The Complete Non-Profit Newsletter Guide

Strategy, list building, GDPR consent, segmentation, content calendar, templates, SPF/DKIM/DMARC and metrics, with WeGlow Mail and its prices.

Strategy: why write, and for whom?

First write one sentence about who the newsletter is for and what it should achieve. Then choose one wanted action per issue and a rhythm you can keep up.

Start with one sentence

A newsletter is not an obligation and not a bulletin. It is a regular appointment with people who care about your work. Before you start, write one sentence: "Our newsletter helps [who] to feel or do [what]." For example: "Our newsletter helps donors see what their gift does, and gives them invitations they can act on."

Who reads you?

Most non-profit lists consist of four groups. Choose per issue who plays the lead, but remember that everyone reads along.

• Donors: want to see what their gift did and not be asked every month.
• Volunteers: want to know when and where they are needed.
• Members and sympathisers: want news and invitations.
• Partners and press: want to know what you do and what you need.

What do you want to happen?

Choose one desired action per issue: donate, register, volunteer, share. A newsletter with six buttons usually gets no clicks at all. A common rule of thumb is: one main story, one main button, the rest is secondary.

A ratio to remember

A rule of thumb many fundraisers use: for every ask for money, give back at least three times in the form of story, news or thanks. It is not a law, but it helps you avoid an "always asking" pattern.

Feasibility over ambition

Choose a rhythm you can keep. Monthly works for many associations, every two months is fine too. One good issue every two months beats three good issues and then six months of silence.

Strategy checklist

• The one sentence is on paper.
• You decided who plays the lead.
• You know the desired action per issue.
• Your rhythm is realistic for the next six months.
• You know who writes, who proofreads and who sends.

Role template: Writer: [name], at least 10 days before sending. Proofreader: [name], 5 days before. Sending and report: [name], on the send day.

Building your list without buying lists

Grow your list with people who sign up themselves, never with bought addresses. A small list of people who want to read beats a big list of people who do not.

A small list of people who want it beats a big list of people who do not

You can grow your list in an honest way. Never buy a list: people who did not ask for it will mark your email as spam, and that damages your sender reputation for everyone who does want to read.

Where people can sign up

1. Your website: a form in the footer and on your donation and thank-you pages.
2. A pop-up or slide-in: only if you do not show it on arrival, but after a few seconds or when the visitor scrolls away.
3. Events: a QR code on the poster and at the entrance, or a paper sign-up sheet with a consent box.
4. After a gift: ask in the thank-you email whether the donor wants the newsletter. Giving is not the same as consenting to marketing email.
5. Social media: a link in your bio and a fixed monthly post.
6. Volunteers and members: ask when they sign up, with a separate tick box.

A reason to subscribe

"Subscribe to our newsletter" convinces few people. Promise something: "Once a month: what your gift did, in three minutes of reading." A PDF checklist or an invitation to an open day works too.

Template for a sign-up form

Stay in the loop on what your support does. One email a month, with one story and one way to help. First name, email address. [ ] Yes, I want to receive the newsletter of [association name]. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of every email. More in our privacy policy.

Worked example (invented numbers)

Your website gets 2,000 visitors a month. If 1 in 100 signs up (an assumption), that is 20 new contacts a month, about 240 a year. With an event where you ask 150 people and 60 say yes, you grow much faster. That is why an event often works better than a website for small organisations.

List-building checklist

• The form is in at least three places.
• A clear promise about content and frequency.
• Consent as a separate, unticked choice.
• A confirmation screen or email explaining what happens next.
• Data lands in one place, not in three spreadsheets.

GDPR and consent: what you need to know

For marketing email to new contacts, consent is usually the legal basis. It must be free, specific, informed and unambiguous, and you must be able to prove when and how it was given. This is not legal advice.

The basics in plain language

This chapter is not legal advice. It sets out the basics; for your situation, consult your data protection authority or a lawyer. The European rules (GDPR and ePrivacy) require a valid basis for sending marketing email. In practice, for newsletters to new contacts, that is usually consent.

When is consent valid?

Under the GDPR, consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous. In practice that means:

• Active: an empty box the person ticks themselves, not a pre-ticked box.
• Specific: "I want the newsletter", not buried in general terms.
• Informed: who you are, what you send and how often.
• Withdrawable: unsubscribing is as easy as subscribing.
• Provable: you know when and how someone gave consent.

What about existing donors and members?

This is a grey area that differs per country, and you are best off aligning it with your data protection authority or a lawyer. The safest route: ask explicitly for newsletter consent at the moment of a gift, membership or volunteering, and record it.

What belongs in every email?

• Who you are (name and address of the organisation).
• A clear unsubscribe link.
• A link to your privacy policy.

What do you do with unsubscribes?

Process them quickly and stop sending marketing email to that person. Keep the fact that they unsubscribed so they are not accidentally added again in a later import.

Template: consent text for a paper list

I give [association name] permission to email me about its work and campaigns. I can unsubscribe at any time. My data will not be passed on. Name, email address, signature, date.

GDPR checklist for your newsletter

• For each address you can show when and how consent was given.
• You do not buy lists.
• Every email has an unsubscribe link and your organisation details.
• Unsubscribes are tracked.
• Your privacy policy mentions the newsletter.
• You have a data processing agreement with your mailing tool.

Segmentation: the right email to the right people

Split your list into groups that have something in common, so each email fits. Five segments are enough to start: new subscribers, active donors, monthly donors, lapsed donors and volunteers.

Not everyone needs the same email

Segmenting means dividing your list into groups that have something in common, so your message fits. You do not have to start with twenty segments. Five is already plenty.

Five segments to start with

1. New subscribers (last 30 days): get a welcome email.
2. Active donors (gave in the last year): get thanks, impact and invitations, not the standard ask.
3. Monthly donors: get their own update every quarter.
4. Lapsed donors (gave before, not for a while): get a warm "we miss you" email.
5. Volunteers: get practical emails about shifts and events.

Language and region

In Belgium language is often the first segment: Dutch, French, maybe English. An email in the wrong language is quickly ignored. Record the language per contact and send each language its own version.

Personal, but not creepy

A first name in the greeting and a reference to the kind of support is enough. Do not mention exact amounts or dates, unless it is a thank-you message.

Template for a "we miss you" email

Subject: This happened since your last gift

Hi {{first_name}}, it has been a while. Since your last gift we have [result in one sentence]. You are part of that. Want to see what is going on now? [Read more] If you prefer not to get emails any more, you can unsubscribe at the bottom. No problem at all.

Worked example (invented numbers)

You have 1,200 contacts: 150 active donors, 40 monthly donors, 260 lapsed donors, 80 volunteers and 670 sympathisers. With one general newsletter each of them gets the same message. With five small variations (a different first paragraph and button) you tailor it to the groups that differ most. That takes one extra hour, not five.

Segmentation checklist

• Every contact has a language and a source.
• Donors are separated from non-donors.
• Someone who just gave does not get an ask in the next email.
• You have one standing email ready for each segment.

A content calendar for a year

Plan twelve issues ahead with five fixed sections: a story, a result, an invitation, a thank-you and at most one ask. That way you do not have to invent what to write about every month.

Plan twelve issues rather than improvising twelve times

A calendar prevents the monthly question "what do we write about?". Combine fixed sections with fixed moments in the year.

Five standing sections

• A story: one person or place, with a photo.
• A result: one figure or milestone, honestly explained.
• An invitation: event, volunteer day or campaign.
• A thank-you: to donors, volunteers or partners.
• An ask: at most one, with one button.

A sample year for an association (adapt to your own diary)

1. January: year in pictures, thanks to everyone.
2. February: a beneficiary's story.
3. March: invitation to an event or volunteer day.
4. April: impact update with one figure.
5. May: behind the scenes: meet the team.
6. June: half-year report and a soft ask.
7. July or August: short summer greeting, or a break.
8. September: back again, new projects.
9. October: a volunteer's testimony.
10. November: start of the year-end campaign (see also our GivingTuesday guide).
11. December: the big ask, then thanks.
12. Always: automatic emails for new subscribers and new donors.

Anatomy of one issue

1. Subject line: honest, concrete, around 40 characters or fewer (rule of thumb).
2. Preheader: the second line in the inbox, not a repeat of the subject.
3. Greeting: {{first_name}}.
4. Main story: 100 to 200 words and a photo.
5. One button with a verb: "Read the story", "Sign up", "Support".
6. Short news: two or three lines.
7. Sign-off: a real name and a reply address where someone reads.

Subject line template: "How [name] experienced her first week" or "[Result] thanks to you, an update".

Tip for writing moments

During the month, collect loose photos, quotes and figures in one folder. Then writing is a matter of choosing, not searching.

Templates and layout that work

Keep the layout simple: one column of about 600 pixels, readable text and one clear button. Most readers look on a phone, and every extra column raises the risk of problems in Outlook.

Simple wins

Most readers view email on their phone. One column, a readable font, a clear button and plenty of white space are enough. Every extra column is another chance for things to go wrong in Outlook or on a narrow screen.

Rules for your template

• One column about 600 pixels wide.
• Font size of at least 16 pixels for body text (rule of thumb).
• Your logo small at the top, not half a page.
• Photos with a short description (alt text), because some mail programs block images.
• Use JPG or PNG, not WebP: some versions of Outlook do not display WebP.
• Buttons with enough contrast and enough room to tap.
• A text version: an email that says something even without images.

The four templates you need

1. Newsletter: story, news, button.
2. Thank-you email: short, warm, with a result.
3. Event invitation: what, when, where, sign up.
4. Appeal email: one ask, one button, one deadline.

Template: welcome email for new subscribers

Subject: Welcome to [association name]

Hi {{first_name}}, great to have you. What can you expect? One email a month, with one story and one way to help. Here is our favourite story of the year so far: [link]. Got a question? Just reply to this email, a real person reads along. See you soon, [name].

Template: thank-you email after a gift

Subject: Thank you, {{first_name}}

Your gift of [amount] has arrived. Thanks to you we can [concrete result]. You will get an update with photos in a few weeks. If you have questions, just reply.

Text length

A rule of thumb: make sure the main story fits in about one minute of reading. Whoever wants more clicks through to your website. Always put the most important thing first.

Test before every send

• Send a test to yourself and read it on your phone.
• Click every link.
• Read the email aloud: does it sound like a human?
• Check the unsubscribe link and your organisation details.
• View the email with and without images.

Deliverability: SPF, DKIM and DMARC in plain words

SPF, DKIM and DMARC prove that an email really comes from you. Set them up through your domain manager or mail tool, so your email is less likely to end up in spam.

Why does your email land in spam?

Mail providers like Gmail and Outlook want to know that an email really comes from you. They use three technical checks for that. You do not have to program them, but you do need to know what they are, because you set them up through your domain manager (the place where you manage your domain name) or through your mailing tool.

The three checks in plain words

• SPF: a list on your domain of the servers allowed to send in your name. Think of a guest list at the door.
• DKIM: a digital signature in every email that proves the content was not altered on the way.
• DMARC: a rule that tells recipients what to do when SPF or DKIM fails (nothing, quarantine, reject), and that delivers you reports.

What Google asks

According to Google's guidelines for bulk senders (more than 5,000 messages a day to Gmail addresses), SPF, DKIM and DMARC must be set up, the reported spam rate must stay below 0.30 percent (recommended below 0.10 percent), and marketing emails must allow one-click unsubscribe next to a visible unsubscribe link. Even if you are a small association below that threshold, these are good rules to follow.

Step-by-step

1. Use a sender address on your own domain (info@yourassociation.be), not a free Gmail or Hotmail address.
2. In your mailing tool, add your domain and copy the DNS records the tool shows.
3. Paste them into the DNS settings of your domain manager.
4. Wait until the tool shows the domain as verified (this can take a few hours).
5. Add a DMARC record. Start lenient enough to receive reports, for example with a "monitoring" setting, and tighten later.
6. Send test emails to Gmail, Outlook and your own domain and check that they land in the inbox.

Reputation

• Remove addresses that always bounce (non-existent addresses).
• Do not email people who unsubscribed.
• Start with small sends if you have been silent for a long time, and build up.
• Avoid suspicious words and excessive exclamation marks in the subject line.
• Keep the spam rate low by only emailing people who want it.

Template for your IT volunteer or webmaster: "Can you add to our DNS the records that [mailing tool] shows us for our domain (SPF/DKIM) and a DMARC record with policy p=none and reports to [address]? Let me know when done."

Metrics: what does an open rate really tell you?

Look mainly at clicks, unsubscribes and the result for your goal. Open rates are unreliable, because they measure the loading of an invisible image.

Measure what helps you decide

Your mailing tool shows many figures. You only need a few, and you need to know which are reliable.

Figures from the issue itself

• Delivered: how many emails arrived (sent minus bounces).
• Bounces: addresses that do not exist or are full. Remove the hard bounces.
• Unsubscribes: a few is normal. A sudden spike signals that your content or frequency does not fit.
• Clicks: the most reliable sign of interest.
• Opens: with caution, see below.
• Spam complaints: keep them as close to zero as possible (Google names 0.10 percent as the recommended ceiling).

Why open rates lie

An open is usually measured by loading an invisible tiny image. If a mail program blocks images, the open does not count. If a program loads images automatically, it counts even though nobody read. So use open rates to compare your own issues with each other (same list, same day), not as absolute truth.

Figures from your goal

• Number of donations or sign-ups after a click (use UTM labels in your links).
• Number of new volunteers or registrations for an event.
• Average gift of those who came via email.

List health

1. Growth: new subscribers minus unsubscribes per month.
2. Active core: how many people clicked at least once in the last half year?
3. Sleeping addresses: anyone who has not clicked for six months gets a "do you still want this?" email. If they do not answer, you stop.

Worked example (invented numbers)

You send 1,000 emails, 12 bounce, 988 arrive. There are 3 unsubscribes and 36 clicks from different people. That is 3.6 percent clicking on emails sent. Of the 36 clickers, 5 people donate, 35 euros on average: 175 euros from one issue. You compare that 175 euros with your time: 6 hours of work. Worth it? Also look at what you learned and at the long term: whoever clicks is warm.

Template for a one-page report

Issue: [title], date: [dd/mm]. Sent: [x]. Delivered: [x]. Clicks: [x] ([x]%). Unsubscribes: [x]. Result (donations/sign-ups): [x]. What worked: [..]. What we do differently next time: [..].

WeGlow Mail: what it does and what it costs

WeGlow Mail is part of your WeGlow dashboard and free up to 250 contacts (500 emails per month). Above that the price follows your number of contacts, with lower prices if you have the Pro platform plan.

A mailing tool inside your WeGlow dashboard

WeGlow Mail is part of your WeGlow dashboard, with sign-in through your normal WeGlow login. Below is what we can show in the software, tied to the steps in this guide.

List building and consent

• Sign-up forms with templates and a customiser, in four shapes: embedded, pop-up, slide-in or separate page, with copy-and-paste embed code. You can see who filled in the form.
• Import in four steps (file, map columns, check, done) with a tick box that stores consent as a data protection record. You can undo an import for 24 hours. Contacts who already received mail are kept and reported.

Segmenting

• Groups with tags and filters on status, language and tags, plus CSV export.
• Self-filling groups from donations: active, frequent, monthly, lapsed and lost donors.
• Set the language per contact, also in bulk.

Writing and sending

• Block builder (heading, text, button, image, divider, columns), image library, templates and a fixed header and footer per organisation.
• Personalisation tags such as {{first_name}}, {{name}}, {{last_name}} and {{email}}.
• Preview in desktop and mobile view, and a test email to yourself.
• Four steps: Write, Who gets it, Check, Send. The check step looks at sender, reply-to, legal footer and excludes bounced and unsubscribed addresses.
• Multi-language emails with automatic translation per language version.
• Send now or schedule for a chosen day and time.
• Glowie writes a first draft from an idea. You read it and adjust.
• Every email automatically gets a footer with sender, address and an unsubscribe link in the recipient's language.

Automation and delivery

• Automatic emails with four triggers: new contact, new donation, lapsed contact or manual, with multi-step sequences and delays.
• Own domain with a step-by-step DNS guide and a status per record (pending, verified, failed). The screen mainly tracks DKIM; check the wizard's instructions for SPF and set up DMARC yourself at your domain manager.
• Outlook-friendly layout, including buttons.

Reports

Per email: sent, delivered, opens, clicks, bounces, complaints and unsubscribes, plus a chart over time and performance per link. Opens are an indication, not an exact figure.

Prices (excl. VAT)

WeGlow Mail is free up to 250 contacts (500 emails a month) in every plan. Above that the price follows your number of contacts, without the Pro platform plan:

• Start: up to 1,000 contacts, from 19 euros per month.
• Growth: up to 2,500 contacts, from 29 euros per month.
• Growth+: up to 5,000 contacts, from 49 euros per month.
• Impact: up to 10,000 contacts, from 79 euros per month.

With the Pro platform plan (40 euros per month or 400 euros per year) mailing is included up to 2,500 contacts (the Start and Growth levels then cost 0 euros). Above 2,500 contacts the Mail prices with Pro are lower, for example Growth+ from 42 euros per month. Larger levels exist too. Check the current prices in your dashboard.

Try it in your WeGlow dashboard: create a form, import your list with consent and send a test email to yourself.

Read next

More on this topic:

• Non-profit newsletter: how to get it right
• The complete end-of-year fundraising guide
• The complete guide to a fundraising event

Sources

Example figures in this guide are invented and labelled as such. Rules of thumb are labelled as rules of thumb. WeGlow features and prices come from our own software and price list (excl. VAT); check the current prices in your dashboard. Checked on 2 October 2026.

• Google, email sender guidelines: SPF, DKIM and DMARC for bulk senders; spam rate 0.30% (aim 0.10%); one-click unsubscribe; threshold 5,000 messages a day.
• European Commission, data protection: GDPR basics.
• Belgian Data Protection Authority: consent and direct marketing guidance.

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