Making Space for Powerful Annual Appeals, Pollution Plumes & Relief Stands

Ana Ranković
5 days ago
5 min read

Welcome to the next installment of Making Space - a monthly memo for activists and changemakers about the ideas, tools, and stories that keep us moving, and how they might help you too.

In this issue, you’ll learn:

How you can boost your annual appeal’s impact with one little game-changing add-on
How we’ll spotlight data policy campaigns at SOMOS 2025 and how to nominate your campaign
How a new map exposes pollution plumes the human eye can’t see, but lungs can feel
How the Independent Drivers Guild is turning NYC’s concrete grid into a blueprint for better working conditions

Let’s get into it.

Olivia & Charles from North Arrow

Make Your Annual Appeal Count

'Tis the season…for annual appeals. For most nonprofits, it’s a critical moment: 28% of organizations say their year-end appeal brings in 26% to 50% of their annual funding.And yet, most nonprofits will send a well-meaning letter that quietly disappears into a mailbox graveyard. No digital bridge. No interactive hook. No next step.Let’s fix that.The strongest appeals combine a personal story with a clear visual of impact. One captures the heart, the other grounds it in context.

Note: Not all donors will scan a QR code and that’s okay. While many older, high-value supporters still prefer paper, 48% of donors say email is their preferred way to receive appeals and updates. For these digital-first audiences, a clickable call to action isn’t just nice, it’s expected. Adding an interactive map will set you apart from the many other appeals they receive.

1. What should an annual appeal actually accomplish?

An annual appeal is more than just a donation request. At its best, it’s a storytelling moment, a trust-building tool, and a strategic nudge all in one. A strong appeal should:

Show impact: what changed because of donor support
Tell a personal story: one that brings your mission to life
Ask clearly: make the donation ask specific and urgent
Strengthen relationships: remind donors they’re part of something bigger
Set the stage for what’s next: create energy going into the new year
Be creative: include content that’s visual, memorable and engaging

Think of it not as a one-time ask, but as a chapter in your yearlong donor story.

Source: Canva “The State of Visual Communication” Report

2. The mistakes most nonprofits make

We get it, you're strapped for time. But if your appeal checks any of these boxes, it's probably underperforming:

Generic messaging that treats every donor the same
Lack of urgency or specificity (“any amount helps” ≠ a compelling ask)
Not personable, with no mention or example of individual lives impacted
No visual storytelling to break through the noise
No digital extension, nothing clickable, nothing trackable
A weak CTA that doesn’t lead anywhere meaningful

Even worse, many appeals don’t connect donations to outcomes. Yet 63% of donors say they want transparency on how their money is used. No map, no data, no real-time updates = no reason to give again.

When you look around for sample examples of annual appeal templates, most recommendations are bland, unappealing white background one-pagers that fail to capture attention or create emotion.

3. Our recommendation: add a map

Here’s one simple, powerful fix: add a map to your appeal.

We’re not talking about a generic service area outline. We mean a dynamic visual that overlays need and programming, so a donor can literally see where your work is happening, where the gaps are, and where their support goes.

Then, drop in a QR code that links to an interactive map version. One click, and they’re zooming, scrolling, and engaging with your work on their phone.Here’s what that looks like in action:One of our dearest partners, Read to Grow, is an early literacy nonprofit working across Connecticut. A strong annual appeal for them would show where early literacy needs are most concentrated and how their programs are responding.

Scan the QR code in the image to explore their map or click here to view it online.

📌 Remember: This doesn’t replace the personal story, it supports it. Donors give to people, not programs. But when you pair a compelling narrative with a spatial visualization of need and impact, you’re giving donors two strong reasons to care: a face to connect with, and a broader mission to support.

Need help? We can build this quickly.

Send us your program data (sites/areas served + one or two need indicators). We’ll produce both a print-ready static map and a lightweight interactive version you can launch in weeks, just in time for appeals season. Reply to this email and we can get started!

📣 Community data in action: nominate a campaign

As we are preparing for the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico in early November, we are putting together a simple list of projects where better use of data is making a difference: live campaigns where better data collection, transparency, or community-controlled data is the lever for change.

If you know one we should include, please reply with: the project name, who’s leading it, one short line on the problem it tackles, and any links. We’ll curate and spotlight selected campaigns at SOMOS and in our post-event follow-ups to bring more eyes and allies to your work.

🔦 Mapping Activist Spotlight:

There’s no need to present Climate TRACE anymore - the largest, most comprehensive map of carbon emissions sources, with over 660 million (yes, million) of active recorded sources worldwide from all 10 largest sectors of human activity (agriculture, industry, transportation, etc.). Their latest feature release is groundbreaking, again. The first attempt at modelizing air PM2.5 pollution plumes from large emitters and visualizing how it blankets entire regions, depending on weather conditions. Example of a normal day in NYC here.➡️ more of our favorite climate-focused maps here.

🦄 Awesome Nonprofit of the Month:

The Independent Drivers Guild, representing hundreds of thousands of rideshare drivers across New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, and Connecticut, has led the way in securing historic gains for app-based workers—from winning New York City’s first minimum pay rate for drivers to ensuring in-app tipping nationwide.

In 2024, IDG built on this record of achievement with a landmark victory in Massachusetts, securing the right for drivers to unionize and negotiate directly with companies like Uber and Lyft over wages, benefits, and working conditions. Backed by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) and SEIU, this breakthrough capped more than a decade of organizing to challenge unfair labor practices and address the economic insecurity faced by gig workers.

We are currently working with them on a map of recommendations for new relief stands in Manhattan, where access for rideshare drivers is extremely limited and leads to harsh working conditions.➡️ Consider supporting their amazing work here.