As a nonprofit marketer, you’re always on the lookout for new strategies to spread the word about your organization, build your brand identity, and secure the necessary funding for your cause. But, it can be difficult to find effective ways to market yourself without diverting precious time and resources away from your mission.
That’s where donation cards come in.
A donation card is a marketing and fundraising tool nonprofits use to secure donations. Unlike donation letters, donation cards are short and straightforward, making them useful collateral for marketers. Plus, they can be adapted to align with all types of potential supporters and campaigns.
To get you started on the right foot, it’s important to understand:
- What kinds of donation cards are there?
- Why use donation cards?
- What are the components of effective donation cards?
By using the right technology and honing your marketing approach, you can leverage donation cards to tell your nonprofit’s story and achieve your fundraising goals. Let’s explore the versatile use cases for donation cards and how to create your own with the help of our templates.
Donation Card FAQ
What kinds of donation cards are there?
Donation cards can be created for many different scenarios, but in this guide, we’ll focus on these types:
- General donation cards, which make everyday donation appeals
- Event-specific donation cards, which support certain nonprofit events
- Campaign-specific donation cards, which support certain fundraising campaigns
- Recurring donation cards, which are similar to general donation cards but instead support recurring giving programs
- Matching gift donation cards, which promote matching gifts
- Planned giving donation cards, which solicit bequests or other legacy gifts
While the format and setup of each card are similar, they all have different marketing strategies that complement them best. We’ll get into that later!
Why use donation cards?
Donation cards offer several unique marketing benefits to nonprofits, such as:
- Efficiency: As donation cards only have a few sentences, brainstorming your copy won’t take as much time as it would for other marketing materials. Also, with convenient design platforms at your disposal, like eCardWidget, you can design beautiful cards with the press of a button.
- Brand awareness: The customizable design of donation cards allows you to establish your nonprofit’s brand elements, such as your logo, slogan, and color scheme.
- Flexibility: Donation cards can be created and delivered via multiple channels. For instance, your nonprofit can send both physical donation cards via direct mail and digital ones via email. eCards are an especially efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective option for nonprofits.
- Simplicity: The streamlined style of donation cards makes the giving process crystal-clear for your recipients. For physical cards, you can include a QR code leading to your giving page or a prepaid postage envelope for checks. In eCards, you can simply include a direct link to your giving page or even provide smart donation options for supporters to give directly through the eCard platform.
- Increased donor engagement: Receiving a customized donation card in the mail or via email can be a special experience for your donors. After all, with the flood of similar messages they receive each day, an engaging message can make the difference between a completed donation and another note in the spam folder.
- Data collection: Nonprofits can easily collect important data from a donation card, such as contact information, income, donation amount, interests, and communication preferences.
Now that you know why donation cards are an ideal solution for many types of nonprofits, you might be wondering how to get started. Let’s examine what makes a winning donation card in each category.
What are the components of effective donation cards?
No matter what cause you’re fundraising for or which demographic you’re appealing to, ensure you include these key elements in your donation card template:
- Information about your nonprofit and the purpose of the card
- Appeals and calls to action specific to the purpose of the card
- A QR code or direct link to your giving page (for eCards)
- A return envelope to send payment information back to the nonprofit (for physical cards)
- A photo featuring your beneficiaries
- Specific instructions for how to donate
- Thanks for their support
- Your nonprofit’s brand components, like your logo and color scheme
While creating your card, aim to make it as user-friendly and visually appealing as possible. Not only will a streamlined card design facilitate the donation process, but it will also come across as professional and boost the chances of retaining the recipient as a recurring donor.
Donation Card Templates
Though there’s a lot of important information you should keep in mind while formatting your donation card, the key is to make it short and straightforward. Your card should be at most the size of a postcard, which restricts the amount of room you have to make an appeal. That said, an efficient card includes all the necessary components without overwhelming the recipient.
Before we get into the front part of a donation card, let’s discuss the standard appearance of the back of the card that recipients can send back to make a gift. It should have these basic information fields:
- Donor information, such as name, address, phone number, and email
- Preferred contact method
- Donation amount checkbox or blank space
- Payment information, with options for check and credit card
- Signature field
Each donation card will vary depending on the nonprofit and its needs, so ensure you’re asking for the most relevant information. Now, let’s take a look at our templates for all types of donation cards so you can start to tailor your own:
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General Donation Card Template
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Event-Specific Donation Card Template
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Campaign-Specific Donation Card Template
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Recurring Donation Card Template
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Matching Gift Donation Card Template
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Planned Giving Donation Card Template
General Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- Compelling image that’s relevant to your cause
Heading: Change a life today!
Body:
Dear [recipient],
By supporting [nonprofit’s name], you’re sustaining our crucial work in [mission focus area]. With a donation of just [$ amount], you can provide [corresponding impact]. Help us make a lasting difference in our community and change lives for the better. We can’t achieve our goals without you, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to our purpose.
Thank you,
[officer signature]
[nonprofit’s name]
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
When you aren’t marketing a specific cause, it’s even more important to evoke your mission and demonstrate the impact of a donation in tangible terms. Ensure you use numbers to highlight the real effects of contributing so donors understand how their gift will be used.
Event-Specific Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- Compelling image that represents the event, such as a ballroom for a gala
- Your event’s branding (if applicable)
[Heading] (Write a catchy tagline that’s relevant to the event)
[Body] Dear (recipient),
(Nonprofit’s name) invites you to join us at (event name) on (event date) in order to (briefly explain the purpose of the event).
Your generous contribution of (cost of the ticket, if applicable) empowers our beneficiaries to thrive. If we hit our goal of ($ amount), (briefly explain the impact of the event in tangible terms).
Let’s come together to enjoy (briefly explain what attendees will be doing at the event) while pursuing our purpose.
Thank you, and we sincerely hope to see you at (event name).
(officer signature)
(nonprofit’s name)
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
This donation card functions partially as an event invitation and partially as a RSVP card. Tailor your own donation card to reflect the event’s formality and theme. For instance, if you’re sending a donation card for a casual potluck, you can have a more laid-back tone of voice, whereas you should maintain a formal approach for black-tie events.
Campaign-Specific Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- A compelling image that represents the campaign
- Your campaign’s branding [if applicable]
Heading: Stand With Us To [achieve campaign goal]
Body:
Dear [recipient name],
Each of us holds the power to make a difference in the lives of [beneficaries]. With a donation of just [$ amount], you can provide [corresponding impact] and get us closer to our overall goal of [$ amount]. Your support isn’t just about making a donation — it’s about standing together to make the world a better place, one campaign at a time. Join us in our fight to [action related to the campaign’s purpose].
We appreciate your passion for our cause, and we look forward to working side-by-side.
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
By using phrases like “stand with us,” this donation card humanizes the nonprofit professionals on the other side of the card and makes the appeal feel more personal. Using inspiring language in this card helps the donor feel empowered to contribute to the larger goal. Also, by providing a suggested donation amount, the card facilitates the decision-making process for the recipient.
Campaign-Specific Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- A compelling image that represents the campaign
- Your campaign’s branding [if applicable]
Heading: Stand With Us To [achieve campaign goal]
Body:
Dear [recipient name],
Each of us holds the power to make a difference in the lives of [beneficaries]. With a donation of just [$ amount], you can provide [corresponding impact] and get us closer to our overall goal of [$ amount]. Your support isn’t just about making a donation — it’s about standing together to make the world a better place, one campaign at a time. Join us in our fight to [action related to the campaign’s purpose].
We appreciate your passion for our cause, and we look forward to working side-by-side.
Thank you,
[officer signature]
[nonprofit’s name]
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
By using phrases like “stand with us,” this donation card humanizes the nonprofit professionals on the other side of the card and makes the appeal feel more personal. Using inspiring language in this card helps the donor feel empowered to contribute to the larger goal. Also, by providing a suggested donation amount, the card facilitates the decision-making process for the recipient.
Recurring Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- A compelling image that’s relevant to your nonprofit’s mission or the recurring giving program
- Your recurring giving program’s branding [if applicable]
Heading: Become a [recurring giving program participant] today!
Body:
Dear [recipient]
Your support for our nonprofit inspires us and empowers us to pursue mission-critical activities. Your previous donation of [$ amount] allowed us to [corresponding impact], and we couldn’t be more thankful. Now, we humbly invite you to become a valued member of our [recurring giving program] community, which provides the sustained support we need to give back. Plus, by joining today, you get access to [exclusive benefits].
We look forward to hearing from you and sincerely hope to welcome you into our [recurring giving community].
Thank you again for your support,
[officer signature]
[nonprofit’s name]
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
Since this card is being sent to an existing donor, it’s crucial to highlight the impact of their previous contributions and how they can magnify their impact. Also, ensure you highlight the unique benefits of joining the recurring giving community to further entice the donor to join. This card should feel like an invitation to join an impactful inner circle, which makes the donor feel special.
Matching Gift Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- A compelling image that’s relevant to your nonprofit’s mission or campaign
Heading: Supercharge Your Impact With Matching Gifts
Body:
Dear [recipient],
We’re excited to share that, as an employee of [company name], you can magnify your impact on our cause by submitting a matching gift request form. [Employer] has pledged to match its employee’s charitable contributions at a [matching ratio] ratio. To start leveraging this valuable opportunity, visit our online donation page or visit your employer’s corporate giving website.
We sincerely thank you for your support and look forward to making a larger impact together.
[officer signature]
[nonprofit’s name]
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
This card is different from the others because it’s more focused on generating awareness of corporate responsibility programs than it is on promoting a specific cause. However, the end result is the same: yielding more donations for the nonprofit. So, be creative and leverage donation cards to promote all sorts of revenue-generating opportunities for your organization!
Planned Giving Donation Card Template
[Front of the card]
- Organization’s logo
- Compelling image related to planned giving
Heading: Your Legacy at [nonprofit’s name]
Body:
Dear [recipient],
Your generous support empowers us to pursue our purpose of [nonprofit’s mission]. Now, there’s a way to expand your impact even more. By including [nonprofit’s name] in your estate plan, you can secure your legacy and leave a lasting impact on [nonprofit’s beneficiaries] for generations to come.
For more information or to get started, please contact [development officer]. We thank you for your commitment to our cause and would be honored to be a part of your legacy.
[officer signature]
[nonprofit’s name]
Key takeaway from this donation card template:
Planned giving and estate planning are delicate topics, so your donation card should treat them with respect. Don’t mention death verbatim, and instead, focus on the recipient’s ability to make a lasting impact on your beneficiaries. Staying optimistic is crucial, no matter what appeal you’re making, but especially when planned giving is involved.
About FundraisingLetters.org
FundraisingLetters.org is a project put together by Nexus Marketing and ECardWidget as a way to help individuals and organizations across the world effectively communicate with supporters. Feel free to use our fundraising letter templates for your organization.