Key takeaways in this post about writing donor stories:

  • Donor stories that highlight personal motivations, whether “heart” (emotional) or “mind” (logical), can inspire others to give. Understanding why a donor gives allows you to tell a story that resonates with potential supporters.
  • Demonstrating the real-world effects of donations—like improved patient care through specific equipment or programs—makes the impact tangible and compelling. The more specific, the more relatable and inspiring the story becomes.
  • Recognize donors at every level, from major benefactors to small contributors, showing the broad community of support behind your cause. This inclusiveness helps foster a sense of community and shows that every contribution counts.


Author: WG Content
Last updated: 11/12/24

Donor stories are essential to fundraising programs. They showcase human connection, emotion and illustrate what drives a person to give.

They also have the potential to boost donations not only with first-time givers but also grow repeat donors. In fact, an effective use of donor stories has the potential to nearly double your repeat donors.

Let’s dig into how to craft an engaging donor story.

4 tips for writing great donor stories

1. Start with a hook


Just like writing patient stories, start with a hook. Finding a hook for your donor story can feel challenging, but donors are motivated by things that tug at our hearts or make sense in our minds. A well-written donor story identifies their motivation and tells their story authentically.

  • “Heart” givers: We all know people who’ve received a cancer or dementia diagnosis. If we had it in our power, wouldn’t we want to find a cure or a new treatment?
  • “Mind” givers: If the donor has no affiliation with your organization, tell us why they chose to make a gift. Was it because of the strength of your doctors and nurses? Or do you offer expertise they can’t find anywhere else? You can highlight and celebrate these differentiators.

People want to invest their time and money in healthcare organizations that move the needle and improve patient care. Their gifts highlight how great your hospital is. And showing is always better than just telling.

2. Make the donor relatable

Donor stories are a great way for others to connect with donors’ designated causes and your fundraising goals and think, “I feel that way, too…”

Donor testimonials are powerful because they allow potential donors to see the potential of their gift.

  • “Heart” givers: The act of giving empowers grateful patients or caregivers. They may not have had much control during their illness and recovery. But deciding to make a difference in someone else’s life is empowering. They regain a sense of control over their future, inspiring others to do the same.
  • “Mind” givers: The act of giving has logical benefits as well, such as tax advantages and being able to decide how your money is spent.

Whatever the motivation, we start to imagine what we can do to make a difference in someone else’s life. Donor stories make your audience feel proud to be part of a community that makes such a significant impact

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3. Show (don’t tell) your impact

Keep readers (and potential donors) invested in your organization by showing the impact of community donations. Be descriptive and use supportive details to show how a donor’s support helped your organization and community.

Some examples:

  • Did a donation make long chemotherapy stays easier because it purchased iPads and heated blankets?
  • Did a clinical trial made possible by donations lead to better patient outcomes?
  • Do patients now have access to state-of-the-art rehab equipment which shortens their recovery time?

Be as specific as possible in highlighting the impact of gifts, whether it’s to purchase new equipment, build a facility, fund mammograms for the uninsured or support your organization’s future.

4. Celebrate your community

Showcase donors of all levels — from millionaires to kids with a lemonade stand — as well as different patients and caregivers across your organization.

Donating is a highly personal decision. Celebrate the people who make your organization great and bring your mission to life.

Questions to ask donors during interviews


Just like interviewing patients or subject matter experts, go in prepared for your conversation. Here are some questions to get you started:

  • How did you first hear about our organization?
  • What motivated you to get involved?
  • Have you been involved in any of our programs? If so, how have they impacted your life?
  • What made you decide to give to us?
  • Why do you enjoy giving?
  • Why are you passionate about this organization?
  • What do you hope to accomplish through your donations?
  • Is there a favorite program or service that you support?
  • What do you think would happen if our organization wasn’t around?
  • What do you wish everyone knew about this cause?
  • Is there anything else you want us to know about why our organization is important to you?

Connecting compassion with action

The most powerful donor stories inspire their readers to take action. Don’t forget to connect your donors’ commitment to your readers’ compassion. The actions donors take today will affect our communities tomorrow. Even better, donating makes people feel like a part of a community of caring, and research has found this translates to higher interest in giving.
Make sure your story shows readers how to take action to support the cause. Build a “Donate now” button and an easy-to-compete donation form for your “heart” readers to quickly take action, and offer your “mind” readers opportunities to contact your director about planned giving opportunities.

Drive results with donor stories

Crafting donor stories that drive results is an investment in your foundation’s future. If you need assistance creating captivating donor stories, WG Content’s expert writers and strategists can help. Let’s get started!

Follow-up questions about writing donor stories:

Repurpose and post your donor stories on social media, your foundation website, emails, newsletters and video testimonials.

Ask donors if they want to share their story within a few weeks of a major gift or fundraising event. This can be done as part of an acknowledgement or stewardship letter or separate communication. Asking donors to share their story soon after a donation is made allows them to share their giving story while it’s fresh in their minds.

You can use donor stories to explain how planned giving works while showcasing causes within your foundation that could benefit. These stories tie “heart” and “mind” givers together by linking the emotions of the appeal with the logistics of planned giving. Watch this on-demand webinar for more information on messaging using heart and mind.

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