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How Al-Madina Increased Ramadan Donations by 72% with Sunan
The Challenge
For years, Al-Madina’s donor strategy followed a familiar path: launch a campaign, send out donation requests, and hope for generous returns. While the mission was genuine and the audience supportive, the results began to plateau.
- Donor fatigue was creeping in
- Engagement was dropping
- Open and click rates were falling
- Emails felt transactional, not transformational
Something had to change — not just the messaging, but the philosophy.
The Strategic Shift
We introduced a value-first model — a complete shift in mindset around donor communication.
Instead of chasing conversions, we chose connection.
No more monthly donation pleas. No more “urgent” asks. For 90% of the year, we focused on building trust — quietly, intentionally, and consistently — by sending emails that felt like gifts, not grabs.
Our email content strategy was carefully crafted around:
Short Islamic reminders
Video clips of soul-nourishing lectures and subha sessions on pressing topic discussions [Such as marriage, digital detox etc]
Reflective pieces on Islamic spirituality
Bite-sized lessons and timeless wisdom from our tradition
Downloadable books on Islam to deepen knowledge
Stories that touched hearts and reminded readers of their why
And not a single email asked for a donation.
No links for asks. No nudges. Just value.
The Email Strategy — Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Yes, we ran smart campaigns with segmentation, tag-based targeting, and behavior-driven automation that led to record-breaking open and click rates.
But honestly, that was just the surface.
What we really did was build trust at scale.
The emails became a sanctuary in crowded inboxes. People opened them not out of obligation, but out of anticipation. And that’s where real transformation began.
We Built a Content Machine — Quietly Fueling the Impact
While the emails were the heart, they weren’t working alone.
Around them, we built an ecosystem:
- Reels & short videos
- Podcast episodes
- Long-form reflections and articles
- Social media carousels and quote cards
- Educational series and eBooks
All played their part in creating a 360-degree value experience — across platforms and touchpoints.
Results That Speak for Themselves
🔹 +72% increase in Ramadan donations YoY
🔹 +62% increase in number of individual donors
🔹 200% increase in new email subscribers in one year
And all of this…
Without a single fundraising appeal for months.
The Secret? We Never Asked
For months, we didn’t ask for a single dollar.
No appeals.
No guilt.
No pressure.
We just gave.
And by doing that, we built what no ad spend can buy: real trust.
To use a simple metaphor:
If someone only calls you when they need a ride to the airport, you eventually stop answering. But if they check in, ask about your day, send you something that lifts you up — you’ll gladly offer that ride, no ask needed.
That’s the shift we created.
We ended the era of donor burnout.
And ushered in an era of relationship-first giving.
The Bigger Picture
This wasn’t a marketing trick.
It was a transformation.
Al-Madina became more than a nonprofit. It became a trusted companion for Muslims trying to navigate modern life with faith.
And when the time to ask finally came?
Their audience gave.
Not out of obligation.
Not because of urgency.
But out of love.
Sunan’s Tip
If you’re a nonprofit wondering how to build sustainable, consistent donations — stop treating your donors like ATMs.
Instead:
Teach them something new.
Share something that helps their soul.
Offer them value — again and again.
And when you finally ask…
They’ll be ready to give.
