A good donor newsletter makes donors feel their impact so strongly they may want to give again — 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:

✅ Is your donor newsletter leaving love — and money — on the table?

✅ March 27th: mark your calendar?

✅ Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

Wednesday, February 26, 2025
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Hi Reader,

Every few months, Brett takes the lead in reviewing our streaming subscriptions.

He asks: Which services are we actually using? Which ones have we forgotten about? Are we missing something great on a service we previously canceled?

Ah... That moment of clarity.

It's become his ritual to ensure we're not wasting money on unused channels while maximizing our viewing enjoyment. (We recently reactivated Hulu to try Farmer Wants A Wife. Don't judge! 😂)

I share this because I think it's similar to how we should approach our donor communications.

Just like those streaming subscriptions, our donor newsletters need regular evaluation.

Are they truly serving our donors? Are they generating joy and connection? Or are you just churning them out like widgets in a factory?

The difference is that unused streaming services show up clearly on credit card statements, but ineffective donor communications have no visible reminders.

Their cost is hidden but substantial — in donor attrition ... in reduced giving ... and in missed opportunities to inspire greater generosity.

Which is why I ask...

Is your donor newsletter leaving love — and money — on the table?

What follows is a visual "cheat sheet" of newsletter tips for you to peruse and use.

Click the image below to open a page where you can flip through a 4-page newsletter we wrote for one of our clients. Take a look ​and see if you're doing all of these things that I've marked with circles, arrows, and captions.

If your current donor newsletters "are checking all these boxes," wonderful!

If not, or if you could use a refresher...

March 27th: mark your calendar?

If your donor newsletters are not yet where you know they deserve to be, mark your calendar for March 27, 2025, and join fundraising legend Tom Ahern (and Lisa Sargent during the bottomless Q&A session!) for the once-in-2025 webinar:

​Retention’s Best Friend​: Donor Newsletters & Other Irresistible Thank-Yous​

Imagine your newsletter not just informing donors, but igniting loyalty and driving 317% more revenue — as it did for a Catholic diocese. Or generating $2M annually for a homeless shelter. These aren’t flukes. Tom will show you exactly how to transform your newsletter into a donor-centric powerhouse, using proven strategies that boost retention, harvest gifts, and skyrocket lifetime value.

In just 1.5 hours (+ a "no-holds-barred" unlimited Q&A session!), you’ll learn:

• The 7 fatal flaws killing your newsletter’s impact (chances are, yours has all of them)
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• How "extreme donor-centricity" helped a prison ministry increase giving by 521%
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• Why pairing print newsletters with email companions works (hint: it’s science, not guesswork)
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• Lisa Sargent’s Thankology secrets for gratitude that keep donors hooked

Plus: Real case studies, CFRE credits (1.5 points), and our "All-You-Can-Eat Q&A" — which often lasts another 2-3 hours beyond the main training.

Can’t attend live?

No worries!

You’ll get the full video recording + slides within 24 hours of the webinar's ending.

Why act now?​
→ There'll be just one Ahern webby like this in 2025.
→ Your $129 investment could make a million-dollar difference.
→ Your donors deserve better than "good enough."
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👉 Reserve YOUR SPOT Now​

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

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

• Fundraisingly Informative — The Lesson by Steven Screen (a blog post highlighting a crucial message about successful orgs: "they purposefully keep their fundraising simple and emotional in order to make their organization more accessible to more people. Those big organizations want everybody to be able to donate, not just the people who are interested enough to learn about their programs...")​
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• Lyrically Peerless — John Prine 2014 Live from the Greek Theater LA via Image Factory Productions Kissinger (an 83-minute concert from one of America's all-time great lyricists; RIP John Prine, who died of Covid in April of 2020)​
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• Historically Humorous — SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night | Official Trailer | Peacock Original​ via Peacock (a 2-minute trailer of the 4-part docuseries released on Peacock about a month ago; if this trailer grabs you, the series surely will)

Until next time: May you never settle for “good enough”… and may your donor newsletters spark joy, deepen loyalty, and help you raise more than ever before!

With gratitude,
Julie Cooper & Brett Cooper

P.S. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Click here to sign up for your own free weekly subscription.
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