Personal Versus Personality
You want your cover letter to be personal and have a personality, by which I mean a distinctive point of view. Don’t be afraid to be dramatic:
The Community Food Bank prevents a thousand of the community’s least fortunate members from going hungry every day.
HOW TO SAY IT
We’ve all received those magazine sweepstakes mailings that repeat our names every few lines in boldface type. That kind of personalization is out of place in grant writing. Avoid overusing the funder’s name in the letter and proposal other than when thanking them, referring to past or anticipated support, or possibly referring to something in their guidelines or one of their publications.
And don’t be afraid to praise your charity’s work:
The Community Food Bank does more than any other agency in the city to prevent hunger.
But avoid blatant overstatements, claims that you could never quantify, and exclamation points.
The Community Food Bank has transformed the lives of thousands, making them better, more productive citizens!
The cover letter must have a style and a personality that makes it human. Never forget that this is a personal communication.
If the executive director knows the recipient well, she might want to add a personal note about a recent social occasion or inquire about a spouse or child. I think these comments are best done in a handwritten note accompanying the proposal rather than making them part of the formal cover letter that a number of other people will read.
Handwritten notes on the cover letter itself, however, provide an important personal touch. A note such as “Thanks again for inviting this proposal,” or “It was good seeing you at the mayor’s awards ceremony last week” warms up the letter without making it overly personal.
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