How to Use Video Thank-You Messages to Acknowledge and Inspire Donors
- Lynne Wester
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
One thing more evident now than ever before is that our donors want to feel appreciated. While a thank-you letter or email are, and always have been, great options to do so, video is one of the most powerful ways to express gratitude and strengthen our relationships with supporters. In an age where attention is limited and personal connection is key, video stands out.
If you’ve been around the Donor Relations Group for a while, you’ve certainly heard us wax poetic about ThankView. It's a simple, yet extremely effective, way to communicate with constituents. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and on the ThankView platform for nearly a decade, and in this time, there is one particular project that stands out to me as my favorite for how it connected donors with the representatives and/or beneficiaries of their generosity.
We all know that Giving Days are not new, but those days can sometimes become solely focused on the race to raising the most dollars and/or garnering the greatest number of donors. With this focus placed on dollars and donors, is there also a similar emphasis on acknowledgment? In my experience, that is not always the case; however, I had the privilege of working alongside an annual giving team that understood the importance of acknowledging Giving Day donors, and because of this, a great partnership was created with the donor relations team to provide immediate stewardship to Giving Day donors utilizing video!
In 2016, we sent acknowledgment videos nearly every hour (6:00 AM – 1:00 AM) of our Giving Day…yes, you read that correctly! Every hour. With a sophisticated email marketing campaign for solicitation, we knew donors would be receiving multiple emails to make a gift. So, in order to break up the noise, we planned to acknowledge donors who made gifts throughout the day. We pre-recorded thank-you videos featuring students for our donors, based on the time frames of giving – early givers (before the official start of Giving Day), morning 1, morning 2, afternoon 1, afternoon 2, evening 1, and evening 2. The pre-recorded videos were sent to donors who had made gifts of less than $1,000, and for donors contributing $1,000 or more, we produced personalized videos highlighting their name and the area they supported.
As you can imagine, this was an enormous undertaking, but it was also incredibly fulfilling and worthwhile. We created a culture of gratitude specifically around Giving Day! We utilized staff volunteers to audit data every hour, lead video recording sessions with students, review videos for accuracy, and ultimately send videos to donors every hour. Students loved the opportunity to thank donors in this creative way as well, and signed up for time slots (1 hour/each). We were pleasantly surprised to find many students signing up for multiple classes, and many even loved the midnight and 1:00 AM shifts!
Our Giving Day donors truly appreciated this personal touch. We received many messages in return, thanking us for the video—some donors even sent back their own videos!
Want to create this kind of impact in your own shop? Here are 10 proven tips to help you create better thank-you videos that resonate with donors and reinforce their decision to give:
10 Tips for Creating a Great Donor Thank-You Video
Decide What You Want to Say
Start by identifying the purpose of your video and the key message you want to deliver. Think in terms of prompts or talking points rather than a word-for-word script. This will help you sound natural, sincere, and confident on camera.
Start With a Hook
You have just a few seconds to draw your viewer in. Begin with something engaging—a familiar face, a warm greeting, a striking visual, or a compelling statistic. Your goal is to make the donor feel seen and appreciated right away.
Focus on Gratitude
This video is about saying thank you. Avoid the temptation to include updates, promote events, or—especially—make another ask. Stay focused on the donor, their impact, and your appreciation for their generosity.
Personalize It
Whenever possible, personalize the message. Include the donor’s name, reference the specific fund or program they supported, or speak to the group they’re part of—whether it’s Giving Day donors, monthly givers, or employees. Make them feel known.
Make It About the Donor, Not the Gift
Instead of focusing on the transaction, highlight the transformation. Show what the donor’s generosity has made possible. Use language that places them at the center of the story—because they are the hero.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Don’t overthink it. A video between 30 and 90 seconds is all you need to deliver a message that’s clear, heartfelt, and impactful. Shorter videos are more likely to be watched all the way through.
Use the Right Tone
Speak warmly and conversationally, as if you’re talking to a friend. Be positive, sincere, and human. Let your gratitude shine through both your words and your tone.
Get Creative
Bring your organization’s personality to the video. Use visuals, props, settings, or voices that are meaningful to your community. Don’t be afraid to break the mold—Covenant House Vancouver’s backpack video is a great example of this done well.
Make It Personal, Not Perfect
You don’t need fancy equipment or flawless delivery. A heartfelt video recorded on your phone is far more impactful than a polished video that never gets filmed. Don’t wait for perfect. Just hit record.
Close with a Smile and a Sincere Send-Off
End with a warm, genuine thank-you. A simple, heartfelt closing line can leave a lasting impression and remind the donor just how much they matter to your mission.
If you're looking for real-world inspiration, here are a few standout examples submitted in this year's Great Acknowledgment Swap:
Covenant House Vancouver moved us to tears with this beautifully crafted donor thank-you video. From start to finish, the story was both powerful and personal—anchored by donor-centered language and a compelling visual metaphor. The backpack, gradually filled with essentials and delivered to a beneficiary, served as a striking symbol of impact. Bravo!
Ashland University created a short and sweet thank-you video for their Giving Day. In just 22 seconds, they drew us in, shared impact, and made us feel appreciated. It’s a great example of how even a brief video—when paired with strong B-roll footage and authentic messaging—can deliver a compelling acknowledgment.
The Hawai‘i Community Foundation used a mix of ThankView and simple cell phone videos to gather heartfelt thank-you messages from community members and grantees. These authentic, low-cost videos were sent to donors of the Maui Strong Fund, showcasing real impact and appreciation. The results were powerful: hundreds of donor replies and an unexpected wave of donations from recipients who were moved to give an additional gift.
If you’re still on the fence about using video for acknowledgments more often, check out these reasons:
It’s Personal and Memorable
A video thank-you is almost always more personal than a generic message. When donors hear voices, see faces, or even watch the impact of their gift in action, it creates a lasting emotional connection.
Immediacy of Acknowledgment
Videos can be delivered so much faster than letters or postcards. And with the fast-paced nature of Giving Day solicitations, videos make it easier to maintain that same energy in our acknowledgments.
It Builds Relationships
When donors feel acknowledged in a meaningful way, they’re more likely to remain engaged with your mission and feel compelled to give again. Personalized videos, in particular, can make donors feel especially valued.
Even if your organization doesn't have access to an official platform, don’t lose hope! You can still use videos to express messages of gratitude. Here are a few ways to consider incorporating video without a huge investment:
Email:Â Embed a video or include a thumbnail that links to it.
Text Message:Â For high-touch donors or small campaigns, send a short thank-you video via SMS.
Social Media: Create public shout-outs (with donor permission, of course!) on your organization’s social accounts.
Landing Pages:Â After a donation is completed, redirect donors to a thank-you video on a custom landing page.
Acknowledging donors with videos is a cost-effective, high-impact way to make your gratitude truly felt. You don’t need to be a filmmaker. You just need to be authentic.
By incorporating video acknowledgments into your stewardship strategy, you’ll not only express your sincere gratitude—you’ll also strengthen connections and inspire continued generosity. Try recording a short thank-you on your phone today. Keep it simple. Be real. And see how your supporters respond. You might be surprised just how powerful a short video can be!
Click here to download our 2025 Acknowledgment Swap Heroes for more examples of our favorite donor thank you's.
By Avery G. Howard and Ashley Groneck
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