The best nonprofit copywriters

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2015 and updated in October 2026.

What makes the best nonprofit copywriters…well, the best?

Nonprofit marketing communications is a specialty and when nonprofits are looking to outsource writing, it’s important to work with professionals who specialize in nonprofit copywriting.

In a previous post, I assembled a list of 11 reasons nonprofits should outsource to professional copywriters. So, where do you find these pros? And what sets great nonprofit copywriters apart from the rest?

What to look for in a nonprofit copywriter

Yes, copywriting is a skill that transfers across sectors, but a copywriter who specializes in nonprofit communications brings a number of bonuses that will make your life easier.

Nonprofit copywriting experience

Look for someone with a track record of experience working with or within nonprofit organizations. That experience will translate into an understanding of the nonprofit context, culture, goals, challenges and opportunities.

Current or previous nonprofit clients

A copywriter who works exclusively or primarily with nonprofit clients demonstrates a commitment to and passion for advancing communications within the sector.

Involvement in the nonprofit sector

Choose someone who invests time in learning about the sector, building relationships within it, keeping on top of trends, changes, the players and the nuances of nonprofit communications. They will also have strong networks of complementary professionals (designers, web professionals, social media consultants, etc.) who specialize in the sector and can introduce you to them if needed.

Additional expertise

The best nonprofit copywriters will add value beyond the writing itself. For example, this might include an approach that accounts for nonprofit organizational structures and silos and the pace of decision-making. Another example: many of the specialists I know have additional expertise (such as social media, PR or editing for nonprofits) that enhances their consulting work.

Here are a few nonprofit copywriters I recommend based on our experiences  collaborating together:

There are many amazing pros specializing in nonprofit copywriting, and I’m lucky to know a number of them.The first few professionals on this list are people I know well or have collaborated with in the past. They all contributed to the Nonprofit MarCommunity blog back in the day, so I’ve worked directly with them as writers.

• Lauren Girardin: I first encountered Lauren when she was presenting on blogging and content marketing at the Nonprofit Technology Conference. She’s at the leading edge of all things digital and offers the side benefit of being simply hilarious.

• Kerri Karvetski: When I think of Kerri, I think of effective email campaign writing. In addition to consulting work, Kerri shares her email campaign (and other) knowledge through frequent online training opportunities.

• Angela de Berger: I’ve known Angela for years as a generous and experienced in-house nonprofit communicator. Today you can tap into her content creation and copywriting expertise with a particular focus on storytelling.

• Vanessa Chase Lockshin: Vanessa is well known for storytelling and fundraising messaging, so she probably needs no introduction. Reach out to her if you need email (or other) fundraising content.

Though I haven’t collaborated with the following nonprofit copywriters, I know enough about them to recommend checking them out for these specialties:

• Deborah Evans and her team at Luminate for annual reports
• Mary Cahalane for donor communications
• Richelle Morgan for direct mail
• …as well as Erica Webster and Andy Levy-Ajzenkopf to name a couple more.

The specialties I mentioned above are what I know these pros for, but have a look at what else they might do.

What should you pay a nonprofit copywriter?

So what should you expect to pay a nonprofit copywriter? As with copywriting in any field, pricing ranges widely. Some copywriters will charge by the word, with prices ranging from $0.30-$2.50+ per word. Some copywriters charge hourly, ranging from $60-$350+. Very inexperienced and non-specialist copywriters may charge well below the bottom of these ranges.

Some copywriters charge a project fee for a specific copy element (e.g., $500-$2,000 for a single page of web copy), while others charge for a bundle of elements or a combination of advisory support and writing deliverables — which is how I price my services.

What’s the right price for you? That depends. What’s your available budget — or the budget you’re able to plan for? What level of experience, expertise, and specialty do you need? What is the strategic or operational importance of the content you’re looking to procure? Which brings me to ask…

What are you looking for in a nonprofit copywriter?

If you’re looking to work with a nonprofit copywriter to boost your capacity or bring in expertise, what do you need most? Think beyond the deliverable and consider what you need from the supplier you’ll choose to work with.