Three Considerations Before Sending Your Donation Request Letter

As charity organizations, we’re used to making appeals for money. So much so, that our appeals become routine. It’s important these requests don’t turn mundane – you need the funds and you need to your donors to feel compelled to give.

Before you make “the ask”, make sure these three components are clearly communicated:

1. Why are you sending the letter?

The reason for the request should be clear to the recipient. Perhaps you’re behind on your goal and if it’s not met, ten kids will miss out on summer camp. What is the impact this request will have to your organization?

Emails and direct mail pieces take time. They’re also very likely to get lost in the shuffle. Post Office mail is easily tossed out with the junk mail. Our inboxes are so overloaded we often miss important emails. The average open rate for an email is about 27% for nonprofits. That means some of those people who are likely to give to your fundraiser may not even see the message. You need a way to easily contact your donor through a variety of channels, both digitally and non-digitally.

2. Are you making it easy for the donor to give and report the donation?

Donors don’t want to fill out cumbersome pledge cards they have to follow up on at a later time. If they’ve repeatedly given to your organization, the paperwork can be frustrating. As you make your request, make sure it’s easy for them to follow up on the request. Make sure it’s just as easy for them to report the donation at tax time. Embed an electronic receipt mechanism into your donation request.

3. Where will the funds go?

This point may go without saying but if you are making a special appeal for funds – be clear in your messaging where the money will go. Many organizations have a variety of needs they support. The donor should have a clear understanding of: 1. Why the money is needed right now and 2. Where it will go. 

Why You Need to Consider Mobile in Your Donation Requests

It can be easy to get caught up in our own causes and organizations and forget the impression we may leave on our donors. Being able to reach donors wherever they are is critically important to the sustainability of any nonprofit organization. Donors don’t want to fumble through direct mail pieces. Their inboxes are overloaded. That’s why you need to consider mobile app giving as part of making your request. Send them a push notification, allow them to give on their phones and draft their act of giving into an automatic tax reporting dashboard. Your donors will appreciate your taking the time to make it easy on them, instead of just sending a donation request letter. They’ll pay you back – with those much needed funds.

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