This is what the USA Triathlon Foundation wanted their supporters to know. To help them encourage their donors to contribute to their cause and provide the support that high-performance triathletes need, I created a direct mail piece to inspire action.

My client sends over a detailed client brief with their tone of voice guidelines and an overview of their "ask" from their donors. I take these instructions and conduct further research on the client's verbiage, mission statement, and key stakeholders. From there, I begin crafting a letter that resonates with their audience and helps propel them into donating.

Dear [Salutation],

With just 100 days until the Paris Games, our high-performance athletes face the daily grind with tenacity and dedication. Their routine isn't just about training – it involves overcoming obstacles like the high cost of equipment, arranging childcare during competitions, and managing the physical toll of constant travel. While they strive for Olympic glory, they’re juggling these challenges every day.

This is where you can make a transformative difference. By supporting our athletes, you're not just funding their journey to the Olympic stage. You're investing in their dreams and alleviating the burdens that distract from their focus on excellence. Every dollar counts on the road to the Olympics. Here’s what your contribution could look like:

$100: Recovery services and products for one race

$300: Peace of mind: childcare during international competition

$500: International bike transport

$1,000: Upgrade running shoes

$2,500: Sport performance coaching, including sport psychologist and exercise physiologist

$5,000: Training camp between national qualifying competitions

$10,000: Hand bike and fit testing for one of our national team para triathletes

$33,000: Adopt an athlete to cover all of their needs to be at peak performance

In the spirit of unity and ambition, we're thrilled to announce a matching gift challenge by [DONOR MATCHER]. This doubles the impact of your donation, propelling our athletes closer to their peak performance for the Games. We’re down to the last sprint in these 100 days, so don’t wait to make your impact.

Fueling the spirit and determination of our triathletes means their wins are our wins. Together, we can ensure that Team USA stands on the podium, proud and victorious. Let's go all in for them.

With gratitude,

USA Triathlon Foundation

This client's ethos resonates with me on a deeply personal level, and I enjoy being a part of a larger project that can positively impact athletes and their families. Triathletes work extremely hard to be at peak performance, and writing content like this makes me feel like I'm giving them a hand and supporting their dreams.

Do you have a social impact or philanthropy project? I'd love to help you with your direct mail, email, website, or blog content!