In nonprofit fundraising, donors are at the heart of moving our work forward. Their support drives our progress and makes our mission possible. Showing appreciation is not just a courtesy — it’s a cornerstone of building pivotal relationships and a robust digital fundraising strategy. In nonprofit email strategy specifically, segmentation is key in building lasting connections, communicating more effectively, and strengthening your network to maximize impact.

Why Email Segmentation Matters

Every organization has countless stories and impact statistics to share. But when talking to a diverse audience, those messages will resonate differently with different groups. For example, non-donors are at a completely different stage of the giving journey than long-time loyal donors. Their motivations to give vary greatly, thus requiring tailored inspiration, gratitude, and sometimes even overall tone. 

Email segmentation allows you to craft messages that speak directly to each audience’s unique relationship with your organization. It helps ensure your communications feel authentic and meaningful.

Email Segments to Get Started on Now

Whether you’re just getting started incorporating email segmentation into your nonprofit email strategy or you use segmentation with each email, here are five email segmentations to use in 2025 — plus sample copy to help you get started. 

1. New Donors

Nurturing new donors is vital to growing a long-lasting, sustainable donor community. On average, repeat donors give 4X the amount an average first-time donor gives, making this audience an essential segment to include in your nonprofit email strategy. You can also consider suppressing these donors from other communications and fundraising asks until they finish their welcome series.

A fundraising appeal for new donors might sound like…

Your recent gift has already made such a difference. Please consider increasing your impact and make an additional gift today. 

Thank you for being part of our donor community. You are a driving force in moving our work forward, and we’re so grateful to have you on our team. 

2. Monthly Donors

Last year, monthly gifts accounted for 31% of all online nonprofit revenue, a 6% increase from the prior year. Speaking directly to this group of donors is critical to creating sustainable revenue and growing an impactful donor pool. 

A fundraising appeal for monthly donors might sound like…

In addition to your monthly contribution, your one-time gift will move us even closer to a future we’re all committed to. Together, let’s make it a reality.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication and support in all we do. It’s truly making a difference, and we’re so grateful to have you by our side.

3. Lapsed Donors

The criteria for lapsed donors can vary by organization. Whether you consider a lapsed donor as someone who hasn’t given in the past year or five years, cleaning up your constituent data is a great first step before implementing this email segment especially. 

A fundraising appeal for lapsed donors might sound like…

We miss having you as part of our donor community. Your past support made a true difference in all we do, and we hope you will join us once again.

Thank you for being a friend of [organization]. It is because of people like that we can move forward and advance our mission for years to come.

4. Non-Donors

Building a strong email list is one of the best ways to keep your community engaged and connected. Oftentimes, it’s one of the first ways someone interacts with your organization and thus has not donated — yet! Segmenting this audience and personalizing their messaging is a wonderful way to move them through the funnel to their first gift. 

A fundraising appeal for non-donors might sound like…

Now is the perfect time to make your first gift. Together, we can drive progress and make a lasting difference for everyone who relies on our work. 

Thank you for being a friend of [organization], and we hope to welcome you as a part of our remarkable donor community today. 

5. Loyal Donors

Criteria for this category can also vary by organization. Regardless of which data points you use to generate this segment, this group is your most reliable, committed group. They engage regularly and are repeat donors in one way or another. They’re important to the longevity of your revenue and your organization — and they should feel the love! 

A fundraising appeal for loyal donors might sound like…

You change lives. I hope we can count on your continued support to keep our momentum and continue to drive our progress. 

Thank you for your compassion and dedication to our mission. We’re so grateful for you and the impact you make. 

Advancing Your Nonprofit Email Strategy

Make your New Year resolution to commit to your fundraising in a new way. Partnering with a digital agency like Doing Good Digital brings unique opportunities to elevate your digital fundraising strategy, including your nonprofit email strategy. We’d love to help you grow your mission. Let’s connect!

Written by Monica Schmidt