Scholarship Thank You Letter Template

This letter of gratitude from you to your donor is an incredibly meaningful part of the giving experience for you and the donor. This is an opportunity to take pride in your achievements for earning this scholarship and reflect on the gift itself and how it supports your success. With that, share your story and sincere thanks person to person to illustrate the positive impact of philanthropy. Note that donors are not a part of the application review or selection process, so this letter is how they get to know you and celebrate that you are the best candidate to represent the scholarship they fund.

The template below is designed to help you deliver your story and your gratitude in a polished letter.

  • Replace the bold/italic portions with your information accordingly
  • Reference the scholarship name in full, however do not list the dollar amount you received
  • Suggested prompts are provided (use some, all, or add your own!)

Dear Donor Salutation(s),

Paragraph 1: Say Thank You

  • Reference scholarship by its full name
  • Share how the gift made you feel
  • Describe how you meet/honor the spirit and criteria of the scholarship

Paragraph 2: Reflect on your Western journey

  • Where is home for you?  
  • What volunteer / extracurricular activities / hobbies are you involved in?
  • Have you achieved any accolades or recognition you’d like to share?
  • Have you done or plan to do any influential travels?

Paragraph 3: Share your Western experience and future plans

  • What about Western / Bellingham is special for you?
  • Do you have any favorite classes / professors / projects / research?
  • How did you select your major / minor?
  • What are your next steps after Western? Career goals? More education?

Paragraph 4: State the impact and share a sincere thank you again

  • Share how this gift makes a difference in your life. What are you now able to do because of this scholarship?
  • What inspires you about this act of philanthropy?

Sincerely,

Recipient Full Name