Soapbox Engage Blog

The right thank you is essential to a nonprofit expressing exceptional gratitude and developing long-term relationships with donors. Below is a little inspiration from two organizations that get it right to help your creative juices flow for your next thank you letter or email.

For a deep dive into smart strategy for gift acknowledgement that boosts sustaining donors as well as tactics for extending the Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack to support those strategies, watch our recorded webinar recording, Operationalizing Gratitude: Effective and Timely Thank Yous for Increased Donor Retention.

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Grameen Foundation

This auto-generated email is great at personalization and effectively including the appropriate IRS tax requirements.

Here's why this email is great:

1. It's personalized with "Dear Marisa."
2. Your attention is grabbed in the first sentence, and oh yeah, I'm reminded why I gave in the first place.
3. The letter focuses on one person whose life has been changed because of this organization's work.
4. Note the positive tone - "You don't just invest in courageous, resilient women like Goddan, you invest in a better world." Yes! Yes, I do invest in a better world!
5. They provide an email address to contact if I have any questions.
6. The tax information is included at the bottom.

Water.org

This is an anniversary email that is really great at re-engaging donors, sharing impact, and including a recurring gift ask.

Here's why their email is so great:

1. They start with "Twelve months ago you gave..." which is their way of saying "Remember us! You care about this!"
2. Again, the positive tone - words like "result", "transformation", and "celebration" are used throughout.
3. They go one to tell me that not only am I helping to provide clean water, but I'm doing all these other amazing things like ending poverty and saving lives.
4. Then, right at the end, the clincher - an invitation to become a recurring donor. "Only $25 brings one person clean water for LIFE!" By making a recurring gift, you can bring one person, or an entire family, clean water for life - each month.