Letter of inquiry template (with a filled-in example)

When to use this template

Use a letter of inquiry when a funder asks for one before inviting a full proposal, or when a funder accepts unsolicited inquiries and you want to test fit before investing in a full application. Many foundations use LOIs to screen requests, so the LOI often decides whether you get a chance to apply at all.

Do not use this template if the funder provides an online LOI form. In that case, use the form's questions and fields, and borrow the language below to answer them. For a full explanation of strategy, read our letter of inquiry guide.

The template

[ORGANIZATION LETTERHEAD OR NAME AND ADDRESS]

[DATE]

[FUNDER CONTACT NAME, TITLE]
[FOUNDATION NAME]
[STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear [MR./MS./DR./MX. LAST NAME, or "Members of the Grants Committee" if no contact is named]:

[ORGANIZATION NAME] respectfully requests the opportunity to submit a full proposal for [$AMOUNT] to support [PROJECT OR PROGRAM NAME], a [DURATION, e.g., 12-month] initiative that will [ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY OF WHAT THE PROJECT DOES AND FOR WHOM]. We believe this project aligns with [FOUNDATION NAME]'s commitment to [FUNDER PRIORITY, using the funder's own words from its guidelines].

ABOUT [ORGANIZATION NAME]
Founded in [YEAR], [ORGANIZATION NAME] [MISSION STATEMENT OR ONE-SENTENCE DESCRIPTION]. Each year we serve [NUMBER] [PEOPLE SERVED] in [GEOGRAPHIC AREA] through [MAIN PROGRAMS]. [ONE OR TWO SENTENCES ON A KEY ACCOMPLISHMENT OR RESULT, WITH A NUMBER IF POSSIBLE.] Our annual operating budget is [$AMOUNT].

THE NEED
[TWO TO FOUR SENTENCES DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Include one or two current, cited data points specific to your service area, and say who is most affected.] [ONE SENTENCE ON WHY THE PROBLEM PERSISTS OR WHAT GAP EXISTS IN CURRENT SERVICES.]

THE PROJECT
With [FOUNDATION NAME]'s support, [ORGANIZATION NAME] will [DESCRIBE THE APPROACH IN TWO TO FOUR SENTENCES: what you will do, how often, with whom, and where]. [ONE SENTENCE ON WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS, such as evidence, past results, or community input.] [OPTIONAL: KEY PARTNERS AND THEIR ROLES.]

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
By [END DATE], we expect to:
- [OUTCOME 1, measurable, e.g., "Serve X participants, of whom Y% will..."]
- [OUTCOME 2]
- [OUTCOME 3, optional]
We will measure progress using [DATA SOURCES OR TOOLS, e.g., pre/post assessments, attendance records, follow-up surveys].

BUDGET AND SUSTAINABILITY
The total project budget is [$TOTAL PROJECT COST]. We request [$AMOUNT] from [FOUNDATION NAME], which will support [WHAT THE GRANT WILL PAY FOR]. The remaining [$AMOUNT] will come from [OTHER SOURCES: secured and pending]. [ONE SENTENCE ON HOW THE PROJECT WILL BE SUSTAINED AFTER THE GRANT PERIOD.]

CLOSING
Thank you for considering this inquiry. We would welcome the opportunity to submit a full proposal and to answer any questions. Please contact [CONTACT NAME, TITLE] at [EMAIL] or [PHONE].

Sincerely,

[SIGNATURE]
[NAME]
[TITLE, usually Executive Director or Board Chair]
[ORGANIZATION NAME]

[OPTIONAL ENCLOSURES, ONLY IF REQUESTED: IRS determination letter; organizational budget; board list]

Filled-in example

Riverside Literacy Project
412 Elm Street, Riverside, OH 45000

February 3, 2027

Ms. Elena Alvarez, Program Officer
Harbor Family Foundation
100 Harbor Plaza
Riverside, OH 45001

Dear Ms. Alvarez:

Riverside Literacy Project respectfully requests the opportunity to submit a full proposal for $25,000 to support Summer Reading Bridge, a six-week program that will help 120 second- through fourth-graders in Riverside's Eastside neighborhood keep and build their reading skills over the summer. We believe this project aligns with Harbor Family Foundation's commitment to "ensuring every child in Riverside County reads at grade level by the end of third grade."

ABOUT RIVERSIDE LITERACY PROJECT
Founded in 2014, Riverside Literacy Project helps elementary students become confident, capable readers through free after-school and summer tutoring. Each year we serve about 300 students at three Eastside elementary schools. Last school year, 64 percent of students who attended at least 80 percent of sessions gained one or more reading levels on our pre/post assessment. Our annual operating budget is $480,000.

THE NEED
At the three schools we serve, fewer than half of third-graders met the state reading standard last year, according to the district's published school report cards. Most of our students' families cannot afford summer camps or tutoring, and the public library branch nearest these schools offers summer programs only two mornings a week. Without structured reading time over the summer, many students return in the fall having lost ground.

THE PROJECT
With Harbor Family Foundation's support, Riverside Literacy Project will run Summer Reading Bridge four mornings a week for six weeks at Eastside Elementary. Certified reading specialists and trained volunteer tutors will work with students in groups of no more than four, using leveled books each child can take home. Our school-year results and the input of 40 parent surveys shaped this design. Eastside Elementary will provide classroom space and breakfast at no cost.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
By August 15, 2027, we expect to:
- Enroll 120 students, with 75 percent attending at least 80 percent of sessions
- Help 60 percent of regular attenders gain at least one reading level
- Send each student home with at least 12 books of their own
We will measure progress using our pre/post reading assessment, daily attendance records, and book distribution logs.

BUDGET AND SUSTAINABILITY
The total project budget is $41,500. We request $25,000 from Harbor Family Foundation, which will support reading specialist salaries and books. The remaining $16,500 comes from a secured $10,000 grant from the fictional Lakeview Bank Foundation, $3,500 in individual gifts, and $3,000 in donated space and meals. Our board has committed to making Summer Reading Bridge a permanent program, funded through a mix of foundation grants and an annual summer reading drive.

CLOSING
Thank you for considering this inquiry. We would welcome the opportunity to submit a full proposal and to answer any questions. Please contact me at jordan@riversideliteracy.example or (555) 010-0142.

Sincerely,

Jordan Lee
Executive Director
Riverside Literacy Project

Notice what this example does. The opening paragraph states the request, the amount, the project, and the fit in the funder's own words. The need uses a local, sourced number rather than a national statistic. The outcomes are specific and measurable. And the budget paragraph shows the funder that its grant is part of a complete plan.

Customizing tips

1. Mirror the funder's language. Quote or closely paraphrase the funder's stated priority in your first paragraph. Program officers screen for fit first.
2. Lead with the ask. Put the amount and purpose in the first two sentences. Do not make the reader hunt for it.
3. Use local data, and cite it. One current number from your service area is stronger than three national statistics. Keep your source handy in case the funder asks. Our statement of need template helps here.
4. Make outcomes measurable. Use numbers, dates, and how you will measure. The SMART objective builder can help you tighten them.
5. Show the whole budget. Funders want to see that their grant fits a realistic plan. State the total cost and the other sources, marking which are secured.
6. Respect the limit. If the funder says two pages, two pages means two pages at a readable font size. Cut the organizational history first.
7. Adapt for an online form. Break this template into the form's fields. Keep the same order of ideas, and check each field's character limit before pasting.
8. Sign it well. The executive director usually signs. A board chair's signature can add weight for a major request.
9. Follow up appropriately. If the funder states a response time, wait for it. If not, a brief, polite check-in after six to eight weeks is reasonable.

Once your LOI is invited to a full proposal, see the anatomy of a grant proposal and pair your submission with our cover letter template.