5 Tips for Amazing Newsletters

Newsletters are an important way to keep in touch with your donors. They’re how you share your stories with them, keep them updated on what you’re doing, and maintain emotional connections and relationships. They’re also a valuable fundraising tool.

Nonprofit tech guru Heather Mansfield recently compiled a few examples of excellent nonprofit newsletters on her blog Nonprofit Tech for Good. We looked at them and put together a list of handy tips that you can use to revamp your nonprofit’s newsletter.

1. Make Your “Donate” Button Visible

Fundraising is not the sole reason for sending newsletters, but it’s definitely an important part. Don’t be bashful — put that donate button out there for everyone to see! It’s easy to add a button and link it back to your donation page. And don’t hide it away, either. Make it colorful and prevalent so donors know how to support your cause.

2. Keep It Brief

Donors don’t want to open a newsletter and see a wall of text. Keep your content brief and easy to digest. A great way to keep it manageable is to include headlines and summaries of important news in your newsletter and link them to full articles on your website or your organization’s blog. As a bonus, you’ll get increased traffic to your page!

3. Use Photos and Video

Remember the old adage that says “A picture is worth a thousand words?” That’s especially true in newsletters, where your audience’s attention span is limited and staying concise is important. Pictures and videos help readers connect with your organization, build enthusiasm for your mission, and show that donors are making a difference. A few well-placed visuals will make a world of difference when it comes to readership and donor involvement.

4. Link Out!

You spend a lot of time and effort building your online presence. You write blogs, you send Tweets, you update your Facebook. Let people know! Include links to your website, your news page, your social media channels — anywhere you think donors will interact with you.

5. Make It Shareable

Social media connects millions of people all around the world and is quickly becoming the main way people share news and information with each other. You can put that global network to use by making your newsletter shareable on Facebook and other social media sites. After you enable sharing, your readers can post your newsletter to Facebook, X, and other sites, which can help build your audience and your base of supporters.