Fundraising Copywriter George Crankovic

Tag: donor psychology

  • 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.

  • How and why to get the copy voice right in fundraising appeals

    Why would a nonprofit, say, one fighting climate change, use messaging like this for a fundraising appeal. …

    Dear Ms. Joan Sample,

    I am writing to you today from [charity], a dedicated advocate for climate action and environmental sustainability. As you may know, our planet is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change, and the need for immediate action has never been more urgent.

    At [charity], we are committed to combating climate change through innovative projects, community engagement, and policy advocacy. Our recent initiatives include installing an array of solar panels, which have already made a significant impact. However, to continue this vital work, we need your support.

    … when they could use messaging like this instead …

    Dear Ms. Joan Sample,

    I am writing this appeal on a hot July afternoon.

    My 11-month-old son is playing at my feet as I do. I look at Joe and I look at the blazing heat outside and I wonder how I can avoid talking about the greenhouse effect in nakedly personal terms. 

    But why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t I tell you how much I fear for the world we’re preparing for Joe?

    The first appeal reads like a corporate memo coming out of the accounting department at IBM. It’s predictable, bland, and deadly boring.

    The second one reads like it was written by an actual living, breathing, feeling person. It hasn’t been reviewed to death by a committee. It’s honest, relatable, personal, and human. When you read it, it draws you in. And even better, it makes you more receptive to whatever will follow.

    That’s the reaction we want to elicit from donors, and it comes from using an engaging copy voice. Many nonprofits struggle to get this right, for a number of reasons.

    They feel they have to speak to donors from a position of expertise and authority about the cause. But then the copy becomes long and pretentious.

    They use industry jargon and buzz words like “food insecure.” But then the copy confuses donors and keeps them at arm’s length.

    They think that the appeal letter has to sound like the president or executive director. But then the copy talks past donors, not at them, because what the president thinks is motivating often isn’t what donors think is motivating.

    What it comes down to is this: donors, like most people, respond best to plain talk. That’s why good fundraising copywriting is conversational. It’s write-like-you-talk writing. Simple words, short sentences, short paragraphs, with contractions, sentence fragments, and all the rest.

    The appeal should read like it was written by a friendly, thoughtful person who’s concerned about an issue and hopes the reader will be too. That human connection builds a rapport with donors. And that turns into a relationship with donors. And donors who have a relationship with your nonprofit will likely give more and give more often, which means increases in revenue and retention. You can see more here: https://tinyurl.com/ye269hxe

  • One of the main reasons why donors give

    It’s a strange quirk of nonprofits, but a lot of their fundraising seems intent on denying their donors the one thing that those donors want the most.

    Donors want action. They want something to be accomplished.

    Action on an issue that donors care about is one of the primary reasons for giving a gift. That issue could be hunger, poverty, homelessness, animal abuse, social justice, or any of a thousand others. Whatever it is, your donors are on your list because they want to see something get done.

    Stories, happy photos, sad photos, envelopes with teasers, envelopes without teasers – these things and many more like them are all a part of direct mail fundraising, and they’re all important.

    But when it comes down to the moment of truth, when a donor is deciding whether to give or not give, there’s a question in the donor’s mind, and that question is probably, Will my donation actually accomplish anything?

    So it’s curious why so many nonprofits send out fundraising appeals with offers based on vague generalizations like “give hope,” “stand with us,” “join our movement,” and “make a difference” instead of specifics on what the donor’s gift will do.

    You see this all the time. You get an appeal from a not-for-profit hospital asking you to donate. They could – emphasize could — ask you to fund something specific and actionable like a clinical trial for a new cancer drug. They could give you the opportunity to make something happen, create some kind of change, and move cancer research closer to the goal. That has a good chance of eliciting a donation.

    Instead, the appeal talks in vague generalities about enhancing the well-being of the community, how much the hospital cares about each and every resident, and how the hospital is the premier health system in the state. That has a good chance of eliciting a yawn.

    That’s because donors see through this nonsense and ambiguity. They want action. They want their donation to do something, to mean something. When the copywriting in a fundraising appeal clearly conveys what the donor can accomplish, you’re connecting with donors on the level of their personal values. And with that connection in place, donors are far more likely to reward your nonprofit with a gift. You can see more about this here: https://tinyurl.com/nhevffms

  • Give your donors a specific problem to solve

    Not sure why nonprofits do this…

    The teaser on the outer envelope is “Share hope this summer.” And the subhead is “See inside how you’re making an impact for neighbors like Ken.” There’s also a photo, presumably of Ken.

    This says practically nothing to a potential donor. It’s soft and mushy. It’s vague and abstract. And it fails to present a problem the donor can solve.

    In this case, the problem is real and specific. It’s life or death, in fact. People who are homeless will suffer and die in the searing heat of the summer, especially with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees.

    That’s what we’re talking about here. That’s the problem, and “Share hope this summer” doesn’t begin to cover it.

    The letter copy also avoids the problem. It opens with Ken’s story about how he’s homeless and how his skin condition is worsened by the heat, then shifts to, “The high temperatures of summer can make life without shelter dangerous. You can make a profound difference for our neighbors with a generous gift of $10, $15, or even $20 today.”

    “High temperatures can make life dangerous” isn’t a specific problem, and “you can make a profound difference” isn’t a specific solution. What will my $10 do? Nowhere in the letter does it say, other than bland phrases like “providing critical services and programs.”

    So, why do nonprofits do this? Maybe they’re afraid of being criticized for “saviorism” or “othering.” Maybe they don’t want their appeals to be a downer. Maybe they think talking about a problem somehow overshadows the good work they do. Maybe…who knows?

    The reality is that not presenting a problem to donors results in soft, mushy appeals that just make donors shrug. You want appeals that are direct and to the point, because they make donors react. See more about this here.

  • Why is the copy for direct response fundraising so weird?

    It’s not weird, really. But it is way different from academic, business, or journalistic writing, and so it can seem weird to the (uninitiated) people at nonprofits who review copy.

    As my article in NonprofitPRO points out:

    Good copy is simple. It uses short words, sentences, and paragraphs, without jargon. That doesn’t mean it’s dumbed down, as some nonprofits think. That means it’s plain talk, which everyone appreciates, including donors.

    Good copy is repetitive. You need to repeat the important points, because most donors don’t read a letter or email from front to back. They skim. Repeating key concepts means you have a better chance of grabbing attention.

    Good copy is dramatic. To get donors’ attention and keep it, copy has to have emotional content. It has to have drama. But then it’s seen as over the top by some at the nonprofit. That’s too bad. Toning down the copy just leads to boring copy. As David Ogilvy said, “You can’t bore people into buying.” Well you can’t bore them into giving either.

    Direct response copy is the way it is because that’s what donors respond to. You can see more about why this is the case by clicking here.

  • Is this fundraising that works?

    The overline at the top of the fundraising letter reads, “You can join your neighbors to help families facing hunger.”

    So far, so good. Everybody’s against hunger. Then, this: “Every $1 can help feed a family of 3!”

    One thing’s for sure: that exclamation point is certainly justified if only one dollar can feed a family of three. That’s amazing, especially with food prices the way they are today.

    The body copy of the letter begins: “This is the time of year when we pause to reflect on what we’re grateful for…” It goes on in that vein for a few paragraphs, talking about hunger and the holidays.

    Then, here it is again: “every $1 you give to [charity] can help provide 3 meals – enough to feed a family in our community.”

    So, a little confusing here. First, $1 feeds a family of three. Then, $1 provides three meals. Apparently, feeding a family means just one meal per person. But that’s not the real difficulty here.

    No, the problem is the believability of the offer: $1 feeding a family of three. How could that possibly be? It’s just not a credible statement. It’s not believable. The letter explains that it’s “because of our network of food pantries and food bank partners,” but that’s really not much of a rationale.

    Wait, hold on a sec. I see what’s going on here. It’s that weasel-word “help.” “Every $1 can HELP feed a family of 3.” We’re not saying that every $1 actually will feed a family of three. No, we’re saying every $1 can help.

    Well, if that’s the case, then, technically speaking, every $1 that I give can help feed a family of 10. It can help feed all the families in the city. It can help feed all the families in the state. Technically, every $1 that I give can help end world hunger. Because, you know, wink, wink, we’re not saying that every $1 actually will end world hunger — we’re just saying that it can help.

    Call me skeptical, but this kind of thing seems a little questionable. It’s almost as if the charity is counting on donors simply glancing at this and thinking, “Hmm, one dollar feeds a family of three? Okay, I’ll give,” without even noticing the little weasel-word that undercuts the whole thing.

    It’s too bad. The appeal starts with a good template for an offer along the lines of “$XX will feed XX people,” but then it goes sideways. It uses numbers that strain credibility and defy simple common sense, and then on top of that, it makes the whole thing misleading for donors.

    First of all, why raise questions in donors’ minds with numbers and dollar values that seem completely unreasonable? Second, and probably more to the point, wouldn’t it have been better to figure out what the actual dollar value is for providing a meal, and then build a case for giving around that as an opportunity for donors to do good? That way, the offer to donors would be believable as well as credible. And at the end of the day, that’s the kind of offer that’s going to work best in the short term and the long term to move donors to give and keep them giving to support a cause.

  • These 3 things are probably killing your fundraising

    There are three big misconceptions that nonprofits tend to have about direct response fundraising. They’ll definitely bring down your results.

    Misconception 1: “Too much mail will turn donors off.”

    The fact is that donors like to give and want to give. And why not? Donors naturally want to do good. They want to make our world better. And they want to do it through your nonprofit – which is why they’re on your lists for mail and email in the first place. It just doesn’t make sense to ignore them. Let your donors hear from you.

    Misconception 2: “We need to educate donors about our mission.”

    There’s a place for educating and informing donors, but it’s not in your appeals. Your fundraising letters and emails should be all about your donors taking action. And that can start right at the beginning of the appeal with letter leads like “You have been specially selected to take part in this survey” and  “If your faith moves you to help children who are going hungry, please sign and return the petition I’ve enclosed. Here’s why” and  “I’m writing to you because I urgently need your help to overcome a budget shortfall that’s threatening to undo all the good we’ve accomplished together.” Your fundraising should be about action.

    Misconception 3: “The letter needs to sound like the executive director.”

    The fact is that most donors probably don’t know or care who the president or executive director is. That’s not why donors give. The fundraising for a nonprofit isn’t there to validate a particular nonprofit executive. It’s there to validate your donors. It’s the donor’s letter. It should be about her and her values. And if the letter should sound like anybody, it should sound like a friendly human being talking to another human being about something of concern to them both.

    There’s a lot more about these three misconceptions, and you can find it here: https://tinyurl.com/4uh3ek4c