Donation Requests That Are Full of Heart | How to Send Nonprofit Appeal Letters That Inspire Generosity

From podcasts to commercials, radio spots to emails, consumers are surrounded by nonprofit fundraising and appeals for donations every day. It’s important for your nonprofit business to stand out in the crowd, and a great way to make this happen is by telling a compelling story that encourages individual contributors as well as companies to donate their time, money or supplies.

A nonprofit appeal letter is one of the best opportunities you have to reach out and let your contacts know what you’re doing and how they can support you. It’s a great way to remind them of your overall mission and let them know how their assistance benefits your nonprofit business. Focus on being clear, consistent and creative so that recipients remember your message and act on it.

Crafting the Perfect Appeal Letter

It can seem tricky to craft just the right nonprofit fundraising appeal letter. You want it to be effective in conveying your request for donations, and at the same time, it’s important that your outreach be personalized and heartfelt.

The team at Hallmark Business Connections can help. When you select a greeting from our wide variety of cards, you’ll be able to personalize it with just the right message for your donors—and Hallmark writers help by crafting original messages you can select when you need inspiration!

Tips to Write the Perfect Appeal Letter and Keep Them Donating

Not only is it important to gain new donors for your cause, but it’s also key to keep the support of the donors you already have. To do that, you’ll want to craft an appeal letter that’s timely and perfectly on point. Here are some of our best tips:

Watch the calendar. Align the timing of your request for nonprofit donations with calendar days that are popular times to give. End-of-year nonprofit appeals are popular because many people are in a giving spirit around the holidays, plus it can be helpful for tax and budgeting reasons to have donations accounted for by the end of the year. Other days like Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and days that may be specific to your organization (organization anniversaries, open houses, etc.), give customers the opportunity to express their generosity and give back.

Leverage holidays. A continuation of the calendar tip, focusing your communication on the holidays is important because it’s a great way to capture donor attention. Pair fundraising outreach with holidays and send friendly reminders of the work your organization is doing and how donors can help in Independence Day cards, Fall Appreciation cards, general Appreciation cards or any other sending occasion throughout the year. When you reach out regularly to donors and remind them how appreciated they are, they’ll be more likely to donate to your nonprofit.

Be clear about your mission. What you’re all about may seem obvious to you, but especially when it comes to gaining the trust of new donors, spell out exactly what your mission is and what they’ll be funding. The more they know about your mission, the more they are likely to trust you with their donation.

Be grateful—even before they donate. Share your gratitude for their interest in your business and in your cause. Even if they aren’t able to donate money, supplies or time today, they may turn out to be one of your biggest supporters down the road. Always be sure to thank them in advance for taking the time to learn about your cause and for considering your nonprofit business for a donation.

Share success stories. As a nonprofit, your business is built on great stories. Share some of the inspirational success stories that have been made possible because of donations. There’s passion behind your mission, so be sure to include a few of the heartwarming stories and results of your efforts as you request donations for nonprofit work.

Deliver a clear call to action. What do you want existing and potential donors to do? How can they help support your cause? Be sure to provide easy, clear-cut ways for them to donate money, time or supplies to support your cause.

Personalize your message. When nonprofit donors receive a request that is directed specifically toward them, it makes a difference. A personalized, handwritten note with your signature goes a long way toward letting donors know that they matter to you. At Hallmark Business Connections, you can select a greeting, include a personalized message, your own signature and even insert an invitation to a special event. And now, you can personalize even further with a Personal Font, a digital font that mimics your own handwriting.

Invite them to a fundraising event. Whether it’s a gala, a barbeque or a new product debut, they’ll feel special when they receive an invitation to your next event. Add to the fun by running a silent auction to benefit a cause you’re supporting and don’t forget to jazz things up with music, food and drinks to keep potential donors feeling social and generous.

Offer donor perks and recognition. Depending on your nonprofit business, consider offering a loyalty card, discounts, free registration, discounted merchandise, special event access or other great perks to donors. Get creative and come up with a donor recognition plan that works for your business. You’ll have happy donors who are glad to be noticed for their contributions. For those who have given a substantial donation or for a memorable gift, consider sending a bouquet of fresh cut flowers or a selection of gourmet chocolates from Christopher Elbow as an elegant token of your gratitude.

Build Better Relationships and Get More Donors

By building relationships with existing and potential donors, and by giving them more insight into your organization’s mission, you’ll solidify connections and build a base of repeat donors. The most valuable donors are those who return to contribute to your organization’s mission over and over again, and with great communication and outreach, you’ll build a community of donors who will continue to support you.

Contact us to learn more about the power of direct mail marketing and how you can leverage Hallmark’s brand equity to increase customer and donor loyalty.

Want to learn more about personalization in direct mail marketing? Read Maximizing ROI with Direct Mail Marketing.