Kindness and generosity are some of our defining traits as Filipinos. We always lend a helping hand to someone in need. That’s why writing solicitation letters is the go-to approach to raise funds for good causes in the Philippines. Looking for solicitation letter samples to help you write your own? You’re in the right place! In this article, you’ll learn how to write a solicitation letter that wins potential donors and sponsors.
A solicitation letter is a letter that asks a particular person or organization to voluntarily donate money or other resources for a project, program, or event.
The use of solicitation letters is common here in the Philippines. Here are some familiar examples:
The main purpose of a solicitation letter is to raise funds for a particular event, project, or program. Compared to other fundraising methods, writing solicitation letters is easier and less costly.
This method can also collect money within the shortest possible time since the recipient can contribute immediately after reading the letter. They can either give the money to the sender or deposit it in the indicated bank account.
Moreover, solicitation letters are more casual and straightforward. There’s no need to make it look like a formal proposal letter with a detailed project plan or documentation. The letter is good to go as long as the essential details are mentioned.
There are different ways to write the letterhead of a solicitation letter, but the most common format is the one where it is written at the uppermost left portion of the letter. This portion indicates the sender’s name, position, organization or company, and address.
However, some organizations or companies prefer to put the letterhead in the upper middle section of the letter. This is usually used by senders writing on behalf of a school or a business institution. Furthermore, this format has the logo/s of the organization placed on each side of the letterhead.
For instance, the letterhead of a solicitation letter for a church project can be placed in the upper middle section of the letter, just below the church’s logo. This is also the format usually used by schools for their projects such as Brigada Eskwela.
Once you’re done with the letterhead, indicate when you’re scheduled to hand in the solicitation letter.
This includes the name, organization, and address of the recipient.
The most common salutations used are Dear Sir/Madam/Name of the recipient.
To whom it may concern is used when uncertain about the recipient’s name.
Your goal in this portion is to convince your recipient about the legitimacy of yourself or your organization. If you’re writing on behalf of an organization, provide a brief statement of the organization’s goals and missions.
In our example above, the sender is writing on behalf of a particular school’s Supreme Student Government (SSG). He mentioned a quick overview of the SSG’s mission to promote student welfare and rights.
In this portion, you must state three important pieces of information in no particular order.
In our example, the sender’s purpose for fundraising is for them to collect money to conduct their “Notebook Showering” program. They also mentioned that their beneficiaries are 100 students from their school.
Make sure to be as specific as possible. So instead of writing general statements such as “My brother is in hospital and needs money for his operation and immediate recovery,” indicate the exact illness of the beneficiary (e.g., pneumonia, cancer, diabetes, etc.), the hospital where he/she is confined, and the gravity of his/her condition (i.e., critical).
Don’t forget to mention the date when the program/event/medical operation will be held. This gives a sense of urgency to the recipient to donate before the specific date. Your indicated time frame should make your recipient feel that there’s limited time to give money 2 .
For transparency, state how much money is needed for the fundraising. No need to go into details about why you came up with that amount but make sure that it is reasonable.
In our example, the sender mentioned that they need ₱10,000 for their “Notebook Showering” program. He also explained how this amount will be used. This is a realistic figure given that they will help more than 100 poor students to have decent school supplies. If the sender wrote a larger amount, such as ₱50,000, this will look suspicious to the recipient.
Explicitly state that you’re asking the recipient to donate money. Be polite, and don’t force them. Mention that any amount they’ll provide will be helpful for your cause.
However, financial assistance is not the only thing you can request using a solicitation letter. For instance, teachers during Brigada Eskwela write solicitation letters to LGUs or private organizations to donate cleaning materials. In cases like this, make sure to specify the items you are requesting.
Once you’ve informed your recipient about your intent to solicit, it’s time to tell them how they can send the money (or items solicited). You may attach a return envelope or write your bank account details.
Don’t forget to put your contact details (mobile phone number and email address) in case the recipient has any queries.
Allot a short paragraph to say thank you in advance to the recipient. You may also mention how valuable their help is to the success of your cause.
Writing an email solicitation is not that different from writing a physical one. It is still casual, straightforward, and filled with important details (i.e., name of the program and beneficiaries, the amount needed, date and venue, etc.). It should also mention how the recipient can send their donations.
However, email solicitation should be shorter since some recipients might read it through their phone or tablet. Specifically, keep it between 400 – 500 words long 3 .
Furthermore, emphasize in the email’s subject line your intent to solicit. Make it enticing and brief to get the recipient’s attention. You may use lines such as:
*Help us raise funds for
*You can help to save
*, you can help us achieve our goals
*Help us make a difference for
If you’re planning to attach files to the letter, it’s best to upload them in PDF file format for the convenience of the recipient.
