Your Year-End Appeal: 13 Tips to Help Your Donors Feel the JOY of Giving
Your year-end appeal is more than a letter asking for a gift.
It’s an invitation to someone who cares about your mission to make something wonderful happen.
Whether you’re writing to one major donor or sending a letter to a list of 4,000, remember: one person reads it at a time. Write to that person. Help them feel appreciated and excited about the difference they can make.
Here are 13 tips to help you do just that.
- Start with YOU.
Put “you” in your first line. Your reader should know right away that this letter is about them and the difference they can make.
Try:
You make it possible for children in our community to feel safe, supported and ready to learn.
A warm, personal opening invites your reader in.
- Thank them near the beginning.
After that first “you” sentence, express your appreciation. Thank them for being part of your work, caring about your mission or giving in the past—whatever fits your relationship.
Thank you for being part of a community that believes every child deserves a place to belong.
If they haven’t yet made a gift, thank them for their interest or connection rather than assuming they’ve given.
- Talk about what you make possible.
Your organization exists because there is a need. Acknowledge that need, while focusing on what your donor can solve, create or accomplish.
I believe we’re experiencing more than donor fatigue. We’re experiencing emotion fatigue. We can absorb only so many sad and tragic stories before we feel overwhelmed.
Show your reader the hope, progress and possibility their generosity can create.
- Describe what their gift will do—and offer choices.
Be clear about how a gift will help. If it fits your organization and the way you accept gifts, offer two or three broad options.
Your gift can help provide welcoming spaces for young people, support the caring adults who mentor them, or make enriching experiences possible.
People appreciate having a choice. Be clear about whether these are areas they can designate their gift to or examples of what an unrestricted gift supports.
- Share what the gift REALLY does.
A gift may provide a scholarship, a meal or a counseling session. But what does that make possible for a person?
A scholarship can help a student see a future they once thought was out of reach. A meal can give a parent one less worry at the end of a long day. A caring mentor can help a young person feel they belong.
Connect the gift to the life it touches.
- Use the 3-Sentence Ask.
Yes, you can use my 3-Sentence Ask in a letter!
- You have… Recognize something genuine about the person and their connection to your mission.
- You understand… Connect them to the need or opportunity.
- Would you consider…? Invite them to make a gift.
For example:
You have shown how much you care about young people in our community. You understand how a safe place and a caring adult can change a child’s future. Would you consider a year-end gift to help more children feel supported and connected?
Get my 3-Sentence Ask worksheet here.
- Consider asking for a specific amount.
If you can easily tailor your letter or segment your list, consider suggesting an amount that reflects what the person or group gave last year. You might invite them to renew at that level or consider an increase.
Would you consider renewing your gift of $100—or increasing it to $125—to help more students find their place to belong?
An amount that feels appropriate to the recipient can make it easier for them to consider their gift.
- Use a few key numbers—then speak to the heart.
A few well-chosen facts can establish the need and build confidence. Consider placing key statistics early in your letter, then move on to the people and possibilities behind them.
A long list of numbers can pull your reader into analyzing instead of feeling connected. Give them the information they need without making them work through a math problem to understand why their gift matters.
Remember: People give with their hearts. Help your reader feel the difference they can make.
- Include a photo that shows success.
If you traditionally include photos, choose one that helps tell your story. If you haven’t used photos before, consider trying one.
A genuine image of someone experiencing the joy, connection or opportunity your donors help make possible can say a great deal. Use a photo you have permission to share, and represent the people in it with dignity.
- Make the final paragraph easy to act on—and end with impact.
Start your final paragraph with clear instructions. Tell your reader how to give or what will happen next.
Please use the enclosed reply card to make your gift, or give online at [website].
Then end with the good their generosity will do:
Your generosity will help more young people discover a place where they are welcomed, encouraged and believed in.
Let the last thing they read be the difference they can make.
- Highlight a few key sentences.
Many people will skim your letter before deciding whether to read every word. Make it easy for them.
Bold or underline a few carefully chosen sentences. Then read just those highlighted sentences. Can you understand the heart of the message? Do you know what the reader is being invited to do and why it matters?
If so, you’re on the right track!
- Add a P.S.
A P.S. is one more opportunity to invite your reader to consider a gift now. Keep it warm and focused.
P.S. Please consider making your gift today. Your generosity will help a young person find a place to belong.
- Say nice things—and read your letter out loud!
Throughout your letter, recognize the good in your reader. Tell them what you appreciate about their compassion, commitment or belief in your mission. Make sure it’s genuine and fits your relationship.
Then read the entire letter out loud.
Are your sentences so long that you’re gasping for breath? Does the letter flow? Does it sound like something you would say to a person you care about? How does it feel on your ears?
If you stumble, your reader might, too. Give yourself permission to simplify.
Your year-end appeal is a chance to remind someone that they matter—and that their generosity matters. Write to their heart. Show them what’s possible. And invite them to experience the joy of making a difference.
Invest in Joy!™
