Practical Fundraising - Fundraising

26. Fundraising - Thank You Notes

Thank-you notes

Not too many non-profit groups send thank-you notes to their donors, probably beacuse it is time consuming,and it can be costly. This is a pity, since thank you notes make donors feel more appreciated, especially if they are handwritten, and it doesn't cost too much to have notes printed. The notes can then be hand signed and distributed, and your donors will remember your non-profit organization because of this.

Not only that, but donors are more likely to be repeat donors if they know that their donations are appreciated. So your future fundraising will be more sucessful if you send out thank you notes for past fundraisers. If it is impossible for you to mail thank you notesbecause of the cost, think about whether you have any volunteers who could follow up with a quick phone call to let donors know how successful your fundraising event was, and how much their donation helped your cause, or an short email.

Of course for companies that have donated either with a financial gift, or with items for your project, a hand written thank you letter would be best. You need to remind donors that their efforts are valuable and one that is well appreciated by your non-profit organization. With your thank you notes, remember to tell the donors what programs or activities their generous donations haver made possible. This will help those donors proud of what they have contributed.

Useful resources

26. Fundraising - Thank You Notes

Practical Fundraising Ebook - Table Of Contents