Fundraising Oriented Communications

How to Write Amazing Fundraising Materials

For fundraising purposes only

Every. Single. Time.

What is donor centered

fundraising?

• “What matters to the donor?”• Donor is the center, not the

organization• Donor centered = person

centered.

PEOPLE LIKE STORIES.

With a beginning, middle, and (sometimes) an end.

HEROES

CHARACTERS YOU CARE

ABOUT

FORGET WHAT YOU LEARNED IN COLLEGE.(And absolutely everything you learned in law school.)

FYI, going forward, in the long run, we need to adopt a KISS approach, engaging our stakeholders by adding value and leveraging our brand equity.

THE ASK(Don’t forget to ASK. Often.)

• Why?• Impact• Assumption of ‘yes’

PRESENTATION(it matters)

• Attention-grabbing• Formatting –Bold, underline, and italics–White space

• Consider using a P.S. at the end of the letter to sum up and call to action

BEFORE & AFTER(which would you rather read?)

OTHER TYPES OF FUNDRAISING COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS

•Email•Newsletters•Social Media

What Is Segmentation?

Dividing a broad donor base into smaller groups based on certain

characteristics

Why Segment Your List?

• For relationship building – show me you know me

• To make a “yes” more likely• Match with your capacity

What Kind of Information Can We Collect?

• Giving history• Public knowledge• Organizational

knowledge

How Do We Find This Information?

RESEARCH

INFO FROM

DONORPHONE CALLS

NATURAL PARTNERS

GIVING HISTORY

WHERE DO WE FIND THIS

INFORMATION?

SURVEYS

MEETINGS

What Do We Do With All This Information?

• Tailor your message• Give additional attention• Honor preferences

Questions