Description

Session Overview:

In this session, participants learn how to secure and craft powerful support letters that boost grant proposals. You'll discover how to approach supporters, capture their authentic voice, and manage the process efficiently. By the end, you'll know how to create letters that are heartfelt, strategic, and funder-focused—turning a small detail into a big asset for your applications.

This session provides an in-depth exploration of how to plan, draft, and secure strong, authentic support letters that strengthen grant applications. Participants will learn why support letters matter, how to strategically select and approach letter writers, how to capture their authentic voice, and how to tailor letters to different funder expectations. From initial outreach to final submission, participants will master the art of efficiently managing the support letter process and ensuring that each letter meaningfully contributes to a compelling overall proposal package.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify appropriate support letter sources and align them strategically with program goals, funder expectations, and program narratives.
   
2. Strategize about which supporters to approach for letters based on programmatic relevance and funder alignment.
   
3. Conduct effective interviews with letter writers to capture authentic language, tone, and meaningful content.
   
4. Draft customized support letters that reflect the perspective of the supporter while advancing the nonprofit’s funding case.
   
5. Manage the timeline, communication, and review process to secure timely support letters with minimal delays.
   
6. Recognize differences in tone and style needed depending on the supporter’s background (e.g., youth, elected officials, professionals).
   
7. Apply best practices for editing, reviewing, and repurposing support letters while maintaining funder-specific relevance.
   
8. Analyze the differences between generic vs. tailored support letters by reviewing real-world examples and apply these lessons to improve future letters.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER 

Deja Hasness, BSN, ONC, GPC has ten years of experience as a Certified Orthopedic Registered Nurse and Clinical Nurse Manager, Deja brings a unique clinical lens to her role at GDS. Her experience in healthcare fostered a passion for public health and preventative medicine, with a particular focus on health equity. As the GDS Client and Funder Relations Manager, Deja conducts best-practice research, aggregates existing community and industry data, serves as a client liaison, facilitates the development and presentation of webinars, in-person trainings, and grantee orientations, moderates community convenings, and conducts key informant interviews with community leaders and residents to generate support documents for grant applications and program evaluation. She lends her clinical skillset to our health-based clients, influencing program design and generating proposal narrative. Deja also enjoys volunteering for local nonprofit organizations in her hometown of Houston, where she is a community advocate for education equity.