The Best Email Automations For Nonprofits

Email marketing is an essential tool for nonprofits. But let’s be honest: manually sending everything is a big ask. That’s why we made this list of some of the best email automations for nonprofits.

The five on this list aren’t every email automation that you can benefit from. Still, they’re certainly a great starting point. Get these live ASAP, and you’ll start saving time (and strengthening relationships) immediately.

5 Of The Most Important Email Automations For Nonprofits

1) Welcome series for new subscribers

People usually sign up for your newsletter to get some kind of lead magnet or sign up for an event. Once they do, you have a golden opportunity. The first hour after somebody ends up to your list is the highest their attention will ever be. You need to take advantage of it. 

A welcome series is your chance to introduce your mission.  It’s also a great place to share impact stories and guide you new subscribers toward meaningful engagement.

Here’s a simple three-part formula to follow: 

• Email 1 (immediately): thank them, set expectations, introduce your mission
• Email 2 (2–3 days later): share a compelling story of the work your nonprofit has done
• Email 3 (5–7 days later): invite them to take a next step (follow you on social or make a first donation)

Your welcome series should feel personal. Be sure you use merge tags so you can use their first name. You can also consider adding a signature from a real team member or volunteer to keep it human.

2) New donor “thank you” series + follow-up

No donor should ever wonder if their gift went through. And even more importantly: they should never have to guess whether their donation actually mattered. This is where email automations for nonprofits became super valuable.

Set up an automation that sends a heartfelt thank-you email as soon as somebody donates. It doesn’t matter whether the donation is $5 or $5,000. After that, follow up a few days later with a story that shows them the impact of their gift.

Here’s something you can follow:

• Email 1 (immediately): thank them for their gift or donation
• Email 2 (one week later): show them a real, tangible example of how their money helped
• Email 3 (optional): invite them to become a monthly donor

This sequence builds trust and turns one-time donors into the most valuable people in your audience: repeat givers.

3) Re-engagement automation for lapsed donors

It’s a common thing to experience as a nonprofit: somebody donates, and then disappears for a while. Just because someone has gone quiet, don’t assume they’re gone for good. Do that and it costs you money. Remember: past donors are some of your most valuable people. They should be treated like it. 

The fact is, life gets busy for all of us. A well-timed re-engagement email can bring past donors back into the fold (and maybe get them to donate again). Here’s what we recommend:

Trigger: No donation, event signup, or email click in 6–12 months.

What to send:

• Acknowledge their past support (something like “We miss you!”)
• Update them on what’s new at your organization since they last engaged
• Offer a clear next step: ask them to reply to share how they’re doing, or (if you’re feeling lucky) encourage them to make another donation

We are all on email lists that we don’t engage with. Reach out proactively, and you can bring back some of your most valuable subscribers. 

4) Volunteer onboarding series

Most nonprofits will have at least one or two volunteers working with them. In some ways, these people are every bit as important as your donors. They deserve a warm welcome too – so be sure to give it to them.

The right onboarding sequence is essential. It helps new volunteers understand your mission and feel confident in their role. It also ensures these new members start off on the right foot – which is great for your entire team.

Here are some of the emails you can’t forget in this kind of sequence:

• Email 1 (immediately): welcome email with a “thank you” + overview
• Email 2 (1-2 days later): introduction to your mission and values
• Email 3 (3-4 days later): role-specific resources (will vary for each person)
• Email 4 (one week later): a story of another volunteer making a difference

This kind of automation reduces “no-shows” (a big problem for many nonprofits). It also increases overall volunteer satisfaction from day one.

5) Event reminders + follow-up

Many nonprofits host events – both online and in-person. While this can be a great strategy for many goals (donor engagement and organizational awareness), there are certainly a lot of moving parts. That’s why basic communication is often lost in the mix.

This is where email automations for nonprofits come in. Here are some of the emails you should set up – both before and after the event.

Before the event:

• Confirmation email with details
• Reminder (one week out)
• Reminder (the day before)

After the event:

• Thank-you email with photos or video
• Donation or volunteer ask (if appropriate)
• Optional survey to gather feedback

If you are serious about hosting an event (and the results that come from it), email automations are essential. Set these up in your system and you will improve turnout, deepen relationships, and provide natural next steps for engagement.

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