How to Write a Letter to Accompany Donations (with Samples)

What to Include in an Accompanying Letter for Donations

Depending on your purpose for writing the letter, here are some things you should include:

1. Your wishes for your donation

If you’re writing a letter because you want to convey special instructions, that’s the first thing you should include in your letter.

For instance, you can say:

As I once was homeless myself, I would really appreciate it if this donation would be distributed to the homeless in and around Miami.

If you want to remain anonymous, you can say:

“I prefer my donation to be anonymous.”

or

“Please hide my identity as the donor.”

Remember, however, that charitable organizations usually have their own protocols when handling donations. As such, they may not be able to cater to all your requests.

2. Why you’re donating

Donations shouldn’t have a reason other than a desire to help. However, if you have a particular motivation for your donation, you can include that in the letter too.

For instance, if you are donating in memory of someone who passed away, you can explain that in the letter. Let the organization know how important the charity or their cause is to the deceased person. You can even give a little background or share an inspiring story about them.

Many charities share these inspiring stories with their beneficiaries too. This humanizes your donation, making it more memorable among all the donations they receive.

3. The name of the person you’re addressing the letter to

Obviously, your letter needs a recipient. So don’t forget to include the name of the person you’re addressing the letter to. It can be the organization president or someone in charge of sorting donations. You can also call the charity first to see to whom you should address your letter.

4. Any documents you may want to attach

Do you have any documents that you think will help with your donation? You can include that in your letter too. 

For instance, if you’re donating a luxury bag, you can also include the authenticity certificate that comes with it. If the charity organization has tangible proof that it’s an authentic designer bag, they could have it auctioned to raise more funds for their charity programs.

Tips When Writing a Letter to Accompany Donations

Ready to write your letter? Here are some tips on how to craft an effective one:

1. Get the name right

This goes without saying. Whether it’s for a donation letter or whatever letter you’re writing, you need to get the name of the recipient right. It not only promotes goodwill but also ensures that your letter reaches the intended recipient.

2. Avoid going into the specifics of what you’re donating

Unless you’re giving your donation personally to the head of the organization or the person in charge of donations, refrain from listing down the items you’re donating in your letter. This is especially true if you’re shipping your donation and the letter is accessible to whoever is handling your package, as it could be a security risk.

For instance, let’s say you’re donating a watch or a luxury bag, and you put a note/letter outside the box detailing your message and donations. It can make your package irresistible to thieves. And with so many packages getting stolen nowadays, there’s a chance your donation won’t make it to the intended recipient.

3. Thank the organization

If you have specific wishes stated in your letter, don’t forget to thank the organization in advance. Aside from promoting goodwill, it can also motivate them to cater to all your wishes, even if it might seem impossible.

4. Mention restrictions on the donation (if any)

If there are any restrictions to your donation, you should mention them in your letter too.

For instance, let’s say you’re donating a sum of money, but the charity can only use it for a specific purpose or after a certain date. Mentioning it in your letter will help the organization handle your donation without violating said restrictions.

Sample Letters

1. Letter for a Specific Wish

Dear (Name of Recipient),

We are so pleased to donate to your cause. Your organization is making a difference in the community, and we would like to be part of it. However, we prefer our donation to be anonymous as we do not like to be publicly associated with this donation.

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to your mission. We hope our donation will help make an impact.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

2. Letter for a Donation in Memory of Someone

Dear (Name of Recipient),

Our brother (name of the deceased person), who recently passed away, has always been a huge supporter of your cause. He was a regular volunteer and has always spent his holidays doing charity work. So in honor of his memory, we would like to make a donation to your organization in his name.

We are deeply grateful for giving him the opportunity to volunteer and help others during his life. With this donation, may he continue to live on through the work that you do.

Sincerely,

(Your name)