How to Make a Solicitation Letter (Free Sample and Template)

If you’re an individual or organization trying to raise funds for a noble cause, you can collect donations and contributions more effectively by writing a solicitation letter. A well-written solicitation letter makes it more likely for donors to contribute to your fundraising activity because they will know exactly how their money will be spent and for what purpose.

As the name implies, a solicitation letter is a letter that solicits or requests contributions, donations or assistance from the recipient of the letter. A proper solicitation letter indicates the name of the soliciting person or organization, and describes in detail the purpose and objective of the solicitation (e.g. fundraising event, charity, etc.). In most cases, the name of the would-be donor or sponsor is clearly mentioned as the addressee.

Let’s say that your student organization is trying to raise money for a charity drive. Aside from setting up online fundraising activities on social media, you can draft a solicitation letter and address it to people who you think can donate to your cause. For example, you can make a letter and address it to your congressman who might be convinced to donate or contribute to your fundraising activity.

In writing your letter, it’s important to describe your fundraising event in complete detail, including the name of your organization, the purpose of your event, the venue of the event, and the date when it will be held, among others. That way, your prospective donor or sponsor will know whether or not it’s worthwhile to contribute to your cause.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to write a solicitation letter that will increase your chances of getting monetary or in-kind contributions for your fundraising activity. We’ve also included a sample letter that you can edit and fill out with your own specific information.

How to Write a Solicitation Letter

Drafting a solicitation letter is pretty easy as long as you follow the best practices for writing it. It pays to know the basic parts of the letter so that you will know how to write it based on your unique and personal circumstances.

You may follow this format in writing a solicitation letter:

1. Write your name and address.
2. Write the date that the letter was drafted.
3. Write the name and address of the donor, sponsor or contributor.
4. Include a salutation (e.g. “Dear Mr. Santos”). If the name of the second party is unknown, you may write “To Whom It May Concern.”
5. In the first paragraph, introduce yourself or your organization. You may also describe the mission or purpose of your organization.
6. In the second paragraph, describe your fundraising activity and who the beneficiaries will be. Also indicate where and when the event will be held.
7. In the third paragraph, state that you are requesting for the donor’s assistance and that any help will be appreciated. Also mention that you are including a return envelope and the program of the event (or any other supporting materials). Optionally, you can include instructions on how the donor can send their donations or contributions, such as a bank account number.
8. In the fourth paragraph, state that you are willing to be contacted anytime for any questions about your organization and fundraising event. Include your phone or mobile number and email address for this purpose.
9. In the last paragraph, write a short sentence thanking the donor or sponsor in advance.
10. Write a complimentary close (e.g. “Respectfully yours”).
11. Finally, write your name and affix your signature above your name.

Feel free to write your solicitation letter in a way that suits you. The important thing is to include all the important and relevant information that will convince your potential donor to readily contribute to your cause, such as the name of your organization, the mission or purpose of your organization, the name of your fundraising event, and the purpose or goal of your event.

If you’re having difficulties in coming up with your own letter, you can use our free template and modify it to suit your needs. A sample solicitation letter is included in this article.

Sample Solicitation Letter

Here’s a sample solicitation letter that you can copy and paste to your Word document. Be sure to replace the words inside brackets [ ] with your own information.

[Your Name]
[Position and Name of Organization]
[Building/Street Address]
[City/Municipality/Province]

[Date]

[Name of Donor/Sponsor]
[Building/Street Address]
[City/Municipality/Province]

Dear [Name of Donor/Sponsor],

The [Name of organization] is a [Describe your organization]. [State the purpose or mission of your organization].

We will be holding a [Name of event] on [Date of event], at the [Location/venue of event]. The aim of the event is to [State the purpose of the event].

In line with this, I am writing you to humbly request for your assistance in making our event a very successful one. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. I have enclosed a return envelope and the program of the event for your convenience.

Should you have any questions about our organization and charity event, you may call [Organization’s phone/mobile number] or email [Organization’s email address].

Thank you in advance for your support and God bless you!

Respectfully yours,

[Your Signature]
[Your Name]

Download a Free Sample Solicitation Letter

Want to download a sample solicitation letter instead? Click the buttons below to download a sample template. Feel free to edit the letter using your favorite word processing software (Microsoft Word or Google Docs) and replace the applicable information with your own.

Note: If you are using Google Docs, please make a copy of the document by clicking File > Make a Copy. Only then can you edit the letter.

How to Edit the Sample Letter

Follow these steps to edit and customize the letter template using Microsoft Word:

1. Download the Microsoft Word document by clicking this link.
2. Open the document in Microsoft Word (Ctrl + O).
3. Click the “Enable Editing” button when prompted.
4. Replace the words inside the brackets [ ] with your own information.
5. Save the document by clicking File > Save or pressing Ctrl + S.
6. Print the letter by clicking File > Print or pressing Ctrl + P.
7. Sign the letter.

Parting Words

Whether it is for a worthy cause such as a donation drive for typhoon victims, or for an all-important occasion such as a Christmas party, having a solicitation letter will go a long way in convincing potential donors to pitch to your fundraising activity. A good solicitation letter can spell the difference between the success and failure of your event, so take the time to craft a well-written and persuasive letter and your efforts will be rewarded.