The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Nonprofits

When it comes to digital marketing for nonprofits, email marketing is one of the best methods to get the job done. Since email is one of the most commonly used means of communication, you can reach a wide audience and spread awareness of your organization.

If you want to acquire new leads and raise more funds for your nonprofit, you have come to the right place. Coming up with an excellent email marketing plan may take time and resources, but with the right tools and tactics, it’s absolutely within your reach. 

This comprehensive guide is the ultimate resource for all things related to email marketing for nonprofits. Not only will you have all the information you need, but you’ll also have the confidence to execute your own amazing email marketing strategies that bring in more donors and supporters. 

Conquering the nitty-gritty world of email marketing isn't on your personal itinerary? You can also offload the tech stuff on the experts so you can get back to saving the world. We’re here to help you as you help others. Digital Authority Partners is an award-winning nonprofit marketing agency that can take your nonprofit’s email marketing and outreach efforts to new heights.

Take a look at what our digital marketing agency does, and then read on for our guide to email marketing for nonprofits:

Why Email Marketing for Nonprofits Is Critical

According to a report by Statista, around 361.6 billion emails are sent every day as of 2024. To say that email marketing has incredible outreach potential would be an understatement.

With its quick and easy accessibility and so many people owning an email address, it is no wonder why email marketing has been one of the most common marketing methods. This is especially true in this new technological age, now that we have found ways analytics and AI can help boost email strategies.

Email marketing allows you to reach out to more people and stay in contact with your current members and benefactors. Constant communication and keeping your team members and donors updated are part of retaining member loyalty and driving donations.

Email marketing for nonprofits is also cost-effective. Since many nonprofits have a limited budget or resources for marketing, it is one of the best alternatives to promote your cause without spending too much.

What Is the Best Time To Send a Fundraising Email?

Recent research found that emails sent on Sunday from around 3 PM to 6 PM had the highest open rate of 94%. The same report added that the second highest open rate of 86% came from emails sent on Sunday from 6 PM to 9 PM. According to the same report, email rates decrease as the week progresses, with the lowest open rate of 31% being on Saturdays.

Overall, Sundays and Mondays are the best time to send emails, with an emphasis on Sundays due to the lack of emails piling up in your inbox (the weekend truly is magical).

12 Types of Nonprofit Email Campaigns

Email marketing for nonprofits requires creativity, and, perhaps more importantly, saying the right words to the right audiences. There are many types of email campaigns that nonprofits can utilize.

Nonprofit email campaigns come in a variety of formats. Let’s go over 12 of them:

1. Welcome Emails

When readers sign up for an email list, the first one they receive is a welcome email. Welcome emails have the highest open rates across all email types, thanks to the initial excitement over the new cause. This type of email is crucial to the onboarding process. It should state everything that the recipient needs to know about your nonprofit.

The welcome email is one of the best ways to formally introduce your nonprofit. Aside from a warm hello and a brief introduction, include links to your social media pages, website, or other relevant resources that go further into detail about your nonprofit.

Of course, not everyone will be life-long subscribers (or donors) after they’ve given you their email address, and that’s okay! The option to opt out or unsubscribe for those who are not interested is critical (and it’s the law). For subscribers who stopped opening emails, a “win-back” series would be the best way to reel them back in. 

2. Drip Campaigns for Onboarding 

Keep the momentum going by nurturing new subscribers with drip campaigns. A drip campaign is an automated marketing strategy that sends a series of emails to a lead or prospect over a specific period. These emails are meant to get customers to follow a specific call to action and nurture them into becoming long-term customers.

For example, say someone is interested in your cause, and they sign your petition, including their email address. From there, they would automatically receive a series of emails over the next few weeks encouraging them to act. Actions could be to share the petition with a friend, put in a donation, or promote the organization on social media.

Drip campaigns are all about sending the right message to the right people. You must figure out who to target first and what to say before hitting the send button.

Finding the right frequency to send your emails is also crucial for any email marketing strategy. Customers who are bombarded with too many emails are more likely to unsubscribe. A DAP expert in your industry can collect the target audience data on this and guide you to the right decision.

3. Behind-the-Scenes Updates

It’s always fascinating to see the inner workings of an organization, and behind-the-scenes emails are one of the best ways to share that. These emails share an inside look at what the nonprofit does and how it operates.

This can be in the form of stories or highlights from previous events, staff activities, or preparations for upcoming projects, missions, and fundraisers. Attach photos, videos, and testimonials from volunteers and staff members talking about their daily activities.

Showing documentation of your nonprofit's activities also gives people a better understanding of what you do and helps influence their decision to participate. These attract new members who may want to participate and also inspire current supporters to continue engaging. 

Not only can it make volunteering look fun (and bring in more people), but it can also show donors where their money goes. In the nonprofit and corporate world, transparency builds trust. 

4. Event Invitations

Emails are one of the most direct and convenient ways to reach out to others and invite them to your events. Include all the important details about the event.

You can use this platform to clearly communicate the type of event, how to participate, and where and when it will take place. Include the purpose of the event and how audience attendance will make a difference.

Attach a clear CTA, which can be used to RSVP, sign up for volunteering, or purchase tickets. Feel free to add elements to enhance the invitation and entice more people to attend, like a countdown timer or a promotional video.

5. Fundraising Campaigns

Donations that come from fundraising are the driving force of every nonprofit. These emails are meant to connect with the reader emotionally so they continue contributing to the organization.

Fundraising emails are usually accompanied by heartfelt messages emphasizing the importance of the cause and inviting readers to lend a helping hand. They also include a call to action (such as “Donate Now”) encouraging the recipient to donate.

To inspire further donations, consider attaching photos or videos of those benefiting from your cause, whether it is a group of people, animals, and so on. Be transparent about how exactly the funds will be used. 

Being open about this increases the chances of repeat contributions and new supporters. Researchers found that this clarity extends beyond generating trust. They discovered that giving individuals a choice about where their monetary donation goes can positively influence the amount people donate. For example, if a patron can decide if their $20 goes to purchase a new book for the library or toward a scholarship fund, they are more inclined to donate. 

6. Campaign Updates and Impact Reports

Campaign updates inform current nonprofit members about any ongoing initiatives or recent events. This type of email promotes transparency and communication with the entire team and keeps everyone engaged and involved.

Updates like these help establish trust and community and encourage recurring donations. They can come in the form of impact reports that show what’s been accomplished with your donors’ help or infographics that display how donations have been used.

Sites like Charity Navigator rate organizations based on several factors, including an Accountability & Finance category. As an exempt organization, all of this financial information must be disclosed publicly with your IRS Form 990 anyway, so nonprofits should take care that all their spending statements align. 

7. Educational Content

Educational emails help establish your authority and make you look more credible and professional to your audience. It also keeps readers informed and engaged, turning casual supporters into long-term, dedicated advocates.

Sharing educational materials through email also gives readers a deeper understanding of your cause while establishing yourself as a knowledgeable figure. It is also a way to encourage people to take action.

You can send educational content, like articles, videos, infographics, statistics, or downloadable guides. Address unique topics; examples might include how upcoming legislation affects your cause or how to make a difference at home.

Let’s say you run a nonprofit focusing on environmental welfare.

You might share numerous articles, blog posts, case studies, guides, or infographics that show the bigger picture of your cause. For example, you can share a case study of how switching to eco-friendly products and sustainable practices reduces wastage in your area. 

This email type (and all the other ones) can have as much impact as your website does. Fill your site with relevant content. When a new supporter visits your website, these content pieces (blogs, landing pages, white papers, and more) are a helpful way to introduce the organization and discuss various topics surrounding your cause.

8. Volunteer Recruitment Emails

Nonprofits can always benefit from having more people on deck to help with various events and projects. Emails are also a smart way to attract and recruit volunteers to your organization. 

Your email can include details about upcoming volunteer opportunities, specific roles that need to be filled, dates for when volunteers are needed, and why volunteers are essential for the event or project in question.

Make the sign-up process as simple as possible to prevent turning potential volunteers away. Reinforce the fact that volunteering is just as good of a way to make a difference as making a donation.

To really convince potential volunteers, send photos, videos, or testimonials from previous volunteers talking about their experience. 

9. Re-Engagement or Win-Back Campaign

Re-engagement or win-back emails are targeted towards subscribers who haven’t opened an email in a while. These emails are written with the goal of rekindling the interest of inactive subscribers.

Bringing someone back on board is possible. Here are a few ideas: 

Showcase the effectiveness of your nonprofit by sharing recent success stories, which may inspire your subscribers and bring them back.

Remind readers of all the good you do and the ripple effect of your impact. Tapping into their ability to make a big difference—even in small ways—may be enough to rekindle their interest. Doing this with your current subscribers also reduces churn rate (as it reminds them that they are all contributing to a greater cause).

Reeling subscribers back in can be tricky without the right help. Consult a digital marketing services group who can craft the right messages to your subscribers.

10. Thank-You Emails

A thank-you email is a simple but effective way to show your gratitude to your subscribers and donors for all their contributions. Send a personalized message to each subscriber, highlighting the difference made by their donation.

You might also include personalized details such as thanking them for their attendance at a specific event or for the generous donation of $[X of money]. A little appreciation goes a long way and gives your subscribers more reason to continue their support.

• Email Marketing for Nonprofits Tip: Use merge tags to help personalize your emails through individually gathered data. Merge tags are like placeholders used to represent specific data from your email list, such as your contacts’ first and last names, email address, company name, and so on.

11. Advocacy Emails

Advocacy emails are a clear and effective way to communicate your mission to your audience and how they can contribute. These help raise awareness, influence readers to take action, and gather additional support.

Advocacy emails are written in a way that encourages subscribers to follow a specific action, such as signing a petition, contacting legislators, or attending events. To successfully do this, clearly state the issue at hand and why it’s important to talk about. Indicate clear, concrete steps on what the reader can do and how it helps your organization.

When writing a call to action, a simple “Donate Now” or “Sign Up Now” might not be enough; spice it up by adding some specific details like “Donate Now to Combat Climate Change” or “Sign Our Petition to Protect Manatees.”

12. Impact Stories and Testimonials

Nothing tugs on the heartstrings more than an impactful story. Emails are a great avenue for storytelling and sharing testimonials from people who have benefited from your nonprofit. It’s time to take advantage of this platform and drive more volunteers your way.

You could include personal testimonials, quotes from your beneficiaries, and before-and-after photos that tell the story of your nonprofit’s efforts. It’s a great way to inspire donations and give people a clear image of your nonprofit’s impact on daily lives.

Fundraising Email Best Practices

A well-crafted fundraising email is the ticket to meeting fundraising goals.

Here are five email marketing for nonprofits best practices:

Send Emails Regularly

Fundraising emails are not a one-time thing. In fact, fundraising in itself is an ongoing process that requires regular communication and effort. However, constantly pushing for donations only leads to the opposite.

Instead, craft simple but personal messages and send them on a frequency ideal for the audience in question. For example, a group might send an email at the start of every week to keep their cause at the top of their mind. One way to gauge interest in communications is by allowing people to set their preferences for the types of emails they’d like to receive and how often.

Keep Emails Out of Spam Folders

Even with all your work, there’s still the chance your emails may land in a spam folder. This is where email deliverability comes into the picture.

Email deliverability looks at how many emails land in your recipient’s inbox instead of the spam folder. Email deliverability is an indicator of the health of your contacts list and the legitimacy of the sender. A good way to approach this is to use an email deliverability tool to gauge your inbox placement rate.

Here are a few tips to help your emails land in an inbox:

• Use a reputable email service provider. Ask your CMO or Fractional CMO for their advice based on your group’s specific needs.
• Use a recognizable name and email address to send emails, not something like “noreply@sitename”. Email spam filters can be wary of no-reply addresses. 
• Don’t ask for a donation in the subject line.
• Include a double opt-in. When people confirm their intent to receive emails, email filters consider that a win.
• Ask subscribers to add you to your contacts. 
• Be intentional about sending emails. Too many emails at once, especially when you first get started is a red flag to spam filters. 
• Be careful about sending attachments. Attachments (especially extra-large ones that slow down loading speed) could cause distrust.

Segment Your Email List Database

Email marketing for an event is an ongoing process until the day of the event. Before sending out a mass invite to everyone on your list, start with personalized emails. You don’t need to actually send personalized emails. Instead, use audience segmentation.

Email list segmentation is one of the most effective ways to reach out to your audience personally. It is a method that ensures messages reach the right group of people based on specific criteria. It also allows you to create perfectly tailored content for different audiences to help you build a strong email subscriber list.

Furthermore, segmented emails are more likely to perform in terms of clicks and open rates.

It’s possible to group an email list in numerous ways, such as according to:

• Demography (age, gender, income level, etc.)
• Geography or location
• Donation history
• Interactions with the organization
• Psychographic information (values, lifestyle choices, etc.)
• Customer personas

Personalized invitations can highlight past contributions and express appreciation for their support, encouraging them to participate again. For those who have donated but didn't attend a previous event, consider highlighting the impact of their past contributions and invite them to attend the event as a celebration of their work and spend time with like-minded people.

Set Metrics

One technique to determine the success of your campaign is to set and monitor your email metrics. These metrics give you objective information on how many people interacted with an email and who is more likely to move forward with your nonprofit.

Some of the most important metrics to track include:

• Open rate: The rate at which a recipient opens an email
• Click-through rate: Percentage of recipients who clicked on one or more links
• Conversion rate: Percentage of recipients who both opened an email and followed through on a call to action
• Bounce rate: Percentage of emails that were returned to the sender
• Return on investment: Total revenue generated in relation to the total amount spent
• Forward rate: Percentage of recipients who shared or forwarded an email
• Unsubscribe rate: Percentage of people who unsubscribed from your email list
• Deliverability rate: Percentage of emails that successfully reach a recipient’s inbox

Tracking these numbers allows marketers to form data-driven decisions without emotional involvement or assumptions.

A/B Testing

To accurately gauge the effectiveness of emails, check out our A/B testing guide for email marketing success. A/B testing is a strategy that looks at two different versions of one thing to see which performs better.

Here’s an example of applying A/B testing to the world of email marketing: Send two emails with the same content but with different subject lines to see which one is opened more. Another example could be to send two emails with slightly different contents and with the same call to action to see which garners more CTA clicks.

Before A/B testing, set a specific goal and come up with a hypothesis. For example, if your goal is to increase open rates, you may hypothesize that including the recipient’s name in the subject line will lead to a higher open rate. Then, conduct the test and monitor the results. 

It is also helpful to have an A/B testing expert with experience from an email marketing agency to make the process easier and faster.

How To Write an Email: Nonprofit Email Marketing Examples

Email marketing for nonprofits may look easy, but it can be a lot of work. You must be very careful with your words, tone, and content to inspire action from an audience.

Before you start writing your emails, remember these handy tips:

Write an Email Call To Action

A call to action is a button or phrase directing the reader to take a specific action. If someone clicks on your CTA, it suggests that they are interested in your nonprofit, making it a vital element of your email.

A call to action button must be clear, concise, and easy to find and click. Your phrase must convey everything you want your reader to know in just a few words.

For example, if you want them to donate, a simple “Donate Now” may be enough to do the job. Other times, you might want them to sign up for your newsletter; invite them to do so with a big “Sign Up Now” button.

For even more clicks, incorporate a dash of urgency into your email. For example, say you're hosting an event for your nonprofit but the spots are limited. Write your CTA around a specific deadline, such as “Last Day to Sign Up!”

Write a Subject Line for Nonprofit Emails

Before even reading the contents of your email, your recipient will first see the subject line. The subject line must be as engaging as your content to hook the reader and have a high open rate.

Since the subject line is the first thing your readers see, you want to make a good first impression. The tone should be friendly and genuine. 

Personalize each subject line when possible. If someone sees their name in a subject line, the chances of them opening it are much higher. Keep the words to a minimum as well, roughly 6 to 10 words. Your reader must be able to read the entire subject line without opening the email.

Make sure to use a variety of words as well. Rather than saying generic phrases that readers probably already heard, keep things specific and descriptive to catch their attention. Practice your creativity in this area—every word counts!

Make Emails Personal

Personalization is key in every email. When trying to secure new audiences and supporters for your nonprofit, keep the reader in mind as you write.

Nonprofits’ missions are often personal—craft a message that is personal to your audience as well. Address the reader by name and keep their specific needs in mind. Emails based on your reader’s preferences are more likely to be opened.

Gauge their interests by adding interest tags to track what your readers are most interested in. Tags on email contacts could include where people signed up (like a convention) or something like a birthday month (so you can send birthday greetings). This relevant data is a big part of customizing emails.

Create Share-Worthy Content

An email with just words is fine, but one with supplementary content like infographics, videos, and articles will grab even more attention. Emails are a great avenue to share relevant content with your audience.

Relevant content makes you look more credible in the eyes of your readers. Not only that, but it is also one of the most important SEO tips for nonprofit organizations. Sharing relevant content increases your authority and improves your rankings on the search engine.

There are several types of content to share, such as blog articles, newsletters, case studies, white papers, and images and videos that highlight your nonprofit’s missions and events. 

Use Storytelling and Testimonials

Nothing appeals to the emotions more than stories about the impact of nonprofits on real lives. Use stories and real-life accounts to make your nonprofit known and give readers a vivid example of what you do.

Sharing a feel-good story with your readers inspires them to take action and find ways to help. Such stories help paint a picture of how your efforts made a positive and concrete change, which may attract more supporters (yay!). Stories can be told in a variety of ways, such as images, videos, and quotes.

Of course, you want your story to be memorable and impactful, so be specific with how you tell it. Get creative with your word choices and add additional visual elements to dress it up. You can include testimonials from those involved or infographics and statistics highlighting your efforts.

Make Emails Mobile-Friendly

Most email users check their emails on their mobile devices, so making emails mobile-friendly is an absolute must. It all (usually) starts with using a mobile-responsive email template (specifically, a linear, single-column one). This is designed to adapt to the screen size of where the email is read. 

Make sure the images are optimized for a mobile device as well. Use compressed images, which will allow the email to load faster. Generally, try not to use an image as the main content of the email because some users have images blocked, meaning they’ll have to click on the image to see it, which could be additional work.

Just like emails on a computer, keep content short and concise. Play around with font choices to highlight specific points and don’t flood the user’s mobile device with text.

Similarly, make your call to action visible as well. For longer emails, have the CTA appear multiple times throughout the email so users don’t have to scroll through everything just to find it at the bottom.

Email List Management for Nonprofits

Securing emails is easy with the right strategies. Let’s go over how to manage an email list for nonprofits now.

Building a Nonprofit Mailing List

One of the simplest methods is to leave an email sign-up form on your website. It is an easy way to find leads who are interested. Plus, it’s a breeze for the users. Sometimes, one click is all it takes!

Another way is to hold events, giveaways, or contests where people sign up to participate. This may take more time and resources, but it incentivizes people to sign up for your list.

Promoting a nonprofit social media is always a smart plan. Couple this with engaging posts and content for people to share—and include a link to your sign-up form where people can subscribe for more updates.

Follow Email Regulations

Email marketing for nonprofits, just like for-profit companies, has set rules and regulations according to different governing bodies. 

Listed below are four critical laws to remember.

• United States: The CAN-SPAM Act is one of the main laws that outlines all the requirements for commercial email and messaging. It also highlights the recipient’s right to opt out of receiving emails and explains the fines and penalties for violations.
• The European Union: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enforces data privacy and security measures and imposes obligations on all organizations that collect and transfer personal data.
• Canada: Anti-Spam legislation enforces the proper use of digital technology and prohibits any misuse, such as spam, misinformation, and cyber threats. 
• The United Kingdom: The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations law protects the rights of digital users and implements specific rules on electronic communications, including email, texts, and calls. 

If you have trouble working through all these legal requirements (or simply don’t have the time), enlist an email marketing agency to help ensure compliance with these laws.

Nonprofit CRM Bulk Email Sending

In order to save time and reach many people at once, consider investing in a CRM that allows bulk email sending.

Regardless of where the recipient is located, these tools ensure that your message makes its way to them immediately. This also allows you to track the metrics of all emails simultaneously and draw conclusions based on real-time data.

Examples of Successful Email Marketing for Nonprofits

The power of email marketing still holds to this day. Read below how Digital Authority Partners was able to boost the email marketing efforts of nonprofits.

LifeMoves

LifeMoves is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the unhoused and solving the housing crisis. This organization aims to give people better, more secure lives through stable housing solutions.

One of LifeMoves’ biggest obstacles was their current email marketing strategy. They had inconsistent data, a lack of A/B testing, poor email list management, and no sync between their email marketing software. Suffice it to say that their engagement and targeting efforts left much to be desired.

Digital Authority Partners stepped in and conducted strategic A/B testing to optimize subject lines, content, and CTAs. They also refined and cleaned up the email list and implemented robust tracking tools for accurate reporting and ROI tracking.

These strategies proved to be effective, with more contributions coming in and a jump in open rates, from 6.94% to 9.3%. 

Let the Experts Handle Your Email Marketing for Nonprofits

Nonprofits don’t always have the luxury of time or resources to execute strong email marketing campaigns. Therefore, an ideal solution is to seek the help of experts like Digital Authority Partners to lead the way.

By entrusting the heavy lifting to an email marketing agency like Digital Authority Partners, your nonprofit can get what it needs to lift up those who need it most.

All you have to do is give us a call and we’ll be ready to help!