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We're Julie Cooper and Brett Cooper, fundraising copywriters for great causes. Does your fundraising bring in as much money as it could? You can send donor communications that stir hearts to action. We'd love to help. πŸ’› Start by subscribing to our FREE and fun weekly newsletter.

image of Mark Scout from Severance, where the top of his brain is opened up to reveal a tiny version of himself sitting at a computer workstation at a desk
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Has your fundraising brain been "Severed"? (I hope not!)

This week's newsletter is courtesy of the Department of Choreography and Merriment. This is the 165th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… Has your fundraising brain been "Severed"? (I hope not!) βœ… TOMORROW (1 day only this year) βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Hi Reader, No worries, no spoilers β€” And you don't need to know a...

Quack-quack! This is the 164th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… Are you looking for your "lucky duck" fundraising stories? βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Hi Reader, There's a very cool-looking Jeep that Brett and I often notice during our neighborhood walks. On its dashboard are a bunch of cute little rubber ducks....

screenshot of a fundraising "gift catalog" embedded in an appeal

Fundraising gift catalogs are a fantastic way to highlight various needs and raise more money. And you don't need to wait for the holidays... This is the 163rd Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… You can embed a fundraising "mini gift catalog" in your appeals βœ… 3 weeks from tomorrow... βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, March 5, 2025 Hi Reader,...

cover of a 4-page donor newsletter with drawn circles in red indicating to include a donor-relevant title and headlines with specifics, emotion, and the donor's importance

A good donor newsletter makes donors feel their impact so strongly they may want to give again β€” as soon as right now! This is the 162nd Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… Is your donor newsletter leaving love β€” and money β€” on the table? βœ… March 27th: mark your calendar? βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, February 26, 2025 Hi Reader, Every few...

Life, love, fundraising: stories for the ages. This is the 161st Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… SIM ONE: an unforgettable true love and fundraising story βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Hi Reader, Brett here: Last Friday, Valentine's Day, Julie and I enjoyed dinner and a movie ... and then I started reading fundraising...

image of creatures collecting gold in a forest

We are "story collecting" creatures. Make the collecting part a conscious habit β€” for the win! This is the 160th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… You don't need to scramble for your fundraising stories (there's a better way) βœ… Side Quest: transcription tip for you βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Hi Reader, Do you think of...

Bequests bring light after death. This is the 159th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… What organ donations can teach us about bequest fundraising... βœ… Next week: Tom Ahern's bequest webinar βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Hi Reader, When his dad died in 1992, Brett and I were dating, and I remember how difficult it was for...

Nusret Gâkçe aka Salt Bae sprinkling salt and wearing sunglasses and a white t-shirt

Be like Salt Bae: use sensory details sparingly but with flair. A little goes a long way. This is the 158th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… Please don't "over spice" your fundraising stories βœ… In 2 weeks: Tom Ahern's bequest webinar βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Hi Reader, Brett here: When I was an English teacher, I...

GIF of Chris Farley on SNL saying to Paul McCartney, "Remember, when you were in the Beatles and, uh, you did that umm album, Abbey Road"

The robots are coming. The future is knocking. Meanwhile, nostalgia is worth its weight in golden memories. This is the 157th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… I agree with JP: nostalgia will be big in 2025 (in your fundraising too?) βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, January 8, 2025 Hi Reader, The podcast that got me into podcast listening is...

the Jetson's robot polishing Mrs. Jetson's face

Oh no! Don't let the AI "polish" your story notes! Specifics bring authenticity, connection, and feeling. FEELING is believing. This is the 156th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) In this issue: βœ… Please don't AI-ify your fundraising story notes! βœ… A preview of our scheduled 2025 webinars βœ… Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you Wednesday, January 1, 2025 Happy New Year, Reader!...