Day 6/Session 16/Handout 3

(6.16.3)

Exercise for Session 8

Writing a Good Cover Letter

Bear in mind the elements of a good cover letter suggested in the presentation:
(1) Evidence that the writer had the reader in mind
(2) Reference to the donor’s interests and/or related projects
(3) Reference to previous projects on which the proposed new project builds
(4) Reference to previous interactions with the donor
(5) Emphasis on the urgency of the problem
(6) Mention of the number of people who might potentially benefit
(7) Mention of partners and participants, and their eagerness to start the project
soon
(8) A closing “hook” on which you hang your tracking of the proposal after
submission

Now look at the following sample of a good cover letter:

Dear Martin:
It was a pleasure to meet with you during my visit to the EC offices in July, and I look
forward to meeting you again in Washington this October.

We are pleased to enclose two concept notes that have been modeled closely on the
guidelines that we received from your office. We hope you will find them of interest.
Attached to both concept notes are letters of support from our partners expressing their
eagerness to begin work on the projects soon. In line with your funding limits, both
proposals envisage support of less than 2 million ECU over five years.

The first note is a three-country proposal on arresting soil degradation. The project is
designed to have a positive impact on the agricultural productivity of India, Myanmar, and
Vietnam. The impact of the project will be felt by up to 130 million poor farmers, most of
them women. The research will have direct benefits on the conservation and sound
management of farmers’ soil resources throughout the semi-arid areas of Asia. It will
build on a number of projects involving farmer participation in watersheds already in
place in India.

The second note is a proposal to reduce yield losses in groundnut production in sub-
Saharan Africa caused by the rosette disease. Annual losses are estimated at over $155
million. We believe that the potential yield gains from the crop improvement strategies
proposed in the project could be over $120 million. The project is directed at two of the
major groundnut-producing countries in the region: Malawi and Nigeria. A positive
outcome of the project will increase the agricultural income and nutrition of small-holder
farmers, most of whom are women.

Martin, these two proposals are completely in line with EC priorities and follow your
previous interests in crop and natural resources research to benefit the poor
of Asia and Africa. We will look forward to hearing your reactions to these concept notes
when we see you in Washington next month.

Thank you for your continued support for our work. Best wishes,
 Day 6/Session 16/Handout 3
(6.16.3)

Now go through the letter, identifying in numbers where the cover letter contains each of
the eight elements of a good letter. Use the worksheet below to do this.

Then pair up with a neighbor to see if you have the same numbers in the same places.
See if you can identify two suggestions to further improve this cover letter.

Worksheet for Exercise

Dear Martin:

It was a pleasure to meet with you during my visit to the EC offices in July,

and I look forward to meeting you again in Washington this October.

We are pleased to enclose two concept notes that have been modeled

closely on the guidelines that we received from your office. We hope you

will find them of interest. Attached to both concept notes are letters of

support from our partners expressing their eagerness to begin work on the

projects soon. In line with your funding limits, both proposals envisage

support of less than 2 million ECU over five years.

The first note is a three-country proposal on arresting soil degradation. The

project is designed to have a positive impact on the agricultural productivity

of India, Myanmar, and Vietnam. The impact of the project will be felt by up

to 130 million poor farmers, most of them women. The research will have

direct benefits on the conservation and sound management of farmers’ soil

resources throughout the semi-arid areas of Asia. It will build on a number

of projects involving farmer participation in watersheds already in place in

India.
 Day 6/Session 16/Handout 3
(6.16.3)

The second note is a proposal to reduce yield losses in groundnut

production in sub-Saharan Africa caused by the rosette disease. Annual

losses are estimated at over $155 million. We believe that the potential

yield gains from the crop improvement strategies proposed in the project

could be over $120 million. The project is directed at two of the major

groundnut-producing countries in the region: Malawi and Nigeria. A positive

outcome of the project will increase the agricultural income and nutrition of

small-holder farmers, most of whom are women.

Martin, these two proposals are completely in line with EC priorities and

follow your previous interests in crop and natural resources research to

benefit the poor of Asia and Africa. We will look forward to hearing your

reactions to these concept notes when we see you in Washington next

month.

Thank you for your continued support for our work. Best wishes,