The nonprofit’s guide to fundraiser invitations (free templates!)

You’ve put in the hard work to plan your upcoming fundraiser event. Now it’s time to craft an invitation that gets your recipients as hyped as you are.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to write an impactful fundraising invitation, what details to include, and share some design inspiration, too. We’ve also created six free fundraiser invite templates so you can save time and focus on the rest of your event to-do list.

What to include in your fundraising event invitation

An invitation to a fundraiser needs to do double duty—both spread the word about your upcoming event and encourage recipients to attend. To be effective, your event invite needs to include some key information.

Here’s what you should feature within your nonprofit event invitations: 

• Image: A photo or graphic draws readers in and helps cut through the text. Show pictures from previous events or simply feature your event name and key details with a colorful background design.‍
• Personalized greeting: Including your recipient's name is a quick win that is sure to boost response.‍
• Event description: This is where you sell your audience on the event. Your fundraiser invitation wording should appeal to your target demographic. For instance, a cooking class invite for millennials might sprinkle in a few 🍔 , 🍳, and 🔥 emojis.‍
• Date, time, and location: Be as detailed as possible. If it's a virtual fundraising event, mention when the livestream will start and how to tune in.‍
• Ticket price: Will you offer early bird discounts? VIP packages? Raffle ticket bundles? Use Givebutter’s event ticketing feature to set your own custom ticket types and amounts.‍
• How to RSVP or register: This is your primary call to action (CTA), whether it’s a large, colorful button in your email linking to your fundraising event page or a clear instruction on a printed invitation. Be direct and ask your recipients to buy tickets, RSVP, or register now. ‍
• How to donate money: Not everyone will attend, but they may donate. Include a smaller CTA button or link to donate.‍
• Other important details: Will there be a dress code? A Valentine's Day theme? A cash bar or other special activities planned? Include the need-to-knows.‍
• Contact information: Let recipients know how to reach you if they have any questions.

⭐ Pro tip: It’s also essential to write a high-quality subject line for email invitations. One survey found that 33% of people open emails because of a catchy subject line.

More to explore

Create a gameplan for success with a free event planning checklist →

How to write a fundraising invitation in seven simple steps 

Your invite should include the information above, but that’s only part of the process. Here, we’ll cover the invitation creation journey from start to finish so you don’t miss a crucial step. 

Step 1: Finalize your event details 🎉

Before you start working on your invitations, nail down all your event details and keep the essential information close by. This step will make it easier (and faster) to complete your invites without constantly going back through emails and notes.

Step 2: Create your guest list 📝

Decide who you want to invite to your fundraiser. Is it a select group of VIPs, major donors, and loyal supporters? Do you want to include all supporters and would-be donors? Is your fundraising event open to the general public? Finalize your guest list and make sure it aligns with your venue size, budget, and goals.

Step 3: Decide which type of invitation to send ✉️

The format for fundraising invitations can range from formal letters and elegantly designed postcards to digital e-vites, emails, and even text messages. 

While physical invitations via direct mail can make a big splash, we recommend sending email invitations in addition to any snail mail. 

Step 4: Find the right invitation design template 💚

You don’t need to craft an invitation from scratch. Update one of your previously used designs with this year’s details, or head to Canva and customize one of their many fundraising invite templates. With a template, you can adjust colors, add your own photos or graphics, and choose fonts that complement your theme. And with Givebutter’s Canva integration, it’s easy to access all your designs right from your dashboard.

⭐ Pro tip: Sign up for Givebutter Plus to unlock advanced email editing features and a library of built-in templates made just for nonprofits. 

Step 5: Add your fundraiser details ✍️

After you’ve chosen your design, it’s time to write your event details. Using our guide as a checklist, make sure you include all the must-have information for your supporters to sign up, buy a ticket, or contribute in another way.

Step 6: Include a clear call to action 📣

Determine your overall goal and use it as your call to action. If you want people to buy tickets for your gala, ask them to do so in big, bold text. Make it as easy as possible for your supporters to get involved, using scan-to-donate to send them straight to your event fundraising page.

Step 7: Prepare your invites for sending 📩

As a final step, review your physical or digital invitations. Make sure there are no typos or errors, and check that any links are working correctly. After that, all you need to do is mail them or schedule them to go out by email!

Six fundraising event invitation templates

Whether you’re looking for fundraiser invitation wording ideas for physical or email invites, we’ve got just the thing—editable fundraising event invite templates!

We’ve put together six editable templates for most major types of events, including conferences, annual events, grand openings, dinners, and more. Simply download, personalize, and send to your audience.

Freebie alert!

Download six free fundraising event invitation templates →

Bring your fundraiser invitation ideas to life with these samples

We’ve given you the text for your invite, but now it’s time to focus on another area—the design. Here are some tried-and-tested fundraising invitation examples from Canva to use for your next event.

1. General event fundraiser invite 🗓️

Let your supporters know you’re hosting a fundraiser event and how to join in with this modern charity event flyer. Customize the graphics with your brand colors and use all the space on the invite to promote what’s happening.

2. Formal event invitation 🎩

Request the presence of your VIP guests at your next formal gathering with this black tie invitation. Adjust the text on this fundraiser invitation sample to match your event, and include a line that highlights the cause you’re benefitting.

3. Conference invitation 📣

Are you hosting a conference to raise funds and awareness for your organization? Use this conference flyer to inspire your supporters to reserve a space or purchase a ticket. Simply update the colors, images, and wording to transform this from a business event invite into a nonprofit one.

4. Annual event invite ✨

Tell everyone that your annual fundraiser is coming up with this eye-catching fundraiser announcement. This design is styled as an Instagram post, but you could quickly transform it into an email invite or print and mail it to your guests.

5. Grand opening or ribbon cutting invitation ✂️

Celebrate the launch of something new and exciting with this grand opening ceremony invitation. There’s plenty of space for your event details so your supporters know exactly where and when to meet you and how they can help you raise money for your cause.

6. Dinner fundraiser invite 🍽️

Invite a select group of VIPs to your next dinner with this 1920s-inspired invitation card. Elegant and sophisticated, it’s ideal for an event to bring your board members and loyal supporters together.

More ways to promote your upcoming fundraiser

Your event promotion strategy doesn’t end with your initial invitation or reminder emails. Even if people are excited to attend an event, it’s easy to forget about it.

Here are some additional outreach ideas to make sure you fill every seat in the house:

• Update your organization’s website with widgets like an event countdown and sign-up button.
• Plan an engaging social media campaign with updates and teasers.
• Snag a well-known influencer to attend and promote the event to their followers.
• Recruit peer-to-peer fundraisers and have them compete to sell tickets in their inner circles.
• Set up a corporate sponsorship with marketing and advertising support included in the agreement.
• Submit a short press release to local media outlets.
• Send follow-up emails reminding your supporters to sign up.
• Promote a discount or time-limited special offer on your tickets.

Make every future fundraiser a success 🎉

A lot goes into a compelling fundraiser invitation, but with this guide, we’re confident you’ll create invites your supporters can’t help but engage with. 

Sign up for Givebutter for free today and cross invitations off your to-do list. With our mailings feature, you can easily create and send emails to your supporters, while our Canva integration streamlines the design-to-send process.