Invite People to Provide Goods or Services For a Fundraiser • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Guides

Generally, the goods or services requested are for items to sell in a fundraiser, or for refreshments or prizes that are given during a fundraising event. This letter should ideally be written several weeks before the fundraising event. This letter can be, though it does not have to be, written to the same people who are invited to attend the fundraiser.

How to write this fundraising letter:

Briefly describe your fundraising event, and tell the reader why you are requesting the goods or services.
Specifically state the goods or services you are requesting.
Indicate what your fundraising event is going to accomplish.
Clearly state by when you need the goods or services.
Possibly indicate who will be coming to the fundraising event.
Offer to tell the reader the outcome of the fundraiser (amount raised, goal accomplished, etc.).

Example Letter #1

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As the summer approaches, we are once again excitedly planning our annual summer benefit dinner. Last year's event was beautifully organized and attended, and it provided the much needed financial boost before the start of our yearly programming. The success was in large part due to the contributions and involvement of the members of (Name of Organization). This year's success will also depend heavily on the input and contributions of our members.

We are writing today, therefore, to ask you, a member of our organization, to consider supporting this year's event. In particular, since the quality of the food, service, and atmosphere create the primary attraction for our fundraising public, we are looking for members to help us plan the menu, purchase the materials, and prepare the cuisine. We are also looking for members to help with service throughout the event itself.

These needs are central to the quality and success of the entire event, and so we hope you will contribute to this important endeavor in whatever way you feel most comfortable. With your help, this year's annual summer benefit dinner can be a huge success. Please contact us at your earliest convenience to convey your commitment.

Thank you for all that you do for (Name of Organization).

Example Letter #2

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We will be holding our annual Chocolate Festival at the city hall on August 15th to raise money for the food bank. Patrons will pay an entry fee of $20.00 and then stroll among the booths, sampling the chocolate delicacies provided by Springfield's restaurants and confectioners.

As one of our outstanding new bakeries, we would like to invite you to have a booth this year at our festival. About 800 patrons participated last year, and we expect similar or greater attendance this year. We are hoping you can provide samples of one or more of your chocolate creations for them to taste. Thirty-two businesses participated last year, so not every patron will be able to sample every dish!

This is a good opportunity to help the food bank fill the gaps on their shelves before winter, and our local businesses will benefit as well. Most of last year's participants reported at least 10% increase in business, particularly in sales of their featured items in the weeks after the Chocolate Festival!

If you would like to participate this year, please call us at 555-5555 before June 30.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 Briefly describe your fundraising event, and tell the reader why you are requesting the goods or services.

Sample Sentences for Step 1

Next month, we are holding a fundraiser to raise money for the victims of the recent natural disasters that have devastated our nation.
We will be putting on a fundraising auction two weeks from tomorrow, and we would like to be able to provide refreshments to those who participate.
Next month we will be holding our annual fundraiser to bring in money for various local nonprofit youth groups. To help make this evening a success, we are asking various local businesses to provide modest items that can be used as parting gifts.
We would like to offer a small gift as a token of our appreciation for those who participate in the fundraising event.
This year, we plan to hold a special fundraising dinner to raise extra money for the hospital. We are asking that local caterers participate by helping to provide the food for this event.
We plan to hold a fundraising auction next month, and we are asking that individuals donate items that can be sold at the event.
To make our fundraising event even more appealing, we are asking that local businesses provide supplies that can be used as decorations or as small gifts that can be given away to those who participate.

Sample Phrases for Step 1

in order to raise money
as a gift to our donors
as a token of our appreciation
show our gratitude
for those who are participating
allow us to
will be given as
as refreshments for
to be sold to raise money for
to be used as decorations
distributed as parting gifts
be sold to
provide catering for
provide appetizers for
great need for
much demand for
in short supply
realize that they are dismally understaffed

2 Specifically state the goods or services you are requesting.

Sample Sentences for Step 2

Would you be able to provide drinks (perhaps a variety of soft drinks, juice, and water) for the event?
If you could print the tickets for the participants of the dinner, we would really appreciate it.
More specifically, if you could contribute a dessert item of your choice, we would be very grateful.
We are asking that each employee contribute one item that can be sold at the annual fundraiser.
We are looking for local businesses that would be willing to provide free advertising to promote our fundraising campaign this fall.
In order to do this, we are asking that employees that are able give a couple of hours to help in this effort.
To help make the fundraiser a success, we are looking for a local catering company that would be willing to contribute refreshments to the event in exchange for receiving free publicity.
We have heard that you do excellent work, and that is why we are asking that you help this cause if you can by providing decorations for the charity ball.

Sample Phrases for Step 2

hope you can provide
hope you can contribute
could you provide
do you have
could you give
provide an item for our auction
print the tickets for
provide advertising for
contribute decorations for
furnish refreshments for
provide catering for
provide promotional literature for

3 Indicate what your fundraising event is going to accomplish.

Sample Sentences for Step 3

With the proceeds that we raise, we hope to provide the much-needed medical equipment that will be used by United Efforts to help those in poverty-stricken countries throughout the world.
The money we raise will be used to purchase books for our "Project: Read" program, which we hope to begin this fall.
All proceeds from the charity auction will go directly to the victims of the recent hurricanes in the Southeast.
The donations we receive will allow us to continue our program to educate the public about the importance of conservation and active preservation of our environment.
Without the anticipated funds, we will not be able to continue our program.
With the money we receive, we plan to expand our program to provide low-cost housing to even more members of our community.
Funds raised will be donated to the local chapter of the Veterans Alliance.
With the support of concerned citizens like you, we hope to bring in enough money to be able to construct the long-awaited addition to our elementary school.

Sample Phrases for Step 3

allow us to
further our mission of
reach our goal of
make new strides in
raise money for
help us to accomplish
provide the means to
increase our ability to
promote our cause of
provide much-needed
bring the reality of
make a difference to
fulfill the hopes of
make available to

4 Clearly state by when you need the goods or services.

Sample Sentences for Step 4

If you will be able to help us, please e-mail us by next Friday, October 3, so that we can contact you with the additional information.
Please send us your response no later than Monday, May 20.
Any item you can contribute to our charity dinner will be greatly appreciated. We'll contact you early next week to see if you will be able to participate.
Please deliver any auction items to the warehouse by next Wednesday, March 20, at 5 p.m.
We will be picking up donation items every day next week, so if you can participate, please call us and let us know when we can stop by.
If you can provide refreshments or other items for the fundraising event, please call Mary at 555-5555 by next Thursday, February 10.
We want this to be the best fundraiser the Foundation has ever had, so if you can help us in our fundraising campaign, call us by this Friday so that we'll know we can count on your support.
The fundraiser is only three weeks away--so please contact us today and lend your support to this truly worthwhile cause.

Sample Phrases for Step 4

please respond by
if you could deliver by
let us know by
before the end of the month
by next Friday
will be expecting
will stop by to
every Friday this month
will be picking up
any day this week
by Saturday afternoon
morning of April 30
by Thursday, June 20
delivered by 3:00 p.m.
pick up by

5 Possibly indicate who will be coming to the fundraising event.

Sample Sentences for Step 5

This year, several of our city officials will be attending the fundraiser.
We are delighted to announce that several local VIPs will be in attendance.
We are expecting a number of prominent individuals to attend, including Governor Smith and his family.
A number of civic leaders plan to participate in the event.
We have invited a number of special guests, including the national director of our organization.
In addition, the original founders of the organization, Jacob and Mary Donaldson, will be our honored guests.
Several esteemed alumni will be attending this year's event, including...
The chair of the board of directors, Natalie Wyatt, will be the keynote speaker at the dinner.

Sample Phrases for Step 5

have the opportunity to see
many of the city's most
various city and state dignitaries
most prominent business leaders
some of our star players
the very people
the organization's best
the most talented
looking forward to
graced by the presence
special guests
number of civic leaders
former players
several MVPs
founders of the
chair of the
visited by the mayor/governor/senator

6 Offer to tell the reader the outcome of the fundraiser (amount raised, goal accomplished, etc.).

Sample Sentences for Step 6

We would be happy to let you know the outcome of the fundraising auction.
After the fundraiser is completed, we plan to send a letter to those who participated, letting them know the amount that was raised and the number of families we are able to help.
When we know the results of the fundraiser, we will be happy to relate them.
We will be including the amount we are able to raise in our next quarterly magazine, so stay tuned! In addition, we will include the number of books we are able to purchase with the donation money.
We will include in our next newsletter the results of the fundraiser.

Sample Phrases for Step 6

happy to report
proud to announce
amount that we raise
amount that is contributed
number of books that we are able to buy
able to furnish
number of
would be glad to let you know the outcome
amount that we bring in
would be happy to relate
supplies that we are able to purchase
allow us to provide