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How to ask for donations from friends and family

When fundraising for a cause close to your heart, like St. Jude, asking for donations is part of the process. But if asking for support from friends and family is outside of your comfort zone, our tips can help.

See Our Tips Find Fundraiser Ideas

 
 

Tips for asking friends and family for donations

For some people, asking for donations for a fundraising cause is no big deal. But for others, it might feel awkward or uncomfortable. A well-planned approach can help ease any discomfort or hesitation. After all, the more donations you collect, the more impact you can have for the charity you're supporting.

 

Be specific about what you’re asking for 

A good approach is to be direct. Keep your requests clear, consistent and specific about what you're fundraising for, why you're fundraising, how your campaign works and what your fundraising goals are.

If possible, provide examples of the impact a donation can have. For instance, if your fundraising goal is tied to a certain milestone for your charity, make sure to mention that.

 

Create a sense of purpose and urgency 

If you're requesting a donation in writing, it's best to avoid pushy or aggressive language that could make someone feel pressured or burdened to donate. Instead, prompt donors to act quickly by writing with purpose, urgency and clarity. You’ll want your friends and family to feel good about helping you reach your goal.

A purpose-driven donation request could be something like: Your generous donation to St. Jude helps support lifesaving research and treatment for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases. By donating today, you can join us in making a lasting impact for children around the world.

 

Be strategic in your requests

A personalized request will go further than a generic one. As you work through how to encourage donations, consider creating multiple messages or even customizing messages for each person to appeal to different personalities and circumstances. It can help to ask yourself why a certain person (or group) would care about your cause and what you can say to encourage them to support it.

Storytelling is a powerful way to get your message across. Many charities, including St. Jude, share impactful stories about the people they work to help. Is there a story you'd like to share? Or do you have a personal connection to the cause to talk about?

 

Be creative 

Find a way to stand out. What can you do to make your campaign more interesting or engaging? Some options: add images or videos to your donation request, or create a challenge to inspire competitive friends and family, or use our list of fundraising ideas to spark your imagination.

 

Don’t overcomplicate the process

If you want someone to donate to your fundraising campaign, make sure it's easy for them! Provide a clear call to action, along with a link and any other important information donors may need to make a seamless transaction. A complicated or overly-long request could be confusing or even potentially discouraging.

A friendly and direct call to action could be: “Join me in supporting St. Jude today.”

 

Be gracious 

Always thank your friends and family for their donations and their attention to your cause. And try not to take rejections personally. There are many reasons why someone may be unable to donate right now. Worst-case scenario, you’ve brought further awareness to your cause, which may lead to additional donations and support down the road. Best-case scenario, you’ve raised more money for a cause you feel passionate about.

 
 

Why should I fundraise for St. Jude? 

Every child deserves a chance to live their best life and celebrate every moment. When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer. Together, we can save more lives.

Fundraise for St. Jude

 
 

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