Last updated on March 14th, 2023 at 06:23 pm
If you’ve worked with a non profit, you know the effort that goes into fundraising. Being able to write compelling emails and letters to donors whose support is vital for your organization to grow and thrive is crucial.
Sending an email to a potential donor can be quite a challenge, especially if it’s your first time doing it.
Presenting your raison d’etre in the form of a persuasive and moving story is likely to make them take the action necessary to support your worthy cause.
But how about writing an email to someone who is already a donor, asking them to donate again the following year?
Well, you may think it gets a tad easier because they already know you.
Yes, that’s true.
It would get a lot easier though if you’d been sending them regular updates over the past year on how you utilized their first contribution and the progress you’ve made as a result.
When asking them to give again, they need to be reminded of how their previous gesture of goodwill actually helped turn around lives and changed the world for the better.
You’ve also got to lay out your plans and goals for the upcoming year, and tell them exactly how a second or recurring contribution will be utilized and the impact it will have on the beneficiaries.
In addition, there are a few other components that go into the framework of the email to help acknowledge, remind, reassure, and thank donors in a genuine way while asking for more.
Sample the following email written on behalf of The Palisadoes Foundation to the donors of Calico Challenge 2017 requesting them to donate again for 2018.
Every sentence has a purpose and contributes to building the case. Each element and its specific function have been highlighted in the form of subheadings for easy understanding.
Hope it helps you get started on the right note! Good luck with having your donors donate again 👍
(The Palisadoes Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that promotes the development of Information & Technology in Jamaica. The Calico Challenge is a summer internship program that “offers stipends to write software code for various open source software projects which will allow students to publicly showcase the quality of their work.”)
Inbox subject line
You did a wonderful thing last year!
Personalize your individual appeal
Hello dear _____________, (address can be formal or informal)
I’m glad to touch base with you again.
Acknowledge their previous contribution
It was so heartening to receive your gift of $____ for Calico 2017.
Highlight the difference it made (provide exact figures if possible)
You changed the lives of all 6 Calico participants by helping them acquire technical skills, land IT jobs, and most importantly, experience the elation of “having arrived” in life. (Hope you had a chance to read our previous email that presented case studies of each participant and the companies they’ve landed. If you haven’t, here it is again for your perusal.)
Your generosity has already inspired and created technological growth in Jamaica.
Your support has been extremely rewarding for us too. You’ve made Palisadoes’ pilot program “The Calico Challenge” a nifty success!
Remind them of your ultimate goal
We are now even more invigorated to speed towards our ultimate goal of transforming Jamaica into a technological power house.
Make them the hero of the story
We feel a profound sense of gratitude to “you”, our donor, for making all of this happen!
Specify your need, plan, and goal
To foster the growth that you have set in motion, I request that you continue to hold our hands for the benefit of at least twice the number of students that we hope to support this year. We also need to increase their stipend to USD 1500.
Explain how the funds raised will help beneficiaries
This will allow them to work full time on their projects by eliminating the need to work elsewhere to make ends meet.
Offer reassurance
We are a fully volunteer-driven non-profit with no office overhead expense. I assure you that all your money will reach the selected students.
Thank them enough for their philanthropy
A simple “thank you” isn’t enough for such gracious acts of giving. So we try to give big SHOUT OUTs in our monthly newsletters and daily news about your concern and involvement in our cause. Please stay tuned in for updates on the progress we are making because of donors like you.
Mention the dream you share with them
Your contribution does not just light up the lives of these students. It actually inspires a culture of “working together for a worthy cause” knowing that our efforts will eventually create and foster a tide of technological advancement that will make Jamaica proud and strong.
Clear call to action
We will be absolutely thrilled to have your support again this year. Every addition helps us get a little closer to our goal of $20000 for this year.
Sincerely,
Aarthi
Please don’t hesitate to ring me at ___________ should you have any questions.
P.S. http://www.palisadoes.org/ A new look for our website is in the works!
Click here if you’re in the mood to sample a “thank you email to a donor” next !
