Tips on Writing Your Fundraising Letters

Making fundraising letters does not have to be as hard as planning and implementing your fundraising events. Here are some tips on what to consider when writing fundraising letters:

* Don't address recipients in a general way by saying "To whom it may concern" or "Dear friends". Instead, address them using their own names. Imagine that you're talking to a friend. This makes your fundraising letter more friendly and warm.

* Use the word "you" more than the words "we" or "I". This is a good way to get your recipients more interested in reading your letter.

* Focus on explaining the cause of your organization. This is the most critical part of fundraising letters. Make sure to state this part very clearly since this can make or break your application.

* Remember to include the benefits they may get from supporting your cause. State a specific amount/s they may donate. You may also include in this part how donations have helped your organization in the past.

* When you write fundraising letters, don't say that you need the recipients' support. Just say that their donation, which is in monetary value, is needed for your cause. This is so they would contribute money for your program.

* Although you must state a specific amount of money, make sure to say that any amount can still be appreciated. This is so your recipients do not feel pressured or get turned off.

* Use simple words in fundraising letters. Never use words which are too big or highfaluting. Otherwise, you can turn readers off and they may not even read up to the last word of your letter.

* Highlight important words in your letter. You may do this by using bold fonts, underscores or uppercase letters. Remember that most of your readers may simply skim or scan your letter instead of reading it word for word.

* Make the format of your letter more readable. This means leaving a lot of white space in the page so that your readers' eyes can rest. You can do this by having three to four sentences per paragraph. Indent also each paragraph to make your letter even more readable.

Make use of bullet points when enumerating ideas instead of using long sentences. This also helps in creating a better format.

* Keep your fundraising letters short. This means stating your intentions in as few words as possible. Get to the point immediately so as not to make your recipients impatient.

The most important thing to remember in writing your fundraising letter is to be honest. Be sincere and your letter will reflect the good cause you have for launching your fundraising event.