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Jul 13, 2026 • 7 min read

Are you delightful?

Loads of new jobs today. AI and newsletters at the next Newsletter Nerd Club. And a brilliant lovely example of bringing joy to your supporters.

Ted Fickes Ted Fickes
Are you delightful?

👋 Welcome new folks! It's great to have you here Jordyn and Suzanne. Reach out (just click reply) with any questions, suggestions, or links to share.

Let's get to it!

What's happening with AI, newsletters, and content projects?

There's a lot of conversation out there about AI slop on social networks and if/how to use AI as part of content creation, editing, and ideation.

We'll join that conversation at the next Newsletter Nerd Club on Tuesday, July 28th.

​I wanted to create some space to talk about what folks are doing with AI and newsletters. Here's a bit of what we'll cover:

  • ​We'll share examples and tools of how folks are using AI in newsletters and content.
  • ​Pros and cons?
  • ​What even is AI when it comes to email and content?
  • ​AI slop, social media, and email.
  • ​How can (could? should?) AI shape newsletter and broader email growth?
  • ​AI policies, email, and newsletters.

We might, for instance, talk about this report from Pangram, AI Content Is Everywhere on Social Media, Especially LinkedIn, or why news organizations are considering abandoning Google altogether.

I'd love if you can join us and share your questions and experiences with AI, newsletters, and content.

Join Us at Newsletter Nerd Club

Let's work together

Now, not October or November, is a great time for organizations to assess their email list, content strategy, and digital fundraising plans. I've helped dozens of nonprofits (groups like Earthworks, Demos, The Wilderness Society, Narrative Initiative, Clean Water Action and more) level up their email and digital team's performance to improve engagement and raise more money.

I have openings in my consulting schedule over the next few months and would love to chat about your goals or what's holding back your program.

I have projects like a half-day fast audit–a great way to get an expert second opinion or just better define needs and goals. Or we can set up a retainer through year end or beyond and go for big impact.

The easiest way to get started or ask questions is to click reply and share what's up. Or set up short call.

Delight = joy = loyalty

I tend to work with very serious organizations who are tackling extraordinarily complex and important economic, political, and social problems. This means that communications, membership, donor engagement - everything - tends to be very serious.

We advise people to thank their donors and even send "thanks for taking action" autoresponders. Big donors get phone calls, of course. The biggest donors get taken out to dinner.

But let's face it, for most activists and supporters the work of engaging with most nonprofits is something akin to slogging our way into work at 8 am on a Monday morning.

Are you bringing enough (any?!) delight to your supporters? Bryan Vance runs Portland, Oregon-based Stumptown Savings and just shared his latest thank you to paid subscribers. It's a sticker and a zine. And some dill seeds!

A broccoli headed sticker, a savers club quarterly zine, and packets of dill seeds sent to paid subscribers of Stumptown Savings.
A broccoli headed sticker, a savers club quarterly zine, and packets of dill seeds sent to paid subscribers of Stumptown Savings.

Bryan Vance is the one man show running Stumptown Savings. And it's still a small enough project that he's doing other paid work. Putting these subscriber gifts together is happening at the table long after a regular work day. If he can do it, your organization can send out a surprise sticker or hat pin.

Yes, yes, I know, there's serious work to be done and this may seem like a misuse of resources. 🙄 But delight = joy = loyalty.

I've said this before and will say it again: putting something joyful and memorable in the hands of your monthly donors and supporters is, in my experience, a huge potential win that's woefully undervalued by nonprofits.

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Hey. Ted here. I run Bright+3 where we give changemakers the ideas, inspiration, and tools to create content that builds stronger communities.

I also write this newsletter (aka Future Community) and run the Future Community Jobs list.

Thanks for being part of Future Community. Help make this work possible (and get some extra support) by becoming a supporting member.

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Ted Fickes
Ted Fickes
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