GRANTSOON

Grant cover letter template

A one-page letter that goes on top of your grant proposal. Fill in each part with the guidance and example beside it, then download a Word file or print it on letterhead. A full sample letter is below. Sending a first pitch instead? Use the letter of inquiry template.

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  1. 01Date, address and subject

    Date the letter. Address the program officer by name and title, then the funder's name and address. Add a subject line with the grant program and your project's name.

    Example Ms. Maria Alvarez, Program Officer, Riverside Community Foundation. Re: Community Grants proposal, Saturday Pantry for Working Families.

    [to write]

  2. 02Opening and request

    In the first two sentences: your organization, the amount you are requesting, the project, and the grant program or deadline you are applying to.

    Example Riverside Food Pantry is pleased to submit the enclosed proposal requesting $25,000 for our Saturday Pantry for Working Families, under the Foundation's fall Community Grants round.

    [to write]

  3. 03The project in brief

    Two or three sentences: the need, what you will do and the result you expect. Don't copy the proposal's summary word for word.

    Example Weekday-only hours miss parents who work shifts, and 64 families are waiting for help. Saturday hours will serve 120 families a week and clear the waitlist by June.

    [to write]

  4. 04Why the funder, why you

    Connect the project to the funder's stated priority in its own words, then give one result that shows your organization can deliver.

    Example The project answers the Foundation's priority on food security in Riverside County. Last year our 4 staff and 90 volunteers served 18,400 people.

    [to write]

  5. 05What's enclosed

    List what you are sending, in the order the funder asked for it, so a reviewer can see the package is complete.

    Example Enclosed are the proposal, the project budget, our IRS determination letter, our 2025 audit and two letters of support.

    [to write]

  6. 06Closing and signature

    Thank the funder, name a contact for questions with a phone number and email, and sign as the executive director or board chair. Keep the letter to one page.

    Example Thank you for considering our request. Please contact me at (555) 010-0100 with any questions.

    [to write]

Sample grant cover letter

Cover letter for a foundation proposal, for a made-up organization. Use the button above the sections to start your draft from it.

October 15, 2026

Ms. Maria Alvarez, Program Officer
Riverside Community Foundation
1200 Main Street, Riverside

Re: Community Grants proposal, Saturday Pantry for Working Families

Dear Ms. Alvarez,

Riverside Food Pantry is pleased to submit the enclosed proposal requesting $25,000 for our Saturday Pantry for Working Families, under the Foundation's fall Community Grants round.

Our pantry is open only on weekdays, and those hours miss parents who work retail, warehouse and health-care shifts: 64 families are on our waitlist, and most of them can't come on a weekday. From January through June, we will open every Saturday morning with a new coordinator and a team of 25 weekend volunteers. We expect to serve 120 families each Saturday and clear the waitlist by June 30.

The project answers the Foundation's priority on food security in Riverside County, and the City of Riverside and individual donors have already committed $16,000 toward its $41,000 cost. Since 2011 we have run a client-choice pantry from our Mill Street warehouse; last year our 4 staff and 90 volunteers served 18,400 people.

Enclosed are the proposal narrative, the project budget and budget narrative, our IRS determination letter, our audited financial statements for 2025, our board list, and letters of support from Riverside Unified School District and St. Mark's Community Clinic.

Thank you for considering our request. I would be glad to answer any questions or arrange a visit to the pantry.

Sincerely,
Dana Brooks
Executive Director, Riverside Food Pantry
(555) 010-0100 · [email protected]

Questions

Does every grant proposal need a cover letter?

No. Send one when you mail or email a proposal to a foundation or company, or when the guidelines ask for one. Many online application portals have no place for a letter, and most federal applications on Grants.gov don't use one; follow the funder's checklist.

How long should a grant cover letter be?

One page: four or five short paragraphs. The proposal carries the detail, so the letter only needs the request, the project in brief, why it fits the funder and what's enclosed.

Who should sign the cover letter?

Someone who can commit the organization, usually the executive director or the board chair. Some funders ask for both signatures; a letter signed by the board chair shows the board backs the request.

What's the difference between a cover letter and a letter of inquiry?

A letter of inquiry comes first: a short pitch that asks whether the funder wants a full proposal. A cover letter goes on top of the full proposal when you submit it. If a funder asks for an inquiry first, use the letter of inquiry template.