[DATE]
Dear Colleague: [Use personalized greeting whenever possible.]
I am writing to you in regard to an urgent matter.
Cultural programming is an integral part of our library’s community outreach. [Please
include personal information about your experiences with cultural programming or ALAsponsored grants, citing benefits and successes.]
Since 2003, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office has
worked toward building the nation’s first and only endowment to support libraries like
ours in establishing and expanding cultural and community programming. Begun with a
challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the fund now
totals over $1 million, contributed by an impressive list of individual and corporate
supporters.
The Fund is in the final phase of raising matching funds for a challenge grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities, but needs pledges of $310,000 by July 31,
2008, in order to meet the terms of the grant. In short, we are in the homestretch, but we
desperately need your help to reach the finish line.
I encourage you to read the enclosed materials and consider making a gift to the ALA
Cultural Communities Fund. Contributions and pledges made before July 31, 2008, will
not only be matched by NEH, but will also create a permanent, ongoing program that will
strengthen libraries for generations to come.
With so much at stake, I hope you will please [complete the enclosed pledge card* and
return it today/visit www.ala.org/ccf to make a contribution.] Many thanks in advance for
your support!
Sincerely,
[your name]
[title]
*To make a gift or pledge online, please visit www.ala.org/ccf.
[Date]
Dear Library Friend: (Use a personalized greeting whenever possible)
As you may know, the [name of library] was the recipient of [name of grant] which was
sponsored by the American Library Association. Our community benefited from this
grant through [Please include information about your experience with the grant, citing
successes and using numbers and statistics wherever possible.]
Since 2003, the American Library Association (ALA) has worked toward building the
nation’s first and only endowment to support libraries like ours in establishing and
expanding cultural and community programming. Begun with a challenge grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the fund now totals over $1 million,
contributed by an impressive list of individual and corporate supporters.
The Fund is in the final phase of raising matching funds for a challenge grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities, but needs pledges of $310,000 by July 31,
2008, in order to meet the terms of the grant. In short, we are in the “home stretch,” but
we desperately need your help to reach the finish line.
I encourage you to read the enclosed materials and consider making a gift to the ALA
Cultural Communities Fund. Contributions and pledges made before July 31, 2008, will
not only be matched by NEH, but will also create a permanent, ongoing program that will
strengthen libraries for generations to come.
With so much at stake, I hope you will please [complete the enclosed pledge card* and
return it today/visit www.ala.org/ccf to make a contribution.] Many thanks in advance for
your support!
Sincerely,
[your name]
[title]
*To make a gift or pledge online, please visit www.ala.org/ccf.