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Drafts for letters
Submitted by Sabina Holden on 8 January, 2008 - 15:39.
Hi,
I am trying to set up an NGO for childcare in Africa.I understand how to set up the NGO, to get it registered etc, however I am not very good a "wording" letters for funding. I need a letter which I can send to as many organisatons as possible. So far all the funding has come from my own income. I wondered if there is anybody who could help me draft a letter or if there is a website with an example letter of how to ask for funding? I would also like to know how to address a letter to find a patron.
I look forward to any advice.
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letter writing
When I started to work in fundraising I started reading books and there are some good ones on letter writing. you can borough them from the library, then research the donor as to what is interested and write short and sweet to the point but also it has to have a bit of your heart in it.
hope it helps
Rita
Draft Letters
Thank you so much your advice.
Draft for Letters
Hi Sabina
I would totally agree with what Gerry has said, I have worked for a grant giving trust and as a Fundraiser and in my expereince a general "round robin" appeal gets chucked in the bin. Your application must be tailored to the needs of the Trust you are applying to otherwise its not worth the paper or the price of the stamp.
Joanna
Selling
Something that Sandre taught me.
Be enthusiastic in the letter. If you aren't enthusiastic, how do you expect the trust staff and trustees to be?
Always, always worth getting someone else to read the letter before going out. Apart from picking up spelling mistakes they can also pick up on how it reads cold.
Don't just trust in the spellchecker in a word processor.
One of my applications almost started with 'Dear Smith', rather than 'Dear Mr Smith'.
And above all, have fun. :)
Martin <><
Thunder rolled.
It rolled a six.
Hi, Sabina The main advice
Hi, Sabina
The main advice would be, "Don't!"
Your letter needs to be tailored to each potential funder, and standard letters will go into File 13 so quickly you'll feel the draught!
If there are rules, they would be :
Be concise - trust secretaries get letters by the sackful, and short ones are easier to read. I would say no more than 2 sides of A4, well spaced and minimum 12pt type.
If they tell you in their published criteria what they want, give it to them, in the form they request.
Tell them what they want to hear, not what you want to tell them. No - I'm not advocating lies or spin, but if the Trust is interested in education, they don't need to know about your fabulous work in health care or agriculture!
There may be more, but these would be a good start. Have a look at my old website - www.beldons.co.uk - specifically at the business planning page. If you can do what that tells you to do in two pages, you've got it cracked!
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Gerry
Gerry Beldon FInstF
Director, 26-01 CIC
www.26-01.com