Donor Letter Templates – Examples & Tips to Inspire Donors

Fundraiser event type picked? Check. Date set? Check. Venue secured? Check. Event promotion…?

Don’t forget one of the most important steps when planning a fundraiser: Letting people know that a fundraiser is coming!

Most people are willing to give to charities, so tapping into that generosity to support your nonprofit’s cause won’t be too difficult when you use a well-crafted letter to ask for donations. If you don’t consider yourself a writer, don’t worry. You can still craft a sympathetic letter to attract donations and support your organization’s charitable goals.

It’s easy when you use one of our donor letter templates. Customize them to fit your brand, then send them to prospective donors for your next fundraising event in direct mail, email, social media, and other types of online fundraising campaigns. The choice is yours!

Need fundraising ideas? Discover worthwhile fundraising initiative ideas on our blog.

Sample Donation Letter Templates

Donation request letters can increase response rates and help you achieve your fundraising goals – when you use them correctly. If you partner with us, you will have access to our FREE donor letter templates that you can customize to your heart’s content.

Just look at how some of our past partners have used our templates to reach their fundraising goals! Then, fill out the form below to receive any of our fundraiser templates, all at no cost to you.

Example 1 – General & Corporate Donation Letter Templates

Franklin Lodge 57 Donor Letter Public

Franklin Lodge 57 Donor Letter Corporate

Franklin Lodge No. 57 altered our template to request both corporate donations and general donations. By writing to two different audiences, Lodge No. 57 reached a wider range of prospective donors and was better able to use language in each letter that each audience would respond to best.

Example 2 – School Fundraising Letter Template

WHS- Fundraising Brick Donor Letter

Our template allows you to include hyperlinks in your donation appeal letters. That is how Washington High School was able to use our template to craft a donation appeal letter that they used in online fundraising campaigns. By using a hyperlink in their letter, WHS made the donation process incredibly easy. And the easier it is to donate, the more likely it is that someone will donate in the first place.

Example 3 – Thank You Letter Template

Brick-Thank-You

Stray Rescue of St. Louis used our templates to craft these thank you letters to thank their patrons for their kind donations. These letters (and the included gifts) help donors know just how valued they are and how their donations are being used to improve the lives of stray animals – all of which can make people feel more sympathetic to your cause and increase the odds that they donate to your nonprofit organization again in the future.

Need donor gift ideas? Discover ways to attract (and retain!) donors on our blog.

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3 Tips for Writing Nonprofit Fundraising Letters

Spread the news about an upcoming event to inspire potential donors to give charitable donations to your nonprofit organization.

1. Know Your Audience

First and foremost, ask yourself: Just who makes up your audience?

The answer to this question should set the tone of your letters. After all, some potential donors will appreciate a formal appeal that emphasizes your organization’s authority and prestige. Others, however, would appreciate a letter with a more lax tone, so that you appear more approachable and welcoming. Neither tone is wrong; it all simply depends on what you think your audience will respond to best.

2. Demonstrate Flexibility

If possible, add more options for people to give. Providing in-person, direct mail, and online donation options makes it easier for a wider range of people to donate. Specify in your letter how people can donate and, if possible, emphasize just how easy the donation process is.

3. Get the Community Involved

The more the merrier. Get the whole community involved in your fundraiser. For example, you can ask local businesses if they will pledge a matching gift to your cause. Or, if you are hosting an auction, you can ask if they will donate auction items.

Mention in your letter if you have any community partners. It will show your audience just how connected their community is and just how much attention your fundraiser is receiving. You may also reach a wider audience of prospective donors than if you launched your fundraiser solo.

Donation Letter Format – 5 Key Components

If you don’t consider yourself a “creative type,” then we’ll let you in on a secret: Even the wittiest donation requests all follow the same basic format. Learn that format, and you’ll have a top-notch donation request letter.

No donation request or appeal letter is complete without the following:

Salutations – First impressions are key, so start your letter off right – with an appropriate introduction. To nail the introduction, you need to know your audience: Will they respond better to a formal salutation, or will an informal, friendly greeting be more likely to get their attention?
Outline your organization’s needs – What exactly is your nonprofit hoping to achieve? What needs would this fundraiser meet? Make that information clear to readers right away.
Donation specifications – Be sure to specify just what type of donations your charitable organization is accepting, as well as if donations can be given online, by mail, or in person. If you are accepting financial support, leave a spot where your prospective donors can clearly specify their donation amount.
Contact information – Be sure to get the necessary information you need to properly process donations, such as the donor’s name, phone number, etc… but don’t forget to add your contact information, either. After all, if someone is on the fence about donating, you want to make yourself available to put their mind at ease and increase the odds that they give to your nonprofit organization.
Additional information – If you believe there are extra pieces of information that your audience needs to know, be sure to include that in your letter, too. For example, is your fundraiser a one-time event, or will it be the start of an annual charitable initiative?

Final Thoughts

Complementing your fundraising efforts with our free fundraising letter templates means you have an easy way to reach potential donors and inspire them to give to your nonprofit. No matter your fundraising needs, you can appeal to donors’ sense of charity and help make the world a better place, one fundraiser at a time, brick by brick.