Most nonprofits treat email like a megaphone. Blast a newsletter, hope it works, move on. The organizations that grow donations steadily take a different approach. They build simple email workflows designed for nonprofits that move people from “I’m interested” to “I’m giving.”
If you’re already stretched thin, “email workflows” might sound like a luxury. They’re not. They’re the closest thing nonprofits have to a time machine. Build these once, and they quietly run in the background, driving donations while you focus on programs, events, and everything else stacked on your plate.
Below are the workflows that matter most, how they work, and how to build them without becoming an email automation expert.
Why Email Workflows Work So Well for Nonprofits
Ecommerce figured this out years ago. Set up automated sequences, send the right message at the right moment, and watch revenue rise. The same logic applies to donors, because donors behave like every modern consumer: they expect relevance, consistency, and a little personalization.
Email workflows give you that.
They also fix the three problems that quietly hurt nonprofit revenue:
People forget.
Even the most committed supporters get distracted. A workflow brings them back.
One-off emails have terrible timing.
You can’t predict when someone will be ready to give, but automation can.
Your team doesn’t have time to follow up with everyone.
Workflows fill the gaps so humans can focus where it matters most.
When you build smart donation email workflows, you remove friction from giving and give supporters more touchpoints to move from interest to action.
The Five Workflows Every Nonprofit Should Build
There are dozens of email workflows for nonprofits, but five of them consistently drive donations, retention, and long-term support. Start here.
1. The Welcome Series That Actually Welcomes People
A welcome series is your digital front door. Most nonprofits send a single “Thanks for signing up” email, but that’s a wasted opportunity. A real welcome workflow is 3 to 5 short emails that introduce people to your mission and gently guide them toward their first gift.
A simple sequence:
- Email 1: Thanks for joining. Here’s the problem we’re solving.
- Email 2: Meet someone helped by your work.
- Email 3: Here’s how supporters make a difference.
- Email 4: Ready to get involved?
- Email 5: A soft ask for a first donation.
This one workflow alone can boost first-time gifts because it turns a cold subscriber into someone who feels connected to your mission.
2. The Donor Onboarding Workflow
Once someone donates, the instinct is to thank them once and move on. But that first gift is the most fragile part of the donor journey. A new donor onboarding workflow makes sure they feel like their gift mattered.
Try something like:
- Email 1: A warm thank you with a real story.
- Email 2: What their gift allowed your team to do.
- Email 3: A behind-the-scenes look at your work.
- Email 4: A light invitation to join a program, follow you on social, or make their gift monthly.
Donors who feel connected early are far more likely to stick around. This workflow does that on autopilot.
3. The Lapsed Donor Re-Engagement Sequence
You don’t need to guilt people into giving again. You just need to remind them why they gave in the first place.
A lapsed workflow might look like:
- Email 1: A quick “we miss you” with an update.
- Email 2: A recent success story.
- Email 3: A simple, low-pressure ask like “Join us again this month.”
This is one of the most effective donor email sequences because reactivating past donors is often easier than acquiring new ones.
4. The Recurring Donor Upgrade Workflow
Monthly giving programs grow because you ask at the right moment. That’s tough to do manually, but automation makes it easy.
Trigger this workflow when a donor has given two or three times in a year. Highlight consistency, impact, and convenience. Then show the math. For example:
“Your support has already done X. Becoming a monthly donor for just Y dollars ensures this work continues all year.”
Even a small upgrade can transform annual revenue.
5. Event Follow-Up Sequence
Most nonprofits send one thank you email after an event. That’s a missed chance to build momentum.
Build a three-part follow-up:
- Email 1: Thanks and a photo.
- Email 2: A story from the event.
- Email 3: An ask tied to the event’s theme or goal.
Your event shouldn’t end when the doors close. This is how you turn in-person energy into post-event giving.
Best Practices to Make Your Workflows Actually Convert
You can build all the workflows in the world, but they won’t help if they read like a grant proposal. A few quick rules:
Keep emails short: People don’t open email to read a novel.
Talk like a human: Supporters respond to warmth and clarity.
Use segmentation: New subscribers, first-time donors, and recurring donors all need different messages.
Measure what matters: Open rate tells you nothing. Clicks and donations tell you everything.
Connect every workflow to a real action: Welcome series should lead toward giving. Lapsed series should lead toward return engagement. Onboarding should drive loyalty.
Do this well and your nonprofit email marketing becomes a quiet engine that builds trust, raises money, and saves your team dozens of hours a month.
Why Your Future Self Will Thank You
Email workflows for nonprofits aren’t complicated, but they are powerful. Build these five and your donors will feel seen, supported, and more connected to your mission. And once the system is in place, it keeps working even on the days when your staff inbox is overflowing.
FAQ: Email Workflows for Nonprofits
How many email workflows does a nonprofit actually need?
Start with three. A welcome series for new subscribers, an onboarding sequence for new donors, and a lapsed donor flow. These three cover most of the donor journey and will have the biggest impact with the least work. You can layer in upgrades, events, and recurring donor prompts once the basics are running smoothly.
What tools do nonprofits need to build email workflows?
Whatever you’re already using probably has enough automation to get started. Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and HubSpot all handle simple donor email sequences. The real value isn’t the software. It’s deciding what you want donors to do next and building emails that guide them there.
Will automated emails feel robotic or impersonal to donors?
Only if you write them that way. Keep emails short, warm, and focused on real stories. When automation is done right, supporters feel more connected because they hear from you at the right time with the right message.
How long should each workflow be?
Most nonprofit email marketing works best in tight sequences. Three to five emails is usually plenty. Long enough to build connection, short enough to avoid fatigue. If you need more than that, break it into phases.
What’s the ideal timing between emails?
A day or two between messages during a welcome or onboarding series is fine. Lapsed donors need a little more breathing room. Think a few days apart. The goal is steady, not spammy.
How do we measure if our workflows are working?
Forget open rates. Look at clicks, replies, and donations. If supporters are taking action, your workflows are doing their job. If they’re not, tweak the story, tweak the timing, or tighten the ask.
Should workflows ask for donations directly?
Not every email should. A good workflow earns the ask by giving context first. Story, impact, clarity. Then the donation prompt. When supporters understand why their gift matters right now, the conversion rate jumps.
Do small nonprofits really have time to build all this?
Yes. The beauty of email workflows for nonprofits is that you build them once and they work on their own. But if you absolutely don’t have time, E11 is happy to help.
What’s the first workflow we should build if we’re starting from scratch?
A welcome series. It’s the highest-impact, lowest-effort workflow. It sets the tone, tells your story, and encourages a first gift long before you ever send an appeal.