Sample Emails

Dear NAME,

Hello from Oberlin! I’m contacting you on behalf of the Oberlin Annual Fund, which helps support student scholarships and other pressing institutional needs through gifts from generous donors such as yourself. Our records indicate that you made a gift to the Annual Fund last year. Would you be willing to continue your support of Oberlin and its students this year with a gift today?

Giving is easy – just visit https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate

to make your gift today!

Approximately 87 percent of every dollar given to the Annual Fund goes directly toward student scholarships, which allows Oberlin to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for every student. Now, more than ever, your gift will ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve their academic goals – regardless of family income.

Thank you for your loyal support. It is, without a doubt, truly appreciated by those students who are touched by your generosity.

Warm regards,

YOUR NAME HERE

Hi there!

I’m writing to let you know that if you’re considering a gift to the Oberlin Annual Fund this year, there’s no time like the present to make one! Why?

Oberlin’s fiscal year will end on June 30, and a gift of any size between now and then will allow Oberlin to count you as a participating member of the alumni body, which will help us reach our participation goal for the year. (This participation goal is so important, to foundations considering grants and – like it or not – to the US News and World Report rankings.)

While the Annual Fund supports other important programs and activities as well, 87 cents of every dollar given to the Annual Fund goes directly toward student scholarships, allowing Oberlin to meet 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need of every student. Especially during economically unsettled times, that level of support can mean the difference between Oberlin being a dream or a reality for some students.

Our gifts – whatever the size – will work together with others’ to help ensure that all Oberlin students have the opportunity to achieve their academic goals, regardless of family income.

To make a gift online, visit https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate or contact the Oberlin Annual Fund at (800) 693-3167.

Thank you for your past support of Oberlin, and for considering a gift this year, too!

Take care,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

I’m writing today because we need your help reaching our class participation goal of ___ donors before June 30. It only takes $5 to make a big difference in the lives of Oberlin students and to be counted in our class participation total.

Oberlin is always in our hearts, so let’s show our Obie spirit and pride by supporting our alma mater. And good news, your gift can be designated to whatever program or area of need that you would like to support!

As of this e-mail, our class has a total of ___ donors, which means that we still need ___ more of our classmates to make a gift by June 30. If you make your gift today, it will help our class reach its goal, but more importantly – it will have a tremendous impact on future Obies.

Will you join me in supporting Oberlin and its students? Just visit https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate to make a gift today!

And please, don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions. You can reach me by email or phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX. I’d be happy to talk with you!

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Hello! Just sending a quick email to thank you for the pledge you made to the Oberlin Annual Fund earlier this year. As you know, the College’s fiscal year ends on June 30. We’re counting on you to fulfill your pledge before that date so that you can be counted as a donor in our alumni giving participation rate – a number used in college ranking guides like US News & World Report to demonstrate alumni satisfaction.

Giving is easy – simply visit https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate

to fulfill your pledge today!

Or, if you prefer to make a gift by snail mail, you can send it to: Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 72110, Cleveland, OH 44192-0002

Thank you for everything you do for Oberlin!

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Hello! Just a quick note to remind you about all the wonderful things happening on Oberlin’s campus – the opening of the new Shanks Health and Wellness Center, the renovation of Oberlin’s theater spaces, new areas of study, new professorships, more student programming, peer-to-peer led initiatives – the list goes on and on!

Of course, all of these wonderful new changes need funding, as well as the ongoing need for student financial aid. Would you please consider making the Oberlin experience accessible to current students through a gift to the Oberlin Annual Fund?

Giving is easy – you can visit https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate

today!

Thank you for everything you do for Oberlin,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Hello! I’m excited to report that our reunion giving effort is well underway, and I’m confident that we’ll reach or exceed our class goal of raising $____ and achieving ____ percent participation before June 30. It would be great if you would help us reach these goals by visiting https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate

to make your gift online today!

Every gift – no matter the size – makes a big difference to current students. Together, we can help ensure that all Obies have the same opportunity to achieve their academic goals that we did, regardless of family income.

If you have any questions about our reunion giving effort or our upcoming reunion, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

I’m really excited about our upcoming reunion and all the wonderful things that come with it, like reconnecting with old friends and seeing the changes made to campus in recent years. If you haven’t already made plans to return to campus for reunion, save the date – we’ll be celebrating our ___ reunion on _______.

Of course, an important part of our reunion year is our class gift. As you know, Oberlin (like many colleges and universities) is struggling with the economic uncertainty brought on by the COVID 19 shutdown this past spring. Those of us in this year’s reunion classes have a terrific opportunity to really make a difference to this effort with our gift!

Would you please help us reach our reunion goals by making a gift at https://advance.oberlin.edu/donate

today?

Thank you! I look forward to catching up with you next May!

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Sending a big THANK YOU for your recent gift to Oberlin College and Conservatory. Every time a member of our class makes a contribution, I am reminded why I volunteered to be a class agent. Your support is needed and greatly appreciated by the entire College and Conservatory community. The fact that you are a Consecutive Year Donor, after having graduated more than __ years ago, is that much more impressive.

So, thanks once again for continuing to support the current generation of Oberlin students.

Warmest regards,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Thank you so much for your gift to the Oberlin Annual Fund. As you think back on all the opportunities and friendships that made your time at Oberlin meaningful, please know that your generosity is helping to ensure that current and future Obies will also have fond memories of an exceptional student experience.

As of today, our class has reached ___ percent participation, and is only ___ donors away from our goal of ___ percent. Thank you for your help – and for your support of Oberlin!

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Just a quick note to tell you how delighted I am to learn that you have established a recurring gift to Oberlin. Obviously, you understand how important your support is to the current crop of students. The fact that you are willing to give that support on a recurring basis demonstrates your deep commitment to the future of Oberlin College and Conservatory. On a personal note, here’s a big THANK YOU for making my “job” easier.

Warm regards,

YOUR NAME HERE

Dear NAME,

Thank you for your recent contribution to our reunion class gift! Your donation continues our class tradition of generosity and loyalty to our alma mater. Together, our gifts have made (and will make!) a lasting impact on Oberlin College and Conservatory, and will be appreciated by students for generations to come.

Thank you, again, for everything that you do for Oberlin and its students!

Warmest regards,

YOUR NAME HERE