How to Write a Fundraising Thank-you Letter for Example
(Includes a Free Sample)
Thank-you letters are one of the most important letters that
your non-profit mails to donors. They remind donors that they
made the right decision in supporting your organization. They
show that you are grateful for the donors gift.
As a bonus, thank-you letters increase donor loyalty, strengthen
relationships with your donors and increase your chances of
receiving more gifts in the future. So here are some pointers
for writing effective thank-you letters.
Be personal.
Address your thank-you
letter to your donor by name. Don't say "Dear Friend."
Say thank you, thank you, thank you.
Show
your gratitude by repeating, in a few different ways, that you
are thankful for your donor's gift.
Be specific if possible.
Mention the size
of the gift, or the date that you received the gift, or at least
say "Thank you for your recent gift." Donors are busy people who
need to be reminded that they responded to your appeal.
Show how the donor's gift is being
successful.
Reinforce in your donor's mind that
sending a gift was a wise investment in the work of your
organization. Describe a recent success that was made possible
by the donor's generosity. Or show in other specific, tangible
ways, how or where the donors gift is making a difference in the
lives of the people that your non-profit serves.
Thank the supporter, not the donor.
Somewhere in your letter, acknowledge that you value your reader
as someone who supports your organization and believes in your
mission. No one likes being treated like an automated banking
machine.
Encourage dialogue.
Show a genuine
interest in your donor by inviting them to write you, or phone
you, or visit your website, or drop by your mission, or in some
other way strengthen your relationship.
Be soft in asking for more funds.
Your
thank-you letter should say thanks. If you follow your thanks
with an immediate and aggressive appeal for more funds, you may
cheapen your thanks and offend your supporter. So be gentle, and
soft-sell the request for another gift.
Strive for originality.
Be fresh. Make
your letter unique. Avoid language that sounds like it was
churned out by a bureaucracy.
An example of a successful thank-you letter.
Below is a thank-you letter that Doctors Without Borders
(MSF) mailed to donors who responded to their appeal letter for
their work in Afghanistan.
--sample thank-you letter starts--
Dear Alan:
In response to your recent gift to MSF, I join with the people
of Afghanistan in saying sh