{"id":"wri-np-appeal-letter-review","audience":"nonprofit","category":"writing-feedback","technique":"verification","title":"Review a year-end appeal letter for the ask and the facts","free":false,"task":"Your year-end appeal letter goes to print Friday. Ask for exactly 3 numbered notes labeled 'Ask:', 'Proof:' and 'Story:', in that order, each under 25 words, plain text. The Ask note must catch any vague or buried ask, and the Proof note must catch any statistic that doesn't match your current numbers. No rewritten letter. Write a prompt that gets that review.","materialLabel":"Your draft letter and current program numbers (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"DRAFT YEAR-END APPEAL (Harbor House Family Shelter)\n\nDear Friend,\n\nWhen Maria arrived at Harbor House last winter with her two kids and one suitcase, she didn't know where they would sleep the next night. Today she has her own apartment and a job at the hospital cafeteria.\n\nSince 2019, we have helped 1,200 families find stable housing. Every night, our 24 rooms are full.\n\nThis season, families like Maria's need you more than ever. The need is greater than ever, and costs keep rising. We hope you will consider supporting our work in whatever way feels right to you, if you are able.\n\nWith gratitude,\nDenise Owens, Executive Director\n\nCURRENT NUMBERS (from our 2025 annual report)\n- Families housed since we opened in 2015: 1,640. (The 1,200 figure was from the 2022 report.)\n- Rooms: 28 (we added 4 in March).\n- A $75 gift covers one night for one family.\n- Goal for this appeal: $60,000 by Dec 31.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Asking for general feedback","why":"The AI comments on everything and hands back a new letter.","fix":"Show it: \"Exactly 3 numbered notes: 1. Ask: ... 2. Proof: ... 3. Story: ...\"","checks":["numberedItems","r0"]},{"title":"Not checking the numbers","why":"The AI praises the stats without comparing them to your annual report.","fix":"Add: \"Check every number against our current numbers.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Missing the weak ask","why":"The AI likes the warm tone and misses that the letter never asks for an amount.","fix":"Add: \"The Ask note must flag a vague or buried ask.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Getting a rewrite","why":"AI ends with a polished version of the whole letter.","fix":"Add: \"Only the 3 notes. No rewrite. Plain text.\"","checks":["r2","plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Gives the labels","patterns":["ask:","proof:","story:","label"]},{"label":"Checks the numbers","patterns":["current numbers","annual report","check","1,?640"]},{"label":"Checks the ask","patterns":["vague","amount","ask"]},{"label":"Bans a rewrite","patterns":["don'?t rewrite","no rewrit","not (a )?rewrite","only the"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"An appeal fails on a fuzzy ask or a wrong number. Give the AI the labels and tell it to check the letter against your current numbers.","rubricLabels":["The notes are labeled 'Ask:', 'Proof:' and 'Story:' in that order","The Ask note says the ask is vague or buried (no amount or deadline; it could use the $75-a-night figure or the $60,000 by Dec 31 goal), and the Proof note catches the outdated numbers (1,200 families should be 1,640 since 2015, and/or 24 rooms should be 28)","No rewritten letter or full replacement paragraphs, and nothing before or after the 3 notes"]}