The Smart Way to Frame Unrestricted Giving
Every nonprofit on the planet needs general operating funds to keep their mission moving forward, and yet most nonprofits struggle to make “unrestricted giving” sound as compelling as funding specific programs or needs.
I get it. Salaries, rent, lights, vehicles, IT systems, training … none of that feels as exciting as a water well or a week of meals.
But without those things, the programs people love so much can’t exist.
So how do you it?
How do you ask for general support without sounding vague or uninspiring?
Yesterday I sat in for a bit on a workshop led by Mike Duerksen where he shared some helpful tips on how to do this.
As I was taking it all in, I realized that unrestricted giving is not the problem.
The real problem is how most of us talk about it.
One of Mike’s big ideas yesterday was that most people will give unrestricted gifts when we frame the offer correctly.
The key isn’t hiding the fact that gifts are unrestricted. The key is being strategic about how you present the opportunity.
When we provide a clear picture of how a gift will be used and the impact it will have, more often than not, people will lean in and help.
Unfortunately, most of us fall into making at least one of two mistakes when attempting to write an unrestricted appeal.
We either bury the unrestricted nature in the fine print which feels deceptive.
Or we lead with “give where needed most” which feels vague and uninspiring.
Neither approach works all that well because people want to feel connected to something specific while also trusting that their gift will have the most impact.
They want to picture one family, one classroom, one water well, but they also want to know their gift is doing the most good for the most people.
Mike shared three tips for crafting offers that still resonate with people without inadvertently adding unnecessary gift restrictions. The more of these you can do in your unrestricted appeals, the better.
#1: Frame gifts as having dual impact
Most people don’t consciously think about their giving in categories like “restricted” or “unrestricted.”
What they really want is a sense of connection and confidence. They want to know their gift is solving a concrete problem, but they also want assurance that it’s part of something bigger.
If you can show people how their donation does both … how it meets an immediate need and strengthens the wider mission … your message will be more effective.
To do this, you can use language like:
“Your gift will not only help with (focus of appeal), but it will also help in many other ways. You’ll help people (in this way) and (that way), and provide (whatever large outcome you provide).”
Or:
“When you give today, your gift will (do this one specific thing) and (help in many other more general ways that contribute to the overall mission).”
When you frame an offer like this, you help people see their gift creating both targeted and comprehensive impact. It’s like they’re doubling their impact by meeting an urgent need right now while also fueling the longer term work that holds everything together.
#2: Make the reply device reinforce dual impact
It’s one thing for your appeal to say (or better yet, show) that a gift has both immediate and broad impact, but it’s even stronger when that same message shows up on the giving form and reply device too.
Every touchpoint matters, and if the reply device only says “where most needed,” you risk losing that emotional connection you worked so hard to create.
Your giving forms and reply devices should carry the same sense of dual-purpose impact so that donors feel the alignment all the way through the giving process.
Here’s some language to consider that connects both:
“Yes, I want to help (specific focus)and (other broader mission areas).”
Or you could say:
“Yes! Here is my gift to provide safe water and other life-changing help for a family in rural Uganda.”
This small shift in wording reinforces what every person who has ever worked for a nonprofit knows is true: that unrestricted giving is powerful, practical, and super critical.
#3: Include a clear gift policy statement
Transparency is one of the biggest drivers of donor trust. No one wants to worry whether their gift is going somewhere they didn’t intend.
But they also understand that circumstances change. Emergencies come up, projects get fully funded, or sometimes plans shift.
A clear gift policy statement allows you to be both flexible and honest. It shows that you’ve thought about this issue, that you respect donor intent, and that you’re committed to wise stewardship.
Consider including laguage like this on your giving form, reply device, or somewhere else where the donor will see it, but where it won’t interrupt the flow of the appeal:
“In case funds exceed the projects described here, we will use the money where it is most needed.”
Or … if you’re a bit more risk averse and want something more air tight, you could say something like:
Spending of funds is confined to programs approved by the board of directors. Should a donor choose to restrict a contribution, we will honor that restriction, with the understanding that, when the need for such a program or project has been met or cannot be completed for any reason as determined by the organization, the remaining contribution will be used where most needed.
This is terribly long and probably way too technical for most use cases, but it does build trust and give you flexibility to redirect funds if it becomes absolutely necessary.
A lot of people actually respect this kind of language because it lets them know their gift won’t get stuck in limbo if circumstances change.
Here are a few more bonus tips Mike shared that I thought were worth including here:
Bonus #1: Address the unrestricted nature directly in your appeal
We tend to shy away from naming “unrestricted giving” out loud. We assume people will tune out or feel less inspired if they know their money isn’t tied to a single project.
But sometimes the opposite is often true.
When you call it out directly, you show confidence, honesty, and clarity about how you steward gifts.
Most people value that transparency. It reassures them that you’ll put their generosity to work in the smartest way possible, even if circumstances change.
Instead of trying to hide it, you can include language like:
“Please know that if we reach our fundraising goal for our Ethiopia response, your gift will go toward the next greatest need to help families fleeing war or disaster.”
This proactive transparency actually increases donor confidence. Instead of worrying “where did my money go?” they’ll think, “Wow, this organization is upfront about how things work.”
Bonus #2: Give donors a choice on the reply device
We know from psychology that when people have agency in a decision, they’re far more satisfied with the outcome. The same is true in fundraising.
If the only box you give people to check is “where most needed” it can feel limiting or impersonal. But if you give them a genuine choice, people feel respected. They feel in control.
And surprisingly, many will still choose the unrestricted option because it lines up with their desire to maximize impact.
Here’s how that might look on a reply device:
☐ Please direct my gift to (specific program). If you reach the funding goal, please use my gift where needed most.
☐ Please use my gift where needed most to help as many (beneficiaries) as possible.
When you give people the opportunity to actively choose the unrestricted option, they’ll feel more invested in that decision.
In at least one test, people chose the second option as much as 50-75% of the time.
And when they did, it wasn’t because they were “nudged” either. It’s because they were given a chance to connect their intent to the mission.
So the next time you sit down to write an appeal, don’t shy away from asking for general support.
Instead, lean in. Frame the gift as having dual impact. Reinforce it in your reply device. Be transparent about your gift policy. Call it out directly. Give people autonomy and choice.
When you do, you might find that unrestricted gifts aren’t the “hard sell” you thought they were.
Also …
Here’s one more thing that goes without saying, but I’ll say it just in case:
The goal in all of this is NOT to trick donors into giving unrestricted gifts.
The goal is to help people see that unrestricted giving is actually the most strategic way to create the most impact.
And sometimes, when you frame unrestricted giving correctly, people don’t just tolerate it. They actually prefer it.
Most people want their gifts to go where they can do the most good.
We just have to show them how.
