When I was a kid, I read Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. For a couple of years after that, I suspected there were wooden chests full of gold and jewels buried pretty much everywhere. I got in trouble a couple of times for digging holes in people’s yards.
The sad truth is: Most of us will never find a treasure chest, no matter how often we dig for them. The happy truth is: Treasure really does exist. Somewhere. Somebody will eventually find it. Maybe you. Especially if you get reliable information on where it is.
Which brings me to a huge stockpile of fundraising treasure. I know where it is, and I’m going to tell you….
It’s the Moceanic Vault of Fundraising Tools. Practical, easy-to-use helps for all kinds of fundraising situations, from emergency email campaigns to letters for people considering a charitable bequest.
Whether you’re new to the profession or you’re a long-time veteran – there’s stuff in there that will save you time and guesswork, while improving your fundraising results. Best of all, these resources will help you build your own fundraising knowledge-base.
As of this morning, the Vault contains 211 tools. It grows all the time. Many of these tools were created as bonus materials for the extensive library of Moceanic courses and workshops. Some are in response to specific situations, like the recently-written template for an emergency appeal about lost federal funding.
I’ll tell you how to get access to the Moceanic Vault of Fundraising Tools at the end of this post. First, let me give you an idea what’s in the Vault, including a couple of samples:
Checklists
These are simple lists of must-do elements of fundraising projects. They are a great way to make sure you haven’t missed anything critical.
Guides
These are more detailed start-to-finish lists for fundraising projects. They show you what to do, how to do it, and why it matters.
Examples
Real-life appeal letters, emails, and more – created and shared mostly by members of The Fundraisingology Lab. It can be very helpful to see well-built fundraising materials and use it to inspire your own work.
Templates
Fill-in-the-blank messages for various specific fundraising projects. Most are based on real projects that were successful, so you know they’re a good starting place for you. They’re almost like “Mad-Libs” for fundraising that can really speed up your work.
Cheat Sheets
A bit like checklists, but these zero in on key concepts in fundraising projects, and give more detail on how to put them to work in your project. Here’s a sample of one of our Cheat Sheets …
Direct Mail Appeal Letter Cheat Sheet
The one question that matters most:
Does this fundraising appeal clearly ask the reader to accomplish something specific with a gift of a specific amount of money?
Examples:
- Your gift of $25 will help feed five hungry children this summer.
- Your gift of $25 will help replace the leaky roof on our orphanage.
This is the call to action, or offer. Without it, your appeal will struggle.
The 3 key elements of every appeal letter:
- The reply coupon
This is the destination. Write it first. Make sure everyone agrees on the exact wording. - The outer envelope
What the envelope says (or doesn’t say) has more impact on the success of a direct mail package than any other single element. - The PS on the letter
This is the most-read part of the letter. Make sure it includes the call to action.
Make the writing sing
- Reading grade level: 6th grade or lower (Flesch–Kincaid)
- Paragraphs: None are more than 7 lines long. Most are 1 to 4 lines.
- Repetitive: The call to action appears not only in the PS but at least once per page.
- Pronouns: Make sure you’re using the pronoun you (your, yours) more often than I/we (me, my, mine, our, ours, us).
- Emphasis and entry points: A few key phrases or sentences are underlined.
Outlines
A sort of cross between a template and a guide. These reveal the structure of an effective project, showing you what each section is meant to do, and demonstrates with real-life examples. You can use these to build your own project, or as a sort of springboard when you create new materials. Here’s a sample:
| Message Element | Example | |
| Lead | The most exciting/ interesting element of the story | The first time I met Charles, he was bleeding badly from a stab wound to the chest. But what he said while the medics worked on him shocked me. He said, “I’m so hungry!” |
| Introduction | Why you’re writing to the donor | I’ll tell you more about Charles in a minute. But first, I want to show you how you can be miracle for someone like him. |
| Ask | Preliminary | You have an amazing opportunity to help turn things around — one broken life at a time. And help turn our city into a better place. For everyone. |
| Problem | Describe the state they are going to help change | As you know, there are more homeless people in our area this winter than ever before. They’re suffering in so many ways — but most of all, they’re HUNGRY. |
| Urgency | Why the donor’s gift is needed now | With the Holiday season almost here, I want to be there with nutritious, warm meals that will feed their bodies and their souls! |
| Ask | Detailed | One meal costs just $1.92. That’s one Holiday feast with all the trimmings. That means if you give $19.20, you’ll feed ten hungry, homeless neighbors! |
| Story | Demonstrate the need, using the life of one person as an example | Charles was attacked by two men, just around the corner from the Mission. Senseless cruelty like that happens to homeless people a lot. But ask them what’s the worst thing about being homeless, and most of them will say two things: hunger and loneliness. |
| Ask | Your gift will help them with both! Just $1.92 from you will calm their hunger pangs — and fill their hearts with love, reminding them that they’re cared for. (By you!) | |
| Vision | Word-picture of the change that’ll happen when the donor gives | The amazing thing about these Holiday meals is how often they become the first step to a new life for homeless people. |
| Ask | That’s why I hope you can make a donation today. People like Charles may not have a lot of time left! | |
| Values | Reminder that this cause is closely connected with the donor’s values | I know you’re someone who cares for the less fortunate. You’re also one of these people who goes “above and beyond” to make our community a better place. |
| Conclusion | Restate one or more of these: problem, urgency, vision, or values | The Holidays are coming fast! It’s the time of year when the homeless suffer the most … And when your gift can have the most impact, by leading them to make the life changes they need to make! |
| P.S. | Ask again | P.S. Please rush your gift to work so we can feed each homeless person who comes, looking for a hot meal and a friendly face. It’s just $1.97 for each meal. How many can you feed this Holiday season? |
Looking for more ways to save time and raise more money? Our members have access to time-saving templates, checklists, tools, and expert guidance – all designed to make their job easier and their fundraising more effective. Join The Fundraisingology Lab waitlist for access to these powerful resources – and discover how to work smarter, reduce stress, and keep your donors coming back.
Please share your experience by leaving your reply below. We’d love to learn from your experience.
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