Sometimes the scale of your organization’s proposed project might suggest a small-scale letter format proposal, or the type of request might not require a complete formal proposal.
The guidelines and policies of individual funders will be your ultimate guide. Many funders today state that they prefer a brief letter proposal; others require that you complete an application form. In any case, you will want to refer to the basic proposal components as provided here to be sure that you have not omitted an element that will support your case.
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What are the elements of a letter request? For the most part, they should follow the format of a full proposal, except with regard to length. The letter should be no more than three pages. You will need to call upon your writing skills because it can be very hard to get all of the necessary details into a concise, well articulated letter.
Here are the components of a good letter proposal:
o Ask for the gift: The letter should begin with a reference to your prior contact with the funder, if any. State why you are writing and how much funding is required from the particular foundation.
o Describe the need: In a very abbreviated manner, tell the funder why there is a need for this project, piece of equipment, etc.
o Explain what you will do: Just as you would in a fuller proposal, provide enough detail to pique the funder’s interest. Describe precisely what will take place as a result of the grant.
o Provide agency data: Help the funder know a bit more about your organization by including your mission statement, brief description of programs offered, number of people served, and staff, volunteer, and board data, if appropriate.
o Include appropriate budget data: Even a letter request may have a budget that is a half-page long. Decide if this information should be incorporated into the letter or in a separate attachment. Whichever course you choose, be sure to indicate the total cost of the project. Discuss future funding only if the absence of this information will raise questions.
o Close: As with the longer proposal, a letter proposal needs a strong concluding statement.
o Attach any additional information required:
The funder may need much of the same information to back up a small request as a large one: a board list, a copy of your IRS determination letter, financial documentation, and brief resumes of key staff. It may take as much thought and data gathering to write a good letter request as it does to prepare a full proposal (and sometimes even more).
Don’t assume that because it is only a letter, it isn’t a time-consuming and challenging task. Every document you put in front of a funder says something about your agency. Each step you take with a funder should build a relationship for the future.
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