Write a response to the proposal below on behalf of [SENDER]. The recipient is [RECIPIENT], and our relationship and desired tone are [RELATIONSHIP AND TONE]. Our decision, position, or key message is [RESPONSE POSITION]. Use these approved facts, constraints, and negotiation boundaries: [APPROVED NOTES]. First, identify the proposal's material requests, deliverables, timing, price or funding terms, dependencies, and unresolved assumptions. Do not treat a polite introduction or marketing claim as a commitment. Then write the email in 220-350 words with:
1. A direct opening that thanks the recipient and states our overall position.
2. Two to four specific points responding to the proposal's highest-impact terms. State what we accept, decline, need clarified, or can discuss; preserve exact figures and dates from my notes.
3. A short list of open items only when action or confirmation is required.
4. One clear ask and a realistic next step, such as a revised scope, answers to named questions, or a meeting with a proposed purpose.
5. A professional close appropriate to the relationship.
Do not repeat the proposal paragraph by paragraph, introduce discounts, approval, legal terms, timelines, or capabilities not in my notes, or imply a signed agreement. If this is a grant proposal, distinguish interest from an award decision. Before answering, check that every commitment is supported by [APPROVED NOTES] and that the requested next step has an owner and deadline or decision trigger. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing; otherwise provide the finished email and a brief "Open items" list.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [SENDER] | Name, role, organization, and any sign-off details for the person sending the response. | Maya Chen, Operations Director, Northline Studios; sign off as Maya |
| [RECIPIENT] | Name, organization, and role of the proposal sender or decision-maker. | Daniel Ortiz, Partnerships Lead at Harbor Events |
| [RELATIONSHIP AND TONE] | Describe the relationship and intended tone, such as collaborative with an existing vendor. | Existing event vendor; warm, practical, and firm about budget limits |
| [RESPONSE POSITION] | State the overall decision or message, such as interested pending scope and pricing changes. | We want to proceed with the autumn conference if the production scope can fit our $18,000 ceiling. |
| [APPROVED NOTES] | Paste the proposal details and the facts, terms, limits, and next steps you are authorized to state. | Proposal: AV production for Oct. 14 event, $21,600, 10-hour crew day, LED wall, two camera operators. We can accept the date and two cameras. We do not need the LED wall. Budget maximum is $18,000 before tax. Ask for revised scope by Friday, Sept. 27. Contract is subject to procurement approval. |
How to use
- Paste the proposal or its material terms into the approved notes along with only the commitments you can make.
- Set the response position before generating so the email does not sound positive while leaving the decision unclear.
- Check every price, date, deliverable, and approval statement against your source material.
- Follow up with: "Make this 150 words, keep the same position, and turn the open items into three numbered questions."
Variations
Decline gracefully
Use this when you need to say no without closing the relationship unnecessarily.
Write a 140-200 word email declining [PROPOSAL OR REQUEST] from [RECIPIENT]. I am writing as [SENDER], and the tone should be [TONE]. Use only these reasons I can share: [APPROVED REASONS]. Thank them for the work, state the decision plainly in the first two sentences, avoid debating every term, and offer [ALTERNATIVE OR FUTURE CONDITION] only if it is genuinely authorized. Do not invent budget, timing, or performance concerns. End with a courteous close. Check that the message cannot be read as a promise to reconsider.
Grant clarification
Use this before responding to a grant applicant whose proposal lacks information needed for review.
Draft an email from [FUNDER OR REVIEWER] to [APPLICANT] requesting clarification on [GRANT PROPOSAL]. Use these review gaps and rules: [GAPS AND GUIDELINES]. Write 180-260 words with a respectful opening, a numbered list of no more than five precise questions, the required evidence or format for each answer, and [DEADLINE OR REVIEW TRIGGER]. Make clear that this is a request for information, not an indication of funding. Do not add eligibility rules not supplied. Check each question is necessary to evaluate the proposal.
Counterproposal email
Use this when you want to propose revised commercial or project terms.
Write a counterproposal email to [RECIPIENT] about [ORIGINAL PROPOSAL]. I represent [SENDER]. Our acceptable terms are [ACCEPTABLE TERMS], and our non-negotiables are [NON-NEGOTIABLES]. In 220-320 words, acknowledge shared goals, state the two to four revised terms in a readable list, explain any tradeoff without overjustifying it, and ask for a response by [DATE OR NEXT STEP]. Do not characterize a term as agreed unless it is. Check that numbers, scope, and dates match my inputs and that the email contains one unambiguous decision request.
Tips
- Respond to the commercial or decision-bearing parts first: scope, ownership, price, timing, success criteria, and approvals usually matter more than a lengthy recap.
- Separate a discussion point from a commitment. Phrases such as "we can explore" and "we agree to" create very different obligations.
- If the proposal contains several dependencies, assign each open item an owner or a condition that determines the next decision.
- Keep legal, procurement, and funding contingencies explicit instead of burying them in a soft closing.
FAQ
Can AI respond to a proposal before I have all the answers?
Yes. Ask it to send a clarification response that identifies only the missing decision-critical information and avoids implying approval.
Should I paste the entire proposal?
Paste it when details matter, but also provide separate approved notes. The notes should control what the response is allowed to promise.
How do I make the response firmer?
State the decision in the first two sentences and replace vague requests with a specific revision, answer, or deadline.