Click through the icons to the topic that most interests you, or start from the acme!

In this section we'll explore who to ask for donations from.

Individuals

Nigh iii-fourths of all nonprofit contributions are fabricated past people who are drawn to particular causes, organizations, and missions.

Request individuals for donations is ane of the most common fundraising strategies used by nonprofits.

How Individuals Donate

  • Online donations
  • Text giving
  • Monthly or recurring donations
  • Event fundraising
  • And more than!

How Individuals Benefit

  1. There is a tax incentive attached to charitable giving.
  2. Donors experience good knowing that they helped others.
  3. There are many ways to donate to causes that individuals care about.

Learn how to ask individuals for donations!

Corporations

Corporations frequently have their own existing corporate social responsibleness (CSR) initiatives.

They might have limitations on the types of nonprofits that they donate to or have a cap on the amount that they requite to charities each year.

How Corporations Donate

  • Corporate grants
  • Matching gifts
  • Volunteer grants
  • Payroll deductions
  • In-kind donations

How Corporations Benefit

Foundations

Foundations are charitable organizations that issue grants to nonprofits based on mission, location, or size.

Sometimes, a foundation will laurels a grant to a item nonprofit, or a nonprofit tin can submit an almanac grant request to receive grants.

How Foundations Donate

  • Community grants
  • Individual grants
  • Corporate foundation grants

How Foundations Do good

Here are some strategies for ways to ask for donations.

Asking for Donations In Person

The Basics

Asking for contributions in person can't be used for every unmarried donation appeal.

They are about commonly used for:

  • Major gift donors
  • Potential planned giving donors
  • Local businesses
  • Larger corporations

Face-to-face meetings are ordinarily more extended, so they can be the perfect opportunity to lay out your organization'south mission and detail projects that need funding. Acquire how to ask for donations in person!

Why It'south Of import

Because you're able to collaborate with a prospect in person, you tin can amend gauge their interests and concerns.

Asking in person also adds a personal affect to your donation appeals, which leads to a more compelling pitch and deeper donor relationships.

Getting Started

  1. Inquiry your prospect.
  2. Form an initial relationship with the donor.
  3. Do your pitch.
  4. Be prepared to adjust your ask corporeality.

Request for Donations Over the Phone

The Nuts

Virtually people associate phonathons with asking for donations over the phone.

But you can utilise phone calls for everyday fundraising, too.

If your organization doesn't have the time or resource to go and visit hundreds or thousands of people, asking for contributions over the phone can exist a great culling. Acquire how to ask for donations over the phone!

Why It's Important

Asking for donations over the phone withal gives you the personal touch that comes with request in person, but information technology's easier and more than cost effective than in-person meetings.

Getting Started

  1. Use the resources bachelor to you lot.
  2. Make your script personal.
  3. Requite donors a compelling reason to donate.
  4. Don't feel tied to your script.
  5. Listen to the person on the other stop of the line.

Asking for Donations On Facebook

The Nuts

In that location are over ane billion Facebook users worldwide.

At least a few of your donors are likely included in that billion.

As long equally you're posting regular content alongside your donation appeals, you lot tin bring in donations simply by request for them on Facebook.

It's a platform that your donors admission most every 24-hour interval, then they're far more than probable to see a donation appeal status while scrolling through their newsfeeds. Learn how to enquire for donations on Facebook!

Why Information technology's Important

Asking for donations on Facebook tin can exist a quick and inexpensive style to reach a large oversupply and directly point them to your online donation course.

Getting Started

  1. Beginning posting regular content (not just appeals).
  2. Add a donation tab to your page.
  3. Post status updates with a link to your donation page.
  4. Track your Facebook insights.

Asking for Donations With Letters

The Basics

Donation messages are most commonly used for formal fundraising appeals to companies, businesses, and foundations.

However, you lot tin as well utilize messages to reach out to your more traditional donors who don't take social media or email accounts.

You may find these donors capeesh an one-time-fashioned arroyo and feel information technology's more than personal, which could lead to more than donations. Learn how to ask for donations with messages!

Why It's Important

Because you have fourth dimension to organize your thoughts before talking to donors, letters can exist a great manner to perfectly spell out your organization's demand and demonstrate how much more money you require to accomplish your goal.

Getting Started

  1. Start with a assuming headline.
  2. Make your letter personal.
  3. Tell a story in the body.
  4. Brand a sincere appeal.
  5. Don't forget the render envelope.
  6. Say thank you in advance.

Asking for Donations With Emails

The Nuts

Emails are one of the most common ways for nonprofits to ask donors for contributions.

Nigh nonprofits send out emails regularly (once a week or bi-monthly) and transport donation appeals alongside organizational updates and event invitations.

Emails are read on laptops, desktops, and mobile devices. This means that your nonprofit has the adventure to accomplish donors nearlyeverywhere. Learn how to ask for donations with emails!

Why It'southward Important

Sending out emails is also efficient and cost-constructive, enabling your arrangement to reach more than people at a lower cost than other methods.

Getting Started

  1. Create a assuming subject area line.
  2. Make the inquire near the get-go.
  3. Explain and draw why you're asking for a donation.
  4. Include links to your online donation folio and contact info for donors who desire to requite by post or phone.
  5. Say thank you in advance.

This section will help you figure out when to ask for donations.

End of Twelvemonth

The end of the calendar twelvemonth (November-December) sees a huge fasten in charitable giving.

In fact, xxx% of all annual donations are made in Dec lonely!

The finish of the yr is the perfect time for nonprofits to offset ramping upwardly their fundraising efforts by asking for donations.

Cause Months

Many of the causes that nonprofits champion have a special twenty-four hour period, calendar week, or month associated with them.

For instance, Breast Cancer Sensation Month is October, and National Adoption Calendar month is in November.

If your nonprofit has a specific "Cause Month," utilise that time to amplify your fundraising efforts.

#GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday is a special day of fundraising that started in 2012.

Individuals in the U.S. use the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to give back to their favorite charities and causes.

Giving Tuesday is wildly successful and is one of the biggest fundraising days of the whole year.

At Events

Events present the perfect opportunity to ask people for donations in person without expending the extra time and resource to encounter with donors individually.

At your next event, highlight the practiced piece of work y'all're doing and ask attendees for their support.

Use fundraising events and other special occasions to ask your donors for contributions.

Tips about asking for donations.

Before the Ask

ane: Empathise that there is a process. Fundraising in all its forms requires a plan, a cohesive team, and a unified asking strategy.

ii: Start with your existing connections and movement outward. Your staff, volunteers, and existing donors are the ones who care the most nearly your mission. Start by asking them for donations then move to their connections.

3: Thoroughly enquiry your donor base. Don't go into an ask unprepared! Inquiry your donors to decide the right amount to ask for and the correct way to ask.

During the Ask

i: Be genuine and authentic. Donors desire to requite to an organization they can believe in. Communicate your sincerity during the donation appeal.

two: Be prepared for something other than a "Yes!" Non anybody is immediately going to want to donate to your cause. Be prepared for No, Maybe, and everything in between.

3: Explain what the funds volition go toward. People don't just throw money at nothing. Tell them why their donations are needed and what they'll assistance accomplish. Learn more about request for donations!

After the Ask

i: Say cheers more than once. Gratitude is ane of the most of import components of fundraising. Make sure your donors are aware of your appreciation. Learn more most donation acknowledgement letters!

2: Follow up. Requite donors examples of what their contributions went toward. Show pictures, tell stories, and give donors a reason to donate once again.

3: Offering other opportunities for date. Don't just permit your supporters sit in your donor pool. Invite them to events. Encourage them to pursue volunteer opportunities. Appoint with them exterior of the fundraising appeal.

Here are some email and letter fundraising templates if you need help asking for donations.

Standard Donation Templates

Learn how to ask for donations with this standard donation request letter.

What Are They?

The nigh basic fundraising alphabetic character or email that yous'll write will be for a standard donation.

Your letters should differ depending on your relationship with the recipient.

When to Utilize Them

Standard donation letters tin be used for your yr-end fundraising push button or during a specific and branded entrada.

Your standard donation messages and emails should be personalized for each segment of donors, no matter the time of year. Download the standard donation request letter of the alphabet template!

Individual Sponsorship Templates

Learn how to ask for donations with this individual sponsorship letter template.

What Are They?

Many organizations write letters to individuals and businesses requesting sponsorship for a specific event or fundraiser.

These letters should explicate exactly what the donation or sponsorship will assistance accomplish.

When to Use Them

Volunteer Time Templates

This volunteer request letter is a great way to ask for donations and support.

What Are They?

Volunteer fourth dimension letters are requests for donations of time and attempt. They are like to donation request letter and emails.

Your volunteers are crucial for your organization's success. Invite them to piece of work with you by using a letter or email.

When to Use Them

Corporate Donation Templates

Better to ask for donations with this corporate request letter.

What Are They?

Corporate donation letters and emails are sent to members of the leadership of local or national businesses.

They can likewise be sent to the designated CSR coordinator at a corporation.

When to Use Them

Your organization tin can use corporate donation letters when yous're seeking monetary or in-kind donations from companies.

They can be sent at whatsoever indicate in the year, but they are oftentimes followed by an in-person meeting or a phone call. Download the corporate donation request letter of the alphabet template!

Here are some time- and money-saving fundraising tools for nonprofits.

Mobile-Responsive Donation Pages

Check out Qgiv's mobile donation form as a key way to ask for donations.

Information technology's all well and good if your donation form looks swell on a computer, but does it function likewise on a smartphone or tablet?

Brand certain that your donors aren't pinching, scrolling, and zooming just to give to your organization. Invest in a mobile-responsive donation page design and start collecting contributions from on-the-get donors. Larn more than about Qgiv'due south mobile-responsive donation forms!

Text Fundraising Tools

A mobile suite and text fundraising capabilities is an important part of your online fundraising platform.

Fundraising events are dandy ways to interact with donors and enhance more money.

Simply about people only have credit and debit cards instead of cash or checks.

Apply text fundraising tools to encourage donors to requite at your next fundraising event! Learn more about Qgiv's text fundraising tools!

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Pages

Take a look at Qgiv's peer-to-peer fundraising pages as a customized way for volunteers to ask for donations.

If you're looking for a manner to bring in more revenue and larn more supporters, you should turn to social fundraising.

Also known as social fundraising and crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising takes reward of your existing donor connections and puts your donors in control of their own fundraising efforts. Learn more than about Qgiv's Peer-to-Peer Fundraising tools!

Here are some frequently asked questions about asking for donations, from both the nonprofit and donor points of view.

Here are some FAQs nonprofits usually have.

Questions Nonprofits Accept

How before long can a nonprofit start fundraising?

If your nonprofit is waiting on its 501(c)(3) status, you can even so ask for donations.

However, those contributions aren't tax-deductible until you are officially registered as a charitable organisation with the IRS.

It volition be more than beneficial to your system to wait on fundraising activities until you've received your 501(c)(3) condition from the IRS.

Practise nonprofits need to register earlier they start fundraising?

A general timeline for registration goes like this:

1. Register earlier you start asking for donations.
2. Register in your home state (state of home) first.
3. Register in every country where yous fundraise.
4. If you lot accept online donations, register in New York and Florida (They require registration for whatever donations made, even if you lot aren't actively asking for donations there).
5. If y'all have an online donation class, register in every state you receive donations from.

Your nonprofit can incur penalties and fifty-fifty felony charges for not properly registering. Study the specific requirements for each state you fundraise in.

How should we ask for donations?

Nonprofits can no longer rely solely on mailed-in donations or cash contributions at events. Multichannel fundraising is now the nearly common mode to ask for donations.

Yous can (and should!) ask for donations in a variety of means, including in person, over the phone, through messages, with emails, via social media sites, on your website and online donation form, at events, and more!

How should a nonprofit promote an online donation page?

Consider promoting it on the "Ways to Requite" page on your website, including links and data near it in your emails, and posting a link on your social media platforms.

You can as well talk almost your online donation folio at events, include the URL in your direct postal service materials, and mention information technology during your in-person meetings and during telephone calls.

What is an annual fund and why do nonprofits need one?

An annual fund used to exist known as a fundraising campaign that kicks off at the same fourth dimension each year. Information technology usually has a theme with coordinating promotional and marketing materials.

Even so, an annual fund is now considered to exist a nonprofit'south overarching plan or strategy with many components and is crucial for nonprofit fundraising success. This is because it helps donors found regular giving patterns, ensures more regular revenue for your organization, builds a more than robust database, and boosts acquisition, retention, and average gift size year over year.

How much of a nonprofit's revenue can come from the full general public?

Public charities must receive at to the lowest degree a 3rd of their fundraising dollars from members of the general public. This means you shouldn't rely too heavily on donations from your board members or staff.

Here are some FAQs donors have.

Questions Donors Have

Where tin can I find fiscal information about a nonprofit?

You can look upward the annual IRS form 990 on GuideStar's website, inquire for the past iii audited fiscal reports, ask for the unaudited year-stop financial statements (if audited reports are unavailable), and ask whether the nonprofit has previously received federal grant dollars.

How tin I give to a charity?

Individuals tin give to nonprofits by contributing money, time, or goods and services.

Is it safe to give online?

Some donors might have reservations virtually giving online, and that's understandable. However, most (if nonall) nonprofits use donation forms that adhere to the guidelines that are put in place by the Payment Card Industry (known as PCI compliance).

These standards ensure that donor data is encrypted and cannot be compromised. Many donation forms will take security logos and certifications to demonstrate their compliance with PCI standards.

How can I participate in peer-to-peer fundraising?

Peer-to-peer fundraising is a mode for individuals to arrive on the fundraising process. If a nonprofit is hosting a peer-to-peer fundraiser, you tin volunteer to be ane of the fundraisers.

You'll and so create your own fundraising page and share it with your friends, family members, and coworkers. This mode, y'all help heighten money for a dandy cause and participate in a fun fundraiser!

Can I claim my charitable contributions on my tax return?

As long equally you take a donation receipt from the nonprofit, yous tin claim the donation on your taxes.

The donation receipt should include: Your proper noun, the system's proper noun and 501(c)(3) status, the date and amount of the donation, a statement indicating whether whatsoever appurtenances or services were exchanged, proper name and signature of an authorized nonprofit representative, and many more than stipulations. Read all about them here!

Will a nonprofit spam me with information?

Whenever you give out your personal contact information, you lot run the risk of getting inundated with direct post and emails.

Even so, you can likewise specify your preferred communication channels whenever yous donate to a nonprofit. Nonprofits certainly don't want to drive y'all away, just they won't know how oft to contact you lot unless you specify a preference.

How tin I be sure my donations aren't simply going toward salaries?

One of the easiest means to brand sure that your donations are existence used for specific projects and campaigns is to give to those specific projects and campaigns.

Many online donation pages will have an option to donate to a particular facet of the organisation or will take a separate donation grade for initiatives like events, projects, or campaigns.

While you likely won't be able to track your donation down to the penny, you tin can talk to staff members and leaders within a nonprofit organization to discuss the best projection for your contribution to go toward.

Here are some additional resources if you want to research more on how to best ask for donations.

If you're looking for more information virtually charity auctions or fundraising in general, check out these additional resources beneath!

  • Peak online donation tools. Check out our favorite online donation tools to take your fundraising fifty-fifty farther.
  • Guide to Give thanks-Y'all Messages. Don't forget to thank your donors! Read our guide to thank-you letters to learn the best practices for showing your appreciation.
  • Essential Mobile Giving Guide. Text-to-give is only i form of mobile giving. Learn all the ways you lot can implement mobile giving as function of your fundraising strategy—and why you should!
  • 65+ Profitable Fundraising Ideas. Request for donations gets a fiddling bit easier when you have amazing fundraising ideas on your side. Check out our favorites!

Ask For Donations with Confidence!