1) Spring board one of your “boring” stories off of a random event or date. The Chases Calendar of Events is a good resource for all sorts of random date facts. As well, the BBC’s On This Date offers interesting historical events that have happened through the years on a particular date.

For instance, on April 10th 2008, the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement was made. How many times have you had to help students make peace with one another? That stuff doesn’t always make newsletters but its a part of your day-to-day job and it’s important to communicate those things to donors who make it possible for you to do that job.

2) Tie in a current event and how it’s affecting your ministry.

I know of a couple of staff who are losing potential student leaders because they have to leave school and find jobs because their parents can’t afford to pay for college anymore. Many donors don’t even understand that InterVarsity staff spend most of their time training up student leaders! It’s not as glamourous as the 5 people that got saved last month, but probably just as relevant to you.

3) Find inspiration from your organization’s annual report.

Many, if not most, of your donors support YOU, not necessarily the organization you work for. But there are great things happening in your organization as well! Let your supporters know about those things that are relevant.

And if you are still all out of ideas, go put on a sandwich board sign for the day and generate one of those memorable, awkward sorts of stories.