How to Write Fundraising Copy That Really Engages and Persuades
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16 April 2026 10:00am - 4:30pm
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Online
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Training Courses
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- Copywriting
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SC1022
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Current
Take your copywriting skills to the next level. Whether you write copy for fundraising letters, brochures, emails, web, or social, this online Copywriting for Fundraising Masterclass will boost your capability, confidence and results. You’ll join a virtual course with fellow fundraisers for an inspiring day packed with fresh ideas and expert insights and advanced methodologies. You’ll review more than 100 real-life copy examples from major charities as you discover which copywriting techniques work best and which rarely work at all. In just one fascinating day you’ll learn how to plan and write fundraising copy that gets noticed, gets read and gets results. And you’ll learn how to review and critique other people’s copy in a way that’s insightful, meaningful and constructive.
Course Fees
Key Information
This one-day online course is designed for those who already have some experience of writing, briefing or reviewing fundraising copy and are looking take their understanding and skills to the next level.
You will leave the course with a thorough understanding of best-practice copywriting techniques and methodologies. You’ll gain expert insights into how people think, how they read, and how they react to what you write. This course will change the way you approach writing fundraising copy for good. The knowledge and skills you gain in just one day will deliver immediate, valuable and lasting benefits for your organisation, your cause and your career.
Essential principles and expert insights
- Understanding the science behind how people read and react to your copy
- How to apply social psychology and emotional triggers to motivate more people to respond
- Sad stories, statistics and scale: what works best, when and why
- Understanding the persuasion methods that are most effective in fundraising
- Long copy or short copy: what works best, when and why?
- Why personalisation is not all about customer insight and data
- The importance of adopting the right tone and language
- Perfect grammar and punctuation: friend or foe?
- Using “Power” words and avoiding “Spoiler” words
- Valuable tips that boost response and outcomes
- Common recipes for disaster and how to avoid them all
- How to adapt your copy for each primary medium
Direct response marketing and advertising
- The total uniqueness of the fundraising letter
- Why 90% of letters and door-drops hit the bin within five seconds
- Where to put the “ask” in your fundraising letters
- Ten ways to write compelling fundraising headlines
- The last thing you should put into a fundraising letter
Lift pieces, brochures and leaflets
- How to create interest and improve readership
- How to combine copy with graphics and images to boost results
- Understanding the power of images, sub-heads and captions
Email and websites
- The critical difference between online and offline copy
- How to adapt your copy to work on the web
- How to write email subject lines that get opened and copy that gets read
- How to write short-form content for social media
- Reviewing and critiquing your own and other people’s copy
- Apply key copywriting principles and techniques through all methods of communication
- Utilise copywriting principles to your writing to achieve improved results
- Confidently review and critique copy
- Develop new ideas and approaches within your workplace
About your trainer
The live virtual training experience
The Chartered Institute of Fundraising's live virtual training is delivered by trainers who are leading experts in their chosen discipline. Each virtual course has been especially designed to deliver a rich virtual learning experience. Your course will feature:
- Zoom platform learning environment
- Interactive engagement with the trainer and peers
- Group discussions and exercises
- Real-life case studies and examples
- Ample Q&A opportunities throughout the sessions
Technology requirements
The course is being delivered via the online platform zoom. To enable you to interact with your tutor and your class you will need to have access to a microphone (or access to a landline phone) and ideally have a working video link via a camera. To test compatibility with your system, you can join a test meeting via this link.