How to Format a Donation Request Letter
Ranked #91 in Nonprofits, #30,019 overall
How to Format Your Donation Request Letter
If you work in a non-profit organization, you may be considering writing a solicitation letter to get donations. That's a great idea! Sometimes potential donors don't give simply because they haven't been asked to give. You could spend a lot of time researching letter writing, fundraising techniques and donor behavior. In order to help you avoid some of the painstaking research work involved in that process, I've written this lens to give you the basic information and format you'll need to create a fantastic and successful donation request letter. Let's get started!
Begin by determining the schedule during your year that you'll do your fundraising. Talk to your board about their role in the process. I'd recommend not doing a frequent ask for donations, but an annual fundraising drive could prove beneficial to your organization's work.
photo by borman818
Begin by determining the schedule during your year that you'll do your fundraising. Talk to your board about their role in the process. I'd recommend not doing a frequent ask for donations, but an annual fundraising drive could prove beneficial to your organization's work.
photo by borman818
Personalized Custom Postage Stamps
Make an Impact Year-Round--Design Your Own!
Writing a Fundraising Letter Introduction
The first part of your fundraising request
The introduction to your letter is where you paint a picture of the vision you have of your organization and of your fundraising drive. Here are some basic tips for your first paragraph. A good rule of thumb would be one or two sentences on each point. Donors are less likely to read a letter with too much text.- 1Tell a story, set the scene. Use some creative license in this first part of your letter. Write about one person you could reach on a perfect day, or one animal you'd be saving. Create a beautiful story that shows your vision.
- 2Specify impact from previous donations. Donors want specific, measurable impact. Show them what you've done with the resources you've been given. If these are existing donors, they'll love to hear what it is you were able to do with their previous gifts.
- 3Be specific about what goals you have. Make specific, measurable, attainable goals for the funds you're raising. Having specific ideas of what the money is for shows that you're being fiscally responsible with the resources you're requesting.
- 4Reitterate the importance of donors. Donors fill a need that staff, board members, and even volunteers don't. Remind them that they are a special, unique and vital key to your organization's success.
Quick Tip
Make sure ALL of your thank yous are up to date. Thank you letters should all be sent out prior to starting your fundraising campaign.
Know Your Audience
Target your donation requests for the best results!
Letting your donors know that you know them well is incredibly important. Be careful to target your donation letter campaign to the appropriate donors. Track your donors so you can target your letters to current donors, new potential donors, frequent donors, or historic donors. Target age ranges, neighborhoods or any number of other demographics. Use software to track all donations as they come in, and thank yous as they go out. Be sure to track the information that is important to YOUR organization. Make it only as simple or complicated as is necessary for your fundraising goals.You can track your donations in a program that you use for your finances if you have a simple organization. If you're more interested in tracking a range of demographics, use a database. Donor databases available on the internet are great for those who don't have the knowledge or ability to customize a database program out-of-the-box, but they do cost more ($500 and way on up). These systems all work well. Personally I prefer Access because it links in to other Office programs well, then I like ACT! which I've used for a few years to track volunteers, and then Filemaker. The only reason I put filemaker at the end is because it's difficult to get training in it.
Please Vote for My Lens if You Liked it!
I'd really appreciate if you gave me a "thumbs up"
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Vote here!
It's fun, give it a shot...
Loading poll. Please Wait...
How to Make the Donation Request in Your Letter
The body of the donation letter
This is the center of your letter, the section where you come right out and ask for the money. If you're spending time and money on a letter campaign, don't beat around the bush! Be clear, be specific, be bold and make the ask. Here are some tips to help you.- 1Demonstrate need. This is exactly like the most difficult part of grant writing--you have to show that you can handle the money and that you're strong and worthy of a donation, but at the same time show specifically why you have a real "need" that can only be filled with a donation. It's a bit of a catch-22. Show what it is that gives you a specific need. Donations have decreased with a declining economy, costs have recently increased for certain supplies, federal support has lessened--find something specific to use as an example.
- 2Specify what suggested amounts will accomplish. Give a specific dollar amount. If you were raising funds for a school supply donation for needy families, you may say one backpack can be filled for $30. A family with four children would need a $120 in donations to get all of their supplies. Or if you feed people, how many meals can $50 pay for? List 2-4 specific amounts and what you can accomplish with those funds.
- 3What would happen if donors don't give? Give some specific information without guilt tripping anyone. What could happen (or would happen) if the funds you're raising don't get donated? Would some people not get served by your organization? Would your office need to close some of the hours you're currently open? Is it a dire situation and you'd have to lay off staff or possibly close down? Word it carefully, but do let people know just how much you are relying on them. Be persuasive, but don't blame them for potential future difficulties.
Quick Tip
Use mail merge. No one wants to read a letter that says "Dear Donor". There is nothing as effective as using a person's own name.
Send Response Materials with Your Letter
Here's a sample
Always make it as easy as possible for your donors to send you their donation. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a donor response card with the information that you'd like to have returned to you.
This set here was simple to make at Zazzle. You can find thousands of templates, update the information you want (I used an RSVP invitation card), and usually you can find matching address labels as well. You can also start from scratch. If you have a logo you wan to use, it's easy to create personalized stationary at Zazzle. They also have fantastic bulk discounts!
Quick Tip
Get your pen out. Have a director physically sign each and every letter to give it a personal touch.
Great Books on Letter Campaigns
Educate yourself in the art of fundraising letter campaigns. Here are some great (affordable!) books to get you started.
Vote Again!
Come on, it's good clean fun...
Loading poll. Please Wait...
How to Close your Donation Request Letter
Wrapping it up with class
Within your letter, you want to make a donation "sandwich". You've started with vision and goals, you led into a specific request and now you're going to end with thanks and humility. This creates the smooth entrance and positive exit that you want surrounding your request for funds.- 1Thank them for whatever support they can give, financial or otherwise. Donors aren't required to give, so give them the opportunity to feel good about their role even if it's not possible to give at this time. Always esteem your potential donors to earn their loyalty to your organization. Ask them to continue to support you by wishing you well, contacting you if they know of potential donors or volunteers or even just continuing to speak well of your organization in public or to community leaders they may network with.
- 2Reinforce. The final sentences of your letter give you the chance to reinforce the belief in your mission, the hope you have in your vision, the importance of the donor reading the letter and the specific need you have for funds. Keep it sweet, positive, gracious and humble.
My Other Non Profit Lenses
Quick Tip
Resist the urge to create donor prizes (like shirts, mugs, etc). While these items work great for volunteer appreciation, donors tend to be put off by the thought that donated funds are used to purchase gifts simply to reward giving.
Share your thoughts on writing donation request letters
Ask questions, share what's on your mind
-
-
dann7trdro
May 22, 2012 @ 1:39 pm | delete
- i have tried it for couple of times
-
-
-
lukeminer
Oct 24, 2011 @ 1:01 am | delete
- If you need help fundraising online, check out the free website some friends and I have been building. It helps people have a central place to fundraise and is completely free... Find it the link on my Fundraising lens...
-
-
-
NewSuitTheatre
Jul 25, 2011 @ 7:55 am | delete
- This is some very valuable and constructive information. Thank you so much for sharing!
-
-
-
TapIn2U May 31, 2011 @ 10:51 am | delete
- This will come in handy, I know it. Thanks for the helpful tips. Great job on this lens! Hey, do you need a daily dose of happy quotes? Check out my newest lens, "Happy Quotes Happiness" and find hundreds of happy quotes. Be happy and share your thoughts, too! Thanks. Sundae ;-)
-
"Like" Dramatically Correct on Facebook
More ideas on fundraising and nonprofit arts management
Facebook Fan box widget may not always appear in the Workshop. Please preview or publish your lens to see the widget.
by avgsuperheroine
I'm Bonnie, the founder of Dramatically Correct. I'm a former costume designer who's volunteered in community theatre for over 17 years and have worked... more »
- 52 featured lenses
- Winner of 20 trophies!
- Top lens » Free Printable Garage Sale Price Stickers and Signs
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- Community Theatre Fundraising Ideas Community Theatre Fundraising Ideas
- Marketing Tools and Web Apps for Nonprofits Marketing Tools and Web Apps for Nonprofits
- Volunteer Gifts and Volunteer Appreciation Ideas Volunteer Gifts and Volunteer Appreciation Ideas
- Restaurant Fundraising Made Easy Restaurant Fundraising Made Easy
- Custom Invitations For Your Fundraising Event Custom Invitations For Your Fundraising Event
- Easy Fundraising Ideas Easy Fundraising Ideas
Dramatically Correct Living (My Blog)
Fundraising Book
How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, with CD (The Jossey-Bass Nonprofit Guidebook Series)
Amazon Price: $21.23 (as of 05/30/2012)
Fundraising Letter Templates
The Complete Book of Model Fundraising Letters
Amazon Price: $8.91 (as of 05/30/2012)
