Books like Thankology — picked by fans

I love this book because it is gloriously messy—which is exactly what our fundraising communication needs to look like.

Too many nonprofits hide behind sterile, corporate language that completely kills their appeals. Jeff Brooks teaches you how to write with raw emotion and urgency. If you write fundraising letters and want people to actually read them, this is mandatory reading.

In this book, George Smith explores, defines, and illustrates the crucial role of creativity in communicating with charity supporters. I loved this book because it changed the rules for an entire trade and is still seen as the best book ever on creativity for good causes.

It challenges established thinking yet is packed full of ideas and solutions. From decades of running a successful advertising agency, the author honestly describes and analyses hundreds of effective and less-than-effective fundraising campaigns in a perceptive, often delightfully funny way.

It’s brilliantly written, quirky and provocative, plus packed with practical benefits for any professional communicator. This book should be on every world-changer’s bookshelf.

Great service organisations depend on great fundraising, but so often the understanding of what’s really required to consistently deliver great fundraising performance somehow eludes many of the best causes. In defining what it takes to dependably deliver truly spectacular and sustainable levels of voluntary income, this book walks the talk, detailing case studies of persistent achievement that truly deserve the descriptor ‘great’.

In describing what great fundraising means in detail, Alan Clayton exposes organisational foibles and shortcomings that can all be overcome, and so points out practical ways towards increased income for any organisation, plus how to be a happier, enriched workplace too. 

If you value startling insights designed to raise or save £millions backed by a straight-talking, no-nonsense approach rooted in more than 50 years in his craft, this book is for you. Roger Craver is The Agitator, founder and writer-in-chief for one of America’s most respected and influential websites in the field of not-for-profit fundraising.

In this book, Roger tears open the facade of successful fundraising today to expose the flaws that are limiting fundraisers’ ability to raise more, thus condemning organisations to massive underachievement. I loved the fact that, on top of the author’s unrivalled expertise and insights, this book’s core concerns and conclusions are based on a three-year study of donor retention and commitment among 250-plus nonprofits in the US and the UK.

Lots of inspirational, great things have been said over the ages by all sorts of people about the unique and essential process of giving to help others in need, an unquenchable, often undervalued quality of the human condition. Harvey McKinnon has researched in multiple unlikely places to unearth profound sayings and sound advice designed to spur the listener on to support a great cause or to lead others to support similar good works.

I loved the way, in his inimitable quirky style, Harvey delivers surprising yet helpful insights in an easily digestible format, with an inspirational, witty insight on every page. Among its many delightful surprises, Dolly Parton has more quotes included than Aristotle, Gandhi, and the Buddha combined.

I refer to it frequently just for a wise thought, a different take, a revelation, a chuckle, or a valuable insight. I’m never disappointed. You’ll want to keep this book close… show more.

I have read this book more than six times, and it is one of the few pieces of fundraising literature I keep coming back to.

Managing major gift fundraisers is messy, but this book offers an amazingly clear, practical framework that actually works. It moves past the generic advice and focuses entirely on the structure you need to build real, lasting donor relationships.

Most nonprofit newsletters are a complete waste of money because they are written for the wrong audience. They focus on the organization instead of the donor.

Tom Ahern completely flipped my perspective on this. He shows you exactly how to transform a standard newsletter into a powerful, active revenue stream that donors actually look forward to reading.

We often build fundraising systems that inadvertently put friction into the process, making it harder for people to give. I appreciate how Cherian Koshy breaks down the actual science of how our brains process generosity.

This book helped me understand how to communicate more clearly so that donors truly hear the appeal, bridging the gap between behavioral psychology and real-world fundraising.

While governance is a key aspect of any board member's responsibilities, often nonprofit board members are surprised or even disheartened by the requirement to fundraise on behalf of the organization. Some people are afraid that they can’t ask for money or are uncomfortable asking certain people and decide they don’t want to serve on the board. While there are a lot of books on fundraising, Asking Styles helps board members identify their asking style and what would be the most effective fundraising methods for them. It also helps understand how others feel about fundraising and how to work as a team to bring the most success to the organization. The book is a short read but full of great examples and practical guidance. 

I think most fundraisers have one big fear--that your prospective donor might say “no!” Kent Stroman’s book can show you how to master the art of conversational fundraising. I love this book because it gives you the tools you need to have meaningful, productive, enjoyable conversations with both current donors and potential funders. This book gives you the benefit of learning from the input of hundreds of nonprofit leaders who identified their greatest obstacles to asking for major gifts.

Kent will equip you to seek and find larger donations and gain confidence as a fundraising staff member or volunteer. His 10-Step Staircase will help you become more comfortable, confident, and effective when asking and help donors truly enjoy the gift-making process. This book should be considered required reading for anyone involved with serious fundraising.