Using this template.
This is a ready-to-send letter that asks a business to donate an in-kind item for a charity auction. It is written for a nonprofit or a fiscal sponsor approaching a local business, not for a church appeal. Replace every bracketed field, then send it on your own letterhead.
The letter makes the ask, describes the kind of item you are hoping for, names a response deadline, and offers both pickup and a drop-off option so the business can choose. It states your EIN and promises a written acknowledgment that describes the donated property and does not state a dollar value. The business and its own advisor decide how the gift is treated.
Do not tell a business that the donation is fully deductible, and do not write a value for the item in the acknowledgment. Pair this with the donation acknowledgment letter template so the follow-up letter matches the promise made here.
This resource is educational only. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.