Annual Giving Letter Examples

Sending out fundraising letters to donors should always be a part of your annual giving campaign. Throughout the rest of the year, you can space out the fundraising letters. This article looks at your annual giving letter, which might be a more general overview of your past year and a reminder to donors how they can help in the new year.

Don’t let the letter-writing part overwhelm you. Instead of seeing it as a mountain to overcome, why not try looking at your letter-writing challenge as a joy? This is when you get to celebrate with your donors all the positive things that happened for your church. And then, encourage them to keep supporting you in the new year.

But first, 3 tips to keep in mind when letter-writing:

1.      Know how your donor prefers to be addressed

The letters should always be personalized, but if your donor is from a different country, find out the best way to address them. It may be prudent to use their last name, according to the culture and letter-writing etiquette they are used to.

2.     Focus on the Donor in Annual Giving Letters

Fundraising letters, while useful for showcasing your projects are not the platform for bragging. Use the letter to show how the donor’s support enables your church projects.

3.     Promote new ways to get involved in the new year

If your church has transitioned to online giving, make sure the donors know about the various avenues. They may be familiar with some but not all. You can use the annual giving letter for a quick update on any upgrades you have made to serve them better.

The following sample fundraising letters can be tailored to your own church needs.

ANNUAL GIVING LETTER SAMPLE ONE (Mission Examples)

Dear ______,

What a year it’s been. We have shifted our focus from live events to holding a few church events in the virtual space.

This took a while to get right, but as you know, we are always a work in progress. Thanks to your support, we facilitated a few youth group activities completely virtual.

During these youth activities, ___ teenagers and their families got to be inspired even from the confines of home. We could bring the Word straight to them.

You can see the content we’ve recorded and made available on our new website ______. If you want to be a part of our upcoming virtual activities, please contact us at _____.

We are praying for new donors this year, as we have more plans to help our youth stay connected and grow together.

(In this space, you might list the upcoming activities you have planned)

The cost of these operations will be _____.

We greatly appreciate any amount you would like to give to support us in the new year. Thank you for all you have done to help us serve our community in 2020.

See you in the new year,

(Signature)

ANNUAL GIVING LETTER SAMPLE TWO (Statistics and numbers included)

Dear ______,

As we close this year, I look back and thank God for you who made our service possible. The projects we focused on this year helped those communities who are still struggling after the pandemic.

So far, in 2020, we have:

• helped ____ missionaries to get to their fields of service
• raised _____ towards _____ cause
• Given a total of _____ towards _____ project

…none of this would be possible without your continued giving!

In 2021, we have even bigger plans to serve. Please don’t forget that every amount you give goes a long way. To break this down by the dollar:

• $25 will provide _______
• $50 will provide __________
• $100 will provide ___________
• $250 will provide ________

We understand that you may not be able to meet with us in person during the next few weeks. If you would like to contribute, there are new digital options available. We now have a text-to-give number at ____. You can also make easy PayPal donations o our website: _____

Of course, if you would like to reach out to me personally, I would be happy to hear from you. My contact numbers are below.

With Gratitude,

(Signature)

ANNUAL GIVING LETTER SAMPLE  THREE (A personal story)

Dear ______,

Walking out into the cold and silent air a few weeks ago, I reflected on what Christmas has meant for us in past years.

And it dawned on me that this Christmas, of all times, is when we need the hope and light of our Savior most. There were no carolers on the street; there were no little children skating around the rink. I felt a tinge of sadness.

But then, in the next few moments, a calm peace and hope settled on my heart. I thought of folks like you who have suffered your own personal hardships this year. You are still faithful to support the church, and that means so much to me.

If there is anything I can do for you in return, anything you need prayer for, I am just a phone call away. I wish you a happy new year and hope that the blessings you have given the church will be given back to you in abundant ways in 2021.

God bless you!

With gratitude,

(Signature)

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We hope these simple annual giving letters give you some idea of how to authentically format your own letter this year. For more resources and tips, don’t forget to check out the other blog posts on DonorWerx.