The communications and fundraising link: How clear and compelling communications drives fundraising
Communications and fundraising are deeply intertwined. In this Reader, we want to make this connection clear and strong while providing ways you can put this into practice.
Effective communications enables you to:
Showcase your impact and results
People give when they see the difference their money makes. Show the tangible outcomes of your conservation efforts through data, testimonials, and visuals to demonstrate to donors and other supporters the value of investing in your organization.
Impact isn’t a list of activities. It isn’t the number of meetings your team held in a year, but rather what those meetings achieved. How did those meetings help to advance your mission? Remember to always relate your impact to your strategy. How are the results you are achieving leading you closer to achieving your goals and objectives?
Demonstrating impact is where team collaboration comes in. Work closely with your programmes and Monitoring and Evaluation teams to measure the right things and ensure that the data collected is meaningful, accurate, and aligns with your broader year-end communications goals. By doing so, you can highlight the most compelling outcomes, showcase real progress, and provide tangible evidence of your organization’s success to inspire and engage your audience.
Have ready-on-hand messages and clear metrics to share with the donors and funders you interact with.
Build trust and credibility
Donors are more likely to give and continue giving when they trust your organization. Regularly sharing how their contributions are being used and providing updates on your conservation efforts fosters long-term relationships and donor confidence.
Inspire action...
Storytelling is at the heart of fundraising. Combined with accurate and clear data - it creates some of the most powerful ways to reach your donors and audiences, and really showcase the difference your work makes. Stories engage audiences emotionally, and help to humanize your work and achievements.
Engage your donors...
Not all donors and funders are the same. You should understand your audience and tailor your message to different donor groups. Engage your supporters through different platforms that work for them. Some may want to follow your organization on LinkedIn or Instagram, others may prefer direct email or reports and some like WhatsApp messages. No matter what, consistent communication across these channels keeps your work top of mind and makes it easier for donors to stay connected, involved, and inspired.
A communications checklist to support your fundraising efforts this giving season
What are some practical ideas to help position your team for success? Below are simple and achievable ways - requiring only your team's commitment - that we've seen our partners use to engage and inspire their funders and donors during the giving season. Try them!
Firstly, collect and gather content →
Put together a simple plan for your year-end communications ✅
Work with your team to develop a list of strategic activities that you need to do to reach your supporters. For example, if you’re running a campaign during Giving Tuesday, what does that look like? Who needs to get involved? When do you need to get these things done?
Collect powerful stories and data that demonstrate your organization’s impact ✅
Start collecting stories and the accompanying impact numbers from your programme teams now. Don’t wait until the end of November as everyone is tired and scrambling! These will form the foundation of your year-end and fundraising efforts. Include testimonials, quotes and direct feedback, especially from the communities you partner with and the beneficiaries of your programmes.
Have great pictures to accompany the stories ✅
Good pictures should be clear, high-quality, and visually engaging, capturing the essence of the story you're telling. Ensure that the images reflect the human element - whether they showcase the people your organization serves, the nature and landscapes you are working to conserve, or the initiatives your organization is undertaking. Authenticity is key, so aim for candid moments rather than posed shots, as these can evoke stronger emotional connections with your audience.
Produce simple thank-you videos ✅
Use a smartphone to create heartfelt thank-you messages from your team or the communities you work with. These can be shared directly with individual donors, on social media or email updates, helping them feel appreciated without expensive video production costs.
Make your impact visual ✅
Create simple infographics using free design tools like Canva to visually communicate the outcomes of your conservation efforts. Infographics can be shared on your website, in emails, and across social media, making your message easy to digest and shareable without design expertise.
Make your impact visual ✅
Create simple infographics using free design tools like Canva to visually communicate the outcomes of your conservation efforts. Infographics can be shared on your website, in emails, and across social media, making your message easy to digest and shareable without design expertise.
Share the content and information →
Create year-end emails and newsletters ✅
Use free email tools like Mailchimp to send a newsletter update or personalized emails to your supporters. Refer to the impact stories you’ve collected and include them in your newsletter or emails. Add the great pictures you have, and include the thank you video. Where possible, segment your donors based on previous giving history, and tailor each email to highlight what their specific contribution has achieved.
Post the content across social platforms ✅
Use the stories you’ve collected, and the images and videos, and share them over the giving period on social media platforms. Have a clear call to action for anyone who wants to support you directly. Make the content exciting and interactive, too.
Host a virtual event to show appreciation for your supporters and to provide a space for dialogue, questions, and connection ✅
Free or low-cost platforms like Zoom or Google Meet can give you a place to host virtual events where your supporters can hear directly from your team and partners about recent successes and upcoming projects. This doesn’t need to be long - it can just be an hour or even less- but with some stories, photos, and results you can make it compelling and fun! This personal touch helps strengthen donor relationships without requiring a physical event space or extra equipment.
Draft and share your Annual Report or annual highlights ✅
An annual report or a roundup of your activities and achievements for the year does not have to be a mammoth task. It can be simple and easy to achieve. Some of our favorite annual reports are one-page scrolls, a simple infographic, or a newsletter with updates.
Resources:
We’re passionate about this topic, and have some previous Readers to complement today’s edition.