25 awesome fundraising quotes

Life is not scripted. Conversations with our donors should not be either.

A heart-breaking message is hard to capture in a phone script. Sincerity gets lost and it might
even result in not taking our donors serious. I love the idea. I love the quote.

Another one of my favourites was mentioned in the same session, by Ken Burnett:

There are two is in Fundraising they should stand for inspiration and innovation, not
imitation and irritation.

Everybody knows what this means and still many of us need to be reminded. Thats why I think
this quote is both good and important.

Ive asked around to fellow fundraisers lately and collected a good list of quotes and one-liners.
Enjoy! Please add your own favourite underneath in the comments!

Martin Luther King didnt get up 50 years ago and say: I have a
budget and a plan! Alan Clayton

If you call yourself Save the Whales, every once in awhile you have to save a whale. Tom
Ahern

The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason
leads to conclusions. Donald Calne

It always seems impossible, until its done. Nelson Mandela.

Donor loyalty is not about the donor being loyal to you, it is you being loyal to the donor.
Harvey McKinnon
Unless you believe youll find the cure/right the wrong/feed every child with your next appeal its
unethical not to focus on lifetime value. Charlie Hulme

Stewardship at its best engages donors with the impact and outcomes of their investments of
time, wisdom, expertise, connections, and money. Karen Osborne

Retention is the new acquisition. Customer service is the new marketing. Joe Connelly

Everyone wants charities to spend as little as possible on overhead. Thats backwards. Overhead
is what drives growth. If charities cant grow, they cant solve problems. So overhead is a good
thing. And Im overhead. Dan Pallotta

No one has ever become poor by giving. Anne Frank

The only thing that matters a damn is the donor experience. Mark Phillips

Innovation isnt about green bean bags and whacky idea sessions its a long term business
development strategy. Lucy Gower

Volunteers will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times
of no volunteers. Ken Wyman

Fundraisers should use pride, not apology, when asking for a gift for a charity that is doing
good work. Henry Rosso

Fundraisers are the catalysts of change. Unknown

Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving. Henry Rosso

Most giving is 80% emotion and 20 % rational. And the best way to get to someones emotions
is to tell a story. Unknown

It is impossible to overestimate the motivational effect of conspicuous success. Giles Pegram

If you need to raise funds from donors, you need to study them, respect them, and build
everything you do around them. Jeff Brooks

People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how
you made them feel. Maya Angelou
Donors have little way to assess your charitys work; they use the service you provide to them as
a surrogate. Adrian Sargeant

In good times and bad, we know that people give because you meet needs, not because you have
needs. Kay Sprinkel Grace

We dont work in the non-profit sector. We work in the for-change sector! Unknown

And Ill add one from myself:

We need to value donors as much as we need value from them. Reinier Spruit

Thank you Howard Lake, Marc A. Pitman, Claire Axelrad, Daryl Upsall, Charlie Hulme, Carla
Huskamp, Karen Osborne, Pelagia de Wild, Phil Woollam, Ajay Ochani, Toby Bourke, Ken
Wyman, John Burns, Michael Johnston for pointing me in the right direction.

Sample Letters Asking For Donations

Letter One:
-------

Frank L. Jones
Lonehill Children's Center
2204 Pinecrest Rd
Atlanta, GA 30303
762-948-9212

Date: mm/dd/yyyy
Peter R. Logan
28 Sycamore Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30303

Subject: Donation Request

Dear Mr. Logan,

I am writing on behalf of the Lonehill Children's Center. Over the past four years we have been
providing children from our surrounding community with free care, counseling, tutoring, and
mentoring. Many of these Children come from broken or abusive homes and our centre is a
haven for them, whenever they need it.

This is only made possible though through the generous funding we have received from
members of our community and the citizens of Atlanta like you. This year though we are
specifically seeking donations to fund the building of our library and the purchasing of books to
fill it. As an educated person like you would understand, the access to books is of extreme
importance to the development of our kids.

We hope that you will be able to join us in funding the development of our much needed library.
We are specifically seeking donations of $100 but if you are only able to give $5 we will still
highly appreciate your support. You can use the return envelope provided to send a Check
(Payable to "Lonehill Children's Center"), or you can donate online at
www.lonehillcc.com/donate.html

Any support will be highly appreciated by us and the kids that we provide a service to. If you
have any queries please feel free to contact me through the phone number above or via email at
frank@lonehillcc.com

Yours Faithfully,
(Signature)
Frank L. Jones

PS. Please remember that you are welcome to come down to the centre at any time to see exactly
what your funds will be going towards. Just contact myself to book an appointment.

- See more at: http://www.rewarding-fundraising-ideas.com/sample-letters-asking-

for-donations.html#sthash.ZiFSgyM6.dpuf

Sample Letter Asking For Donations Number

Two:
-------

Peter Rankin
Edwards Quadriplegic Centre
124 Musgrave Ave
Durban, KZN 4000
031 313 3123

Date: mm/dd/yyyy

Steve McGuire
32 Weatherly Rd
Durban, KZN 4000

Subject: Requesting donation of items for a charity fundraising auction

Dear Mr. McGuire,

The Edwards Quadriplegic Centre is a home that provides for over 22 Quadriplegics of different
age, gender, and race. Quadriplegics like Frank, who moves his wheelchair through a toggle
operated by his chin, and who has to be bathed and fed by the staff at the home every single
day... Basic human functions that he cannot do himself.

If it wasn't for the dedicated services of our home and staff, someone like Frank would not be
able to survive. Our home and its services make life bearable and in fact, enjoyable for all our
members!

Our annual auction is coming up and it is fundraisers like these that enable us to help
Quadriplegics like Frank and keep our centre open. As you may know we rely heavily on the
donation of auction items from friends and supporters of ours. As the owner of McGuire's
appliances we are reaching out to you in request for the donation of auction items for our annual
auction.

Not only will your donations benefit our home and the quadriplegics that live in it, but it will
also benefit your business through the marketing value that you will receive from the auction
event. Our annual auction is very well attended and is supported by people throughout the
KwaZulu-Natal province. You will also receive promotional value through our online presence
(Website, Facebook Page, etc.) and the promoting that we do for the auction!

If you have any questions regarding our centre or the auction please feel free to contact us
through the given details. One of our committee will be contacting you anyway though in the
next few weeks in regards to our event. If you are able to support us through the donation of
auction items we would highly appreciate it... And so will our Quads!
Yours sincerely,
(Signature)
Peter Rankin

PS. We are obviously searching for multiple donations of items from different stores and
merchants, but, if you are only able to donate one item, it will still make a huge difference. We
thank you for your support in advance!

- See more at: http://www.rewarding-fundraising-ideas.com/sample-letters-asking-for-

donations.html#sthash.ZiFSgyM6.dpuf

General ideas

We make a living by what we get,

But we make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi

The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in
active charity and in willing service

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

He who wished to secure the good of others,

Has already secured his own.

Confucius

Where there is charity and wisdom,

There is neither fear nor ignorance.

St. Francis of Assisi

Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in
this world to his fellows.

Moliere

If you haven't any charity in your heart,

You have the worst kind of heart trouble.

Bob Hope

Charity begins at home, but should not end there

Proverb

Charity sees the need, not the cause

German Proverb

May your charity increase as much as your wealth

Proverb

He who opens a school door, closes a prison.

Victor Hugo

The work of volunteers impacts on all our lives,

Even if we are not aware of it.

Anthony Worrall-Thompson

Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.

Plato

"An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves."

Mrs. Lydia Maria Child

We cannot do great things on this Earth,

Only small things with great love.

Mother Teresa

"Happiness is not something ready made.

It comes from your own actions."

Dalai Lama

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others,
devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating
something that gives you purpose and meaning.

Mitch Albom
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in
the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Generosity consists not the sum given,

But the manner in which it is bestowed

Mahatma Gandhi

The best way to find yourself

Is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Mahatma Gandhi

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would
suffice to solve most of the world's problems

Mahatma Gandhi

You may never know what results come of your action,

But if you do nothing there will be no result

Mahatma Gandhi

"Pray for the dead. And fight like hell for the living!"

Mother Jones

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Margaret Mead

"As one person I cannot change the world,

But I can change the world of one person."

Paul Shane Spear

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."

Muhammad Ali

"Never take more out of life, than you intend to give back."

Robert M. Hensel

When it comes to charity; many people stop at nothing.......

Anon

Charity quotes from the world of business

If you do things well, do them better.

Be daring, be first, be different, be just.
Anita Roddick

I want to work for a company that contributes to and is part of the community. I want something not
just to invest in. I want something to believe in.
Anita Roddick

To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality.
Anita Roddick
 The end result of kindness is that it draws people to you.
Anita Roddick

If you think you're too small to have an impact,

Try going to bed with a mosquito.
Anita Roddick

Religious charity quotes

"There can be no Christianity where there is no charity"

Charles Caleb Colton

"Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven."

Henry Ward Beecher

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
John Wesley

Christian life consists of faith and charity

Martin Luther

"As the purse is emptied the heart is filled."

Victor Hugo

"Do your little bit of good where you are;

It's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."
Archbishop Desmond Tutu

And finally...
"Nothing will work unless you do!"
Maya Angelou
 Donation Thank You Letter Examples

Below, you'll find sample donation thank you letters to get your creative juices flowing:

We are writing to express our deepest thanks for your recent donation to
(Name of Organization). Generous gifts from donors like you provide the
financial and and moral support needed to continue our mission.

With your faithful financial contributions over the years, youve

demonstrated your deep commitment to our work of (work your organization
does--feeding the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, etc.)

Your support has repeatedly played a key role in our success in (a recent
accomplishment of your organization--reducing illiteracy in third world
nations, reducing crime in inner cities, etc.)

There is no way to fully express our gratitude for your loyalty. We at (Name of
Organization) are continually inspired by the the dedication and generosity of
donors like yourself who answer the call to give again and again.

It is our hope that this small gift of (name of gift--personalized mailing labels,
lapel pin, etc.) will help to communicate our very big thanks for your
generosity. We look forward to a continuing partnership with you.

Sincerely,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for your kind donation. Your caring support of the Children With
AIDS Foundation will make a great difference in the lives of thousands of sick
children.

Your gift is already being used in Uganda to pay for the life-saving antibiotics
that help prevent infections that throw HIV positive children into full-blown
AIDS. Just $30 provides a full months worth of medical treatment for an HIV
positive child.

There's no doubt that the need is huge. There are an estimated 100,000
children who are HIV positive in Uganda alone.

However, the support of donors like you is helping us to make it possible for
children living with HIV to lead happier and fruitful lives.
Thank you again for your compassionate support. We hope that you will
continue to partner with us in our commitment to prevent the spread of AIDS
and HIV in Africa.

With warm regards,