One of these outlines raises funds. The other one doesn't.

Here's something really worth knowing, from the Better Fundraising Blog, at The Simple Outline for Appeals That Raise Money:

A (very common) appeal outline that never works:

• Thank you for helping in the past
• Let me tell you a story about someone we already helped
• Please help us continue this good work

I see appeals that follow an outline like this all the time. You'd think it was proven, guaranteed, bullet-proof, and known to work.

It doesn't.

Instead, try ...

The appeal outline that almost always works:

• There's a problem right now
• You are needed to solve it
• Here's how your gift will solve it

You still have to do a bunch of other things right, but this is the outline that works. Follow this (or some version of it). Abandon that other one!

from Future Fundraising Now https://ift.tt/2PF8xKw