Following is a sample donation request letter that could be sent from a charitable organization or other group in crisis to their community or the broader public. Feel free to copy it and modify it for your fundraising needs. For any other use, please contact us. (More fundraising letters and templates…)
Dear Friends:
We are reaching out to our dearest friends of past and present and everyone we know who cares about our youth to consider pledging a generous relief gift today. Our directors have asked us to ensure that $15,000 in new funding is pledged by August 15. If not, we need to close our doors permanently.
We are so proud to report on our tremendous impact in the community. We only have three part-time program staff. They work tirelessly to organize and train volunteers and help young people with little hope gain traction for better futures.
Last year, we tutored an average of 250 students a month.
- All of them graduated from high school!
- 65 percent went on to college or technical school!
- 25% got scholarships!
- None of them received a jail sentence!
The dismal statistics show that otherwise.
- Only 80 percent of local high school-aged students graduate.
- Only 15% go on to college.
- Only 5% win academic or sports scholarships.
- 12% are arrested.
- 7% are formally charged with a crime.
- And 3% go to jail.
This is how we know we are making a real difference in individual lives, for families, and for our community as a whole. None of these kids can afford tutoring and afterschool support otherwise.
You have heard us tell you this before! Every year, we reach out in the spring and fall. We report on our progress like this, and ask you to consider giving towards our operating budget.
This year, the appeal is much more urgent. Because of the coronavirus crisis, we are going to have to dismantle the organization if we do not secure new sources of funding over the next few months. Nearly 60 percent of our normal donors have told us that they won’t be able to sponsor the program this year.
We receive around 50 percent of our donations from individuals like you. Half have lost their jobs and cannot give. 40 percent comes from local businesses. More than half of those businesses have had to close shop for the foreseeable future. When they open will be short on funds.
We are applying to a few local community foundations for relief support, but funding is limited and in high demand.
That is why we are asking you to give or pledge as generously as you can, if you are in a position to do so, today. If we know we have other sources committed, we can keep planning for the future. We can also ramp up our new virtual programs which are in extremely high demand.
Even though we have been forced to shut down our “in-person” programs because of the emergency, our dedicated staff are coming up with amazing ways to help people. They are organizing out-of-work professionals stuck at home to mentor and tutor young people via virtual classrooms and interfaces.
All of our normal program recipients are asking for help. On top of it, we are receiving unprecedented amounts of requests for support from new individuals.
If we know we have a future, with some pledged funding in place, we can develop this program even further. This will keep the hundreds of students we already serve on track to finish high school and be competitive for college and scholarships. It will also likely help hundreds more, of the growing group of new “poor” community members who are unemployed and struggling to help their children.
We only need to know that you are IN. That you and your family, who can afford to, are willing to give again this year, or even hopefully increase your gift. You can make that pledge (or payment) today, through this secure link. Or respond and let us know how and when you might fulfill your gift.
Warmest regards,
Director
XXX Charity
P.S. A local community member has pledged to give us $5,000, but only if we meet our goal to have pledges in place by August! Please pledge as generously as you can so we do not miss this opportunity.