KEY TASKS 4 : ThANKING GIVERS

Writing to say 'thank you' to committed and regular donors is one of the most vital things a church can do, yet for a variety of reasons, this is one task which often gets overlooked.  Saying 'thank you' is a basic courtesy, and is a simple way of communicating that the giver and the gift are valued by the church.   Here are some "top tips" regarding saying thank you : 

• Good times to write are either January/February (at the end of the Church's financial year), or in late April or May at the end of the tax year.
• The letter should either come from the vicar, the treasurer or from the Planned Giving Officer. It can need not be the same person each year.
• Keep it personal: hand write the greeting and sign in blue ink; avoid the impression that it is a photocopied letter. Write “I” not “We” letters; and avoid impersonal mailing labels.  It should also be real - and not over enthusiastic, or full of jargon.
• It is preferable to explicitly thank them for the amount of their donation - this acts both as a receipt, and also helps people realise the impact of their weekly giving. If this is done, the letter must be from someone the donor will expect to be aware of their giving e.g. Planned Giving Secretary or Gift Aid officer.
• Where the gift was given under Gift Aid, it is worth including a standard sentence about higher rate taxpayers being able to claim further relief on their gift aided donations between the basic rate of tax claimed back by the Church and their higher rate of tax. 
• The letter should refer to the things that the church has achieved during the past year. One of the things that we know is that donors care about the church, and are keen to be reminded that their giving is making a real difference. Be specific! 
• A thank you letter should simply be that. It should not contain any requests to the giver to consider increasing their giving.