Many times, people avoid making donations not because they do not want to, but because they are unsure where their donated funds will end up. So, when writing a donation appeal, you must emphasize and focus on the reason for which you are requesting the donation.
Writing effective donation appeals is a valuable skill in the nonprofit sector. A well-written letter of appeal can result in new or continuous donations for your organization and help to spread the word about the great work your company is doing in the community.
If this is your first time to write an appeal letter for donation, don’t worry! We’re here to provide a step-by-step guide for writing a compelling and effective letter of appeal.
What is an Appeal Letter for Donation?
A donation appeal letter is typically written by a Non-Governmental Organization/Non-Profit Organization to their donors or the general public. These donation appeal letters are written to solicit charitable contributions from individuals.
The cause for which a donation is required varies depending on the organization’s main project. It could range from assisting the poor in obtaining proper sanitation facilities to ensuring that every child in the country receives an adequate education.
When to send an Appeal Letter for Donation?
A donation appeal letter can be used to raise funds, raise awareness, or request items for a silent auction or fundraising event. Here a few examples of when to send an appeal letter for donation:
- Online auctions
- Fundraising events
- Sponsorship tent
- Friends and family recruitment
- Charity sporting events
- Annual galas
- Ticket donations
How to Write a Strong Appeal Letter for Donation
Whether you start from scratch or use one of our templates, these donation appeal letter best techniques will make your donation appeal stand out from the pack.
- Know who you’re writing to
Begin by determining who your target recipient is. Do some research if you’re unsure who to address your letter to. Visit the company’s website to find out who the agency’s CEO is. Most websites have a “about us” section where you can find the best points of contact.
- Personalize
Personalization relies heavily on tone. If you’re writing a company appeal letter, the tone should be more formal. If you’re writing a personal appeal letter to friends, family, or other peers, you can be more casual. If you use the wrong tone, you will end up alienating some donors while completely ignoring your request.
- Put the donor as top authority
Determine what motivates the person to whom you’re writing. This is essential when creating an emotional appeal that will persuade them to donate to your cause. Sometimes you’ll need to use an emotional approach, while other times you’ll need to focus on priority and speed. Play on the source of motivation behind your target recipient’s motives.
- Deliver a focused appeal
It’s best if you can emphasize a specific individual or group of people and the influence your organization has had on their lives when telling your company’s story.
- Highlight specific advantages of donating
When it comes to giving money away, many people act like business owners and investors. They want to know that every money will be spent wisely, converted into something valuable, and yield a return on investment.
In your appeal letter, describe the impact of each gift or commitment level, describing both the tangible and intangible benefits of donating to your fundraising efforts.
- Take advantage of the urgency
With so many demands on time and money, some letter recipients, particularly corporations, need to feel compelled to contribute.
- Be direct and concise
Before you begin writing, ask yourself, “What is the primary objective of this appeal letter?” Make certain that your donation requirements and requests are both clear and specific.
- Know when to send
Understanding how your prospective donors make decisions can help you decide when to send donation appeal letters. If you’re going to send a donation appeal letter for a campaign, send the first message a few days before the campaign starts. Send a follow-up letter halfway through the campaign and a final letter a day or two before it ends.
Sample and Template
Simply create your own appeal letter for donation by using this sample and template as your guide.
Appeal Letter for Donation Template
[Organization]
[Address]
[Date]
[Organization]
[Address]
[Subject]
Respected Sir/Ma’am,
Please keep in mind our humble request in our project [mention the project] to assist students who are bright in their studies but fall behind financially. These students are truly gifted in what they do and exhibit a wide range of abilities. Unfortunately, they are almost always unable to pursue their dreams due to a lack of resources. We are putting together a money collection program to assist them in this regard. The financial assistance provided to the children will aid them in their future studies.
The progressive aspect is that the project is a positive symbol for society and can serve as a torch bearer for all future projects in this line. We hope that people like you, who have always supported social causes like this, will support our project as well. We hope to receive a positive response and donation from you in order to make this project a huge success and a model for future generations to follow.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Organization]
Appeal Letter for Donation Example
Skyway Foundation
San Diego, California
January 26, 2020
Dream Wave Inc.
San Francisco, California
Subject: Appeal Letter for Donation
Respected Sir/Ma’am,
This is to bring to your attention that we, the Skyway Foundation, based in San Diego, California, are planning to establish a fund to provide annual scholarships to deserving students who complete their academic studies with flying colors. It is intended to boost morale and provide maximum financial support so that they can serve as role models for others to follow. Higher education frequently requires an exorbitant amount of money, which students cannot afford. As a result, they frequently drop out without pursuing further education. As a result, we decided to take action and establish a Scholarship Fund to assist such students.
We have contacted several high profile people in our city to assist us in this venture in order to smooth the process. You are among them. As the person who spearheads all such movements, it is our pride and prestige to approach you for the successful ongoing procedures of this project and request that you make generous contributions to the fund in order for it to be a grand success. The project’s estimated cost is nearly $200,000.00. We hope that you will be able to contribute some funds to assist these students and provide them with a bright future. Any amount donated is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use. We hope you will consider our small request and assist us in reaching our goal.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Anne Virrey
You May Also Be Interested In:
- Appeal Letter for Reconsideration
- Appeal Letter for Suspension from Work
- Appeal Letter for Scholarship
- Appeal Letter for Property Tax
Key Takeaways
- A well-written letter of appeal can result in new or ongoing donations for your institution.
- When writing a donation appeal letter, you must emphasize and focus on the reason for which the donation is being requested.
- Keep your appeal letter for donation simple and concise.
- To avoid alienating some donors, do not use the wrong tone while totally disregarding your request.