Write a Thank You Note for a Donation
If your organization depends on donations to operate or if donations are a welcomed supplement, you will want to write a thank you note. Thanking your benefactor is important for practicing good public relations and professional business etiquette. As well, it will help ensure future donations.
Contents
Steps
Sample Thank You Note and Template
Doc:Thank You Letter for Donation,Thank You Letter for Donation Template
Writing Your Own Thank You Note
- Refer to your donor by name. You want to establish or continue a warm personal relationship with your benefactor and not have them feel they are receiving some type of "Dear Friend" form letter.
- Acknowledge the amount of the gift. This provides a record for both you and the donor.
- Ensure the donor that the gift will be put to good use and, if possible, detail how the donation will be used. You can generalize if necessary. For example, your gift will be used to purchase specific items now or will be earmarked to help fund an important project in the future.
- Remember to thank repeat donors for their past generosity. If appropriate, tell the donor specifically how a past gift was put to use and how it affected lives or resulted in positive outcomes.
- Remind the donor about the purpose of your organization and why donations are necessary and appreciated.
- Reference any gift or photo you are enclosing. For instance, a thank you letter for a gift to a library might include a photo of school children gathered around a table of new books.
- Repeat your thank you more than once. Be sure to end your letter with another heart-felt thank you.
- Keep your letter short. Usually no more than three or four paragraphs are needed for a successful thank you.
- Include any information regarding tax deductions. Perhaps a print-out detailing the tax laws in your state could be included along with your thank you note. Include specific dates and amounts so your letter might serve as a receipt the donor could use when filing their taxes.
- Avoid asking for another donation. Rely on your letter to express warm personal gratitude and hopefully inspire the donor to continue supporting your organization. The thank you note is not the place to ask for that continued support.
- Include any pertinent contact information, such as phone numbers or website address, for your organization. Any email address you provide should allow the donor to reach a particular person who will respond immediately. Do not give an address that will direct their email to a general information inbox.
- Personally sign your letter. If your handwriting is good, consider a handwritten thank you note instead of a computer-generated one.
- Thank your benefactor in a timely manner. Be prompt and attempt to send your thank you within 48 hours of receiving the donation. If that is not possible, make certain that your thank you goes out by the end of the week you received it.
- Put the emphasis on the donor rather than yourself or your organization in your letter. Refer to specifics that let the donor know you are familiar with him and his organization.
- Proofread your letter for errors. Double check to be sure your information regarding the donor, the amount of the donation, and the purpose of the gift are all correct. Making an error in this information is not at all professional. It could be offensive to the donor, and potentially affect future donations.
- Offer to make the donation public by including it in a newsletter, a newspaper article or on your website, if this is a regular practice in your organization. Be sure your donor is in agreement. Both donor and recipient can benefit from positive publicity.
- Write your letter in a warm, conversational tone.
- Avoid using language that is too formal. On the other hand, do not embellish. Avoid any hint of insincerity.
- Encourage dialogue. Strive to keep the relationship going.
- Try to make your letter as original as possible. Avoid form letters at all costs.
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