profile

Subscribe to The Fundraising Writing Newsletter

Tell your best stories of need, then tell your best stories of impact

Published over 1 year ago • 4 min read

Tell your best stories to touch a donor’s heart. This is the 145th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can ​subscribe here for free.)​

In this issue:

✅ Tell your best stories of need, then tell your best stories of impact

✅ In 2 days, will you be on the Tom-Ahern bus too?

✅ Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

​

Tuesday, September 10, 2024
​

Hi Reader,

You may have heard something like this...

  1. Your appeal letters should tell the story of need. They should not include impact. The call-to-action should invite donors to be the solution, to meet the need.
    ​
  2. Your newsletters and impact reports should tell the story of impact, the difference the donor made by helping to write a happy ending to a sad story.

This is true, generally.

But one thing to keep in mind that sounds obvious yet is more nuanced than you might think...

Tell your best stories of need, then tell your best stories of impact

Let me explain it to you this way...

The other day, Brett and I received an email with a question (edited for clarity):

I have a question about the two-fold relationship between the appeal and the newsletter. If the piece is an appeal that centers around the needs of a specific person, should the next newsletter focus on the impact of the donor’s gift for that specific person too? Must you do this to complete a story arc?

In other words, does the newsletter need to tell the end of the story that was featured in the appeal?

Here's how Brett and I answered the question:

The story arc concept — Part 1 as the problem/need/appeal; Part 2 as the solution/impact/newsletter for the same story — is the ideal ... but isn’t always practical in the real world.
​
For example, in the short time between the appeal and the newsletter, the story of need isn’t always resolved completely when you need to write the impact story for an email or newsletter.
​
We and our clients have always preferred different stories for each. Donors respond to appeal stories and impact stories as separate things that don't necessarily need to connect except "in spirit."
​
We've found that it's best to tell your best story of need and then tell your best stories of impact. For various reasons (e.g., you don't yet know the impact, as noted above), your best stories of need and your best stories of impact may not overlap.
​
We think of it almost like different "genres." Some stories lend themselves to appeals, some to impact stories/reports/newsletters.
​
Keep in mind that an appeal tells the story of need with urgency and a call-to-action, telling the donor the good that will happen when they make a gift to help people like the person in the story.
​
Impact stories tell the whole story — the whole arc. They can do this because the donor was there, in the middle, helping to bridge the need and the impact.
​
Side note: there are other ways to frame appeal stories, of course! We've had success with appeals that include impact as well, but they're trickier to pull off/riskier.

"Tell your best story of need and then tell your best stories of impact" is repeated here several times because I'm hoping it will stick in your brain.

It's your reminder that your best stories of need will likely be different from your best stories of impact.

That's okay.

Your donors will "feel complete" so long as you give them compelling stories of need with a good offer for a donor-sized problem they can help fix . . . and compelling stories of impact that demonstrate some of the good things that happen when they give.

Consider keeping separate notes, some notes for your Stories of Need and other notes for your Stories of Impact.

Put your best foot forward for each "genre" of fundraising writing, and you'll make great strides with your donors!

In 2 days: will you be on the Tom-Ahern bus too?

​Join us!​

The last Tom-Ahern-mega-webby of 2024 will be happening in 2 days, on Thursday, September 12th.

It could make your day and possibly your year!

Tom Ahern 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 12, 2024
---
​What? The 2024 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).
---

Special guest expert? The one and only Jeff Brooks!
---
​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.
---
​Who??! YOU! The ideas and information are expert level ... yet beginner friendly.
---
​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.
---
​Why tune up your appeal skills N!O!W!???? Here comes the 2024 giving season: the months of October, November, December ... even January, surprisingly enough. Let's not overlook Giving Tuesday either: December 3, 2024.
---
​The classroom: Your computer via Zoom
---
​Price: A budget-friendly $129 per Zoom link​
---
​HANDOUTS and TAKE-AWAYS!!! Each Zoom link receives a PDF handout of every slide in the entire show. You'll also get a recording of the training as well as ALL the Q&As fielded by guest expert Jeff Brooks, Tom, and me
​
Will this particular webinar be offered again in 2024? 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 — What's in My Inbox | How do you steward your monthly donors by Pamela Grow (a blog post featuring advice from Lisa Sargent which gives practical, actionable tips on stewarding a crucial group of special people: monthly donors)​
    ​
  • Remarkably Groundbreaking — What Phil Donahue Meant to Me via The Daily (a 35-minute podcast episode in which host Ezra Klein reflect on the legacy of Phil Donahue for him, for talk shows, and for America)
    ​
  • Dizzyingly Romantic — Tea with the Dames via Scott Bryan (a 1-minute video excerpt in which Dames Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright banter with droll British aplomb, particularly about Dame Judi Dench getting all the best acting roles)

Until next time: May you always relish the wonderful privilege of telling your amazing stories of need and impact.

Grateful,

​

Subscribe to The Fundraising Writing Newsletter

Join thousands of smart fundraisers who receive weekly tips, insights, and resources.

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. 💛 Start by subscribing to our FREE and fun weekly newsletter.

Read more from Subscribe to The Fundraising Writing Newsletter

This is the 188th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Hi Reader, Brett here: When I was a middle school English teacher, I struggled for years. At first I tried to do everything the way my peers did. Eventually I took inspiration from my 6th grade art teacher, Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown was known for doing things differently. For example, if you wanted to use a...

4 days ago • 4 min read
“An open children’s picture book titled ‘Millions of Cats.’ The left page shows a simple black-and-white drawing of a small stone house surrounded by a fence and flowers. The right page shows a very old man with a long beard and a very old woman standing

This is the 187th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Hi Reader, Do you know the picture book Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág? I love it! Which is why I bought it for a friend expecting a baby. But Brett said, "I've never read this book." What? How? So I forced Brett to read it. (Just kidding. He volunteered.) The first thing he said is, "I love the...

18 days ago • 2 min read
“A collage-style graphic showing three overlapping donor newsletters. The newsletters feature headlines, photos, and layouts emphasizing donor impact, including phrases such as ‘You were there,’ ‘Thanks to you,’ and ‘Good News.’ Visible images include a w

This is the 186th Fundraising Writing Newsletter. If you find value here, please tell a fundraising friend. (Your fundraising friend can subscribe here for free.) Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Hi Reader, Happy New Year! Peak asking season is in the rearview... ...and your donors need a breather. Nothing "breathes" quite like impact! A donor newsletter is a wonderful way to share your gratitude for the impact your donors make. But too many nonprofit newsletters "bury" the donor. 😑 They focus on all...

26 days ago • 2 min read