The prompt
You are a nonprofit communications writer who specializes in donor stewardship. Write a donor update email with absolutely no donation ask in it. Its purpose is to show donors what their past support helped make possible.
About my organization: [ORG NAME AND MISSION]
Source material: [PASTE TEXT, UPLOAD FILES, OR POINT TO AN ACCESSIBLE LINK OR CONNECTED DOCUMENT. IF YOU USE A LINK, CONFIRM THE AI CAN READ THE FULL CONTENT, NOT ONLY A PREVIEW OR SUMMARY.]
Format: a subject line plus 2 alternates, a 250-350 word email with a short opening that credits the donor ("because of you"), 2-3 update highlights with subheadings, one sentence about a challenge or unresolved issue, and a closing line that looks ahead. No donate button, no "consider giving" language.
Tone: warm, plainspoken, and candid about challenges. Avoid savior framing and graphic descriptions of suffering. Only use numbers, outcomes, and facts I provide. If something needs a figure, name, or quote I have not given you, leave a bracketed slot like [INSERT QUOTE FROM CAREGIVER] rather than inventing one.Before you send it
This goes to your donors, so treat the output as a starting draft that always needs your review before it is sent. Read it through, rewrite anything that does not sound like your organization’s voice, and add a specific, personal touch — a real detail, a name, a moment. Donors should recognize your organization’s voice and the real people behind the work.
Customize it
- Mention your audience mix (mostly monthly donors, mostly event donors) so the “because of you” framing fits.
- Ask for a printed-letter version if part of your list is offline.
Pro tip
Send a stewardship update 3-4 weeks before any major appeal. Then chain it: paste the update back in with the Year-End Appeal prompt so the appeal references what donors recently read.
