SolveYourProblem eBusiness Series:
Fundraising Essentials For Your Non-Profit:
How To Raise All The Money You Want
( 34 pages )

Raising Money & Fundraising

Letters

No matter what your fundraising strategy, you will likely not be able to escape letters. Even if you have already decided on a specific event to raise money, you will likely need to write letters in order to request space or services, and you will want to write letters to the media or to others who can help promote your event.

Writing good letters is not a hard skill but it does take practice. Letter writing is a formal way of communication, meaning that there are certain rules you must follow. You need to include the contact information of yourself and the person you are writing to at the top of the letter. You must include a date, a salutation (“Dear Mr. Jones:”) and the text of a letter. You need to include your signature at the bottom of a letter.

While those are the mechanics of a letter, many non-profits are still mystified about what to put in a letter when they are fundraising. What you write will depend on who you are writing to and why. If you are writing to a business for support (and this includes the media), then you will want to keep things professional and short. You will want to communicate who you are, what you are asking, what you expect and why your letter is important. Consider the following example of a letter asking for support:

3 December 2005

Dear Mr. Do,

I represent Felicitations Child, a newly registered non-profit organization in London. We are aiming to provide children in our area with reading materials and the tools they need to become lifelong readers. To accomplish this, we are trying to have bookmobile set up to provide children in disadvantaged areas with the benefits of a library.

We are planning on hosting a book sale on Feb. in order to raise money for this project. We are hoping that your publishing company will be able to provide some unused or unsold books to donate for sale. We will be able to provide signs noting that the books are from your company and we will be glad to distribute your catalogue to book buyers as well, if you wish.

I will telephone you next week at 3:00 in order to discuss this project and your possible contribution. We are very excited about this project, as it would fix the problem of lack of libraries in London; a problem that you yourself noted in a recent interview is a “terrible shame.”

I look forward to speaking with you and I hope we can count on your generous support.

Sincerely,

J. Doe

This letter, although not perfect, does several things:

• Explains clearly who is writing and why - people are busy today and appreciate not having their time taken up.
  
• Explains exactly what is expected (donations of books) by when (Feb.)
  
• Gives a follow-up possibility. By telling the owner of the company when she will call, J. Doe makes it clear that she will follow up. By the time she calls, the company owner will likely have decision made and they can discuss the project. If the owner has not looked at “J. Doe’s” letter, even, she has an instant “in” to talk to the owner of Acme Company - “I am calling about the letter I sent to you a week ago concerning the Felicitations Child book project.”
  
• Asks for something feasible - rather than asking for money, J. Doe asks for something that is more likely to be given - books that a publisher may have a surplus of anyway.
  
• Targets the donor. From what J. Doe says, the owner of Acme is a supporter or literacy (or at least someone who want to appear as a supporter in an interview). By reminding the owner of this, J. Doe suggests why Acme might want to support the project.
  
• Suggests value added. J. Doe mentions that donating books will provide Acme with some free publicity. The owner may like knowing that his company will be supported.
  
• Maintains a professional tone. The letter is friendly but not overly familiar. It reads like a business letter, which is the appropriate tone for this sort of letter.

In general, if you are writing to other groups, keep it professional. If writing to individual donors, you will want to add “extras.”

For example, if you are putting together a direct mail appeal to donors, be sure to include anecdotes, pictures, and small cards or other items in the letter to show donors the importance of what you are doing. J. Doe from the above example may begin a letter to an individual donor by stating: “Have you ever wondered what books mean to a child? For six year old Annette in London, books are her best friend. The little girl loves to read, but unfortunately can only do so once a month, when her class visits the local library across town. You can help Annette read the books that make her world come alive. Felicitations Child is currently working to bring a bookmobile to the inner city where Annette lives...” This anecdote and the appeal to the “you” help make it clear to the donor why he or she should be donating. When writing to donors you will want to:

• Use anecdotes or tell in stories why the donor should donate to your cause.
• Include photos or pictures that capture the eye.
• Include a pre-addressed stamped envelope for donations (and provide several ways to make donations)
• Use a less formal tone than you would use in a business letter (you do not have to follow the business letter format covered above, either.

Do not overlook paper. Whether you are writing to a donor or a business or group, use a good quality paper that is white or cream in color. A heavy bond is best. Your letter or note should have plenty of white spaces, rather than being “cramped” onto the top of a sheet. Make sure that your envelope matches the paper of your letter and ensure that the envelope contains all the materials the person you are writing to needs. The easier you make it for someone to help your non-profit, the more likely your group is to get the support it needs.

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