Writing a letter asking for donations is a great fundraising strategy for nonprofits. A lot can be expressed through writing, including details about your organization and the story behind your cause. A great fundraising letter can be difficult to write, but these tips and sample fundraising letter should help get you started.
Be Professional
Always use high-quality paper when printing your letter asking for donations. Your company letterhead with your logo and address should be prominently displayed at the top. Write using professional sounding language and be thorough, but concise.
Choose Your Content Wisely
Begin with a proper greeting and address the person by name. Check to make sure you have the correct person, spelling of their name, and title within their organization. Next, introduce your organization with a brief description of what your nonprofit does and the impact you have on the community. If the contact is already familiar with you and has donated in the past, use this space to thank them instead. Mention previous donations and support they have given.
The main body of the letter should address the reasons you are writing. Give them information about why you are requesting funds and what they will be used for. Or if you are requesting non-monetary items, be specific about what items you need and how many. Explain how they can benefit from a contribution with a tax benefit or recognition. Be direct about your request and thank them for considering your offer. Make sure you include your contact information and where/how to send in a donation.
Sample Donation Request Letter
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I am writing on behalf of XYZ Children’s Center. We provide after-school care and activities for local youth and offer programs to teach them leadership skills and provide career-building opportunities.
We are in need of new equipment for our computer lab, which is used for resume building and writing development. In order to provide up to date computer equipment, we depend on the generous support of community leaders like you.
You can help by contributing $100-$1,000 that will be applied directly to our computer lab and used by the children in the after-school program. We hope that you will consider joining us in our efforts to offer educational opportunities to the kids in (city). Thank you for your support and consideration.
Donations can be sent to:
XYZ Children’s Center
1234 Center Street
City, State, 00001
Sincerely,
Your name, Title
Contact Phone Number
Simply Sheets Fundraising
Get more fundraising tips and information about writing a letter asking for donations and how we can help with your next event by visiting Simply Sheets Fundraising. You’ll find lots of helpful articles on our blog to improve your fundraising efforts, and answers to common questions.