A guide to communicating with participants after fundraising events 

Your fundraising event was a hit—congratulations! Definitely celebrate your hard work, but don’t pause conversations with your supporters. Your event may be over, but it’s the beginning of making stronger connections. Participants are still riding an emotional high, making them receptive to deepening their relationship with your cause.

But this window of engagement won't stay open long.

Whether you hosted a golf tournament, a charitable gala, a pancake breakfast, or another gathering, post-event communication is a powerful fundraising strategy for acquisition and retention. For example, 48% of donors say regular email communication keeps them engaged with organizations they support. And while this percentage may focus on email and non-event communication, it proves that community members expect to hear from you regularly.

When it comes to fundraising events, participants look forward to seeing the highlights, impact, and updates across multiple channels while those warm, positive feelings about your event are still in the air. It’s an opportunity to turn one-time attendees into lifelong supporters who consistently show up for your mission.

Let’s begin with intentional communication.

After fundraising events: Lead with intention

A little planning goes a long way. By outlining your post-event communication strategy and brainstorming a few event fundraising ideas in advance, you ensure that you have messages ready to go while you and your team take a breath and decompress after all your hard work.

Be timely

A big reason why you don't see many supporters donate a second time is that they were never thanked for their first donation. Supporters are expecting to hear from you after the event. A simple thank-you message within the first 24 to 48 hours is a must and can encourage donors to give again! Following your message of gratitude, you can send updates on fundraising, the collective difference the community made, other ways to get involved, and future event dates.

Be authentic

Your supporters want to hear from the real people within your organization, not generic fundraising scripts or AI bots. Express gratitude, share event highlights, enthusiasm, pictures, and fundraising achievements, showing the community what you're building together. The stuff that evokes positive emotions. 

And authenticity doesn't mean you’re unpolished or overly casual—it’s the sweet spot where transparency, relatability, and clarity come together to communicate your mission. You can be you while maintaining professionalism by sharing transformational stories you know will resonate with your community members.

Be clear

Give your community members straightforward and easy-to-follow directions on how to stay connected to your mission. Consider what you want them to do next or how you’d like them to stay involved. The clearer their path, the more you'll encourage supporters to follow your lead with trust and confidence.

Breaking down post-event fundraising communications channel by channel

Each communication channel serves a different purpose in your post-event campaign: emails provide enough white space to tell impact stories, texts give timely updates, social media builds community, and your website ties everything together. 

Understanding these distinctions helps you craft messages that fit each platform while meeting supporters where they spend most of their time. As we explore six key communication channels, remember that each thoughtful interaction strengthens your supporters' connection to your cause.

Website

Your website is your home base where people go to learn more about your mission, your story, how to contact you, and all the ways they can support you. Within the first month after your event, update a page on your website dedicated to an impact recap demonstrating all the good you’re doing in your community.

Your website should:

• Show your results on a dedicated event fundraising page. Use numbers and outcomes: “We did it! We raised $100,000 at the 2025 [event name]! Which means we’ll be able to provide 100 people with housing and support for one full year.”
• Tell your event’s story by sharing the heartfelt moments with fun photos, footage, personal stories, and overall excitement.
• Publicly thank your sponsors and major supporters (with their permission, of course).  Chances are they’ll appreciate being mentioned, knowing their support matters.
• Tell your supporters what's next. What happens with their donations? When will they see the outcome?
• Answer the questions they’re going to have, like “When is the next fundraising event?” So, be sure to update the upcoming events section of your website.

Anyone can visit your website—attendees reliving their experience, donors checking if their contribution was meaningful, and people who missed out, curious about all the excitement. It's where you can turn "You should have been there!" into "Here's how you can join us at our next one!"

Email

Your email list consists of the people who’ve welcomed you into their personal inbox. After an event, they're anticipating a “Thank you for coming,” “This is how much we’ve raised,” or “What did I miss?” With emails, you can tailor your messages to different groups of supporters.

Break your post-event emails into four segments:

• Attendees: They're eager for pictures, impact numbers, and ways to stay connected.
• No-shows: They registered but couldn't attend. A quick "we missed you" and a recap with an event photo keeps them in the loop.
• Non-registrants: Show and tell them what they missed in hopes that they want to join in on the next event. This might even drive early ticket sales for upcoming events.
• Volunteers: If you have photos of your volunteer group, include them in your thank-you message. 

Segmenting your audience allows you to personalize messages, telling your supporters you see them and value their participation. It’s saying, "Thanks for volunteering, Kira!" instead of a more generic, "Thanks for your support." Recognition fosters a deeper emotional connection and can lead to increased engagement.

Social media

Sharing the success of your event on social platforms makes your celebration public. In the limelight, you can influence participants to share their experiences with their networks, effectively reaching potential new supporters.

Post reels, pictures, or videos of fun moments throughout the week following the event. Candid imagery of volunteers laughing or participants celebrating is a fantastic reflection of authenticity and doesn’t take much effort to share. Win-win!

Here are three simple and impactful social media strategies you can use in your post-event campaign:

• Create a highlight reel that showcases your fundraising success. Some like, “HUGE turnout, $25,000 raised, and we’re not even done counting!”
• With permission, tag attendees and sponsors in pictures, videos, and thank you posts, so they can reshare with their networks
• Is your audience commenting on your photos? Great! Respond to each person to keep the conversations multiplying, treating each interaction as a valuable relationship to nurture.
• Spotlight your gamification moments, like silent auctions, raffle tickets, or a shoe drive fundraiser. These fun, interactive elements make great social content and show others how engaging your events really are.

Tip: Create an event hashtag for participants so all event content is easy to find. This way, you can identify your most dedicated supporters—the people who took the time to share your event with their networks, engaged in peer-to-peer fundraising, or donated.

Direct mail

Direct mail might seem old school, but it still works—and really well. While inboxes are overflowing, a thoughtful letter in the mailbox stands out. In fact, direct mail has an open rate of 80% to 90% compared to 20% to 30% for email. 

Some direct mail ideas for those who attended your event:

• Handwritten thank you card (a few thoughtful sentences are enough to say thank you) 
• Postcard with an event photo, impact statement, and a message of gratitude
• Tangible reminder of the event (sticker, keychain, t-shirt, etc.) 

Direct mail takes more time, energy, and money, but that's why you should deliver. Going the extra mile tells supporters that you value their dedication and participation enough to personalize a real piece of mail.

Want to maximize your touchpoints? After sending out your postcard or letter, follow up with an email that includes all the ways supporters can stay involved for a more cohesive donor journey.

Phone calls

A 10- to 20-minute phone call with your most avid supporters can deepen the relationships that keep your mission in motion for years to come.

Start by reaching out to your staunch contributors:

• First-time major donors at the beginning of their relationship with your cause (welcome them into your community)
• Corporate partners or local businesses who want to know how their sponsorship positively impacted your cause 
• Team captains and/or volunteers who also influenced their friends and family to support you

These conversations show genuine appreciation while giving you invaluable feedback about the participant experience that surveys can miss.

Don’t know how to start the conversation? Start with, "I'm calling to thank you for attending XYZ 2026. I’d love to hear about your experience." Then allow the conversation to flow naturally, just as you would with a friend. Your goals are to express gratitude, get event feedback, and strengthen relationships with community members.

Texting

Text messages have a 98% open rate! With this impressive power comes great responsibility. Texts occupy a space typically reserved for friends and family, so always ensure supporters have opted in before reaching out via text. Respecting these boundaries preserves both relationships and makes sure your messages are landing the way you want them to.

For those who opt in, you can prioritize sending time-sensitive texts:

• Thank you messages within 24 to 48 hours after the event
• Event impact messages ("You won’t believe how much we raised together!")
• Links to newly-released photo galleries (get them reliving the event all over again)
• One-minute surveys asking attendees if they enjoyed the event, and an empty text box with optional feedback (this way, those who are inclined can freestyle their thoughts)

If your text message is looking a bit long-winded, it might make a better email. Brevity is always the goal with text messages, so focus on packing value into one clear message. 

Simple email workflow templates you can use after fundraising events

Every channel matters in your post-event strategy, but email reigns supreme. You can tell stories, segment your audience like we mentioned earlier, and guide supporters on a journey from one-time participants to lifelong advocates.

Below is a four-part email workflow you can use after your fundraising event to nurture supporter relationships at an appropriate pace, respecting their time and their inboxes. 

Customize this series for post-event communication to foster personable connections and encourage supporters to stay involved with your mission.

Email 1: Immediate thank-you & emotional connection

Send this email within 24 to 48 hours after the event. The first thank-you email should be short, sweet, and bursting with gratitude. This is where being timely, authentic, and clear comes in.

How to make your first email warm and welcoming:

• Include an event photo that beams feel-good energy 
• Share a quote, special moment, or story that brings the event back to life
• Write from the heart
• Avoid "next steps" or calls to action so that you don’t dilute your gratitude

Subject line examples that can help drive opens:

• "You made [event name] the best one ever!"
• "Wow, [event name] was incredible, [first name]!"
• "[first name], we couldn’t have done this without you!"

If you have the option to segment your audience, use this email as a guide to create personalized messages for different groups, like volunteers, team captains, or major donors. 

Email 2: Results & gratitude

Let's show your supporters how they made your event magical. They want to know, "Did I help make a difference?" In the second email, humanize your numbers so donors can visualize the impact behind the figures.

How to make your second email wow your supporters with impact:

• Fuel your message with gratitude and back it up with specific results
• Share real, tangible outcomes of their fundraising efforts ($50/mo provides cancer treatment, as most kids need three or more years of care)
• Feature a heartfelt quote or video from a beneficiary
• Use visual elements like a fundraising thermometer or graph to make the impact clear

Open-ended subject line examples that spark curiosity and hint at fundraising success:

• [first name], here’s where your donation is going! 
• "[event name] was a HIT. Here’s why…" 
• “You won’t believe these numbers, [first name]” 😍

Tip: Can you influence one of your executives to record a heartwarming thank-you video? Videos can increase click-through rates by 300% and would be a great way to show your supporters appreciation. 

Email 3: Participant spotlight & optional survey

In this email, let’s shift the spotlight from your nonprofit to your amazing community members and their collective contribution, creating a beautiful sense of belonging. In this email, you can also request feedback while the experience is fresh in their minds.

How to make your third email resonate:

• Collect and showcase impact stories from two to three participants or volunteers
• Include photos of participants, not just your staff or staged pictures
• Acknowledge the time, funds, awareness, and energy participants needed to make the event a success 
• Encourage supporters to answer quick questions from a survey with a clear purpose ("We want to make next year even better!")
• Show that you value their opinion by explaining how you'll use their feedback

Subject line examples that build community:

• "Meet people like you who made [event name] special"
• "Our most inspiring stories from [event name]" 
• "Your valuable feedback will shape [event name] 2026"
• “We’d love your input for next year, [first name]!”

Tip: Did you spot any touching stories in your survey results? Ask respondents if you can feature their experiences in future fundraising campaigns. Because testimonials are pure gold. A volunteer saying, "This event FOREVER changed my life…" carries more weight and credibility than any promotional copy you could ever write.

Email 4: Invitation for future involvement

The fundraising event excitement has likely cooled off by now. Before your mission slips from their memory banks, reel supporters back in by providing insights and other ways they can stay involved as valued community members.

It’s like a condensed newsletter about what comes next and how they can prepare for an exciting fundraising journey.

How to make your fourth email engaging:

• Lead the email with a highlight of your mission, perhaps how event donations have already been applied (if possible)
• Include ways participants can volunteer, advocate, and raise additional funds for your mission
• Provide any details about your next fundraising event if it's ready!
• Remind your audience where they can follow you on social media so they can stay updated on all the good things happening within your community

Subject line examples that inspire continuation:

• "Your journey with [nonprofit] only gets better"
• "Want to stay involved? We’ve got you 👉”
• "Continue your impact with [nonprofit] year-round"
• “Your donation is already working, [first name]!”
• “Fundraising totals + next event date inside 👉”

Tip: Have a story of someone who evolved from participant to volunteer, peer-to-peer fundraiser, or even major donor? This transformation can inspire others to take a similar path. Invite them to an interview where they can talk about their experience.

Curating workflows based on supporter type

You might be thinking, "Very cool, but we don't have the time or resources to create different workflows for each participant." 

We totally understand. The good news is that it doesn’t take many changes. The simplest adjustments add the right amount of personalization for all recipients, regardless of how they support your cause. 

Consider adding a few personalized sentences for each supporter type:

• First-time participants: Provide more context about your nonprofit and focus on the next steps, like following you on social media. It also doesn't hurt to ask them to share your mission to help raise awareness.
• Returning participants: Acknowledge their commitment to your cause over time ("Thank you for being a loyal supporter. We see you!"). Don't forget to offer other ways for them to get involved.
• Fundraisers: Highlight the impact of peer-to-peer fundraising and provide giving options throughout the year so they know when to recruit their networks. Engaging fundraisers might feel like you're asking too much, but it’s really about helping them stay connected to the cause and giving them clear ways to make a difference.
• Volunteers: Tell them how their hands-on approach played a big role in pulling off a successful event. You couldn’t have made event magic without them. Suggest volunteer opportunities for upcoming fundraising campaigns.
• No-shows who registered: Share what they missed and offer alternative ways to support from afar, like direct donations or raising money on your behalf.

These small additions to your main email message show your supporters you see them as individuals, not just an email address to blast generic messages to (which sadly, happens more often than not).

Don't skimp on post-event communication and follow-up

Post-event communication is the bridge that transforms new participants into lifelong contributors, volunteers, and donors. Going silent after an event guarantees you’ll miss out on stronger supporter relationships and leave opportunities to raise money on the table. 

For supporters, it’s like seeing a really good movie that resonated. They want to keep talking about it with other people who’ve seen it, provide feedback, hear the backstory, and relive it anyway they can. They want to watch it again.

The same goes for a meaningful and exciting fundraising event where supporters meet like-minded people who share cornerstone values. Post-event communication feeds their need for more involvement. 

The real fundraising magic happens after the event

When emotional connections are fresh and participants are most receptive to care deeply about your cause, you have the opportunity to recreate that feeling and continue to raise awareness for your nonprofit.

And when you recognize and celebrate each supporter's contribution, you build a community that spreads your message for you, turning your thank-yous into more donations long after your event ends.

Start mapping out your post-event communication plan now

Drafting and scheduling your post-event communications before the event starts means enjoying that post-event exhale instead of scrambling for content last minute. 

Successful nonprofits add post-event communications into their fundraising event planning timeline before the event starts, not as an afterthought. This way, your team can make small adjustments where needed (adding pictures, quotes, videos, and updated information) while you’re feeling more relaxed because your messages are ready to deploy.

As long as your messages come from the heart, there's no need for perfection. Check your metrics to see which emails get the most engagement, which social posts were shared the most, and which supporter segments responded best. Take note of your survey feedback and adjust your approach for next time. What worked? What didn’t?

Great fundraising doesn’t end after the event is over. Post-event communication carries the momentum and deepens the connections that drive your organization's long-term success.

Need help with event management? Reach out to our team!

Need help planning and creating post-event communications that turn one-time participants into long-term mission advocates? NTB Content focuses on human-first content strategies for social good brands. 

Reach out today and let us know how we can help elevate communication and engagement for your next fundraising event.