What You’ll Learn
- How to write a pledge confirmation message
- How to write a fundraising thank-you letter
- How to chase pledges so they become contributions
Why This is Important
Call time is likely your biggest source of revenue in your fundraising plan, but it will only be successful if you create an effective donor follow-up plan, which includes a pledge chase and thank-you program. If you don’t follow up with donors, most of your pledges will never materialize. And then once they do come in, you absolutely must thank them for contributing. We’ll show you how to systematize these follow-up and thank-you processes to save you days worth of time and effort over the course of your campaign.
Key Resources
- Chart of Pledge Classifications & Follow-Up
- Iqbal Campaign Pledge Chase Email Template
- Pledge Confirmation Email Checklist
- Annotated Sample: Aisha Iqbal Soft Pledge Pledge Confirmation Email
- Aisha Iqbal Template Donation Thank You Letter
- Thank-You Letter Rubric
Related Trainings
- Staffing Call Time — Call time is the greatest revenue generator your campaign has. Taking good notes in call time is critical to being able to follow up with donors and collect their pledges
- Managing Your Fundraising Data — Learn how to keep your data organized and clean to make your follow-up tasks more efficient
Dallas Thompson
Trainer
Dallas Thompson is the Founder and CEO of Bright Compass, a boutique HR firm for political campaigns and progressive workspaces. Bright Compass focuses on anti-harassment training, leadership coaching, and comprehensive HR and Operations support to create inclusive organizations that live up to their values while executing on their mission.
Dallas brings more than a decade of management and fundraising experience from both the political and nonprofit fields, including as Chief of Staff for STG (formerly Smoot Tewes Group) in Washington, D.C. In 2016, she was Hillary Clinton’s Operations Director in North Carolina, where she oversaw operations of a 400-strong team working to elect Democrats up and down the ticket. Dallas has also served as Finance Director for the New Hampshire Democratic Party, National Director of Fundraising Development for the Leadership for Educational Equity, and Development Director for the New Organizing Institute. Dallas is a proud AmeriCorps alumna.