Five Maples Development Communications

07/23/2024

🇺🇸 Worried about political giving impacting your fall fundraising? Don’t be. Evidence shows it won’t.

Charitable giving has increased in 9 of the last 10 presidential election years. Political giving is less than 2% of all charitable donations. Elections can actually boost awareness of civic duty, leading to increased charitable donations.

Stay the course:
- Mail fall appeals in September/October and end-of-year appeals before Thanksgiving or early December.
- Inspire donors with thank-yous, stories, and impact reports.
- Ensure timely thank-you letters, calls, and emails, especially to first-time donors.
- Continue soliciting via email until New Year’s Eve.

Five Maples is here to help. Here’s to a successful fall and end-of-year fundraising season!

05/10/2024

"The Five Maples blog is a treasure trove.” — Tom Ahern

Yep, the leading authority on donor communications said that about us. Check out our blog for articles on improving donor retention, typography best practices, fundraising email guides, and more! Yar, Matey -- Happy Fundraising!

On our nonprofit fundraising blog you will find best practices and research from experienced professionals, sample fundraising letters, writing tips and more.

04/09/2024

Here are essential resources that our president Gary uses to increase his direct mail and email fundraising IQ -

Over 15 years of direct mail and email fundraising for more than one hundred non-profits, these are the online resources I keep coming back to.

01/29/2024

New year, new fundraising goals. Let us help you achieve them! 🎯

12/14/2023

Wishing you a joyous holiday season filled with warmth and cheer! Here's to a fantastic New Year ahead!

10/05/2023

💌 Getting ready to mail your Fall Appeal? Consider mailing them first class if you're including personalized handwritten notes! This approach is perfect for major donors or those you have a strong connection with. This strategy has proven to yield higher response rates and more generous gifts! 📈 Learn more in our latest post:

Should you mail your fundraising appeal letter first class, or non-profit, standard class (marketing mail)? It depends. We analyze the different cases.

09/21/2023

Our latest blog post "A Guide to Compelling Fundraising Newsletters" explores:
📸 Visual Impact: Captivate donors with compelling imagery.
🗺️ Visual Hierarchy: Master clear focal points and page flow.
🎨 Color Palette and Imagery: Amplify brand resonance.
📊 Infographics: Simplify complex data.

Whether a seasoned pro or just starting, this post is a must-read for creating inspiring newsletters and donor impact reports.

🤝 Let Five Maples boost your donor communications to save time and raise more money! 💰

Just as a compelling letter captures attention, a well-designed fundraising newsletter captivates and guides readers through a visual journey.

09/07/2023

Does including a business reply or pre-stamped envelope in your appeal letter improve direct mail fundraising results? Our new blog has the answer:

Does including a business reply envelope (BRE) in you fundraising appeal letter rather than a plain reply envelope improve direct mail fundraising results?

08/02/2023

Follow our five rules to make your next donor letter something people can’t wait to read!

➡ Read "Keep Your Donors Reading: Typography Best Practice for Fundraising" now: tinyurl.com/3hs6tr4a

This Fundraising Typography Guide will help you make words more accessible and impactful. Don’t sacrifice your copywriter's skill to a misguided splash of color

06/27/2023

A donation response card is the donor’s chance to interact with your organization. Replying to you is their part of the conversation in direct mail fundraising. It should be enjoyable, rewarding, and easy for them!

Learn how to design a reply form that works: tinyurl.com/ycxzwefa

05/15/2023

Want to unlock the hidden potential of your current year donors? Our blog post dives into the power of asking for another gift. Learn the art of effective donor solicitation and watch your fundraising soar! Check it out: shorturl.at/pGJ49

Contrary to what you may think, many current year donors will gladly donate again and again if you ask them for additional donations. The data proves it.

04/26/2023

Don't let your nonprofit lose valuable new donors! Our latest blog post offers a guide to improving donor retention and engagement. Read it now!

This donor retention guide includes proven recommendations that will have a major impact on your nonprofit organization's ability to retain new donors.