Maddie’s Fundraising Copywriting Tips

By Madeleine Nance, Co-Founder of Kind Word

I live and breathe fundraising copy every day. I write it. I read it. I teach it.

So, when I come across something that works in my own writing, I want to tell my nonprofit
friends all about it.

Here are three of my favorite writing tips for you!

You might find it easier to understand a ‘things are getting better/worse’ situation… if you can picture two points in time.
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It was this. Now it’s this.
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You can use this idea for fundraising.
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Instead of just saying:
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“The costs to run our wildlife sanctuary have increased.”
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Pick two points in time to show what this looks like:
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“A year ago, it cost about $40 a day to feed our animals. Now, we’re spending over $60 every day.”
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See how this is easier to picture?
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I see a lot of nonprofits talk to their supporters like this:
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“<Organization Name> is saving lives.”
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Try changing it to this:
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“Your support is saving lives.”
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Or, even better:
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“You are saving lives.”
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Use these simple word changes to get donors close to the impact they help make possible.
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This question is gold when you’re speaking to people who have never experienced a particular situation.

Let’s say you want to share what it’s like to live with a debilitating health condition:

“Can you imagine waking up in so much pain that you can’t even get out of bed?”

Or, what it’s like to miss out on school and never learn to read:

“Can you imagine how frustrating it is trying to get around when you can’t read signs?”

Or, what it’s like to have no place to call home:

“Can you imagine not having a safe place to rest at the end of an exhausting day?”

It’s a way to bring someone closer to another person’s experience.

Empathy.

I share tips like these on LinkedIn and through my Kind Word newsletter (get a FREE Fundraising Appeal Writing Checklist when you sign up—it’s a ‘formula’ I use).