Evelyn Daniel,
Page revised June 27, 2001.

LIS 450RRL: GRANTWRITING AND FUNDRAISING

LETTER PROPOSAL

(for 1/2 unit students)
Summer 2001

Assignment Due: July 25

This is the simplest form of proposal -- appropriate for many foundations and local granting agencies. The amount requested is usually small -- anywhere from $2,000 to $30,000. The letter will be short -- only 2-3 pages (which means, of course, that every word is important). The concept paper can serve as a good foundation for the letter and you may be able to copy parts of it to include in the letter.

Preparation. Read Chapter 5, Writing the Letter Proposal" in Miner et al. It would be a good idea as well to read Chapter 15, "Writing and Editing Techniques." The Foundation Center website has some good suggestions for letter proposals as do many of the other resources available to you. Pages 68-72 describe the letter proposal format with some good examples. It may be helpful to review the concept paper assignment and my evaluative comments as you work on your letter proposal.

Components. The main components of a letter proposal, according to Bauer (Bauer, David G. The "How to" Grants Manual. 3rd ed. Oryx Press, 1995) are:

This is a good list to follow, although the assignment described below is modified to reflect class conditions. The fictitious Daniel Foundation is the stand-in for the grantor and you will be omiting the opening link to the funding source (personal, official, community, shared interest, etc.) and your reasons for approaching this particular grantor. Although they are not required for this assignment, these elements are important and shouldn't be forgotten. Basic Format. For your assignment the letter should be in vie parts as follows:
  1. In the first paragraph, introduce your organization, identify your proposal (by its catchy title, with a parenthetical short description if necessary) and indicate how much money you are requesting. See example below:

    Evelyn Daniel
    The Daniel Foundation
    Chapel Hill, NC

    Dear Ms. Daniel:

        I am writing to request $30,000 for a virtual information desk project called INFO ONLINE, for our public library. The Farmsville Public Library serves a rural population in a widely scattered geographic area. The project will enable people in our community to pose questions to the library staff on a variety of topics from a distance and to receive answers via the Internet.

     

  2. The next several paragraphs should describe the problem and how your project will contribute to a solution. You will then describe the need for your project in broad (but supported) terms, your objectives in specific terms (including how you will evaluate your progress), and the population you will serve.

  3. In the fourth section you should describe your plan, including the location of your project and the time frame in which you plan to do the work.

  4. The last section of your letter should explain why you are qualified to apply for funding to this funding source and how you meet its guidelines. You should also describe your qualifications for doing the project.

  5. Then attach a one-page budget (with explanations of any items not self-explanatory) and your resume.

    This assignment is to be done as a team (unless we have agreed that you will do it as an individual).