Letter of Fundraising
Nothing makes one feel more uncomfortable than when they have to appeal to others, hand in hand, for money. Even if the money is for a worthwhile charitable cause, the feeling of worthlessness that often accompanies such an appeal makes it difficult to construct a letter to be used in a fundraising appeal.
To write an effective fundraising appeal letter, it is often a good idea to first introduce the “prospect” to the charity involved in the fundraising effort. Before approaching the individual, tell them that you want to introduce them to the work done by the particular charity. You may even wish to use a sophisticated graphics program to import photographs into the letter. For example, if your charity is involved in setting up preschool programs for children, include some photographs of the children having a great time at preschool – sitting in a circle listing to stories being told, enjoying a snack, playing on the jungle gym during recess periods, etc. Remember, a picture is often worth a thousand words. Get the most bang for your buck by including photos with your fundraising appeal letter.
Only after you have written a bit about the charity and provided a few photographs highlighting its work, should you move in for the “close” or asking the prospect to make a commitment for a charitable gift. Finally, at the very bottom of your letter, you should include a pledge form asking to return the form in the handy, postage paid envelope enclosed. You may also want to provide alternative ways to make a donation, such as online.
A fundraising letter should never be intrusive. It should never demand the reader’s attention. Rather, it should make an appeal to the recipient’s sense of goodwill. It should convince the person that they would feel extra good about themselves if they give.
It is never fun to ask for money, but sometimes there is no alternative to doing so. If we believe in the work of the charity we represent, we should not find it too difficult to approach our peers and business colleagues for money to support the charity. Just remember to keep your appeal professional and your approach friendly. If you need help with the specifics of writing such a letter, see if the charity has past examples of fundraising letters. Do not hesitate to enlist the help of someone well-versed in using computer graphics packages if you wish to include special graphics and photographs in your appeal letter.
Finally, if you struggle with English or with writing letters, there are plenty of software packages available that can assist you in composing a professional letter for just about any purpose. Many online grammar checkers and spell-checkers can help with catching these types of errors as well.
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