Grateful Wednesday Toolkit

A Resource Guide to Saying “Thank You” with Impact

Grateful Wednesday is a time to celebrate the people who power your mission—your donors. Saying thank you isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s how you build real relationships that keep your supporters connected and engaged. Whether you’re sending a quick video, dropping a heartfelt message, or posting shoutouts on social, this toolkit has everything you need to make gratitude easy and meaningful.

Success Checklist​

A great campaign takes a little planning—but don’t worry, we’ve got your back. This checklist lays out all the steps to keep your Grateful Wednesday running smoothly, from prep to follow-up. We’ll help you get organized, launch your videos, track engagement, and close with meaningful follow-ups. With everything in place, you’ll have more time to focus on what really matters—connecting with your donors and celebrating the difference they make. Let’s do this!

Pre-campaign Prep

  • Finalize donor lists and segment them (first-time donors, recurring donors, major donors).
  • Plan and record ThankView videos in advance, assigning specific topics to team members.
  • Prepare your social media calendar with gratitude-themed posts for Grateful Wednesday.

Launch Your Campaign

  • Release ThankView videos to each donor segment throughout Grateful Wednesday.
  • Post engaging gratitude messages across social media, tagging donors when appropriate.
  • Consider a personal phone call for your largest donors—at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the chancellor personally calls all donors who give $5,000 or more!

Track Engagement

  • Monitor ThankView video views, shares, and feedback from donors.
  • Track social media engagement (likes, comments, shares) to measure outreach success.
  • Note which donors engage with ThankView videos and prepare personalized follow-ups.

Post-Campaign Follow-Up

  • Send a wrap-up message to major donors with specific campaign results and achievements.
  • Share internal updates with your team, highlighting key wins and donor feedback.
  • Collect and analyze campaign data to inform next year’s Grateful Wednesday strategy.

Crafting Personal and Impactful Thank-Yous

Video Messaging Tips

The best thank-you videos are the ones that feel real. Forget fancy production—what matters is showing up as yourself and speaking from the heart. Here are some easy tips to help you create videos that make donors feel seen and valued. Smile, say their name, share a quick impact story, and don’t stress over being perfect. Authenticity wins every time. Plus, a personal touch can be the difference between a one-time gift and a lifelong supporter.

  • Be Authentic: Speak naturally—perfection isn’t the goal. A little personality makes your message more memorable.

  • Smile and Make Eye Contact: Look directly into the camera and smile to connect with the viewer.

  • Keep It Personal: Mention the donor’s name and reference their specific gift or impact whenever possible.

  • Show Impact Visually: Use props, location shots, or background visuals to highlight how their gift is being used.

  • End with Gratitude: Close the video with a warm, genuine thank you and an invitation to stay connected (e.g., “Follow us on social for more updates!”).

Video Topics & Subject Lines

Choosing the right message matters—so does getting your donors to open it! This section gives you some fun, thoughtful video topics and subject lines to grab attention and make your messages stand out. Whether you’re sending a thank-you with a sneak peek of the work your donors are supporting or just celebrating them on Grateful Wednesday, these ideas will help you connect. Because the right subject line + the right message = happy donors who feel appreciated (and keep coming back!).

  • Topic: Giving Tuesday Recap
    Suggested Subject: Look What You Made Happen!
    Message Idea: Highlight success metrics from Giving Tuesday, emphasizing the donor’s impact.

  • Topic: Program-Specific Thank You
    Suggested Subject: Thank You from the [Program Name] Team!
    Message Idea: Feature program staff or beneficiaries thanking the donor directly for their gift.

  • Topic: Teamwide Thank You Montage
    Suggested Subject: A Big Thank You from All of Us!
    Message Idea: Compile video clips from multiple team members expressing their thanks.

  • Topic: “Mission in Action” Tour
    Suggested Subject: Here’s What Your Support Made Possible
    Message Idea: Share short clips of projects or initiatives that were funded by donors.

Video Scripts to Celebrate Your Donors

Sometimes the best way to say thank you is face-to-face—or as close as we can get! ThankView videos let you share your appreciation in a way that feels personal and genuine. Whether you’re welcoming new donors, thanking loyal supporters, or celebrating a game-changing gift, these scripts have your back. Feel free to use them as-is or make them your own. Whatever you do, speak from the heart, keep it real, and show your donors how much they mean to your mission.

General Donation Thank You

Subject: Thank You for Your Generosity! 🎉

Script:
“Hi [First Name]! I wanted to personally thank you for your recent gift to [Organization Name]. Because of your generosity, we’ve been able to [mention specific impact or project].

Every donation makes a difference, and yours is no exception! Thank you for helping us move our mission forward. We’re so grateful to have you as part of the [Organization] community. Wishing you all the best and looking forward to sharing even more exciting updates with you soon!”

Subject: You’re Officially Part of the Family! 🎉

Script:
“Hi [First Name]! I just wanted to take a moment to welcome you to the [Organization] family. Your first gift is already making a meaningful difference by [mention a specific achievement or impact].

We couldn’t do this important work without people like you joining us. I’m excited to have you along on this journey, and I can’t wait to share more about the impact your support will have. Thank you again—welcome to the team!”

Subject: Your Ongoing Support Means Everything!

Script:
“Hi [First Name], I wanted to send a special thank-you message to let you know how much we appreciate your continued generosity. Your recurring donations have made it possible for us to [mention ongoing project or success].

We couldn’t do this work without your dedication and commitment—because of you, we’ve [share a recent achievement or milestone]. Thank you for standing by us and making a real difference over time!”

Subject: We Couldn’t Do It Without You

Script:
“Hi [First Name], I just wanted to personally express our deepest gratitude for your incredible support. Thanks to your generosity, we’ve been able to achieve [specific milestone or achievement]. Your commitment allows us to dream bigger and reach higher.

Thank you for being such an important part of our success story. We’re looking forward to continuing this journey together and making even more impact in the future!”

Subject: It’s Grateful Wednesday, and We’re Celebrating YOU!

Script:
“Hi [First Name]! Happy Grateful Wednesday! Today is all about expressing gratitude, and we wanted to celebrate YOU. Your support has helped us [mention specific impact or success], and we couldn’t be more thankful.

This day wouldn’t be complete without a heartfelt thank you from all of us at [Organization]. Your generosity truly inspires us, and we’re grateful to have you on this journey with us. Wishing you a wonderful Grateful Wednesday!”

ChatGPT Prompts to Power Content Creation

We get it—sometimes the words just don’t flow. That’s where ChatGPT comes in. Think of these prompts like a creative spark to help you brainstorm fresh content for emails, videos, and social posts. Whether you need a quirky subject line, a heartfelt video message, or a snappy social caption, these prompts will get your ideas rolling. Don’t be afraid to tweak the results to match your voice and vibe—after all, nobody knows your donors better than you!

Did you know?

ThankView customers can skip past ChatGPT and use the AI Message Drafting Tool in the platform to generate their content.

Learn more
Video Script Creation

Role: Fundraising Manager

Context: You recently completed a successful matching gift campaign where donations were doubled thanks to a corporate partner. Your goal is to create a ThankView video that expresses gratitude to all participating donors, highlights the impact of their support, and encourages them to stay connected for future campaigns.

Prompt: “As a Fundraising Manager at [ORGANIZATION NAME], draft a 60-second video script for a ThankView message thanking donors who contributed during a matching gift campaign. Include a warm introduction, a heartfelt expression of gratitude, and the following details on the campaign’s success: [DETAILS]”

Role: Donor Engagement Coordinator

Context: It’s Grateful Wednesday, and your nonprofit is running a series of thank-you messages to celebrate donor contributions in a fun and engaging way. You want to include a playful call to action to keep donors involved and connected.

Prompt: “As a Donor Engagement Coordinator at [ORGANIZATION NAME], write a lighthearted, engaging thank-you message for Grateful Wednesday. The message should express gratitude, reflect the spirit of celebration, and include a playful call to action encouraging continued involvement in [ORGANIZATON CAUSE]”

Role: Communications Director

Context: You’re crafting a series of thank-you videos for different donor segments (first-time donors, recurring supporters, major donors) and need eye-catching subject lines that will increase the open and click-through rates.

Prompt: “As the Communications Director at [ORGANIZATION NAME], generate three unique and engaging subject line ideas for donor thank-you videos. The subject lines should capture attention and entice recipients to open the email and click to view the video.”

Role: Social Media Manager

Context: Your nonprofit is celebrating Grateful Wednesday with posts dedicated to highlighting donors and their impact. You need a series of fun, emoji-filled captions to show appreciation and engage your social media audience.

Prompt: “As a Social Media Manager for [ORGANIZATION NAME], create five celebratory social media captions for Grateful Wednesday. The captions should be donor-focused, use emojis, and convey gratitude in a way that encourages interaction and shares.”

Role: Content Specialist

Context: Your organization is planning to produce a special ThankView video to honor its most loyal supporters on Grateful Wednesday. The video should feel personal, reflect on the donor’s long-term impact, and include a closing that encourages continued engagement.

Prompt: “As a Content Specialist for [ORGANIZATION NAME], create a detailed outline for a thank-you video aimed at celebrating the nonprofit’s most loyal supporters on Grateful Wednesday. The outline should include a warm introduction, stories or examples of their impact, and a heartfelt closing that invites ongoing participation.”

Wrapping it all up

Grateful Wednesday is your chance to show donors just how much they mean to you—and with these tools in hand, you’re ready to knock it out of the park. From heartfelt ThankView videos to seamless follow-ups, we’ve got everything you need to create moments that matter and keep donors coming back for more. So, if you’re ready to take your donor engagement to the next level, let’s chat! Our team would love to show you how EverTrue’s tools can make saying thank you easier and more impactful.

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