How to craft a winning donation request letter (free templates!)

Whether you’re looking for donations from supporters, businesses, or even friends, the key to success is in the ask. But how can you ensure you’re making the request as effectively as possible? 

It all comes down to your donation request letter. A strong donation request letter is a simple yet powerful tool for raising money and generating support for your cause. 

Below, we’ll walk through the essential steps for crafting a compelling donation letter request. From selecting recipients to striking the right tone and including pertinent information, there are simple steps you can follow to keep on track and increase your chances of success. 

Nonprofit donation request letter crash course

Before you jump in, get clear on why you’re writing. Whether you’re writing a request for a donation letter, a grant proposal, or even a novel, the most effective persuasive writing conveys your “why” with every sentence. 

🤔 What it is: A donation request letter is a formal solicitation for money or in-kind donations. It’s a straightforward way to ask for donations—often from businesses, but also from individuals, families, schools, or other organizations. 

👀 What it looks like: Typically one or two pages long, a donation request letter allows you to connect with a potential donor, make a direct ask, and highlight the benefits of giving—all in one neatly packaged message. You can make your request via direct mail, email, or both. 

💪Pro Tip: Consider sending your initial request by direct mail and following up via email.  According to research, campaigns that used direct mail combined with one or more forms of digital media are 118% more likely to succeed than campaigns that only used direct mail. 

💌 Who can send: All kinds of groups write donation letters, from churches making requests to their congregation to sports teams seeking corporate sponsorships. Use a donation request letter to notify supporters of a fundraising event, ask for online donations, or build a donor base for an upcoming program activity.

⭐ Benefits of sending: Although more formal than other types of fundraising, donation letters still pack a punch. Plus, donors don’t feel put on the spot like they might with an in-person request. Just don’t forget to follow up!  

When to send a letter asking for donations

You can write a donation request letter to raise money, build awareness, or request items for a silent auction or fundraising event. Large corporate sponsors receive a high volume of requests for donations, so many post an online form on their website where you will fill out predetermined fields. Other times, you’ll build your donation request from scratch—like a cold call. 

Here are a few examples of when to send a donation request:

• Fundraising events 🎭  Reach out to a major league soccer team to see if you can host a charitable obstacle course race in their stadium.
• Charity sporting events 🏌 Ask local cafes and coffee shops to contribute gift cards to include in goodie bags for your charity golf tournament.
• Sponsorship tents 🎪 If you’re hosting a 5K run/walk for cancer awareness, ask the local shoe store to sponsor a tent.
• Friends and family recruitment 👪 Each year, you fundraise for a local elementary school. Send a donation request to your family and friends, encouraging them to support the cause. 
• Ticket donations 💸 Your brother-in-law's firm holds season tickets for your local professional hockey team. Craft a letter he can share on your behalf requesting the firm contribute two tickets to auction off at your annual fundraiser.
• Annual galas 💃 If you’re planning a gala to raise money for your organization, ask an upscale restaurant to donate an exclusive dining experience for a raffle prize.
• Online auctions 🎰  Email a local resort manager asking them to donate a high-ticket auction item your nonprofit can auction off, like a two-night stay in their luxury suite. 

How to write a strong donation request letter

Every fundraising appeal will sound slightly different, but the building blocks of an effective donation request letter format are always the same. A great example of a donation request letter for nonprofit organizations includes the following elements:

• An eye-catching header 🌈 Feature your organization or campaign name prominently, ideally with a high-resolution version of your logo.
• Your contact information 📱 Include the address and phone number of your organization. We highly recommend also including your website, email address, and personal contact name. This lets potential donors easily follow up and verify your legitimacy. Be sure to triple-check that all your information is accurate!
• An appropriate greeting 👋 For general requests to prospective donors, a friendly but professional opening is great, like “Dear Amanni.” For corporate philanthropy requests, opt for a more formal salutation like “Dear Mr. Weaver.”
• Any connections you have 🔗 If you’re reaching out to a previous donor, acknowledge the impact of their donations. If you’re writing to someone new, explain how you’re connected and tell your story. If you have a large database of supporters, use donor segments to group them into similar profiles. This way, your outreach letters include some personalization without having to craft thousands of new responses.
• Your appeal 🙏 Your fundraising appeal is the bulk of your letter, but you should still keep it brief. Capture your reader’s attention, clarify why you’re reaching out, and build up to your call to action—the actual request for a donation. Paint a picture with success stories, compelling facts, testimonials, and more.
• The main call to action 👈 Once your reader understands what’s at stake, it’s time to make your ask. This may be financial support, free services, in-kind donations, or other charitable donations. Make your request specific, clear, and easy to act on. Remember to provide instructions on next steps. 
• Additional information 📄 Include any relevant campaign perks or info, like a limited-time matching gift offer or other ways to support your cause. Charitable organizations might want to highlight tax benefits, for instance.
• A sign-off 🙏 End the letter by extending your gratitude. Emphasize how important your recipient's contribution would be to your community members. Sign the letter with your name rather than just your organization title. 

💪Pro Tip: Businesses are an untapped source of donations for many nonprofits. In fact, 39% of companies plan to increase their charitable giving in the next two years. 

Download free donation request letter templates

Ready to explore some donation request letter examples and see how it all looks in action? Whether you're sending requests via email, submitting a request form online, or popping letters in the mail, we’ve included five different sample letters for requesting donations specially crafted to jumpstart your outreach efforts. 

Freebie alert!

Download 5 free donation request letter templates ->

10 best practices for writing an attention-getting appeal

Let’s dive into what makes a donation letter go from good to great. Whether you’re starting from scratch or building off a template, these donation request letter best practices will help your appeal stand out from the crowd.

1. Know your audience 👀

Start by identifying your audience and address your recipient by their name whenever possible. Most websites have an “about us” section where you can find key contacts. 

Address your donation request letter to decision makers—such as the executive director, rather than an office manager. If you can’t find the team leads on the company website, check their social media pages to find the right contacts.

⭐ Pro tip: Avoid using general emails that start with “info@” and use personal emails instead. Oftentimes, these emails flag messages as spam, so your potential donor may never see your request.

2. Personalize 🙋🏽‍♀️

You can use a template to create a donation request, but you should always—we repeat, always—personalize it. Avoid generic phrases like "To whom it may concern" and address the recipient by name. If you’re sending an email, include the person’s name or company in the subject line for a more personal touch. 

Whenever possible, open with a personal statement to the individual. You don’t need to write a unique message for every single potential donor, you just need to show you’ve done your research or remember someone from a recent event. 

If you’re writing to a large number of prospects, research your target audiences, segment them into groups, and customize your message to help your appeal feel more relevant and engaging.  

💪Pro Tip: Tone is key to personalization. If you’re writing a corporate appeal letter, keep the tone formal. If you’re reaching out to friends, family, and other peers with a personal appeal letter, use a more casual tone. Using the wrong tone can have the unintended effect of alienating supporters. 

3. Think like your donors🤔

Once you know who you’re writing to, figure out what drives them. This is essential for creating a compelling emotional appeal. Sometimes you’ll need to evoke emotion, while other times you’ll need to focus on urgency and speed. Tailor your message to the driving factors behind your target audience’s motivations. 

People are more likely to give to charities they feel personally connected to, so highlight a shared interest or history. Focus your letter on how the donor’s actions will positively impact your cause. Using pronouns like “you” and “your” helps readers visualize themselves as part of your mission. 

4. Get specific 💓

When telling your organization’s story, focus on a specific person or group and the impact your organization has made in their lives.

If you’re sending the message via email, adding images or even a short video can help bring your cause to life and make it more tangible for potential donors. 

5. Emphasize the benefits 🎁

What’s in it for your donors? Many individuals and businesses treat charitable giving transactionally, meaning they want to know that each donated dollar will be used strategically and produce a return on investment. 

In your appeal letter, explain the impact of each gift or commitment level. Highlight both the tangible benefits (e.g., soccer equipment and travel costs for 50 kids for the fall season) and intangible benefits (e.g., earning goodwill in the community) of donating to your fundraising efforts.

This approach can work wonders—in fact, according to a free ebook from NextAfter, written stories explaining the value of donating increased donations by 560%! 🤯 

⭐ Pro tip: Once your campaign is complete, evaluate to what extent you accomplished your goals or provided the benefits you articulated for donors. If so, highlight each win in your donation thank you letters.

6. Lean into urgency ⚡

With so many demands on time and money, some letter recipients—particularly corporations—need to feel a sense of urgency to contribute. 

Convey urgency by setting a deadline for donations. For example, explain that the building they’re sponsoring, such as a temple or a community organizing center, needs to be finished by a specific date.

You can also offer incentives for early donations, like matching donations during the first week of your campaign. Using action words like “change,” “fight,” and “act” also helps emphasize the pressing need for donations.

7. Be direct and concise 📝

Before you begin, remind yourself of the goal of your donation request letter.  Are you soliciting donations for a team fundraiser? Requesting auction prizes for a silent auction? Inviting them to an upcoming fundraising event? Make the main goal clear in the first few sentences of the letter. 

Ensure your fundraising needs and donation requests are specific and straightforward. For instance, if you want a local business to cover food and drink costs for 100 people at your upcoming event, explain why it’s important and provide a specific dollar amount. 

8. Make it easy to give 🙌

If you're sending a donation request email, make sure it only takes one or two clicks for the recipient to contribute. Set up your fundraising page to accept various payment methods, and give supporters the option to become recurring donors.

For direct mail fundraising, clearly mark the donation page where supporters can give online (bold it!), or add a scannable QR code. You can also include a prepaid envelope with suggested donation amounts to make giving even easier.

9. Know when to send 📮

You can send fundraising appeals and sponsorship letters any time you want, but these requests are most successful when supporters are in a giving mood—such as around the holidays, on Giving Tuesday, or when a big story in the news elevates your issue for the public.  

Understanding how your target donors make decisions can also inform when you send fundraising appeal letters. That’s where fundraising platforms come in, allowing you to raise funds smarter with donor management tools and trackable links. View when and how your supporters donate, then adjust your appeal letter schedule and content to best suit your potential donors. 

If you’re sending a donor letter for a campaign, send the first message a few days before the campaign begins. Send a follow-up at the halfway point and a final message a day or two before the campaign ends.

10. Take the next step 👈

You’ve sent your donation request letter and now you’re on pins and needles waiting for a response. But don’t just sit back and wait—the job’s not done yet! 

Send follow-up emails and make calls to encourage those who haven’t made a donation yet to get involved. And, of course, don’t forget to send thank you letters to all your donors, so they know how much you appreciate their support.

Make requesting donations easy with Givebutter

Givebutter lets me write thank-you letters directly in the platform. I can easily record or import check and cash donations, and the CRM is much more intuitive than other services (looking at you, MailChimp). I saved hours writing my letter with the mail merge feature, which automatically totaled last year’s donations per donor—no more manual spreadsheets. This will save me so much headache!  — Givebutter Review, Nonprofit Manager

Donation request letters are essential for driving awareness, sponsorships, and monetary contributions for your campaign. 

By integrating your donation solicitation efforts with a platform like Givebutter, you can customize fully branded emails, text messages, and direct mail letters. You can also collect funds through embeddable forms and donate buttons, manage fundraising events and auctions, track your donors, and keep contributions all in one place—all for free.

Ready to raise more for your cause with better donation request letters? Create your free Givebutter account and get started today! 💛

Donation request letter format FAQs

How do I write a letter to request donations? 

Begin by defining the goal of your donation letter request. Next, choose your recipients and tailor the tone of your letter depending on whether you’re reaching out to individual donors, families, or businesses. 

Lay out your goals, specify what you’re asking for, and show how their generosity will help advance your mission. Make it as easy as possible for recipients to take action. 

How do I write a business donation request letter?

A business request letter should be more formal than one written to an individual. 

Address the business owner or decision maker by name and clearly outline your goals, mission, and request. Be professional yet compelling, include your contact information, and don’t forget to follow up. 

What is an example of a contribution letter? 

A contribution letter is a thank you letter for a donation sent by a nonprofit to acknowledge a donor’s gift. A good example of a contribution letter is one that’s concise, expresses gratitude, and explains to your recipient how their generosity will make a lasting impact. 

How do I use a nonprofit request for a donation letter sample? 

Customize your request letter template with information specific to your nonprofit, including the name of your organization, your mission, fundraising goals, and the specific request you’re making. 

Remember to change the recipient’s name and organization and adjust the tone to be more formal or informal depending on your audience.