A letter of approval is consent by a body or a regulatory authority to proceed with an activity that has been requested by someone. The letter serves as a registration or a certification of some sort. There are two types of approval letters; in the first place, it simply is for approving something, whereas; in the second place an individual or organization can write the letter seeking approval for something, in the second capacity it is usually referred to as a request for the letter of approval.
The Request for Approval Letter can be written for several reasons. Some common uses for a letter of approval are; to give permission at work, to approve or endorse a project, to approve finances or a loan, etc. In general, whether you are an employer with staff, a creditor, or working on a council or a government body, chances are you will need to know how to draft a good letter of approval.
Request for Approval Letter is usually written in a professional environment whereby an employee is approved of their request. Through this letter, an employee gets the approval for which they have submitted their application if their employer feels that their request is reasonable and should be entertained.
Here are common examples of when one may need to send an approval letter:
Approval for a proposal: A proposal is an idea that becomes an agreement once the relevant party has approved it. For instance, you will have to request approval from a client who needs to agree to your plans for their project.
Approval for a completed project: Once you have completed a project, one may be required to send an approval letter to their client or manager confirming their satisfaction with the work done.
Approval for a budget adjustment: If you need to make any adjustments to an already approved budget, it is important that you send a Request for Approval Letter to your client for them to approve the adjustments you are proposing.
Approval Letter Examples
Why is a Request for Approval Letter important?
Here is why you should send the request for Approval Letter:
It provides an understanding between people: an approval letter allows the other party to understand what you want to do and why you want to do what you are proposing to do. A clear and deeper understanding of the project or agreement usually made when someone approves your request.
Progress is made quicker: sending a Request for Approval Letter allows one to continue doing other projects while discussions are ongoing. For instance, rather than having to wait for the next meeting to air your concerns about a project, sending a Request for Approval Letter of the changes allows the other party to go through your request and make their decision before the next meeting happens.
A verifiable proof is created: after your request/project has been approved by your manager or client, you have documentable proof that allows you to continue with what you have been authorized to do comfortably. The Request for Approval Letter can serve as official documentation of any changes or adjustments to a previously agreed upon contract or terms, which can ensure that every party is well-informed.
How to Write a Request for Approval Letter
Following are the steps to craft a ‘request for approval letter’:
Choose your contact method
Every institution has its unique process for sending a request for an approval letter. You might send a Request for Approval Letter via email for a minimal design change, while you might print an updated contract for significant budget changes.
Address the recipient Professionally
In most cases, you will have to send in your Request for Approval Letter directly to the final decision-makers, so it is best if you address them in a professional manner. Use “Dear Mr. or Ms.,” when addressing them, followed by their official name.
Start with what you need
When you are looking to get approval from someone, be considerate of their time. Ensure that your Request for Approval Letter clearly indicates what you are seeking approval for.
Explain why you need it
Explain to your client why you need or want their approval. By properly explaining the reasoning for your request, you allow them to clearly understand why their approval would be of value to you.
Tell them why they should care
After you have explained why you are seeking their approval, briefly explain to them why they should care. Explain the benefits that they will receive by approving your request. Ensure that you properly draft this section to enable them to understand the advantages they receive with their approval.
Show them your enthusiasm for their response
After informing them of the benefits they stand to get upon their approval of your request, it can be beneficial to show them your enthusiasm for their response. Clearly show that you are excited about your request and what their approval can do for them. Show genuine confidence in what you are presenting, and make it known to them that you are looking forward to their approval.
Conclude your message
Before you write your name and information as you conclude the Request for Approval Letter, you may include one more piece of information depending on your reason for sending the letter. If, for instance, you are working with a deadline, you may provide the date and time for when you need them to respond to prompt them to decide.
Sample Letters & Examples
Following are a few samples and examples for better understanding:
Sample proposal needs approval from project manager
Dear Ms. Marion
I am sending this request for approval of our sales and marketing proposal for our upcoming project. The team and I have documented a detailed marketing plan that I have attached to this email. Once you approve our proposal, we’ll get started on the project as soon as possible. You will find the sales and marketing plan to be an all-inclusive answer to better engaging our current customers with retargeted advertising. We know that you have been seeking answers on how to generate more income and attract more customers, and I’m confident that this is what you have been looking for.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Brian Michael
Sample 2: Budget adjustment needs approval from the operations manager
Dear Mr. Paul
I am sending this Request for Approval Letter for your approval of the budget change to our project. To ensure that the project is a success, I am requesting an increase in our budget by $70,000 for a new total budget of $450,000. The increase will help carter for the additional materials that will allow us to further test the final products before they are released. With this additional budget, we assure you that the final product will be of great quality and functionality.
I understand that you’ve expressed your concerns about the quality and functionality of this product, and I would like to make sure that they are done right and that they are of the highest quality possible. I would appreciate your approval of this supplementary budget so that we can be able to complete the last stage of the product production and testing by the end of the month.
Sincerely,
Abdallah Rahim
Sample 3: The completed project needs approval from the supervisor
Dear Mr. Walker
I am writing this Request for Approval Letter seeking your approval of my completed edits for this week’s newsletter. I would appreciate it if you could go through this to confirm the edits. Once you approve these edits, I will be able to complete the article and send it to the designers. I know how much you would like this completed as soon as possible, and I look forward to your response so we can get the design department working on the layout and the overall design as soon as possible. If you give me your approval today, it will be in the hands of the designers by tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Tom Smith
Request for Approval Letter Best Practices
If you have ever waited to receive feedback on your request, then you most probably know how the way requests and subsequent approvals are handled is crucial to an organization’s culture and employee/applicants’ morale. Some practices can help guide you when drafting your approval letter:
Be Timely
Approval requests are usually very time-sensitive as they are prerequisite aspects for other operations and actions. Try to respond to all approval requests within the shortest time possible to avoid stalling operations that depend on your approval. Timely replies to letters of approval are also a relief to the sender as their concern about the matter can be alleviated. For sensitive approvals, you should dedicate your time to review the information, documentation, and conduct your in-depth analysis of the request.
Use Objective Criteria for Approvals
With diverse personalities in the workplace, interpersonal conflicts are bound to occur. As a manager or an employer, you must be very careful when approving requests.
Ensure that your company policies and business objectives back all your decisions on employee requests. Provide explanations for all the decisions in the approval letters to reinforce your impartiality and objectivity.
Keep the Tone Warm and Professional
Just like any other official business letter and email, keep the tone of your approval letter warm and professional. Professionally drafted letters breed an organizational culture of open collaboration, communication, and team orientation. When you send out strongly-worded cold emails, they will not only act as stressors but will eventually erode your healthy working relationship with your employees.
Provide Information Relevant to the Approval
It is key to ensure that your Request for Approval Letter contains all the relevant information to the approval request. Go through the letter and confirm that all the necessary information is included to ensure that there is no misunderstanding about the timelines, requirements, or amount. Granting approval and then having to cancel it simply because you didn’t go through it is unprofessional and stressful for all the parties involved.
Close the letter Appropriately
Rather than closing your Request for Approval Letter with generic endings, use an appropriate closing for all your letters. Also, make sure that you structure all communication to be consistent with the message you would like to convey in the letter of approval.
Conclusion
A Request for Approval Letter is very critical and should be written with so much care. This letter is formal, so the tone used should be communicative and professional. The general tone of your approval letter should be warm, free from grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. It must also contain a clear line for what is being approved and to what extent. If you imply to impose any restrictions on the approval you are granting, make sure that it has been spelled out clearly in the letter. The approval letter should be concluded with a congratulatory tone, signed and stamped.