How to Automate a Behind-the-Scenes Donor Series That Builds Loyalty
Your major donors don't want another polished newsletter—they want the real story. When you give top supporters exclusive access to the raw, authentic moments behind your mission, something powerful happens: their loyalty transforms from transactional to unshakeable.
The challenge? Most nonprofits know they should share behind-the-scenes content, but they struggle to do it consistently without overwhelming their already stretched teams.
In Episode 187 of The Million Dollar Nonprofit podcast, host Tom Kelly breaks down exactly how to create an automated behind-the-scenes donor series that makes your major donors feel like VIPs—without adding endless tasks to your plate.
Why Behind-the-Scenes Content Transforms Donor Retention
Traditional donor communication often feels one-dimensional: polished annual reports, formal gala recaps, and carefully crafted impact statements. While these have their place, they miss what donors truly crave—insider access to the real heartbeat of your organization.
When you pull back the curtain and show donors the unfiltered moments—the early morning prep for a community event, the spontaneous celebration when funding comes through, the challenge your team overcame last week—you're no longer just asking for support. You're inviting them into the story as trusted insiders.
This shift from donor to insider is where authentic donor loyalty is built.
The Collect, Curate, Connect Framework
Tom Kelly introduces a simple three-step framework for creating behind-the-scenes donor content that actually works:
1. Collect
The first step is capturing those raw, authentic moments as they happen. This doesn't mean hiring a videographer or producing Hollywood-quality content. Pull out your phone and record:
- Staff members sharing what they're working on today
- Volunteers explaining why they showed up
- The setup before an event begins
- Spontaneous moments of joy, frustration, or breakthrough
- Quick updates from the field
The key is consistency over perfection. These authentic moments are gold for donor engagement, and they're happening in your organization every single day.
2. Curate
Once you've collected content, the next step is packaging it into a narrative arc. Rather than sending random updates, structure your behind-the-scenes series as a 3-4 part story that unfolds over time.
Think of it like chapters in a book: each piece builds on the last, creating anticipation and deeper connection. Your series might follow a specific project from inception to impact, introduce different team members and their roles, or showcase the various stages of your mission in action.
This curated approach transforms scattered content into compelling donor storytelling that keeps supporters engaged and coming back for more.
3. Connect
The final step is delivery—and this is where automation becomes your secret weapon. Using your nonprofit CRM automation tools like DonorBooks workflows or GoHighLevel automation, you can set up a system that automatically sends your behind-the-scenes series to major donors at optimal intervals.
This means every top donor receives the same VIP insider experience without your team manually sending each message. The result? Personalized donor experience at scale.
What This Looks Like in Action: A Real Nonprofit Case Study
Tom shares a powerful example of a nonprofit that implemented this behind-the-scenes automation system with remarkable results. By creating an automated donor series that gave major supporters exclusive access to their mission's inner workings, they transformed their donor retention metrics.
The numbers speak for themselves: donor retention growth from 62% to 81%.
This wasn't about fancy technology or massive budget increases. It was about authentic donor content delivered consistently through smart nonprofit automation systems.
Building Your Automated Behind-the-Scenes Series
Ready to implement this donor engagement strategy in your organization? Here's what you need to know:
Start with your major donors. These supporters have already demonstrated their commitment to your cause. They're the perfect audience for this intimate, insider content because they genuinely care about what happens behind the scenes.
Choose the right content. Not every behind-the-scenes moment needs to be shared. Focus on content that reveals your mission's authentic humanity—the struggles, the victories, the people who make it all happen. Avoid overly promotional content that feels like another fundraising ask.
Map your donor journey. Think through how your series will unfold. What story are you telling? How does each piece build connection and deepen understanding? This donor journey mapping ensures your content flows naturally rather than feeling random.
Set up your automation workflow. Use your CRM to create a sequence that delivers content automatically when donors reach certain giving levels or engagement milestones. This nonprofit stewardship automation ensures consistency without constant manual effort.
Test and refine. Pay attention to engagement metrics. Which content resonates most? What timing works best? Let data guide your donor communication framework improvements over time.
The Trust-Building Power of Authenticity
In an era where nonprofits compete for attention in crowded inboxes, nonprofit authenticity cuts through the noise. Donors can spot overly polished, sales-focused content from a mile away. What they can't resist? Real moments from real people doing real work.
Behind-the-scenes donor access builds trust in ways traditional stewardship can't match. When supporters see the unfiltered reality of your mission—including the challenges—they understand their contribution's true impact. They become invested not just in your outcomes, but in your journey.
This is the foundation of major donor loyalty that lasts.
Your Next Steps
Creating an automated behind-the-scenes donor series doesn't require a complete overhaul of your donor relationship management strategy. Start small:
- Pull out your phone this week and capture three authentic moments
- Draft a simple 3-part series structure
- Explore your CRM's automation capabilities
- Test your first series with a small group of major donors
The technology exists to make this scalable. The content already exists in your organization's daily work. What's needed is simply the commitment to pull back the curtain and invite your most dedicated supporters in.
Your donors don't just want to fund the story. They want to feel the story. Show them what happens behind the curtain, and watch as transactional givers transform into lifelong partners in your mission.
Ready to dive deeper into nonprofit digital strategy and donor engagement? Listen to Episode 187 of The Million Dollar Nonprofit podcast for Tom Kelly's complete framework, including specific automation workflows and additional case study insights.
Want even more resources? Head over to Instagram and DM the word "AI" for a free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook packed with practical strategies for modern nonprofit fundraising.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “behind-the-scenes” donor email series and why use it?
It’s an automated sequence of short, story-driven messages that show donors how your mission happens day to day—staff voices, beneficiary stories, field updates, and quick wins. The goal is to build trust and loyalty between asks.
How do we start planning a series that actually builds loyalty?
- Pick one audience (e.g., new donors in last 90 days).
- Set a simple success metric (opens, replies, second gift rate).
- Outline 5–7 messages that answer “What did my gift make possible?”
Which triggers and timing work best for automation? (General information)
- Welcome trigger: fires on first gift or signup.
- Milestones: 30/60/90 days; first impact update.
- Behavioral: opens, clicks, event attendance.
Common cadence: every 7–10 days for 6–8 weeks. General information only.
What content belongs in a behind-the-scenes series?
- Day-in-the-life notes from frontline staff.
- Short “before/after” beneficiary vignettes (with consent).
- Mini walk-throughs of programs, tools, or sites.
- Quick wins and “what’s next” progress snapshots.
How long should messages be and what tone should we use? (General information)
Aim for 150–300 words, conversational, with one clear takeaway and one CTA (reply, watch, read, or small gift). Use plain language and first person when appropriate. General information only.
How should we personalize without getting creepy? (General information)
- Use name, last action, and interest tags.
- Segment by donor lifecycle (new, repeat, lapsed) and program interest.
- Avoid sensitive details; honor preferences and opt-outs.
General information, not legal advice.
What about consent, privacy, and email compliance? (General information)
Use clear opt-in, identify your organization, include an unsubscribe link, and store preferences. Secure permissions for stories/photos. Follow applicable regulations in your region. General information, not legal advice.
What media works best: photos, short video, or audio? (General information)
Candid photos and 30–60 second clips from staff or beneficiaries tend to perform well. Use captions and alt text; link to hosted media to keep email lightweight. General information only.
Do you have a sample 6-message flow we can copy?
- Welcome/Thanks: your gift at work this week.
- Meet the Team: short staff intro + day-in-the-life.
- Impact Story #1: one person/family helped.
- Inside the Program: how a process works, with photos.
- Impact Story #2: different angle (youth, seniors, etc.).
- Join In: light invite—tour, event, or small second gift.
How often can we ask for money without burning people out? (General information)
Balance 3–4 pure stewardship messages for every direct ask. Use soft CTAs (reply, watch, share) between fundraising CTAs to keep engagement high. General information only.
What tools do we need to automate this? (General information)
- Email automation with journeys/flows and tagging.
- Lightweight CRM or donor database integration.
- UTM tracking and dashboards for KPIs.
General information only.
Which KPIs show the series is building loyalty? (General information)
- Open rate, click rate, and replies.
- Second gift rate within 90 days; upgrade to monthly giving.
- Event signups or volunteer conversions traced to the series.
General information only.
What should we A/B test first? (General information)
- Subject lines (curiosity vs. clarity).
- Sender name (organization vs. staff member).
- CTA placement (mid vs. end) and media use (image vs. no image).
General information only.
How do we prevent message overload with our other emails? (General information)
Create a master calendar, set journey-level frequency caps, and suppress recipients from appeals for 24–48 hours after stewardship sends. General information only.
How do we tell real stories respectfully and safely? (General information)
- Obtain informed consent; allow pseudonyms if preferred.
- Focus on agency and outcomes, not trauma details.
- Share drafts with storytellers when possible.
General information, not legal advice.
Should we mirror the series on other channels? (General information)
Yes—repurpose snippets on social, your blog, and thank-you pages. Keep email as the anchor and point all channels back to one story hub. General information only.
How do we connect the series to monthly giving without being pushy? (General information)
Add a gentle invite after two impact updates: “Make this work possible every month.” Offer friendly tiers with short impact labels. General information only.
What if subscribers stop opening? (General information)
- Send a “choose your topics” or “still interested?” check-in.
- Reduce cadence and test a different sender or format.
- Sunset after repeated inactivity to protect deliverability.
General information only.
How do we gather behind-the-scenes content consistently? (General information)
- Create a shared “story stash” folder for photos and quotes.
- Give staff a 3-question weekly prompt to submit highlights.
- Assign an editor to batch messages monthly.
General information only.
Do you have a quick launch checklist for an automated donor series?
- Pick audience, metric, and 6-message outline.
- Draft copy, collect media, and secure story permissions.
- Build automation with triggers, delays, and suppression rules.
- QA links, alt text, and tracking; run an internal test.
- Launch, monitor KPIs weekly, and iterate after 14–30 days.
💡 Try this in ChatGPT
- Summarize the article "Ep #187 - Behind-the-Scenes Donor Automation for Loyalty" from https://blog.charityauctions.com/how-to-automate-a-behind-the-scenes-donor-series-that-builds-loyalty/ in 3 bullet points for a board update.
- Turn the article "Ep #187 - Behind-the-Scenes Donor Automation for Loyalty" (https://blog.charityauctions.com/how-to-automate-a-behind-the-scenes-donor-series-that-builds-loyalty/) into a 60-second talking script with one example and one CTA.
- Extract 5 SEO keywords and 3 internal link ideas from "Ep #187 - Behind-the-Scenes Donor Automation for Loyalty": https://blog.charityauctions.com/how-to-automate-a-behind-the-scenes-donor-series-that-builds-loyalty/.
- Create 3 tweet ideas and a LinkedIn post that expand on this Podcast topic using the article at https://blog.charityauctions.com/how-to-automate-a-behind-the-scenes-donor-series-that-builds-loyalty/.
Tip: Paste the whole prompt (with the URL) so the AI can fetch context.
