This email made me feel something — and that’s a high bar. Because I get a lot of nonprofit email.
But when this one landed in my inbox from Queens Community House — a Queens, NY nonprofit I’d made a year-end gift to — I stopped scrolling.
The subject line? What your gift meant this year.
Not “Year-End Update.” Not “2025 Impact Report.” What YOUR gift meant this year. See the difference?
The Ask + Thank + Report cycle
You already know my mantra and the Simple Development Systems that make fundraising work, year after year. Through good times and bad. Ask. Thank. Report.
Most nonprofits are pretty good at the ask. Few are good at the thank you. And the reporting back? That’s where so many organizations fall flat.
Here’s the truth: reporting back to your donors is not optional. It’s not a “nice to have.” It’s the glue that holds the whole relationship together.
When you report back — when you show donors what their gift actually accomplished — you build trust. You build loyalty. You build the foundation for the next gift. Queens Community House gets it. And this email is proof.
The email itself
The email opens with a short, warm note from Ade Omotade, Director of Development. She writes directly to the donor. She says that “not everyone whose life you’ve touched can thank you personally” — but she wants to share a few stories that show the difference the donor’s gift made. And then she delivers.
Two stories. Real people. Real names. Real outcomes.
First, we meet Dina. Her mom Gail was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Dina and her sister found QCH’s Social Adult Day Services program. Now her mom is happier, more social, and has something to look forward to every day. Dina says QCH didn’t just support her mom, it supported all of them.
Then we meet Joy. She was behind on rent and facing eviction. She reached out to QCH and was connected with two staff members who became, in her words, “unwavering pillars of support.” They helped her keep her home. Joy says QCH gave her the motivation to move forward with more confidence.
Note what’s missing. No statistics. No org-chart updates. No jargon. Just two women whose lives changed because of this organization. And because of donors like you.
Why this works
Queens Community House has been serving Queens, NY for 50 years. Fifty years of showing up for their neighbors. That kind of staying power doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people care — deeply — about the community they serve.
And this email shows that care.
Here’s what they did right:
1. The subject line is donor-centric. It’s not about the org. It’s about you and what you did.
2. They lead with impact, not information. No stats, no pie charts. Just stories.
3. The stories are specific. We know these women’s names. We know their struggles. We feel the relief.
4. The donor is the hero. Over and over, the message circles back: you made this possible.
5. The email closes with a soft ask. A P.S. note reminds donors that every gift, at any level, strengthens the work. It’s not pushy. It’s inviting.
Your turn
When did you last close the loop with your donors? If it’s been a while — or never — this is your sign.
You don’t need a fancy annual report. You don’t need a 12-page PDF.
You need one story. One real person. One honest moment that shows your donor: this is what you did.
That’s it.
Your donors are waiting to hear from you. Don’t make them wonder if their gift mattered. It did. Tell them so.
Want to see more examples of great nonprofit donor communications? Browse the full What’s in My Inbox archive. Click the image below to download this What’s in My Inbox example.
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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