How NOT To Write A Fundraising Letter: 4 Steps ▬ Fundraising Coach

How NOT To Write A Fundraising Letter: 4 Steps

Fundraising
Letters

Fundraising Coach: 10.09.2020 by Marc A. Pitman

No one wants to read a bad fundraising letter.

Cut the first four paragraphs and get to the chase !

Writing fundraising letters is hard

Editing fundraising letters is one of the services I provide for my coaching clients, so I've been doing a lot of editing this fall.

I ask clients for letters they're ready to send. These typically have:

➤ Long, run-on sentences

➤ Lots of references to the nonprofit

➤ success stories and

➤ scant reference to the reader at all - until at the end when they ask the reader to give to support their work.

This is 100% typical. And 100% how to not write a fundraising letter.

Effective fundraising letters go further

I think this is the first half of the letter. Writing is hard. But editing is often harder. Here are 4 steps that should be included in the second round of editing:

Cut the first four paragraphs:

Bad fundraising letters start with a lot of "throat clearing." "The weather's getting cooler..." "The holidays are a time of..." "Looking around our community..." Pandemicsplaining - as though people need teaching on what a pandemic is and how it's hurting people. This throat clearing often goes on for three or four paragraphs. So cut those. Even though these have wonderful phrases that you are particularly proud of. Save the phrases in some file if you want. But don't send them to your donor.

Give them a problem to solve:  

READ MORE ➤➤

 

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 6

Reading Level: fairly easy to read.

Reader's Age: 10-11 yrs. olds

(Fifth and Sixth graders)

How Micro-Donations Can Make a Big Impact for Your Nonprofit ▬ Nonprofit Tech for Good:

How Micro-Donations Can Make a Big Impact for Your Nonprofit

@nonprofitorgs

Nonprofit Tech for Good: 6.18.2020 by Kaley Aposporos

In the nonprofit industry, we often hear the phrase “every dollar counts” or “together, we can make a big difference.” And there’s a reason for that. Time over time, we’ve seen what nonprofit communities can do when we rally together to support a cause.

As large donors tighten their spending, you may be wondering how to get charity donations during a global pandemic. It may be time for your nonprofit to reevaluate your fundraising strategy and learn how micro-donations for nonprofits can make a significant difference.

Why are small donations important?

When thinking about donation amounts, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. While big donors can have a significant impact on your organization, you should also focus your efforts on small donors. This way, your nonprofit isn’t relying on one source of revenue.

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Not only do small donations can help you reach your fundraising goals but they also present a great opportunity for long term growth. By encouraging small donations, you can attract first-time donors and re-engage previous donors. The more you’re able to attract and engage donors, the more likely they are to become lifelong supporters, advocates, and volunteers.

Four tips to encourage more micro-donations

1) Tell supporters exactly what their donation will support

In the nonprofit sector, transparency is key. People don’t just want to know that their donation is helping a broader cause.

2) Be sure to thank all donors

Make sure to express your gratitude to all donors once they make a contribution, even if it’s a five dollar donation. By taking the time to acknowledge donor generosity, your nonprofit can increase donor retention and encourage recurring giving.

3) Run smaller fundraising initiatives

To put this idea into action, try running smaller fundraising campaigns to leverage the power of the completion effect. Donors will feel more satisfied knowing that their $30 donation helped you reach your goal of $1,000.

4) Contextualize the value of a donation

Try framing your donation in various increments to encourage interested donors. For example:

A $10 donation will cover the cost of 15 face masks

A $15 donation will cover the cost of 25 face masks

A $25 donation will cover the cost of 50 face masks

This not only frames the value of a donation in a tangible way but offers different tiers of suggested donation amounts.

How to get micro-donations through crowdfunding

it’s time to focus your efforts online. Your nonprofit can raise more money, engage more donors, and customize the donation experience from start to finish  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)

8 Ways To Get Donors To Your Donation Page via Cause Vox

8 Ways To Get Donors To Your Donation Page

Cause Vox: 6.16.2019 by Tina Jepson

Are you eager to try using a donation page to capture online donations? If so, you’re not alone!

A donation page is a simple to create and is ready to “go live” in a manner of minutes. Plus, it’s affordable and uber-effective at streamlining all your online financial transactions. For most nonprofits and charities, choosing to use a donation page is a no-brainer.

But the trick isn’t necessarily getting your donation page up and running (that’s the easy part)—it’s getting your donors to your donation page.

Don’t let the fear of asking for donations stop you from starting your own donation page. Here are 8 easy and effective ways to get people to your donation page today.

1. Connect Your Donation Page To Your Website

First thing’s first: link your donation page to your website. After all, it’s often the first place people go to learn about your cause.

2. Add The Donation Page To Your Email Signature

How many emails do you send a day? 50? 100?

3. Embed It

Current supporters and prospective donors alike head to your website to learn about your organization. It’s often their first stop!

4. Ask Your Supporters to Share the Link

Community-driven fundraising, the process of using the influence of your supporters to raise money (and attention!) for your nonprofit or charity is one of the most effective ways to collectively raise money.

5. Incorporate Your Donation Page Into Your Social Media-Based Fundraising Campaign

One of the newest ways to raise money online is through a social media-based– fundraising campaign.  READ MORE >>