Bad News Letter
The Audubon Naturalist Society has just been turned down for a $50,000 environmental
education grant (The Sloan Foundation) that would've helped the organization add a
number of new education opportunities to its Summer 2011 K-12 program. ANS was one
of 100 different program applicants and unfortunately, the proposal did not meet all of
the requirements.
Michael J. Murphy's job application was one of 250 other applications for the same
position of Program Manager. While his qualifications certainly met the advertised
requirements, there were others in the applicant pool more qualified for the position.
Jennifer Rushkin's interview didn't go as well as planned. Yes, she was qualified for the
Program Management position. However, after much consideration, it appears that one of
the other interview candidates met or exceeded expectations with regards to both
qualifications and interpersonal skills. In other words, the other person interviewed better.
On the bright side, with her background in web design she's exactly what the Arlington
Office is looking for.
Tomas Moscarro sent in a manuscript that represented the last five years of his life's
research. Unfortunately, the publishing firm sees the same manuscript as yet another in a
long line of badly revised dissertations rather than a manuscript ready for a mainstream
audience interested in Tomas's field of interest—Dante’s Inferno.
Harold R. Stout has been trying to get someone in the Home Owners Association to pick
up on his idea that a community clothes closet might be a good one. However, the HOA
is feeling the crunch of budget cuts in addition to the financial hit caused by an
excessively expensive winter season.
Picking one of these various scenarios, your job is to write up a letter that breaks the bad
news to the subject of the scenario.
Do not forget the standard aspects of writing the letter—dates, names, addresses, titles,
salutations, and closings.
Due Dates:
First Draft 3/30
Second Draft 4/1