Should you really care about… email overload?

The what

Here's what makes it tricky: nonprofits sent an average of 62 emails per subscriber in 2024, but only about half were fundraising appeals. The rest? Updates, stories, newsletters, engagement opportunities. So the question isn't really about frequency — it's about value.

The organizations that get this right aren't counting emails. They're thinking about rhythm and relevance. They're asking themselves: would I want to hear from us this often? Would this email add something meaningful to someone's day, or are we just filling space?

The why

Every email is a moment — a chance to strengthen the relationship or weaken it. Too few, and donors forget why they care. Too many without substance, and they tune out or unsubscribe.

But here's what most organizations miss: your donors don't experience your emails as categories. They don't think "oh good, a newsletter" versus "ugh, another fundraising appeal." They just know whether opening your message feels worth their time.

Should you really care?

Yes, but remember what actually matters: your email frequency isn't a number to optimize — it's a conversation to maintain.

Some donors want to hear from you constantly because your mission is personal to them. Others want quarterly updates because that's all the bandwidth they have. The magic isn't finding the perfect number. It's being worth opening whenever you do show up.

Stop obsessing over whether five emails a month is too many or too few. Start asking whether each email you send makes donors feel more connected to your work or just more overwhelmed by their inbox. That's the metric that actually matters.