This is the 178th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can ​subscribe here for free.)​

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Hi Reader,

When Brett taught English to 8th graders, he couldn't believe how many of his fellow teachers were using the font Comic Sans.

You know — this one:

No offense to any Comic Sans fans out there... but the font has an elementary school vibe. It's off-putting to young teens who are knocking on the door of high school.

As always, "Know your audience."

True also for fundraising fonts.

Which is why today, I have...

1 fundraising design tip to make your direct mail letters feel more personal 💛

Most nonprofits have certain fonts they use. They might even create a brand guide to standardize it. But handwriting fonts are not usually part of that.

(As an aside, let me be clear: fundraising writing is different from marketing and essentially all other copy and design. For best results, fundraisers should have leeway to bend or break most any brand guidelines or "expectations.")

However, you gotta know what you're doing!

A bad handwriting font can be practically unreadable or/or set the wrong tone.

A good handwriting font should feel personal, authentic, and appropriate to the context.

Before I go any further, I think it might be good to share with you few ways in which you might use a handwriting font in a direct mail letter:

1. Page nudger

A page nudger guides the reader to continue reading on the next page. That could be as simple as:

Or, your page nudger could help to emphasize a transitional point in your letter:

2. Marginalia

Using a handwriting font (or an image of handwriting) in the margins of your appeal letter can be a powerful way to emphasize a crucial moment in your fundraising story. E.g.,

3. Other areas in your direct mail pack

During the design phase, consider where else you might be able to use a handwriting font. (But don't overdo it. A little goes a long way.)

For example, you might add something handwritten...

... at the top of your letter (i.e., in the Johnson box):

... below the P.S. in your letter:

... on the outer envelope:

Choosing the right font can be tricky.

Too often, handwriting fonts are:

Below are a few of my favorites from Canva Pro and Adobe Fonts. You might find one here that feels right for your cause and brand.

Canva Pro

These easy-to-read fonts come standard with your free nonprofit Canva Pro account:

Adobe InDesign Fonts

Adobe InDesign is my favorite design platform! Here are a few inviting handwriting fonts available in the Adobe library:

That's it! Simple! Now just put your nifty new handwriting font in your back pocket, and you're good to go! ⭐

All aboard!​
1 week from tomorrow: will you be on the Tom-Ahern "webinar bus" with me and so many other global, ambitious fundraisers like yourself?

​Join us!​

The last Tom-Ahern-mega-webby of 2025 is just 1 week away. It could make your day and possibly your year!

Tom and Jeff Brooks (with a little help from me, your moderator) will cover all things DM and digital appeal writing. Things you should know but don't, things you did know but forgot, things you don't know but will soon!

Judging by our experience, a good, productive time will be had by all!
​
This unique training comes complete with multiple, empathetic experts, unlimited Q&A, the priceless PDF handout and comprehensive recordings.
​
​Date: Thursday, September 18, 2025
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​What? The 2025 edition of Tom Ahern's acclaimed direct-mail-appeal masterclass, with unlimited Q&A delivered by a will-not-quit world-class DM expert (Jeff Brooks).
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Special guest expert? The one and only Jeff Brooks!
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​Time: 1 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11 AM Mountain; 10 AM Pacific.) Jeff Brooks comes on board at 2:30 PM Eastern. As for other time zones...? Relax: the entire show is recorded: listen/watch at your convenience.
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​Who??! YOU! The ideas and information are expert-level ... yet beginner-friendly.
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​Why you!?!?!? Maybe you're ambitious. Maybe you've got a new job or boss ... and you have something to prove. Maybe last year's appeal under-performed. Maybe you're a veteran who wants a refresher course and confidence booster.
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​Why tune up your appeal skills N!O!W!???? Here comes the 2025 giving season: the months of October, November, December ... even January, surprisingly enough. Let's not overlook Giving Tuesday either: December 2, 2025.
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​The classroom: Your computer via Zoom
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​Price: A budget-friendly $129 per Zoom link​
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​HANDOUTS and TAKE-AWAYS!!! Each Zoom link receives a PDF handout of every slide in the entire show. The recording includes the training by Tom Ahern, as well as ALL the Q&As fielded by Tom, guest expert Jeff Brooks, and me, your moderator, Julie Cooper.
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​You WILL need this PDF in the future, trust us. Science says humans forget 80% of new information within 24 hours. The PDF handout is your hard guarantee that YOU won't forget ... ever.
​
Will this particular webinar be offered again in 202​5? Sorry, no. (Sign up now, while you're thinking about it?)

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

For your brain, heart, and funny bone...
​

• Fundraisingly Informative — Why the Rich Don’t Feel Your Nonprofit’s Mission by Otis Fulton (a LinkedIn article about some of the psychological differences between wealthy and non-wealthy donors, and what that implies for your fundraising)​
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• Effectively Direct — The 1:1 method by Seth Godin (a brief blog post about how your audience is not a crowd but a single person taking in your message, so you should write that way)
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• Superbly Crafted — Task | Official Trailer | HBO Max (a 2-minute YouTube video trailer of the brand-new prestige TV limited series by the makers of Mare of Easttown, starring Mark Ruffalo, Martha Plimpton, and others; the pilot was excellent)

Until next time: May you always lean into the personal ... where connection starts, heart to heart.

Grateful,

Julie Cooper & Brett Cooper
Fundraising Copywriters​
​FundraisingWriting.com​
​100% human, thank you very much.