Invite Readers to Participate In a Fundraising Event • Example Letters, Guides and Samples

Guides

Tell the specifics of the fundraising event, and emphasize the good that will come of the money that is raised and the need for it. If a particular organization is putting on the event, include information about them (unless they are very well known).

How to write this fundraising letter:

  1. Describe the fundraising event and invite the reader to attend or participate.
  2. Tell what the money raised during the fundraiser will be used for.
  3. If appropriate, tell why you are personally advocating the event (this might mean including a story, statistics, etc.).
  4. Identify the benefits to the reader of participating in the fundraiser.
  5. Tell the amount that you would like to raise during the fundraiser.
  6. Indicate the date, time, and location of the fundraising event, and give the deadline for accepting the invitation (if applicable).
  7. Thank your readers for their (past) support and reiterate the invitation to participate in the fundraising event.

Example Letter #1

Copied

Our annual benefit dinner and member appreciation ceremony is once again quickly approaching. Just like last year, the dinner will feature the exquisite cuisine of world-famous gourmet chef (Name of Chef), a generous range of fine wines, and the rich and irresistible desserts of (Name of Restaurant/Shop). Following the dinner, through stories and presentations detailing the dramatic successes of the past year, we will honor the contributions of our invaluable members.

You are one of those invaluable members. Your support has been a significant factor in our survival and success, and so we hope you will take this opportunity to join us in celebrating the purpose and continuation of (Name of Organization). In addition to sharing our joy and sense of accomplishment, your participation in the event will also provide much needed additional financial support as we pursue the fulfillment of our yearly intentions and programs.

To reserve your place at this special occasion, please complete and return the enclosed registration materials, with your payment, before (Date). We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate with you and to honor your support.

Example Letter #2

Copied

You are cordially invited to participate in our third annual Springfield City Auction at the city park on Saturday, June 3rd, starting at 12 noon. The bidding is bound to be fast and furious, so come early and enjoy the fun! Hot dogs and ice cream will be on sale, so bring your family and friends.

All the money raised will be used to support the Springfield Teen Center where teenagers can participate in wholesome, safe, and fun after-school and weekend activities. Since we opened the Teen Center, juvenile crime in our city is down almost 50%, so let's keep our Teen Center going!

We hope to raise $12,000 at our auction, but to do this we need your support. Please join us and be generous. If you would like to donate items for the auction, please call 555-5555 by Friday, May 27, 5 pm, and we will arrange to pick up your donation.

We look forward to seeing you at the auction. With your help, it will be a great success.

Write Your Letter Step-by-Step

1 Describe the fundraising event and invite the reader to attend or participate.

Sample Sentences for Step 1
  • Next month, on March 24, we will be holding our annual fundraising event.
  • We would like to invite you to participate in our fifth annual fundraising auction to benefit local veterans.
  • I am writing this letter to extend to you a personal invitation to attend our gala fundraising event next Saturday at 7 p.m.
  • On September 23, we will be holding a special dinner to raise money for our local chapter of Find the Cure Foundation.
  • This letter is to invite you to take part in our upcoming fundraising event on November 15.
  • Will you join us for a special night of entertainment? All proceeds from the John Doe Concert will go directly to our local hospital.
  • This Saturday, at 5 p.m., we will be holding a special fundraising telethon.
  • We hope you will be able to attend our special performance next Friday, April 3.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
  • holding fundraising auction
  • raise money for
  • proceeds will go to
  • provide aid for
  • contributions will go toward
  • all proceeds will be used
  • annual fundraising telethon
  • drive to raise funds for
  • invite you to attend a
  • join us for a
  • please join us on
  • request your presence at
  • cordially invited to
  • serve on the committee
  • pleased to extend
  • hope you can participate
  • anticipate your presence
  • invite you to take part
  • extend a personal invitation
  • hope you will be able to
  • plan to support our
  • fundraising drive for
  • look forward to

2 Tell what the money raised during the fundraiser will be used for.

Sample Sentences for Step 2
  • The money raised will be donated to our university library for the purchase of an additional 10,000 reference and textbooks.
  • We will be holding a 10K run to Fight the Hunger during this holiday season.
  • The fundraising auction will bring in money for the victims of the recent natural disasters that have devastated our community.
  • All proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to educate local citizens about the dangers of this debilitating disease.
  • All donations will go directly to our local chapter of the Doe Children's Foundation.
  • Money raised will be used to send medics to a number of countries to provide education and free preventive care.
  • Best of all, the money raised will be given to needy families within the area to help provide for their food and other needs.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
  • worthwhile cause
  • provide much needed
  • allow us to
  • raise money to
  • make possible the
  • expand our program to
  • help even more
  • go directly to
  • as you are aware
  • as you may already know
  • you have probably heard
  • excellent cause
  • support those who
  • help those who
  • those unable to afford
  • those unable to provide
  • to preserve/to save/to help

3 If appropriate, tell why you are personally advocating the event (this might mean including a story, statistics, etc.).

Sample Sentences for Step 3
  • I wholeheartedly support the work that the Doe Foundation is doing.
  • The Charlestown Conservation Center does a very worthwhile work in our community.
  • Like the lives of so many of you, my life has been greatly enriched by the arts center.
  • Last year, our community contributed more than $1 million to the Springfield Shelter.
  • The annual fundraiser held by the staff at the John Montgomery Library makes it possible for the many community programs they sponsor, including Community Read, to continue.
  • I strongly advocate the important work done by Doe Community Aid, and I hope you will help in the cause that this organization is fighting.
  • The individuals at Emergency Aid work tirelessly to provide medical assistance to those in need throughout the world. Last year alone, they brought medical aid to more than 300,000 men, women, and children in over 30 countries.
  • I personally feel that there is no work more important than that done by the many service groups throughout the world. And United Cause, with its far-reaching and diverse programs, provides help to millions of individuals both near and far.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
  • personally feel
  • I strongly believe
  • strongly advocate
  • wholeheartedly support
  • heartily endorse
  • understand the need for
  • appreciate the demand
  • give my support
  • one of the greatest champions for
  • why I sponsor
  • willing to back
  • readily contribute
  • know that the work
  • know that this cause
  • worthwhile cause
  • meaningful endeavor
  • valuable work
  • want to raise awareness of
  • important programs
  • people that are helped
  • those that benefit
  • wouldn't be possible
  • could not accomplish the work

4 Identify the benefits to the reader of participating in the fundraiser.

Sample Sentences for Step 4
  • Most important, by helping us raise money for this cause, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you personally fought homelessness in our community.
  • When you make your donation, we'll send you a pair of complimentary tickets to a game of your choice.
  • For those individuals who make their donation before June 3, we'll send you one of our signature personalized pens, absolutely free.
  • Every person who donates to our cause becomes a member of our We Care Club. Club members receive a number of benefits from membership, including a complimentary subscription to our quarterly newsletter, free admission to our exhibits, and a beautiful calendar containing reprints of some of our most popular works.
  • When you make your tax-deductible contribution, we'll send you a free gift as a token of our appreciation for your help in this great effort.
  • All donors are invited to attend our recognition dinner that will be held on April 4 at 6 p.m.
  • Even more important is the feeling you'll get by knowing that you contributed to such a worthwhile cause.
  • And, if you make a donation of at least $50, we'll send you a bumper magnet with our logo and slogan--yours free to keep.
Sample Phrases for Step 4
  • feeling you'll get
  • knowing that you personally
  • small token of appreciation
  • are offering a premium
  • enjoy our monthly newsletter
  • come to know for yourself
  • joy of serving those
  • had a part in
  • enjoy complimentary tickets
  • with thousands of others
  • happiness you'll feel
  • complimentary subscription
  • accept our free gift
  • no obligation
  • satisfaction of knowing
  • feeling of satisfaction
  • same joy of giving
  • gift is completely tax-deductible
  • invite you to be a member of the prestigious
  • grants membership in our
  • invite to participate
  • honor donors by
  • take part in our recognition dinner
  • donation may be tax-deductible

5 Tell the amount that you would like to raise during the fundraiser.

Sample Sentences for Step 5
  • During our annual fundraiser this upcoming March, we'd like to raise $100,000--with your help, of course!
  • In order to meet our objective to help more than 3,000 children, we hope to raise at least $50,000 before the end of the month.
  • We anticipate raising $20,000 to purchase the additional books necessary to expand our literacy program abroad.
  • To be able to send all the youth to the seminar, we need to raise $5,000 by May 26.
  • This year, we want to increase by 50 percent the amount of money that we raise.
  • Because of the increased cost of medical care, we are working to raise more than $1 million dollars this year to help provide affordable medical care to the citizens of our community.
  • By the end of this month, we would like to double that amount--to $10,000.
  • In the next few months we would like to grow our recent donations by 25 percent--to $30,000.
Sample Phrases for Step 5
  • hope to raise $50,000
  • goal of raising
  • ambitious goal of
  • this year we hope to bring in more than $200,000
  • double the amount of contributions
  • increase contributions by
  • raise more money
  • grow our donations
  • anticipate raising
  • want to increase the amount we raise to $10,000
  • even more than
  • in order to accomplish our goals

6 Indicate the date, time, and location of the fundraising event, and give the deadline for accepting the invitation (if applicable).

Sample Sentences for Step 6
  • The fundraiser will be held next month, on the 24th of March at 7 p.m.
  • If you are available to participate in the telethon, please contact us by Friday, May 3, so that we can reserve your spot.
  • We look forward to seeing you bright and early next Saturday morning at 8 a.m. for the annual 5K run.
  • Please send your response no later than Monday, April 12, so that we can plan for your attendance.
  • If you plan to attend, please let us know by Friday, November 14.
  • The fundraising auction will be next Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Art Gallery.
  • We are hoping for a large attendance, so please mark your calendar for Thursday, October 15, and help us to make this very worthwhile event a success.
  • To reserve your seat(s) for the Beat the Hunger dinner, simply call or e-mail us by this Friday afternoon.
Sample Phrases for Step 6
  • to be held in
  • will be on
  • located at the
  • will be in the
  • please arrive promptly at
  • promptly at 7 p.m.
  • from noon until 5
  • on the third floor
  • from Thursday until Saturday
  • at each of our three locations
  • night of
  • held at
  • join us on
  • respond by
  • let us know by
  • please RSVP
  • send your response by
  • hear from you
  • take place at the
  • at the home of
  • to help us plan
  • if you can join us
  • will call early next week
  • just call or e-mail by
  • mark your calendar
  • anxiously await your response

7 Thank your readers for their (past) support and reiterate the invitation to participate in the fundraising event.

Sample Sentences for Step 7
  • We look forward to seeing you at the auction. We know that with everyone's participation it will be a grand success!
  • Again, we hope to see you next Saturday at our annual fundraiser. We know that it will be well worth your while.
  • We wish to thank you again for your past support, and we hope you will feel compelled to participate in our upcoming fundraiser.
  • I'd like to express my gratitude for your previous donations, and I hope you will participate with us this Saturday in Run for Life.
  • We truly appreciate the support you have continually given to our organization, and we hope you will be able to join us next month.
  • Once again, we would like to express our appreciation to you for lending us your support in the past. We hope you will be able to assist us in our upcoming fundraising sale, and we look forward to seeing you then.
  • We want you to know that we are very grateful for the contributions you have made to our cause in the past. If you can take part in our fundraiser next Saturday, we would love to have you.
Sample Phrases for Step 7
  • thank you for
  • appreciate your past support
  • grateful for all
  • express our gratitude
  • very appreciative of
  • for lending your support
  • for taking an active role
  • for being a supporter of
  • hope you will attend
  • hope you can make it
  • counting on your support
  • counting on your presence
  • look forward to seeing you
  • await your arrival
  • anticipate your presence
  • hope to see you
  • expect to see you
  • have you with us
  • anxiously await you

Recommended Articles