Beyond End Of Year Fundraising: Give To Donors Now

What is an annual appeal letter? It’s a letter that nonprofits typically send out once a year (hence the name) to solicit donations from donors, lapsed donors, and prospective donors. This is different from other fundraising letters in the nonprofit space (like a capital campaign ask or a grant application). Though simple in concept, the annual appeal letter is the backbone of most nonprofits’ fundraising strategies, and it’s usually sent during the end of year (to coincide with the December giving season).

Each organization will make this campaign their own, but there are some standard elements of fundraising appeal letters that can take your annual appeal from average to outstanding.

Before You Write Your Letter

Before you even put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), you need to put some thought into who you’re writing to and what you want them to do. The more intentional you are in this stage, the more effective your letter will be.

Identify Your Audience

Who are you writing to? This is a crucial question. Are you writing to:‍

• First-time donors who have never given before?
• Lapsed donors who gave in the past but haven’t recently?
• Loyal donors who give regularly?
• Major donors who could give significantly?

Your answer will shape your entire message. Different audiences need different kinds of persuasion. By understanding who you’re speaking to, you can tailor your message to be as relevant and compelling as possible.

Set Your Goals

What do you want to achieve with this letter? A clear goal is essential for measuring the success of your appeal. This could be:

• A financial target (e.g., raise $50,000)
• A donor count target (e.g., reach 500 donors)
• A retention rate target (e.g., retain 60% of last year’s donors)

By setting clear goals, you can track your success and make adjustments as needed. Having a financial target also allows you to effectively segment donors (more on that later).

How to Write Your Annual Appeal Letter

Now that you’ve set the stage with your audience and goals, it’s time to write your annual appeal letter. Here are some practical steps to follow:

1. Start with a compelling story

The most effective annual appeal letters start with a story that illustrates the impact of your organization’s work. The story should:‍

• Be about a specific individual (not a group), and ideally use their real name
• Show how your organization made a positive change in their life
• Be relatable to your donors

This isn’t just about tugging at heartstrings. It’s about making the abstract concrete — showing donors what their money can actually do.

2. Make your ask early and often

Contrary to what you might think, it’s actually better to make your ask early in the letter, not just at the end. By making the ask early, you frame everything else in the letter around why they should give. Make your ask:

• Specific (ask for a particular amount if possible)
• Tangible (tie the amount to a specific impact)
• Repeated (mention it again at the end of the letter)

3. Make it personal

People respond to personalization. If possible, tailor your letter to each individual donor:

• Use their first name in the salutation
• Mention their last gift and express gratitude for it
• Highlight how their contributions have made a difference in the past

If you can’t personalize to that degree, at least segment your list and write different letters for different groups. You could write one for first-time donors, one for lapsed donors, and one for loyal donors, for example.

4. Keep it simple

Your annual appeal letter should be easy to read and understand. Avoid jargon and overly complex language. People are busy, and they’re not going to spend a lot of time deciphering a complex message. Use simple, clear language and break up the text with subheadings and bullet points.

5. Emphasize urgency and impact

Help donors understand why they should give now. This could be a specific need that’s pressing, a matching gift opportunity, or a year-end deadline.

Ties these needs to the impact that their donation can have. Show them that their gift right now can make a real difference.

6. Close with a strong call to action

Your annual appeal letter should end with a clear call to action. Tell donors exactly what you want them to do (e.g., “Please donate today”), and make it easy for them to do it.

Tell them how to donate (by mail, online, etc.), and provide all necessary information. If you’re providing a return envelope, mention it. If you want them to donate online, provide a simple URL.

Annual Appeal Letter Templates

Now, let’s look at some annual appeal letter examples and templates. These examples will give you a concrete illustration of how to implement the above advice.

Template 1: General Annual Appeal

Below is an example of a general appeal letter:

Dear [First Name],

Thanks to friends like you, [Name of Beneficiary] can now [positive outcome]. Before [Nonprofit Name] came into their life, [Name of Beneficiary] was [description of their problem]. Your generosity is changing that.

With your gift of [ask amount], you can [description of impact]. You will help us achieve [specific goal] by [deadline].

Please donate today by enclosing your check in the envelope provided, or visit [URL] to give online. Your support means the world to us and to all the [beneficiaries] we serve.

Gratefully,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Nonprofit Name]

Template 2: Lapsed Donor Appeal

Below is an example of a lapsed donor appeal:

Dear [First Name],

I’ve been thinking about you. Your generous gift of [amount] in [year] helped us [describe impact]. You are part of our story.

But I notice we haven’t heard from you lately. Life gets busy, I know. And I understand that your financial priorities may shift from year to year.

Still, I wanted to reach out because your support truly makes a difference. With a gift of [ask amount] today, you can [description of impact].

Please consider renewing your support by enclosing your check in the envelope provided, or visiting [URL] to give online. Your renewed support would mean so much to us and to those we serve.

Gratefully,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Nonprofit Name]

Template 3: Loyal Donor Appeal

Below is an example of a loyal donor appeal:

Dear [First Name],

Year after year, you’ve stood with us. Your consistent support has made [specific impact possible] and we are deeply grateful.

This year, we need your help more than ever. Our goal is to [describe goal]. With your continued generosity, we know we can do it.

Would you consider a gift of [ask amount] to help us reach our goal? Your donation will [describe impact], making a real difference in the lives of [beneficiaries].

To donate, simply enclose your check in the provided envelope, or visit [URL] to give online. Your continued support means the world to all of us at [Nonprofit Name].

With heartfelt thanks,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Nonprofit Name]

Remember, the key to an effective annual appeal letter is a compelling story, a clear and repeated ask, personalization, simplicity, urgency, and a strong call to action. With these elements, you’ll be well on your way to a successful annual appeal. Good luck!