Employer sponsorship – Demonstrate and explain to your employers that you will gain information and skills from this program that you can apply to your job.

Civic support – Speak to groups about your experience in return for a donation.

People to People Chapter assistance – Members may be eligible for financial backing. For details on joining or forming a chapter, visit www.ptpi.org.

Grants and loans – Present a proposal on the delegation purpose, your goals, and the funding you seek. The following sources can be found at your local library or bookstore. We suggest you locate the latest editions:

Foundation Grants to Individuals
The Foundation Center
79 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003-3076

The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing
The Foundation Center

79 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003-3076

Program Planning and Proposal Writing
The Grantsmanship Center
Dept. DD
P.O. Box 17220
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Tax deductions – Check with your own tax advisor or financial consultant to see if a deduction is possible, based on your own financial situation.

Raising Funds for Your Program  Top

Becoming a People to People Citizen Ambassador opens the door to experiencing new cultures and viewing your profession through another’s eyes. Here are a few examples of delegates who raised funds for their participation:

• One delegate who wanted to travel on a program to China went to her church for help. The congregation put on a Chinese dinner, charged per plate, and donated the profits to the cost of the program.
   

• A class of third-graders voluntarily produced a puppet show, charged admission, and presented the proceeds to help cover expenses for a special education teacher.
   

• A Women’s Conference delegate gained funding support by giving talks, after returning from China, to groups such as her local League of Women Voters chapter.

The Process of Gaining Sponsorship  Top
Your primary goal in contacting potential funders is to build a relationship leading to the funding of your proposal. The better your funders know you and your goals, the better chance you have of being funded.

Inquire  Top
Your first contact with your future funders should be through a phone call or by letter. Most funders prefer a letter of inquiry; however, an initial phone call can help you determine whether the organization is willing to consider funding your participation.

Be prepared to submit your proposal immediately after contacting your potential funders.

Letter of Inquiry Format  Top
A letter of inquiry is your first chance to introduce yourself to your future funders. The letter should be informative and concise. The following is a sample format you may find helpful:

1. Introduction – Include one-sentence summaries explaining who you are and what you want.
    

2. Goals to be achieved – Illustrate what you hope to achieve through participation in the program. Show how it will benefit not only you, but also others in your community.
    

3. Why this organization – Explain why you have approached the organization.
    

4. What you want – Describe how much you need and what it will be used for. Include all costs: program costs, the cost of the flight to the briefing city, and estimated additional out-of-pocket expenses.
    

5. Summary and thank you – Indicate that you will be calling to make an appointment to further discuss the project. Ask for any information they have available so you can prepare for your meeting. Thank them for their time.
    

Sample Letter of Inquiry  Top

Dear Mr. Smith:

A delegation of child welfare professionals will travel to the People’s Republic of China this spring with People to People Ambassador Programs. I have been invited, as an accomplished professional in the field, to participate. I am writing to determine your interest in sponsoring my participation.

People to People Citizen Ambassador Programs arranges substantive professional exchanges. As a delegation member, I will have an opportunity to share my technical expertise and discuss new approaches and ideas with my counterparts in China. Our community will benefit from my participation as I gain insight into the solutions other countries and communities have developed in response to problems similar to those we face. I will be developing a lecture describing my experiences, and I will be pleased to present this to interested state and county agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations that deal with child welfare in our community.

Your organization has shown a strong commitment to child welfare issues. I hope you will give this project your consideration.

I will be paying my incidental costs for this program, but I ask your assistance in funding the program costs including my transportation to San Francisco. The program costs are estimated as $XXXX, and a round-trip flight from XXXXX to San Francisco will cost $XXX.

I appreciate your time. I will be calling shortly to ask for an appointment. Please send me any information you have concerning application to receive funding support.

Thank you.


Make a proposal  Top
Once the targeted sponsor has responded positively to your inquiry, your proposal should be finished and ready for their review. If your targeted funders have required guidelines regarding applying for funding support, you must follow them. Here are our suggestions for writing this important document:

1. Cover letter  Top
   Begin with a cover letter that reminds them of who you are and briefly describes the content of the proposal.
    

2. Proposal introduction  Top
   Writing your introduction paragraph will be the most important part of your proposal. Keep in mind that a strong, concise introduction will be the first portion read, and funding applications might be screened on the basis of this paragraph alone. You should also fill your writing with interesting points and descriptions to keep your readers engaged. Overall, your proposal should contain what you can draw out of a program of this nature and what you can bring back to your employer and/or community.
   
   Your introduction paragraph can include the following:

• a statement regarding the purpose of the delegation
   

• personal goals you hope to attain through the program
   

• total program costs and dollar amount you hope the targeted sponsor can donate toward your expenses
   

• mention that you have enclosed a copy of the invitation you received to become a member of the delegation

3. Establish credibility  Top
   The paragraphs following your introduction should establish credibility. Credibility can be established by talking about your personal accomplishments and People to People Citizen Ambassador Programs’ successful 50-year history of sending projects overseas.
   
   Now that you’ve established your credibility, it’s time to give reasons why you should take part in this professional program overseas. The reasons should reflect what you are capable of giving back to your community or your employer. These reasons could take the shape of lectures given to civic groups, new classroom projects for students, or the establishment of new business contacts—all areas you can pursue after you return home.
   
   One good way to show your program costs are worth covering is by giving your targeted sponsors letters of endorsement from respected peers or employers. Ideally, these letters should be written to the sponsor in question and sound positive about your strengths.
    

4. Conclusion  Top
   For your conclusion, go back to the points in your introduction and reiterate them. The conclusion should be similar to the opening paragraph so that your request is clear.