# Letter of inquiry template

A one-page letter of inquiry structure. The funder's own instructions
override everything here: if they provide a form, portal fields, or a
different length limit, follow those exactly. Replace bracketed prompts with
your own sentences and delete the guidance lines.

Target length: one page. Do not shrink the font to fit; cut instead.

---

[Date]

[Program officer name, title]
[Foundation name]
[Address]

Dear [name],

## Paragraph 1: Request and fit (2 to 3 sentences)

[Organization name] requests [$ amount] from [foundation name] to
[one-clause program summary] for [population] in [place].

- State the amount and purpose in the first sentence. Do not warm up.
- Add one sentence connecting the request to the funder's stated priorities,
  using their published language accurately.

## Paragraph 2: Need (3 to 4 sentences)

- One sentence: population and place.
- One sentence: the condition, with your single strongest figure, sourced.
- One sentence: the consequence if it continues.
- Optional: one sentence of community context or strength.
- Discipline: one figure, maybe two. A statistics dump signals a form letter.

## Paragraph 3: Program (3 to 5 sentences)

- What you will do, for whom, at what scale, over what period.
- Who delivers it (roles, not resumes) and any committed partners.
- The change you intend, stated so it could be checked later.
- Do not describe your whole organization here; describe this program.

## Paragraph 4: Organization and numbers (2 to 3 sentences)

- One sentence of capacity: the track record fact most relevant to this
  program.
- Total project cost, amount requested, and other funding committed or
  pending. Use numbers you can reconcile with the full budget later.

## Paragraph 5: Close and next step (1 to 2 sentences)

- Offer the full proposal and any documents on request.
- Name the contact person with direct phone and email.
- Thank them once, plainly.

Sincerely,

[Name]
[Title, organization]
[Phone, email]

---

## Before sending

- [ ] Every claim matches your current core narrative and budget files.
- [ ] The funder's name and priorities are correct (read it aloud once).
- [ ] The amount requested appears exactly once and is right.
- [ ] One page, standard margins, readable type.
- [ ] Logged in your grant tracker with date sent and expected response
      window.