Email Marketing for Nonprofits, Charities and Churches

How nonprofits, charities and faith communities use email to thank donors, recruit volunteers, share impact stories and keep their community connected.

In short: Collect emails with clear permission, thank every supporter quickly, tell real impact stories, and keep a steady monthly newsletter with a few clear appeals a year. Registered charities have some special rules under Canada’s CASL — know them.

For nonprofits, charities and faith communities, email isn't just marketing — it's how you keep a community connected, informed and involved. A well-run list helps you thank supporters, recruit volunteers, fill events and raise funds.

Build a list of people who care

Sign-up forms on your website and donation pages.
Event and service sign-up sheets (with permission to email).
Volunteer registrations.
A QR code on printed bulletins, posters and programs.

Note: in Canada, CASL generally treats messages from registered charities whose primary purpose is raising funds as exempt from the consent rules — but identification and good practice still matter, and other messages may not be covered. Follow the same respectful approach for everyone: clear permission, easy unsubscribe. Read CASL explained.

What to send

Thank-you emails

Thank donors quickly and personally — ideally automatically right after a gift, followed by a note from a real person. Show them where their money went.

Impact stories

One person, one project, one result. Stories move people far more than statistics. Include a photo and a simple next step.

Event invitations and reminders

Services, fundraisers, community dinners, workshops. Invite early, remind the day before, share photos afterwards.

Volunteer calls

Specific asks work best: "We need four people to help serve dinner on Saturday, 5–8 p.m."

Regular newsletter

A monthly or weekly roundup: upcoming events, recent highlights, ways to help, a short reflection or message.

Campaign appeals

For fundraising campaigns, a short series: the need, the story, the progress, the final push — with an easy donation link in every email.

Segment your community

Donors vs volunteers vs members vs event attendees.
First-time vs regular donors.
Interests (youth programs, music, outreach).

Keep it human

Sign emails from a real person. Invite replies. Celebrate your community.

Subject: This month at [Organisation]: 40 families fed, and a dinner you can join

Hi {first name},

Thank you. Because of your support, 40 families received grocery boxes this month. Here's Maria's story — and how one box made her week easier. [Read Maria's story]

Coming up

Community dinner — Saturday, 6 p.m., all welcome.
Volunteer orientation — Thursday, 7 p.m. (new helpers needed!).

One way to help this month: we need four volunteers for Saturday's dinner, 5–8 p.m. [Sign up to help]

With gratitude, [Name], [Role]

A simple yearly plan

January: thank-you and year-in-review — what supporters made possible.
Spring: volunteer recruitment and a spring event.
Summer: impact stories and a mid-year update.
Autumn: a campaign appeal leading into Giving Tuesday.
December: year-end giving reminder (many donors give in the last weeks of the year) and holiday greetings.

Measure what matters

Track donations and volunteer sign-ups from each email (use a separate link or code per email), event attendance, and how many supporters give a second time. A rising number of repeat donors is a sign your emails are building real relationships.

Special rules for charities (Canada and the US)

In Canada, CASL has an exemption for emails sent by or on behalf of a registered charity when the primary purpose of the message is raising funds for the charity. Many other messages — such as event promotions that sell tickets, or merchandise sales — may still count as commercial and need consent. Even when an exemption applies, including your organisation's name, contact details and an unsubscribe link is good practice and builds trust.

In the US, CAN-SPAM focuses on commercial messages. Purely charitable, religious or informational content generally isn't commercial, but emails that promote products or paid events can be. Following CAN-SPAM's basic rules for every email — honest subject lines, a postal address and an easy unsubscribe — avoids any doubt.

Rules can be complex, so check guidance from the CRTC (Canada) or the FTC (US), or ask a lawyer for advice about your organisation's specific situation.

Writing an appeal that respects supporters

Lead with one person or one need, not statistics. "Meet Amira, who found a home this winter" moves people more than "We served 1,200 families".
Be specific about what a gift does: "$40 provides a week of groceries for one family."
Ask clearly and once. One button, one amount suggestion (with an option to choose another amount).
Send updates, not just asks. Supporters who hear how their last gift was used are much more likely to give again.
Thank people within 48 hours of a gift, with the receipt and a short note about its impact.

In Reepio

Create sign-up forms for events and volunteers, tag people by how they're involved, automate thank-you emails, and let the AI writer turn your notes into a warm newsletter. Start on the free plan. Create your account.

Frequently asked questions

Are charities exempt from CASL?

Messages sent by or on behalf of a registered Canadian charity whose primary purpose is raising funds are exempt from CASL’s consent rules. Other messages may not be, so following permission-based best practice is the safest approach.

How quickly should we thank a donor?

As soon as possible — an automatic thank-you right after the gift, followed by a personal note, works well.

How often should a nonprofit email supporters?

A monthly newsletter plus campaign and event emails is common. Share impact, not just requests for money.