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The church is a spiritual sanctuary for several congregants. However, to keep functioning, church fundraising is needed regularly.
But, bringing up the conversation for church fundraising is somewhat tricky.
However, what makes the process easier is asking for donations through letters.
The donation letters are an excellent way to ask for funding for new initiatives and other church endeavors.
This article discusses the critical elements of a donation letter and the tips for writing it, and it also provides you with 9 FREE templates to raise funds for the church, depending on the need. Keep reading below!
Church donation letters, particularly, are donation letters the congregations send to the community or constituents requesting funds. The funding could be for a new endeavor or to keep the church functioning properly on a daily basis.
Letters are the most direct and formal way to reach out to someone. They are also simple and easy to write. Plus, you can send the same letter over the mail with minor personalization to various people.
In today’s world, however, churches can opt for modern ways of communication, which are sending letters by email or posting them on social media in church groups.
The congregation thrives and achieves its goals thanks to this formal request for funding. It also eliminates the difficulty of having in-person communication but still relays a direct message.
The donation letters act as an integral part of the fundraising plan. These letters are not the only fundraising aspect but increase the fundraising potential with other methods.
If you already have successful online fundraising efforts in place, these letters will remind people to support the church’s cause.
Besides that, they are also a way to show the church’s appreciation for the congregants that are always there to support the community.
The letters are also reminders of the initiatives and campaigns the church and community members carry out. This can reignite the spirit of participation and lead to a donation to support these efforts.
So now that you are aware of what these donation letters are and why they are important let’s find out more about the key elements in these letters.
The donation letter is supposed to be a formal letter with crucial elements that can’t be missed out. These mainly include:
#1 Write Concise and Direct Letters
Usually, people do not spend a long time reading a letter or an email. Thus, keep it brief, direct, and catchy to keep the reader's attention intact.
Don't waste their time with flowery words. Rather keep the letter to the point. The important information should be in bold or italics so it is easy to find and also understand. Explain the purpose concisely and give a strong call to action so that people act promptly.
#2 Combine the Online Campaign and the Donation Letters
If an online donation page exists, include it at the end of your donation letter. Don’t make people find ways to reach your donation page and waste time. Also, include a QR code for easy access to the page.
#3 Being Grateful Beforehand
Successful church donation letters always show gratitude to the reader before asking for a donation. Thank them for their contribution to the church and mention how they have aided multiple projects.
Following up with a thank you letter, email, personal visit, or call is also a basic etiquette. Moreover, it makes them feel valued and more likely to donate often.
#4 Keep the Entire Letter Personal
Directly address the recipient with their name and also include personal stories related to their church experience. This will help them connect with the purpose of the donation right away. However, still keep the tone professional and formal rather than friendly.
#5 Send Email Letters As Well
If the church is old school, it is time to upgrade. Emails are more feasible for donations and allow people to respond. You may not get a response from direct mail.
Emails can increase donations if you smartly segment your donors according to their giving ability. This allows you to set recommended donation amounts for them and link them with each amount's short impact details.
#6 Add a Deadline
People act faster when there is an element of urgency. Hence, add a deadline to receive a donation, especially if you are short on time to launch the initiative. Do space it a little further than the day you send the letter in case it does not reach them on time through direct mail.
#7 Don’t Send Donation Letters All the Time
While the church greatly depends on the congregant's support, asking for donations too often can lead to fatigue. Letters should be sent sparsely, but if needed, only 6 times a year, once every 2 months.
There are other ways to collect donations, such as posting on social media, trying peer-to-peer fundraising, or organizing a fundraiser. Donations can also pour in without the church having to ask for them. Hence, letters shouldn’t be sent every month, and better when new initiatives are launched.
#1 Donor Recognition
Donors should be sent thank you letters as soon as they make a donation. That shows you value their contribution.
There are two types of donor recognition letters, one that works as a thank you letter and another that is actually a request for a donation. The latter starts off with being grateful to the donor and acknowledging their donation.
Then you also mention the projects and events in the pipeline that need further donations. Let them know any amount of donation is appreciated.
Here is a template for the former kind of Donor Acknowledgement:
Dear (Insert Church Member’s Name),
Thank you for your contribution to (initiative’s name).
We have received your donation of (amount) through (way of donation). This donation will allow us to fund the (specific project and initiative they contributed towards) and further our community.
Thanks to your donation, we have been able to reach (mention specific statistics) to support our goal of growing the community.
This donation is tax deductible, so please keep this letter for tax purposes to write off your donation at the end of the year.
Reach out to us at (insert email address), contact us at (insert number), or visit us at (insert church’s address) if you have any queries. Thank you for supporting (church name). We appreciate your continued support that helps in making a difference.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#2 Requesting Donations
When requesting donations for the church to carry out its regular operations, you do not need a specific project or initiative. Be open and direct in your general donation request while including your church’s voice and specific needs.
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
We are delighted to have you as a member of the church. Your continued support and participation allow us to grow. Through your support, we are able to provide members with beneficial spiritual events and programs to lift up the rest of the community.
We want to keep offering our services, such as (insert the services you provide) to invest in the community. We will need your help to achieve (insert future projects, events, initiatives planned) in order to reach greater heights and keep the church functioning at its best for every congregant.
We thank you for the contributions you have made in the past and in advance for those in the future. Your participation is highly valued.
If you wish to donate, kindly do so at: (insert donation link).
You can also personally give us a donation at (insert church’s address). If you have any concerns or queries regarding the donations, feel free to reach out to us at (insert email address).
Thank you for being a valuable part of the (church’s name) community.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#3 Special Event Fundraising
Fundraising events are important for churches to continue their activities. However, to organize the event on a larger scale to collect donations from people other than the congregants, the church requires some monetary support.
This template will cover how you should ask for some help:
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
We have some exciting things coming up this (holiday or month). We are in the process of planning a (insert special event’s name) fundraiser.
In our (insert most recent event’s name), we were able to generate (mention specific amount) and help (insert the number of people). We will continue to benefit the community, but for that, we also need your support.
Make it happen by contributing a generous donation. You can donate:
You can donate online at (insert link). It is also possible to contribute through normal giving. Simply highlight before checkout that you would like to donate towards the fundraiser.
Your contribution can help us organize a successful fundraiser. Thank you in advance!
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#4 Church Security Donation
This type of letter is sent to specifically ask for donations to enhance the security of the Church. Since the security of the Church also concerns the community members, they can be requested to chime in some amount.
Do it as follows:
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
As a valued member of our community, we wanted to update you on our efforts regarding improving the safety and security of the Church.
We have been working to identify potential areas where the security of the Church can be improved and have decided to upgrade the (insert security measures such as surveillance cameras, new locks, setting up a security training program, etc. )
These improvements can only be implemented with the help of community members. We hope we can reach our target to make the Church a more secure and safe place for the entire community.
You can donate by clicking this link or in person during service. Any amount is appreciated!
Help us provide a safe worship place for every congregant.
As always, Thank you, for your generosity and support.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#5 Mission Trip Fundraising Letter
Mission trips enable church members to reach out to other communities. Nonetheless, it is very expensive to send people on long trips. Sending letters to your community, asking them for fundraising for the trip can be one way to gather support from them.
The letter will look like this:
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
Our community is always aiming at strengthening people’s ties with faith. We value regularly organizing mission trips to reach out to many people beyond our community and facilitate their needs.
On the (insert date of departure), our valuable Church members will be headed to (insert location) to spread our mission and complete the projects (insert the projects such as medical camp).
We are looking forward to this mission trip but to bring it to fruition, we will need your help. Your support will help with (where the money will be spent such as transportation, medical camp, food, etc).
If you are interested in donating, click on this link.
We sincerely thank you on behalf of all the mission trip participants.
Best Regards,
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#6 Thank You for the Donation Letter
While you should promptly send a donation letter after a donation is received, you can also send another letter at the end of the year acknowledging the congregant's donations throughout the year. For sending a thank you letter after one donation, refer to Template 1.
The template for the year-end Thank you message is as follows:
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
As we approach the end of the year, we would like to take out some time to Thank You for your endless support for the community.
With your support, the (insert Church’s name) was able to carry out (insert projects successfully accomplished in the past year). Your generosity enabled us to make the community stronger and keep it thriving.
This letter/email also contains a summary of your donations in the past year. The donations are tax-deductible. Hence, while filing taxes, you can write off these donations.
Your generous support is highly valuable to the Church and our community. We are looking forward to heading toward yet another incredible year ahead.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#7 Legacy Giving Letter
Legacy Giving refers to a charitable legacy in the form of a monetary gift, property, or an item that is left in someone’s will.
Churches usually have a legacy-giving program for people to reach out and contribute to. The donation letter for that will be composed of asking and reminding people to donate any legacy gifts to the Church.
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing this to you to share some exciting news!
We have introduced the legacy giving program providing the members of our community an opportunity to leave a legacy on the Church and its mission.
You can contribute by including the Church in your estate planning or by monetary donations that can help fund several initiatives and maintain the facilities of the Church.
Through your contribution, you can impart to the next generations the support, spiritual guidance, and community that the Church provides. Moreover, you will facilitate the Church in carrying out its mission.
We realize legacy giving is a big personal decision, and we encourage you to consult family members and your financial advisor before you go ahead with it.
If you choose to be a part of the legacy giving program, we would be highly honored to make a plan with you according to your values and priorities. Please contact us at (insert name and phone number) to know more about it.
We highly appreciate your thoughtful contribution.
Thank you for your continued support!
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#8 Capital Campaign Letter
Churches set up a capital campaign when they either have to purchase land or make a new building. The Church can ask for donations for the construction and renovation costs. Like this:
Dear (Church Member’s Name),
We have exciting news! We are currently in the process of constructing a new Church building. This new and improved building will allow us to carry out our duties and also provide space for (insert new activities you are working on).
We are working on making this building for the entire congregation to gather, worship and enjoy each other’s company. We are looking forward to establishing this place for all our congregants.
We will need your help in building a more spacious and improved Church. You can support the construction through this online link. We hope you can become an integral part of building the community space for the congregation.
Thank you for your continued support and generous donation in (details of repairing and building) in advance. We hope to welcome you to the new space soon.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
#9 Sponsorship Letter
The sponsorship letters are on a bigger scale whereby the church reaches out to businesses for support rather than simply reaching out to congregants.
This can help in more publicity and improving your brand reputation as well as gaining more recognition in the community which will be equally beneficial to the sponsor.
You can write the letter as follows:
Dear (Name of the Contact working at Potential Sponsor),
(Give some brief history about the church, its location, and past successful projects).
We are reaching out to you with regard to a project (insert details) that we are currently working on.
The church carries out these projects because of (insert the benefits and needs of the initiative and projects). However, we rely on the generosity of the community to further implement these projects on a large scale and benefit the entire community.
Would you consider contributing (mention a specific amount) towards the (insert project name)? Through your support, we can (insert what the initiative will accomplish).
If you want to contribute, please check out this donation link. We would be glad to discuss other possibilities of donations or support. We appreciate your support for the community in any way.
On behalf of all the congregants and the community of (insert the name of the church), we thank you in advance for your contribution.
(Church leader’s/ Development officer’s signature)
(Church leader’s/Development officer’s name)
Here you go! Use these 9 templates for FREE to reach out to the community or to sponsors for church fundraising. Just remember to add enough details about the Church and the initiatives that require monetary support.
To make the donation process easier, use BetterWorld’s online donation tools to set up a donation page and start directing your community members to that through email letters. So use this article to get to work and start collecting donations now!
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