You do not need to include your name or title in the return address. Do not type out the return address at the top of the letter if you are using paper with a formal letterhead that already includes the address.
The date should appear in the upper left corner of the letter. If you are not using a return address, the date should be the first piece of information on the letter.
The personal title and name appears on one line, the street address on the next, and the rest of the address follows on the last line. The entire block should be left-aligned and single-spaced. It is always best to write to a specific individual at a company by name instead of writing a general letter to anyone who may read it.
If you do not know the recipient’s gender, skip the personal title and use the recipient’s full name. [2] X Research source Follow the salutation with a colon.
Single-space and left-justify each paragraph. Leave a blank line in between paragraphs. Do not indent the first line of your paragraph.
Sign your name above the typed version on your letter and below the closing. Possible closings to use include: Thank you Sincerely Regards Best regards Faithfully
You also have the option of listing each document you are enclosing below the “Enclosures” label.
Do not include typist initials if the person signing the letter is the same person who wrote it.
Instead of dedicating an entire paragraph to explaining how you meet each requirement, weave this information into the body of your letter. For instance, if the organization has certain requirements concerning the types of projects the money can be used for and separate requirements about how that money will be allotted, describe these issues in separate paragraphs instead of trying to cram all the information into one.
State the name of your organization, what it does, why it does it, and who benefits from your organization’s work. If you have had previous contact with the grant agency or organization, mention any changes or developments your organization has made since you were last in contact.
You should also explain why your research, charitable effort, or venture is important and what sort of outcome you are expecting to have.
State when the project will begin and how long you expect it to run. Some grants are location-specific. If this is true of the grant you apply for, you will need to indicate where your organization is based, the geographic area that will be studied during your project, or the geographic area that will benefit from the project.
If you are applying for a grant without a pre-determined funding amount, you should write how much money you are requesting. Include a cost-benefit analysis within your application.
Additional documents may include financial budgets, past financial records, and past records indicating the success of similar projects performed by your organization in the past.
If you interacted with a specific contact at the company, men`ton that individual by name.
Include your mission statement and a short description of the products or services your company provides. [6] X Research source To make your case more convincing, you should also include the number of customers served, the number of employees, and information about any administrative boards.
Mention what, specifically, the funding will be used for. You may need to include brief budget data that spells out how funds have been used in the past and projections on how the funds will be used this time around. This additional data may need to be included as a separate attachment or in the body of the letter. Regardless of how much information you include in the body of the letter itself, you should always state the total cost of the project and how much of that cost will be covered by the funder’s support.
This should only be a summary. With a full-scale proposal, this information can take pages. This information should take no more than a half page when writing a shorter proposal letter, however.
You can also offer to meet with the funder personally or via the telephone.
Possible documentation includes a list of board members, copies of your tax documents, financial documents, and resumes of key staff members.
Submission guidelines outline the types of books a publisher or agent will accept, as well as the format the proposal letter should be in when submitted.
Write a brief but intriguing summary of your book in the first paragraph. In the case of fiction or creative non-fiction, outline the your narrative and describe your main characters. [7] X Research source
Write a second paragraph describing the essentials of the book. This includes the genre, word count, and the market the book should be pitched to. Also note any images that accompany the book.
Thoroughly describe the demographic your book is aimed at and make sure that your statistics address that demographic in specific, rather than general, terms. Perform a competitive analysis. [8] X Research source Every book has competitors. List a few main competitors to your book and explain how well these competitors do in the market as well as why your book will offer something its competitors do not offer.
Mention any writing experience and publishing experience you have. Also mention any experience you have with the subject matter your book deals with. For instance, if you write a book about fashion and had experience as a fashion designer, include that in your letter.
Be specific, not general. Do not state what you are willing to do but what you will do. Possible forms of marketing include professional blogs, book signings, and professional conferences.
Provide a full summary of the entire plot and purpose of your book. Include all details about the plot and significant sub-plots. Write the synopsis in third-person.
If you do not have a table of contents, you may need to provide a brief summary of each chapter.
Regardless, the extract should be an example of your strongest writing.
