Start a Group Support a Group

News

Email Newsletter Best Practices and Templates

Woman sitting at kitchen table sending an email on her laptop

Email newsletters are an excellent tool for keeping supporters informed and engaged in your fundraising efforts. With the right approach, newsletters can boost participation, foster loyalty, and increase donations. This guide provides best practices for crafting effective newsletters, along with ready-to-use templates that will streamline your email communications for campaigns.


Set Clear Objectives

Before drafting your email, define its purpose. What do you want to achieve? Newsletters typically serve one of three goals:

  • Updates: Keep your supporters informed about the progress of your campaign. Share milestones, current fundraising totals, or new developments.
  • Call to Action: Encourage supporters to take specific actions, such as sharing your fundraiser, placing an order, or joining your campaign.
  • Thank-You Notes: Show appreciation to supporters after achieving a goal or completing your campaign. Gratitude builds stronger connections with your community.

Craft Engaging Subject Lines

Your subject line is the first thing recipients see, so it needs to grab their attention. Aim to create subject lines that:

  • Spark curiosity: Pique your readers’ interest by hinting at exciting news or updates.
    Example: "See How Close We Are to Reaching Our Goal!"
  • Offer clear value: Highlight the benefit of opening your email.
    Example: "Easily Increase Your Donations with These Simple Tips!"
  • Evoke urgency: Encourage immediate action by adding time-sensitive language.
    Example: "Last Chance to Order Gift Cards Before Our Deadline!"

Personalize

Whenever possible, personalize your emails by addressing recipients by name. This slight touch makes your communication feel more direct and meaningful. Additionally, consider segmenting your audience and tailoring the content to each group. Personalization can immensely improve engagement by making your supporters feel valued.


Include Strong Calls to Action

Clear and compelling calls to action are essential for driving results. If you want supporters to share your campaign, attend an event, or meet a fundraising deadline, state that action clearly and make it easy to follow through. Incorporating buttons or clickable links will streamline engagement.


Templates for Fundraising Campaign Emails

To make emailing your supporters even easier, here are templates you can adapt for your campaign communications:


Campaign Invitation


Subject: Help Our Group Raise Funds by Using Gift Cards for Your Everyday Spending


Hi [FIRST NAME],


[INTRODUCE YOUR CAMPAIGN AND WHY YOU ARE RAISING FUNDS]

We are raising the funds necessary for this cause through FundScrip. FundScrip is a fundraising program that helps our group raise the funds needed by purchasing gift cards for stores where you already shop. For instance, when you purchase a $100 grocery card, you will receive a $100 gift card and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to our fundraising campaign. You can buy gift cards for most of your regular purchases like groceries, gas, household items, department or renovation stores, restaurants, etc.

[EXPLAIN HOW TO PLACE AN ORDER BASED ON YOUR PROGRAM TYPE]


Thank you for your time,

[SIGNATURE]

Progress Update


Subject: We’ve Raised [AMOUNT]! Help Us Reach Our Goal


Hi [FIRST NAME],


We continue to [STATE YOUR MISSION]. Last month, we [LIST RECENT ACTIVITIES] and soon we plan to [DESCRIBE PLANNED ACTIVITIES].

This [MONTH] you helped us raise [AMOUNT], which enables us to [LIST FUNDRAISER ACHIEVEMENTS]. Learn more here: [LINK].

The support from our donors so far has been incredible, raising [AMOUNT OF MONEY], which leaves us just [AMOUNT] away from our goal of [TOTAL AMOUNT].

Please help us reach this goal by ordering gift cards today. Your support can help us achieve [GOAL].

Our mission continues and we couldn’t do it without your amazing support.


All the best,

[SIGNATURE]

Deadline Reminder


Subject: Final Call: Order Gift Cards Before [DATE]!


Hi [FIRST NAME],


We’re almost at the finish line! There’s still time to support [CAUSE] by placing your FundScrip gift cards order before the deadline. Every order counts and helps us get closer to our goal of [GOAL AMOUNT].

Your contributions so far have been incredible, but we need these final orders to help us achieve [PURPOSE OF FUNDRAISING].

The deadline to place your order is [DATE/TIME].

Click here to place your order. It only takes a few minutes, and your help will have a lasting impact.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us meet our goal.


Sincerely,

[SIGNATURE]

Thank-You Note


Subject: Thank You for Supporting [GROUP NAME]!


Hi [FIRST NAME],


We want to thank you for your incredible support of [FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN]. Thanks to your help, we've been able to raise [AMOUNT RAISED] towards our goal of [GOAL AMOUNT]. Every order made a difference and we couldn't have done it without you.

Your contribution will go a long way in helping us achieve [PURPOSE OF FUNDRAISING]. Together, we’ve made an impact that will benefit our community for years to come.

We truly appreciate your commitment and look forward to having you with us in future campaigns.

Thank you again for your support!


Warm regards,

[SIGNATURE]


Consistent, personalized email communication is vital to keeping your supporters engaged and ensuring the success of your fundraising campaign. With these best practices, you can easily connect with your community, increase participation, and achieve your fundraising goals. If you haven’t already, check out FundScrip’s gift card fundraising platform to see why gift card fundraising makes raising money incredibly easy.