Copywriting Archives

The Art of Fundraising Interviews: How to Capture Stories That Inspire Giving

August 11, 2025

Jeff Brooks

One of the challenges of storytelling is finding stories in the real world in the first place. It’s not that stories are rare. They’re happening everywhere, all the time. But they don’t seem like stories while they happen. It’s just…

4 Storytelling Power-Ups for Your Fundraising

August 4, 2025

Jeff Brooks

Storytelling

Stories are hard. Hard to find. Hard to tell well. And especially hard to keep on task. It’s that last one – keeping your story “on task” that so often trips up fundraisers. Because the purpose of telling a story…

What Good Is AI for Fundraisers? [VIDEO]

February 17, 2025

Jeff Brooks

Artificial Intelligence

Quick! Is AI about to take all our jobs? Do everything we do now, but better and faster? That’s what Sean Triner and I talked about. Short answer: No. Used well, AI can save you time and money. It’s great…

Two Books That Will Help You Write Like a Pro

December 9, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Books, Writing

Every fundraiser I know is obsessed with learning. (The ones who think they can do it all with their innate talent never last very long.) The great ones read every fundraising book they can get their hands on. They follow…

Two Things That Turn Your Fundraising into “Crap” – and How to Avoid Them

August 19, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Writing

“The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof, crap detector.” That’s what Ernest Hemingway said. A super-helpful corollary to that is from author and cultural critic Neil Postman: “At any given time, the chief source of…

The 3 Features of Powerful Fundraising Stories

July 15, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Storytelling

A wonderful and exasperating thing about little kids is how much they love to hear stories. Over and over again. When my kids were small, they couldn’t get enough of one particular story… “Tell the Polyphemus Story!” they’d clamor. I…

How Fundraising Words Are Different from Sales Words

June 24, 2024

Russell James

Bequests and Legacies, Donor Psychology

Excerpted from The Storytelling Fundraiser by Professor Russell James. The full book (along with many other fundraising resources) is available for free at Encourage Generosity. Isn’t fundraising just sales? Whether it’s a used car or insurance or scholarships, sales…

How to Tell the Donor’s Story in Your Fundraising

June 17, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Storytelling, Writing

You already know that storytelling is the gasoline, the petrol, of the fundraising car. We tell stories instead of merely stating facts because stories move people to action. You raise a lot more money with stories. Maybe you’ve heard the…

Why It’s So Hard to Tell Stories – and How to Make It Easier

April 1, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Storytelling

Stories can be fundraising magic. You know that. What doesn’t get said out loud often enough is this: Stories can be difficult to tell! When they’re done well, they come across as effortless, almost as if all someone had to…

Does Your Fundraising Include or Exclude? (It Matters!)

March 11, 2024

Jeff Brooks

Equality

Imagine this: a nonprofit arts organization that had a sign outside their venue saying: “Wheelchair users not welcome.” That would be reprehensible. And in many places, illegal. An organization that would do that would clearly have its basic values twisted…

NEW FREE WORKSHOP: Double Your Year-End Donations – Sessions Aug 19-22

The Art of Fundraising Interviews: How to Capture Stories That Inspire Giving

4 Storytelling Power-Ups for Your Fundraising

What Good Is AI for Fundraisers? [VIDEO]

Two Books That Will Help You Write Like a Pro

Two Things That Turn Your Fundraising into “Crap” – and How to Avoid Them

The 3 Features of Powerful Fundraising Stories

How Fundraising Words Are Different from Sales Words

How to Tell the Donor’s Story in Your Fundraising

Why It’s So Hard to Tell Stories – and How to Make It Easier

Does Your Fundraising Include or Exclude? (It Matters!)

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Jeff Brooks’ Webinar: Your Roadmap to Record-Smashing Direct Mail This Year End

SESSION OPTION 1:

New York: 3:30pm Thursday, Aug 23
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Auckland: 7:30am Friday, Aug 24
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Jeff Brooks’ Webinar: Your Roadmap to Record-Smashing Direct Mail This Year End

SESSION OPTION 2:

New York: 8pm Thursday, Aug 23
Los Angeles: 5pm Thursday, Aug 23
Sydney: 10am Friday, Aug 24
Auckland: 12 Noon Friday, Aug 24
Times don’t suit? Check out Option 1

REGISTER HERE!

SIGN UP FOR FREE FUNDRAISING TIPS

Nearly every single tip we give you could make your cause more money. You don’t want to miss out.

SIGNUP FOR E-NEWS AND FREE FUNDRAISING TIPS

Nearly every single email can help you raise more money for your cause. You don't want to miss out.

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Dive Into Smarter Fundraising with Moceanic

Now is the time to jump on board to get even smarter about your fundraising

ABOUT

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

MORE

SIGN UP FOR REGULAR, USEFUL FUNDRAISING TIPS FROM MOCEANIC

SESSION OPTION 1:

New York: 3:30pm Thursday, Aug 23 Los Angeles: 12:30pm Thursday, Aug 23 London: 8:30pm Thursday, Aug 23 Auckland: 7:30am Friday, Aug 24 Times don’t suit? Check out Option 2

REGISTER HERE!

SIGN UP FOR REGULAR, USEFUL
FUNDRAISING TIPS FROM MOCEANIC

New York: 3:30pm Thursday, Aug 23
Los Angeles: 12:30pm Thursday, Aug 23
London: 8:30pm Thursday, Aug 23
Auckland: 7:30am Friday, Aug 24
Times don’t suit? Check out Option 2