Letter of Inquiry Template
Many private funders will not accept a full proposal until they have seen a letter of inquiry, which is a two-page argument for why a longer conversation is worth their time. It is a different document from a proposal, not a shortened one, and the difference is what most first attempts get wrong.
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What yours needs to cover
- ✓ An opening that names the ask and the project in the first paragraph
- ✓ A short statement of the problem, with one or two pieces of real evidence
- ✓ The project in outline: who it serves, how many, and over what period
- ✓ A brief case for the organization, focused on relevant results rather than history
- ✓ A close that says what you would like to happen next
How to use it
- Confirm the funder actually wants a letter of inquiry, and check whether they specify a length or a form.
- Write the ask and the project first, then cut back to what fits on two pages.
- Put anything numeric in the first half, since that is the part most likely to be read closely.
- Send it, record the date, and follow up once after the period the funder states.
Letter of Inquiry Template FAQs
How long should a letter of inquiry be?
Two pages is the usual expectation unless the funder says otherwise, and many portals impose a character limit instead. Where a limit exists, treat it as the specification rather than the maximum.
Should the letter of inquiry name an amount?
Usually yes. A funder screening letters is deciding whether the request is in their range, and leaving the amount out makes that decision harder rather than more open.
What happens after a letter of inquiry?
The common outcomes are an invitation to submit a full proposal, a decline, or a request for a conversation. An invitation is not a decision, and the full proposal is still competitive.
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