Draft or improve an email
Draft a work email from scratch, or improve one with help from AI.
Steps
1. Describe the task
Emails take up a disproportionate amount of time in the charity sector. Whether you’re crafting a follow-up to a funder, navigating a tricky message from a partner, or writing an internal update that needs to land well, the AI can help you get to a strong first draft quickly - or turn a draft that isn’t working into one that does.
You can use this guide in two ways:
- Starting from scratch - when you know roughly what you need to say but haven’t started writing
- Improving an existing draft - when you’ve got something written but it feels too long, too formal, too vague, or just not quite right
In both cases, the more context you give, the better the output. A few sentences explaining the situation, the relationship, and the desired outcome will make a real difference.
Copy and paste this prompt into the chat box, then send it as is - there's nothing to edit first. The AI will respond with questions rather than a draft. That's by design as it needs context before it can produce something useful. Answer as if you're briefing a colleague, and if you're unsure of an answer, just say so - working it out together is part of the process.
Using Worthwhile Chat?
This prompt is ready-made: just select it in your chat box and it will self-populate.
Act as a communications professional with experience in the UK charity sector.
Help me write or improve an email.
Start by asking me questions about: who I’m writing to and the purpose of the email; the tone and length I’m after; my organisation and the context for this email; if I have already drafted an email and if I have any drafts or notes to upload.
If I’ve already drafted an email, ask me what's not working about it; and what kind of change I'd like. Then draft the email.
Make the email clear, human and easy to read. As you draft, watch out for and avoid: jargon, and anything that could come across as dismissive, unprofessional or likely to cause offence - flag it if you spot it.
2. Provide context
When the AI asks if you have any drafts or notes to share, you can upload documents or paste in information to help it understand your work more deeply. The more specific you are, the better the result.
Important context (add as much of this as you can)
- Who you’re writing to
- Their name, role, or organisation
- Your existing relationship - long-standing funder, new partner, a colleague you don’t know well
- Any relevant history - a previous conversation, a missed deadline, an outstanding question
- What you need the email to do
- e.g. share an update, request a meeting, respond to a complaint, decline a request politely
- Tone
- Warm, formal, concise, reassuring, apologetic, enthusiastic - or a combination
Additional context to add depth and detail
- Length and format
- A short note of two or three sentences, or a longer structured message with a clear ask at the end
- Any specific phrases or commitments
- Things you definitely want to include - or things you want to avoid saying
You can also upload supporting documents
If you have a previous email thread, a briefing note, or an organisational tone of voice guide, you can upload these to help the AI match your style and context. Uploading a previous email from your organisation is a quick way to help the AI understand how you write. Remember to remove the email address and any sensitive information.
I’ve uploaded a previous email exchange and our tone of voice guide. Please use the thread for context and match the style of our tone of voice guide when drafting the new email.
3. Review the output
The AI will produce a draft email based on the information you’ve provided.
Read through the draft and ask yourself:
- Does this sound like me - or like our organisation?
- Does it clearly communicate what I need it to say?
- Is the tone right for this person and this situation?
- Is it the right length? Would the recipient actually read all of this?
- Is there anything that could be misread, come across as blunt or cause confusion?
- Does it make the next step clear - what I’m asking for, or what happens next?
- If it includes any facts, figures, or specific commitments - are these accurate?
If anything doesn’t feel right, that’s fine - move to Step 4 to refine it.
4. Follow up prompts
Getting the right email often takes a couple of iterations. Think of it as a conversation - you can keep adjusting until it feels right.
Ask for specific changes
Tone
- Too formal: This sounds a bit stiff. Can you make it warmer and more conversational, while keeping it professional?
- Difficult message: I need to deliver some disappointing news. Can you rewrite this to be honest but empathetic, acknowledging their perspective before explaining our position?
Length
- Too long: Please cut it to no more than three short paragraphs, keeping the main message and the ask.
- Too brief: The email feels too abrupt. Can you add a little more context and a warmer sign-off?
Structure
- Unclear ask: It’s not obvious what I’m asking for. Can you add a clear, specific ask in the final paragraph?
- Reorganise: Can you lead with the most important thing (i.e. the update on the project) rather than the background?
Representation
- Check the framing: This is about someone else’s situation. Can you check it doesn’t make assumptions about them, and that it represents them fairly?
Add what only you know
Once you’re close to the right draft, fill in anything the AI couldn’t know:
- Specific details about your relationship with the recipient
- A personal reference or shared context (a recent meeting, a previous project)
- Your own sign-off and personal style
- Any commitments, dates, or figures that need to be precisely correct
5. Tips and good practice
Always read and edit before you send
Never send an AI-assisted email without reading it yourself first. You know the relationship and the history in a way the AI doesn’t, so a quick read-through and edit before hitting send is non-negotiable.
Check any facts or commitments
If your email contains specific figures, dates, promises, or references to past conversations, check them against your own records. AI works with what you give it, and won’t catch a wrong figure or a misremembered detail.
Context is everything
The quality of the output depends on how well you describe the situation. A few extra sentences on who you’re writing to, why, and what you need them to do will dramatically improve the draft.
Be transparent about AI use
It’s worth being open that AI helped you draft it. This is in line with Worthwhile AI values.
