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Guides

Support for a nonprofit or community group

Nonprofits answer donors, volunteers and the people they serve, often with a small team and borrowed time. A shared inbox, a few saved replies and a published response time go a long way.

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Use one shared inbox

Put a single address such as hello@ in front of the team so messages do not sit in one person's mailbox. Everyone can see what has been answered, and nothing is lost when a volunteer is away.

Sort by who is writing

Tag messages as donor, volunteer, partner or beneficiary. Each group needs a different tone and speed, and you will want to know where most of your messages come from.

Reply to donors quickly

A thank you and a clear receipt within a day or two builds trust. Keep saved replies for receipts, recurring gifts and tax questions, and have a person check each one.

Set a response time and share it

Say how long people should expect to wait, such as two working days. Volunteers can then plan their time, and supporters know when to follow up.

Protect private information

Collect only what you need, keep sensitive details out of shared threads and limit who can see the inbox. People write to nonprofits about difficult things and expect care.

Hand over cleanly between volunteers

Keep notes on each conversation and write down common answers in a short guide. A new volunteer should be able to pick up the inbox in an hour.

Questions

Do we need a help desk or is email enough?

A shared inbox is enough for a small group. Move to a help desk when several people answer, messages go missing or you need to measure response times.

How should we handle sensitive messages?

Limit access, keep the details out of subject lines and decide in advance who can respond. Use a short, kind reply and move the conversation to a safe channel.

Can volunteers use saved replies?

Yes, and they help. Write them in a warm voice and ask volunteers to add a personal line so replies do not read as a form.

Written by Flatdesk, a help desk for small support teams at one flat price per agent. Try it free for 14 days, no card.