Free Sample Donation Thank You Letter For a Fundraising Gift Or Contribution

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The most important letter in direct mail fundraising never aks for a donation. Thank-you letters increase donor loyalty, strengthen relationships and increase your chances of receiving more gifts in the future, including major gifts and legacy gifts.

But only if you get them right.

Direct mail fundraising is about relationships, not revenue. The only way to generate sustainable income through the mail is to thank donors promptly, personally, particularly and positively.

Here is a sample donation thank-you letter.

Friday, January 16, 2006

Samantha Yordvick
363 Blandon Crescent
Tulsa, OK 19188

Dear Samantha:

This is just a quick note, but it comes from my heart to yours as I head out the door for my flight to Bombay.

Thank you for your very kind gift of $100, which we received today. Your generosity will make an immediate difference in the lives of mothers in Calcutta. I'm going to make sure of that on this trip.

For one thing, we are going to use your gift to fund our early intervention program. Your generosity is going to help us buy the formula and fortified milk that our mothers give to their babies and toddlers. Good nutrition, as you know, is so vital in fighting off the diseases and infections that are so prevalent in Calcutta.

You can read about this exciting initiative-and your important part in it-in the upcoming issue of our newsletter, which we will mail to you in January.

Thanks again for your kindness,

[real, actual, live signature]

Bill Bladstone
President
CalcuttaConcern

About this letter

Here are a few things to notice about this letter.

Not "Dear Friend." This letter is a personal thank you from the heart of the president to this donor. Even though the president does not know Samantha personally, he writes to her as a friend, which is to say, by name.
The opening sentence reveals the personality of the writer and clearly shows that this letter was written on a particular day, by a particular person, for a particular reason. Openings like this resonate with donors, who want to be acknowledged by a human being and not a computer.
The writer acknowledges the donor's gift by date received and amount given, specific details that make the letter personal instead of generic.
The writer shows in concrete, easy-to-understand ways how the donor's gift will be put to work today, changing lives and making a difference in the world. Donors need to know that their contribution, however small, accomplishes the goals of the donor in supporting your organization.

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Fundraising Made Easy

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It has been difficult during this rough economy to raise money through traditional fundraising means. If you're having a tough time generating the funds needed to sustain your church, school or organization, here are a few easy ideas that can rejuvenate your community with a small amount of planning.

An Easter Egg Hunt / Bake Sale

Children love to participate in Easter egg hunts. This is a great opportunity to bring neighborhood families to your organization. You can stuff the plastic eggs with little prizes for the children or with coupons that are redeemable at another event, like a bake sale. Of course, the bake sale is where you can raise even more money for your organization. Once the families are in attendance for the egg hunt, they'll need a baked snack and a drink, so a well-organized bake sale is an easy and cost efficient way to raise extra cash.

A Fashion Show

Partner with local clothiers and boutiques and ask them to provide some clothing samples that will be worn in a fashion show. You can even do a community "model search" and have those in the community participate in your show. Agree to say the name of each clothing provider and where they are located when you announce what the models are wearing. Ask for donations by those who attend your fashion show to ensure you raise money.

Sponsor a Carnival or Fair

Community festivals are a great way to bring a neighborhood together. You can plan an event that can be held in a small park, your parking lot or any other area that can accommodate a large crowd. Make sure you have events and games that cost little and are fun for the whole family like face painting, sack races, water balloon toss, etc. You can charge a low fee from $2 to $5 for admittance. With the entire community in attendance, you're sure to have fun and raise a lot of money.

Host a Food Tasting

Restaurants are always looking for ways of increasing their number of patrons. Partner with area restaurants to host a food tasting. Ask them to provide free samples of their signature dishes and specialties. That way, they can advertise their food while raising money for your cause or organization. Food events are perfect for highlighting and celebrating the community's culinary identity. For example, if your region is known for amazing pizza, hold a pizza tasting. You can ask attendees to participate by tasting each restaurant's pizza and voting on which they prefer. Asking for donations or charging a low fee for admission will cover your costs and help you meet your fundraising goals.

Try one of these ideas for your next fundraising event. Each is easy to put together and require little planning and a low up-front cost. Good luck!

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School Fundraising Ideas - Learn How to Raise Money

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As budgets get tighter and tighter, school fundraising is often a necessity. More and more, schools rely on fundraising for the "extras" including extracurricular activities. Students may have to "pay to play" on a sports team. Schools may not be able to keep after school programs unless additional funding is raised. Following are fundraising ideas for you and your school.

Car washes are great in warm weather. You can host the wash at the school or at a more central location in your community. A car wash is most successful if it is at a place where people already congregate. Ask your local grocer for the use of a portion of their parking lot. Often, they will donate use of their water for your fundraiser.

Food is always a great school fundraising idea. A common school fundraiser is selling candy. Candy can be sold several times throughout the school year. Sell it around holidays such as Christmas and Easter, times when people generally buy candy. They will buy from you instead to support a school. Parents of students can organize a community bake sale with proceeds donated to the school. Parents can also sell baked goods at PTA meetings as an ongoing fundraiser.

Just about any type of school activity has potential to be a fundraiser. The science department can host a science project competition. The school can then host a student science exhibit. All admission fees are designated for the fundraiser. The music department can sponsor a student concert. And the drama department can present a student play.

For a larger fundraiser consider a community-wide "Trash to Treasure" sale. This type of sale can be organized in two ways. For the first, ask community members to donate used clothes, books, and all other items. Then organize a larger sale to be held in the school's gymnasium or community center. The other way, community members hold their own garage sales and donate a portion of their proceeds to the school. Both ways creates community involvement and support.

School fundraising helps support programs and activities. All students can participate. Communities love to support school fundraising activities. All you have to do is select the fundraiser, organize it, and announce it.

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Fundraising For Your Preschool Or Daycare Center

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Most day cares are non-profit organizations that must operate within a tight budget that covers the costs of facilities, staff and all of the equipment and materials for operating a quality and stimulating environment for children. It's a balancing act with little room for extras for the center or it's staff.

One way to offset the cost of extra curriculum, supplies or staff bonus programs is through fundraising. Our moms have successfully raised funds for our daycare centers, enabling them bring in additional music, art and science events, animal encounters, host special celebration days - like Hawaiian Luaus, purchase sun shades for the playground and fund the staff bonus pool.

Listed below are fundraising programs that have been successfully implemented that you can take, adapt and use at your center:

Garage Sales. Gather your family's extras and have a group garage sale to benefit your daycare center. Post signs at school to have other families bring their donations in a few weeks before the sale so you can have time to price and organize the items.

Auction. Have an informal auction of donated goods and services in your daycare's lobby with write-in bids. You can also help organize an auction event, complete with tickets that must be purchased to attend. The event usually has catering, a bar, entertainment and live auction and those costs must be factored into the budget.

Donations. Ask the merchants your frequent regularly if they have goods or services they can donate to the center. Describe the center, what you are raising funds for and explain the donation is tax deductible. Many requests will be positively received. We have found that we've received the best response when collecting donations in the spring, summer and early fall so we're not competing with other donation requests around the holidays. These donations are then incorporated into the school auctions.

Open Ebay Store. Large scale auction events are really only practical one or two times a year for daycare centers because of the costs involved. Consider having a committee that solicits donations year long and sells them in an open market, such as Ebay. It expands your fundraising circle from the immediate circle to a global reach.

Matching Gifts. Remind parents that many corporations have matching gifts programs for donations to non-profit organizations and daycare centers usually qualify. Under this benefit, the corporation may match your cash donation by 50 to 100%.

Artwork By Children. Work with the classroom teachers to create artwork that can be displayed a gallery and sold to parents. Creative projects made by the children or that feature a child's picture make wonderful gifts for family and friends and sell well when priced appropriately.

Recognition. Parents can memorize their children by purchasing an engraved plaque for a wall, a stamped brick for a walkway or a large piece of equipment for the playground. Think about how large non-profit organizations recognize their large donors and adapt it to your environment. Have an area in your newsletter that regularly recognizes contributions from the parents of the center, whether they be monetary, time or goods and services.

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