Are you struggling to secure your nonprofit's funding to make a lasting impact? You're not alone. Asking for donations can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. The right approach and tools can transform your fundraising efforts and boost donor engagement.
In this guide, we'll reveal the secrets to crafting compelling donation requests that resonate with individuals, businesses, and foundations. Get ready to take your donation requests to the next level and secure the support your cause deserves.
Whom Should You Ask for Donations?
The first thing to consider when thinking about how to ask for donations is who to ask.
Nonprofits typically request donations from individuals, and with good reason. 80% of all donations to charities and nonprofits in the United States come from individual contributions!
However, approaching other sources, such as corporations, local businesses, and foundations, is essential to increase the scope of donations. Let’s take a look at the three broad categories of contributors:
Individuals
People contribute to causes they are passionate about. Some contribute smaller amounts at frequent intervals, while others may make a one-time larger donation. Some may take it up as a fixed sum they’d like to donate annually, perhaps on a birthday. These individual donations can contribute to providing significant funds to charitable organizations and nonprofits.
Individual donors may contribute by:
- Making online donations.
- Sending cheques through direct mail.
- Donating to pledges.
- Making a purchase.
Knowing why an individual donates can help you craft messages that speak to their motivations and encourage more donations.
Businesses and Firms
Businesses usually distribute donations annually by choosing a nonprofit on their own, but they can also respond to donation requests.
Connecting with the right businesses can offer your nonprofit huge financial support. These businesses may also form long-term partnerships with your organization.
As people associated with a business learn about your cause, the potential for promoting and growing your community increases.
Corporates usually donate through:
- Matching gifts
- Corporate and volunteer grants
- In-kind donations
- Cause marketing for mutual benefits
Foundations
Foundations are larger nonprofit organizations designed to support other nonprofits in continuing their mission. Reaching out to charitable foundations can be an effective way to raise funds for your cause.
Foundations typically offer support through:
- Corporate grants
- Community grants
- Private grants
These grants can be broadly categorized into:
- Operating support
- Capital support
- Program development grants
Approach foundations with a similar mission, as they are more likely to support your nonprofit.
How to Ask Individuals for Donations
Here are some best practices to follow while asking for donations from individuals, especially friends and family:
Engage Your Close Network
Start by reaching out to your close personal network to spread awareness about your nonprofit's fundraising needs. When people who know and trust you engage in your cause, it creates a ripple effect.
- Reach out to family members, friends, and co-workers first.
- Explain your mission and fundraising goals.
- Ask them to contribute and share with their circles.
This initial core support builds social proof. As awareness grows through word-of-mouth, more people get inspired to give.
Emphasize your Cause
When asking for donations, weave an emotional element through your potential donors by sharing your nonprofit's cause and mission. Paint a vivid picture of the impact you're striving to achieve.
- Lead with a compelling overview of the problem or need you're addressing.
- Share real stories that humanize the cause and its beneficiaries.
- Explain how their donation will directly contribute to the mission's advancement.
- Detail your nonprofit's vision for lasting change and impact.
- Conclude with a powerful call to action (CTA) for supporting the shared cause.
Create a Sense of Urgency
Urge potential donors to contribute now and make a real difference. Speak from the heart about why your mission matters. When you keep it real, you'll spark the interest of those who truly care about your cause and would want to pitch in.
Personalize Your Donation Request
Personalized donation requests are more impactful than generic messages.
Use donor management software to segment potential donors based on demographics and preferences. Analyze each individual’s willingness to support your initiatives.
Use the insights to customize your messages and make the requests more effective.
Keep the Donation Process Simple
If you want people to support your nonprofit, make it easy for them to donate. Adding a simple link to a customized donation form from Zeffy in your request message will simplify the process. By offering a convenient donation method, you'll remove barriers and encourage more people to support your cause.
Show Gratitude
Make sure to thank your donors for their valuable contributions. Not everyone will contribute, so be prepared to hear rejections. Regardless, stay connected with them. They can spread awareness about your cause even if they do not donate.
How to Ask for Donations from Businesses
Before requesting donations from businesses, consider the size of the company. Are you reaching out to a local business or a big corporation?
Personalize your donation request accordingly and follow these best practices to ask for donations successfully:
Ask the Right Companies
Find a company whose social mission shares the values and goals of your nonprofit.
Building a connection with a company will be easier if it believes in your cause. Map your goals with their social mission and encourage them to donate.
For instance, a company that uses a portion of its revenue to educate underprivileged children will likely donate to a nonprofit working towards a similar cause.
Connect with the Right Person
Address the right point of contact, whether through email, a donation letter, or phone. If you aim to secure donations, you must contact someone who is involved in the decision-making process.
Pro tip: When researching the right contact, visit the organization's website and look for a "People" or "About Us" section. Scan job titles to find the person most likely to handle donations, such as Directors of Fundraising, Corporate Partnerships, or Community Relations. Tailoring your outreach accordingly can make all the difference!
Be Clear About Your Donation Ask
Meet the decision-makers with a detailed case of your mission and needs. Asking for support without a defined number or objective will be less appealing to your potential donors.
Stay in touch with your network, regardless of whether they've made a donation. Nurture your relationship with the corporate donors and keep them informed about upcoming fundraising events, sponsorships, and volunteering opportunities.
How to Ask for Donations from Foundations
Foundations have considerable funding potential and provide monetary assistance to nonprofits through grants. Some foundations are very specific about the project they want to support.
Before appealing to foundations, you must see if you fit their criteria for furnishing grants.
While asking for donations from foundations, ensure that you:
- Conduct thorough research: Look for foundations offering grants that align with your fundraising needs.
Assess the organization's mission, paperwork and guidelines, post-grant reporting, etc., from its donation page. This will help you position your nonprofit as a worthy applicant.
- Follow the guidelines: Foundations can have complex grant application processes. Follow the donation form instructions carefully or your donation form may be rejected.
- Express your gratitude and follow up: If your application is accepted and you receive the grant, send a heartfelt thank-you letter to acknowledge your donors' support.
Different Ways to Ask for Donations
You can approach fundraising in different ways, as there are various donation types and sources to consider.
1. Social Media Posts
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, or X (formerly Twitter) offer plenty of opportunities to reach potential donors. Once you build a solid online presence, you can send donation requests through social media platforms and reach a wider donor base.
Being more active on social media will increase your chances of drawing in donors. Post regularly and raise awareness about your mission. Social media will help you spread the word faster while also allowing you to track your reach.
Here’s how you can connect with more people and ask for donations on social media:
- Use impactful visuals and images to tell your nonprofit’s story.
- Upload customer testimonials of donors who support your cause.
- To draw attention to your fundraising campaigns, set up friendly challenges.
- Showcase how you are making an impact and encourage the audience to donate.
- Target days and months when more people are willing to donate. Launch a Giving Tuesday, Christmas, or End of Year fundraising campaign.
World Central Kitchen (WCK), led by chef José Andrés, demonstrates the power of social media in nonprofit outreach, particularly during crises like natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. WCK used platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook to share real-time updates about their relief efforts and expand their audience.
Their strategy included a vivid storytelling approach and collaborations with influencers. This approach led to a surge in global support, enabling WCK to continue delivering aid in affected regions.
2. Email
A strong email copy can help you raise funds, and unlike social media posts, they reach donors directly.
Before you send a donation request through email, ensure that:
- Your email has a catchy subject line urging the receiver to open it.
- You personalize the email by addressing the receiver by their name. Avoid using ‘Dear Donor’ as a greeting; use their first name instead.
- You include a direct link to your donation form and a clear ‘call to action’ to inspire people.
- You experiment with different content formats, such as images and videos, to make your emails more engaging. Conduct A/B testing to compare the performance of visual emails against plain text emails to understand which format works best.
- Avoid sending too many donation request emails, which can be off-putting, especially to new donors.
3. Direct Mail Letters
Sending a donation letter through direct mail remains an efficient way of raising money for your nonprofit. With direct mail, you can:
- Create a tangible connection with your donors, as a physical letter feels more personal and memorable than a digital message.
- Connect with elderly donors who are more comfortable with letters.
- As people receive many emails daily, a personalized postcard or letter will catch their attention.
Apart from a donation letter, your direct mail can also include:
- Pamphlets describing your organization’s mission and impact in a catchy way.
- Postcards with an attractive picture representing the work you do. The receiver may also keep it and stick it on their fridge!
- Magnets with unique visuals to put up on surfaces, acting as constant reminders.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has long used direct mail campaigns to raise funds effectively. Their campaigns often include personalized letters, updates on the hospital's work and patient stories, and appeals for donations. These mailings not only raise significant funds but also keep donors connected to the impact of their contributions, encouraging ongoing support.
4. Phone Calls
Asking for donations through phone calls adds a personal touch to your appeal.
Strengthen your relationship with your donors by sharing your requests and encouraging them with words.
Here’s how you can ask for donations over the phone:
- Make your case to encourage donations. some text
- Specify the problem you are trying to resolve.
- Offer solutions to the problem, explaining how donations can help.
- A positive reference can make your request more appealing to new donors.
- Do not keep the conversation one-sided. A free-flowing conversation is the most important thing since you are not meeting them in person.some text
- Listen to their questions and try to answer honestly.
- Analyze their tone. If the prospective donors seem hesitant to donate, request them to visit your website for more information about your cause.
- Be ready with your ask. Noting down the essential points before making the call will ensure you do not miss any information.
- Help volunteers by providing a list of commonly asked questions and helpful tips to respond. Help them understand the right communication strategies to reach out to donors effectively.
It's a good way to follow up on donors and foster a strong relationship. For instance, the younger generation prefers connecting through online communication channels. Similarly, elderly people like traditional letters rather than communicating over the phone or other platforms.
5. In-Person
In-person meetings work best for soliciting a generous gift. They are usually held with companies that have already received a donation form or letter. Fundraising events can also be leveraged to request more in-person donations.
Connecting face-to-face creates a higher impact. It promotes clear communication between you and your prospective donors. Moreover, visiting for an in-person meeting shows that you are willing to put extra effort into establishing a relationship with the donor.
Before carrying out in-person meetings:
- Research the prospective donors you are going to meet. You should know about their interests and the kinds of missions they support.
- Establish a relationship beforehand to eliminate any hesitation or discomfort while meeting in person. For instance, having a few phone conversations before a meeting can help you break the ice.
- Be ready with what you are going to say. Prepare a pitch with a clear ask, but do not sound robotic when asking for donations.
Remember to follow up with your donors for regular updates and thank them for offering their precious time, no matter whether they donate or not.
6. Pledge
Pledge fundraising is your best bet when there is a crisis or urgency. These campaigns encourage people to act promptly and donate as soon as possible.
You can reach out to existing and prospective donors through a solid marketing campaign and reliable pledge and gather their support.
There are various pledge campaign types, such as:
- Television drives (supported by the government or other entities, or sponsored by a donor) for public appeal
- Radio drives
- Pledges over the phone
Tips for Personalizing Donation Request Letter
A personalized donation letter has a higher impact on prospective donors. More personalization means more chances of raising money.
Save personal donor data with Zeffy’s donor management system. This data can help you segment your donors and personalize your requests.
Here are some ways to use personalization to make impactful appeals:
- Use the donor’s name instead of generic salutations in your donation letter and email.
- Curate content that is specific to the donors in each segment.
- Acknowledge donors’ gifts from previous associations and specify the exact dollar amount. Also, mention any specific details from your last conversation with them.
Tools and Resources to Maximize Donations
Raising money can be difficult because you have a lot on your plate to keep your campaign successful. Yet, there are tools and technology that can simplify these tasks for you, helping you raise more money effectively.
- Free online donation management and tracking - These tools help you create donation forms for your cause, generate tax receipts, and monitor all donations.
- Event ticketing tool - Generate automated tickets with a ticketing tool to streamline your fundraising events and gather funds easily.
- Community fundraising tool - Using these tools makes peer-to-peer fundraising easier. People can join your nonprofit either by donating or volunteering. Volunteers can support your efforts by designing their own campaigns to raise funds.
- Donor management - Nonprofits rely heavily on their donors, and an efficient donor management tool can help them streamline their operations and keep track of important data.
Avoid purchasing multiple tools and subscriptions. Zeffy offers tools for ticketing, managing donors and donations, peer-to-peer campaigns, and more in one place. Raise funds 100% free of cost, as Zeffy takes care of all transaction costs.
Donor Acquisition and Retention
Asking for and receiving donations is usually not a one-time engagement. As a nonprofit, you should boost donor loyalty and encourage them to continue supporting your cause.
Most nonprofits make the mistake of sidelining their existing donors, focusing more on acquisition than retention. This can impact your fundraising efforts as asking existing donors requires fewer resources and efforts.
Additionally, donors tend to pull away when you fail to follow up, appreciate their support, or ignore their feedback. That’s why having a donor retention plan is essential for all nonprofits.
Here are some tips for creating an effective donor retention plan:
- Segment your donors based on their contributions, interests, and engagement levels.
- Personalize your communications with your donors.
- Acknowledge their support with a thank you email or a phone call.
- Set measurable goals for your donor retention plan. Monitor aspects like donor contributions, effective communication channels, successful engagement activities, etc.
- Ask for feedback and check in with your donors regularly.
- Come up with a plan to re-engage with former donors.
Final Thoughts on How to Ask for Donations
Approaches to asking for donations can vary depending on the donor category. Yet, every approach needs to be authentic and personalized for maximum effect.
Make your nonprofit stand out whether you choose social media, email, or in-person meetings to ask for donations. Persuade prospective donors about the impact of your mission and why they should associate with your cause.
Zeffy’s 100% free online donation platform allows you to manage donor relationships and collect online donations easily.
How to Ask for Donations FAQs
How do you politely ask for donations?
Here are some ways to politely convince someone to donate to your nonprofit:
- Keep it personal: Greet the donors with their names and address them as “you.”
- Reflect urgency in your tone: Use words like “now” or “today” and highlight the importance of donating immediately.
- Be direct about your ask: To save your donor’s time, clearly mention your needs with a direct call to action to donate.
- Keep it optimistic: Use language that reflects hope and positivity.
- Use action words: Instead of “please donate,” use phrases like “fight for the cause” or “make an impact” for more effect.
- Express gratitude in advance: Be grateful to them for reading your message and considering your request.
How do you write a donation request message?
Follow these steps to write an effective donation request message:
- Start with a personalized greeting.
- Explain your organization’s mission, followed by a description of your current initiative.
- Mention ongoing project requirements. You can add attention-grabbing pictures/infographics.
- Showcase your success.
- Add donor testimonials for more impact.
- Remember to include a CTA that leads to your website’s donation page.
- End with your name, followed by contact details.
What is a nice message for donations?
While your donation request must include all the information about your cause, you should also make space to connect with the donor personally.
A nice donation message must thank the donor for taking the time to understand your nonprofit. Whether they donate or not, include a thank you note. It will leave a positive impression about your nonprofit.
How do you ask for money on a post?
Online donation campaigns require you to post on several platforms to spread awareness. Whether you are writing a blog for your website or posting on social media, remember to:
- Use an engaging tone to tell your nonprofit’s story. If posting on social media, an interesting video or picture carousel can be more impactful.
- Tap into the donor’s emotions toward your cause before forwarding a donation request.
- Thank the donors, regardless of their donation status.
