Choosing Email Marketing Software for Nonprofits: The 2025 Buyer’s Guide

For nonprofits, every dollar and every minute counts. Finding the right tools to connect with supporters, drive donations, and share your mission is critical. The right email marketing software for nonprofits isn’t just a communication tool; it’s a central hub for building relationships, mobilizing volunteers, and securing the funding you need to make a difference. It allows you to tell compelling stories directly to the people who care most about your cause, bypassing the noise of social media algorithms.

This guide is designed to help you navigate the options and choose the best platform for your organization’s unique needs. We’ll break down the essential features to look for, compare top contenders, and provide a clear framework for making a confident decision. Whether you’re a small charity just starting out or a large organization looking to optimize your outreach, this guide will give you the information you need to succeed.

What to Know

• Nonprofit Discounts Are Key: Many top platforms offer significant discounts (from 15% to 50%) or generous free plans for registered nonprofits. Always ask before you buy.
• Automation is Your Best Friend: For small teams, email automation is essential. It helps you welcome new subscribers, thank donors, and nurture relationships without manual effort.
• Segmentation Drives Donations: The ability to segment your audience (e.g., by donors, volunteers, event attendees) allows you to send highly targeted and effective fundraising appeals.
• Integration is Non-Negotiable: Your email tool should connect smoothly with your donation platform, CRM, and other software to create a unified system and save valuable time.
• Compliance Builds Trust: Understanding and following regulations like CAN-SPAM and GDPR is crucial for maintaining your organization’s reputation and ensuring your emails reach the inbox.

Why Email Marketing is a Powerful Tool for Nonprofits

In a world dominated by social media, email remains one of the most effective and reliable channels for nonprofit organizations. Unlike a social media post that might be seen by a fraction of your followers, an email lands directly in a supporter’s inbox, offering a personal and direct line of communication. The return on investment (ROI) for email marketing is consistently high because you’re speaking to an audience that has already opted in and expressed interest in your cause.

Effective marketing emails for nonprofits do more than just ask for money. They are a vehicle for storytelling, allowing you to share the real-world impact of your work through personal stories, photos, and videos. This narrative approach builds a deep emotional connection with your supporters, transforming them from passive observers into active participants in your mission. It’s how you keep your community informed about progress, celebrate milestones, and show donors exactly how their contributions are making a difference.

Furthermore, you own your email list. Social media platforms can change their algorithms or policies overnight, limiting your reach without warning. Your email list is a valuable asset that gives you complete control over your messaging and timing. This control is vital for time-sensitive campaigns, such as year-end giving drives, emergency relief appeals, or event promotions, ensuring your message gets delivered when it matters most.

A Buyer’s Framework: Key Features in Nonprofit Email Tools

Choosing the right email software for charities involves looking beyond the price tag. The features a platform offers will directly impact your team’s efficiency and your campaign’s effectiveness. Here are the essential features every nonprofit should look for.

Segmentation and Personalization

Segmentation is the practice of dividing your email list into smaller groups based on specific criteria. For a nonprofit, this could mean creating segments for one-time donors, recurring donors, volunteers, event attendees, or subscribers who haven’t donated yet. Sending a targeted appeal to a segment of major donors will be far more effective than a generic blast to your entire list.

Personalization goes hand-in-hand with this. At a minimum, you should be able to address subscribers by their first name. Advanced tools allow for dynamic content, where parts of the email change based on the recipient’s data, such as showing them a local volunteer opportunity based on their city.

Automation Workflows

Automation is a critical time-saver for resource-strapped nonprofits. It allows you to set up email sequences that are triggered by specific actions. For example, you can create an automated welcome series for new subscribers that introduces your mission, shares a success story, and eventually makes a small donation ask. Another powerful use is an automated thank-you series for new donors, which reinforces their decision and shows immediate gratitude.

Drag-and-Drop Email Builder

You don’t need a graphic designer on staff to create beautiful, compelling emails. A good platform will have an intuitive drag-and-drop editor that allows you to easily add text, images, buttons, and videos. Look for platforms that also offer a library of mobile-responsive templates designed specifically for nonprofits, which can save you hours of design work.

Donation-Friendly Landing Pages

Some email marketing platforms include tools to build simple landing pages. This is incredibly useful for fundraising campaigns. Instead of sending donors to your website’s generic donation page, you can create a dedicated landing page for a specific campaign with a compelling story, a fundraising goal thermometer, and a clear call-to-action. This focused approach typically leads to higher conversion rates.

A/B Testing Capabilities

How do you know which subject line will get the most opens? Or which call-to-action button will get the most clicks? A/B testing lets you find out. This feature allows you to send two variations of an email to a small portion of your list. The version that performs better is then automatically sent to the rest of the list, optimizing your results without guesswork.

Reporting and Analytics

Good data leads to better decisions. Your email software should provide clear, easy-to-understand reports on key metrics. You need to track open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates (donations), and unsubscribe rates. These analytics help you understand what content resonates with your audience and where you can improve.

CRM and Donor Management Integrations

Your email tool shouldn’t operate in a silo. It needs to connect with the other software you use, especially your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or donor management system. A strong integration allows you to sync contact data automatically, track donor engagement across channels, and build a complete picture of each supporter.

Top Email Marketing Software for Nonprofits in 2025

Navigating the market for nonprofit email tools can be overwhelming. We’ve evaluated several leading platforms based on the key features mentioned above, with a special focus on their value for nonprofit organizations. Here are our top recommendations.

1. Brevo (Formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo stands out as an excellent all-in-one marketing platform that is particularly well-suited for nonprofits on a tight budget. Its free plan is one of the most generous available, allowing up to 300 emails per day and unlimited contacts. This makes it a fantastic starting point for smaller organizations that are just beginning to build their email program.

Beyond email, Brevo offers SMS marketing, live chat, and a CRM, all integrated into one platform. Its automation builder is powerful yet user-friendly, allowing you to create multi-step workflows to nurture supporters. While Brevo doesn’t advertise a standard nonprofit discount on its paid plans, their pricing is already highly competitive, and their support team is open to discussing options for registered charities.

If you’re looking for a platform that can grow with you and handle more than just email, Brevo is a strong contender.

Pros

• Generous Free Plan: Unlimited contacts and 300 emails/day is great for getting started.
• All-in-One Platform: Includes SMS, chat, and CRM features even on the free plan.
• Advanced Automation: Create complex workflows to engage your audience automatically.

Cons

• Daily Sending Limit on Free Plan: The 300-email daily cap can be restrictive for larger sends.
• No Official Discount Policy: Discounts are handled on a case-by-case basis.

2. GetResponse

GetResponse is a feature-rich platform that offers a significant discount for nonprofits, making its powerful tools highly accessible. Eligible organizations can receive a 30-50% discount on monthly plans, which is one of the most generous offers in the industry. This makes it an excellent choice for nonprofits that need advanced features without the enterprise price tag.

What sets GetResponse apart is its comprehensive feature set, which includes a website builder, conversion funnels, and even webinar hosting capabilities. Its marketing automation is top-notch, allowing you to build sophisticated supporter journeys based on user behavior. For nonprofits that run a lot of events or educational programs, having these tools integrated into one system can be a huge advantage.

For organizations ready to take their marketing beyond basic newsletters, GetResponse provides a complete toolkit at a nonprofit-friendly price.

Pros

• Generous Nonprofit Discount: Up to 50% off makes it very affordable.
• Comprehensive Feature Set: Includes landing pages, funnels, and webinar tools.
• Powerful Automation: Build detailed workflows to nurture donors and volunteers.

Cons

• Steeper Learning Curve: With so many features, it can be overwhelming for absolute beginners.
• CRM is Less Developed: The built-in CRM is functional but not as deep as dedicated systems.

3. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is a leader in marketing automation, making it a perfect fit for nonprofits that want to build deeply personalized relationships with their supporters at scale. The platform offers a 20% discount for charities, which helps make its advanced capabilities more accessible. Its strength lies in its ability to track supporter engagement across multiple channels, including your website, social media, and email.

With ActiveCampaign, you can create automations that are triggered by almost any action, such as visiting your donation page but not completing the transaction. You can then send a gentle follow-up email to encourage them to complete their gift. Its built-in CRM helps you manage donor relationships and track the entire supporter lifecycle. It’s an ideal choice for growing nonprofits that are serious about data-driven marketing.

If your goal is to automate supporter journeys and personalize every interaction, ActiveCampaign is one of the most powerful options available.

Pros

• Best-in-Class Automation: Unmatched flexibility for creating personalized supporter journeys.
• Integrated CRM: Manage donor relationships and sales pipelines in one place.
• Excellent Deliverability: Strong reputation for ensuring emails reach the inbox.

Cons

• Can Be Expensive: Even with the discount, it’s a premium-priced product.
• Complex for Simple Needs: May be overkill for nonprofits that only need to send basic newsletters.

4. HubSpot

HubSpot offers a complete platform that combines marketing, sales, and service tools with a powerful, free CRM at its core. For nonprofits, HubSpot offers a 40% discount on its professional-level software. While it’s one of the more expensive options, it provides a truly integrated system for managing all of your organization’s relationships—from donors and volunteers to corporate sponsors and grant funders.

The free HubSpot CRM is a great starting point for any nonprofit. When you add the Marketing Hub, you get a suite of powerful email marketing tools that are deeply connected to your contact data. This allows for incredible personalization and segmentation based on a supporter’s entire history with your organization. It’s an excellent choice for larger nonprofits that need a single source of truth for all their data.

For organizations looking for an all-in-one solution to manage growth, the HubSpot for Nonprofits program is worth exploring.

Pros

• Powerful Free CRM: The foundation of the platform is a free, robust CRM.
• Truly All-in-One: Combines marketing, sales, and service tools seamlessly.
• Deep Integration: Email marketing is directly tied to rich contact data.

Cons

• High Cost: The 40% discount is on a high starting price, making it a significant investment.
• Complex Setup: Requires a dedicated effort to implement and learn the full platform.

Comparison of Top Nonprofit Email Tools

Feature	Brevo	GetResponse	ActiveCampaign	HubSpot	MailerLite (Competitor)
Best For	All-in-one on a budget	Growing nonprofits	Advanced automation	Large organizations	Simplicity & ease of use
Nonprofit Discount	Case-by-case	Up to 50%	20%	40%	30%
Free Plan	Yes, very generous	Yes, up to 500 contacts	No (free trial only)	Yes (limited features)	Yes, up to 1,000 contacts
Key Feature	SMS & Chat included	Webinar & Funnel Builder	Best-in-class automation	Integrated CRM	Ease of use
Starting Price	$0/month	~$19/month (before discount)	~$29/month (before discount)	~$800/month (before discount)	$0/month
	Try brevo	Try getresponse	Try activecampaign	Try hubspot

Pricing is approximate and can change. Always check the provider’s website for the latest information.

Budgeting for Success: Cost-Effective Email Software for Charities

For most nonprofits, the budget is a primary concern when selecting new software. The good news is that many email marketing providers recognize the unique financial constraints of charities and offer solutions to help.

The most important thing to look for is a specific nonprofit discount program. As seen with platforms like GetResponse and HubSpot, these discounts can be substantial, often ranging from 20% to 50%. This can make a premium platform with advanced features suddenly fall within your budget. Always check a provider’s website for a dedicated nonprofit page or contact their sales team directly to inquire before signing up.

Many platforms also offer a free plan, which can be a lifeline for small or new nonprofits. Tools like Brevo and MailerLite offer free tiers that are robust enough to run a solid email program for a list of a few thousand subscribers. However, be sure to read the fine print. Free plans often come with limitations, such as daily sending caps, provider branding in your emails, or restricted access to key features like automation.

A free plan is a great way to start, but plan for the day when you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan as your organization grows.

Growing Your Impact: How to Build and Maintain Your Email List

Your email marketing is only as powerful as the list you build. An engaged list of supporters who want to hear from you is your organization’s most valuable marketing asset. The key to building this list is to offer clear value in exchange for an email address.

Here are some effective strategies for list building:

1. Website Sign-up Forms: Place clear, simple sign-up forms in prominent locations on your website, such as the homepage, footer, and blog. Instead of a generic “Join our newsletter,” use a compelling call-to-action like “Get updates on how you’re changing lives” or “Be the first to know about volunteer opportunities.”
2. Content Offers: Create a valuable piece of content that supporters can download in exchange for their email. This could be an impact report, a guide related to your cause (e.g., “5 Ways to Support Local Wildlife”), or a toolkit for advocates.
3. Event and Volunteer Registration: Every time someone signs up for an event or to volunteer, include a checkbox (ideally pre-checked) that allows them to opt-in to your email list. These are some of your most engaged supporters, so it’s a natural fit.
4. Social Media: Use your social media channels to promote your newsletter and content offers. Run a campaign encouraging followers to sign up to get exclusive updates they won’t find on social media.

Maintaining your list is just as important as building it. Periodically clean your list by removing inactive subscribers who haven’t opened your emails in a long time. This practice, known as list hygiene, improves your deliverability rates and ensures you’re only communicating with an engaged audience.

Crafting Messages That Matter: Creating Engaging Nonprofit Emails

Once you have your list, the real work begins: creating content that inspires, informs, and motivates action. The most effective marketing emails for nonprofits are not just appeals for money; they are windows into the heart of your mission.

Storytelling is your most powerful tool. Instead of stating facts and figures, tell the story of a single person, animal, or community that has been helped by your work. Use vivid language and high-quality images or videos to bring the story to life. Show the problem, introduce your organization’s solution, and then clearly state how the reader’s support can create more stories like this one.

Variety is also key to keeping your audience engaged. Mix up your content with different types of emails:

• Impact Updates: Regularly share good news and progress reports. Show donors the tangible results of their contributions.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Introduce your staff and volunteers. Give a tour of your facility. Make your organization feel human and relatable.
• Educational Content: Share information related to your cause that is helpful to your audience.
• Fundraising Appeals: When you do ask for donations, make it specific. Tie the ask to a clear outcome (e.g., “$25 provides a warm meal for a family”).
• Event Invitations and Volunteer Calls: Use email to mobilize your community for events and volunteer opportunities.

Pro Tip: Your subject line is the most important part of your email. Spend time crafting subject lines that are clear, compelling, and create a sense of curiosity or urgency. Personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s name can also significantly boost open rates.

Measuring What Matters: Tracking Your Email Marketing Success

To understand if your email strategy is working, you need to track the right metrics. Your email marketing software’s analytics dashboard can seem intimidating, but focusing on a few key performance indicators (KPIs) will tell you most of what you need to know.

• Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email. This metric tells you how effective your subject lines are and whether your audience recognizes and trusts you as a sender.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of recipients who clicked on at least one link in your email. CTR is a strong indicator of engagement and shows whether your content and call-to-action were compelling enough to inspire action.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of recipients who completed a desired action after clicking a link, such as making a donation or signing up to volunteer. This is the ultimate measure of your email’s effectiveness in driving real-world outcomes.
• Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of recipients who opted out of your email list. A high unsubscribe rate might indicate that you’re sending too frequently or that your content isn’t relevant to your audience.

By monitoring these metrics over time, you can identify trends, understand what resonates with your supporters, and continuously refine your strategy. For example, if you notice that emails with videos have a much higher CTR, you can make a plan to incorporate more video content into your campaigns.

Best Practices for High-Impact Nonprofit Email Campaigns

Following a few simple best practices can dramatically improve the performance of your email campaigns and strengthen your relationship with supporters.

First, optimize for mobile. The majority of emails are now opened on smartphones. If your email is difficult to read or interact with on a small screen, you’ll lose your audience’s attention immediately. Use a single-column layout, large fonts, and clear, tappable buttons.

Second, be consistent with your sender name and branding. Your supporters should be able to recognize your email in a crowded inbox instantly. Use a consistent “From” name (e.g., “Jane at [Your Nonprofit]”) and ensure your emails use your organization’s logo and colors.

Third, make your call-to-action (CTA) impossible to miss. Use a brightly colored button with clear, action-oriented text (e.g., “Donate Now,” “Volunteer Today,” “Read Their Story”). Don’t bury your CTA at the bottom of a long email; make it prominent and easy to find.

Finally, prioritize accessibility. This means using high-contrast colors, providing descriptive alt-text for all images, and using clear headings to structure your content. This ensures that supporters with visual impairments can still engage with your message.

Staying Compliant: Navigating Email Marketing Regulations

Building trust with your supporters is paramount, and a big part of that is respecting their privacy and their inbox. Adhering to email marketing regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act in the United States and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe is not just a legal requirement; it’s a critical best practice.

Here are the key principles in simple terms:

• Get Permission: Only email people who have explicitly given you permission to do so (opted-in).
• Be Honest: Your subject lines and “From” name must be truthful and not misleading.
• Provide an Unsubscribe Option: Every email must include a clear and easy way for recipients to opt-out. You must honor these requests promptly.
• Include Your Physical Address: You must include your nonprofit’s valid physical postal address in every email.

Most reputable email marketing platforms have these requirements built into their systems, making it easier to stay compliant. They manage unsubscribe requests automatically and require you to include an address. Following these rules protects your organization’s reputation and improves your email deliverability, as internet service providers are more likely to trust senders who follow best practices.

Beyond the Inbox: Integrating Email with Your Fundraising Strategy

Email marketing doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Its true power is unlocked when it’s integrated with your other fundraising and engagement strategies. Your email software should act as the connective tissue that links your various supporter touchpoints into a cohesive journey.

For example, when someone makes a donation through your website, an integration should automatically add them to a “New Donor” segment in your email platform. This can trigger an automated thank-you series that welcomes them, shows the impact of their gift, and encourages them to become a recurring donor. This seamless experience makes the donor feel seen and appreciated.

Similarly, you can use email to amplify other fundraising efforts. If you’re running a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, use email to recruit fundraisers, provide them with a toolkit of email templates and social media posts, and send them encouraging updates as they reach their goals. If you’re sending a direct mail appeal, you can follow up with a coordinated email to the same segment, reinforcing the message and providing an easy online giving option.

Real-World Impact: Case Studies of Successful Nonprofit Campaigns

To see how these principles work in practice, let’s look at a couple of examples.

Case Study 1: The Animal Shelter’s Welcome Series

A local animal shelter was struggling with connecting with new email subscribers. They set up a three-part automated welcome series using their email software. The first email, sent immediately after sign-up, thanked the subscriber and shared a heartwarming story of a recently adopted pet. The second email, sent two days later, introduced the shelter’s different programs (adoption, spay/neuter, community education).

The final email, sent a week after sign-up, made a small ask: “Could you donate $5 to feed a shelter pet for a day?” This automated series resulted in a 40% increase in donations from new subscribers within their first month.

Case Study 2: The Environmental Group’s Year-End Campaign

An environmental advocacy group used segmentation to supercharge its year-end giving campaign. They created three different versions of their main appeal email. One version went to major donors, highlighting large-scale policy wins. Another went to recurring monthly donors, thanking them for their sustained support.

The third version went to non-donors, focusing on an urgent threat and a matching gift offer. By tailoring the message to each segment, they increased their overall campaign revenue by 25% compared to the previous year’s generic appeal.

Common Hurdles: Challenges Nonprofits Face in Email Marketing

While email marketing is powerful, it’s not without its challenges, especially for nonprofits.

One of the biggest hurdles is a lack of time and staff. Many nonprofit professionals wear multiple hats, and finding the time to plan, write, design, and analyze email campaigns can be difficult. This is where automation and user-friendly software become so important. A good platform with easy-to-use templates and a simple automation builder can save dozens of hours each month.

Budget constraints are another common issue. While many platforms offer discounts, software costs can still be a significant line item. It’s crucial to view this as an investment, not just an expense. Track your donation conversions from email to calculate the ROI and demonstrate the value of the tool to your board and leadership.

Finally, content creation fatigue is real. Coming up with fresh, engaging stories can be tough. To combat this, create a simple content calendar and plan your themes in advance. Repurpose content from other channels, such as your blog or social media.

And don’t be afraid to ask your community for stories—your supporters, volunteers, and beneficiaries are often your best source of compelling content.

The Future of Nonprofit Email: What’s Next?

Email marketing is constantly evolving, and several trends are shaping its future for nonprofits.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into email platforms. AI tools can help you write more effective subject lines, suggest the best time to send an email based on a subscriber’s past behavior, and even help draft entire email campaigns. This technology can be a massive time-saver and help optimize your results.

Hyper-personalization will continue to grow in importance. Using data from your CRM and other sources, you’ll be able to create emails that are uniquely tailored to each individual supporter, referencing their specific donation history, volunteer activities, and content interests. This level of personalization builds incredibly strong relationships.

Finally, look for more interactivity within emails. Features like embedded polls, surveys, and carousels that users can interact with directly in their inbox will become more common. These elements can dramatically increase engagement and provide you with valuable feedback from your community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the best email marketing platform for nonprofits?

There’s no single “best” platform for every nonprofit. The ideal choice depends on your budget, team size, and specific needs. For those on a tight budget, Brevo offers a great free starting point. For organizations seeking powerful automation and a generous discount, GetResponse is an excellent option. For those needing advanced, data-driven automation, ActiveCampaign is a top choice. And for larger organizations wanting an all-in-one CRM and marketing solution, HubSpot is hard to beat.

Is Mailchimp free for nonprofits?

Mailchimp offers a 15% discount to verified nonprofit organizations on its paid plans. They also have a free plan that allows for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 email sends per month. However, the free plan has become more limited over the years, and many key features like multi-step automation and advanced segmentation are only available on paid tiers. It’s a popular choice, but it’s important to compare its features and pricing with other platforms that may offer more generous terms for charities.

What is a cheaper alternative to Mailchimp?

Several platforms offer more features at a lower price point than Mailchimp, especially for nonprofits. Brevo is a strong alternative with a more generous free plan and lower-cost paid tiers that include SMS and chat. GetResponse and ActiveCampaign, with their nonprofit discounts, can also be more cost-effective for organizations that need advanced automation features, which are often in Mailchimp’s more expensive plans.

What is the best CRM for nonprofits?

Choosing a CRM is a big decision. For an all-in-one solution, HubSpot’s free CRM is an incredibly powerful tool that integrates seamlessly with its paid marketing hub. Many nonprofits also find success with dedicated nonprofit CRMs like Bloomerang or Little Green Light. The best choice is a platform that integrates well with your other tools, especially your email marketing software, to create a single, unified view of your supporters.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right email marketing software is one of the most important decisions your nonprofit will make. It’s the engine that powers your communication, builds your community, and drives your fundraising. By focusing on your organization’s specific needs and looking for a platform with the right mix of features—powerful automation, easy segmentation, and seamless integrations—you can find a tool that saves you time and amplifies your impact.

Don’t be afraid to take advantage of free trials and nonprofit discounts. Test out a few platforms to see which one feels right for your team. The perfect email tool is out there, and with it, you’ll be better equipped than ever to share your mission and inspire a community of supporters to change the world with you. If you’re looking for a great balance of features and a strong nonprofit discount, we recommend exploring what GetResponse has to offer.