Silent Auction Donation Request Letter: How-To & Templates
Silent auctions can take your fundraising and donor engagement to the next level—but only if you’ve gathered exciting items for your guests to bid on!
Soliciting auction items may seem daunting, but have no fear. Silent auction donation request letters make it easy to approach the item procurement process in an organized way.
They’re also how many individuals and businesses first learn that you’re having an event and that they can benefit from helping you, too. It pays to make these letters count!
We’ve gathered all the tips and best practices you need to kick off procurement on the right foot. We’ll cover:
How to Write a Silent Auction Donation Request Letter
Though many different types of organizations send out donation request letters, there are core elements to writing a great letter. Follow these seven steps to create a silent auction donation request letter that will surely have items rolling in in no time!
Step 1: Identify and address the decision maker.
The first step in writing a donation request letter is ensuring that it gets to the right person. Do your due diligence up front to make sure your request reaches a person with decision making power. Take time to make inquiry phone calls or perform Google searches. It’s essential that your request gets into the right hands.
- Avoid using terminology like “to whom it may concern.”
- For individual donors, address them by their full names.
- For businesses, address the decision maker for requests (i.e. the owner, manager, or director of public relations).
Finding the right person to address your donation request letter to will require a little more research upfront, but the reward will follow.
Step 2: Acknowledge your relationship with the prospect.
To begin your silent auction donation request letter, first introduce yourself and acknowledge the relationship your organization has with the recipient. For example: “You have played a huge role in the success of our organization for years. We can’t thank you enough for supporting us as a frequent donor and volunteer.”
If you don’t have the capacity to personalize each letter, you can segment your donors based on how you’ve interacted with them in the past:
- Current donor
- Previous volunteer
- Board member
- Corporate partner
- Local business partner
Step 3: Briefly tell your nonprofit’s story.
We aren’t saying you should write a novel about your organization or your event. Just remember that. as a nonprofit, you have one of the most impactful stories there is. Use your mission, impact, and history as the hook that connects your reader to your nonprofit and makes them feel compelled to give.
Be sure to include 3 key elements in your silent auction request letter:
- Need: First, outline the need that your nonprofit addresses.
- Explain who or what is in need of help.
- Give real life examples of your organization’s needs.
- Solution: Following the need is outlining the solution.
- What result is your organization seeking?
- What does it look like when that solution comes to life?
- Hero: What’s everyone’s favorite part of any story? The hero. While your nonprofit is doing incredible work for your mission, it’s all made possible by the generosity of your donors. Make them the hero of your story – every time.
Step 4: Include a clear call to action.
Now that you’ve established your reader as the hero of the story, it’s time to tell them how you’re calling them to help. Don’t assume they know what you’re looking for. Be as specific as possible in your request by including:
- Specific items you’re looking for.
- Category or theme of the item you’re looking for.
- Items that you cannot use or accept.
It’s easier to get these details out of the way in the beginning of the letter. Take some of the work off of the donor and give them specific examples when possible.
Step 5: Highlight the benefits of donating.
After clearly stating what you’re asking for from your donors, it’s time to introduce the “why.” Include the impact that your reader can make and how it will benefit them by outlining:
- How the proceeds from the event will be used.
- How they will be recognized for their contribution.
- If the donation will be tax-deductible.
Including the “why” behind your request often distinguishes your request from others and builds a connection between your potential donor and your cause.
Step 6: Invite them to your silent auction.
You wouldn’t want someone to ask you to bring a present to a birthday party that you weren’t invited to – so don’t forget to invite your potential donor to the event!
In your donation request letter, include:
- Details of the upcoming event
- Event website
- Ways for them to get involved
Step 7: Thank your prospective donor and sign.
Always, always, always be sure to thank auctions item donors. It’s such an important element of a donation request and sometimes overlooked in the craziness of auction prep. Be sure to:
- Thank them for their consideration, time, and investment in your mission.
- Avoid the temptation to sign the letter from your entire organization.
- Choose an employee, board member, or key personnel to represent you.
Tips for Writing More Effective Auction Donation Request Letters
The steps above give you the essential structure for your donation request letters, but how do you make them really stand out? Try these tips to make the decision to donate as easy as possible for your recipients:
- Ask for something specific. Before writing your letter, you should already have an idea of what this potential donor could contribute to your auction. Asking for specific items will take the pressure off your recipient to come up with their own ideas—and ultimately make it much easier for them to say yes!
- Write as an individual rather than an organization. Signing off your letter from an individual (like the lead auction planner, executive director, or a board member) instead of from the entire organization will help promote the human-human relationship you’re looking to create. If you already have a personal relationship with the donor, addressing them one-on-one will strengthen that connection.
- Use your letterhead and branding. Make sure your letters are immediately recognizable as coming from your organization. Make a strong impression with a professional letterhead that includes contact information.
- Give your donors time to respond. Send your item request letters a few months in advance of your silent auction—donors may need some time to think about your request.
- Keep it concise. No one wants to receive a long, rambling letter asking for something unclear. In fact, studies show that you only have about 108 seconds in a printed letter and just 8 seconds in an email before readers lose attention. Keep your letters short and direct (one full page or less).
- Provide an easy item donation form. Include a silent auction item donation form with your letter to gather the information you’ll need to create your catalog. This step also shows donors that you’re organized, professional, and respect their time. See below for a sample donation letter and form that you can copy.
Silent Auction Donation Request Letter: Free Template
Remember, these letters are essential for building and growing relationships with your donors. You are asking your reader for a significant donation on behalf of your cause, so make sure it motivates them to act. Here’s a donation request letter template to help you get started:
Dear Mr./Mrs. [Donor’s Name],
My name is [name] and I am in the [position] for [organization’s name]. Our team works hard to support and bring awareness to [organization’s cause]. I am so [grateful for the role you’ve played in pushing our mission forward/grateful for the opportunity to get you involved].
In the last year alone [statistic about the need that your organization addresses]. Ever since [year of founding], our team has been [hosting events, raising money] to help [specific positive impact of your organization].
Our team is planning [something new/a fantastic event], so get excited. By [date], we are launching [upcoming project or event] that will bring [impact of event] to our community. In order to make this event a true triumph, we want to ask for your help.
As a [business leader/community leader], you know how costly large initiatives like ours can be. With your connections, resources, and incredible history of charity work, I know that together we can make a huge difference.
Would you be willing to donate [specific item, service, or experience donation] to help our cause? To show how much we appreciate your support, we’d be happy to provide [incentive].
[Organization name] would also love to have you at the event! Registration can be found here [link to register] or you can reach out to me by phone or email. Attached is silent auction donation form for you to review.
I would be happy to provide you with more information about how you can support our work at [organization’s name]. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at [phone number/email].
Hope to talk soon,
[Name]
Wrapping Up
Now that your know the process of writing a silent auction donation request letter, dive into our other top auction resources:
- 6 Essential Silent Auction Rules to Host Your Best Auction Yet – Check out the 6 auction rules to follow when hosting your next auction.
- 4 Tips to Procure, Bigger, Better, Auction Items – Your auction is only as good as your items! Our 4 tips to procure your best auction items are waiting.
- Infographic: 10 Steps to Plan a Successful Charity Auction – Planning a successful charity auction is quite a feat! Make it a little easier with our 10 steps.
