Looking for a donation letter example tailored to help gain interest of a prospective donor? The following article will cover an example that will help you draft a letter for solicitation for donation according to your requirements.
Donation letter is the first step that helps raise the support in cash and kind for your cause. You need to draft donation request letters that help create interest in a prospective donor. How do you start a donation letter? What needs to be included in such a letter? If these are the questions going through your mind, then the following examples will help answer them all.
How to Write a Donation Letter
A solicitation letter for donation needs to contain a few important points must in every fundraising letter.
The first important thing to include in a donation letter for charity is the name and contact information of the organization. The reader should know who is sending them the letter and from where. Mention the person of contact and his contact number, in case the donor is interested in a donation.
Next, comes the date of mailing. This is followed by typing the address of donor like all standard business letters. However, you can skip this part if you wish and move on directly to the salutation. You should use the correct salutation and do not just mention ‘Dear Friend’. Make the letter more personal by addressing the letter by the prospective donors name. You can use either the last name or the first name of the donor, depending on your audience.
You need to begin with your letter and use about 5 to 7 lines that help you connect with the reader. You should write the first paragraph with some interesting headlines that are just about 1 or 2 lines. Use attention-getting words that grab the reader’s eye. For example, ‘Just imagine’, ‘Without a doubt’, ‘Please don’t overlook’. You can even start with an open-ended question at the beginning of the letter. These questions should be drafted in such a way that the person automatically gives and answer to it.
You can use sentences that state facts and statistics. If you are asking for donations for a fun-filled event, use a light-hearted sentence, like ‘Mayfair County Fair – The fun-filled event we have all been waiting for is just around the corner’. You can use a message or true story about a person or situation your organization has helped. These accomplishments are to be used to engage the user in reading your letter and offer donations and thus, do not brag about your achievements.
After completing the body, you need to ask the prospective donor for donations. When asking for monetary donations, you should not ask for a financial contribution directly. Instead, you need to make it clear about what you are asking for and how the reader can respond to it. This means speak about the need and how the money will help someone. It is seen, people respond to financial donations when they are sure their money is going to be put to good use. You can even include a reply envelope with your address printed over it, to help the reader respond easily. You need to show gratitude to the reader by thanking them for a donation. You can include acknowledgment for their previous contributions, if any, and mention how it helped ‘make a difference’ to your cause.
If you are hosting an event or need things for a particular event, the letter has to be written slightly different. Here, focus on the event more and try to get the attention of the reader. Ask the reader whether they would like to donate something for an auction or sponsor a stand. Many times you can just invite the reader to your event and speak about the admission fee. Tell the reader that the nominal charge will be donated to your charity. Apart from money and other things, donation letters can also ask for volunteers for a particular event.
Donation Letter Sample
| Non Profit Donation Letter |
| Date
Dear (name of prospective donor), On October 7 – October 24, Bobby Brown University (BBU) will hold the Fifth Annual Charity Fest. This fest was established in 2006 by Professor Jack Hill, the Head of the Department, Study of Infectious Diseases, to honor and continue the fight against the AIDS virus and other infectious diseases. Each year hundreds of BBU students take part in this fest. The main attractions of this fair are dancing, games, talks about the prevention and treatment of the diseases, and a food fest, all in order to raise money for the St. Angels Infectious Disease Center at Lord James K. Steel Hospital in Maryworld. Our organization raised money through pledges from family and friends, garage sale, and a various other forms of donations. The cost of hosting the Fest is covered through Corporate donations. Therefore, all the money raised by the participants of the fest directly benefits the patients of St. Angels. BBU Annual Charity Fest is one of the fastest growing student run philanthropic events in the nation. When it began in 2006, the Fest raised $25,000. Last year, in 2009, over $526,000 was donated to the patients at St. Angels. I am proud to be a part of Bobby Brown University’s Annual Charity Fest and would appreciate any support you are able to offer. I have made a commitment to this cause, and we cannot continue our tradition of success without help from family and friends. I have set a personal goal to raise $ _____ by October 12th, and I sincerely appreciate any donation you are able to offer, please remember that any amount helps! All donations are tax-deductible. All checks should be made payable to Bobby Brown University’s Fifth Annual Charity Fest. Please send your donation to: (your address). Please feel free to call me at (xxx-xxxx) if you have any questions regarding Bobby Brown University’s Fifth Annual Charity Fest or St. Angels Infectious Disease Center. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, (Your Name) |
| Thank You Donation Letter |
| Date
Dear [name of donor]: On behalf of Bobby Brown University’s Fifth Annual Charity Fest I would like to thank you for your generous gift of $__________. Your commitment to help St. Angels Infectious Disease Center is sincerely appreciated. Each year Bobby Brown University’s Annual Charity Fest continues to advance its mission of helping patients with AIDS and other infectious diseases. Through our Annual Charity Fest, we have seen many lives changed for the better. In particular, the BBU’s Annual Charity Fest has enjoyed great success in the past years. When it began in 2006, the Fest raised $25,000. This year, in 2010, over $624,000 was donated towards the welfare of the patients at St. Angels. The goal of the Bobby Brown University’s Annual Charity Fest is to continue to make a difference in the lives of patients at St. Angels. With the help of donations from supporters such as you we will continue to see improvements in the lives of patients with infectious diseases. Thanks again for your generous support of our efforts to create awareness, prevention and treatment of AIDS and other infectious diseases. Best wishes, (Signature) |
The closing salutations should include the traditional ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Kind regards’. The letter needs to be signed by a signing authority and do not use a digital signature. Below the signature you need to type in the full name of the person who is sending the letter. Below the name type the title or designation of the sender. End the letter with a P.S. statement to help reinforce your request for a donation.
