A formal letter is required for fundraising, inviting to a special event, or selling a product. Don’t just send an email just because everyone else is sending one – if you are doing serious business, write a serious letter.
These types of letters are not just “give me money”. You need to clearly explain your purpose, project, and goals. A well-written letter builds trust on the other party. A poorly written letter closes doors.
Solicitation Letter Templates
What is a solicitation letter?
A solicitation letter is an official document written when making any request from the other party. Whether you want to ask for a donation from a very large company, invite your neighbor to a wedding, or ask for help with a project you are developing, in short, it is a letter in which you put all kinds of requests in writing. E-mail or phone is insufficient, people want to see what you want on a formal paper, that is where you will need a solicitation letter.
You usually write in the following cases:
- If you are going to sell something
- If you are going to ask for help
- If you are going to be invited to an important event
It would help if you convinced the other party. It is not enough to say “Do this”, explain “Why should you do it?” For example, when asking for help, explain where the money will be used.
Everyone in the business world expects these letters. It does not matter if you are asking for a price quote or collecting donations. Write everything clearly. What is the deadline, what are the conditions, what do they expect from you.
And, of course, it should be formal. Not just “Greetings”. Write a proper title, proper salutation, and then whatever you want. Also, include when you expect the answer.
Why Should You Write This Letter?
If you are looking for support for your project, the best way to explain it is with a solicitation letter. Instead of calling people one by one and explaining things, you collect all the details in a letter and deliver them to the relevant people.Solicitation letters are especially essential for aid campaigns and civil society projects.
You can find many sample letters on the internet. Instead of writing from scratch, you can look at these examples and adapt them to your own. The basic structure of all of them is similar – introduction, project details, and requests.
There should be some important points in your letter. Describe the event, state your purpose, and explain where the money raised will be spent. It should not be an ordinary text but a text that will make the reader say, “I will support you, too.”
This type of correspondence is quite common in the business world. Some companies make regular donations every year; some support special projects. The most professional way to reach them is with a well-prepared letter.
Moreover, since it is a written document, it is easy to follow. Who donated how much when, which company promised support – everything is recorded.
Things to Consider When Writing a Solicitation Letter
A good solicitation letter is actually a good business letter. The only difference is that you ask for money. But don’t write pages and pages – one page will do. Be brief and concise about what you want. Be formal and polite, but don’t beg.
While writing the letter, pay attention to the following:
State clearly why you need it: Don’t say, “$50,000 is needed for a playground.” Say, “There are 500 children in our neighborhood, and there is no playground. We will build a safe park for them with this money.” People want to know where they are donating money.
Detail everything: “Your donation will go to education” is not enough. Be clear, “We will give scholarships to 100 students, $500 per month.” Show the budget item by item.
Give specific figures: “Some money is needed” is not enough. Say, “$30,000 is needed, this much for materials, this much for labor.” Also, explain how they will donate – bank account or cash?
Put a date: Say “by May 15” instead of “as soon as possible.” People are more likely to take action when they see a deadline.
Give a deadline: Write a definite date. Don’t say “next month”; say “Tuesday, June 20”. When you don’t put a date, everyone puts it off, saying, “I’ll do it anyway.”
Remember to leave a note: Add a PS at the bottom. Leave a warm message like “We hope to see you at the opening of our new park.” People always remember what they read last.
How to Write a Solicitation Letter
If you are going to write a letter of solicitation, your first sentences are imperative. There are companies and even charitable individuals who receive dozens of letters every day. Yours should be noticed immediately among the letters piled up on their desks. It should be special; it should attract attention.
Experienced aid organizations say first to make a short outline and then add the details. Here are the main points:
Make your introduction striking: Start with a real situation like “200 children in our neighborhood go to school hungry. Let’s feed them together.”
Introduce your organization: What have you done before? How many people have you reached? Who are your references?
Where will you spend the money? Write everything down. State the prices of whatever you are going to buy, whether it is food, stationery, etc.
Timing is important: When will it start, how many months will it last? People want to see a calendar.
How will they help: Do they have a bank account, will you receive it in cash? Do you want regular donations every month?
Set a goal: Be specific like “If we raise 100 thousand liras, we can feed 500 children for 6 months.”
Be open to communication: How will they reach you if they have any questions? Phone, email, add all.
Remember to say thank you: Say thank you in advance. Say you will share the results.
Download Free Solicitation Letter Templates
Are you ready to write a letter of request? We have prepared examples for every situation. Are you organizing a charity campaign or a charity bazaar for a school, or are you going to send sponsorship offers to companies? There are solicitation letter templates for all of them. Download them in Word, PDF, or Excel format – whichever suits you best.
We have included different solicitation letter examples, from letters written for private school scholarships to environmental projects. solicitation letters examples, taken from real successful projects, can be adapted to your own work. The files you download have everything – paragraph examples, points to consider, even success stories. All you have to do now is choose the one that suits you best from the examples above and download it.
