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Business / Order Processing — Comments Off on Sample Letter for Cancellation of Order, Goods Not Received
14
Aug 21

Sample Letter for Cancellation of Order, Goods Not Received

Dear

Pursuant to our purchase order #: ________________ dated ________________, our Company agreed to purchase certain goods and/or services.  However, our Company has not received the goods and/or services as of the cancellation date and therefore gives you a final notice of cancellation of this purchase order.                   .

This cancellation does not affect any other purchase orders our Company has with you.  Should you have any questions, please contact us at our address.

Yours very truly,

_____________

Authorized Employee

Cancellation of Order, Goods Not Received – Review list

This review list is provided to inform you about the document in question and assist you in its preparation.

1. A buyer’s right to cancel a contract for goods is determined by the contract and the law.  The governing law in most states is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).  Make sure that you are legally entitled to cancel the contract before sending this notice.  The best grounds available under the UCC are time-specific ones, such as going past a cancellation date.  If the goods are not made for your specific use, this is notice is usually enough to end the issue.  If the goods are made to your specific specification, and the Seller has nowhere else to sell them, then you have a more troubling issue that good negotiations can usually resolve.  This is the most benign kind of notice because it merely cancels this one order but does not affect others or disrupt the overall relationship.

2. This notice is typically sent when the goods called for in the contract are not delivered.  If the goods were received but do not conform to the contract, you should send our Rejection of Non-Conforming Goods Notice.  This Notice must be sent timely to ensure the buyer’s rights and remedies are not lost.  The term of art is that both parties must act properly to mitigate or lessen, each other’s potential losses.  This is a good faith common-sense approach that Courts vigorously review should litigation occur (e.g., “Did the party or parties act reasonably to protect the interests of the other?”  And so on and so on).

3. This notice is designed for use with the purchase of “goods” (i.e., tangible personal property such as furniture, supplies and other such items).  It does not include real estate or intangible property (i.e., copyrights, software and other intellectual property).

4. Keep a copy of this letter in your Vendor file.  The frequent requirement to use this letter should suggest seeking another vendor to fulfil your business requirements and provides evidence of bad performance on their part for any legal ramifications that may arise out of their attempt to make late deliveries.  As a practical matter, you can often use this letter to obtain extended payment terms in return for you accepting late goods, assuming you can use them.  Occasionally, you can often get a price concession for acceptance of late goods.

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Business — Comments Off on Sample letter for Cancellation of Agreement, Contract, Lease, Rental
14
Aug 21

Sample letter for Cancellation of Agreement, Contract, Lease, Rental

Sample letter for cancellation of agreement, contract, lease, rental, estate or any other type. Explain the reasons for the breach and demand the damages.

Dear ________________:

You are hereby officially notified and put on notice that our contract dated ___________, termed the __________________ Agreement is cancelled for cause as a result of your breaches, as described in the Agreement itself.

Among the breaches are the following:  

You are further notified and put on notice as required by UCC regulations that any obligation to make further performance under the Agreement is terminated, and that the right to proceed against you because of your breach of the Agreement is not waived.

You are further notified that as a result of your breach of the Agreement, we have suffered damages in the amount of  $ __________________, computed as follows:

We expect you will make good on these damages and will expect to receive them within the next 30 days.  If this is not possible, please contact us to set up a payment schedule so we can avoid legal expenses on both sides.

Yours very truly,

_______________

Authorized Employee

Cancellation of Agreement, Contract, Lease, Rental – Review List

This review list is provided to inform you about the document in question and assist you in its preparation.

  1. Prepare this letter and send it, along with the underlying contract, to your lawyer. Rarely does an agreement cancellation go uncontested.  Since litigation takes an extended period of time, unless settled along the way, it is very expensive to act in haste and repent at leisure, as the old cliché goes.  This letter is generally used as the initial tactic to get out of an agreement.  You need to consult your lawyer, and a litigation lawyer if suggested by your lawyer, about the best way to proceed. 
  • A buyer’s right to cancel an agreement is determined by the contract itself and the law in general.  The governing law in most states is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).  Make sure that you are legally entitled to cancel the contract before sending this notice.  You need to consult a lawyer to get proper answers to this question.  In many cases, as one would expect, the answers are ambiguous.  In those cases, you must weigh the business and legal ramifications of your decision; consulting with your attorney on this is usually a vital component of a satisfactory conclusion.
  • In summary, these kinds of letters tend to be tactical approaches to resolve a business situation.  As a rule, no solution is satisfactory to both parties.  You must try to seek out a solution that is the least painful and most acceptable to the parties.  As we often say in our Negotiations Handbook CD, “It was a perfect compromise; both parties were equally unhappy with the result.”
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Solicitations — Comments Off on Responding Positively
01
Dec 10

Responding Positively







Guidelines : Responding Positively

Responding Positively to Solicitations

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

  • Express interest in and appreciation for the organization and the cause.
  • Through the years, we have encountered many success stories from those you’ve helped to find life-changing skills.
  • The name of your organization is certainly on the lips of anyone who has followed the plight of the homeless in our community.
  • Because of agency efforts like yours, we as citizens can be proud of our community.
  • You’ve done an admirable job through the years of providing relief for local disaster victims.
  • Morris Chapman, one of our employees, speaks very highly of your efforts toward the prevention of drug abuse. Upon his suggestion, we are enclosing….
  • We are pleased to know your organization is directing its attention toward the need for better mental health care in our community.
  • Thank you for contacting us about the opportunity to help in the restoration of such a rich cultural site as the Nateson Building.
  • We appreciate the attention your organization is focusing on literacy. The plans you describe in your letter will be a welcome relief to many who have difficulty functioning in our complex world.
  • We appreciate the fine work you’ve been doing in our community–for the friends and families of our employees and our corporate neighbors.
  • Your cause is a worthy one that deserves attention from all corporations interested in an educated workforce for the future.
  • State what amount you are pledging or forwarding. If you’re contributing time, be specific about the hours you can volunteer on what days of the week or month.
  • We are enclosing our check for $500 in support of your cause.
  • We are pleased to present to you our $1,000 check for underwriting your efforts with the hospices in the region.
  • Our check for $1,000 will, we hope, help you in supplying the necessary medical equipment.
  • We hope you can use our contribution of $1,000 (enclosed) to alleviate the suffering of some individual with this dread disease.
  • We are pledging our donation of $1,000 to fund the restoration project.
  • For your expansion plans, you can count on our support in the amount of $1,000. We’ve gladly signed the enclosed pledge card.
  • I will be happy to donate a half-day (four or five hours) on the third Saturday of each month.
  • I can volunteer to work the hotline in the early morning hours any time between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Tuesdays.
  • I will be happy to help serve on the project committee with the duties you outlined in your letter.
  • Distinguish between a personal contribution and a corporate one.
  • Although my company cannot contribute at this time, please accept my personal check for $50.
  • My organization is pleased to enclose a check for $500 toward your worthy efforts.
  • On behalf of our organization, I am enclosing our corporate check for $375.
  • Wish the organization success with the campaign for funds or volunteers.
  • We wish you every success in meeting your goal of $1 million.
  • We commend your efforts and wish you success in raising the funds.
  • We appreciate your organization and the fine work you as staff do there. God grant you success in this most recent effort.
  • Thank you for your commitment to eradicate drugs from our schools.
  • Thank you for caring about the plight of our homeless citizens. We wish you success.
  • We wish you success in getting the dollars and donated time you need to carry on this important work.
  • Your efforts deserve our support–both monetary and otherwise. Thank you for your successes.
  • We appreciate your work toward this goal. May you be successful in all you attempt for this worthwhile cause.
  • For all your efforts on behalf of the homeless, we thank you. We wish you success in this current fund-raising project.
  • We have every confidence you’ll meet your goals.
  • We wish you every success in these efforts.
  • Thank you for your commitment to this project; I wish you success.

Example 1: Reply positively to solicitations request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Johnson:

Your efforts to raise scholarship funds to help young people interested in the social sciences reflect a growing awareness that not all the world’s problems can be solved through scientific or mathematical formulas.

We are happy to enclose our check for $2,000 to the scholarship fund. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to contribute to this educational effort and the long-term mental and spiritual health of our community. We commend your foresightedness and work.

Sincerely,

Example 2: Accept letter for donation,

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Sanders:

We are very pleased about your establishing the Echert Scholarship Fund. Such an effort accomplishes two wonderful purposes: a memorial to a marvelous civic leader and a method to contribute to the education of deserving students.

Our company check for $1,000 and my personal check for $50 are enclosed. We sincerely thank you for the opportunity to contribute to someone’s life in this way.

Best wishes in building the program and providing greater resources for future years.

Cordially,

Example 3: Accept request for donation

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mrs. Alvarez:

You should be very proud of the tremendous work you do for the people of Chicago. Young Minds Literary Program is one of the most innovative literacy projects in the country today.

To show our support, 16 of our partners and associates have each agreed to spend ten hours volunteering to help train youth tutors at Chicago Public Library on weekends. We have enclosed a list of names, phone numbers, and dates of the volunteers available.

We wish you the very best in expanding your adult literacy program and your English language classes. Young Minds fills a great need in our community using one of our greatest resources—our young people.

Sincerely,

Example 4: Positive response to fund request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Cappelli:

We were pleased to receive your letter detailing the efforts of the Clean Break Foundation to fight drug addiction. We agree that one of the best ways to keep people off drugs is to give them other viable options. Your job training and placement program is accomplishing just that. And your ultimate goal to have participants run a cleaning business shows a real commitment to making your program an asset to the community.

It is our pleasure to support the Foundation with the enclosed check for $2,500. We hope this will help get your project off the ground and move you toward self-sufficiency.

We admire your dedication and energetic efforts you have displayed to the Clean Break Foundation. You have an excellent plan, and we are confident you will meet your goals.

Sincerely,

Example 5: Solicitations letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Marsh:

We commend Wakefield Little League Association for providing the city’s youth summer recreation for so many years. Learning to be a part of a team is an important part of growing up. In fact, several of our employees learned that lesson as members of a Wakefield baseball or softball team when they were youngsters.

Marion Technology would be proud to sponsor two teams, one under-15 hardball and one under-15 softball, for the upcoming season. Enclosed is a check for $500 to cover the costs for both teams.

Thank you for teaching our children the joys of learning good sportsmanship. We look forward to rooting for Marion Technology’s teams this summer.

Sincerely,

Solicitations — Comments Off on Responding Negatively
01
Dec 10

Responding Negatively







Guidelines : Responding Negatively

Responding Negatively to Solicitations

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

  • Begin with a neutral opening, stating you have considered the request.
  • We have received your letter about support for the local YMCA summer program.
  • Thank you for writing us to present your fund-raising goals for the rebuilding of Hague Street.
  • Thank you for letting us know of your needs for funding further research.
  • We thank you for writing us about the opportunity to contribute to the Maxim Foundation for Social Research.
  • The project for restoring Milton Square to attract tourists has interesting possibilities.
  • We admire your dedication and tenacity in your ongoing efforts on behalf of the local Heart Fund.
  • Agree on the worthwhile efforts of the organization making the request, if possible.
  • The museum project you contacted us about sounds wonderfully educational.
  • The work you are doing with the Boy Scouts sounds both fascinating and educational.
  • We have received your letter about expansion at the children’s home; your plans sound exciting and will obviously afford the needed room to house more abuse victims.
  • We hear from time to time about the successes you are having in your counseling centers.
  • We agree these people are very deserving.
  • We are happy to learn your organization has taken on the responsibility to see something is done about these community problems.
  • Your efforts with these deserving groups should be appreciated by all of us who want our children to grow up in a safe, healthy community.
  • Begin with your reason, and then state your decision not to contribute on this occasion.
  • We have asked our committee to review all the requests we have received from excellent organizations such as yours, and the members have chosen to support those they feel most worthy. We regret we have contributed our available funds elsewhere this year.
  • As you are probably aware, so many fine organizations such as yours come to us for financial help each year, and we find great difficulty in deciding which causes are most deserving. This year we have allocated most of our funds to the three local drug-rehabilitation facilities.
  • Because we’ve already overextended our budget for charitable causes this year, we simply cannot help you out this time.
  • We’ve found our own funds for worthwhile causes such as yours have had to be directed to helping some of our own employee families through this difficult economic time.
  • As you can probably imagine, we receive hundreds of requests for funds each year, and, as much as we’d like to, we simply cannot respond to all of them.
  • Our committee for earmarking our charitable contributions has directed our funds toward different organizations this year.
  • Our policy is to contribute five percent of our profits to charitable contributions, and we already reached that point earlier in our fiscal year.
  • We don’t mean to offend you and your noble intentions, but our organization simply does not agree with the tenets of your organization and its programs.
  • We wish we could feel more positively toward your fund-raising efforts, but I’m afraid we disagree with the organization’s philosophies and basic interests. Therefore, we must decline to underwrite this current effort.
  • In our organization we have a policy to match every employee’s personal donation with one of our own to the same organization. Therefore, the list of those who receive our contributions is determined by the wishes of our employees individually in their personal giving.
  • We wish we could contribute to your cause, but we simply don’t have funds available this year to do so.
  • Express your good wishes for the organization and the successful fund-raising/volunteer campaign if you agree with the cause.
  • We wish you the best in your efforts.
  • We hope you meet your goal; your cause is entirely worthwhile.
  • You have our best wishes for raising the funds to meet this literacy need.
  • We wish you success in soliciting the volunteers who can help you meet this great need.
  • We appreciate all you’re doing on behalf of the community, and we wish you success in this most recent undertaking.
  • Your organization meets a great need in the community; we wish you success in your fund-raising efforts.
  • Your organization can make a big difference in the lives of the needy; we wish you success in this effort.
  • You have our thoughts and prayers in your efforts.
  • Your plan sounds feasible and sound. We wish you success with it.
  • Yours is an excellent organization, and we wish you every success.
  • Thank you for contacting us about this opportunity; we hope to help you out at a later time.
  • We wish you the best in your fund-raising efforts. Yours is a worthy project.
  • We know many benefit from your services each year; we hope you’ll continue to be able to keep up the excellent work.
  • Thank you for spending such time and effort in improving the community. We wish you success.
  • Without organizations such as yours, our community would not be the nice place to live that it is. We hope you will have every success in meeting your service objectives this year.

Example 1: Reply negatively to solicitations request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Cantelloni:

We have received your letter about the scholarship funds now being established at ACL University. With the high cost of education nowadays, such scholarships can really make a difference in a young person’s direction and later contribution to society.

As you may know, our organization established a committee several years ago to consider and evaluate each request we receive for donations and personal involvement. Our policy is to contribute three percent of our gross sales each year to charitable causes such as yours. This year the committee has decided to contribute our funds to other organizations and their programs. We certainly wish we had unlimited funds to donate to the many needs we see around us, but just like the family budget, ours has its limitations also. Perhaps in other years we can be more positive in our response.

Thank you for letting us know of your efforts toward the scholarship funds, and we wish you every success in meeting your goal to help deserving students further their studies. Education truly demands our attention in corporate America.

Sincerely,

Example 2: Refuse letter for donation

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Coats:

Thank you for contacting us about your efforts in establishing halfway houses for abused spouses and their children.

With all of the requests for donations, some time ago we established a comittee to consider all corporate giving and to administer our approved budget for charity. The committee members have reviewed our corporate charitable decisions for the year and find it will be impossible to contribute to your organization at this time.

We want you to know, however, we think you are doing very commendable work in the community. We often feel frustrated by the impossibility we face here in not being able to contribute to every worthwhile opportunity, such as the one you are chairing. We wish we could have had a more positive answer for you.

On behalf of the community as a whole, thank you for the help you are giving these abused families.

Sincerely,

Example 3: Decline request for donation

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

AddresseeAddress
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Ivee:

Thank you for notifying us about the good work the Virginia Children’s Fund and Camp Blue Sky do on behalf of diabetic children. You certainly seem to be filling an important need within communities across the state. We know how important it is for diabetic children to become comfortable with managing their health and to feel like normal kids at the same time.

We spend four percent of our revenues each year on charitable donations. According to a policy we instituted three years ago, we distribute the money set aside for charities to the same four organizations in Richmond each year. With our commitment of long term support, those organizations have the benefit of being able to make long-term plans. It also helps us avoid agonizing decisions about who to select from the many worthwhile organizations that request our support. Because of this policy, we regret we will not be able to contribute to your worthy cause.

We thank you for introducing us to your efforts to aid diabetic children. We wish you the best of luck in achieving your ambitious goals.

Sincerely,

Example 4: Negative response to fund request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

AddresseeAddress
City, State Zip

Dear Mrs. Lauder:

We appreciate your letter about the efforts of the Concord Art in Public Spaces Foundation. Your interactive sculpture across the street from our office has been a delight to our employees since it was erected. I was pleased to read that you are also planning to place several sculptures in Hyde Park City Gardens.

We usually make our decisions regarding charitable donations for the year by the beginning of March. While we would like to support the Foundation’s contributions to the community, our funds have already been allocated to other charitable organizations.

We would be happy to consider supporting you next year if you could contact us toward the beginning of the year. Until then, we will be watching the City Gardens area for more public art. Thank you for all you do to bring art into our everyday lives.

Sincerely,

Example 5: Responding Negatively

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

AddresseeAddress
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Gardner:

We received your letter regarding the wonderful projects the Community Health Initiative has planned for next year. In particular, the plan to build a free clinic on the west side of the city is long overdue. The unavailability of affordable health care in that area in the past has been a detriment to many low-income residents.

We have read recent newspaper coverage about recent troubles your organization is experiencing with excessive spending on administrative procedures and unaccounted funds. Donating our limited charitable funds to local organizations is the primary way we as a corporation help the community. I am sure you understand we are extremely careful about the organizations we select. Until we can be certain your current problems are resolved, we are afraid we cannot make any contributions to the Community Health Initiative.

Nonetheless, we applaud your plans to improve medical care for residents on the city’s west side, and wish you every success.

Sincerely,

Solicitations — Comments Off on Honorary Use of Name
01
Dec 10

Honorary Use of Name














Guidelines : Requesting

Requesting Honorary Use of Name, Testimonial, or Chair Position

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

  • Give all pertinent background information about your cause or group if it is not well known.
  • State clearly what will be involved in the use of the name, and assure the reader no personal effort will be expected.
  • We can assure you your name will be more than adequate to support our effort, and, of course, we expect nothing further than your reputation.
  • There’ll be no meetings, phone calls, or dollars requested from you. Your best wishes and name will add all the prestige necessary to make our project a total success.
  • Be persuasive about why the reader should lend his or her name to the cause.
  • Make it easy for the reader to reply positively.
  • Simply sign the enclosed letter granting us permission to use your name in the way we’ve outlined.
  • We’ll be eager to receive your phone call (345-8233) permitting us to name you as our honorary leader.
  • Would you write us with your “yes” so we can go to work making Dallas a better place to live and do business?

Example 1: Solicitations letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Lomax:

As chairman of the St. Agnes Foundation, I am writing to ask your help. A friend has suggested you might be willing to let us use your name as honorary chairman of our upcoming fund drive.

Our foundation, a Texas nonprofit corporation, was founded in April 19–, for the advancement of health care in Dallas. Since its beginning, the foundation has become one of Dallas’ most respected charitable organizations.

In order to maintain this status, we must continue to ask individuals like you for help. Your name will lend us the influence and prestige we need to call once again on corporations for their help in maintaining adequate health-care service in the central city area.

We sincerely hope you will honor us and your friends by granting this request. The extent of your involvement will simply be your name on printed letters of fund solicitation. I’ve enclosed drafts of three letters we plan to use in our efforts.

Leo Harseton will phone you in a few days to see if you can help us out in this way. Thank you for your consideration.

Cordially,

Example 2: Honorary position letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Grafton:

Do you belong to a college or university advisory board? A mutual friend of ours, Hugh Shaffer, recommended I extend an invitation to you to join our Harris College advisory board in an honorary capacity. Perhaps you know of some others in Colorado who have agreed to serve–Dr. Carolyn Fullerton, Mr. Matt Johnson, and Dr. Bruce Wellenberg.

Until recently our advisory board has been small, but if we are going to continue to grow, we need to add people of your stature to help us.

I’m sure by now you are wondering what will be expected of you. I want to assure you that as an advisory board member you will be required to give very little of your time. All of our board business will be conducted by mail, unless you want to attend some of the college’s functions. About every three or four months I will write you and your fellow board members with a couple of questions about various issues here at the college. We will be most grateful if you can either write or phone us with your opinions.

Also from time to time, we will be sending out brochures about the college and would like to be able to list your name as a member of our advisory board. If we have your permission to do that, would you please let me know by signing the attached form?

Should there be any specific questions I can answer about our success record, expansion plans, or anything at all, feel free to call on me. Your name would greatly benefit our efforts to educate tomorrow’s workforce.

Sincerely,

Example 3: Requesting

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Meadows:

Together with my co-chairman, Mayor Henike, I would like to invite you to join an honorary committee being formed to assist the Governor’s Club of San Diego in the celebration of its 30th anniversary.

Founded in 1958 to advance the economic, civic, and social well-being of the people of San Diego, the Governor’s Club has been closely identified through the years with the city’s successes in these areas. We want to make the 30th anniversary a memorable tribute to San Diego and to those who have served our city with devotion and zeal.

The celebration will be held on Thursday evening, March 4, in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton. On this occasion, the Governor’s Club will pay special tribute to a selected group of Californians and the institutions and achievements they represent.

Proceeds will benefit the Governor’s Club of San Diego to strengthen their efforts to secure permanent good government for the city and for the state.

Would you please write or phone us (123-456-7899) with your answer? I assure you no obligations of your time or money will be involved. The mayor and I hope you will join our honorary committee because your name will ensure the success of our anniversary tribute.

Sincerely,

Example 4: Requesting

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Davenport:

I am writing to ask you to do something that will require very little time and no money on your part, but will pay big dividends in the lives of young cancer patients here at St. Agnes Children’s Research Hospital. Would you allow us to use your name as the honorary chairman of our fund-raising drive for cancer research?

When I first opened this hospital in 1955, the survival rate for our children was 6 percent. Today, we save more than 60 percent, and many are completely recovering from diseases once thought incurable. Still, we can’t accept losing 40 percent of our children. You may have recently seen the KHRV cable TV program about the Stringer family. Last October, they lost their four-year-old girl to leukemia. Now, their 18-month-old son has been diagnosed with the same disease. At St. Agnes, these children and others get the best possible care while they’re fighting for their lives. Our doctors become more optimistic with each advance in our knowledge about the diseases.

On the average, the first year for a child’s treatment costs about $35,000. Each year after that costs about $20,000. Our fund-raising effort to the general public will help us defray the high costs no family alone can bear. Our research costs, of course, are ongoing.

Specifically for this campaign, we’d like to use your photo and name as honorary chairman for our fund-raiser on the appeal letter (enclosed for your review). Someone of your community stature will certainly lend the necessary credibility for our efforts. That’s the entirety of your involvement.

Please write or phone us (320-499-5789) with your answer. Your support can literally make the difference between life and death for someone’s precious child.

Sincerely,

Guidelines : Accepting Request

Accepting Requests for Honorary Use of Name, Testimonial, or Chair Position

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

Accept the invitation graciously.

  • I am delighted you have asked me to serve.
  • I sincerely appreciate the confidence you’ve shown in choosing me for this honorary position.
  • I am always pleased to help out the community in small ways such as lending my name to an excellent cause.
  • Thank you for expressing such trust in my endorsement of your cause. I’m very pleased to accept your invitation.
  • Verify that your personal involvement is unnecessary.
  • I understand no time or travel on my part will be involved.
  • Because my schedule is already so full, I’m counting on your assurance no time will be required of me in this effort.
  • As I understand from your letter, no personal appearances or telephone meetings will be expected of me. It all sounds easy enough to me; the real contribution to the community will be made by you and your staff. On their behalf, I thank you.
  • State any personal or business goals you may have in the outcome of the organization’s efforts.
  • Yours is a worthwhile, respected organization, and I’m proud to be associated in this small way.
  • Our company has reaped tremendous rewards because of your past help to our employees. We know our people can continue to look forward to improved schools in their neighborhoods because of your efforts in fighting drug abuse.
  • Wish the organization success in its efforts.
  • I wish you great success.
  • Best wishes to you in this effort.
  • Your organization deserves all the help that may come its way during the days ahead.
  • We hope your fund-raising effort is hugely successful.

Example 1: Sample letter of acceptance for honorary position

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Howard:

Thank you for the invitation to become the honorary chairman of the CISC. Also, I appreciate the invitation to join you and Bill Jamieson for lunch.

I will be delighted for you to use my name in promoting your organization. One of the main thoughts contributing to my decision is my understanding your headquarters will eventually be relocated to our city.

Bob Shearers, my assistant, will be in touch with you about the details. I understand from your letter all you need from me is a recent photo and a facsimile of my signature.

All of our staff wish you great success with the 19– plans for community involvement.

Sincerely,

Example 2: Acceptance letters for honorary position

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Winchell:

I was pleased to receive your offer to make me an honorary board member of Community Action Now (CAN). It would be a privilege to have my name associated with such a worthy organization.

My own neighborhood benefited from your revitalization efforts with the renovated Youth Club. It is rare that a privately funded organization can sustain the strength needed to affect such tremendous change in Boston.

As I’m sure you can appreciate, my busy schedule limits the time I can contribute to CAN. I understand my obligation is limited to approving several fundraising and volunteer recruitment letters to be mailed with my signature.

Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to all the great work you do.

Sincerely,

Example 3: Accepting letter for chair position

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mrs. Butler:

I would be delighted to act as honorary president of next year’s city-wide blood drive. Over they years I have developed a tremendous admiration for the skill and kindness of your nurses and volunteers.

If I can lend my support simply by allowing you to use my name, signature, and picture, I will be happy to do it.

I wish you the best.

Sincerely,

Guidelines : Declining Request

Declining Requests for Honorary Use of Name, Testimonial, or Chair Position

Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

  • Give the reason you cannot accept the invitation.
  • While I understand your dedication to the cause, I hold totally opposite views on the issues involved.
  • My family members have very strong feelings about the related issues, and, therefore, out of concern for their feelings, I’m afraid I can’t accept your invitation.
  • I’ve always been the sort of person who brings great enthusiasm to her interests; I’ll have to be honest enough to say I just do not feel that strongly about the illiteracy matter. I suggest, therefore, you find others who would have much more success for you.
  • Thank you for your confidence, but I simply do not feel I have the broad appeal such an issue deserves.
  • I’m sorry to say I cannot lend my name to such a project unless I can actively participate in it, and such active participation is out of the question for me at this time because of health problems.
  • In other instances, as you may be aware, I have permitted my name to be used. Unfortunately, some groups made decisions and used advertising methods of which I did not approve. Because of those situations, I simply have decided I must refrain from such use. I hope you understand.
  • I’ve already permitted two other groups this year to use my name in their efforts. Therefore, I fear “overkill” for the public. Please forgive me for not agreeing this time.
  • Express appreciation for the honor shown by the request.
  • Thank you for the invitation, and I hope you understand my concern.
  • I appreciate your thinking of me, and I’m sorry I cannot help in this instance.
  • Your request is a compliment, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness in contacting me.
  • Receiving your request has been an honor that I appreciate. I know others will be eager to help you in this way.
  • Thank you for the confidence you have shown by this request. I’m flattered.
  • Extend best wishes for the project’s success if you can do so sincerely.
  • I wish you overwhelming success in your efforts.
  • May you have the best of success in this matter.
  • I commend you on your enthusiasm and efforts.

Example 1: Decline request letters for honorary position

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. Jones:

I appreciate very much your extending to me the invitation to participate in the President’s Tutorial Program. My associates and I think this would be a marvelous opportunity for a young person in today’s business world. In fact, when I look back on the matter, I would like to have had the opportunity myself in my earlier career.

Unfortunately, however, we cannot grant the use of our name to your organization. Because of past experiences, we have established a policy against such use.

We hope you understand our position, and we appreciate the recognition your request implies. Best wishes for every success with the student program.

Sincerely,

Example 2: Declining Request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Ms. McAlister:

Thank you for your offer to make me an honorary member of the board of trustees of Urban Health Initiative. I respect the work your volunteers accomplish despite limited funding. In particular, I admire your recent efforts to provide AIDS education to the homeless people of Newark and New York.

While I am flattered by your interest, I am afraid I must decline your offer. However worthwhile, your organization’s stance on needle exchange programs is very controversial. Associating my name with it so publicly will adversely affect other organizations and businesses with which I am involved.

I am sorry I cannot offer my public support at this time. I wish you the best.

Sincerely,

Example 3: Declining Request

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Mr. Chamberlain:

I appreciate your interest in making me an honorary Global Forest activist. I wholeheartedly agree with your conviction that we must work with world governments to improve forestry and industrial practices. Unfortunately, my beliefs are not in line with the methods Global Forest employs to affect environmental change.

I believe the most substantial change can only take place through education, diplomacy, and legislation. In my experience, holding disruptive protests only antagonizes the people who have the power to implement new policies.

As I’m sure you understand, I only put my name behind organizations I can support without reservation. Thank you for the offer. I hope you can appreciate my concerns.

Sincerely,