Writing Fundraising Letters for Donations

"How do I write effective fundraising letters for donations for my mission trip?"  I have received this question so many times over the last few years that I decided to create a special thread to spill my guts on it.

When you begin to write a mission trip support letter, the first decision you really have to make is how committed you are to the task and the mission trip that is before you.  Why?  Because most people agree that fundraising for mission trips is the hardest part of preparing for your Christian trip.

Secondly, do you really need to raise the money?  This is a difficult question to ask because, when we decide to go on a mission trip, we rarely think to look in our own bank account before we rush out to ask everyone else.  The fact of the matter is that we may not even need to send out any fundraising letters for donations.  We may already have all the money we need; are we willing to commit that money?

In the resources below, you will find many tips to help make your fundraising and support letters more interesting to the recipient.  And if the mission trip letter is more interesting, it tends to be easily read and acted upon by your prospective donor.

If the mission trip support letters that you distribute are are to be effective, then there are some simple guidelines you will want to follow.  But one word of advice... don't obsess over trying to create the perfect mission trip fundraising letter.  Pray that God will open hearts (including yours) and be yourself.  That is what people already know and are drawn to.

Fundraising Letters for Donations Keys

The keys to writing fundraising letters for donations for your Christian missions trip are pretty fundamental, but some of the other articles listed below will go into more detail about each one.  Here they are in a bulleted list to help summarize the main points.

• Determine if you actually need to raise money
• Determine how much money you actually need
• Break the total down into a reasonable amount for each donor
• Make sure you are already serving the person
• Be as personal as you possible can in the text of the mission trip support letter
• Tell a story
• Be honest about your need
• DON'T beg, but DO ask humbly for their help
• Have a simple and easy method for the donor's response
• Remember to thank each donor personally

There are some other nuances to the above tips that are brought out in the mission trip fundraising information on the pages that follow, but these are high-level guidelines to get you started.

When you write fundraising letters for donations for your mission trips, you will find that your belief level will rise substantially throughout the entire process.  In the beginning, you are unsure, but you think God has called you on a Christian mission trip; by the time you finish, you will be certain if He has.

Additional Articles on Fundraising Letters for Donations

• Mission Trip Letter Example - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  I have reprinted a mission trip letter example that I recently received in the mail and wanted to analyze it as an fundraising letter example to help you out when you go to write your own.
• Support Letter for Mission Trip - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  For many short term missionaries, writing and sending a support letter for mission trip seems like a daunting task which they fear constantly. However, you can be sure that you will succeed.
• Mission Trip Letters - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  The mission trip letters that have had the biggest impression on me are the ones that are personal, tell a story, and sent by people who I know have been faithfully serving the Lord for a long time.
• Missions Trip Support Letter - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  When you begin writing a missions trip support letter, there are several points you want to consider before you begin. For people considering a Christian mission trip, fundraising is very humbling.
• Template Fundraising Letter - Fundraising Letter for Donations
  
  Many short term missionaries use a template fundraising letter to help them raise money for their mission trips. And most of these letters are very successful in "bringing in the money"
• Fundraising Letters Samples - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  There are many fundraising letters samples on the internet that pull at the heartstrings of potential donors, and quite frankly, receive a large response in the form of massive amounts of donations.
• Fundraising Letters Template - Fundraising Letters for Donations
  
  So you're looking for a fundraising letters template for your next mission trip? Here is a sample mission trip letter that I have used in the past to raise money for mission trips in the past.