Free donation thank you letter template for nonprofits (+ tips!)

Expressing gratitude can increase donor retention and help your nonprofit foster a strong relationship with your community for years to come. But when should you send a thank you letter, and what should it say? 

In this article, we'll guide you through how to write a thank you letter for donations, including what to write, the tone to use, and how to effectively express your gratitude after a successful campaign.

Why thank you letters for donations are more important than you think

The most important elements of acknowledgments are timeliness and accuracy. — Donor relations expert, Lynne Wester   

Did you know that first-time donors who receive a thank you note within 48 hours of giving are four times more likely to continue supporting that organization? 

Here’s why: A timely acknowledgment reassures donors that their contribution is not only seen, but also truly valued. 

Beyond individual recognition, some studies show that expressing appreciation can bring entire groups together. When people simply witness an act of gratitude, they’re often inspired to help, too—strengthening the bond within your donor community.

How to write a thank you letter for a donation in 3 steps

Step 1. Personalize 👋  

Before you start writing your donor thank you letter, whether by hand or digitally, gather some essential information to personalize your message. 

Using a nonprofit CRM can help track donors’ giving history, activities, and any specific connections they have to your organization. This allows you to see relevant details you may want to reference in your letter. 

Our biggest challenge during letter campaigns is writing thank-yous to all our donors. Having the option to send a thank you with each donation through Givebutter has saved us so much time and postage. — Givebutter review, Karla H.

🌟 Pro tip: With Givebutter's contact management features, you can save time by using merge fields to easily add donor names, donation amounts, and other specific details in your thank you emails, text messages, and direct mail.

Step 2. Customize ✨

Acknowledgments are about the donor, not the institution. — Donor relations expert, Lynne Wester 

Once you’ve decided on the format and gathered the necessary information, it’s time to craft your message. Follow this simple formula:

• Introduction: Use the donor's name so the letter immediately feels personal—no generic “Dear friend” greetings!
• Details: Express gratitude for their previous support, acknowledge their generous gift, and share how they positively impacted your mission.
• Closing: Sign off with a warm closing—"Sincerely” or "With gratitude” works well. Add your signature and always include your name, title, and contact information. 

Step 3. Inspire 🚀

Though the primary purpose of writing thank you letters for donations is, of course, to show gratitude, the best messages will inspire further action and connection, too. 

Before sending your letter, consider inviting supporters to:

• Continue connecting: To deepen your relationship and increase your donor retention rate, end your thank you messages with an invitation to engage more with your organization, such as signing up for your monthly newsletter or following you on social media.
• Watch your campaign progress: If your fundraising campaign is still live, encourage supporters to follow your progress on your fundraising page. Your community can see you inch toward your goal in real time, knowing they played an important part!
• Give feedback: Do you want your supporters to feel truly valued? Ask for their input on the donation process. You’ll be able to improve your fundraising strategy and show them they’re integral to your team at the same time.

Receiving an acknowledgment should be a consistent and positive donor experience. — Donor relations expert, Lynne Wester 

Free thank you letter template and examples

Now that you know what to include in your letter, it's time to put it into practice! We’ve got a free donation thank you letter template you can customize for your organization, plus other top tips for fine-tuning your donor follow-up using Givebutter. 

This freebie also includes two sample thank you letters based on actual Givebutter campaigns!

Freebie alert!

Download a free donation thank you letter template ->

Thank you for the donation letter checklist

The steps we've covered so far provide a solid foundation, but to truly make your thank-you letter stand out, consider incorporating these best practices:

• Include a postscript ✨ If possible, include a P.S. with a personal note in your thank you message for the donation. A postscript is often unexpected and can catch the recipient’s attention.‍
• Be prompt ⏰ Nonprofits should aim to send a thank you letter within two days following a contribution. Setting up automated donation receipts ensures donors immediately receive important tax information and a custom thank you note.‍

I love that donors can receive a donation receipt instantly. It makes my life so much simpler. I don't have to worry that I missed a donation receipt. — Givebutter review, Angela M.

• Add a real-life story 💓 Generosity increases when supporters can personally connect with the cause. Share a short anecdote about a person or community your organization has helped.‍
• Think about the details 🤔 Whenever possible, include personal details about the donor in your letter. It could be something specific, like how you met at a recent fundraising event, a shared interest, or an experience you both had, like volunteering. 
• Acknowledge the impact 🙏 Clearly explain how their donation is making a difference with as much detail as possible. Include numbers, charts, or even infographics to show the tangible results of their support.
• Offer additional engagement opportunities 🎉 Invite donors to follow your nonprofit’s progress, attend an event, or connect with you on social media.
• Provide your contact info 📞 Make it easy for donors to reach out with questions or feedback by offering your email address, phone number, or other contact information.
• Keep it short and clear ✍️ No one wants to read a long-winded message. Be sure your thank you message is concise and to the point.
• Automate when possible 🔄 Use a nonprofit CRM to keep track of your thank you notes and set up workflow automations to ensure no donor is overlooked. 

Dive deeper

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5 most popular thank you note formats 

Thank you letters can take many different formats, depending on your audience and intended tone. 

However, each type of thank you letter has its own pros and cons and may not be best suited to every situation. Choosing a format that aligns with your nonprofit’s voice and donor preferences is key.

Email 📩

A fast, cost-effective way to reach donors, email allows for customization and tracking while maintaining convenience.

✅ Pros: Quick and convenient, cost-effective, customizable, and trackable (open rates, responses, etc.)

❌ Cons: Less personal than handwritten notes and easily missed in inboxes

💛 Best for: First-time donors, small or medium donors, online donors, and recurring donors

Snail Mail 💌

Traditional and heartfelt, snail mail adds a personal touch that shows donors their contributions are deeply valued.

✅ Pros: Highly personal, memorable, and shows commitment and gratitude

❌ Cons: Can be tedious, more costly, and has a slower delivery time

💛 Best for: Major donors, long-time supporters, board members, volunteers, and in-kind donors

Video 📹

A dynamic and engaging way to connect, video messages provide a memorable and highly personalized donor experience. Use tools like ThankView to send personalized thank you videos at scale.

✅ Pros: Engaging and memorable, can be highly personalized, and shareable on multiple platforms to extend reach

❌ Cons: Resource intensive and may require technical production or editing skills

💛 Best for: Major donors, corporate sponsors, campaign donors, and social media-engaged donors

Social Media 📲

Public and instant, social media is a great way to show donor appreciation and amplify donor recognition.

✅ Pros: Public appreciation, immediate, and cost-free

❌ Cons: Less personal and limited audience reach

💛 Best for: Public-facing donors, corporate sponsors, crowdfunding donors, and event donors

Text 🤳

Quick and direct, text messages provide instant gratitude and high engagement with donors on the go.

✅ Pros: Instant gratitude, high engagement rates, and personalized

❌ Cons: Character limitations, may feel too informal, and requires users to opt in

💛 Best for: Small or medium donors, younger donors, event donors, and emergency relief donors

Streamline all your donor communication with Givebutter

Givebutter makes thank you letter writing easy with its built-in tools. The option to mail merge total donations per donor saved me hours—no more manual spreadsheet checking! Plus, Givebutter’s CRM is far more intuitive than other services (looking at you, Mailchimp). I almost cried when I saw it—this will save me so much headache! — Givebutter review, Small nonprofit employee

Letters of appreciation for donations that are personal, prompt, and creative are highly effective at turning first-time givers into recurring and major donors.

Whether sending via email or snail mail, you can elevate thank you notes with Givebutter's built-in Canva integration to add eye-catching graphics. Plus, our email marketing and donor management tools enable you to automatically add essential donor details to each letter, such as their name, donation amount, donation date.

See how easy it is to launch a campaign and seamlessly thank your donors. Sign up for your free Givebutter account today!

Thank you note for donations FAQs

When should I thank a donor?

“As a best practice, receipts should be sent within 72 hours,” according to donor relations expert Lynne Wester.  

You should thank your donors promptly whenever they support your cause, whether through a monetary donation, in-kind contribution, or by giving their time through volunteering. 

How do you write a thank you letter for donations?

Templates, templates, templates! Whether you're sending donor acknowledgment letters via email or snail mail, keep templates on hand to save time and streamline the process.

The format of your thank you (email, hand-written note, etc.) can vary depending on the type and size of the gift, as well as your donors’ preferences.

What should a donor thank you letter include?

A great donor thank you letter should include:

• Personal greeting: Address the donor by name.
• Clear acknowledgment of the gift: Specifically mention the donation (either monetary or in-kind) and express thanks.
• Purpose and impact: Explain how the donation will be used or how it will impact the organization and its programs.
• Mission reinforcement: Include a reminder of the organization’s mission and goals, aligning the donor’s contribution with these.
• Tax information (if applicable): For monetary donations, include tax-deduction information if relevant (e.g., "Your donation is tax-deductible under [applicable law]").
• Future opportunities: Invite the donor to stay engaged with the organization, whether through future donations, events, or volunteering.
• Warm and professional closing: Close with gratitude and an offer to keep in touch.

How soon should you send a thank you letter after a donation?

A thank you letter should ideally be sent within 48 hours of receiving a donation, especially for monetary donations. 

Timely thank you notes to your donors help solidify relationships. For in-kind donations, it's important to send a thank you letter as soon as possible but no later than one week after receiving the contribution. 

How do you say thank you for generous support?

Here’s how to express gratitude to your donor for their generous support:

• Address the donor by name: Avoid generic salutations like “Dear friend” or “To whom it may concern.” ‍
• Get specific about why you’re thanking them: Whether it’s for their time, a generous donation, or even promoting your campaign on social media, make sure to acknowledge how they contributed to your organization. ‍
• Provide other opportunities for engagement: Invite them to an upcoming donor appreciation event or offer ways to stay connected in the future.

Should every thank you include a handwritten note? 

Some experts suggest that handwritten thank yous are a lost art and may be better received than digital messages. While handwritten notes offer a nice, personal touch—particularly for recurring or major donors—don’t feel pressured to write a pen-and-paper letter every time.

Here’s why: The best donor thank you letter is the one you will actually send. In other words, waiting weeks (or months) to follow up because you’re pressuring yourself to write each message by hand won’t create a positive donor experience.

What is an example of a donation message?

Here’s a short thank you message for a donation: 

Dear Gina,

I cannot thank you enough for your generous contribution of $150 to our year-end fundraising campaign. Your gift will go a long way toward ensuring everyone in our community has safe, adequate housing. 

Our team hosts a donor appreciation dinner in February, and I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend. It’s always a great time and I’d love for you to be part of it! I’ll follow up with more details soon.

Once again, thank you for your generosity. We couldn’t do this work without the support of our caring community. 

Warmly,

Pat O’Butter

Executive Director, Butter World

P.S. Also, Gina, please join us on social media to stay up to date with our latest news and wins [link]! 

🌟 Pro tip: If you’re using a thank you for your donation letter sample to get started, don’t forget to personalize and customize it with your nonprofit’s information.

How do you write an in-kind thank you letter for donations?

An in-kind donation is a non-monetary contribution, such as goods or services, made to your organization. When writing your thank you letter, be sure to:

• Start with a personal greeting: Address the donor by name to make the letter feel personal and direct. Example: "Dear [Donor's Name]."
• Express gratitude and acknowledge impact: Clearly express appreciation for the specific donation received. Mention what was donated and how it will directly benefit your cause. Example: "Thank you so much for your generous donation of [item/service]. Your contribution will help us [specific purpose of the donation, e.g., support our upcoming event, serve our community, etc.]."
• Mention your mission: Reinforce your organization’s mission and how the in-kind donation aligns with it. Example: "Your support helps us [organization’s mission] and plays a crucial role in our efforts to [specific goals or programs]."
• Close with gratitude: Reiterate your thanks and offer future opportunities for continued support. Example: "We are deeply grateful for your support and look forward to the opportunity to collaborate again in the future. "With heartfelt thanks, [Your Name], [Your Title], [Organization Name]."

How to end a thank you note for a donation?

The closing of a thank you donation letter for a nonprofit is crucial for leaving a lasting impression. Here are some ideas for how to end a thank you note for a donation:

• Reaffirm gratitude: Close with one last expression of sincere thanks.
  Example: "Once again, thank you for your generous support."
• Mention future impact: Reinforce the lasting impact of the donor’s gift. Example: "Your donation will help us continue to [describe the impact]."
• Invite ongoing engagement: Encourage the donor to stay involved with the organization. Example: "We hope to stay in touch and keep you informed of the incredible difference your donation is making."
• Close warmly: End with a polite and professional closing. Example: "With sincere appreciation," or "Warm regards."