Photo Credit: Christina Morillo via Pexels

This email from GlobalGiving, a UK-based nonprofit, might be the best letter to donors I’ve ever seen—and it’s not even a direct fundraising pitch. My reaction was to immediately write to them asking permission to reprint their letter and analyze it in my newsletter. As you can see, they responded with a yes (in a gracious and warm brief note).

First their message, then my analysis in the footnotes:

[Subject line] Thank you for your generosity, SHEL¹

Hi SHEL,

As we approach the end of the year and reflect on the many moments that defined it, I am in awe of people like you. Your support of organizations like The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project² has touched so many lives, and I want to take a moment to express my profound gratitude for your generosity.³

Your gift hasn’t just funded a project, it’s uplifted a community. ⁴ Across the globe, locally-led organizations are pillars of change and innovation.⁵ They understand their communities’ unique needs and dreams, and thanks to your support, they can continue their invaluable work and grow their impact.⁶

This year, many communities are facing heartbreak and conflict. The circumstances under which local nonprofits are working are truly unfathomable⁷ and yet they inspire me with their ability to hold onto hope.⁸ I strive to hold them in the light, to stand beside them, and to send a deep desire for healing.⁹

Your generosity has touched countless lives.¹⁰ As we move into the season of gatherings and gratitude, know that you’ve made a difference.¹¹

May your holidays be a reflection of the hope and joy you’ve given to others.¹²

With heartfelt gratitude,

Victoria Vrana
CEO, GlobalGiving<sup>13

1</sup> Here and in the salutation, they use personalization, which is a good thing when not done to excess unless there are typos—but I would have run the mail merge through a case changer so regardless of how the subscriber entered their name, only the first letter was capitalized.
² Mentioning a specific charity with a link to that charity’s page on the GlobalGiving site is brilliant. It creates a direct connection with the results of donors’ gifts. Right at the top, the landing page lists the year that organization was founded, the total raised for this charity on the GlobalGiving platform, the years the two organizations have partnered, and the number of projects funded. Then a 22-word mission statement, followed by clickable listings of 22 funded or fundable projects with donation links to the ones that haven’t been fully funded yet.
³ This sounds sincere. It’s grateful, but not obsequious.
⁴ A perfect way to pull in the bigger goal of sweeping transformation. You’re not just funding one project. You’re uplifting a community.
⁵ And now it’s gone global, and it’s about massive transformation.
⁶ But then it circles back to the people on the ground, doing the work. So we have local to global, to local someplace else.
⁷ Yes, she’s tugging on a pain point—but it’s not the focus of the letter.
⁸ And she moves immediately to hope and optimism rather than trying to dig a “misery hole” (as far too many nonprofits do).
⁹ She includes a prayer—without calling it a prayer, which can be a divisive label—for those dedicated workers she just cited. I found that a lovely touch.
¹⁰ Another pat on the back for her donors.
¹¹ This is as close as she comes to a fundraising pitch. She states explicitly that the recipient of this letter has made a difference. She implies that the donor could continue to make a difference by giving again, but she has too much respect for her readers’ intelligence to come out and ask. And this, to a person who sees a gazillion fund appeals, especially in the last six weeks of the year, is really refreshing. I happen to be writing this on Giving Tuesday and I received about 50 fund appeals today. I didn’t even open them. Too many and not a good way to quickly tell the good organizations apart from the lesser ones. Her letter arrived on US Thanksgiving Day. I’m betting that a lot of people might be motivated to give because she DIDN’T ask! And yes, I am aware that this is heresy in the marketing world.
¹² Another really sweet touch, and again, something that could have turned saccharine in the hands of a less skilled copywriter. She reflects back the light and good that the donor has done—right back to the donor.
¹³ She’s literally putting a face on the organization by including her picture. The email also used a template to add color and visual interest (I would guess Constant Contact). And she DOESN’T include a PS—another marketing heresy. So don’t be afraid to break the rules. Know what you’re doing and why, know why these rules have been developed over time. But then don’t be afraid to violate them and follow your heart.