| name | nonprofit-donor-newsletter |
| description | Use when the user is writing, planning, or reviewing a recurring email newsletter for a nonprofit aimed at cultivating and retaining donors. Trigger on: "donor newsletter", "draft a newsletter", "newsletter cadence", "newsletter subject line", "newsletter layout", "email deliverability", "open rate", "newsletter A/B test". Focuses on the newsletter as a cultivation/stewardship instrument, distinct from one-off appeals and broader stewardship strategy.
|
Reference Files
Load these when you need depth on a specific topic:
| File | Topic |
|---|
references/01-newsletter-strategy-cadence.md | Why a newsletter exists in cultivation, lifecycle fit, send frequency, content calendar that interleaves with appeals |
references/02-donor-segmentation-personalization.md | Segmenting by giving level/recency/interest/source; merge personalization; minimum-viable schemes; over-segmentation traps |
references/03-donor-centered-voice.md | The you/we attention ratio, donor-as-hero framing, rewriting org-centric copy, where "you" framing goes wrong |
references/04-impact-storytelling.md | Single-protagonist principle, identifiable-victim effect, ethical/consent sourcing, story + data, poverty-porn/savior pitfalls |
references/05-subject-lines-open-rates.md | Subject-line patterns, the preheader, sender name, how opens are measured, why open rate is now unreliable |
references/06-email-layout-design.md | Anatomy/hierarchy, single-column mobile-first responsive coding, scannability, accessibility (alt text, contrast, tap targets), dark mode |
references/07-calls-to-action.md | Soft vs hard asks, ladder of engagement, ask-to-content ratio, CTA placement/copy, ask-fatigue mechanism |
references/08-gratitude-stewardship.md | Newsletter as stewardship tool, gratitude→retention link, "you did this" reporting, the first-year retention cliff |
references/09-email-deliverability.md | SPF/DKIM/DMARC, sender reputation, dedicated ESP vs personal account, list hygiene, 2024 Gmail/Yahoo bulk-sender rules |
references/10-metrics-ab-testing.md | Open rate vs CTR vs CTOR vs conversion, A/B testing mechanics and significance, sector benchmarks, reading metrics post-MPP |
How to Use This
Load only the reference file(s) that match the specific request — most asks need one, occasionally two. Don't load all ten just because the skill triggered.
This covers the newsletter as a cultivation/stewardship instrument: strategy and cadence, segmentation, donor-centered voice, impact storytelling, subject lines, layout/accessibility, calls to action, gratitude reporting, deliverability, and metrics/testing.
Not covered by a reference file: cross-channel/omnichannel integration, legal compliance (CAN-SPAM, GDPR, consent), welcome/onboarding series, lapsed-donor win-back flows, and content sourcing/editorial governance. If a request lands on one of these, say so and answer from general knowledge rather than presenting it as this skill's researched guidance.
For stewardship outside the newsletter — acknowledgment, impact reporting, major/planned/corporate giving, retention, metrics — use the sibling nonprofit-stewardship skill in this plugin instead.
