Preparing Letters of Inquiry

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Preparing Letters of Inquiry

• Ingrid V. McGraw, Senior Director Foundation
  Relations
• ivmcgraw_at_syr.edu
• 315-443-3810

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Basic Guidelines for Letter of Inquiry

• Request Information
• Review Web site
• Obtain Annual Report
• Giving Guidelines
• Grant List
• Network with colleagues
• Ask the development office

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Letter of Inquiry

• Letter of Intent, Pre-proposal, Concept Paper
• Brief summary of your project
• Used to determine if a proposed project coincides
  with areas of XYZ foundation interest.
• Used to avoid unnecessary work for you and the
  foundation staff.

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Letter of Inquiry

• A letter of inquiry clearly and concisely
  describes
• the project, its aims, its significance, its
  duration and the amount of funds required. The
  document should never exceed five pages.
• Generally they are 2-3 pages.

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Letter of Inquiry

• The letter of inquiry should not include any
  additional supporting information such as
  videotapes, financial reports, annual reports.
• Letter confirming organizations
  charitable/tax-exempt status may be required

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Points to Cover

• What problem does your project address? Why is
  this issue significant?
• What is the relationship of the problem/issue to
  the Funders current program interests

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Points to Cover

• What strengths and skills does your organization
  and personnel bring to this project?
• What makes your organization the right one to
  conduct this project?
• Who will lead the project? Identify key
  personnel.

8
Points to Cover

• What do you intend to demonstrate or prove? What
  means will you use? If the project is already
  under way, what have you accomplished so far?
• If you are requesting funding from XYZ funder for
  a component(s) of a larger project, specify which
  activities you are requesting the Funder to fund
  and how they relate to the larger project.

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Points to Cover

• What outcomes do you expect, both immediate and
  long term?
• If you have requested funds from other sources
  (or plan to), list those sources.
• What plans do you have to disseminate
  information?
• How do you plan to evaluate?

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Points to Cover

• You must answer the So What of fundraising.
• Why is the project necessary.
• Why should the funder provide support?

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Bonus Points

• Demonstrate institutional support
• Replicability
• Leverages other support
• Partnerships
• involve those effected
• other institutions
• community participation
• Novel approach that sets you apart

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Put Yourself in the Funders Shoes

• Ask yourself
• Are there any weak points?
• Have I made a good case for support?
• Have I demonstrated my organization's competence?
• Does my project have the potential for
  significantly impacting the issues being
  addressed?

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Components of a Letter of Inquiry

• Opening paragraph
• Statement of need/rationale
• Organizational description/expertise
• Description of the project (include timeline and
  outcomes)
• Budget request and information
• Closing

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Opening Paragraph

• Summary statement
• Stand alone
• Make it clear what you want the reader to do
• Answer the following questions
• What are you proposing to do.
• How much is being requested.
• Over what time period.
• Say if you are responding to an RFP.
• Keep the paragraph short.

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Opening Paragraph

• Syracuse University is pleased to submit a
  letter of inquiry to the Getty Trust Campus
  Heritage Grants for the completion of a variety
  of structural and building envelope condition
  surveys. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive
  condition assessment and preservation plan that
  will be the basis of future capital projects that
  will ensure the preservation of our historic
  structures. We estimate the cost of the project
  will be 190,000.

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Statement of Need

• Who is affected by the problem
• What factors, or causes, contribute to the
  existence of the problem
• What can be done to ameliorate the problem
• What your organization (and others) are doing to
  currently address the problem
• What remains to be done
• What consequences the target population will face
  if this need is not met.

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Project Activity

• Give a general overview of the activities
  involved.
• Highlight why your approach is novel and
  deserving of funding.
• List other collaborators

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Outcomes(1-2) paragraphs)

• State what will be the specific outcomes
  achieved.
• Indicate how evaluation is part of the project
  how will you know youve achieved these outcomes?

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Credentials

• Demonstrate why you are best equipped to carry
  out this activity.
• Put any historic background about the institution
  here.
• Organizational capacity to carry out proposed
  project
• Major recent accomplishments

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Budget

• State the total project cost and how much you
  will requesting
• Indicate broad categories of activities to be
  funded.
• Include other sources of funding, both cash and
  in-kind. Especially indicate what SU will
  contribute. Do not overlook the value of all
  in-kind contributions, including those of your
  collaborators.

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Closing

• Offer to give any additional information the
  foundation might need.
• Give a contact name and contact information for
  foundation follow-up.
• Let them know that you will give them a call to
  follow up
• Express appreciation for the readers attention
• Ask, May we submit a full proposal?