How to Write Emails That Inspire Donations

Email fundraising works because it’s personal, direct, and effective. For faith-based nonprofits, it’s a unique opportunity to connect with donors on a deeper level, share impactful stories, and encourage giving. Here’s what you need to know to craft emails that motivate action:

• Understand your audience: Faith-based donors are driven by their values and desire to make a difference. Use language and themes that resonate with their beliefs.
• Focus on structure: Start with an emotional story, highlight the need, and end with a clear call to action.
• Keep it simple and mobile-friendly: Short paragraphs, bold key points, and large tappable buttons make emails easy to read and act on.
• Personalize and segment: Tailor your messages to different donor groups for stronger connections and better results.
• Track and refine: Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to improve your campaigns over time.

Pro Tip: Use subject lines that are short, specific, and urgent to boost open rates. And always make donating quick and seamless - fewer steps mean more conversions.

Whether it’s thanking donors, sharing impact stories, or asking for support, email remains one of the best tools to grow your mission. Let’s dive into how to make every email count.

How to Write Better Fundraising Emails

Know Your Faith-Based Donor Audience

Before writing your email content, it’s essential to understand the mindset of your faith-based donors. These individuals give because their faith inspires them to do so. By understanding what moves them, you can create messages that align with their values and genuinely connect with their hearts.

What Motivates Faith-Based Donors

Faith-based donors are driven by missions that reflect their spiritual beliefs. They want to see evidence of responsible stewardship - clear proof that their contributions are being used effectively. Trust in your organization’s leadership and transparency about how funds are allocated are critical to building this confidence. Regular updates on the impact of their generosity go a long way in maintaining their support.

For many, giving isn’t just a kind gesture - it’s a spiritual practice rooted in scripture. They see it as both an obligation and a way to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. By addressing this spiritual perspective in your emails, you can show how their donations fulfill a higher calling to serve others.

"We're real people who care about your missional work - and know how to help it shine brighter." – Share Services

Stories of impact resonate deeply with faith-based donors. Sharing how their contributions provide meals for families or fund a child’s education helps them see the tangible results of their generosity.

Faith-Focused Language and Themes

The language you use in your emails is incredibly important when reaching out to faith-based supporters. Faith-centered terms like "stewardship", "blessings", "service", and "community" immediately establish a connection by reflecting their core beliefs.

Consider opening your emails with a mission statement that ties your work to faith. For example: “At [organization name], we are committed to serving others as a reflection of our faith and calling.” This sets a spiritual tone and positions donors as active partners in your mission.

Incorporate testimonials from beneficiaries to highlight how your work changes lives. Closing your emails with phrases like "your generosity is a blessing to our community" or "together, we serve others in faith and love" reinforces the idea that their giving is part of a shared, meaningful purpose.

Bringing in community-focused themes strengthens this connection further. Phrases such as "our faith community" or "together in service" remind donors that they’re part of a collective effort to make a difference.

Use Proper U.S. Formatting

Paying attention to formatting details shows professionalism and respect for your donors. It also builds trust in your communications.

• Use the dollar sign ($) for donation amounts (e.g., $25, $100, $1,500).
• Follow the American date format: Month Day, Year (e.g., December 15, 2025).
• Stick to U.S. conventions for phone numbers and addresses.

Additionally, write in American English to meet donor expectations and demonstrate attention to detail.

"We help you connect with supporters online who already align with your values and mission." – Share Services

Write Email Content That Gets Results

Creating emails that inspire donations comes down to three key elements: an attention-grabbing subject line, a well-structured message, and clear, easy-to-read content.

Write Subject Lines That Get Opened

The subject line is your first chance to engage donors, so it needs to stand out. Emails with personalized and urgent subject lines can boost open rates by up to 22% compared to generic ones. The best subject lines are short, specific, and convey urgency or value.

Keep it under 50 characters to ensure it displays properly across devices. Personalization goes a long way - mention a donor's past contributions or connection to your mission. For example, instead of "Help Us Reach Our Goal", try "Sarah, your gift brings hope to families" or "Only 24 hours left to make a difference."

Urgency works well, especially for faith-based donors, when tied to meaningful deadlines like holidays or matching gift campaigns. Examples include: "Just 5 days left to meet our Christmas goal" or "Double your impact - deadline midnight!"

Avoid using all caps or too many exclamation points, as these can trigger spam filters and come across as unprofessional. Keep your tone clear and respectful, aligning with the expectations of your audience. Once your subject line grabs attention, the email content needs to deliver.

Structure Your Email for Maximum Impact

A powerful donation email follows a problem-solution-ask format: start with an emotional story, highlight the problem, explain how your organization addresses it, and end with a direct call to action.

Start with a personal, heartfelt story that draws the reader in. For instance: "Dear [Name], your generosity has changed lives - can we count on you again? Last month, Maria came to our food pantry with her three children, unsure how she’d feed them through the week." This opening connects emotionally while acknowledging the donor’s past support.

Next, clearly state the need. Instead of vague statements like "many families are struggling", offer specifics: "Thanks to donors like you, we’ve provided 500 meals to families in need. Will you help us reach even more?" This approach highlights the impact and the ongoing need.

Emails with a single, clear call to action see click-through rates up to 371% higher than those with multiple CTAs. End your email with one specific ask, such as a "Donate Now" button, and explain what different donation amounts can achieve.

"Share helped us test simplified + focused messaging that improved our conversion rates." – Jasmine Morse, Advancement Department

Make Your Emails Easy to Read

For maximum readability, keep paragraphs short, use bullet points, and highlight key points with bold text. Mobile-optimized emails see click-through rates 15-20% higher than those that aren’t. Aim for paragraphs with just 2-3 sentences each.

Use bullet points to break down impact statistics, like this:

• $25 provides meals for a family of four
• $50 sponsors a child’s school supplies for a month
• $100 funds emergency assistance for a family in crisis

Bold key phrases, donation amounts, and your call-to-action to make them stand out, but don’t overdo it - too much formatting can overwhelm readers.

Write in a conversational tone that reflects your organization’s personality while staying professional. Use active language. For example, instead of saying, "Donations would be greatly appreciated", say, "Your $50 gift will provide warm meals for five families this week."

Finally, remember that many donors will read your email on their phones. Make sure buttons are large enough to tap easily, and text is readable without zooming. These small adjustments make the donation process smoother and more effective.

Boost Engagement and Donations

Did you know that personalized emails can generate 6 times higher transaction rates compared to generic ones? And with over 50% of nonprofit email opens in the U.S. happening on mobile devices, it’s clear why creating targeted, mobile-friendly emails is crucial to fundraising success. The key lies in tailoring your approach to connect with donors on a deeper level.

Personalize Content for Different Donor Groups

Segmenting your donor list is a game-changer. By grouping donors based on factors like past giving, location, or engagement level, you can craft messages that resonate. In fact, segmented email campaigns can generate up to 760% more revenue than non-segmented ones.

For example, referencing a donor’s past contributions or tying your appeal to local initiatives can create a personal connection. If someone supported a youth program, send updates and appeals specifically about that program. This approach strengthens emotional ties and reinforces their impact.

Pay attention to donor behavior, too. Track who opens emails, clicks links, or shares your content. These highly engaged individuals are often your strongest advocates and are more likely to respond to detailed appeals that highlight your mission’s success.

Design Emails for Mobile Devices

Since most donors check emails on their phones, optimizing for mobile is non-negotiable. Use responsive templates that adapt to any screen size. Keep your design simple - clean layouts, plenty of white space, and fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Georgia make reading easy on smaller screens.

Place your key message and call-to-action (CTA) at the very top of the email. This ensures donors see your main point without excessive scrolling. Use large, tappable buttons for actions like donating, and keep your focus on one clear goal - such as encouraging a donation.

"Share helped us test simplified + focused messaging that improved our conversion rates. Additionally, paid display ad retargeting was successful, and the recurring giving pop-up brought in almost 100 new monthly gifts. We've continued to see success with both of these strategies in other campaign efforts."
– Jasmine Morse, Advancement Department

A smooth mobile experience makes it easier for donors to take action quickly and securely.

Make Donating Simple and Fast

Once your email grabs attention, the donation process should be effortless. Research shows that every additional step or required field can lower conversions by up to 10%. Donation pages with fewer than five fields see a 34% higher completion rate compared to more complex ones.

When donors click your CTA, they should land on a fast-loading page optimized for mobile. Include pre-set donation amounts in U.S. dollars (e.g., $25, $50, $100) that align with the stories shared in your email. Offering multiple secure payment options - like credit cards, PayPal, and ACH transfers - ensures convenience for all donors. Trust badges and links to your privacy policy can further build confidence.

Recurring giving options are another powerful tool. Make them easy to find but not overwhelming. One organization saw major success when Share Services helped implement a recurring giving pop-up, resulting in nearly 100 new monthly donors. Monthly donors provide reliable income and often contribute more over time than one-time givers.

Adding a progress bar to show how close you are to your goal can also motivate donors to act. Keep the process fast, secure, and straightforward - especially for mobile users who want a hassle-free way to give.

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Track and Improve Email Performance

When it comes to email fundraising, tracking performance and making adjustments based on data is key. By keeping an eye on the right metrics, you can figure out what works, what doesn’t, and how to inspire more donations. Without this insight, you’re essentially guessing - and that’s no way to build a successful campaign.

A solid review process helps turn numbers into action. Faith-based nonprofits that regularly analyze and refine their email strategies tend to achieve better outcomes compared to those who simply send emails and hope for the best.

Monitor Key Email Metrics

To truly understand how your emails are performing, focus on three main metrics: open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates. These numbers tell the story of your email’s journey - from being opened to motivating donations.

• Open rates show how many recipients opened your email. If your open rate is consistently below 20%, it may be time to rethink your subject lines.
• Click-through rates measure the percentage of people who clicked on links in your email. Nonprofits typically see CTRs in the 2%–4% range, which indicates how well your content encourages action.
• Conversion rates track the percentage of recipients who complete a donation. While most nonprofit emails see conversion rates between 0.5% and 2%, personalized and well-targeted campaigns often perform better.

Keep a record of each campaign’s metrics, including the send date, audience size, and revenue generated. This helps you identify trends and measure progress over time. It’s also a good idea to review performance within 24–48 hours of sending to address any technical issues or unexpected results. Then, conduct a monthly analysis to compare campaigns and uncover patterns.

Once you’ve gathered this data, use it to refine your strategy through targeted testing.

Test and Refine Your Campaigns

A/B testing takes the guesswork out of email optimization by providing clear, data-backed insights. This involves sending two slightly different versions of an email to smaller audience segments to see which one performs better.

Start by testing subject lines. For instance, compare a personalized line like “Sarah, Help Us Serve Families This Winter” with a more generic one such as “Support Our Mission.” You could also test urgency-focused lines like “Only 5 Days Left to Help” against benefit-driven ones like “See How Your Gift Transforms Lives.”

For faith-based organizations, experimenting with spiritual language can also be effective. For example, test subject lines such as “Answer the Call to Serve” against “Make an Impact Today” to see what resonates most with your audience. Keep subject lines short - around 50 characters - for better mobile display, and avoid spam-trigger words.

When conducting A/B tests, focus on one variable at a time. For instance, send version A to 25% of your audience, version B to another 25%, and then send the winning version to the remaining 50%. Track which version drives better open rates, CTRs, and donations.

You can also experiment with send times. Try sending emails in the morning (6–9 AM) versus the evening (5–8 PM) and compare weekday performance to weekends. Faith communities may have unique patterns for checking emails, so testing can reveal the best timing for your audience.

Document all testing results and use the winning variations in future campaigns. This ongoing process of testing and refinement helps you steadily improve your email performance.

Use Data to Re-Engage Past Donors

Your data can also guide efforts to reconnect with lapsed donors. Personalized, data-driven re-engagement emails can bring back up to 12% of inactive donors.

Start by identifying donors who haven’t opened your emails or clicked on donation links in the past 6–12 months. Segment these individuals and create targeted campaigns that acknowledge their past support while sharing new, impactful stories.

Look at what previously resonated with these donors. For example, if they were engaged with updates about youth programs, craft re-engagement emails featuring fresh stories from that program. Personalization helps rebuild emotional connections over time.

Eddie Laing, Paid Media Specialist, emphasizes the importance of re-engagement:

"It costs less to reactivate a lapsed donor than to acquire a new one. Email can be effective, but multi-channel approaches are even better. We did this with Focus and saw great results for them."

Test subject lines specifically designed for lapsed donors, such as “We Miss You - See What’s Changed” or “Your Impact Continues to Matter.” Highlight new initiatives or recent successes that might reignite their interest.

Jasmine Morse from the Advancement Department shares:

"Additionally, paid display ad retargeting was successful, and the recurring giving pop-up brought in almost 100 new monthly gifts. We've continued to see success with both of these strategies in other campaign efforts."

If a donor remains unresponsive after 2–3 attempts, move them to a less frequent mailing list to maintain the health of your overall list. Use insights from this process to adjust your regular communication strategy and reduce future disengagement.

Most email platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact offer built-in analytics tools to track these metrics. For deeper insights, integrate your email platform with a donor management system to analyze email engagement alongside donation history and lifetime donor value.

Partner with Share Services for Email Fundraising

Creating effective email campaigns takes skill, strategy, and constant fine-tuning. Many faith-based nonprofits face challenges like keeping donors engaged and improving digital outreach. That’s where Share Services steps in, offering tailored expertise to turn these hurdles into measurable results.

How Share Services Supports Nonprofits

Share Services integrates the email strategies mentioned earlier into their full suite of solutions. They specialize in helping nonprofits with annual revenues between $1 million and $20 million by offering services like digital fundraising, brand and messaging refinement, donor retention plans, new donor acquisition, and digital advertising.

Their approach is data-driven, helping nonprofits connect with their supporters, build loyalty, and expand their mission. Instead of cookie-cutter solutions, Share Services provides customized strategies to meet the specific needs of each organization.

From crafting compelling email copy to optimizing donation pages, they ensure every piece of your campaign works seamlessly to drive action. They also focus on growing email lists, reactivating lapsed donors, and attracting new supporters through integrated strategies.

Clear storytelling and straightforward messaging are at the heart of their approach. They help nonprofits communicate their mission in a way that resonates with donors, inspiring them to act. This is especially important for organizations struggling to effectively convey their impact.

Additionally, Share Services creates monthly donor journeys and retention programs that strengthen long-term relationships. Since keeping existing donors is far more cost-effective than finding new ones, these programs are essential for building sustainable fundraising efforts.

Proven Methods That Deliver Results

Share Services has developed proven strategies that deliver tangible outcomes for faith-based organizations. Their key methods include segmentation, personalized messaging, and donor retention programs to boost donations and engagement.

One standout strategy is their use of integrated, multi-channel reactivation campaigns. Eddie Laing, a Paid Media Specialist, explains why this approach is so effective:

"It costs less to reactivate a lapsed donor than to acquire a new one. Email can be effective, but multi-channel approaches are even better. We did this with Focus and saw great results for them."

They also help nonprofits test focused and simplified messaging to improve conversion rates. Jasmine Morse from an Advancement Department shared her success story:

"Share helped us test simplified + focused messaging that improved our conversion rates. Additionally, paid display ad retargeting was successful, and the recurring giving pop-up brought us almost 100 new monthly gifts. We've continued to see success with both of these strategies in other campaign efforts."

This showcases how Share Services combines email campaigns with other digital marketing tools to maximize impact. Their recurring giving programs, for instance, are designed to turn one-time donors into loyal supporters, streamlining the process for better results.

They also effectively use paid media campaigns to acquire donors and grow email lists, ensuring a steady flow of engaged prospects ready to convert into long-term supporters.

For organizations like Word of Life Fellowship, a student ministry focused on retention, Share Services has built comprehensive monthly donor journeys. Their process includes consultations, tailored marketing strategies, and managing platforms like websites, emails, and social media.

By blending faith-based messaging with data-driven insights, Share Services ensures nonprofits connect with their supporters in meaningful ways. Their email campaigns don’t just inspire immediate donations - they build lasting relationships that keep donors engaged and invested in the mission.

Faith-based nonprofits looking to elevate their email fundraising efforts will find the expertise, tools, and strategies they need with Share Services. They turn email subscribers into loyal donors and advocates, helping organizations grow their impact and achieve their goals.

Conclusion: Drive Donations Through Better Emails

Creating emails that inspire donations boils down to three key factors: understanding your audience, crafting engaging content, and constantly refining your strategies. When you understand the core values of faith-based donors, you can craft messages that truly connect with them. This understanding lays the groundwork for your next step - writing content that motivates action.

Start by grabbing attention with strong subject lines, heartfelt stories, and clear calls to action. Donors are much more likely to engage with emails that are straightforward and focused rather than cluttered or overly complicated. Many organizations have seen higher conversion rates simply by simplifying their messages and focusing on what matters most.

Personalization and mobile optimization are no longer optional - they’re critical. With over half of donors (55%) preferring thank-you messages via email, your follow-up is just as important as your initial outreach. By segmenting your email list, you can send tailored messages that align with different donor groups' interests and giving capacities.

Make the donation process quick and easy. A mobile-friendly design ensures donors can contribute seamlessly from any device, while a streamlined process encourages more people to complete their donations. These adjustments not only improve your campaigns but also build trust and strengthen relationships with your supporters.

Tracking and analyzing data is the backbone of successful email campaigns. Pay close attention to metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use these insights to fine-tune your subject lines, adjust your messaging, and identify the types of content your audience responds to most.

Finally, consider introducing monthly giving programs to foster long-term donor loyalty. Faith-based organizations have a unique ability to build deep connections through shared values and spiritual ties. These programs not only provide steady, reliable support but also transform one-time donors into passionate advocates for your mission.

FAQs

How can I personalize emails to better connect with faith-based donors?

To build stronger connections with faith-based donors, start by organizing your donor list into smaller groups. You can group them based on factors like how often they donate, how engaged they are with your organization, where they live, or their specific interests in faith-related causes. This way, you can create messages that feel more personal and meaningful to each group.

When reaching out, use personalized greetings that include the donor's name and acknowledge their past contributions or involvement. This small touch shows genuine gratitude. Sharing stories, testimonials, or updates that align with their values or highlight the impact of their support can deepen the emotional connection and encourage further engagement. Keep your tone warm, sincere, and in harmony with your cause's mission.

How can I make my fundraising emails easy to read and mobile-friendly?

To make your fundraising emails effective and easy to read on mobile devices, keep things straightforward and visually clear. Write in short paragraphs with concise sentences so your message is quick to skim. Focus on one clear call-to-action (CTA) - like a bold "Donate Now" button - that grabs attention. Avoid overwhelming the reader by sticking to a clean, uncluttered design.

For mobile optimization, use a responsive email template that adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes. Choose a font size of at least 14px for the body text, and ensure buttons are large enough to tap without difficulty. Always test your emails on multiple devices to check that formatting and functionality work perfectly before sending them out.

How can I measure the success of my email campaigns and improve future fundraising efforts?

To understand how well your email campaigns are performing, keep an eye on key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, donation conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates. These numbers can tell you a lot about how your audience is responding to your content.

Leverage email marketing analytics tools to dig deeper into recipient behavior. For example, track which links get the most clicks and how many people donate after reading your emails. Experimenting with A/B testing - trying out different subject lines, content formats, or calls-to-action - can help you fine-tune your strategy and improve results over time. By regularly analyzing these metrics, you’ll be better equipped to craft campaigns that truly resonate and drive more donations.

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