How do I write an end-of-year appeal letter or email?

A good year-end appeal is short, personal and concrete: one story, one ask, one button. With two invented templates and a checklist.

A good year-end appeal is short, personal and concrete: you tell one story, make one ask and make it easy to give straight away. Below you will find the structure, two templates (invented examples you can adapt) and a checklist.

What goes in an appeal letter or email?

Think of a conversation with one person, not a press release. A common structure in fundraising guides is: personal greeting, a story, the ask, what the gift does, thanks and a clear button or reply slip. We offer it as a rule of thumb, not as a scientifically proven formula.

  • Subject line: short and concrete. Name a person or a result, not a generality.
  • Greeting: use their first name. In WeGlow Mail the tag for that is {{first_name}}.
  • Story: two or three sentences about one person or situation.
  • The ask: one clear sentence, with an amount or a choice of amounts.
  • What the gift does: a concrete example you can stand behind.
  • Button: one button to your donation page.

Template 1: the December appeal (invented example)

This template is invented and about a fictional organisation. Replace everything with your own story and figures.

Subject: A hot meal for Jamila this winter

Hi {{first_name}},

Last winter Jamila (invented name) came to our neighbourhood kitchen every Wednesday. She said little, but she always asked for seconds.

This winter we want to give 40 families a hot meal every week. We still need €4,000 before 31 December.

€10 pays for ten meals. A monthly gift of €5 covers it all year.

[Button: I want to help]

Thank you in advance, on Jamila's behalf too.

Sofie, coordinator

Note: the amounts and families above are invented. Only use figures you can back up.

Template 2: the reminder for the last days (invented example)

Subject: Three days left, {{first_name}}

Hi {{first_name}},

The year is nearly over and we are nearly there: we still need €1,100 for the January and February meals.

A gift can still count for this calendar year up to and including 31 December. If our organisation can issue a tax certificate, you will receive it in the new year.

[Button: Give today]

Thank you for everything you already did this year.

Only promise a certificate if your organisation can really issue one (see below).

What about tax benefits?

This is a popular argument, but it depends on the country and the year. In Belgium the tax reduction is 30% for gifts made since 1 January 2025, from €40 per year per institution, according to the Belgian tax administration (FOD Financiën). Only recognised institutions may issue a certificate.

For France and the Netherlands, point readers to the official pages (service-public.gouv.fr and belastingdienst.nl). Do not quote a percentage if you are not sure of it.

A letter or an email?

It depends on your donors. Email is fast and cheap; a letter stands out more with older, loyal supporters. You can combine them. We do not claim which works better: test it with your own audience.

How to do it in WeGlow

  • Let Glowie write a first draft of your email. You read it and edit it before it is sent.
  • Add a button to your donation page and send a test email to yourself.
  • Choose who gets it. There are self-filling groups, for example for monthly or lapsed donors.
  • The check step shows that sender and legal footer are in place and that unsubscribed contacts are skipped.
  • Schedule the send for a chosen day and time.

WeGlow Mail is free up to 250 contacts in every plan; with the Pro platform plan (€40 per month or €400 per year, excl. VAT) you can mail up to 2,500 contacts at no extra cost. Check the current prices in your dashboard.

Tone and language

Write the way you speak. Use "you" and "we", short sentences and plain words. Avoid jargon, abbreviations and phrases like "thanks to your generous support we are able to". Say what happens and who is helped.

Ask a colleague who does not know your organisation inside out to read it: if they cannot find the ask in ten seconds, the email is still too long. Do not end with "do not hesitate to contact us", but with a real sentence and your own name.

Checklist before you send

  • Is the ask within the first five sentences?
  • Is there one button, and does it work?
  • Are all amounts and facts true?
  • Is your sender name right, and can people unsubscribe?
  • Have you viewed it on your phone?
How long should the email be?

As long as it needs to be, but shorter is better. A rule of thumb: about one phone screen.

Can I use a photo?

Yes, but only with permission, and never recognisable children without written consent.

When should I send the appeal and the reminder?

As a rule of thumb: the main appeal in November, a second appeal in early December and a short reminder in the last week of December. A gift up to and including 31 December still falls in this calendar year. This is our own suggestion, not a research result: test what works for your audience.

Try it in your WeGlow dashboard and let Glowie make the first draft.

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Sources

(checked on 2 October 2026)

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