Use these fundraising email templates to reach your goal

Asking for help of any kind takes courage and makes you somewhat vulnerable, and seeking financial help can be particularly challenging. Fortunately, you'll find fundraising email templates below. They'll give you a framework for writing emails that will inspire others to donate.

If you're not sure how to ask for a donation, I've compiled a list of fundraising email templates along with best practices that will help you reach your fundraising goals faster.

Email Fundraising Best Practices

Email remains one of the most effective ways to raise awareness of your fundraising campaign and promote your cause. But even experienced fundraising professionals would struggle to write a compelling fundraising letter. Below you'll find best practices that can help you create compelling letters that will inspire others to donate.

Think carefully about the subject line of your email

The subject line of fundraising emails isn't just the reader's first impression - in many cases, it's your first and last chance to get someone to open your message. There have been studies that 35% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone. Follow these tips to get your audience's attention:

• Choose your subject line so that it is short but informative - the ideal length is less than 65 characters. Long subject lines are often truncated on small devices.
• Also, the topic should pique interest so people want to learn more, but try not to sound like spam. Don't use capital letters and excessive punctuation.
• Create a sense of urgency that will inspire donors to take action.

Personalise your email messages

It would be handy if you could use one fundraising email template and use it to send to all potential donors, but you'll want to personalize each one so it doesn't sound cold or inappropriate. Try segmenting your email list by demographic, status, or other important factors. This can increase your email open rate by 14.3%, according to MailChimp. If you're short on time, even adding the recipient's name to the greeting can make a good impression and make someone feel like you care about them.

Write a short and clear email

Email brevity is the key to greater fundraising effectiveness. If you write too much, people will lose interest and quit reading. A clear and visually appealing format also plays an important role in email readability.

Guidelines to keep in mind:

• Divide the email into paragraphs to make it easy to read and understand.
• Limit yourself to four short paragraphs.
• Use subheadings and bold text for easy reading.
• Include high-quality photos to help people connect with your cause.

Clearly describe how donations will impact your cause

How will the donations be used? How will the funds change or improve the life of your beneficiary? Readers will immediately want to know why you're fundraising and exactly how the money will be used, so be sure to answer these questions in the first few sentences of your email.

If possible, explain what impact a donation of BGN 5, BGN 25 and BGN 100 would make. Some people may feel uncomfortable making a small donation, so it's important to stress that donations of any amount are welcome and any contribution will help you reach your goal.

Add visual content

A high quality photo or video can help impact your email and draw people to your cause, so definitely insert at least one image in your emails.

Enlist friends and family to support your cause

When crowdfunding, friends and family will be some of your biggest supporters. Be especially careful when reaching out to them. Your generic email template will look impersonal to those who know you well, so it's especially important to personalize these emails.

Some other points to keep in mind:

• Unlike emails to the press, emails to friends, family and other members of your community should include a more emotional call to action - a donation.
• Don't be afraid to add and show your own emotions and make your personality shine through. This will help people feel more connected to you and your cause.
• You might consider using more personal photos when connecting with family and friends.

Below you will find a sample fundraising email that you can adapt and send to those closest to you.

Email template.

Subject [short and compelling, avoid capitalization and exclamation points]:

Dear [insert name],

You may have heard that I am raising funds to [insert reason why you are fundraising]. This cause is very important to me because [insert a personal reason that appeals to the reader's emotions].

I am encouraged by the support I have already received, but still need help to reach my fundraising goal of [enter amount].

Would you be willing to make a contribution to my fundraising? A donation of any amount would mean a lot to me.

To donate, simply click the link to my fundraising campaign below:

[Insert link to fundraising campaign]

It would also mean a lot if you could share my fundraising link on social media. The more shares I get, the faster I will reach my fundraising goal.

I'd love to talk to you in person about fundraising, so feel free to get in touch.

With Love/Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Email template: donation request for expiring campaign to friends and family

Subject: Just [insert days] to help me reach my fundraising goal

Dear [insert name],

I only have [number] days to complete my fundraising for [insert fundraising cause].

If only [insert number] people donate [insert amount] to my fundraising, I [could reach my fundraising goal/make significant progress toward my fundraising goal]. Could you help make this a reality?

To donate, simply click the link to my fundraising below:

[insert link to fundraiser]

It would also be really helpful if you could share your fundraising link with everyone you know. The more eyes on the fundraising campaign, the better!

I appreciate all your support! I could not have reached [fundraising goal] without your help.

With love/ Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your contact details]

Get local media to cover your fundraising campaign

Few things raise awareness for your cause like media coverage. To get your local media to cover your fundraising campaign, you'll need to email reporters.

Journalists are more likely to put your fundraising in the news if you give them all the information they need in advance in a short and engaging email. Avoid using your fundraising description as a pitch because this text is written for potential donors, not the press.

When writing your submission, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is your fundraising campaign relevant to recent news articles or trends? Does it relate to anything current?
• Why should other people in your community care or contribute? What difference will it make to the community as a whole?

These recommendations from Paul Andreev will help you organize a successful fundraising campaign.

You can quickly and easily organize a fundraiser at PavelAndreev.ORG.

Email template.

Subject [short and compelling, avoid capitalization and exclamation points]:

Dear [insert name],

I recently saw your story on [relevant article/story name] and wanted to share my own story with you: [insert fundraising link]

[Write two to three sentences about your fundraiser. This paragraph should be a simple overview of your fundraising that explains why you started fundraising and why it is important. It should also explain you or your beneficiary's relationship to the local community].

So far the community has raised [enter amount] to help [repeat cause].

Thank you for reading my story and I would love the opportunity to share more details with you.

Best Wishes,

[Your Name]

[Your contact details]

Contact local businesses

If you've already enlisted the support of friends and family, asking local businesses for help is another way to keep the fundraising momentum going.

As you compile information, keep these tips in mind:

• Focus on businesses that are known for supporting the community and giving back.
• Reach out to businesses or organizations that fit your cause. For example, if you are raising money to help offset the cost of your chemotherapy treatments, you might send information to local organizations known for their support of cancer patients or their work in cancer research.
• Include in your message other ways that businesses can help if they cannot contribute financially. They can volunteer their space for a fundraiser or donate auction items.

Below is a sample letter requesting a donation to a company that you can use when communicating via email.

Email template.

Subject line [short and compelling, avoid capitalization and exclamation points]:

Dear [insert name],

I am fundraising for [insert reason why you are fundraising] and would really appreciate the help of local businesses like yours. [Summarize why you need help in 1-3 short sentences to provide background information and connect this to your local community].

So far the community has raised [insert amount] towards my fundraising goal - but we still have a lot of ground to cover. This is where your business comes into the picture.

Would you be interested in joining me on my fundraising journey by making a contribution to my cause? A donation of any amount can make a difference.

To donate, simply click the link to my fundraising below:

[Insert link to fundraiser]

I'd like to talk about fundraising in more detail, so feel free to get in touch.

Best Wishes,

[Your Name]

[Your contact details]

Start raising more money with carefully written fundraising emails

Whether you're contacting the press, family and friends, a clear and polished email will help you reach potential donors and inspire people to take action. Once you reach your fundraising goal, show appreciation to your supporters and write a thank you letter for donating. And if you haven't yet taken advantage of PavelAndreev.ORG's fundraising platform, use the buttons below to donate to a campaign or start one of your own.