Below is another example of a sample fundraising letter - The Press Release.
From time to time all charities will need to send a press release. Often this is to announce fundraising successes and forthcoming events. It also helps to raise and maintain your organisation's profile. But there is a great deal of skill to creating a good press release and simply following a sample fundraising letter is definitely not all there is to it. Who should you send a Press Release to? Press releases are specifically targeted at the media (local and national depending on the nature of your organisation) including press, TV and Radio. Increasingly too, many organisations are sending press releases to relevant online forums, directories and blogs helping to spread their key messages even further. Even very localised groups should not overlook this easy way to get noticed. As well as sites related to your cause, many towns will have their own websites - some amateur, some very professional. The one thing they all need is news. A well written press release that can be quickly and easily added to their pages can make a web-master's day! Fundraisers should try to build up a good working list of media contacts and always be on the look out for suitable channels to spread their message. What should a Press Release be about? News, News, News. A press release should tell the world about something newsworthy that has happened or is about to happen to your organisation. This could be:
Only send a press release if the news is likely to be of interest to others. How to write a Press Release A good press release should be no more than one page long. Should use a standard font and one and a half line spacing for readability. It should contain the following:
and then the main body copy that addresses the holy grail of the press release known as the 5Ws
The release should then include:
Sample Fundraising Letter - Press Release
28 / July / 2007 PRESS RELEASE - For Immediate release Street Angels Star to Open Maia Lane Kids Club Summer Fair Teen heart-throb Ralph Swift will open this year's Summer Fair at the Maia Lane Community Centre. He will arrive at the Centre on the Harley Davidson motorcycle he rides in the hit series Street Angels. The Summer Fair which takes place on Saturday 8th August at 2pm will also mark an official opening for the Maia Lanes Kids Club. Ralph Swift who is a former Loverton resident and attended Maia Lane Comprehensive School is a long time supporter of the project. His character in Street Angels has been seen going through many of the problems with family breakdown and teenage crime that The Project seeks to address. The club which aims to provide play and youth counselling facilities to all Loverton children will be based in the newly refurbished Maia Lane Community Centre. Newly appointed Chairman of the club Andrea Andrews stated- " We are delighted that Ralph has agreed to open the fair for us. Ralph has always been really supportive of the project as have the many local volunteers and businesses who have given up so much time and really got behind our ideas. Our fair will be a great way to celebrate the completion of our building work at the Centre and launch of the Kids Club Project." Further Details / Contact Nick Martlet - Maia Lane Kids Club 01900 456457 email - nick@maialane.com
The sample fundraising letter above can be adapted to all sorts of situations but the basic press release format should always be followed. So if you want to avoid the editors bin (which is where the majority of press releases end up) remember - The Golden Rule of all good charity fundraising. Keep it simple!
|
