Set up legacy campaign emails

Our legacy campaign editor has an Email Dashboard where you can view, customize, and send messages to your supporters.

The emails in your campaign will depend on the campaign’s type, but there are some emails that every campaign has such as a receipt email.

Access the dashboard

To access your campaign’s Email Dashboard, go to the legacy campaign’s editor and select the Email tab. From here, you can view and manage all the currently running emails for that campaign.

In the menu, you can filter emails based on type; such as Email receipts and Supporter notifications. You’ll find all the emails available for that type in each section. Select the email’s title to edit it and select the toggle under the title to turn it on or off.

The dashboard menu

• Email Receipts - Only emails that contain donation receipts will appear in the list to the right.
• Supporter Notifications - Emails with notifications for supporters (e.g. chargebacks and general updates). These updates keep supporters engaged with your campaign.
• Campaign Messages - Use this option to create custom campaign emails.
• Percentage of Goal Milestones - Use this tab to send encouraging and celebratory emails to fundraisers when they hit a certain percentage of their fundraising goal.
• Amount Raised Milestones - Use this tab to send thank you and congratulatory emails to fundraiser when they hit a certain dollar amount toward their fundraising goal.

Note: Percentage of goal and amount raised milestone emails are only available in peer-to-peer and registration with fundraising campaigns.

• Theme - Use this tab to apply basic design elements to all of your emails. This will give you a foundation to start from rather than setting up each email from scratch.

Using the email editor

To edit an email, go to your campaign’s Email tab and select the email’s title.

Then, you can set the email’s details such as:

• From name
• Email subject
• Reply-to email

Next, you can adjust the email’s content. Each email contains content blocks specific to that email. To edit a content block, simply select it in the menu, and your editing options appear. After you make changes, you can see your updates immediately in the preview before saving or discarding your changes.

After customizing each block, select Review email, where you can send a test message to your email address and save.

Set up the email theme

The email theme for your campaign is a design template you can apply to all emails in a campaign. They ensure design consistency and give you a starting point for customizing your other emails.

You can customize four parts of your email’s theme:

• Campaign logo and header
• Email background color
• Primary button color
• Footer background and text color

Once you set your theme, the edits you make to these elements will apply to all the emails in your campaign.

Customize the theme

To customize your campaign’s email theme:

1. Go to your campaign’s Email tab
2. In the menu, select Theme

After you apply your changes, you may be prompted to apply your changes to all emails or keep custom edits.

• Apply to all emails - your changes will be applied to all existing and new emails you create. This is a good option if you are setting up emails for the first time or updating your branding across emails.
• Keep custom edits - your changes will only be applied to new emails you create from that point on. Be sure to choose this option if you want to preserve the design of any existing emails.

Edit the donation receipt email

Once you set your campaign’s email theme, we recommend customizing your campaign’s receipt email. To edit your campaign’s receipt:

1. Go to the campaign’s editor
2. Select the Email tab
3. In the menu, select Email receipts
4. Select Donation Receipt

Can I edit the transaction content like "donation date" or "donation number"?

No, this information is pulled in automatically to ensure donors see key transaction details.

Edit the PDF receipt

The PDF receipt is attached to the email and provides detailed information about the donation. You can edit specific parts of the PDF receipt including:

• Whether the PDF receipt is attached (we generally recommend leaving this on)
• The logo on the receipt
• The tax deductibility information

Review the email

From here, you can review the email content and send yourself a test email. If everything looks good, save your changes.

Create custom emails

You can create custom emails for your campaign and specify to whom you want to send the email.

To create a custom email:

1. Go to your campaign’s editor
2. Select the Email tab
3. In the menu, select Campaign Messages
4. Select Create New
5. Choose a recipient list in the prompt that appears
   • If you're running an event, you can create recipient groups for your attendees based on ticket types.
6. Pick the email template you want to use

• Blank - This template is a good match for short and sweet messages. Use it to send basic updates to your supporters about your campaign’s progress.
• Image - This template is the most robust option—you can add an image, supporting text, and two call-to-action buttons. Use it to share engaging updates or drive supporters to your donation page and website.
• Text - This template lets you add text and a signature for a professional look. It's a good match for formal messages.

Next, you can customize the email details and content. Once you’re ready, save or schedule the email.

Create recipient groups for event attendees

In ticketed and registration with fundraising campaigns, you can create groups of email recipients based on their ticket types. To do so:

1. In your event's email settings, select Recipient groups
2. Under All Attendees, you'll find the available ticket types and the number of attendees registered for each type
3. Select the checkbox next to the ticket types you want to group
4. Select Add to Group > Create New Group
   • If you want to add a ticket type to an existing group, select the group's name instead

All created groups will appear under Active Recipient Groups. Select the pencil icon next to the group title to rename it, or select the trash icon to delete it. 

Your created groups will be available as recipients when you create a custom email and select Attendees.

Exclude an attendee from a group

To exclude an attendee from a recipient group, select the active group, then select View Attendees next to the ticket type. Uncheck the box next to the attendee, then select Save. 

Email glossary

In this section:

• Email receipts
• Supporter notifications
• Fundraising commitment notifications
• Campaign messages
• Percentage of goal milestones
• Amount raised milestones

Email receipts

Email receipts are sent to supporters after they make a donation. Within the email, supporters can find a PDF with their receipt.

• Donation Receipt - This email is sent to a supporter after they make a donation. It contains a thank you message and a downloadable PDF receipt.
• Recurring Donation Receipt - This email is sent to a supporter whenever a monthly recurring donation is processed. It contains a thank you message and a downloadable PDF receipt.

Supporter notifications

Supporter notifications update supporters about their involvement with your organization.

• Chargeback - This email is sent to a supporter when a chargeback is issued for their donation. The default message explains what the supporter was charged for and offers encouragement to withdraw the chargeback. It also offers steps on how to get a faster refund if they want the money returned.
• Comment on campaign activity - This notification is sent to the supporter when someone comments on a supporter's campaign activity. For example, if an organization comments on a supporter’s donation to say thank you, the supporter will be notified via email.
• Dedication Ecard - When a donation is made in someone's honor, supporters can choose to send this e-card to the dedication recipient. The supporter can write a personal message to the recipient when they make the donation; otherwise, a default message will state that a donation was made in the recipient's honor.
• Recurring donation created - This email is sent to supporters when they create a monthly recurring donation. The email includes a thank you message and a note that their recurring plan is active. It also reminds them of how much they signed up to give and what day their donation will be processed.
• Failed recurring donation - This email is sent to a supporter when their recurring donation fails. The default message explains that the failed payment may be due to an expired credit card or a changed card number. It also offers encouragement to update the payment information so the supporter can continue giving to your cause.

The following emails in this section are only available in peer-to-peer and registration with fundraising campaigns.

• Fundraising page created - This email is sent to a fundraiser after they create their fundraising page. The email also offers advice on how to start asking for donations from their network.
• Member joined team - This email is sent to a team captain when someone joins their fundraising team. This helps team captains manage their teams.
• Donation made to fundraising page - Fundraisers receive this email when someone donates to their fundraising page. It also reminds them to thank the donor for their gift.
• Donation made to team fundraising page - Team captains receive this email when someone donates to their team fundraising page. It reminds them to thank the donor for their gift.
• Fundraising goal reached (team) - Sent to the team captain when their team's goal is reached.
• Comment on fundraising page - This email is sent to a fundraiser when someone comments on their fundraising page. This encourages fundraisers to respond.
• Comment on team page - This email is sent to a team captain when someone comments on their team fundraising page. This encourages team captains to respond.
• Update posted to a fundraising or team page - This email is sent to supporters when a fundraiser posts an update to their individual or team fundraising page. This helps keep supporters engaged with the fundraiser they donated to. It also allows fundraisers to share their progress toward their fundraising goal and ask for additional support when needed.
• Claim Your Page for Buyer Attendees - This email is sent to supporters registering for a Registration with Fundraising event. In the email, they can access and then set up their fundraising page.
• Claim Your Page for Secondary Attendees - If a supporter registers others for a Registration with Fundraising event, this email will be sent to the other registrants so they can claim a fundraising page. From the email, they can access and set up their fundraising pages.

Fundraising commitment notifications

Fundraising commitment notifications are only available on Registration with Fundraising campaigns. These emails are sent to supporters to update them on their fundraising commitment status and details.

• Commitment has been achieved - Supporters receive this email when they have reached their commitment goal. It encourages them to continue fundraising.
• Commitment has been canceled - Supporters receive this email when their commitment has been canceled. The email lets them know they no longer need to reach their commitment goal and will not be charged any amount.
• Commitment has been charged the remaining amount - Supporters receive this email when they have been charged the remaining balance of their commitment. It lets them know their commitment has been reached.
• Commitment has been charged a specific amount - Supporters receive this email when they have been charged a specific amount towards their commitment goals. The email reminds them how much left is needed to reach their goal.
• Commitment amount has been updated - Supporters receive this email when the campaign updates the commitment amount on their fundraising page. The email shows supporters both the old and new commitment amounts.
• Commitment has been waived - Supporters receive this email when their commitment has been waived. It tells supporters they no longer need to reach their goal and will not be charged any amount.

Campaign messages

Campaign messages allow you to create custom emails. Since they are custom, the message type and strategy is in your hands. The 3 templates we provide to help you get started are:

• Blank - This email template is a good match for short and sweet messages. Use it to update your supporters about your campaign’s progress.
• Image - This template is the most robust option—you can add an image, supporting text, and include up to two call-to-action buttons like donation and fundraise. Use it to create detailed and engaging messages.
• Text - This template allows you to add text and insert a signature for a professional look. This template is best for formal messages.

Percentage of goal milestones

Percentage of goal milestone emails are sent to fundraisers when they hit a specific percentage of their fundraising goal. This option is only available in Peer to Peer and Registration with Fundraising campaigns, because they deal directly with fundraising. There are four templates to choose from:

• 25% of goal reached - The default message offers encouragement, a thank you message, and the option to post an update to their fundraising page.
• 50% of goal reached - The default message notifies fundraisers they have reached the halfway mark. It also encourages supporters to thank their donors and share their progress.
• 75% of goal reached - The default message offers encouragement for the final push and the option to post an update to their fundraising page.
• You’ve reached your goal (100%) - The default message congratulates the fundraiser and encourages them to continue fundraising.

You can also create a custom percentage email sent at the chosen percentage. For example, you may send an email when a fundraiser reaches 90% of their goal with words of encouragement for the final push.

Amount raised milestones

Amount raised milestone emails are sent to fundraisers when they raise a specific dollar amount. This option is only available in Peer to Peer and Registration with Fundraising campaigns, because they deal directly with fundraising.

Since dollar amount goals vary widely, there are no default options. For example, you could send an amount raised milestone to supporters when they reach their first $100.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum image size I can use for the logo?

The maximum size is 200px by 112px.

What does the donation receipt email include?

The donation receipt email displays high-level information about the donation. This information includes:

• The charged amount
• The donation date
• The donation number (this number matches the Transaction ID number in your GoFundMe Pro account)
• The Program Designation
• The Dedication information

Are milestone emails retroactive?

No, the milestone emails only apply to milestones that occur after they are turned on.

What if a fundraiser hits two milestones at once?

When more than one amount milestone email is active, the higher amount gets priority. For example, your goal is $100, and you have an email for raising $25 and $50. If a fundraiser received a $25 donation, they would receive the $25 email like normal. But if they received $50, they would only get the $50 email.