How To Ask For Donations?

The first question that hits your mind while collecting funding is – How to ask for a donation?  You will find donors of different age groups varying in mentality, interest, and policies – the same strategy will not work for all. For instance, asking for donations via text might make the older generation feel disrespected, but the young donors will be more comfortable with this approach. That is why you need to know the proper medium, wording, tone, tips, and tricks to make the asking successful. 

Remember, your entire donation campaign can fail without having a proper donation-asking strategy. However, no worries. We have bought you a complete guideline on how to ask for donations. This article will cover you all whether you are asking by email, Facebook, or in person. So, let’s get begin- 

Types of Donations To Ask For

Before asking for any donation, you need to identify the donation category. The donation offering criteria vary from donor to donor. For example- some people show interest in donating to the educational sector, while others want to save lives. So, to go to the right donor, you must identify the types of donation you are asking for. Here are some common donation types for the asking- 

• Scholarships: You can ask the donors for funds to help students with scholarships. Many underprivileged students fail to continue their studies for want of money. It opens the door to help this class of people by raising money. 
• Donation For Treatment: The most typical donation request is to save lives. Thousands of people go through operations daily, and not all have the amount to bear the expense. You can ask for donations for these people and manage an amount to continue their treatment. 
• Gifts-In-Kind: Besides cash donations, there are also non-monetary donations to ask for. These types of donations include clothes, food, medicine supply, educational instruments, etc. 
• Other Causes: You can also ask for donations to support other activities like repairing schools, offering meals to those in need, arranging fresh drinking water, and more. 

Decide Who To Ask for Donations

Once you have a cause for collecting donations, the next question that knocks your mind is whom to ask. There are tons of options to collect funding from; here we are sharing the most effective ones- 

• Individuals: You can ask your friends, family members, and colleagues to contribute to your donation campaign. Besides, students, teachers, and alumni can also help you to earn your desired amount. This type of donation fits all types of funding collection. You can ask individuals through social media, email, or in person. 
• Local Community: Local communities like schools, colleges, clubs, and religious spots like- mosques, temples, etc., are great options for asking for donations. You can hang banners in front of these institutions to collect funds, but remember to take permission from the authority to conduct the program smoothly. 
• Businesses: Big businesses have a funding system that they contribute monthly or annually. To collect the targeted amount most quickly, you can communicate with these businesses to contribute to your campaign. You can also use your professional networks to manage donations. 
• Foundations: Many NGOs or other social service foundations contribute to helping needy persons. You can ask these foundations to donate. 
• Local Government & Politicians: If you have connections to reach local government or politicians, utilize the opportunity. Convince them to contribute to your donation program. 

Know What To Say While Asking For Donation

When collecting funding, you must skill the art of asking for donations. But most people get confused about what things to mention while asking. Remember, donors will only get interested in investing in you if your asking is proper and reliable. But no worries, here we bought to you all the facts that you should include while asking for a donation- 

• Tell Your Story Revealing The Cause Of Donation 

Never ask for the amount directly from your donors. First, you should let them know the cause of your funding collection. Mention how this campaign is going to help or have an impact on individuals or a group of communities. Keep the storyline interesting because your storytelling skills highly influence donors. Bring the history, the present condition, and the future vision all in line and present it to your donor in the best way possible. 

• Talk About Your Achievements 

Donors will not invest their money in anyone without checking the history. They will surely analyze the condition and judge the reliability before giving an amount. So, to earn their trust, you should tell them about your previous donation achievements. Show them how you collected funding before making events successful. This will prove the authenticity of your organization, encouraging donors to donate. 

• Mention The Community You Serve 

Every donation project has a specific community or an individual to work for. Tell your donor on whom or in which sector of people you will spend this amount. This will help the donors to match their policy before making a decision. 

• Let The Donor Know How Much You Have Collected

Don’t ask for donations empty-handed; show some amount collected from angel donors. If you go with an empty pocket to new or unknown donors, they may not get interested in investing. So tell the donor you have already collected a percentage of the amount, and ask for the rest. This will show that you have a potential campaign and it is a worthy project to contribute to. 

• Make The Ask; Keep The Amount Clear 

Now that you have told the cause or purpose of your funding, it’s time to ask for a donation. Avoid asking for any approximate amount; this will confuse your donor. Be clear about the amount. Give your donor an exact account in which sectors you will utilize the collected funding. For example- $2500 will be donated to 100 slum dwellers to improve their accommodation. Including these numbers will keep the process transparent and help you strengthen reliability. 

• Include The Available Donation/Payment Options 

Keep multiple donation/payment options to get maximum response. Include online payment, cash, bank payment, or other available methods. This will increase the chance of collecting donations faster. 

• Invite Your Donor To Your Website 

After asking the amount, invite them to visit your website or funding platform to see your activities. This will help you in three ways-

• Donors will be able to see your previous success
• You will be able to keep the donors engaging 
• You can make the new donors your permanent support, which will help you in future projects 

• Thanking In Advance; Don’t Forget To Appreciate 

Thanking your donor is a principle in the crowdfunding world. Thanks to the donors for making the time to hear your questions. Inform them how grateful you will be if they contribute to your campaign. Appreciate them and make them feel how much you value them. Conclude you’re asking with an attractive and emotional pitch line encouraging them to donate.

However, express all these facts in a few sentences, don’t make the text or conversation too long. This will make the donor irritated; keep it as short as possible.

Language To Use For Donation Asking 

The language you use should be appropriate for asking for donors. The voice should not be too formal or too informal. Maintain a moderate tone to show professionalism but also a friendly gesture at the same time. Here are some tips to keep your language style fit for the purpose- 

1. Be Clear & Direct

Don’t use unnecessary wording in your asking. Keep the interaction short but clear. Here you need to play with word games. Describe your goals and vision in a few words, but the expression should be impactful. Ask what you want with a proper explanation to ensure the donor’s contribution. 

2. Emphasize On The Urgency 

Your approach should highlight the urgency of the donation. Learn the skill of using language in a precise but powerful way. You can use words like- ‘now,’ ‘today,’ ‘soon,’ etc., to emphasize the emergency donation needs. Besides, add a limited period to run your campaign; this will guide the donors to make the donations immediately. 

3. Keep The Subject Line Attractive 

The subject line matters the most in asking for donations, whether through email, text, Facebook, or forming banners in the street. Give an emotional angle to the subject line. For example, if you are collecting donations for someone’s operation, the subject line can be ‘Save A Life,’ ‘Stand For Humanity,’ or something more creative!

4. Tone Should be Optimistic

Show your previous success to bring an optimistic tone to your asking. Make the donor believe you will succeed in the following project, just like your previous ones. Giving your donor the amount you have already ensured can help bring positivity. For example- ‘We have already collected 40% of our donation target’; using such sentences will encourage donors to contribute to your success. 

5. Personalize Your Asking 

Remember, donors are the heroes of your donation campaign. So, give your best to interact with the donors. Instead of addressing them as ‘Dear Donor,’ address them by name. This will allow them to connect with you. Use ‘you’ to put them in the center. To bring the best output, combine ‘you’ and ‘we’ to make the conversation more engaging. 

Wording To Boost Your Donation Asking 

Here are some words to make your donation asks more impactful- 

1. ‘You’:

To make your conversation more engaging, you are a powerful word for donation collection. Here are some ways you can use the word while asking donation-

• ‘Last year, you gave us donations to work with 1000 homeless individuals.’

• ‘Your kindness is amazing.’
• ‘I/We appreciate your support.’
• “We’ve financed 1,000+ projects for hospital supplies thanks to your assistance.’

2. ‘Because’/’ To’/’ Therefore’:

Presenting the reason for the donation campaign is a crucial factor when approaching donors. In this case, use the word ‘because,’ ‘to,’ or ‘therefore.’ Here are some examples for your consideration- 

• ‘We’re telling you Halima’s tale today because we need to act immediately since she’s in danger.’
• ‘You can take part in our campaign to save lives.’
• ‘Millions in Syria are at risk of hunger; therefore, we need your assistance. Without adequate food, families have been battling to live.’

3. ‘Small’/’just’/’little’/’few’:

Using words like ‘small,’ ‘little,’ and ‘few,’ you can make the donor comfortable with their donation amount. Sometimes donors feel shy or hesitate to give small amounts and eventually skip the donation. But by using these words, you can collect at least a minimal amount from the donor you requested. Here are some sentences that you can use for your campaign-

• “Even your smallest contribution will help us to help these poor children.”
• “Feed a beggar for as little as $0.60 per day.”
• “Donating just $25, you can contribute to a child’s education.”

4. ‘Quick’:

In collecting funding, you need to emphasize the urgency of the money collection. For that, use words or phrases that express emergency needs, such as ‘immediately,’ ‘today,’ ‘as soon as,’ ‘instantly,’ etc. Here are some use of this word to ask for donations-

• “Your donation will be used immediately.”
• “You will receive a video from our crew on the ground as soon as you donate.”
• “Our donation procedure is quick and easy. Your contribution will start helping aid Sybeia’s youngest victims in just 30 seconds.”

5. ‘Thank You’:

‘Thank you’ is the most magical word for asking for a donation. It shows how grateful you are to the donors. Don’t wait to thank them after they donate; instead, thank them first for making time to hear your asking. This will impress the donor and influence them to donate. 

Medium To Ask For Donation

The digital world and its technology have made communication easier; you can connect from one corner of the world to the other in seconds. When you ask for donations, utilize this opportunity to reach the maximum number of people you can. Here are the ways or mediums to ask for donations- 

• On the Phone 

Asking for donations over the phone may sometimes be inappropriate for crowdfunding. But it is still a great option to ask your near and dear ones over the phone. Call your friends, family, colleagues, and seniors to inform them about your donation campaign and ask them for donations. They will undoubtedly contribute to your project. 

However, the unknown or the people you barely know will not feel comfortable talking to you over the phone; it will, in fact, irritate them – contact them through other mediums. Follow the below step to make an effective donation ask over the phone-  

• Know whom to call over the phone: Don’t cold phone strangers; instead, reach out to your current supporters for a better chance of success! Call those who support your cause but might need some encouragement to donate. To track this donor category, a donation management system can be very helpful.
• Prepare a pitch: Using a script to train your callers ensures prospective donors receive all the required information. A list of typical queries and their solutions will also simplify their tasks. No one likes to feel like they are conversing with a robot, so be sure to teach the calls to be as natural as possible.
• Feedback: keep connected to the donors to know how they are revving your phone calls. Even a negative review will also help you to improve further activities. 

• In Person

Go on the field to ask for donations with a donation box and banners. It can also be a meeting with renowned personalities to collect a large amount. Invite your donor for a personal meeting requesting them to donate. It can be a lunch, dinner, or coffee invitation. Talk to them politely to make them feel how much you care for them. Here are the steps you can follow for in-person donation asking- 

• Do some homework on the targeted donors: What interests do your donors have? Which charities have they already donated to? Doing this basic research on your donor will make the donation-asking procedure much easier. 
• Build a connection: Never make your donors feel like a walking wallet; build a connection with them. When you interact with contributors, you serve as the public face of your charity; a positive connection with you is a positive relationship with the organization!
• Make the ask: Make a script to deliver the pitch perfectly. Ask for donations confidently; don’t let the donor get confused about your potential. 
• Following up: Thank the donors even if they don’t agree immediately to donate. Be grateful to them for making time to meet you. Keep a regular follow-up; this can turn their ‘No’ into a ‘Yes.’ 

• Direct Mail

Although sending direct mail may seem like a dated strategy for contacting donors, it is a practical & full-prove approach. A friendly, eye-catching mail is ideal for delivering special donation requests. This brings a personal touch to your ask for a donation making the donor feel more connected. 

Research shows that 26% of the oldest generation responds to direct mail campaigns. So it’s crucial to connect with more senior contributors in a method they trust and feel comfortable with. These are some examples of direct mail to ask for donations- 

• Letters: Include useful reading material in your pitch letter highlighting a recent campaign. This will help your donors understand what you’re attempting to accomplish.
• Postcards: Sending your donors a colorful postcard with a short but appealing image may grab their interest in your campaign.
• Pamphlets: Put all the details about your nonprofit’s objectives, accomplishments, and aspirations in one location that is simple to read!

• Over Email 

You can effectively approach the donors through email in a professional way. Remember, keep the subject line accurate while emailing your donors. Also, be careful about the text length. Emails are official text; in this case, it is best to keep the text short but impactful. Here are some tips to follow in asking for donations over email- 

• Keep the subject on point: The email’s subject should be something the donors can’t skip. For instance, putting your subject like, “We need $$$ for helping needy children,” will make your donor feel like a wallet. Avoid using such subjects; instead, keep it formal but direct. Here are some examples to use in the subject line of your email- 

• Join us in changing the world.
• Help feed 200s of children this month.
• Your donation can save a life.

• Give a personalized touch: Address your donor by name to make them feel more connected. It would be best to mention their previous donation (if any) history and thank them at the very beginning. 
• Ask for donation precisely: Your donation request should be straightforward, honest, and brief, which means you should ask for the donation within a few lines of the text. Avoid making your readers read long paragraphs thinking, “What the hell is this email about? “Let them know why you’re here and what you are asking for. 
• Add a ‘Donate’ button & other options for donation: keep the donation procedure simple and hassle-free. Add a donate button to submit the amount with a few clicks. However, also offer other available options to donate. 

• Via Crowdfunding Platforms 

There are many crowdfunding platforms to raise donations for nonprofits, like- GOFundMe, Donately, etc. However, you can also make your platform using themes like Fundorex. Here you can post a donation for needy ones and share it on social media platforms asking for donations. Sending the donors a funding page link will allow them to donate directly without hassle. Fundorex themes offer your donors 17+ payment gateways. So, don’t wait. Get set up your crowdfunding platform ASAP!

• Social Media

Social media is now the most powerful medium to reach the maximum number of people quickly. You can use this platform to ask for donations to boost your crowdfunding project. But the category of people varies for different social media platforms. For instance- Instagram has more sophisticated or aristocratic active users than Facebook. So, you need to understand the user of the platform to ask for donations appropriately. In the later section of the article, we discussed how to ask for donations on different social media platforms; continue reading. 

• Metaverse: Enroll In The Future Of Fundraising 

If your nonprofit organization is connected to the Metaverse, you’re ahead of the fundraising game. If not, start it today. 

If you’re not sure about the entire metaverse thing, no worries. It is yet a new concept, and people have yet to explore it more. Learn about the basics of Metaverse and stay updated to jump on any opportunity to ask for funds. 

Many people believe Metaverse is the online platforms’ future, meaning nonprofits should get in early. The Metaverse is made up of several digital realms and is a mash-up of various technological goodies, ranging from VR-AR to NFTs & crypto. Here are some options to utilize the Metaverse to ask for donations-

• You may use augmented reality (AR) to give donors worldwide an up-close view of a project they helped fund.  
• You can solicit Bitcoin donations and organize an NFT auction as a fundraising event. 

The Metaverse is full of possibilities—keep your eyes open and explore this new world.

Make It Easy To Donate

Keep the donation process very simple. If you complicate the system, there is no use in giving efforts by asking for donations. The donors will get irritated if there are multiple steps for donating. Ultimately they will lose interest and leave the site without donating. So, here we bought you some ideas to keep the process easy- 

1. Add Donation Button: Add a donation button in your asking on every platform, Facebook, Instagram, email, etc. Clicking on this button, the donor will directly land on the donating website and donate quickly. 
2. Keep Multiple Payment Gateways: Having few payment gateways will limit your donation collection. So, keep multiple options to collect funding from all around the world. 
3. Accept Minimal Amount: don’t keep a minimum acceptance for donation. Instead, accept each penny. This will make the donors confident and shy-free with their donation amount. 
4. Use A Donation Managing Application: You can manage the donations using applications like- DonorPerfect, Tithe.ly, EveryAction, Eleo, etc. They will keep your account in check and keep you updated with your current funding stage.

Tips: Asking For Donation 

You have learned about how to ask for donations. Now, here we present some tips to follow when making your ask- 

Tip#1: Do Research On Your Donor

Before asking for the donation amount, you must know your donor. It is not just about knowing the name, but more than that. Do research on the following facts- 

• Age: you may be shocked by our recommendation of knowing the donor’s age. But it is important. Older donors are not habituated to online donation asking; some may take the approach as disrespectful. While young donors are more connected to online donations. In case of approaching young donors, keep the amount minimum. They may hesitate if you approach them with a large amount, but this may not be appropriate for all. 

• Estimated Wealth: Researching the estimated wealth of the donor will allow you to calculate the amount to ask for. This will help you to find major donors effectively. 
• Donation History: Go through the past donation history of the donor to see what type of campaign they usually support. Also, research the amount and frequency of donations per month or year. 
• Interests: know which sector your donor shows more interest in. For example- if your donor donates mostly to education, you can ask him to fund a similar industry. It can provide a scholarship to an engineer for higher study. 

Tip#2: Practice Your Pitch

When asking for a donation in person, don’t get nervous. Prepare a script and practice it to give the best presentation to the donor. 

See yourself in the mirror while practicing; check your body posture to see if it’s ok. The best outcome will be video recording yourself while practicing. This will allow you to judge your performance. However, don’t be a robot; keep the pitch natural. 

Tip#3: Build A Bonding Before Asking The Amount

Don’t ask your donor directly about the funding. First, converse with them, and know how they are doing. Tell them about your previous donation campaign highlighting the success. Then when you feel the donor is comfortable talking to you, ask for a donation politely. 

Tip#4: Ask For Advice, End Up With Funding 

When you ask for guidance, they will open up about the hidden thing they are most enthusiastic about. They will also share with you their deepest worries about donating. Most significantly, the donor will feel appreciated and valued. So, ask for their advice and suggestions to make the donation campaign successful. Note the old crowdfunding maxim- 

“Ask for money; you’ll get advice. Ask for advice; you’ll get money.”

Tip#5: Be Prepared For Rejections

Collecting funding may sound easy, but hearing rejection is common in this field. Of course, this does not imply you should quit right away. Instead, take a step back and assess your donation-asking strategy. Adjust and tweak as needed, then try again.

However, don’t bother donors until they’re irritated. If they don’t appear interested in donating money, suggest alternative ways they might help your group, such as volunteering or attending events.

The Bottom Line 

To sum up, target your donor and research them before asking for a donation. Choose the medium your donors are most comfortable with, online or offline. Keep the asking precise but impactful, giving the accurate funding amount. Besides, give it an angle with powerful storytelling. 

Keep the donation process as simple as possible. Lastly, end your asking with thanks; don’t skip a bit to make your donor feel special.