Lol letter

1. For this assignment, you will practice writing a Letter of Interest (LOI- also sometimes used for Letter of Intent, Letter of Inquiry) for a grant within your funder list. A Letter of Interest is essentially a condensed version of a full proposal.

After preparing your funder list, and analyzing the components of the Request for Proposals, you will now develop a 3 page letter introducing your organization to the funder, and briefly explaining what your organization will do with funding (if it were awarded). Typically, this letter is either included with a short grant proposal, or us submitted BEFORE a full grant proposal, where a funder will then invite you to submit additional materials.

1. Opening Paragraph: Your summary statement.

· It should be able to stand alone. If the reviewer reads nothing else they should know what you want to do from reading this paragraph. Make it clear what you want the reader to do; for example, consider funding the project.

· Answer the following: Who wants to do what? How much is being requested? Is this a portion of a larger project cost? Over what period of time is money being requested?

· Example:

"The School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass) seeks support for developing an innovative undergraduate and graduate curriculum in psychiatric mental health nursing that will prepare expert nurse clinicians in the delivery of mental health services to at-risk adolescents in the community setting. We are requesting $87,000 over a two-year period."

[FYI: This proposal got funded!]

· You also may want to say if you are responding to an RFP (Request for Proposals) or make the connection between the foundation's interest and your project.

· Keep this paragraph short! This seems like a lot to address, but you will have room later to explain your rationale for the project, your methodology, and to establish your credibility.

2. Statement of Need: The "why" of the project. (2 paragraphs)

· Explain what issue you are addressing.

· Explain why you have chosen to respond to this set of issues in the way that you have.

· State briefly why this matters in the area in which you will be working.

· Note who benefits. Make sure you can indicate the public good achieved.

3. Project Activity: The "what" and "how" of the project. (The bulk of your letter)

· Give an overview of the activities involved. Give details to the degree that space allows.

· Highlight why your approach is novel and deserving of the special attention that funding connotes.

4. Outcomes (1–2 paragraphs; before or after the Project Activity)

· State the specific outcomes you hope to achieve.

· Indicate how evaluation is part of the project. How will you know you've achieved these outcomes?

5. Credentials (1–2 paragraphs)

· Demonstrate why your institution or your staff is best equipped to carry out this activity.

· Put any historic background about the institution here.

· Brag with substance. Indicate awards, rankings, and tangible measures that set you apart from your peers.

6. Budget (1 paragraph)

· General description of the projects funding needs and total amount of request. For this exercise, you don't need to be incredibly specific. Just give the total amount of the request, and state what the funds will cover. For example, "The total amount of this request is $20,000. This will cover staff salaries, equipment including computer software, food, and promotional materials". In a real proposal, you would of course give a detailed budget. However, don't worry too much about this section for this activity, I know you don't have a lot of information to work with.

7. Closing (1 paragraph

· Offer to give any additional information the foundation might need. Include a contact name and contact information.

· Express appreciation for the reader's attention, or for the opportunity to submit if it is in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP).

· Specifically indicate you are interested in discussing the project and will "contact their office" by a certain date (allowing time for them to receive and read the letter).

8. Signature

· Include your contact information.