• Contact Info
• Education
• Awards/Recognition
• Relevant Skills
• Relevant Work Experiences (including dates, position and location)
• Relevant Volunteer Experiences/Community Involvement (including dates, position and location)
• 3 References and their contact info

[Return Address]

October 31, 2017

[Receiver Address]

Dear [Name of Executive Director]:

I am writing to express my interest in the Grants Manager position at For Love of Children, Inc. that was advertised on the website indeed.com. I am a senior at The Ohio State University and will graduate in May 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Studies with a focus in Social Work, and a minor in Professional Writing.

Through my coursework and previous internship and employment opportunities, I developed skills that make me an excellent candidate for this position. In my job at Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, I helped to write and edit numerous grant proposals. The most notable was a grant proposal for $15,000 for a project that brought every kindergartner in the county to the museum. It was fully funded. In my internship at Springmill Learning Center, I completed two successful grant proposals; one for a Science program and one for a girl’s summer STEM camp. Additionally, I had a part in the successful STEM designation application for Springmill STEM Elementary School during an internship for the city school’s curriculum director. All of these experiences expanded my skills in professional writing and grew my knowledge in the art of grant writing.

After spending the last four years working at a nonprofit that specializes in child development, I’ve had the opportunity to work in all areas of a nonprofit and have enjoyed working closely with children of all ages and backgrounds. From programming, to human resources, to marketing & social media, to fundraising and even budgeting, my experiences make me a leader, and have given me the skills to work in any nonprofit. Although, my passion drives me towards those that support the education and development of our children and youth, like For Love of Children, Inc. (FLOC). I know that I am a promising candidate and would greatly cherish the chance to work for an organization that does such important work as FLOC.

My attached resume provides a more complete account of my qualifications. I would like to further discuss this employment opportunity with you, and can be reached at [phone number] or by email at hammond.383@osu.edu.  Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Suzanna Hammond

In writing a cover letter for a grant writing position, I would include the following content in the body of my letter:

• the position I’m applying for and how I found out about the position
• relevant educational/work experiences and skills, which may include:
  • my successful work with grant-writing at Little Buckeye Children’s Museum and during my internship at the Springmill Learning Center
  • my part in the successful STEM designation application for Springmill STEM Elementary School during a second internship
  • my experience working with a grant writing consultant at Little Buckeye on a successful project
  • a mention of my years of experience working for a nonprofit (and how I understand budgeting and funding for nonprofits)
• how I am a good fit for them (specifically, I would talk about their mission and impact, and how my goals and values align with theirs)
• ask for an interview

This content allows me to highlight my skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job position. It is a brief overview of the kind of work I am capable of. It also lets me paint a picture of how I would fit into their organization and why they need me, specifically. Additionally, it shows my interest in their organization and lets them know I am serious about the position. But more than that, it allows me to express what I like about them, and why I want to be a part of their organization. Finally, it gives me the chance to officially request an interview.