Process to Request Letters of Support from Children’s Services

New York City Children’s Services receives requests from agencies seeking letters of support to include as part of a proposal to federal, state, city, or private organizations.  These requests are reviewed for fiscal and programmatic implications for the requesting agency and for the fulfillment of the mission of Children’s Services.  To request a letter of support, agencies should adhere to the following process. 

1. Requests for Letters of Support and the associated documentation must be submitted to Children’s Services no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date that the letter of support is required. Requests require at least a two-week turnaround and cannot be accommodated in a shorter period of time.  

2. The request should include the following: 

• A cover letter with the name of the organization making the request, the contact person and the phone number for the requesting agency, the grant being pursued, the timeframe that the grant covers, and the proposal due date;
• A brief description of the agency’s background;
• A one page summary which is detailed below;
• An executive summary of the proposal OR the narrative section of the proposal;
• A budget listing personnel, other than personnel services, and overhead costs;
• A drafted letter of support that you would like Children’s Services to send on your behalf.

3. Request must include a one page summary of the proposal that provides:

• A very brief description of the proposal, the objective and the issue to be addressed;
• The total dollars requested in this proposal and whether any dollars will be provided from a source other than the entity releasing the RFP; as well as in-kind committed to the program;
• Target population and geographic area;
• Number of clients to be served;
• Outcome measurements;
• Whether an evaluation of the proposal will be prepared and report issued and, if not, what plans there are to determine the effectiveness of the program model. 

4. The following specific vendor information is also required: 

• Years that the organization has experience providing this type of service and corresponding performance; 
• Confirmation that the organization has had no serious negative VENDEX findings as it pertains to ACS or other city contracts; 
• Statement that a recent audit was conducted and there were no serious findings; 
• A listing of all contracts awarded by the City or another government body as a prime or sub-contract;
• Tax identification Number;
• New York City Payee/Vendor Number.

All requests for a letter of support should be sent to: 

Commissioner Administration for Children’s Services
150 William Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Attention: Letter of Support Request

Download the Process to Request a Letter of Support (PDF)

If you have any questions regarding the letter of support please contact the Commissioner’s Office of the Chief of Staff at (212) 341-2752.