Raise Thousands for Your Charity Cause by Writing One Simple Letter

If you are involved in a fund-raising or charity event for the first time, it can be a daunting experience. One of the easiest, and most cost-effective ways to raise money for your cause is through the fund-raising letter.

When you write your letter, keep the basics in mind. You don't have to do these in a sequential order, but, be sure to cover these important points:

1. Tell people what you are raising money for.
2. Tell people why you are doing it and tie it into your emotions. People are more likely to give to your cause if you are able to invite them into your perspective. Why is this cause important to you?
3. Tell people why it will be beneficial to them, and tie into their emotions. Is this a cause that will effect them or someone they know? Will it help a large group of people?
4. Consider using an example of someone who would benefit from the money donated. The more you can show that a donation is going to help specific people, the better. You are more compelling when you give people a story to relate to.
5. Provide compelling statistics, if available. If you are talking about a disease, doesn't it make sense to point out that it is one that 1 in 6 women will get? If you're raising money for a sports field, wouldn't it make sense to point out how many children will benefit from the use of this field? Numbers are available for this stuff, and a little bit of research on your part will give your prospective donors a tangible reason to donate.
6. People won't give unless you ask. The best idea is to ask for a specific dollar amount. I know it sounds tacky at first, but, people generally rise to whatever bar you set.
7. If the donation is tax deductible, be sure to point this out.
8. If you are raising money for a charity, let people know where they can go to find more information about how the money is used. People have fears that their money is going to get eaten by administrative costs, or will be used for animal research, or any number of other things. Give those people the resource they need to find out where the money actually goes so they can put their own minds at ease.

When coming up with a mailing list, keep all of these people in mind: