Communication is essential in the world of nonprofits. Email marketing provides an affordable, direct, one-to-one communication channel to maintain these connections, whether you are reaching out to donors, updating volunteers, or promoting your best ball tournament. Studies have shown that between 75% and 80% of nonprofits state that email marketing is their most effective marketing strategy; choosing the best platform will significantly increase marketing effectiveness.
Not all email marketing platforms are built with nonprofits in mind, but their features can be beneficial. Some offer powerful donor segmentation tools and automation, while others will seamlessly integrate with your fundraising software. This guide will illuminate the best email marketing platforms for nonprofits, outlining pricing, features, considerations, and the best use cases for each.
Why Email Marketing is Critical for Nonprofits
Email marketing allows nonprofits to personalize messages and share their stories with supporters, making it a crucial part of fundraising and outreach. Unlike social media, where posts can get lost in the ever-changing feed algorithm, email remains the direct and reliable communication channel for donors and potential donors.
Emails enable organizations to communicate consistently with donors, ensuring that case studies, gala updates, and walkathon announcements never go unnoticed. Additionally, email offers greater control over messaging than social media can. Your nonprofit can tailor a message to the correct donor segment, allowing you to tailor outreach based on donor history, engagement level, and other interests.
How Email Marketing Strengthens Nonprofit Outreach and Fundraising
- Engage donors and volunteers through personalized messaging.
- Automate fundraising campaigns to save time and resources.
- Increase donor retention rates by staying connected with past supporters.
- Analyze campaign performance through open rates, click-throughs, and donation conversions.
Using the right platform, nonprofits can optimize communication and ensure their messages reach the correct donors at the right time.
Key Features to Look for in an Email Marketing Platform
Selecting the right email marketing tool means identifying what works with your nonprofit's needs. Evaluate where your nonprofit stands now and where you want email marketing to get you. Some of the most important factors include:
- Ease of Use: The platform should be user-friendly, even for teams with limited technical expertise.
- Automation & Personalization: Pre-scheduled emails and donor segmentation improve engagement.
- Fundraising & CRM Integration: Seamless connection with donation and event management tools optimizes operations.
- Cost & Nonprofit Discounts: Many platforms offer free tiers or special pricing for nonprofits.
- Analytics & Reporting: Insights into donor behavior help refine email strategies over time.
Top Email Marketing Platforms for Nonprofits
1. BetterUnite: The All-in-One Nonprofit Solution
BetterUnite was designed by people from nonprofits for nonprofits, combining email marketing with fundraising, event management, donor management, and more. If your nonprofit is event-focused, send invites, reminders, and follow-ups straight from your event page. Unlike general-purpose email platforms, it offers complementary features that allow organizations to email campaigns, manage donations, and track event participation—all within one system.
Key Features:
- Built-in event, fundraising, and donor engagement tools.
- Brilliant Email Targeting – Easily segment your CRM contacts to send targeted emails for donor check-ins, event reminders, and supporter re-engagement.
- Advanced analytics to measure email performance cross-referenced fundraising metrics.
- All-in-One Convenience – No need for extra integrations—BetterUnite's built-in tools handle everything.
This tool is best for nonprofits looking for an all-in-one platform that combines email marketing, fundraising, and event management in a single system.
2. MailChimp: A Popular and User-Friendly Choice
MailChimp is among the most widely used email marketing platforms across all industries. It offers an easy-to-use interface and robust automation tools. Additionally, it provides a 15% nonprofit discount, making it affordable for organizations beginning their email marketing efforts. MailChimp integrates with popular nonprofit events and CRM tools for easier donor communications.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop email editor for quick campaign creation.
- Automated email sequences to send reminders, thank-you notes, and engagement emails.
- Robust analytics to track email performance and donor engagement.
- Discounted nonprofit pricing to keep costs low.
Best For: Organizations looking for an affordable, easy-to-use email marketing solution with solid automation features.
3. Constant Contact: A Strong Option for Event-Driven Nonprofits
Constant Contact is another widely popular email marketing tool. In addition to emails, it offers event registration and management tools, which are helpful for nonprofits that host regular fundraising events. Its highly rated customer support could also be useful for nonprofits that need additional information while managing campaigns. Constant Contact's customizable templates, drag-and-drop creator, and segmented lists make creating personalized messages for your donors easy.
Key Features:
- Event registration tools are built directly into the platform.
- Personalized email automation for donor outreach and follow-ups.
- Comprehensive reporting tools to measure email success.
- Live chat and phone support for real-time assistance.
Best For: Nonprofits that host events and need strong customer support.
4. Brevo: Affordable and Automation-Driven
Brevo is a great tool for nonprofits seeking an email marketing platform with a limited free plan. Its email automation tools compete with the best, and its strong segmentation options allow organizations to send messages based on donor behavior and engagement levels. With drip campaigns, personalized messaging, and real-time analytics, nonprofits can streamline communication and strengthen donor relationships.
Key Features:
- Automated customer workflows that strengthen relationships over time.
- Advanced segmentation to deliver personalized messages to different donor groups.
- Free plan available - automate campaigns for up to 2000 contacts
- Transactional email capabilities for donation confirmations and receipts.
Best For: Nonprofits that highly value automation and personalization tools at an affordable price.
5. ActiveCampaign: The Best Choice for Investigating Donor Relationships
Active Campaign is known for its sophisticated automation tools and AI email campaigns, making it a solid tool for nonprofits looking to personalize their outreach. It benefits nonprofits looking to improve their donor journeys with intricate email campaigns statistically. Nonprofits can optimize engagement and retention using advanced segmentation, dynamic AI-driven content, and predictive sending patterns. As a bonus, ActiveCampaign integrates with popular CRM and fundraising tools, allowing organizations to use donor data to enhance their outreach campaigns.
Key Features:
- Conditional email workflows that adjust based on donor interactions.
- Deep reporting and analytics to measure campaign effectiveness.
- A/B testing tools to refine email content and increase engagement.
- Highly customizable segmentation to personalize messaging.
Best For: Nonprofits that require advanced automation and complex email information for their fundraising efforts.
Finding the Best Fit for Your Nonprofit
Selecting the best email marketing platform depends on your nonprofit's goals, budget, and engagement requirements. If you are looking for an all-in-one nonprofit-specific platform, BetterUnite provides seamless fundraising and donor engagement tools. MailChimp continues to be a user-friendly option with its affordable pricing, while Constant Contact is an excellent choice for nonprofits that host fundraising events. Brevo offers easy-to-use automation and segmentation; however, ActiveCampaign is a strong option for AI-driven donor messages and advanced analytics.
By picking the right platform, nonprofits can boost donor engagement, improve fundraising, and strengthen long-term donor relations. Investing in a well-suited email marketing tool optimizes workflows and frees up time to focus on the irreplaceable human-to-human contact that truly inspires giving.
