In fact, it might be your charity’s most underutilized digital asset. Whether you're sending monthly newsletters, donor updates, or event invites, email remains one of the most reliable ways to reach the people who care about your cause.
This nonprofit email marketing guide will walk you through best practices that are proven to boost open rates, improve engagement, and turn passive readers into active supporters.
If you’re wondering, “Are newsletters effective for nonprofits?” — the data says yes:
The bottom line: email is still the MVP of digital outreach — when done right.
Your first job is to get past the gatekeeper — the subject line. The average nonprofit email open rate hovers around 28%, which means most of your list never reads your message.
Best Practices for Nonprofit Email Subject Lines:
Use tools like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to A/B test different subject lines and sender names to learn what resonates. This will also prevent issues that arise when sending mass emails from a personal account.
Once your email is opened, your goal is to keep your audience reading — and eventually acting.
How to Write a Charity Fundraising Email That Connects:
Structure your email like a mini story — hook with a problem, show how your organization is the guide, and call the reader to action.
Your audience signed up because they care — but they won’t stay engaged without consistency.
How Often Should Nonprofits Send Newsletters?
How Long Should Nonprofit Newsletters Be?
Use Analytics to Build Trust and Improve:
One of our clients, Cornerstone Magazine, consistently sees open rates above 60% — more than double the industry average.
What worked?
You don’t need a fancy template or daily emails to succeed. But you do need:
Let your email list become what it was always meant to be — a bridge between your mission and the people who care about it.
Whether you need strategy support or want someone to manage your nonprofit's email marketing from start to finish, we can help.
✅ Strategic planning ✅ Subject line optimization ✅ Done-for-you writing and design ✅ Reporting and analytics
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