Building a Support Team

One thing almost all CTEN missionaries have in common is the need for a continual (and usually increased) support base. I have a passion for helping you in this area because I have seen an ineffective missionary can stay on the field if they are effective at support raising but powerfully effective ones are destined to head home if they cannot build the necessary support base.

I think you are doing a great job and I want you to be able to continue and to expand your influence by having adequate resources to do that.

Jackie, in Guatemala, found this information and shared it with me. I thought it might be of help to you. Much of the info is for an organization writing for help with a project but a lot of it applies to individuals, too.

If you would like to see the entire article, go to:
http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/FAQ/QuestionViewer/default?section=08&item=07

How do you write the appeal letter?
The appeal letter should concentrate on the benefits of supporting (or joining) your organization. Don't concentrate on your organization's needs. Use benefits such as lives saved, human dignity gained, larger causes served, etc.

Sign the letter using a different color than the rest of the letter. The appeal is a letter from one individual to another. Use 'I" and "you," mostly "you." Remember "you, the signer, are an individual with hopes, dreams, fears and experiences, write about them. Remember "you" are writing to one person - the addressee - who also has hopes, dreams, fears and experiences, write about them. Your organization addresses human needs on many levels, intangible as well as concrete, emotional as well as practical, write about them.

Write as long a letter as you need to state your case for giving. 2 - 4 page letters work better that 1 page letters or really long ones.

Use large type, short indented paragraphs (not over seven lines), highlight important passages or use bold face type - make it easy to read. Use ragged right margins. In long letters try subheads that are centered.

Write in standard American English. Use short punchy sentences. Use words that convey emotion. Don't use lots of adverbs and adjectives. Avoid the use of abbreviations and acronyms.

Always include a business reply envelope (BRE) and a personalized response form.

Always include a meaty postscript - people read them more than the letter.

Ask for the gift in the 3rd or 4th paragraph and repeat in several times throughout the letter - but don't sound desperate. People like to give to organizations that are doing well, not those that seem about to go under. Ask for money, not for "support." This should not be an afterthought, tacked on to the bottom of the letter. It is your reason for writing. Repeat it several times and also include it on the response form.

Give your readers a reason to respond NOW. Use budget deadlines and matching gifts to create a timely response (don't do this if mailing bulk rate however, it will send mixed messages).

Remember- "Every year Americans donate tens of billions of dollars to nonprofit organizations. Some write small checks for ten or fifteen dollars, others make contributions of many thousands of dollars. But the odds are they have one thing in common: Their first gift was made when they received a letter asking for financial support." - Assoc. of Direct Mail fundraising Council

Submitted by Mary Ellen Barnes, Ph.D.