Guide · 2 min read
The you-perspective in fundraising letters and the BOY rule
A fundraising letter that is about the organisation gives the donor little to do. A letter about what she can achieve gives her a reason to give.
The donor's dream
We are in the inspiration business. Fundraising is about helping people experience the joy of giving. The donor's dream is to feel the glow of having helped a person with a difficult problem, and to feel that she is, after all, a good person.
The letter should therefore awaken empathy, compassion and an urge to help.
Reach in, not just out
It is not enough to reach out. The letter has to reach in. That happens where what the organisation wants to say meets what the donor wants to hear.
The BOY rule, Because Of You
The donor is the one doing the good, and the organisation is the tool. The rule is called BOY, Because Of You, and it can be applied to every sentence.
- Write “You give food to hungry children”, not “We give food to hungry children”.
- Write “Because of you, we can help people in desperate need”, not “We help people in desperate need”.
- Write “Here is your chance”, not “We are the best organisation for the cause”.
A hole shaped like the donor
A strong letter has a clear place that only the donor can fill. Without her it does not happen, and she should be able to see herself in the solution.
The text should also mirror values the donor already holds, such as fairness, gratitude and care, and offer her an identity she wants to have.
Count the you-words yourself
Underline every you-word in blue and every we-word and organisation name in red. If there is mostly red, the letter talks more about you than about the donor, and you know where to begin.