An application for a grant is correspondence that seeks to obtain the interest and approval of a prospective benefactor, usually an established company or institute. The company oftentimes seeks to plow back earnings to the community and uphold its commitment to corporate social responsibility. In this type of letter, the noteworthy projects and core activities of the organization seeking to obtain a grant are indicated.

The letter of application for a grant may request for materials and/or funding, and is usually signed by the requesting organization’s director or operations coordinator. Such a letter must be complete and carefully thought out. It needs to include information the timeline for projects and activities that will be supported by the grant.

Here is a sample letter of application for a grant from a non-governmental organization:

Sample Application Letter

28 May 2010
Mr. Duke of Richmond
Head
Sussex Community Foundation
American Express (AMEX)
Amex House, Edward Street
Brighton, New York

Dear Mr. Richmond:

Greetings.

We are a child sponsorship organization catering to the needs of disadvantaged children in Metro Manila and Bulacan, Philippines. Children International Philippines – Abot Kamay, Inc. has been in existence since 1990, and we aim to help empower needy children by providing them with educational opportunities that will help them overcome the vicious cycle of poverty. We are writing to request for a $50,000 grant to assist the educational needs of children hailing from the poorest of the poor in the communities that we serve.

The grant will be highly beneficial in the construction of much-needed classrooms and the installation of personal computers in Metro Manila, Caloocan, and Bulacan. Some 5,000 to 7,000 poor but deserving students, whose schooling is supported by Children International, will be the main benefactors of this school project.

We laud your organization for awarding grants, through your foundation. It will surely go a long way in extending help and empowering many poor people in depressed communities across the world.
We are sending you our organization’s five-year plan, and we hope you will consider the poor children that we sponsor among your grant beneficiaries. For further information about our organization, kindly visit our website.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours,

CYNTHIA TIOTUYCO
Executive Director
Children International-Philippines