Fundraising Copywriter George Crankovic

Category: fundraising

  • Why your fundraising needs a strong offer

    In fundraising, a strong offer is a clear statement about what your donor will do and what she’ll receive in return.

    It’s the deal, the transaction, the quid pro quo. But it’s something more, too. Your offer is the emotional link between your donor and your nonprofit’s mission. It’s an expression of your donor’s aspirations about being a good person and the validation of those aspirations, all put into action through the work your nonprofit does.

    To be effective, your offer should do a number of things. It should present donors with a specific opportunity to do good. It should convey donor benefits, which can be tangible (like a premium) and intangible (like making a difference). It should tell your donor what to do and why. It should convey some sense of urgency, either implied or explicit (like a specific deadline to respond). And it should show your donor that she’s getting a good deal.

    You want to incorporate as many of these “shoulds” as you can when crafting your offer. That might seem like a tall order at first. But once you get into it, you see that the strongest offers are often the simplest, such as, “Your gift of $25 will save the life of a starving child in Africa,” “Your gift will double in impact to send lifesaving medicine into poverty zones in Tajikistan,” or “Just $1.75 will provide a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who’s homeless.”

    Granted, getting to this level of simplicity isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the effort. You naturally want your offer to be as donor-focused as possible. So take the time to think about the most enticing opportunity you can present to your donors that allows them to fulfill their need to be good people making a difference in the world.

  • The wrong kind of fundraising storytelling

    Yes, you want the stories in your fundraising appeals to spark emotion in donors.

    But no, you can’t go crazy with it.

    If you overuse adjectives and metaphors, you risk ending up with drivel like this: “The awesome burden of Sasha’s unending poverty fell like a heavy weight upon her small shoulders, and as she struggled to provide for herself and her kids and considered the hopelessness of her plight, the tears streamed down her face like rain on a windowpane.”

    Wow — what drama! The problem is, the drama is so phony that it upstages credibility. And it sounds like AI nonsense.

    Save the florid writing for your 1940s-era detective novel. The best stories and descriptions for fundraising are ones that tell themselves without embellishment. Think Hemingway. Be direct. That’s how to pull readers in.

    Go back and reread your stories and descriptions with an eye toward eliminating unneeded adjectives and adverbs. Instead, focus on strong verbs. That’s where the power is, because verbs are action, and people lock onto writing that has action. Your copy will move readers. It will have the ring of truth.

    You’re in fundraising and development. What do you think? Are your appeals working the way you want right now? Comment, or get in touch to compare notes.

  • Are you giving donors what they want?

    Donors want action.

    Unfortunately, they might not be getting it from the appeals they receive.

    Donors see vague, abstract messaging like “give hope,” “stand with us,” “join our movement,” “make a difference” and other ambiguities.

    This vagueness is too common in fundraising appeals of all kinds. It denies donors the ability to take action, which is one of the main things they want. It fails to connect with donors on the level of personal values. And it makes the nonprofit seem like it’s being very careful not to say anything specific (Will my donation actually do anything, or does it just go into a general-fund black hole?). Donors start to feel like they’re reading one long disclaimer instead of a fundraising letter.

    That’s why when a donor gets an appeal from a nonprofit asking her to give to help build a sustainable energy infrastructure, she’ll probably toss it. But if the appeal promises a specific action – like shutting down the fracking in her town – and asks for her help, she’s more likely to give.

  • Why you DON’T want your donors to be readers of your fundraising appeals

    You see it in a lot of fundraising appeals. The first few sentences of the letter force the donor into the position of being a passive reader as opposed to being a participant.

    The appeal might open with a discussion of a topic. It might present the donor with facts, figures, and opinions. It might cite statistics. The donor is a reader, going through what sounds very much like a corporate memo, instead of a personal letter.

    So what’s the right approach when you want your donors to be participants instead of just passive readers? Of course there are many different approaches. But in most cases, an involving letter opening will have “you” and “I” references. It will bring the donor into the action. And it will try to be emotionally engaging.

    A letter lead like this makes the donor a reader:

    “Food is a basic human right. Yet every year, 45 million children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition, and more than 3 million die from hunger-related causes…”

    A letter like this makes the donor more of a participant:

    “You might not see it. It doesn’t always make the news. But I can tell you, it’s heartbreaking. Innocent children, frail from malnutrition, starving to death. It’s a crisis, a tsunami of suffering, all around the world. I think about my own children…”

    A strong, involving opening is like a promise to donors that whatever follows will be just as interesting. And when that happens, you’re far more likely to be on the way to winning their support as well as their loyalty.  

    You’re in fundraising and development. What do you think? Are your appeals working the way you want right now? Comment, or get in touch to compare notes.

  • How to harness the power of good to make your fundraising appeals better

    Many nonprofits aren’t giving donors what they want.

    And then those same nonprofits wonder why donors aren’t giving them what THEY want – donations.

    Donors want a whole range of things in exchange for their gifts. One of those things surely is the intangible benefit of thinking of oneself as a good person.

    And why not? Why shouldn’t donors think of themselves this way? Donors ARE good people for giving.

    But many nonprofits fail to tap into this in their fundraising appeals. Maybe they think it’s too sentimental or too melodramatic. Nonsense.

    You want to connect with your donors on a practical level (I’m sending food for starving people), but you also want to connect with donors on an emotional level (I’m doing something good that I can be proud of, something that shows I’m a good person.).

    So how do you communicate this important intangible benefit to donors?

    There’s the tried-and-true donor appreciation certificate with the donor’s name on it, saying how wonderful they are. That says, “you’re a good person for giving.”

    There are special awards, like a Good Neighbor Award, that send the good-person message.

    There are impact reports saying, “you made this good work possible,” which the donor understands as “I’m a good person for doing this.”

    There are memberships in giving groups, like president’s clubs, where donors can see themselves as good people in the company of other good people

    There’s messaging. You can suggest, you can imply, you can even come right out and say, “You’re a good person!” in donor communications.

    There are many more ways to convey to donors that they’re good people. And when you give donors what they want, they’re more likely to return the favor. See the whole story at https://tinyurl.com/28e4pkjp

  • When not to use a freemium in direct mail fundraising

    Why would a nonprofit tout their stewardship of donors’ money in an appeal and then throw in a bunch of free stuff?

    Not sure.

    But that’s what this one did. The appeal is from an international aid and relief charity. The letter begins:

    “Trust, impact, and value are critical when you’re making decisions about giving to a charity.” No argument there. Most donors would probably accept that premise. It continues:

    “You want to know that your hard-earned money is being put to the best use.” This is where it gets weird. This mailing includes a freemium, and that freemium is five full-size, full-color, single-fold greeting cards with five envelopes.

    Now, is that the most extravagant freemium ever? Not by a long shot. Some nonprofits throw in address labels, calendars, note pads, and much more all into one mailing. But this particular freemium isn’t exactly the cheapest either. It’s not a simple bookmark, for example.

    The point is, if you’re throwing in free stuff, is that the appeal where you want to get on your high horse about putting donors’ hard-earned money to the best use? We all know that most donors will just throw away all those greeting cards. Donors themselves probably realize that too. So from the donor’s perspective, how is that the best use of donors’ money?

    There could be a time and place for messaging that talks about trust, value, and so on. But that messaging seems at odds with adding a bunch of freemiums.

    Especially when those freemiums don’t relate directly to the offer of the appeal. True, these greeting cards show images of various countries and include small blurbs about the charity’s work. But still, they’re just greeting cards.

    Some extras to include in an appeal that might be a little more on point would be an infographic card, a map, a fact sheet, an impact report, photos of aid recipients, handwritten notes from a field worker or a beneficiary, and others. Things like these might be more relevant to donors and would relate more directly to what the nonprofit does and what the donor’s impact would be.

    Otherwise, it could look like you’re using free stuff to guilt donors into giving. And even if you’re doing that, and some nonprofits do (no judgement), you probably shouldn’t make the theme of the appeal how good you are with donors’ money. Because the free stuff makes that seem less believable.

  • How two nonprofits are reacting in the Trump era

    Lately, many nonprofits are finding that they have to worry about something they never even considered before.

    Sure, they had the usual worries about donor attrition, revenue, acquisition, retention, and so on.

    But now, on top of all that, they have to worry that the federal government might be coming after them.

    “The Trump administration is mounting a sweeping offensive on America’s nonprofit sector, deploying a blend of funding cuts, the elimination of tax benefits, bureaucratic paralysis and even installing a small DOGE team to target organizations that challenge the president’s agenda,” according to Politico (4/18/2025).

    At least two nonprofits are reacting in the best way there is – with direct mail.

    Take the Environmental Defense Fund. The Trump administration has canceled or interrupted hundreds of EPA grants, shut down more than 100 climate studies, and ended National Science Foundation grants for projects related to climate change. These cuts directly affect the EDF.

    So they’re firing up their donors.

    EPSON MFP image

    Amnesty International is another example. The Trump administration stopped U.S. foreign aid, halting programs for health care, food security, shelter, and humanitarian support. And ended  funding for programs supporting survivors of sexual violence, refugees, and marginalized communities.

    Amnesty International has said that these cuts will leave millions without essential services.

    So they’re firing up their donors too.

    EPSON MFP image

    Both of these appeals are following a bold, in-your-face strategy to get noticed, get the appeal opened, and move donors.

    There’s the oversize outer envelope (11” x 5” for one and 11-1/2” x 5 for the other).

    There’s the simple, powerful messaging on the outer envelope: “Fight Back!”

    There’s the bold graphic approach, with huge fonts and attention-grabbing reds and yellows.

    And there’s the invitation to take action. The Amnesty International carrier touts an “activist tool kit inside.” And the Environmental Defense Fund envelope announces, “Petitions Inside!”

    Inside, the letters continue the “take action” theme, urging donors to donate and to get involved.

    You can see the strategy in both of these outer envelopes. They’re all about demanding attention, increasing the open rate, and getting donors motivated. When you see an appeal envelope like this in your mailbox, you know it’s something important. Your interest has been piqued. Your ire has been roused. And your means for fighting back are right at hand, inside the envelope.

    These are tactics and strategies that virtually all nonprofits could use in their appeals, especially now when there’s so much chaos and uncertainty.

    That’s why, as this turmoil continues and as the economy inches closer toward recession, nonprofits will have to grab donors’ attention and motivate them like never before. And that means direct mail tactics likes these will become necessary not only for success but also for survival.

    See the whole story at https://www.nonprofitpro.com/post/how-2-nonprofits-are-using-direct-mail-to-get-donors-fired-up-to-take-action/

  • Could this be write for fundraising?

    Emotion – not logic – is what moves donors to give, right? Then why do you see appeals based on logical arguments all the time?

    It’s probably because that’s how we were all taught to write. With deductive reasoning. You start with a general premise, followed by the minor premise, then the conclusion.

    It’s the way we were taught to write a paragraph. There’s the topic sentence, then supporting arguments, and then the conclusion.

    Problem is, this might be how you get a good grade on a term paper, but it doesn’t work for fundraising.   

    Here’s an example of an appeal from a nonprofit advocating for criminal justice reform:

    Dear [Firstname],

    One mistake or bad decision shouldn’t define someone’s life or value.

    But for 78 million people with an old arrest or conviction record, a mistake can mean a lifetime of barriers to getting a job or accessing safe housing.

    That’s why at [nonprofit], we and our more than 400,000 members are advocating for law changes that will expand access to stability and economic opportunity for the millions of Americans locked out of opportunity due to an old record. But we can’t do it without your help.

    You can see the format. There’s the general premise: “One mistake or bad decision shouldn’t define someone’s life or value.”

    There’s the minor premise: “But for 78 million people with an old arrest or conviction record, a mistake can mean a lifetime of barriers to getting a job or accessing safe housing.”

    Then, the conclusion, which, for fundraising, is essentially, “Therefore, donate.” Here’s the conclusion: “That’s why at [nonprofit], we and our more than 400,000 members are advocating for law changes that will expand access to stability and economic opportunity for the millions of Americans locked out of opportunity due to an old record. But we can’t do it without your help.”

    It probably seems to many nonprofits that this is how fundraising appeals should be written, because after all that’s how you write. That’s how the people in the nonprofit’s marketing department wrote their term papers.

    But fundraising copy is nothing like a term paper. A fundraising appeal is a personal letter from one concerned individual to another. It’s about emotion, empathy, humanity, values, morals and more.

    Not logic. People don’t make decisions based on logic. They made decisions based on emotion. You can’t argue or debate someone into donating. 

    If you try, as in the example above, you get fundraising copy that’s cold, unempathetic, and unmotivating. 

    This doesn’t mean you never use logic. A reason to give could be a logical point like, “Eliminating barriers to employment for people with criminal convictions means they become tax-paying residents.”

    But arguments like these wouldn’t be the basis of the appeal. It’s far better to find the emotional core of the cause you’re raising funds for, and present that to donors. Then you’re reaching donors on the basis of empathy and shared values. And that’s where connection, compassion, and persuasion happen.

    See the whole article at https://www.nonprofitpro.com/post/the-way-we-learn-to-write-is-all-wrong-for-fundraising/

  • Are you leaving your donors stranded?

    There’s a strange disconnect that you see in a lot of fundraising appeals. The appeal starts off heading in one direction, then suddenly leaves donors stranded and wondering what happened.

    Here’s an example. In this appeal, for a charity that advocates for criminal justice reform, the envelope teaser is “2X match for second chances.”

    So, it’s a matching grant offer. True, the teaser could have made that point a bit more directly. And the reference to “second chances” assumes that the donor knows the context. But let’s put those two things aside.

    The real problem – the disconnect – happens when we get to the letter. It begins, “One mistake or bad decision shouldn’t define someone’s life or value.”

    While that statement may indeed be true, what happened to the matching grant? It’s probably a main reason why a donor would open the envelope in the first place. The matching grant is a powerful motivator. So then, why would you start off talking about the matching grant on the outer envelope and then abruptly shift to a general statement about mistakes and bad decisions?

    It’s bound to throw some donors off at the very least and to seem like a bait and switch at the very worst. Either way, any momentum that was gained with the teaser about the matching grant suddenly fizzles out.

    Why do this? Once you get your donor primed with the envelope teaser, it’s best to follow through in the beginning of the letter with something that builds on that same thought.

    Granted, there may be instances where you won’t want to do this – a letter lead that’s a pattern interrupt, for example. But that’s a specialized and risky technique.

    The better approach is the direct approach, where you move your reader from envelope teaser or headline to the letter lead in a direct way. It’s easy to do.

    If our envelope teaser is “2X match for second chances,” the letter lead could simply be, “Now your gift will double in impact to create a second chance for someone who simply made a bad decision.”

    You’re reinforcing why the donor opened the envelope in the first place. You’re showing why the donor might want to take advantage of the matching grant. And you’re greatly increasing the odds that the donor will keep reading. It’s a win all the way around.

  • Your donors need to feel like they belong

    Fundraising appeals often fail to convey a sense of belonging to donors. That’s too bad. It means nonprofits are missing out on a major reason why donors give.

    Donors want to feel like they belong. They want to feel like they’re part of the team.

    In fact, it’s essential for revenue and retention. But how do you square donors’ need for belonging with the fact that giving is often a solitary activity?

    Think of it. A donor gets an appeal in her mailbox or email inbox. She opens it, glances through it, and decides whether to write a check or give online. Not a lot of shared experience in that.

    For most donors, your fundraising appeals are the only thing they’ll ever see of your nonprofit.

    Some donors will attend your events. Some will take the tour. But most won’t. But that doesn’t mean your donors shouldn’t feel like they’re insiders. Because they certainly are.

    One way to bring donors inside the tent is the messaging in your appeals. You can say, for example, “You’re one of us. You see someone on the street picking in a trash can, and your heart goes out to that person. You want to help. You believe what we believe — that no one should have to live on the streets.” Messaging like this conveys community and shared values.

    Other ways to create a sense of belonging? There are membership cards, bumper stickers, window clings, refrigerator magnets, and more. They’re all ways for donors to feel part of the in-group.

    There’s your sustainer program. Belonging is one of the benefits of monthly giving, president’s clubs, and other giving groups.

    There are the stories you tell. You can include not only the donor and the beneficiary but also staff, the volunteers, the case manager and others where appropriate. Why not have a group photo with the beneficiary and staff to show the donor they’re not alone but part of the group?

    There’s inside information. This could be an impact report, a financial report, an annual report, a memo from the executive director, a message from somebody in the field and so on. Lots of possibilities here. They make your donors feel like they’re in on the action.

    There are donor testimonials. Why-I-give statements tell donors there are other supporters like them.

    There are surveys. Asking donors for feedback is often effective, since we all love giving our opinions. But don’t stop there. Report the results (maybe in your newsletter), so donors can see what other donors think. 

    There’s more in the full article at https://tinyurl.com/28ws2hy5. Fulfilling the need for belonging is a vital way for nonprofits to connect with donors. And a vital way to be donor centric in your fundraising, with the increases in revenue and retention that come with it.