It hurts (a little and sometimes a lot) when you spend time on a worthy proposal just to have it sent down the tube. Rejection is painful, but writers must keep mind that your proposal was rejected--you weren’t.
Saying thank you is important and I believe it should be done even when you are sent a denial letter. It sounds easy, but how do you say “thank you” to someone who just told you "no"? What impression do you want to leave them with after you've said thanks (for nothin')?
Connecting with the funder via phone or in person is the best and more informative method for learning about why your proposal was rejected. At the big nonprofit shops, it is the role of the gift officer or development director to pursue this meeting. If you can't set a meeting, a letter is a good next option. In the smaller shops, where most Savvy Readers work, you have to wear lots of hats and letters are often the most efficient route. Finally, sometimes phone calls are not “allowed” and writing a letter or email is your only option.
Always try to follow-up after you write a thank you letter--especially if you don't get a response within a few weeks. If you still don't get a response, it's time to move on to next year. Keep the funder in your stewardship strategy file and find ways to incorporate them with your organization in other ways. You might be surprised by the impromptu conversations that come up at events or over coffee. When I write a "thank you for your rejection" letter, this is what I like to say:
Sample Thank You Letter to Funder
Always try to follow-up after you write a thank you letter--especially if you don't get a response within a few weeks. If you still don't get a response, it's time to move on to next year. Keep the funder in your stewardship strategy file and find ways to incorporate them with your organization in other ways. You might be surprised by the impromptu conversations that come up at events or over coffee. When I write a "thank you for your rejection" letter, this is what I like to say:
Sample Thank You Letter to Funder
Dear Mr. Doe:
On behalf of ABC Nonprofit Organization, I want to thank you and the XYZ Foundation for taking the time to review our recent grant proposal for the Community Action Arts Program. We appreciate your consideration of our request and value the work that you do for arts education and at-risk youth.
The Community Action Arts Program is an integral part of ABC Nonprofit Organization’s ability to reach children from underserved and low-income communities. We are actively seeking funding from other partners to support and sustain our efforts in the coming year. In the meantime, we welcome your suggestions as to how we could strengthen our program and our proposal.
While we could not partner with you at this time, we invite you to visit our facilities and see firsthand the difference that philanthropy can make for children and arts education in our community. Our program staff provide tours on a regular basis and would welcome you and your colleagues at your convenience.
Thank you again for your consideration. I will plan to follow up with you soon to explore ways ABC Nonprofit Organization can improve our proposal in the future. Should you require any further information, please feel free to contact me at 212-555-1234 or DevelopmentDirector@ABCNonprofit.org.
Warm regards,
Frank Lee Speakin
Development Director
Whatever the case, I advise you to be thoughtful and remember that your fact-finding thank you mission is designed to achieve two things: 1) Learn how and if you can improve your proposal and correct any mistakes and 2) Continue to have a positive relationship with the funder. Don’t do or say anything that would jeopardize your future opportunities or the reputation of your organization—even if you do feel like stealing their Swingline stapler and taking a baseball bat to their CPUs.
~Cheers!
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