A donation letter must be short, precise, and effective. Such a letter must express the organization or individual’s reasons for requesting for funds and the cause that requires support.
Almost every not-for-profit organization requires funds at some point in time. A feasible way to generate the required funds is to ask for donation. Since every charitable organization functions for a specific cause, the donation letter must immediately direct the attention of the recipient towards the cause for which the donation is being requested.
Various types of donation letter formats can be used, since every cause, organization and person being requested for a donation is different. A donation letter that is written keeping in mind the aims of the organization in need and the prospective philanthropists, is likely to be received more positively .
This brings us to the main point as to what should be included in a template for donation letter? Even though the help of professional writers and consultants can be sought to frame such letters, it is not an economically feasible option for every organization.
Here are some donation letter templates that will give you a clearer idea on how to frame a letter that fits the needs of your organization and its aims.
| Letterhead of The Organization |
| Your Name Your Address Date Name of Addressee Sub: Request for donation. Dear Mr/Ms. [Name of Recipient], I, the undersigned am writing on behalf of [your organization’s name]. Our organization is (explain in short about the organization). We need to raise funds to (describe the organization’s need or mission). We need your help with our upcoming (state your event; auction, charity event) to benefit (your program), which is to be held on [date] at [location], from [time]. We need funds to help provide (scholarships, prices, meals etc). We would appreciate a donation of $ [amount expected] or donation items such as a gift card). Your generous donation will be publicly acknowledged at our event through promotional announcements, fliers, a logo and prominent note in our program, and (detail other benefits they’ll receive). To learn more about our cause or our event, please contact us at [telephone number] or [e-mail id]. We feel that your business will continue to benefit from the community goodwill generated by your kind donation to our cause. Thank you for taking our request into consideration and we look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, [Signature] [Your Name] [Designation] |
If you would like an editable version of the same, here is a downloadable copy of a donation letter template that you may use.
| Letterhead of The Organization |
| Organization Name Organization Address Date Name of Addressee Sub: Request for donation. Dear Mr/Ms. [Name], I, the undersigned am writing on behalf of [your organization]. We are a 501(c) nonprofit organization which is devoted to the cause of providing needy families and single individuals with regular meals. We run a weekly soup kitchen that provides nutritious lunch as well as dinner to its members. We are calling upon prospective donors such as you, to contribute and help us achieve this years financial goal. In order to run the soup kitchen smoothly, we will need $ [expected amount], which will ensure that we do not run short of supplies such as vegetables, spices, eggs, milk, meat, utensils, and fuel. Kindly help us reach our financial mark through your generous donation. To learn more about our cause or our event, please contact us at [telephone number] or [e-mail id]. Please feel free to volunteer if you wish to see how we function and the number of people we feed. Your contribution shall be acknowledged and mentioned in our yearly [name of publication], which summarizes all the efforts we and the volunteers put into making our kitchen a success! We look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Thanking you. Sincerely, Your Name Designation |
Sample of Donation Letter for School
| Letterhead of The Organization |
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Organization Name
Organization Address Date Name of Addressee Sub: Request for donation. Dear Mr/Ms. [Name], I, the undersigned am writing on behalf of ‘BlueBell Town Welfare Committee’, an organization that is working for a free Arts, Crafts, and Dance school in our town. We estimate that today there are [specific number] of kids in our town that are passionate about art and dance, but have no opportunities to hone their talent. We, at BlueBell have taken up this cause on behalf of our town’s children, but we need your help. There are many community leaders and businessmen on our committee board, as well as volunteers helping us run the school. Our townspeople are excited and eager to see our dream project succeed. You too can be a part of this dream by supporting us with a donation. Please feel free to donate books, material, clothes, accessories, etc. related to art, crafts, and dance. You may even adopt a class and help support all their needs. You may pledge your donation on our website (mention web address). Our representatives will get in touch with you and do the needful. I would like to thank you for considering our request and becoming a part of our endeavor. If you have any queries regarding our fund management policy, various projects, or our organization, please feel free to contact me at the aforementioned address or send me an email. You are always welcome to visit our school and take a tour. Thanking you. Sincerely, Your Name Designation |
Sample Letter for Donation of Computers
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Letterhead of The Organization
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Organization Name
Organization Address Date Name of Addressee Sub: Request for donation. Dear Mr/Ms. [Name], I, the undersigned am writing on behalf of ‘Cause Computers Can Care’, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the cause of providing every child and student with a functional computer. It is absolutely unimaginable for many, to envision a life without a computer, laptop, and continual access to the Internet. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford this seemingly indispensable privilege. We at ‘Cause Computers Can Care’ have taken it upon ourselves to cater to the needs of the technologically unprivileged by providing them with a computer that fulfills their needs. Along with the computer, we provide the necessary accessories such as the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and Internet. We call upon your organization to help us achieve our goal. We are currently running short and need 807 computers, for those who are in the waiting list. Each of our applicants have been listed under our ‘Urgent Need List’ because, some of them have children who are in school and need to finish their homework and projects. Many of the applicants are single parents who apart from doing regular jobs, need to work from home as well in order to make ends meet. We thus request you to kindly donate your old laptops, computers, anti-virus software, or other accessories to our cause. Any faults in the machine are first rectified by us and thereafter given to the applicants. You may also contribute by donating money to our cause, as the amount received will be used for repairing the donated machines. We would love to have you aboard in case you have any ideas that you would like to share with us, and which will help improve the scale and reach of our project. We shall be glad to acknowledge your generous donation on our website and through our promotional activities. To learn more about our group and the project ‘Cause Computers Can Care’, you may visit out website or contact us at the information listed below. Thank you for taking our request into consideration and we look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Thanking you. Sincerely, Your Name Designation |
Things to Remember
✔ The request for donation must always be framed on the organization’s letterhead. This letterhead should contain the name, logo, address, phone number, e-mail address, and website of the organization.
✔ You being the beneficiary, must ensure that the letter requesting for donation contains all the necessary information. You must write the date of mailing accurately. The US postal regulations states that, in case of bulk mail the date of letter should be the same as the mailing date. Thus, if you do not know the date you are going to post the donation letter, make sure you mention the precise month and year so that the letter is in compliance with the US Postal requirements.
✔ You will need to write the address of the recipient, in accordance with a formal business letter format. Mentioning the exact recipient address will ensure that you reduce the chances of sending wrong letters to the wrong mailing address in case of bulk mails.
✔ When you begin the letter, make sure you use appropriate salutations such as ‘Dear Mr. Jones’. It is always better to use the name of the recipient in order to make the letter as specific as possible.
✔ Next, comes the body of the letter. This is the most important section of your letter, as it is where you explain the cause. This is where you connect with your readers. If your organization handles multiple projects, do not enlist all of them. You need to focus only on one cause or project. This will help the person get a specific ideas and how your organization has helped those in need.
✔ You must ask the prospective donor to make a financial gift to your organization. You may include a reply envelop so that they can readily respond to your plea.
✔ If the person has donated to your cause in past, make sure you acknowledge their earlier contributions.
✔ The donation letter should be signed and attested by the sender. Never leave the signature area blank. Include the designation of the sender below his/her name.
✔ If you wish, you may end the letter with a P.S. statement, that reinforces the message of the donation letter. Mention the date by which the donation needs to be received.
You may use these tips and draft your own sample letter requesting for donations. After you receive a donation, make sure you send a letter of thanks to the donor.
