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Writing a great cover letter is a critical step to landing your dream nonprofit job.
If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t worry—we can help! In this article, you’ll learn what a nonprofit cover letter is, the key elements to include in your cover letter, and how to write one that will help your application stand out.
We’re even going to give you a few cover letter templates for nonprofit jobs!
Ready? Let’s go!
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Let’s start with the basics—what exactly is a nonprofit cover letter?
A nonprofit cover letter is a letter that gives job candidates the opportunity to detail their relevant skills, experience, and knowledge to the organization to which they are applying.
It’s important to remember that a cover letter is different from a resume. When applying for jobs, you will likely be asked to submit both a resume and a cover letter.
A resume should outline your professional work experiences and relevant skills, including details like the dates and locations of your prior jobs. The formatting of a resume is much different, and typically uses bullet points and lists instead of longform writing.
A cover letter, on the other hand, is a one-page letter in which you get the chance to brag about yourself and make a compelling case in writing as to why you are a great fit for the job. You get to showcase your skills, experiences, and even your personality in your cover letter.
Since nonprofit work is usually very mission-driven, it’s especially important to use your cover letter to show potential future employers how committed you are to the mission and vision of their organization.
Every cover letter should be unique and should directly respond to the job posting for which you are applying.
However, it is important to include the following three key elements in each and every cover letter that you submit. These elements can help you organize your cover letter so that it is clear, concise, and easy-to-read.
The first key element is the introduction. In this part of the cover letter, you should introduce yourself and express your interest in the specific position for which you are applying. You can also use the introduction to demonstrate familiarity with the organization’s mission, vision, and work. You can even share why the nonprofit’s work is important to you.
Remember—the introduction is your first opportunity to catch the attention of the reader. You can take some creative liberties in this section and mention something that you know makes you stand out (maybe you attended the same university as the recruiter, or maybe you met the recruiter at a job fair previously).
The next part of the cover letter is the body. This is where you get to show off!
You should use this space to explain why you are the best fit for the job. In this section, you should share some skills and professional experiences that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. However, it’s not enough to just mention your skills—you need to show the reader that you can apply those skills in a professional setting.
For example, if you want to highlight your grant writing skills, you could say:
In my current role as a grant writer for XZY Food Bank, I have secured $1.5 million in funding to support our work through various foundation grants, as well as state and federal grants.
If you want to highlight your experience working in volunteer recruitment, you could say:
As an experienced volunteer recruiter and manager, I have overseen volunteer recruitment, training, and management. In my current role, I’ve developed a robust volunteer training program as well as a volunteer recognition program to ensure that volunteers are acknowledged for their incredible work.
The goal of this part of the cover letter is to convince the reader that you are capable of doing the job and that you would be successful in the role if you were hired.
The last key piece to any cover letter is the conclusion.
In this section, you should reiterate your interest in the position and mention any follow-up actions you plan to take in regard to your application.
For example, you could mention that you will call and follow up within a week, etc. You can also provide your contact information and share your availability for an interview. Lastly, you should always thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration.
If you’re still wondering what a cover letter looks like, this is the section for you!
In this section, we’re going to provide you with a few templates that can serve as inspiration as you begin writing your own cover letter. Specifically, here’s what you’ll find in this section:
We’ve discussed what a cover letter is, as well as the key elements that you should include in your own cover letter. Next, we’re going to share a couple of tips with you that you should keep in mind as you begin writing. Let’s go!
There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” cover letter. It’s important to customize each cover letter that you write so that it is directly addressing the specific job to which you are applying
It may be tempting to copy and paste your cover letter from one job application to the next, but that is not a good idea! Maximize your opportunity to showcase your skills and talents by adapting each cover letter to address each individual job.
Do your research on the organization to which you are applying before you begin writing. See if you can figure out the name of the recruiter that is in charge of hiring for the position, or the names of the managers to which the position will report. Address the cover letter to those individuals, when possible, rather than using a generic salutation such as To Whom it May Concern, or Dear Human Resources Director.
Also be sure to tie in key details about the organization to demonstrate that you are familiar with their work and to illustrate to the recruiting team that you’ve done some homework. You can mention why you support the organization’s mission and vision, how you have engaged with or supported that organization in the past, or something about the organization’s work that really impresses you.
Remember—nonprofit work is mission-driven, so it’s important to show that you are passionate about and committed to the cause that the organization supports.
Make sure you proofread your letter several times. It doesn’t matter how impressive your experience is, if your cover letter is filled with grammar and spelling errors, that could result in an immediate rejection!
If grammar and spelling aren’t your strongest areas, you can recruit a friend, family member, or mentor to review it for you before you submit. The more people who review it, the better!
As we mentioned, your cover letter should not exceed one page.
Hiring managers are inundated with candidates, so they have limited time to spend reading cover letters. Your goal is to make a big impact in a short amount of space. Use the three key elements we provided above as a framework for your cover letter to help you keep it short and sweet.
We’ve reviewed what a cover letter is, why it’s important, and gave you a few tips to keep in mind as you begin crafting your own cover letter. We even gave you four different templates that you can use and adapt to meet your own needs!
At this point, you’ve got everything you need to craft a compelling, successful cover letter. Happy job-seeking!
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