.png)
Fundraising Letters: An Old School Way To Raise More For Charity
When did you last receive a personal letter from a friend asking you to support something that really mattered to them? In a world of fundraising pages, WhatsApp messages, emails and social media posts, writing a fundraising letter can feel decidedly old fashioned. That may be exactly why it deserves another look.
A letter lands physically in someone's home. It does not disappear down a social media feed, compete with notifications or get forgotten among dozens of messages. Someone has taken the time to write it, address it and send it, which can make the request feel very different from another link arriving on a screen.
Writing letters to everyone you know probably isn't the answer. Carefully choosing a smaller number of people and sending them a thoughtful fundraising letter, however, could provide another way to tell your story, ask for support and reach people who may have missed your fundraising elsewhere.
Do Fundraising Letters Still Work?
Charities have used fundraising letters for decades, but individual fundraisers rarely seem to consider them anymore. Most people setting up a fundraising page instinctively turn to social media, messaging apps and email to tell people what they are doing.
Those methods can work extremely well, but they also create competition for attention. Your Facebook post might appear among dozens of other updates, an Instagram Story disappears and a WhatsApp message can quickly move down someone's screen.
A letter is different because there is a physical object to open and read. It may remain on a desk or kitchen table long after a digital message would have disappeared from view, potentially giving someone another reminder of your challenge.
None of that means a letter automatically produces a donation. The strength of the approach comes from the story you tell, the relationship you already have with the recipient and the fact that you have chosen to contact them personally.
Who Should You Send A Fundraising Letter To?
The strength of a personal fundraising letter is not about reaching hundreds of people. It is about identifying people with whom you have a genuine connection and deciding whether a letter could be an appropriate way to approach them.
Think beyond the people you speak to every week. There may be old friends, former colleagues, extended family members, neighbours or people you have known through sport, work and community groups who would be interested in what you are doing.
Looking through an old address book, contacts list or even your Christmas card list may remind you of people you had not immediately considered. Fundraising can be a good reason to reconnect, provided the relationship is genuine and the message does not simply feel like an unexpected demand for money.
This is not an invitation to obtain addresses for people you barely know and send unsolicited fundraising requests. A smaller number of carefully selected letters to people who actually know you is much closer to the idea behind this approach.
Why Can A Personal Fundraising Letter Stand Out?
One reason letters have become unusual is that communicating digitally is so easy. You can send the same message to 50 people in seconds, which is convenient for the sender but can also make fundraising communication feel less individual.
A letter requires more effort. Even if the main message is typed, adding someone's name, a handwritten note or a reference to something you share demonstrates that you have thought about who will receive it.
That can matter when you are asking for support. People often donate because of a combination of the person asking, the challenge they are taking on and the cause they are supporting, and a letter gives you enough space to bring those elements together.
It also gives the recipient time to respond. They can read the letter, put it down and return to it later without you expecting an immediate answer.
What Should A Fundraising Letter Include?
Start by explaining why you are writing. Tell the recipient about your challenge, the event you are taking part in and the charity you are supporting so they understand the purpose of the letter quickly.
Then explain why you chose that charity. If there is a personal story behind your fundraising, tell it honestly. You do not need dramatic language or a lengthy description of the charity's history; concentrate on helping the recipient understand why this particular cause matters to you.
Tell them about your fundraising target and what you are doing to achieve it. Training for a marathon, preparing for a long walk or taking on another difficult challenge demonstrates the commitment you are making yourself.
Finally, explain clearly how they can support you. A fundraising letter should make donating straightforward rather than leaving the recipient to work out how to find your fundraising page.
How To Ask For A Donation In A Letter
You need to actually ask. A beautifully written explanation of your challenge is not much use if the recipient reaches the bottom and is unsure whether you are simply sharing some news or asking for their support.
The request does not need to be forceful. Something such as, "If you would like to support me, I would be incredibly grateful for any donation towards my fundraising target" makes the purpose clear while leaving the decision entirely with the recipient.
Avoid apologising repeatedly for asking or trying to make someone feel guilty. You are giving them an opportunity to support something that matters to you, not presenting them with an obligation.
Once you have made the request, explain exactly what they need to do next. The easier you make donating, the less chance there is that someone intends to support you but never quite gets around to it.
Put A QR Code In Your Fundraising Letter
A QR code is one of the easiest ways to combine an old fashioned fundraising letter with a modern online fundraising page. Print a QR code linking directly to your page and the recipient can scan it with their phone and donate without having to search for you.
Test the QR code with more than one phone before sending your letters. Make sure it goes directly to the correct fundraising page rather than a charity homepage or another page that requires the supporter to search again.
It is sensible to include a short written web address as an alternative. Not everybody will want to use a QR code, and giving supporters more than one simple route to your fundraising page removes an unnecessary barrier.
How Personal Should Your Fundraising Letter Be?
Your letter should reflect the relationship you have with the person receiving it. If you are writing to a close friend, there is little reason for the message to sound like something produced by a charity's marketing department.
Mention something relevant to the person if it feels natural. Perhaps they already know why the cause matters to you, have followed your previous challenges or have their own connection with the charity or event.
You do not necessarily need to write every letter individually from beginning to end. You could create a core letter explaining your challenge and then personalise the opening or add a handwritten message for each recipient.
The objective is not to pretend that every word was individually written. It is to make sure the person receiving the letter understands why you thought of them rather than feeling like one name on a mailing list.
Should You Handwrite A Fundraising Letter?
A completely handwritten fundraising letter can feel particularly personal, but it is not essential. If you are sending more than a handful, handwriting every letter may quickly become impractical and could make the message harder to read.
A typed letter with a handwritten greeting, short personal note and signature can provide a good balance. You get the clarity of a printed letter while retaining elements that clearly came from you.
You could also handwrite the envelope. These are small details, but together they help distinguish a letter from the mass-produced direct mail people may already receive from organisations.
What matters most is authenticity rather than presentation. Expensive paper, elaborate designs and professional printing will not compensate for a letter that does not sound like you.
A Fundraising Letter Template
Your fundraising letter should ultimately sound like you, but having a structure can make the first one much easier to write. The following example can be adapted to your challenge and relationship with the recipient.
"Dear [Name],
I hope you're well. I'm writing because I've decided to take on [challenge/event] to raise money for [charity].
I've chosen to support them because [brief personal reason]. It's a cause that means a great deal to me, so I've set myself the challenge of [brief explanation of what you are doing].
I'm hoping to raise [target]. Training is already underway and [include a short personal detail about how it is going].
If you would like to support me, I would be incredibly grateful for any donation. I've included a QR code which takes you directly to my fundraising page, or you can visit [short fundraising page address].
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can give me. I'll let you know how I get on.
Best wishes,
[Name]"
Use this fundraising letter template as a starting point rather than something that needs to be copied word for word. Change the language, add details and remove anything that does not sound like something you would genuinely say.
Should You Suggest A Donation Amount?
For a personal letter to friends or people you know, there is usually no need to tell them how much they should donate. Your relationship with each recipient will be different, as will their personal circumstances.
It can be useful to explain your overall fundraising target and how you are progressing towards it. Knowing that you are aiming for £2,000 gives someone context without suggesting what their individual contribution ought to be.
If the charity provides examples of what different donation amounts could help achieve, you could include one if it genuinely strengthens your story. Make sure any statement about the impact of a donation comes from the charity and is current rather than estimating it yourself.
When Should You Send Fundraising Letters?
Do not wait until the final week before your event. A letter can work particularly well earlier in the fundraising journey, when you have time to introduce the challenge and allow people to respond without feeling that there is an immediate deadline.
You might send letters after establishing your fundraising page and beginning your training. That means recipients can see that the challenge is underway and have somewhere to go immediately if they decide to donate.
As race day approaches, you do not necessarily need to send another letter. An email, message or photograph showing how your training is progressing can continue the conversation with people who have already shown an interest.
After the event, make sure those who supported you hear how you got on. Tell them your final fundraising total, share a photograph and thank them for helping you achieve it.
Combine Letters With Your Other Fundraising
Writing fundraising letters does not mean abandoning digital fundraising. The strongest campaigns often use several different ways to reach people because supporters communicate and respond in different ways.
Someone might respond immediately to a WhatsApp message, while another person continually scrolls past social media appeals. Someone else may take more notice when an envelope addressed personally to them arrives through the letterbox.
Think of letters as another fundraising tool rather than a replacement for everything else. They can sit alongside your fundraising page, social media, email, workplace fundraising and conversations with friends and family.
Using several channels also means you are less dependent on one platform. You are giving people different opportunities to discover your challenge and support it in the way that works for them.
Don't Forget The Cost Of Sending Letters
Unlike sending an email or posting on social media, fundraising letters cost money. Paper, envelopes, printing and postage all need to be considered, particularly if you plan to send a significant number.
That is another reason to be selective. Sending a smaller number of genuinely personal letters to people you know is likely to make more sense than treating this as a mass mailing exercise.
Keep the costs proportionate to your campaign and decide in advance whether you are paying them yourself. The objective is to generate additional support for your charity without creating unnecessary fundraising expenses.
You also do not need expensive stationery. A clear, sincere letter on ordinary paper can do the job perfectly well.
Follow Up Without Chasing People
A fundraising letter should never create an obligation to donate. If somebody does not respond, avoid contacting them specifically to ask whether they received the letter or when they intend to contribute.
You can still share normal fundraising updates with them if you would have done so anyway. They may eventually donate, share your fundraising page with someone else or simply wish you well.
Sometimes people genuinely intend to donate and forget, so a later general update can provide another opportunity without becoming a personal chase. The distinction is important: remind people about your challenge, but respect their decision about whether to support it financially.
Ask For More Than A Donation
A person who cannot donate may still be able to help. They could mention your challenge to somebody else, share your fundraising page or pass your details to someone with a particular connection to the charity.
You can mention this towards the end of the letter without adding another complicated request. Letting people know that sharing your fundraising is also useful gives them another way to support what you are doing.
This can be especially valuable when your reason for fundraising has a strong connection to the cause. Your letter may reach someone who knows another person for whom that story has particular meaning.
Remember To Say Thank You
If somebody responds to your fundraising letter with a donation, thank them personally. They have responded to an individual approach, so an individual acknowledgement is appropriate too.
After your challenge, tell them what happened and how much you eventually raised. A race photograph, short message or even another letter can complete the story and show that their contribution was part of something worthwhile.
Where possible, share something about what the fundraising will help the charity achieve. The finish line may be the end of your physical challenge, but the cause was the reason you asked people to support you in the first place.
Could An Old Fashioned Fundraising Letter Raise More?
It would be easy to dismiss fundraising letters as belonging to another era. Most individual fundraisers now have faster, easier and cheaper ways to reach people, and digital tools should absolutely form part of a modern fundraising campaign.
But that is also what makes a letter interesting. When almost every fundraising request arrives through a screen, receiving something through the letterbox from somebody you actually know has become unusual.
You do not need hundreds of stamps or a complicated direct mail campaign. Choose the right people, explain honestly why your challenge matters, make donating easy and then allow them to decide whether they want to support you. Sometimes doing what everybody else has stopped doing is precisely what gets you noticed.
Comments