How to Write a Letter asking for Donations?
How to write a fundraising letter asking for donations? In the article below you’ll find the main requirements of how to compose a letter to ask for a donation.

Using e-mail as means of raising money has become much more popular because the cost of exchanging such letters is much lower than using usual snail mail or phone talks and the information exchange happens momentarily.
Use our tips in order to know how to write a letter asking for donations.
How to write a letter for donations using 4 different ways?
There are several the most effective methods how to write a fundraising letter asking for a donation:
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Fan mailing is a large circulation of letters, which you send to the e-mail addresses from a certain database.
This is quite an easy way but you should mind that its efficiency is not more than 3-5%.
- Addressed mailing is the exchange of messages with the already existing sponsors or organizations, about which you know something specific, or with people, who are familiar with your organization.
- No-address letters usually mean the message to the mass media, when you can call for donations from many people and organizations.
- Charity actions are the specially organized events when the charity money is donated (a concert, an auction, a presentation of a program or the project of your organization).
How to write a fundraising letter asking for donations?
The fundraising letter consists of 3 parts:
- In the first one, introductory part, you explain your choice of the addressee and provide the reader with some arguments why you are sure that this person can help you in the best possible way and has enough possibilities to do it.
- In the second part, the main one, you describe in brief the problem or the situation, which requires a solution, announce the plan how to decrease its urgency and information about your experience in this sphere.
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Write about the organization, its goals, and mission.
Describe in brief some history of the company and its main stages of development.
- Enumerate the main company’s achievements and provide with the statistics concerning any fulfilled mission.
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Remind the addressee about the donations and let him know that your organization has done a lot of good lately.
Let him understand how much he can influence on the further good you are able to do.
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In the third part, conclusion, you request the donation because of which you actually wrote the whole request.
Do not offer any favors in return: the addressee will write his offers to you, if there are any.
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Provide him with the information why the goal’s achievement is so important and valuable for the organization.
Explain the physical result, which the goal may cause for the organization.
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Tell the reader about the ways how he can donate to your organization.
Provide him with a link to the website, where he can send his donations; give him the e-mail address, where he can send a check; mention the telephone number, which he may use to transfer money from the credit card.
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How to write a conclusion in a fundraising letter asking for donations?
How to compose a fundraising letter properly?
At the end of a fundraising letter thank the reader for his time and attention.
It’s very important to leave a positive impression in order to convince him to make a donation.
Even if the reader is not ready to donate for this certain goal, perhaps, he’ll donate in the future.
That’s why it’s important to let him know that you value his time much.
How to write a fundraising letter asking for donations paying special attention to the language and style?
The language of the letter, where you ask for a donation, must be very simple and clear:
- It is not desirable to use special terms, which only specialists can understand;
- Try to make complex sentences simple;
- Use colloquial language;
- Be relatively emotional;
- The letters asking for donations must be written from the first person of the company;
- Thoroughly check whether you wrote correctly the names and surnames, make sure you have no grammar, spelling and other mistakes.
How to write a letter to ask for a donation?
Pieces of advice on how to write a fundraising letter asking for a donation:
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Look through the last requests which called for donations.
Use the similar phrases and style of those, which brought good results.
Many organizations use the former fundraising letters as a scheme how to write all new ones.
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Your e-mail must certainly have a logo, so that people recognized you at once.
Very often people associate the companies and organizations with their logos.
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Define the sum of money you wish to gather.
Besides, you may suggest the potential charity giver to define the sum of donation on his own.
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Before you send the request make sure it is marked with white.
In case you use the fundraising platform like fundraise.com, it will do it for you.
- Do not write too long letters because they are not as effective as short ones.
How to write and format a letter to ask for donations?
The requirements of how to format the letter to ask for donations are the following:
- A fundraising letter asking for donations, which is officially sent by the organization, is formatted just like the official document of any other company, organization, establishment.
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It is desirable the letter was written on the official blank with the standard information.
If the organization does not have its own blanks, one should print the information, which the standard blank usually contains.
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Write the request only on the paper of high quality.
The letter which was written on the gray, crumpled piece of paper by the uneven handwriting and a green pen demonstrates disrespect to the addressee and low level of professionalism.
- Use a good technique and if you do not have one, turn for the help to those, who do – these will be the future sponsors of your project.
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Thank a reader for his time and attention. It is very important to produce a good impression.
Even if the reader is not ready to donate, perhaps he’ll do it in the future.
That’s why he must know how much you value his time.
- Write the contact information of the head of the charity organization and the supervisor of the project, which whom a potential sponsor can discuss all his questions and details of cooperation.
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It is advised to write and explain why this message is directed to this very person.
You must single out all advantages, which the addressee can expect if he agrees to take part in the project.
However, you should do it very delicately and nicely, lest you offended the reader with such hints.
How to write a letter asking for a donation by composing the information sheet?
You must add to the fundraising letter a document, which contains the main information about your organization.
Businessmen are usually very busy and they have very little time to read the mail, and you should not overload them with the unnecessary information.
At this page you should mention the answers to all possible questions: who founded the organization, what directions of activity are there, which programs you support, which services you provide with, how successful you are, your contact numbers and address.
Give the facts briefly and clearly.
Make sure you mentioned in the description of your projects the date before which you need the financial help from this very sponsor.
How to write a fundraising letter asking for a donation?
Realize how effective this instrument is to attract the required resources.
It may work only in case you write it skillfully and thoughtfully.
The request for donations must be supported by the arguments; it must be personal, precise, presuppose mutual benefit and describe the real state of affairs.
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