Respond to a Request For a Donation or to a Fundraising Letter • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Guides

Your response to requests for donations should be courteous and candid. It is a good practice to have well-established principles and procedures to control expenditures and provide a reasoned response to such requests.

How to write this response letter:

  1. Express appreciation for the letter.
  2. Explain that you cannot support all worthy causes and how you or your company handle such requests.
  3. Tell what you plan to do in this instance. Distinguish between a personal contribution and a corporate one.
  4. Wish the organization success in its endeavors.

Example Letter #1

Copied

Thank you for your letter requesting support for the Lincoln County Animal Shelter. We greatly admire your efforts toward educating the public about cruelty to animals. The shelter has done a remarkable job for this county since its inception four years ago.

While we would like to contribute to your worthy cause, our company channels requests for donations through a social awareness committee. The committee meets twice a year to decide which projects we can support for the coming year. When they meet again, I will inform you of their decision. We appreciate this opportunity to review your goals and wish you continued success with this year's campaign.

Example Letter #2

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Thank you for your letter apprising me of the activities of the Wetlands Coalition. I always make it my policy to investigate where my charitable donations go, and the Wetlands Coalition has an excellent reputation. I am pleased to make a $1000 donation to this worthy cause. I will appreciate receiving a signed receipt. Here's wishing you all the best in meeting this year's goal!

Example Letter #3

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Thank you for your recent letter outlining the activities of your public policy watchdog organization, The Doe Report. I understand that this is a nonprofit, volunteer- and donation-powered group. Unfortunately, I unable to support all the worthy causes whose letters cross my desk. I do appreciate the publicity The Doe Report has given to the recent hubbub in City Hall, and I hope that I will be in a better position to support this cause when your next quarterly letter arrives. In the meantime I wish you much success in achieving your fund-raising goals.

Example Letter #4

Copied

Thank you for your well-reasoned request for donations to keep inner city kids off drugs. This is obviously a very worthy cause. While I do 'give at the office,' through Doe Way, I am donating to your cause because this issue is too important to let slide. I have enclosed a personal check for $50.00. Please send a receipt. I wish you all success in this good work.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 Express appreciation for the letter.

Sample Sentences for Step 1
  • Thank you for explaining the need for financial support for the Doe Conservatory.
  • We appreciated your letter explaining Doe College students' need for financial assistance.
  • I appreciated your letter regarding the Children's Fund. It is refreshing to see so many of our teenagers involved in this cause.
  • Thank you for your kind invitation to attend a fund raising dinner on March 31.
  • I appreciated your letter requesting support for the new library.
  • We appreciated your request for donations to support the homeless shelter, and we are proud that our community has the service of volunteers like you.
  • Thank you for contacting us about your efforts to establish a shelter for the homeless.
  • We received your letter requesting support for public television.
  • We are very pleased to hear that you are establishing the Doe scholarship fund.
  • We admire your dedicated efforts on behalf of the Doe Foundation.
  • Thank you for presenting us with your fund-raising goals for renovating Doe Manor.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
  • appreciated your letter
  • excellent organizations such as yours
  • explaining the need for
  • for contacting us about
  • for giving us the opportunity to
  • for financial support for
  • for financial assistance
  • for inviting us to
  • happy to learn that
  • have received your letter about
  • involved in this cause
  • must agree that
  • regarding the need to
  • requesting support for
  • sincerely thank you for
  • thank you for
  • the work that you
  • to attend a
  • very much appreciate
  • your kind invitation
  • your involvement in this
  • your contacting us about
  • your commitment to
  • your dedicated efforts
  • your request for donations to support
  • your letter requesting support for

2 Explain that you cannot support all worthy causes and how you or your company handle such requests.

Sample Sentences for Step 2
  • Since we cannot support every request we receive, we have established a list of worthy causes and carefully select five or six of those to support each year.
  • We want our contributions to make a clear difference locally, so our policy is to support two or three local causes, and only one national cause each year.
  • We make our contributions monthly through the local Doe Way, in order to benefit several organizations at once.
  • To help us contribute wisely, we have organized a social awareness committee that meets semiannually to decide which causes we will support.
  • Deciding where to donate is a difficult task. Because there are so many worthy causes, we have decided to channel our contributions through one agency.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
  • a set of criteria to follow
  • a set of guidelines
  • as we review requests
  • as many as possible
  • cannot support every request
  • carefully review all requests
  • channel our contributions through
  • find great difficulty in deciding
  • focus is on local needs
  • giving donations is a serious task
  • have established a
  • is never easy to choose
  • make monthly contributions through
  • our policy is to
  • since we obviously cannot
  • so many worthy causes
  • to choose which causes we can support
  • to help us contribute wisely
  • try to support
  • want our contributions to

3 Tell what you plan to do in this instance. Distinguish between a personal contribution and a corporate one.

Sample Sentences for Step 3
  • We are pleased to inform you that we have chosen to make a contribution to your organization. You will receive our donation in the form of a check within the month. We hope it helps.
  • Although our contribution may be small, we are delighted to be part of such a worthy cause. We wish you success in your work.
  • We trust, therefore, you will receive our contributions through the Doe Way. We wish you success in the great work you are doing.
  • As soon as our committee meets, we will inform you of our plans for next year. Best wishes for success in your important work.
  • In your case, however, we plan to make an exception and donate directly to your cause. You should receive our pledge card in the mail soon. We wish you all the best in your important work.
  • We have already donated funds beyond our budgetary constraints, so we are unable to honor additional requests for donations until after the new year. Still, we wish you every success in your work. Perhaps next year we can reconsider your request.
  • We have already exceeded our budget for charitable causes this year so we cannot help you at this time.
  • On behalf of our organization, I am enclosing a company check for $400.
  • I have enclosed our company check for $800 and my personal check for $40.
  • Doe Corporation is pleased to present the city council a check for $1,000 to aid in this worthy venture.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
  • already give a monthly donation to
  • although the contribution is small
  • although the company cannot
  • am pleased to contribute
  • are pleased to enclose a check for
  • are pleased to inform you
  • are unable to honor additional requests
  • are delighted to be a part of
  • at this time
  • can count on me for a contribution
  • can never give as much as we would like
  • enclosing our corporate check for
  • feel that we can best direct our efforts towards
  • find it impossible to
  • have chosen to make a contribution to
  • have allocated all our funds to
  • have already exceeded our budget
  • have enclosed a personal check for
  • hope that our contribution will help
  • of such a worthy cause
  • perhaps next year we can
  • reconsider your request at a later time
  • simply cannot help you
  • to contribute to your organization
  • trust that you will be able to
  • will receive our check by
  • will make a donation
  • wish we could have a more positive answer

4 Wish the organization success in its endeavors.

Sample Sentences for Step 4
  • We wish you the best in your fund-raising efforts. Yours is a deserving project.
  • We have every confidence you will meet your goals.
  • We thank you for this unique opportunity to enhance another's education.
  • We know many families benefit from your research each year, and we hope you will continue to provide this valuable service.
  • We thank you for your commitment to this project.
  • I wish you the very best in meeting your financial goals and hope to be able to contribute more in the near future.
Sample Phrases for Step 4
  • achieving your goals
  • as soon as our committee meets
  • best wishes for success
  • building your program
  • good luck with your
  • have every confidence that you
  • hope you will have every success
  • hope that in the future
  • keep up the excellent work
  • meeting your financial goals
  • should receive our pledge in the mail
  • the great work you are doing
  • the valuable service you provide
  • the commendable work you are doing
  • the important work you are doing
  • will inform you of our plans
  • will be able to
  • wish you every success
  • wish you all the best
  • your important work
  • your ongoing efforts

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