Church fundraising needs range from encouraging tithing to raising money for church members in need to amassing the necessary funds for building renovations. Fundraising activities are always enhanced by an effective letter that encourages church members and community donors to show up to an event or mail in a donation.
Special Event or Project Letter Sample
Special event letters address fundraising needs for specific events or projects. These letters generally generate excitement for the event or project and provide important details about how the event or project benefits members, the church, and the community as a whole. There may be a subtle reminder about Biblical tithing responsibility. Here's a sample letter that can be customized to fit the specifics of any special project or occasion:
If you need help downloading the letter, check out these helpful tips.
Mission Trip Sample Letter
The pastor or church secretary may write letters to both the church members and the community to alert them of special fundraising opportunities such as mission trips or field trips. These letters stress the benefits of the event and include a subtle reminder about making sacrifices, supporting missions, and maintaining religious responsibility. Use this letter as a starting point to draft your specific request:
Advice for Writing Church Fundraising Letters
The following advice can help you get the most out of your fundraising letter:
- Tailor to audience - Some activities will require different versions of the letter for various audiences for maximum effectiveness. Tailoring a letter to suit an audience increases your chances of making sure the recipient reads and responds to the letter.
- Follow church guidelines - Each church generally has some sort of fundraising guidelines for approaching the congregation or community. Always ask the minister or stewardship committee chair for advice on how to write a fundraising letter.
- Stress tithing benefits - Nothing turns off a potential donor faster than a fundraising message designed to instill fear of God's wrath or invoke a guilt trip about neglected tithing. Letters that stress the benefits of giving financially to the church and reinforce how much the church values its congregation and the community get better results.
- Take notes on samples - Taking notes on samples of fundraising letters and notating what made each one effective can help you plan your own letter.
- Follw up with phone calls - After sending out a fundraising letter, follow up with a phone call and verbally restate the important details of your letter. Phone calls can increase the chances of a donation.
- Write thank you letters - Thank each donor with a formal thank you note. This lets donors know that their efforts were appreciated as well as informs them how their funds were used for the event or project.
The Benefits of Effective Fundraising Messages
Learning to write effective fundraising letters can help your church or organization meet their fundraising goals. Explore these ideas and test them out on your next church fundraising letter.
