Hands-On Fundraising

Donor Communications

  • About
  • Hands-On Fundraising Blog
  • Services
  • Contact

Is this any way to treat a friend?

I don’t treat friends like this, do you? I’ll admit that I only open some of my mail. Like most people, I quickly sort out the bills and other “must-open” things. Then I go through the rest. One glance at the envelope is usually enough to tell me whether I want to bother opening it. […]

Filed Under: Annual Giving, Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: appeal, appeal writing, donor retention, Donors, Fundraising, Mail, Nonprofit, solicitation Leave a Comment

Do your thank you letters need a little help?

I want you to raise more money. So I want you to fix your thank you letters. I understand why thank you letters might seem an afterthought. When I first started working in development, I felt comfortable around data and record-keeping. It felt neat and orderly. You plug the numbers in correctly, and you get […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Thanks Tagged With: Donors, Nonprofit, thank you letters, Writing 20 Comments

Empowering donors: measuring impact

We’ve got work to do. I recently read a piece from Give.org, “Public Perceptions of Charity Impact.” In it, they refer to their recently released Special Donor Trust Report. And one of the findings left me with my head in my hands. Those with household income above $200k who report they know the meaning of […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications, Nonprofits Tagged With: donor communications, impact, Nonprofit 1 Comment

7 more quick tips to improve your donor communications

Do your donor communications need a few quick tips? Improve your donor communications… I know. I just wrote about this. But there’s a bit more… and if you’re like me, more ideas are hard to resist. You’ve probably heard you should write fast and edit slowly. And so you should. But how do you turn […]

Filed Under: Blog, Donor communications Tagged With: donor communications, Fundraising, Nonprofit 1 Comment

How to handle a bully

Lately, we’ve seen a rash of stories about the problem of bullying in nonprofit organizations. Yes, these organizations meant to make the world a better place can be the place where people are made to feel awful. We’re not at all exempt. Sometimes, I think we might be more at risk. During a Twitter conversation […]

Filed Under: Blog, Caring for yourself Tagged With: bullying, emotional health, Nonprofit 2 Comments

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Fundraising advice served fresh to your inbox

Get yours here:

Search

Recent Posts

  • So you want more active donors and more income…
  • How to help people feel connected
  • Is this any way to treat a friend?
  • Size matters. But don’t be too rough on the big guys.
  • Why the things you hate make good appeals

Work with me!

Let's talk about how I can help your organization raise more money.

Contact

  • Donor communications
  • Fundraising Strategy

Copyright © 2026 · Mary Cahalane · Hands-On Fundraising · 847 S. Main Street · #183 · Plantsville, CT 06479