Is your idea part of a strategic plan?

If you are writing a programmatic grant it should be a team effort. The strategic assessment of what needs to be funded, who will implement the grant, and how it all fits into the mission of the organization is what will ground your proposal. For researchers, consider what you have accomplished before, what your preliminary data signify, and how qualified you are to conduct the work. In other words, be certain that you have given serious thought to the undertaking of the proposal.

Have you read the Request for Proposal (RFP)?

Before you move on to any other part of the process, read the RFP from start to finish. Obvious issues – such as eligibility or due dates – can be recognized right away; you may even decide that your idea doesn’t align with the grant program and move on to a better match.

What do your colleagues say?

Your experienced colleagues will provide you with sound advice on whether your idea is feasible. Budget size, technical challenges, and review panel hurdles are just three of the areas in which their expertise will be helpful.

Is the Program Officer enthusiastic or encouraging?

Once you have read the RFP and talked to your colleagues, you can talk about your project or research with the Program Officer. He or she will answer questions and give you an indication of whether your idea is a good fit for the program.

Does your organization have the right infrastructure?

The lack of infrastructure has been the downfall of many proposals, particularly those involving research. You must determine ahead of time whether your organization can handle the work before you spend the time writing a proposal.

Is your team qualified?

Suppose your organization is suited for the project – now you must consider the human capital. Your team should be well-qualified and experienced enough to take on the effort for your project or research, including technical support and research assistants.

Why is your project or research needed?

This may be the most important question to ask before writing. If you cannot provide a good answer, this will echo throughout your proposal. Do your homework; review and understand the literature or complete preliminary questionnaires. Better yet, use a planning or seed grant to assess the need for your project or research. These steps will reassure the reviewers that your work is important and must take place.

What is the significance of your project or research?

Once you determined that your project needs to happen, consider the impact that it will have and the changes that will take place for the population you are serving. Think about what key outcomes could become models for others in the same field as you.

What is the heart of your proposal?

Planning and designing your proposal depends on four or five sentences: the heart of your proposal. Your goal, three measurable objectives, and – if you are writing a research proposal – your hypothesis are what define your path. If you can easily write these sentences, you are ready to submit. If not, wait until the next solicitation or competition. Once you develop these statements, you are ready to proceed.

What are the serious challenges involved?

Any potential difficulties should be mulled over before writing a proposal. If several major problems arise, you may want to consider a different approach or even another topic.

How will you budget your proposal?

All the resources at your disposal – and those you lack – should be considered when answering this question. Talking to your institution’s financial office will likely shed light what budget items should be included or excluded. In essence, you need to submit a reasonable budget that is consistent with the narrative, and avoids raising concerns in any way.

Working with a good idea, understanding your path, avoiding obstacles, and organization are vital to your decision to submit or wait. Once you answer all of the above questions, and are confident in the success of your project, you are ready to begin writing.

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It can take as much thought and data-gathering to write an effective letter of inquiry as it does to prepare a full proposal. Don’t assume that because it’s only a letter, it isn’t a time-consuming and challenging task. Every document you put in front of a funder says something about you and your organization; make sure you convey the right message. Each step you take with a donor should build a relationship for the future.

While a typical letter of inquiry should not exceed one page, a few exceptions may be made. For instance, if your organization has received previous funding from the donor, it may behoove you to take a couple of paragraphs to remind them how helpful their grants have been. To help you design a great and effective letter of inquiry, the components are detailed below:

Ask for the Gift

The letter should begin with a reference to your prior contact with the funder, if any. If not, your first two sentences should describe the totality of your request and the funds that you are requesting. Your third sentence should make the match between you and the donor. For Example:

We are writing to inquire whether the Lion’s Charity Foundation would invite a proposal from the West Virginia Technology Consortium, requesting an investment of $100,000 per year over two years to support our Enterprise 2014 Initiative. This grant would provide part of the funds needed for us to train at least 1,200 low-income entrepreneurs in rural West Virginia in the computer skills they need to create sustainable businesses. Your literature indicates that your foundation is searching for innovative ideas to improve the lives of the rural poor; we believe our proposal falls well within your area of interest.

Describe the Need

In a much abbreviated manner, tell the funder why there is a need for your project, piece of equipment, etc. Remember, this section of the letter helps the donor understand why they should grant your project the funding you are requesting. As an example, describe why your constituents should be served and how you know that your interventions will work. You can cite answers from questionnaires, quote those who have been successful in this endeavor, and find projects and statistics that can back-up your need.

Explain What You Will Do

Just as you would in a full proposal, provide enough detail to pique the funder’s interest. Describe exactly what will take place as a result of the grant. Donors who require a letter of inquiry will always want to know where their money and other resources will be directed. For instance, describe your goal and how it will be accomplished via your three measurable objectives. Describing your outcomes and evaluation is also extremely helpful in reassuring the donor that your project has been thought out, and that you understand the path for its ultimate success.

Demonstrate Your Credibility

The last paragraph will directly speak to your credibility and expertise to undertake the project. You will need to describe who you are, what you have done in the past to demonstrate previous success in this area, what resources you have already contributed to the project, and the expertise of the staff who will be directly involved in implementing the objectives. For example, you should state how you previously served the population in question, or – for research projects – the preliminary data you have. Essentially, this will be about how your project dovetails with you and your mission. This will speak to the sustainability of the project with the resources that you will be given.

The Final Two Sentences

At the end of the letter thank the donor for taking the time to read your letter. This is necessary, and should not be overlooked. Lastly, close with a call to action; let the donor know that you will be following up with them in the near future.

Remember that this is your introduction to the donor. You will want to make a great first impression, so make every word count. Be sure that every sentence conveys your message and builds your case for funding. For those whose grants do not involve a letter of inquiry, the process of writing such a document or an abstract can be useful in preparing to speak with program officers. Each of the points above will need to be addressed, via a face-to-face meeting or phone call.

The post The Letter of Inquiry: Quality Makes the Difference appeared first on Grant Training Center Blog.