Grant Cover Letter Template
A cover letter is often the first page a program officer reads and the last page an applicant writes, which is why so many of them simply restate the summary. It has four jobs to do in one page, and none of them is summarizing the proposal that is attached to it.
See the coursesEverything on this page is yours to copy and adapt. The courses cover the decisions behind it: what to charge, what to promise, and what to put in writing.
What yours needs to cover
- ✓ The request stated plainly: the amount, the project and the period
- ✓ One sentence on why this funder specifically, which is the sentence most letters skip
- ✓ A short reference to any prior contact, invitation or relationship
- ✓ Confirmation that the application meets the funder's eligibility requirements
- ✓ A signature from the person with the authority to make the request
How to use it
- Write it after the proposal is finished, so the amounts and dates are final.
- Name the funder's own priority in your own words rather than quoting their website back to them.
- Keep it to one page, since anything longer competes with the document it introduces.
- Have it signed by the chief executive or board chair, not by the person who wrote the proposal.
Grant Cover Letter Template FAQs
Is a cover letter always required?
No, and some portals have nowhere to upload one. Where the guidelines are silent and there is an obvious place for it, including one is normal practice.
Who should sign the cover letter?
Whoever can commit the organization, which is usually the chief executive or the board chair. A letter signed by the grant writer suggests the request has not been approved internally.
Should the cover letter summarize the proposal?
Only in a sentence. Its job is to make the request, establish the fit and confirm eligibility. The summary section of the proposal already exists and does that better.
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