. it’s easy to fix this.  Here are a few ways to make your writing more conversational.

Write in the second person
Refer to your reader as you and your organization as we.  Since you want to be donor-focused, use you more than we.

Write as if you are talking to a friend. You may want to create donor personas to help you with that. How to Develop Donor Personas for Your Nonprofit

Ditch the jargon
Most industries have some type of insider language.  I think people like to use it because it makes them feel like they are “in the know.”

The problem is when this language starts creeping into your fundraising letters and newsletter articles.  Terms like capacity building and direct service don’t mean anything to most of your donors. Personally, I’d like to see nonprofit folks stop using jargon so much among themselves.

I found the examples cited above in a nonprofit newsletter I recently received.  I’m not sure what this organization is trying to convey when they say generate social capital. Are they talking about economic benefits or community building?

Donors want specific examples of how you are making a difference by helping homeless families find affordable housing or showing how your tutoring program boosts kids’ reading skills.

The culture-focused project referred to students creating a flag from their “country of origin.”  Why not tell a story about Sarah and Maria’s experience working on this project and include some quotes from the girls?

If you are not sure you are using jargon, this might help. Jargon Finder 

Don’t use the passive voice 
I’m not a fan of the passive voice. It weakens your writing, and if you use it in a conversation, you sound pretentious.

Instead of saying 200,000 meals were served at the Riverside Community Food Bank, say thanks to you (remember your donor) we served 200,000 meals….. 

Use strong, active verbs and limit passive verbs (is, was) as much as possible.

Back to school
Many major newspapers write at a sixth to eighth grade level  and so should you.  This is not dumbing down; you are making your stories easy to read and understand.  When you use big words, you are confusing and alienating your readers.

The Flesch Kinkaid tool in the review section of Word can be helpful.  It gives you readability statistics, number of passive sentences, and grade level.

Make this a priority
Your writing needs to be conversational so you can create clear and engaging messages.

You might want to read your letter/article out loud, or have someone outside your organization look at it.  I don’t always like to recommend multiple editors, and perhaps this is one of the reasons for flat writing, but what may be clear to you might not make sense to others.

Keep all this is mind as you start to craft your fall annual appeal letters and thank you letters. 

Your donors are busy and receive messages from a variety of sources besides yours.  Make your letter, email message, or social media post something they will take the time to read. 

Read below for more information to help you make your writing clear and specific.
Instead of Help, Support, Resources and Services
Crafting Fundraising Letters: What To Say Instead of “Programs and Services”