Sample Letters to Request Support

Please modify for your purposes or write your own. Think carefully about the framing of these letters and the people you are sending them to – you may want to add, delete, or change words based on the responses you are likely to receive. PLEASE personalize them – the more personal and about you, the more effective.

Letter #1: This letter is designed as a formal request to someone who is skeptical of global warming but is conscious of energy and economic issues.

Dear ____,

            I'm writing to you to ask for your support for my participation in a program this summer being put on by Global Exchange and the youth climate movement called the Summer of Solutions. The work we will do, with your support, will address the two most pressing news issues these days: the economy and the war in Iraq. The economy is in recession, unemployment is rising, gas prices have soared, and our nation depends on oil which is becoming harder and harder for us to supply. This summer, young leaders from across the nation will be working together in St. Paul, learning the community development skills necessary to help our communities adjust to tight energy supplies and create economic opportunity by making our neighborhoods energy smart. In an era of tight energy supplies and a troubled economy, I want to spend my summer helping address these issues that we as a national community are facing.

            In St. Paul over the past two years students have been heavily involved in building initiatives to address these issues and create an efficient society that creates prosperity by using energy wisely, supports economic justice by opening opportunities for entrepreneurship in the energy transition to all, making our energy infrastructure more sustainable, and reducing our dependency on fossil energy. These projects should not be limited to the upper Midwest. This is the kind of work we need to be doing nation-wide.

            Therefore, I'm writing to ask your support of Summer Solutions, a training program for college and high-school youth in St. Paul, MN in the months of June-July. Summer Solutions will provide me with the skills I need to build community and renew local economies while linking me with a network of other supportive youth leaders.

            In order to attend the Summer of Solutions, I need to pay my cost of living and part of my fall tuition (YOU decide whether to list a $#, but keep in mind that any support you can provide for others is greatly appreciated) since I won’t be working in June and July, so I’m asking for your financial support. Could you please donate (YOU can insert a specific amount or say “whatever you can” depending on how the potential funder will respond) so I can participate in this program? If you're willing to support me, as well as many other youth from across the country, there are two options for who to make the check out to. Please make checks out to Global Exchange if it is necessary that your contribution be tax-deductible. If you are not concerned with an end of the year tax write off, you should make the checks payable to Grand Aspirations.

            Read on below to see (YOU can attach program descrips or etc. that we provide) the attached documents for more info about the program.

Thanks for any help you can provide …

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

Letter #2: This letter is designed as a formal request to a generally supportive person who may not be all that excited about the project, but would want to help you.

Dear ____,

            I'm writing to ask for your support of my participation in the Summer of Solutions, a summer training program around building a sustainable economy in St. Paul Minnesota being put on by Global Exchange, an international non-profit organization.  Young leaders across the country are converging this summer to work together to build the skills that will allow us to create solutions to the climate and energy crises. The program uses a people-power frame, affirming our ability as youth to make the key connections between entrepreneurs and policy, labor and environmentalists, and basically everyone else to make the changes we need to see. The Summer of Solutions allows us to work together as students, teachers, collaborators, friends, and co-workers to get a just, sustainable, and prosperous energy society off the ground. 

            This summer youth will be working in Minnesota, taking classes, and receiving training in organizing skills working with the climate movement to learn the skills needed to foster sustainable community development across the country. The organizing team – led by students from the area - has built and led pioneering efforts in this field and is inviting students from all across the country to join in, learn from, and advance this work. I want to be there with other youth working on initiatives to boost the economy and bring jobs back to our cities, cut our nation's dependence on oil, and build new forms of development that revitalize clean industry and build the infrastructure for renewable energy sources. More importantly, I’ll be learning the techniques, organizing skills, and mechanisms to implement solutions to global warming and the energy crisis in (list communities/ regions you live/go to school).

            While the program itself is free, I have to figure out how to pay my cost of living (OPTIONAL): and also make money to pay for fall tuition since I won’t be working June and July. Each person attending is currently working to fundraise to support their participation. I’m asking for any financial contribution you can make to my participation this summer, and whats even better your support is tax-deductible if you want it to be. The Summer of Solutions is trying to bring as many people from as many different backgrounds as possible, including those who don't have access to the financial resources that I do. Please give generously – any extra fundraising above my needs will provide scholarships to those who are unable to raise enough.

             If you want your donation to be tax-deductible, make checks out to Global Exchange. If you're not concerned with the end of the year tax write-off, then make the check out to Grand Aspirations.

            I need your support to participate in this summer program and make it as amazing as it can be. Please see the attached documents (YOU can attach program descrips or etc. that we provide) for a more detailed description of the program I am asking you to support and spread the word to anyone you think can help.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

  

Letter #3: This letter is an informal ask to people who you think will be excited about the kinds of work we are doing, and understands the importance of this kind of work.

Hi ____,

             I'm writing to ask for your help in the creation of a new society, a clean energy society. We need to build a society that is Climate Positive, a phrase the youth climate movement is using to convey a society that is environmentally sustainable, socially just, economically prosperous, and innovative enough to build a positive and inclusive vision for society even as we skillfully avoid the worst tipping points of the climate and energy crises.

             That’s the big picture of what we're trying to do, at least.

             What I'm really asking is for you to help me out in planning and success of a summer program based at Macalester College in St. Paul sponsored by Global Exchange this summer called the Summer of Solutions. The first thing you can do to help is to encourage anyone you know who would be interested to get contact with the folks in Minnesota. Here's an idea of what we're doing so you can give people a gist to see if they would want to come:

             The plan is to have as many young people as possible, from anywhere, working with young climate movement leaders doing sustainable community development to build a new future for this country. We'll be spending a total of two months working together in the Midwest with a home-base in St. Paul. We'll work mostly in the Twin cities, but spend a week in Michigan working with Global Exchange, a week in training with the Sierra Student Coalition in upper Minnesota, camping on the upper peninsula, and then to return (for those who are able) to Minnesota in August, where all three organizations will take positive action addressing climate change and politics at the Republican National Convention. It's gonna be awesome!

             The second thing I'm asking for is any donation you can offer to help fund Summer Solutions. I'm raising money now, during the school year to be able to pay for rent and food (OPTIONAL: and fall tuition, since I won’t be getting paid while I'm working in the Twin Cities). The money I raise is not only for me. A major component of Summer So_ulutions is to bring as many people into the discussion and learning process, so any extra money I raise will serve a scholarship for others who don't have the financial opportunities that I do. I'm honestly looking for as much as I can get, so anything you can offer will help. 

             You can see (YOU can attach program descrips or etc. that we provide) the attached documents if you want to know more about the kinds of the work and growth you'll foster if you can help me out.  We have so much power if we can get a broad base of people nationwide working together on projects like these: your assistance is just as important as our actions. Please read on to see the ways youth are working to change the world.

            I want to be a part of this but need your help to do so, so I appreciate any help you can provide! If I have your support, please make checks payable to Grand Aspiraitons. If it is necessary that your donation be tax-deductible, then make the check out to Global Exchange, a non-profit with 501c3 status.

Thanks!