Turn Print Into a Fundraising Partner

Ever make an instant connection scrolling through social media? That happened to me recently when two back-to-back posts on LinkedIn seemed to finish each other’s thoughts.

The first was about a challenge many nonprofits are facing: a steady decline in individual donors. The second described how print is evolving into a specialty channel that delivers more strategic, targeted communication.

Together, they tell a bigger story.

As nonprofits work harder to re-engage supporters, they need more than print production. They need partnerships—with experts who understand how to translate mission into response. That’s where you come in. Direct mail helps you stand out from the sameness in email inboxes and postal mailboxes too.

Here are six rules to help nonprofit clients maximize response and ROI:

1. Use Paper and Ink to Communicate Value

The feel and look of a direct mail piece can instantly influence perception. Encourage clients to select paper stock that signals quality. Think uncoated textured stock for warmth or gloss for a polished look. And recycled options for environmental organizations can reinforce their mission.

Add finishing techniques like foil stamping, embossing, or spot UV to convey value and to highlight key messaging. Bold, high-contrast colors or metallic or fluorescent inks can add excitement and urgency.

2. Try Unique Sizes and Folding Formats

A #10 envelope may be standard, but there are other options. Oversized envelopes or soft touch coatings create a tactile and visual experience. Inserts with unique folds can guide readers through a story while also moving them, physically and emotionally, toward a decision to give money or join a cause.

3. Go Beyond “Dear [Name]”

Personalization shouldn’t stop at the salutation in a letter or headline. With variable data printing (VDP), nonprofits can vary images, messaging, and ask strings based on donor data.

Simply referencing the donor's past support or even better, their impact, can significantly lift response rates. Offer guidance on versioning and data segmentation to help your clients personalize at scale.

4. Let Print Tell the Mission

Nonprofits often have powerful visuals—photos of people, places, and programs—but may not know how to use them effectively in print. Work with them on layouts that spotlight images, incorporate infographics, or use color blocks and typography to break up text.

Also, a well-designed outer envelope or full-color insert can visually express the mission before a word is read. Encourage clients to think beyond text and embrace the emotional power of print design.

5. Include an Interactive or Useful Element

Premiums don’t have to be expensive. Even a small, useful item can build goodwill and boost response. Magnets, calendars, or stickers—when well-branded—can stay on a fridge or desk for months, keeping their cause top-of-mind.

Interactive elements like reply cards with peel-off stickers add engagement. You can also suggest mission-themed inserts, such as a photo of someone helped by a donor’s gift or a mini- poster the recipient can display.

6. Make It Easy to Respond

This is a big one: a creative mail package won’t work if it’s hard to give. Make sure the reply mechanism is simple, unmissable, and if possible, pre-filled. For younger audiences like Gen Z and millennials, provide QR codes linked to donation pages.

Work with clients to upsell pre-sorting, barcoding, or tracking for more efficient delivery and  campaign performance analysis.

Final Thoughts

Nonprofits are passionate about their missions—but may not always know how to bring them to life in the mailbox. Your expertise can help transform their outreach into engaging, effective campaigns. By offering solutions that take advantage of print’s capabilities, you position yourself as more than a vendor—you become a fundraising partner.

So be proactive. Share samples and offer ideas that make an emotional connection and build momentum toward a successful donor experience.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.