Donor-Centered Thank You Letters

The Power of Thank You Letters

When donors say, “The acknowledgment is the recognition”, they are making a profound statement about what matters in their relationships with not-for-profits. And nothing matters more to donors than thank you letters. Four out of five people who give say that a beautifully crafted acknowledgement letter, promptly received, is all that it takes to make them want to give again.

There is a huge difference, though, between thank you letters that fulfil the requirement of acknowledging gifts and letters that inspire donors to give again. Great letter-writing is an art, and creating art requires original thinking and constant practice.

This resource is a compendium of thank you letters from fundraisers who modeled their correspondence on donor-centered principles. While every entry is already superior to what donors typically receive, I have added my comments to help the authors, and others who read this publication, expand their letter-writing horizons.

Every minute spent crafting the best letter you can possibly write is worth it. Your thoughtfulness and your refusal to settle for second-best will pay off in donors who stay loyal to your cause longer, who make more generous contributions, and who put you on their list for exceptional support.

Simple...and powerful.

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Inside you’ll find:
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• Real letters from a wide range of not-for-profits, including the arts, education, animal welfare, annual funds, planned giving and disaster relief

• Penelope Burk’s comments on each letter, from opening lines and closing lines to grammar, tone and who should sign

• “Twenty Things that Make a Thank You Letter Donor-Centered,” a checklist from Burk’s Donor-Centered Fundraising, Second Edition

• A detailed index, so you can quickly find examples for your sector, gift type or writing challenge

This book uses a fixed layout that reproduces the original page design and is best viewed on iPad or Mac.