Email That Builds Community

Written By Jean B Font

Email is still one of the most reliable tools nonprofits have—especially when social algorithms change and attention is fragmented. But the best nonprofit emails don’t feel like announcements. They feel like an invitation.

Here are five small tweaks that can help your emails reach more people and spark real engagement.

1) Write subject lines like a person, not a press release

Try:

  • A question (“Want to join us this weekend?”)

  • A clear promise (“A quick guide to our May programs”)

  • A human note (“One thing we learned from last month”)

2) Put the main point in the first two sentences

Assume people are reading on their phone. Lead with:

  • What this email is about

  • Why it matters

  • What to do next

3) Use one primary call-to-action

Too many buttons create decision fatigue. Pick one:

  • RSVP

  • Read

  • Donate

  • Share

4) Add one “community” line

A single sentence can shift the tone:

  • “If you’re new here, welcome—we’re glad you found us.”

  • “Forward this to a friend who’d enjoy it.”

  • “Hit reply and tell us what you’re curious about.”

5) Track one thing you’ll improve next time

After you send, note one takeaway:

  • Best-performing link

  • Replies you received

  • Where people dropped off

Over time, this turns email into a feedback loop—not just a broadcast.

A simple experiment for this week

Send one email with one clear CTA and an invitation to reply (even a simple question). Then track replies and link clicks. Those two signals can tell you a lot about what your community actually wants.

If you try this experiment, we’d love to hear how it worked—feel free to reach out and tell us what you noticed (and what you’re trying next).

Jean B Font

We’re visual artists providing resources and marketing for artists to grow and thrive.

http://www.fontsquared.com
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