Write love letters to your donors this Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day isn't just about romantic love. It's about showing the people who matter to you that you see them, know them, and appreciate them. The same principle applies to donor relationships.

This week, we're sharing how to write donor communications that feel like love letters rather than generic, one-to-all letters. From tracking data that lets you personalize messages to impact stories that show specific transformation, plus 10 creative ways to celebrate supporters on Valentine's Day (construction paper hearts, anyone?).

The best relationships are built on understanding, consistency, and genuine appreciation. Your donor communications should reflect that same intentionality.

The take-home template

Good thank-you notes tell donors their gift mattered. Great ones show a specific person whose life is different because of that gift. This nine-step template walks you through creating donor impact stories that show transformation, from introducing the problem and building tension to revealing the solution and celebrating outcomes.

Snackable snippets

10 strategies to celebrate donors on Valentine’s Day 📖

Fundraising expert Claire Axelrad points out that nonprofits lose 8 out of 10 first-time donors because they only contact people when they want money. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, she recommends construction paper hearts with handwritten notes, "loveathon" phone calls, or homemade cookies delivered to donors' doorsteps. You don't have to do this for every donor — pick specific segments, like major donors or monthly supporters.

Five steps to writing more compelling fundraising emails 📖

 Nobody reads emails they don't open, which is why your subject line matters more than anything else you write. Here’s what you can do: Use curiosity-driven subject lines and hooks that grab attention in two sentences or less. Most importantly, be clear about what you want people to do (HubSpot found that straightforward CTAs get 371% more clicks than vague ones).

M+R shares year-end findings 📖

M+R analyzed their nonprofit partners and found most raised more money in 2025's end-of-year season despite a tough year overall. The biggest growth came from digital advertising and mobile, while email had a solid 10% median growth. Audio continued to outperform expectations, and straightforward, human-sounding creative beats drove highly produced content.

For your inspiration folder

Quick correction: In last week's newsletter, we attributed the tax receipt email in our inspo section to No Stomach for Cancer. That email is actually a free service provided by Zeffy. We value transparency and want to make sure credit goes where it belongs.

Global Fund for Women shows how to approach monthly giving by visualizing how sustained support creates lasting change. They use a gif showing foundation, infrastructure, momentum, growth, and sustainability stacking on top of each other. Instead of just saying "your monthly gift helps," they're showing how reliable funding lets partners hire staff who stay, plan beyond crises, and build programs that strengthen over time.

Plus, the P.S. acknowledges existing monthly donors and invites them to bring friends along.