Writing a good fundraising appeal letter is a delicate balance of storytelling, meaningful facts, and an ask that makes sense to the donor. How can you keep your letters fresh and effective? Getting that chemistry right every year—or several times a year—takes a lot of thought and creativity.
Varying your letter’s approach can help keep the appeals emotionally evocative and relevant. A strong appeal letter is crucial to the success of your annual appeal, but appeal letters can be sent for different reasons throughout the year, and they must resonate with donors. In our extensive work with nonprofits, we have found the best nonprofit appeal letters come in several different formats, whether printed or digital. All of them reinforce the mission of the organization, show the ongoing need, and remind the donor of their impact, but they do it in distinct ways. Changing your appeal letter’s style may help your messaging to seem more authentic and less boilerplate, leading to more engagement and increased support.
Here are five ways to connect with the reader and give them a personal feeling for how their donation makes a tangible difference.
1. Appeal Letter from a Community Member
A letter directly from a community member whose life has been changed by the nonprofit is a powerful way to bring an organization’s work to immediate life. Hearing from a mother whose son benefitted from a healing nature camp, an amputee veteran who received physical therapy and counseling, or a daughter whose aging parents were beautifully cared for in their final days is a moving endorsement of the work of the nonprofit. It also reminds the donor of how transformative their gift can be.
The letter can be crafted and carefully written based on the community member’s experience and come directly from them or it can be edited by someone on your staff or marketing team, retaining the appropriate pertinent details and tone. The story should encapsulate how the person was helped or changed by the work of the nonprofit and imply that many other people are waiting to be helped in a similar fashion. Be sure to use photos in the graphic design of the letter to greatly enhance the power of the story.
The ask to the donor can come directly from the community member in a personal appeal to help others as they have been helped. Utilizing a handwritten note for emphasis can also be impactful on the letter.
2. The “Sandwich” – Story within the Appeal
This method also focuses on a singular story, this time told in the third person. The personal details are “sandwiched” between the hard facts and details.
For instance, the letter could start with a statistic about rare kidney disease, and then profile a child who has been diagnosed, what their challenges are, and how that child received the right treatment with the help of the nonprofit. The story should include quotations from the child or the family, ending the “story” portion of the letter.
The last section of the appeal letter can offer some facts about how the nonprofit has helped many people and families dealing with rare kidney diseases and then ask for a donation, showing how a gift will help someone like the child they just read about. This “sandwich” letter is a strong combination of personal appeal and convincing facts, the perfect recipe to increase donor giving.
3. Appeal with Infographics
Sometimes, the best nonprofit appeal letters let the numbers tell the story. If your organization has a lot of impressive statistics to share, placing them in an easy-to-read infographic can be a powerful way to demonstrate impact. The actual letter can be brief. Simply introduce the infographic for some context and include an ask. The infographic can be on a separate page, on the back of the letter, or on the same page as the letter. Then let the facts convince the reader.
Use icons and branded typography to tell people how many pets your shelter saved, how many pets were adopted, and how many life-saving surgeries or treatments were performed–along with an adorable photo or two! This style can be a succinct, effective way to show both need and impact.
4. Appeal Letter that Focuses on a Specific Need
Narrowing the appeal to focus on a specific need, for example, a new playground for a school or an MRI machine for a clinic, can help focus the donor’s mind and show them how their gift satisfies a specific, immediate demand. Like the personal viewpoint of a donor or a recipient, it makes the need less abstract and gives the donor a feeling that they are having a targeted impact. The letter can be structured to introduce the problem (the children’s playground is currently unsafe so kids are stuck indoors for recess) and then clearly explain how the project is part of the nonprofit’s mission and how it will make a difference. You can even detail the target funds needed so the donor will know exactly what percentage of expenses their gift will meet.
5. Appeal Letter from a Donor
A letter from a donor who has seen their gift be transformative can be a great way to connect with a prospective donor. The letter can describe why the donor gives to the organization (perhaps a personal back story or a life event that inspired their support) and how rewarding they have found their involvement. They can describe how their gift(s) directly and meaningfully impact the recipients. Hearing about impact firsthand from a passionate donor can give the reader some perspective into the way funds are used and how they affect recipients. A direct ask from a donor can be especially powerful; they are a live testimony of how meaningful support can be.
As with the first two appeal styles, photos and quotations, perhaps from a community member the donor affected, will help bring the story to life. The letter can be crafted by the donor themselves or by a member of your marketing staff.
The Best Nonprofit Appeal Letters Make it Easy to Donate
Your approach may vary from year to year, depending on what complements the goals of the campaign. Whatever your approach, be sure to tailor the ask to the letter. Different letters need different types of calls to action:
For the millions of people suffering deprivation, duress, and catastrophic loss, programs like these offer hope and essential coping skills. Please help us support “Recovery During the War” and other critical relief programs that save and change lives, like Svitlana’s. Your generous donation will help us to continue to serve and heal.
There are still lives to save and families to help. Will you be their lifeline? Your tax-deductible gift creates a healthier future for all those affected by rare kidney disease. Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a real difference.
Your support can give one of these students an entire year of university tuition. Your gift is more than financial, it is a gift of hope. You are giving these students a path forward.
Offer plenty of ways to give. If the letter is printed, provide a QR code and a URL to a donation landing page, even if you are including a separate remittance envelope or card. If the letter is emailed, include live buttons and links to a donation page. This will facilitate gift-giving while keeping the feeling fresh in the recipient’s mind.
Trillion Writes and Designs Successful Appeal Letters
Trillion has helped nonprofits write and design successful appeals that connect with donors and generate generous responses. Our nonprofit clients include schools, foundations, performing arts organizations, and community and relief organizations. We’d love to help you get your message across in a vital and meaningful way. Contact us to learn more about our successful appeal letters or call us at 908.219.4703.
