Used by grant seekers to introduce their project and organization to a prospective funding agency. Frequently, these serve a dual purpose of requesting grant guidelines from an organization. Letters of inquiry generally are only 1 to 2 pages in length.
Some foundations request that applicants file a short letter of intent before submitting a fully drafted proposal. This can save work for the grantee, can help the foundation project the level of interest for a certain funding program, and can provide extra time for a foundation to negotiate grant requirements with the applicant. This letter can also identify an applicant whose requested support is outside the foundation's purview. The letter of inquiry is designed to save time and labor on both sides.
a request for information that the writer believes the reader can provide
a short letter that sets forth an idea, explains who is making the proposal, and gives a rough idea of the resources required
a timesaver for both the reader (the employer) and writer (the job seeker) as it allows the employer to assess quickly whether or not there is a good match between the interests of the job seeker and the employer
A brief letter outlining a program and its funding needs, sent to a foundation to determine if it would be interested in the project and would like to receive a full proposal.
Also referred to as a query letter, this is a brief letter outlining an organization's activities and a request for funding sent to a prospective donor to determine if there is sufficient interest to warrant submitting a full proposal. This saves the time of the prospective donor and the time and resources of the prospective applicant.
A brief letter initiating contact between an organization and a potential donor, describing the organization, its request for funds, and soliciting permission to submit a full grant proposal.
A letter explaining an organization's activity and the request for funding. It is sent to a funding source first, before the proposal, to see if it would be appropriate to send a full proposal.
A brief letter to assess a potential funder's interest in considering your proposal for funding. Unless the funder specifies otherwise, a letter of inquiry is never more than one page long. It should include: (a) A few sentences of background on your agency; (b) a very brief description of the project or service youÂ're proposing; (c) the specific dollar amount that will be requested; and (d) an explanation of why you believe your proposal matches the funder's priorities and interests. A funder will occasionally make a grant award on the basis of a letter of inquiry. More often, the funder will ask for a full proposal if the idea is of interest.
A letter to the Endowment from a potential applicant organization that outlines a proposed project. See Proposal Guidelines for information on the appropriate uses of a letter of inquiry.
A brief letter sent by a charity to a grantmaking organization, usually in a format prescribed by the grantmaker, asking if the grantmaker would consider a complete proposal from the charity to fund a specified project.
Correspondence, initiated by an applicant, to determine if a proposed project is within a private agency's fundable program area and to request agency policy and program information, as well as instructions and forms.
There are numerous kinds of letters of inquiry, but in the context of this glossary it refers to a letter submitted to a granting foundation prior to submission of a grant proposal. Successful LOIs result in invitations to submit detailed proposals. Granting agencies sometimes invite LOIs first rather than detailed proposals or applications. See also Query Letter. Mission Statement is a brief statement outlining the specific task(s) for which a group has charged itself.
A letter of inquiry is a general term used for a number of different kinds of business letters addressed to a company.
