Nonprofits and education Make the mission clear and the next step easy.
Photo: Vitaly Gariev, Pexels
Cuttyhunk gets South Coast nonprofits, schools and programs more gifts, volunteers and enrollments by fixing where support stalls: a story that takes too long to tell, a form that is hard to use, and no follow-up after the first yes. Week one we find the leaks, month one we fix them, then we keep them fixed.
Where support stalls
If you run a nonprofit, a school or a program, some of this will sound like you.
- “Our mission fits on a card. Our website needs three pages to explain it.”
- “The donate button leads to a form that takes five minutes on a phone.”
- “We thank donors once a year, in the appeal for the next gift.”
- “Parents ask about enrollment, and the answer is in a PDF from last year.”
- “Our event photos are great and live on one volunteer’s phone.”
None of it is about your mission. Donors, volunteers and families decide in a few minutes, on a phone, and back whoever is clear and makes the next step easy. Every one of these leaks can be fixed.
Make the next step one tap.
Someone moved by your story has about a minute. Spend it on giving, signing up or asking a question.
Photo: John Souza
How we fix it
Three stages, in this order. You see the plan before we touch anything, and everything we set up is in your name.
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Week 1
Find the leaks
- We give to your cause and sign up as a volunteer from a phone, as a stranger would, and write down every step.
- We read your site and printed pieces for the one-sentence story, and check your Google profile and your Candid page.
- You tell us your next fundraising date, your busiest enrollment window and who your supporters are.
You get a one-page fix list in plain words, biggest stall first.
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Month 1
Fix them
- A clear story page with real photos and a plain statement of what a gift or a seat does.
- A short giving or inquiry form that works on a phone, with a thank-you that says what happens next.
- A welcome email or text for new donors, volunteers and families, written in your voice.
- A Google profile with your hours, programs and an event link.
You get all of it live, with logins you own.
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Every month
Keep it working
- One impact story, with a photo and a number you can source, sent to your list and posted.
- A thank-you within a day of every gift, and a note to lapsed donors before the year ends.
- Print when you need it: a flyer, a program guide or an appeal, laid out for print and for an accessible PDF.
You get a short monthly report: gifts, signups, inquiries, list growth, and what we changed.
What you get, on a real phone
Here is the work for a made-up program. Harbor Youth Program is a sample, not a client.
Photos in the samples: LightFieldStudios, Envato.
What changes for you
We do not promise donation or enrollment totals. Every number we publish traces to a source, and each month you see the real gifts and inquiries next to last month’s.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| A donor lands on your site and cannot tell what a gift does. | One page says what a gift or a seat does, with a real photo. |
| The donate form takes five minutes on a phone. | A short form with a clear thank-you. |
| A first gift gets one receipt and then silence. | A welcome note, an impact story and a thank-you reach every donor. |
| Families wait days for an answer about enrollment. | An inquiry gets a reply the same day, and a clear next step. |
| You are not sure which appeal worked. | One page a month shows where gifts and signups came from. |
Questions owners ask
Do you work with small organizations on small budgets?
Yes. We start with the biggest stall, which is often one page and one form, and add the rest when you are ready. Month-to-month means you never carry more than you use.
How soon will I see more gifts and signups?
The text-back and the new pages work the day they go live. Google profile and listing changes can take weeks to show in search. We do not promise a number; every month you see the real gifts and signups next to last month’s.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Cuttyhunk is month-to-month. Everything we set up, including the site, the Google profile and the accounts, is in your name from day one, so you keep it if you leave.
Can you design our printed pieces too?
Yes. We lay out guides, annual and impact reports, flyers and appeals for print and for an accessible PDF. Our lead case study is the Pride Guide 2026, which appears on the Work page once the Network approves it.
Will you write in our voice?
Yes. We start from your own words, your past appeals and a conversation, and you see every draft before it goes out.
Tell us about the mission.
Share who you serve and what you need most, and we send back your fix list!
Tell us the missionOther industries: Restaurants and hospitality, Real estate and property, Trades, auto and marine, Health and wellness, Professional services, Retail, salons and pets, Weddings and events.