Grant proposal cover letter template (with example)

When to use this template

Use a cover letter when you submit a full proposal by mail or email, or through a portal that has a field for one, and the funder either asks for it or accepts it. A cover letter is the first thing a reviewer sees. Its job is to introduce the request clearly and make a professional first impression.

Do not include a cover letter when the funder's portal or guidelines do not provide for one. If you are submitting a letter of inquiry rather than a proposal, use our letter of inquiry template instead. For strategy and common mistakes, read our cover letter guide.

The template

[ORGANIZATION LETTERHEAD]

[DATE]

[FUNDER CONTACT NAME, TITLE]
[FOUNDATION OR AGENCY NAME]
[STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]

RE: [PROPOSAL TITLE OR PROGRAM NAME] — Request for [$AMOUNT] [OPTIONAL: GRANT CYCLE OR OPPORTUNITY NAME/NUMBER]

Dear [MR./MS./DR./MX. LAST NAME]:

On behalf of [ORGANIZATION NAME], I am pleased to submit the enclosed proposal requesting [$AMOUNT] over [GRANT PERIOD, e.g., 12 months] to support [PROJECT OR PROGRAM NAME]. [ONE SENTENCE ON WHAT THE PROJECT WILL ACCOMPLISH AND FOR WHOM.]

[ONE OR TWO SENTENCES CONNECTING THE PROJECT TO THE FUNDER'S MISSION OR PRIORITIES. Reference a specific priority, conversation, or invitation, e.g., "Thank you for speaking with me on [DATE] and for inviting this proposal following our letter of inquiry."]

[ONE SHORT PARAGRAPH, TWO TO FOUR SENTENCES, ON WHY THIS MATTERS NOW AND WHY YOUR ORGANIZATION IS WELL PLACED TO DO IT. Include one key result or credential, such as years of service, an outcome, or a partnership.]

[ONE SENTENCE ON THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, e.g., "The total project budget is [$TOTAL]; [$AMOUNT] has been secured from [SOURCES]."]

[OPTIONAL: ONE SENTENCE ON BOARD SUPPORT OR APPROVAL, e.g., "Our Board of Directors has reviewed and approved this request."]

Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to [FUNDER'S FOCUS AREA OR COMMUNITY]. Please contact [CONTACT NAME, TITLE] at [EMAIL] or [PHONE] with any questions or to arrange a site visit.

Sincerely,

[SIGNATURE]
[NAME]
[TITLE]
[ORGANIZATION NAME]

[OPTIONAL SECOND SIGNATURE: BOARD CHAIR NAME, TITLE]

Enclosures: [LIST WHAT IS ENCLOSED, e.g., Proposal narrative; Project budget and budget justification; Organizational budget; IRS determination letter; Board of directors list; Most recent audited financial statements]

Filled-in example

Riverside Literacy Project
412 Elm Street, Riverside, OH 45000 | (555) 010-0142

March 7, 2027

Ms. Elena Alvarez, Program Officer
Harbor Family Foundation
100 Harbor Plaza
Riverside, OH 45001

RE: Summer Reading Bridge — Request for $25,000 (Spring 2027 Early Literacy Cycle)

Dear Ms. Alvarez:

On behalf of Riverside Literacy Project, I am pleased to submit the enclosed proposal requesting $25,000 over 12 months to support Summer Reading Bridge. This six-week summer program will help 120 second- through fourth-graders in Riverside's Eastside neighborhood keep and build their reading skills while school is out.

Thank you for speaking with me on February 18 and for inviting this proposal following our letter of inquiry. Summer Reading Bridge directly supports the Foundation's goal of ensuring every child in Riverside County reads at grade level by the end of third grade.

Fewer than half of third-graders at the three schools we serve met the state reading standard last year, and families in these neighborhoods have few affordable summer options. For 13 years, Riverside Literacy Project has offered free tutoring in these schools. Last year, 64 percent of our regular attenders gained at least one reading level.

The total project budget is $41,500; $16,500 has been secured from the Lakeview Bank Foundation, individual donors, and in-kind support from Eastside Elementary. Our Board of Directors has reviewed and approved this request.

Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to Riverside County's children. Please contact me at jordan@riversideliteracy.example or (555) 010-0142 with any questions or to arrange a site visit.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lee
Executive Director
Riverside Literacy Project

Enclosures: Proposal narrative; Project budget and budget justification; FY2027 organizational budget; IRS determination letter; Board of directors list; FY2026 audited financial statements

This letter is about 270 words. It names the request in the first sentence, references the program officer's invitation, gives one strong local fact and one result, shows that the funder's grant is part of a funded plan, and lists the enclosures so the reviewer can check completeness.

Customizing tips

1. Keep it to one page. Three hundred words or fewer is a good target. If it runs long, cut history and adjectives, not the request.
2. Put the ask first. The amount, the period, and the project belong in the first sentence.
3. Reference your relationship. If a program officer invited the proposal or you met at an info session, say so. It reminds the reader of context.
4. Do not introduce new information. Every fact in the letter should also appear in the proposal. Reviewers notice discrepancies, especially in numbers.
5. Match the numbers. The amount, total budget, and grant period must match the budget and the proposal exactly. Check them during your final proposal review.
6. Use letterhead and a real signature. For email submissions, a scanned or digital signature on a PDF is fine.
7. Adapt for corporate funders. Mention any employee volunteers, customers, or community ties relevant to the company, and note visibility or recognition opportunities if the program invites them.
8. Adapt for government funders. Most federal applications do not use a cover letter; follow the notice of funding opportunity exactly. Some state and local funders do request one. Include the opportunity name or number in the RE line.
9. Skip it if not wanted. If the portal has no field for a cover letter and the guidelines do not mention one, do not force it in.