Letter of Inquiry Guidelines

The introduction serves as a summary for the letter of inquiry and includes the name of your organization, the amount of funding needed or requested, and a description of the project. Include the qualifications of project staff, a brief description of how you will measure success, and a timetable for implementing the project.

The organization description should be concise and focus on the ability of your organization to meet the stated need. Provide a very brief history and description of your current programs while demonstrating a direct connection between what is currently being done and what you wish to accomplish with the requested funding. You will flesh this section out in greater detail if you are invited to submit a full proposal. Note: your organization must be a legal non-profit organization as recognized by the IRS.

The statement of need must convince the reader that there is an important need that can be met by your project. The statement of need includes a description of the population you wish to serve, brief statistics that support the need, and some concrete examples of the need.

The main approach should be appropriate to your statement of need and present a clear, logical, and achievable solution to the stated need. Include major activities and desired objective.

Other funding sources being approached for support of this project should be listed in a brief sentence or paragraph if you are applying for more funds. Collaborative efforts are favorable.