What Should a Donation Request Letter Include?

A donation request letter should include six things: who you are, what your event is and when it happens, the specific item you are asking for, the deadline you need it by, your tax status, and how you will thank and acknowledge the donor. Everything else is optional. This page - part of our fundraiser donation answers library - covers all six, then gives you a full letter template and a shorter email version you can copy.

The six required elements:

• Who you are. Your organization's name, a one-sentence description of what it does and who it serves, and your role in it.
• What the event is and when. The event's name, date, and purpose. A reader who skims should still catch the date.
• The specific ask. Name one thing: a gift certificate, a pair of tickets, a gift basket. "A gift certificate for four" gets answered; "any support you can offer" gets filed.
• The deadline. The date you need an answer or the item in hand. Without a deadline, your letter has no urgency and no follow-up hook.
• Your tax status. Your 501(c)(3) status and EIN if you have them, or an honest description of your group if you don't. Many programs have historically asked for documentation, so put it in the letter rather than waiting to be asked.
• The thank-you and acknowledgment plan. How the donor will be recognized: a written thank-you, a mention in the event program, a receipt for their records. Only promise what you will actually do.

Keep the whole letter to one page. If you are still deciding who to contact and how, start with how to ask a company for a donation, and give yourself enough runway - how far in advance to send requests matters as much as the wording.

Donation request letter template

Copy this letter, replace every [bracketed placeholder] with your details, and delete anything that does not apply. Do not pad it; a short, specific letter reads as organized, and organized groups get answers.

[Date] [Contact Name] [Company Name] [Street Address] [City, State ZIP] Dear [Contact Name], My name is [Your Name], and I am [your role] with [Organization Name], a [one-line description of your organization and who it serves] in [City, State]. On [Event Date], we are holding [Event Name], a [type of event - dinner, auction, fun run] to raise funds for [specific purpose the money supports]. We expect around [number] guests from [your school, league, or community]. We would be grateful if [Company Name] would consider donating [one specific item - a gift certificate, tickets, a gift basket] for our [raffle, silent auction, or prize table]. To include it in our event materials, we would need to receive it by [Deadline Date]. [Organization Name] is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN [number], and we are happy to provide a donation receipt and any documentation you need. [If you are not a 501(c)(3), replace this sentence with an honest description of your group's status.] Every donor is thanked in writing and acknowledged in our event program. [Add any other recognition you actually plan to provide.] Thank you for considering our request. I will follow up by [date], and you can reach me anytime at [phone number] or [email address]. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Role], [Organization Name] [Phone] · [Email]

Shorter email version

When you are writing to a company that takes requests by email, compress the same six elements into a message that fits on one phone screen. Put the event name and date in the subject line so it survives a crowded inbox.

Subject: Donation request - [Event Name], [Event Date] Hi [Contact Name], I'm [Your Name] with [Organization Name], a [one-line description] in [City, State]. On [Event Date] we're holding [Event Name] to raise funds for [purpose]. Would [Company Name] consider donating [one specific item] for our [raffle or auction]? We would need it by [Deadline Date]. We are a 501(c)(3) (EIN [number]), and every donor is thanked in writing and acknowledged in our event program. Happy to send any paperwork you need. Thank you for considering it! [Your Name] · [Phone] · [Email]

Customize it for the recipient

The template above works for any company, but the specific ask and the framing should change with who is reading it. Four common recipients, and what to adjust for each:

For a retailer. Ask for something that shows off what the company sells - a gift card or a popular product - and name the store location nearest your event, since local relevance is often what gets a request approved. Search the donor directory for the retailer's page before you write, so your ask matches what its program has historically offered.

For a restaurant. Gift certificates are the natural ask, and they are easy for a manager to say yes to. Mention how close your organization is to the location, because restaurants that donate to fundraisers frequently favor groups in their own delivery radius of goodwill - the neighborhood they serve every day.

For a theme park, museum, or attraction. Ask for admission tickets, usually in family-sized sets, and say plainly that they will be a raffle or auction item. Theme parks and attractions that donate tickets often run structured programs, so expect your letter to become the supporting document for a form rather than the request itself.

For a pro sports team. Ask for tickets or a signed team item, and lead with your community connection - youth league, school, local charity. Pro teams that donate tickets and memorabilia commonly route requests through a community relations department or team foundation, so your letter should be formal enough to be forwarded.

Where to send it

Send the letter wherever the specific company actually takes requests - and that varies. Some companies want a form, some want an email, some want a printed letter handed to a local manager, and who approves the request can be corporate or the store down the street. Before you send anything, look the company up in the donor directory - with 4,000+ companies tracked, each donor page describes what that company's program has historically offered and where to check its current status. Then confirm you can meet the program's conditions using our overview of what companies require before they donate, so your first letter is also your last.