SOFII announces the return of the thank-you let­ter clinic

New thank-you let­ter clin­ic to cham­pi­on a renais­sance in char­i­ty thank-you let­ters, start­ing with Lee Saun­ders – and YOU.

Written by
Lisa Sargent
Added
May 21, 2011

It all started when veteran fundraiser and SOFII user Lee Saunders kindly sent SOFII a packet of charity thank-you letters he’d written for charities in Western Australia.

Lee’s packet made its way around the globe to me, US-based copywriter Lisa Sargent. And as SOFII’s resident thank-you letter specialist, I’m delighted it did. Because Lee’s letters have become the very first exhibit in SOFII’s second thank-you letter clinic.

The future plan for the clinic is to bring you the ‘best of the best’ on the art of saying thank you creatively to the wonderful people who make the work you do possible, your donors.

Featuring real thank-you letters from real charities and practitioners, like Lee Saunders, the clinic will feature periodic ‘live’ copywriting overhaul sessions, plus top tips, techniques and examples.

For the second exhibit, we need you to send in your in-memoriam thank-you letters.

In the months since SOFII’s first thank-you letter clinic https://sofii.org/article/how-..., we’ve heard from many of you. And one thing is clear, what you want most is help writing your in-memoriam, or memorial, thank-you letters.

So exhibit two of SOFII’s second thank-you letter clinic will be on in-memoriam thank yous.

As before, send us your letters for a free critique and overhaul. The rules are simple:

  • One letter per organisation only, please.
  • In submitting your letter, you agree that we will be allowed to use it as part of the online exhibit with full attribution to your organisation, both before and after versions, with annotations from Lisa. So please get whatever permission you need before you send in your letter.
  • Please send your samples to carolina@sofii.org, in Word (.docx or .doc both OK).
  • And for this exhibit, it’s in-memoriam letters only please.

Then I will get to work on your letters, and before long, the in-memoriam thank-you letter exhibit will be ready for you to use. One last thing – on behalf of fundraisers from Toronto to Tasmania, thank you Lee Saunders for leading SOFII’s thank-you renaissance.

© Lisa Sargent's article was first published on SOFII in 2011.

About the author: Lisa Sargent

Lisa Sargent

Lisa Sargent (she/her) is head of Sargent Communications. She helps non-profits raise more money and keep more donors through better donor communications. A creative strategist and copywriter, Lisa works exclusively with non-profits on direct mail, email fundraising and donor care communications – acquisition appeals, annual reports, proposals, welcome packages, newsletters, thank-you letters and more.

Lisa is a contributing author to acclaimed decision science book Change for Better and author of Thankology, on keeping your donors connected and giving through the power of gratitude (reviewed by SOFII’s Ken Burnett here). Lisa also publishes The Loyalty Letter, a free newsletter for non-profit and charitable organisations read by subscribers around the world. Lisa has contributed regularly contributed to SOFII over the years, including the wonderful thank you letter clinic, which you can read here.

Recent Articles

Fundraising in India – Exploring why face-to-face continues to grow

As Gather Campaigns work to expand face-to-face (F2F) fundraising in India, Ryan Valasapali and Dominic Will explore the cultural similarities and differences that determine how F2F can grow in new, international markets.

Read more

The Westminster Abbey Appeal

Damian Chapman celebrates the Westminster Abbey Appeal of 1953. A massive £1 million was needed to repair the damage caused by German attacks during WWII, but the Abbey’s appeal started off slowly. Keep reading to find out how the fundraisers involved reached their target.     

Read more

The Aberfan Disaster Memorial Fund – Wales, 1966

Alex Day shares what fundraisers can learn from the Aberfan disaster in 1966. Based on his superb presentation at I Wish I’d Thought of That (IWITOT) 2024, this article explores the tragic landslide in Aberfan, Wales and the bravery of those who stepped up to help.

Read more

Legacies through the lens of faith

In an increasingly multicultural world, how we engage and inspire donors from different backgrounds and faiths is important. This article explores the unique traditions and beliefs that underlie faiths and looks at how religion frames philanthropy.

Read more

As younger donors step up to donate, are charities ready for them?

Younger donors are ready to give to charities, but delivering fundraising messages in the right way could make a big difference to if they choose your cause. Blue State’s Anjali Bewtra shares what fundraisers should consider when communicating with younger donors, as well as examples of charities that are already doing it well. 

Read more

Also in Categories