5 Charity Newsletters to Learn From

Charity newsletters are an essential communications tool. Your newsletter has the ability to inspire, connect, and raise money. The content you select for your newsletter can make all the difference. With a little planning and strategy, you can transform your newsletter into an effective communications tool for your organization.

But, what if you're not sure what content to include in your charity's newsletter? Maybe you have a case of writer's blog or just feel like the inspiration has run dry. One of the things I do to get out of a writing rut is to look at other examples of similar work. It gets my creative wheels turning and ready to write!

After recent post where I wrote about how to write a better non-profit newsletter and I thought it would be great to look at some examples of  charity newsletters - good and bad.

Subject Line: We’re making plans - have your say. (view email)

One of the great things about this newsletter is the quick snapshot of the content right at the top. It also allows a reader to easily click down to what they’re interested in. I also like the fact that the content is separated very clearly by topics such as “fundraising,” “news,” and “shop online.” This makes it very easy for readers to skim. The “pet of the month” is a nice, consistent piece of content in each newsletter.

Here are a few ideas you can try in your newsletter inspired by this one:

• Use a table of contents or quick links feature to help readers find the content they care about 
• Develop content features specific to your target audiences 
• Make your newsletter easy to skim by using headline, bold and italic text, and images with captions

Subject Line: Important News that Might Surprise You (view email)

This newsletter’s subject line is a bit sub-par, but the first sentence of the email is great. “Did you know that kids who spend time outdoors do better in school?” Bam! You know that’s aimed at a very specific target audience. The rest of the email copy follow suit, speaking to adults with children. This is a great example of copy that speaks to a specific audience with a clear message.

Here are a few ideas you can try in your newsletter inspired by this one:

• Know who your target audience is for your newsletter 
• Create content that your target audience actually wants to read. Not sure what that is? Ask them. 
• Start your newsletter on the right foot with a strong, compelling first sentence that hooks your readers

Subject Line: Disability Matters (CBM) - Issue 26 (view email)

CBM has a consistent subject line that uses the name of the e-newsletter (Disability Matters). There is something to be said for predictability as it will help your subscribers get used to what to expect from your organization. This newsletter integrates pictures, which is a nice touch. But what I really want to highlight is how they divide up the newsletter sections with great headlines. They use very catchy headlines that show the organization’s work. Definitely an idea to test out in your newsletters!

Here are a few ideas you can try in your newsletter inspired by this one:

• Use photos in your newsletter that show your work and donors' impact in action
• Craft great headlines within your newsletter that keep your audience reading  
• Create predictable content features that your audience will look forward to

Subject Line: You did it! (view email)

What would this round-up be without an email from charity:water? I chose this one because it’s primary use of an image. During The Storytelling Non-Profit Virtual Conference, a few folks asked about using pictures as a part of storytelling and communications. I think this email is a great example of the power of an image. The copy is short, sweet and gives readers another place to go if they wish to read more.

Here are a few ideas you can try in your newsletter inspired by this one:

• Test out shorter content that's focused on a single story
• Find photos that are truly worth a 1,000 words  
• Provide a value-added link to additional reading for those who want to know more

Subject Line: A time for hope (view email)

Similar to the charity:water, this email also capitalizes on the power of an image and boy is it a joyful one! Unlike some of the other emails that we’ve looked at, this one does not use headlines or varying weights of text to make the copy easier to read. The email is providing updates from the year and it would be very easy to use headlines to encourage readers to pay attention to certain points.

Here are a few ideas you can try in your newsletter inspired by this one:

• Break up your content with strategic headlines
• If you're writing a newsletter that is a "year in review" consider using an infographic to create an visually interesting timeline

This post was chock full of charity newsletter inspiration. If you're looking for more practical, how-to resources to improve your non-profit newsletter here are a few articles you should read.