Sample letters asking for donations may be amply available online. However, seldom do they have the tips and the guidelines for writing one. Check out this article for some sample donation letters, and how they should be written.
Any cause is incomplete without a considerable amount of monetary support. Whether you are preparing for a fundraiser, a social event or are a non-profit organization, sizable donations or sponsors are always required. Even though it may not be tough for you find a donor for your cause, approaching him/her can be a completely different story, which is why, it is important to know how and when to go ahead. The main issue is to reach out to the donors in an appropriate manner. If you cannot have a face-to-face discussion with your prospective donor, asking for a donation through a letter can also help. Even if you choose to ask for a donation over the phone, an aptly written donation request letter needs to follow.
Tips for Writing a Donation Request Letter
~ Identify your prospective donor, and collect his/her correct details including name, address, telephone number, occupation, place of work, and so on.
~ When writing a donation request letter, make sure that it is brief as well as informative.
~ The language should be as simple as possible, but the purpose of your letter should stand out.
~ Never stipulate the amount of donation. However, words such as ‘generous’ or ‘proportionate’ may suffice.
~ Provide all the required details, so that the reader is convinced that you are genuine.
~ Cite your motto and mission statement at the start of the letter itself.
~ Use a polite, but a confident and a positive tone throughout the letter. Ensure that you make the reader feel important, so that the chances of his/her contributing to your cause are maximized.
~ In the end, do not forget to thank the reader in advance for considering and giving his/her valuable time to your request.
If you have a pre-designed letterhead of your organization, use it to write a donation request letter. Otherwise, you can type your and your organization’s details on the top of a plain, preferably A4 sheet.
Sample Letters for Requesting Donations
Sample Letter #1
Letter requesting donation to a charity, working towards the cause of providing proper health and hygiene facilities to children.
Raymond C. Picard
Kids CareNation
1033 Joseph Street
West Allis, WI 53227
262-854-7707
Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Joe J. Casey
4301 Strother Street
Birmingham, AL 35222
Subject: Request for donation to a children’s charity
Dear Mr. Casey,
I, the undersigned, am writing to you on behalf of “Kids CareNation”, a non-profit organization, working towards the cause of providing adequate health and hygiene facilities to the African children. I am the coordinator of the fundraising campaign that we organize every year, to gather funds which can be utilized towards our cause.
You can send in your donation, either by check, or by demand draft, drawn in favor of ‘Kids CareNation, WI’. You may also donate using your debit/credit card through our website ‘www.CNWI.abc’. All the money generated through our campaign will be used to provide healthy and hygienic food to children, especially from African countries where the rate of undernourishment is high. A significant portion of the proceeds will also go towards providing deprived children with adequate medical aid and a cleaner environment. With the help of donations which we received last year, we have been able to make a difference to the lives of about 1,500 children.
I thank you in anticipation for considering our request for donating funds for the sake of underprivileged children. Together, we can make their lives much easier and better. If you have any queries about our organization or our work, please feel free to contact us at the address or the telephone number provided above.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely
(Signature)
Raymond C. Picard
Sample Letter #2
Donation request letter from a non-profit concern striving to provide mainstream education and recreational facilities to unprivileged children.
Bernard I. Smith
Hope Children’s Center
3306 Glenwood Avenue
Shaker Heights, OH 44120
216-283-9518
Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Justin B. Petrie
1190 Valley Lane
Austin, TX 78746
Subject: Request for donation
Dear Mr. Petrie,
I am writing on behalf of the “Hope Children’s Center”. Since quite a few years, we have been providing thousands of children in our community with free access to counseling, after-school tutoring, mentoring, and recreational programs. This has been made possible by the numerous generous donations we have received from our aware citizens.
Last year, the donations helped purchase new books for our growing library, and we also started a scholarship fund to aid deserving children pay for their school/college. We also celebrated the high school graduation of 11 of our children; 7 of whom began their post-secondary studies during this fall. However, none of this would have been possible without the generosity and support of people like you. This year, our goal is to raise an adequate amount to purchase new sports equipment, and have the outdoor playing field cleaned up and landscaped for recreational use. Studies have shown that children who participate in sports are more likely to succeed as adults. We hope to give this advantage to our children.
We hope you will join us in our mission of educating our next generation, and providing them with recreational amenities. Donations can be made via our website ‘www.hcc.abc’. You can also send a check payable to ‘Hope Children’s Center’ at the address mentioned above. In case of any queries, do contact us at the email id, ‘[email protected]’ or at the telephone number mentioned above.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Bernard I. Smith
Sample Letter #3
Letter requesting the donation of funds in order to help hurricane victims.
Mellissa J. Nolan
Holy Spirit Trust
2538 Goldie Lane
Cincinnati, OH 45214
513-418-8107
Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Kevin M. Rodriguez
647 Langtown Road
Cascade, IA 52033
Subject: Request to raise funds for hurricane victims
Dear Mr. Rodriguez,
I, Mellissa Nolan, am the Senior Coordinator of the “Holy Spirit Trust”. Our headquarters are based in Ohio, and we have branches all across the country. We work for helping people affected by natural calamities in different parts of the country.
The recent hurricane that struck large parts of Virginia has greatly disrupted the lives of the people. Most of them have lost significant parts of their properties as well. Our mission is to help these people reorganize their lives. This is the cause for which we are seeking donations from generous people like you, so that our mission can be accomplished, and we succeed in spreading the message of humanity.
Once again, it is our humble appeal to kindly make a generous donation for the hurricane victims. You can send in your donations through our website, ‘www.hst.abc’ or a check in favor of ‘Holy Spirit Trust, Ohio’. You can contact us in case of any queries at the email id, ‘[email protected]’.
Thanking you for your generous consideration.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Mellissa J. Nolan
Sample Letter #4
Letter requesting the donation of items for a charity auction.
Cornelius G. Humphrey
Master Builder Design Services
3774 Wilmar Farm Road
Lanham, MD 20706
240-246-6168
Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Patricia J. Shipp
1013 Marcus Street
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Subject: Request for the donation of items for a charity auction
Dear Ms. Shipp,
The annual charity auction held by “Master Builder Design Services” attracts large crowds every year, and with the proceeds of the sales at the auction, we help in the treatment of cancer patients. We rely largely on our friends like you, who belong to the business community, for the items that are auctioned at the venue.
Your valued donations will not only benefit us, but will also earn you a lot of goodwill that will result from your generosity. You can thus be a part of our program that aims to help the people affected by cancer, by paying for their treatment. Together, we can serve the cause of humanity by saving lives.
You will be shortly contacted by someone from our committee, to discuss further details relating to the donation. We appreciate your generous support and for believing in us and our mission.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely,
(Signature)
Cornelius G. Humphrey
Sample Letter #5
Letter asking for a sponsorship donation for an event.
Damian P. Williams
Artist Fusion
2497 Harrison Street
Oakland, CA 94612
415-532-5254
Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Chester C. Sanders
369 Better Street
Lenexa, KS 66219
Subject: Request for an event sponsorship donation
Dear Mr. Sanders,
Like each year, in 2013 too, “Artist Fusion” is organizing its much-awaited annual event featuring folk artists from all across the globe, who will exhibit and sell their creations at the venue. Our aim behind organizing the event is to bring more and more folk artists to the forefront, and to provide them with the exposure that they deserve. Our motive is also to save some of the dying folk arts.
This is an out-and-out no profit, no loss charity event, and hence we need your esteemed support for the same. We hereby request you to be a part sponsor of the event, and support our cause. As a sponsor, your banners will be placed at strategic positions at the venue, and there will also be verbal announcements of your products.
Thank you for your consideration and we hope that we can count on you for the support of our cause. Our representative will shortly get in touch with you regarding the same. If you have any queries in the meantime, feel free to call us on the telephone number mentioned above or on the email id, ‘[email protected]’.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Damian P. Williams
Once the donor makes a payment, do not forget to send him/her a thank you letter along with the acknowledgment/receipt of the donation. This adds to the transparency of your transactions. Later on, also let your donors know how the funds donated by them were utilized, and what the results were. This might encourage them to make further donations to your organization.
Disclaimer: The identities used in this article are fictitious. Any association with actual people, is purely coincidental.
