Letters of Recommendation needed for Phoenix Rising's CFSAC Rep Submission

[Mark]

Are you based in the US? Could you write a letter of recommendation for Phoenix Rising's CFSAC submission? Or do you know somebody who might be able to do so? We are looking for 1-3 letters by this Friday (Feb 22) to give our submission the best possible chance of success...

As part of Phoenix Rising's submission to be considered for selection as a non-voting liaison representative on the CFSAC committee, we are required to submit "one to three letters of recommendation that clearly state why the organization is qualified to serve on CFSAC in a representative position. These letters should be from individuals who are not part of the organization’s leadership."

We would very much like to have three such letters in order to give us the best possible chance of being one of the organizations chosen. The deadline for submissions is fast approaching: they must reach the OAHS by Feb 22, so we will need to receive these letters by next Wednesday, Feb 20.

If you are able to write such a letter, or if you know somebody who can, please contact Mark by Conversation (PM) or email to cfsac_noms@phoenixrising.me. Please contact me first to let me know if you are thinking of writing a letter - don't wait until you've written it - so that I can plan ahead, co-ordinate which letters to use, and avoid wasting anybody's time.

Since time is short, here are some points to consider mentioning in the letter, to help you get started...

• qualifications, experience and organizational memberships and position of the person writing the letter;
• personal experience of Phoenix Rising, whether as a member, subscriber or blog reader, or through collaboration and communication as a representative of another organization;
• the experience and expertise of Phoenix Rising community members in ME/CFS research, advocacy and patient support, and our members' expert knowledge of ME/CFS issues;
• Phoenix Rising's ability to represent the views of the patient community and provide constructive ideas and actionable proposals to further the mission of the CFSAC committee;
• Phoenix Rising's proven commitment to working together with the ME/CFS patient and advocacy community, empowering and giving a voice to ME/CFS patients, and supporting constructive engagement with public health agencies in order to improve the situation of patients.

Finally, here are a couple of quotes from the call for submissions to help give an indication of what the HHS are likely to be looking for when they make their decision:

Selection of organizations that will serve as non-voting liaison representatives will be based on the organization’s qualifications to contribute to the accomplishment of the CFSAC mission, as described in the Committee charter. In selecting organizations to be considered for these positions, the OASH will give close attention to equitable geographic distribution and give priority to U.S.- chartered 501(c)(3) organizations that operate within the United States and have membership with demonstrated expertise in ME/CFS and related research, clinical services, or advocacy and outreach on issues concerning ME/CFS.

[submissions must contain...] A statement of the organization’s history, mission, and focus, including information that demonstrates the organization’s experience and expertise in ME/CFS and related research, clinical services, or advocacy and outreach on issues of ME/CFS, as well as expert knowledge of the broad issues and topics pertinent to ME/CFS. This information should demonstrate the organization’s proven ability to work and communicate with the ME/CFS patient and advocacy community, and other public/private organizations concerned with ME/CFS, including public health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.

Thanks in advance!

Mark

 

[Mark]

We still need one more letter by Friday at the latest, ideally from somebody based in the US.

If we get this, I think our application stands a good chance of success. Without it, I'm not so sure...

If you can do this, or know anybody else who can, please contact me.

Thanks,

Mark