Donor & Volunteer Relationships
That Feel Genuinely Personal
Send thank-yous, impact updates, and volunteer asks that make each supporter feel individually valued—even when you're reaching hundreds.
98%
Text open rate
vs. 20% for email
3x
More volunteer signups
from personal asks
45%
Higher donor retention
with personal thank-yous*
<5 min
Average response time
to text messages
* Based on industry research on personalized donor communication
Messages for Every Moment
From thank-yous to fundraising appeals
Margaret
Donor since 2021
You're the Hero. We're Your Sidekick.
You're out there changing lives, feeding families, giving hope. You shouldn't need a PhD in marketing to fund your mission. The science is clear. Here's what works—and how to do it.
Based on 1,339 studies • 2+ million participants • Proven to increase donations by up to 760%
Personalized Donor Messages That Get 82% More Opens
Your donors give because they believe in you. They don't want to feel like another name on a list. They want to know their gift mattered.
The research is overwhelming: personalization works. Not just a little— we're talking 82% more opens, 760% more revenue when you do it right.
- ✓+82% open rates — their name in the subject line
- ✓+30% opens — your real name as sender (not "noreply")
- ✓+760% revenue — segment by donor type & interests
🚀 With Hit Em Up: Type ::firstname:: once, send to 100 donors. Each one receives "Dear Margaret" or "Dear James"—sent from your phone.
21%
Open Rate
Base
vs Generic
Base
Revenue
Hit Em UpReady to make every donor feel personally valued?
Start Free Trial →The Rokia Study: Why Stories Win
University of Pennsylvania researchers tested three appeal types
Margaret donated $50 within 3 minutes
💡 For You: Lead with ONE person. "$25 gives Maria a month of meals" beats "Help 3 million children."
Why One Story Doubles Donations (The Identifiable Victim Effect)
You know the faces. The names. The moments that keep you going. Share them. When donors see Maria—not "3 million children"—they give twice as much. It's called the "Identifiable Victim Effect."
Here's the twist: adding statistics to a story decreases donations. The numbers overwhelm people. They think "what's my $50 going to do?"
🚀 Your Action: Next appeal? Lead with ONE person. "$25 gives Maria a month of meals" beats "Help end hunger" every time.
Start telling stories that double donations
Start Free Trial →Fundraising Appeal Structure That Inspires Giving
You already know this instinctively. You show the need, explain how gifts help, then end with hope. That's the emotional arc—and research proves it works.
⚠️ Caution: Too much sadness causes "compassion collapse." People shut down. Always end with the donor's power to create change.
🚀 The Formula: Problem → Solution → Hope. Start with hardship, show their gift helps, end with transformation. Watch the demo →
Problem
Solution
Hope
Your AppealProblem↑ Opens with empathy-building hardship
Craft messages that inspire action and hope
Start Free Trial →+0%
Donation Likelihood
+0%
Response Rate
+0%
Avg Gift Size
💡 Surprise: 1:1 match = 2:1 = 3:1 effectiveness. It's the existence of a match that matters!
Matching Gift Campaigns: 84% More Donations
Got a matching donor? That's your superpower. 84% more likely to give. 71% higher response. 51% larger gifts. Matching campaigns are fundraising gold.
🤯 Plot twist: 1:1 match works just as well as 2:1 or 3:1. It's the existence of a match—not the ratio—that drives action.
🚀 With Hit Em Up: Text reaches 99% of donors in 3 minutes. "::firstname::, your $50 becomes $100—but only until midnight!" Schedule it now.
Send matching gift alerts that get 84% more donations
Start Free Trial →Donor Retention: The 90-Day Second Gift Strategy
Here's the heartbreaking truth: 81% of first-time donors never give again. But if you get that second gift? 60% become long-term supporters. That's the "Golden Rule."
Monthly donors stick around (83% retention) and are worth 5.4x more over their lifetime. That $25/month donor? $300/year for 8+ years.
🚀 Your Playbook: Thank same day (use Hit Em Up). Show impact in 30 days. Ask again in 60 days. Convert to monthly. Schedule it all in advance.
🏆 The "Golden Rule" of Fundraising
Get the second gift. Only 19% → 60% stay after gift #2.
Hit Em Up Scheduled MessageSent 60 days after first gift:
"Hi ::firstname::! 60 days ago, your $::amount:: gift helped Maria get meals. She's thriving—and we need your help again. Can you continue her story?"
Schedule your 48-hour thank-yous and 60-day follow-ups
Start Free Trial →Why Text Wins for Urgent Appeals
Text Message
Response in 3 min
99%
open rate
Response in 6 hours
30%
open rate
Direct Mail
Response in 3-5 days
42%
open rate
📋 When to use what:
Text vs Email: 99% Open Rate for Nonprofit SMS
Your email just landed next to a Nigerian prince and 47 sale alerts. But your text? 99% opened. 90% within 3 minutes.
For the moments that matter—thank-yous, urgent needs, matching gift deadlines— text wins. Every. Single. Time. Save email for the long newsletters.
🚀 Hit Em Up Combo: Text for immediate thank-yous and urgent asks. Email for long-form impact stories. Personal texts for VIP donors. All from your phone.
Reach 99% of donors in 3 minutes with personal texts
Start Free Trial →Your Fundraising Playbook
You're changing lives every day. Here are 7 research-backed principles to fund your mission. Check them off as you implement. Hit Em Up handles the heavy lifting.
🏆 Your Fundraising Playbook
7 research-backed principles. Check them off as you implement.
Put all 7 principles into action today
Start Free Trial →For Every Kind of Nonprofit
Human services, education, community, and advocacy organizations
Food Banks
Donor & volunteer coordination
Housing Nonprofits
Client & donor updates
Youth Programs
Parent communication
Senior Services
Family updates
Literacy Programs
Tutor coordination
Scholarship Funds
Donor appreciation
STEM Nonprofits
Mentor matching
Arts Organizations
Patron engagement
Faith-Based
Congregation outreach
Environmental
Volunteer mobilization
Animal Rescue
Foster coordination
Health Charities
Awareness campaigns
Legal Aid
Client communication
Civic Organizations
Member mobilization
International Aid
Donor updates
Community Foundations
Grant communication
6 Ways Nonprofits Use Personal Texting
Donor Thank-Yous
Send personalized thank-yous within hours of a gift. Donors who feel appreciated give again—and give more.
"Dear ::firstname::, your $::amount:: gift covers meals for ::impact:: vets in ::location::. —Debbie"
Impact Updates
Show donors exactly what their money accomplished. Specific impact stories drive continued engagement.
"::firstname::, your $::lastgift:: gift helped us serve ::meals:: meals in ::location:: this month!"
Volunteer Recruitment
Personal asks get responses. "Hey Sarah, can you help?" beats "We need volunteers" every time.
"Hey ::firstname::! We need ::needed:: volunteers for ::event:: on ::date::. Can you help?"
Shift Reminders
Reduce no-shows with personal reminders. Include their name, their shift, and a thank-you.
"::firstname::, reminder: Your ::shift:: shift is ::date:: at ::location::. Thanks!"
Fundraising Appeals
Year-end appeals, matching gift campaigns, and emergency asks—all personalized for each donor.
"Hi ::firstname::, your past $::lastgift:: helped ::impact:: families. We're $::remaining:: from our goal!"
Event Invitations
Galas, open houses, and volunteer appreciation events. Make each supporter feel VIP.
"::firstname::, as a ::donortype:: supporter, join us at ::event:: on ::date::!"
📝 Note: Hit Em Up is for genuine, personal communication with supporters who know you. It's not for cold outreach or spam. Learn more about responsible messaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Build Deeper Donor & Volunteer Relationships
Personal communication drives engagement, retention, and giving. Reach your community with messages that feel handwritten.
10-day free trial • No credit card required • Works on iPhone, Android & Mac