Sending a donation request letter to potential sponsors can be an effective fundraising strategy to use when raising money for a special project on behalf of a nonprofit organization. If you're ready to start writing a letter designed to raise funds for a special project, use the sample letter provided here as a starting point. It is an editable template, so you can download the tegument and customize it to meet your needs, or simply view the letter to get ideas to begin writing your own.
Sample Project Fundraising Letter
To access the letter, click the image below. It will open as an editable PDF document that you can save, edit and print. Use this guide to Adobe printables if you need help with the document.
Using the Letter
While the details of the sample letter won't likely apply to your project, the basic structure and format can apply to any special project fundraising effort. Whether you are raising money for an environmental clean-up or building a dog park, your letter should:
- Begin with a hook to capture your readers' interest
- Describe the project
- Clearly state why the project is needed
- Communicate the scope of the project in terms of impact, cost, etc.
- Indicate the reason(s) your organization is involved and why money is necessary
- Specifically ask for a donation
- Provide instructions on how to give money
Review Carefully
Before finalizing the letter, review it carefully to make sure that the message is on-target and persuasive, and that it is error-free. It is a good idea to have it reviewed by several people. Choose reviewers who have specific knowledge of the project, so they can verify that details are conveyed accurately and thoroughly. Also, utilize reviewers who are knowledgeable about the organization's past projects and fundraising strategies, such as Board members or long-time volunteers. This is a good way to get input from people who are knowledgeable about the group.
Sending the Letter
The letter should be sent to individuals identified as potential supporters for this project. It can be mailed or sent via email, or a combination of both. Consider using your list of past donors, people who have attended your organization's special event fundraisers, newsletter subscribers and others who have expressed an interest in your group.
Also, consider contacting people who have not previously been associated with your group, such as individuals who live or operate a business in the geographic area that will be directly impacted by the project. To do this, you can purchase a mailing list of businesses or addresses within a specific radius of the project's location from a company like VistaPrint or Mail Shark.
